When a creek floods

I live near Nashville TN, and we have had our share of flooding this spring. There is a park that I run the trails on most mornings. For the past seven weeks, the trails have been underwater. Here's a photo of the aftereffects. 

It all started about 10 weeks ago with rain upon rain. The park started to flood into the baseball/football fields and trails. Amazingly, fishermen started to fish in the park. Check-out these photos. 

This bass boat is basically in the outfield of a baseball park.

The trail runs just beyond the bass boat with the creek on the other side of the tree line.   

A Great blue heron roaming the sidelines.

Here's what the trail looked like after the water subsided, 4 to 5 inches of mud. Spring has sprung all around except here. It almost looks like a bomb went off. 

Hey, Check-out my vintage style lake maps. They make a great gift. Click here, Leolakes.com to see if we have your map. We have many popular lake maps such as the Lake Winnipesaukee, Great Sacandaga Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Greer's Ferry Lake, Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Sinclair, Table Rock Lake, and Lake Wallenpaupack. Also, we paint custom maps and have personalized maps for that special someone. 

My mini vacation to lemon Bay.....

A few weeks ago, I took a mini vacation to one of my favorite places, Manasota Key, which is located near Englewood Florida. I got to do a little kayaking on Lemon Bay and took a few photos. This is a beautiful area, however there has been an outbreak of red tide in the last few months. It has had a major impact with large numbers of fish and waterfowl killed. The area is now slowly recovering and trying to get back to normal. I placed a red circle on this map around the area that I visited.

We stayed at my mother and father-in-law's place, an over 55 retirement community called "Gulf to Bay". It's a pretty cool place. The island is about 800 feet wide at this point and you can walk from the bay to the ocean in about 3-5 minutes. I've visited here for the last 30 years and it doesn't change much.  This photo is looking directly east into Lemon Bay. 

Look how calm the water is while my daughter and her boyfriend paddled a two person kayak in the bay.

My wife and I, paddled over to one of the nearby islands. It was a very enjoyable trip, especially thinking that the temperature back in Nashville, my home was in the thirties. 

I love looking mangroves. The mangrove roots extend directly into the salt water. All kinds of young sea life live in the mangrove swamp. I've seen oysters, sponges, shrimp, and small fish. Sometimes when you quietly paddle next to the mangroves, you can see some amazing sea creatures, but this time I didn't see any. 

The waters here are full of fish. I've caught all kinds of fish over the last thirty years. This year was different, the red tide made catching fish very hard.

Looking out in the bay, I can still smell a slight scent of the red tide, it burns my nose. You must admit, this is a beautiful sunset.  One thing for sure, the red tide hasn't ruined the view.

Do you need a great gift for the lake house, lake lover, or fisherman? If you do, check-out my treasured decor maps ay LeoLakes.com. 

I call my maps treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoLakes.com.

Beautiful Beach Maps

Here's a beautifully framed map of Gulf Shores in Barnwood. This will warm up the wall in the winter and bring back those warm summer memories at the beach...... 

And there's more....... I often get comments about the tiny mermaid hidden in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about the search for the mermaid. They say the children really enjoy hunting for her and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that she moves, but I'm not sure that I believe that. LeoLakes.com

Most folks add a star to a special place such as a lake house, river  house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

Beautiful Cook Inlet

I'm going to Alaska in June and I'm starting to plan the trip. I remember doing a map of Cook Inlet a few months ago and thought that I would post about some interestingly features in Alaska.

What's the interesting feature about Cook Inlet? The inlet stretches for about 180 miles with Anchorage located near the north end. There are two active volcanoes located near Cook Inlet, Augustine and Mount Redoubt. There is an abundance of  oil and gas deposits around the Cook Inlet basin and many platforms dot the land and seascape.

Beluga whales can be seen in the inlet. It's been determined that these are an isolated stock that are genetically distinct and are on the endangered species list. As you can see, there's a lot of interesting features on Cook Inlet, but to me, the most interesting is Tidal bores. What are Tidal Bores, bugs, holes, caves? Nope, but it only happens in a few places on earth, one of these being Turnagain Arm near Anchorage.

Check-out my decor maps LeoLakes.com. Most folks add a star to a special place such as a lake house, river  house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com

Toledo Bend Lake Map

Just finished this 20"x 40" canvas map of Toledo Bend Lake. Soon it will be hanging in the customers lake house in Texas. LeoLakes.com

Interestingly, I often get comments about the tiny mermaid hidden in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about the search for the mermaid. They say the children really enjoy hunting for her and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that she moves, but I'm not sure that I believe that. LeoLakes.com

Most folks add a star to a special place on the lake such as a lake house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

Custom Lake Maps for the Lake House

Just finished these two custom maps, Lake Keowee located in South Carolina and Gull Lake in Minnesota. I do lots of custom maps for folks that want to have a map of their beloved lake. Great Valentine gift!

Take a look at my website, LeoLakes.com to find other maps that I have already completed. I call my maps "treasured maps" because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. 

These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over three hundred maps on my website. 

 If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoLakes.com. There's a hidden mermaid in every maps!

Check us out at click here: LeoLakes.com

Ocoee River Decor Map

Just finished this canvas map of the Ocoee River! Beautifully framed in Barnwood. Oops, a couple of geese have flown off the map, that can happen with a Leo Lakes Treasured Map.

Interestingly, I often get comments about the tiny mermaid hidden in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about the search for the mermaid. They say the children really enjoy hunting for her and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that she moves, but I'm not sure that I believe that. LeoLakes.com

Most folks add a star to a special place such as a lake house, river  house or where they caught that big fish. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com.