A Walk in the Woods

 

With the heat and humidity, I've been sticking to the paved trails that have some shade.

But I wandered into the big woods to watch this Mama Deer and Fawn.

They were not very nervous about my presence over on the primitive trail.

So I just kept walking slowly and stopping when they did to take photos.

The little one was just like a 'kid'. The Mama would get a little ahead and then it would take off to catch up!

And then the little one crossed the trail in front of me.

It looked back to see who might follow.

And the Mama came out onto the trail and just stood there giving me a stare!

She was cautioning me not to follow.

So I stayed still and let them go off into another part of the woods.

I felt so privileged to get to watch them.

And I walked until this trail came back onto the paved trail.

Of course I saw some birds along the way too. The Rufous-Sided Towhee sang and sang. The Dove looked like he had been fluffing his feathers and the Kestrel was preening.

These were taken on the Florida Trails (49th Ave Trailhead) on a hot and humid morning this week. Over 100 hikes this year so far! 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.   

If you're happy and you know it.....

 make a BLT for lunch!

Start with happy toast!

And grill the bacon!

We grill just about everything here in Florida year round!

Bacon has to be watched every minute but it is SO worth it!

Add some Kraft Mayo, a fresh Florida tomato and some Sweet butter lettuce and you have a winner! Oh and make a tall glass of iced tea with lots of ice!

We are hiking....some! But it is extremely hot so we are taking it easy.

 

Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

(paved hiking trail)

Shorter hikes, closer to home.

And I'm using my time inside to get a little more house cleaning done. 

No pics of my clean house? There may be a reason for that! hahahaha!

But I have made 2 pretty journals lately.

And now they are ready to be decorated and finished.

I have to admit to jumping around on my junk journals lately and not completing any of them. When I find something pretty to add to one of them, I pull it off the shelf and work on it again. That's part of the fun of these journals. You can keep adding 'junk'!

What have you been doing this week? Do you have something I should try cooking on the grill? I'm open for suggestions!

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

A Preening kind of Day!

 Maybe this heat is making for a 'bad hair day'!

This White Ibis just wants to perch here and do a little preening and not have to worry about a Great White Egret swooping past!

After all it's not that easy to perch on this little twiggy tree!

When I first drove into the Pruitt Trailhead I saw a big flock of Cattle Egrets preening near the marsh.

My photos aren't very sharp for 2 reasons. It was quite a distance away AND my lens fogged up when I got out of the cool, dry Jeep and into the heat and humidity! 

But you can tell this little guy had done his best to look presentable. (looks like he has it just the right 'poofyness'. Poofyness is not a word?! It is here in Florida! lol

And this Red Shouldered Hawk is doing his best!

He's poofed and fluffed.

And now he thinks he has it just right!

It was a beautiful day at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve!

And in heat like this, I had it all to myself!

White Peacock Butterfly

Have you been outside much this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.   

Reflections

 When we were at Blue Run Park, I took photos of the observation deck across the Rainbow River. 

It's beautiful where we were standing too but I was mesmerized by the scene in front of me.

Hubby was taking pics too!

It was hard to choose a favorite photo!

So I'll share a mosaic of every one I took! 

I love taking photos of the swamp as we walk too.

It had rained the day before and the water level was high.

Beautiful!

And more of the swamp photos in a mosaic!

Doesn't this cloud look like a feather? 

(or have I stood outside too long looking up into the sun? heehee)

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too! 

Blue Run Park is a little less 'WILD'!

 

We saw some news about Blue Run Park in Dunnellon but we hadn't had a chance to visit the park. 

Withlacoochee River

One early morning it was 'less hot' and it had rained the night before so we headed over there. 

the Swamp

And read the letters that stated some of the large alligators had been relocated!

We love our wildlife here in Florida but there was a huge alligator on the swamp side of the trail that was a little too close for comfort for us too. So I'm glad he got moved to a better location. Lots of people walk on this trail, including people with dogs and small children in tow. An alligator can move faster than we can get out of the way, so this was good news.

It was funny to see this huge turtle on the alligator log though.

Do you think he ATE the alligator and took over the log? 

Just kidding....just kidding!!!

And maybe the Wood ducks are missing the big alligator in their pond.

They found a log that looks very much like an alligator and started preening.

We love these beautiful ducks.

And don't forget....this is not scum or algae in the water.

 It is a plant called duckweed.

I hope you've had a chance to get out in nature even if it is just to walk around outside where you live. It's hot here so I make my hikes shorter but there's no way I can stay inside every day! 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.