"Fences" The taller the better!

These were taken at Homosassa Wildlife Park here in Florida.

We've been several times and usually see the bear at a distance.

 

But this time he came up close enough to get some good photos.

 

Nice to have a tall fence or two to peer through.

 

Well, I guess not everyone is afraid of him.

 

Looks like his pals, Mr. Heron and Mrs. Egret are visiting him today. They're not talking about him behind his back, are they?

 I sure HOPE not! 

I'm joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.

 

I hope everyone has improving weather this week. 

What's it like at your house?

I might be crazy "mosaic"!

When I was much younger and had a house full of little boys, I taught myself to crochet and knit. I bought a book and sat down and tried to figure it out without help. I have never been very proficient but I still like to find an easy pattern and work on small projects. I like to crochet better than knit. Which do you prefer?

So what's the 'crazy' part of this post?

 

I was not successful with the little dollie slippers. So I only made one! hahaha! I did make the pink and green bag to keep my yarn and needles together and I was happy with it.

I hope you are warm and safe inside and doing something you enjoy today!

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday and

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday.

Red Shouldered Hawks and "Me"

We had a wonderful hike at the Blue Run of Dunnellon Park on my birthday. 

 

It was 71 degrees and we walked for almost 2 hours and saw some amazing sights.

 

I wanted to share photos of a pair of hawks that we got to see up close. 

 

One was right in front of my hubby when he was trying to take a photo of a Cypress tree.

 

(so he gets credit for this amazing shot)

 

Oh, and I guess he gets credit for this amazing photo too! lol

One of these days, I'm going to a fancy sportswear store and get myself a hiking outfit. I found this white linen top at the thrift store for $1 and it was nice and cool for a winter hike in Florida.

 

 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

What's your weather like today? I hope the snow storm isn't causing problems where you live. Just stay inside and keep warm!

You are all invited for cake and ice cream!

We'll go for a hike first and then have a birthday party!

 

How does that sound?

 

It's my birthday and we plan to drive over to Blue Run Park and start our hike there. I have some photos from our last hike there to share.

 

(those nice people left, so I took a pic of the empty bench)

Since I can't eat sugar (because of some crazy kind of allergy) you can have ALL of the cake and ice cream that you can get away from my hubby! haha!

 

It's supposed to be in the 70s today so it's a perfect day to hit the trails.

Now what should I wear?

 

I'm joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.

Have a FUN birth day!!!

Beautiful Mosaic

I love spending time in our lanai in the winter months.

 

And it's nice to have so many of my favorite things close by to enjoy.

 

My new little fairy (a gift from my sister) is on the coffee table in front of me, along with favorite things I've collected over the years. The pretty Abalone shell was a gift from Betsy at My Salvaged Treasures.

 

And this week I found this precious set of Lefton lambs at the thrift store, so I put them on the table at the end of the sofa. (that's where I'm sitting as I write, with my net book in my lap...on the sofa, not the end table)

It doesn't cost a lot to surround ourselves with beautiful things, whether it's a thrift find, a gift or something you've made. And what a difference it can make in our moods.

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday and

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday.

Gets along well with others!

It looks like this hawk and crow are best friends.

 

They sure were flying together in the sky and if one was trying to chase the other one off, you couldn't tell it!

 

And we have a pair of Yellow - Throated Warblers visiting our bird feeders now.

 

The male is the most colorful one of course.

(and the hardest one to get a photo of through a dirty window)

 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

 

 

 

It's a beautiful day in Florida, highs in the 70s! So we have a hike planned today. What are your weekend plans?

Literary Friday - "Old Books"

Remember when I chose a word for the 'new year'? It was 'balance'. Well, I can report that so far I haven't been very balanced but I guess it's still something to strive for. I came down with a bad cold that lasted most of last week and all I did was read. I didn't blog much so I am behind on visiting everyone. But I read library books on my IPAD. I check ebooks out from my library and use a program called Overdrive to view them on my IPAD for 14 days. After that they disappear. So that is incentive to finish a good book.

 

I give the highest rating to only a very few books. And I gave it to this one. The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy was written in 1972 so maybe everyone else has read it. But it was 'new' to me! And I loved it. 366 pages that I read in a couple of days. I could NOT put it down. It's a memoir and I'll include a little quote here. "The Water is Wide is based on Conroy's experiences of teaching on Daufuskie Island in the late 1960's (thinly disguised as Wamacraw Island in the book). After his application was turned down for the Peace Corps, Conroy applied for a job teaching black children on this isolated sea island off the South Carolina coast"

Have you read it? It is AMAZING!

 

And if that's not enough....  this week I went to the local library and found some old Nancy Drew books in the lobby 'books for sale' to add to my small collection.

 

This one was published in 1937 which I think makes it the oldest one I have. 

 

What wonderful old classic mysteries!

 

I'm joining Ricki Jill for Literary Friday HERE!

What are you reading this week?

Fences and Firebreaks

We got off the trail at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve when we hiked last weekend. 

 

We walked along the firebreak. It had rained just enough to pack the sand so that we could walk on it. I looked up firebreak in Wikipedia for a better explanation. We see them along all of the forests, preserves and prairies here in Florida and these are man made. Wikipedia's definition, "A firebreak (also called a fireroad, fire line or fuel break) is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire."

 

What was so amazing was the number of animal tracks along this fence line. Mostly deer, wild hog, turkey and other smaller animals like raccoons and opossums.

 

(this is a three toed sloth...NO really it's a turkey track! lol)

 

I looked for a tuft of fur along the top of this fence because I know deer bound right over the high fences.

 

Most animals go under!

 

Of course we got back on the trail for views like this. It's so beautiful here in Florida during the winter months.

 

Do you like to get off the 'beaten trail'?

I’m joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.

Walk Outside with me!

When we got home from a hike yesterday, I walked into our back yard and took photos of the row of beautiful azaleas that are in full bloom next to the golf course.

 

It's one of the reasons we chose to retire here in Florida and in this community.

And I'm thankful every time I look outside.

 

I hope you enjoy a beautiful day too.

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday and

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday.

Cedar Waxwings

Every winter Cedar Waxwings come to a Live Oak tree across the street and spend a few days here in North Central Florida. I'm not sure where they are migrating from (or to) but they are a welcome sight!

 

I cropped a few photos to show you up close.

 

This one looks like it's having a 'bad hair day'! haha!

 

And look at the tips of the tail feathers. They look like they've been dipped in some yellow paint.

 

Of course there are always a few 'imposters' in the flock.

A big robin is right in the middle of this flock. 

We've had several robins in our yard this week so maybe he decided to migrate with this flock.

 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Do you have Cedar Waxwings in your area?

St. John's River

We stopped by the St. John's river to walk along that old sidewalk that tried to kill me last year. (this is where I fell)

 

The river looked amazing! 

 

It was late afternoon but there were still some canoes on the river.

 

And look who came to greet us, looking for a handout.

 

We didn't have any bread to feed them but we'll try to remember next time.

Are those all ducks? Hmmmmm!!!!

 I think that rooster is having an identity crisis! haha!

 

I’m joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.