Blog - Luci Westphal

Flock of terns flying with shadows, Honeymoon Island, Florida

Trail and Beach Photos from Honeymoon Island State Park (Florida)

Honeymoon Island quickly became one of my favorite places as soon as we moved to the Florida Gulf Coast. Let me show you some views from the beaches and trails.

favorite songs 1st quarter of 2021, playlist, cassette cover, raccoon

Favorite Songs of 1st Quarter of 2021

New year, new songs, new reflections and awareness, finally new hope. Here are my favorite songs of the 2021 winter months (January, February, March 2021).

orange and black butterfly with white dots on purple flower, Monarch Butterfly on Lavender, life cycle stages

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Stages Photos and Videos

Photos and videos of the monarch butterfly life cycle stages, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, all in my Florida backyard over the course of just a few weeks.

nature photo postcards by Luci Westphal, pink flamingo, snowy egret, raccoon, colorful birds, pink blooms, tufted titmouse, aligator, Florida, available via Happier Place

Shiny New Nature Photo Postcards + Satiny Folded Greeting Cards

Exciting news! A whole brand-new batch of shiny, sturdy, sustainably-sourced nature photo postcards featuring my photography are now available via Happier Place! TweetShare59SharePin9Share68 Shares

sandhill cranes flying above palm trees, migration, winter in Florida

Winter Photos from Paynes Prairie State Park (Florida)

Paynes Prairie in North Florida is famous for the flocks of sandhill cranes that winter here among the local birds, wild horses, and bison.

wooden boardwalk, pier, into the fog, lake, wetlands, Paynes Prairie, Florida, US 441

Featured Photo: Paynes Pier

This photo of the boardwalk that reaches into the wetlands lake of Paynes Prairie directly off US 441, I took on an early January morning in 2021.

Favorite songs best of 2020, playlist, mixtape

Favorite Songs: 4th 1/4 of 2020 Mix Tape

This 4th mix tape and playlist rounds out my favorite songs of 2020.

2020 in the movies, old moveis set in 2020 on tv and streaming

Old Movies Envisioning a Future 2020 – Better or Worse Than the Actual 2020?

As this crazy year finally comes to an end, let’s see how movies made in the past envisioned a future 2020. Which creative visionary came even close to predicting the intensity of this year? Did anyone imagine a year that was worse?

2021 Happier Place Nature Photography Calendar, Photos by Luci Westphal

2021 Wall Calendar Featuring My Photography

For the fourth year in a row, Happier Place published a wall calendar featuring my photography. It’s not too late to get one. TweetShare53SharePinShare53 Shares

Favorites Songs Summer 2020, mix tape, playlist

Favorite Songs: 3rd 1/4 of 2020 Mix Tape

No matter what’s going on in the world, there is always too much great music for just one Favorite Songs Of The Year list. So I make a playlist for every quarter. These are my favorite songs from July, August and September.

Baby gator sleeping on a log in Shark Valley, Everglades, National Park, Florida

Everglades National Park Photos – Part I: Shark Valley

The Everglades National Park is a wildlife and bird photographers paradise. All these photos I took along just one trail: the Shark Valley Loop.

Red-winged black bird, 1 dollar bill, buy local tampa bay

Discover and Buy Local from Tampa Bay Artists and Makers

Tampa Bay’s LocalShops1 created a great online marketplace to support local artists, makers and small businesses – and to help everyone find unique products. It’s a win-win for a healthy community!

music playlist favorite songs 2020 second quarter, April, May, June, sunset

Favorite Songs: 2nd 1/4 of 2020 Mix Tape

Not surprisingly, my favorite songs of spring 2020 were influenced by the events and mood of the world and how they influenced artists and me: coronavirus, Black Lives Matters, isolation, loneliness, loss, and the need to rise up and speak up.

Snowy Egret coming in for landing on new LuciWest photography website and blog

New Landing Spot: My New Merged Relaunched Imperfect Website

This new LuciWest site has been a work-in-progress long enough, and it doesn’t seem I’ll ever get it “just right”. Therefore, I’m now officially declaring it launched – or relaunched.

Great white egret on tree, pink roseate spoonbill in flight, facing away

Introspection, Reflection and Need for Action – by a White German Expat in America

During the anguish of these days, something comes through clearly: it’s not enough to think one is not a racist, one has to be a proactive anti-racist. And that starts with some introspection and reflection.

music playlist favorite songs 2020 first quarter, January, February, March, royal tern beach shadow

Favorite Songs: 1st 1/4 of 2020 Mix Tape

With some technical (new website!) and global pandemic delays, here is my selection of favorites songs from the first quarter of 2020.