Monday, November 19, 2018

Hiking in Florida!

I know most people don’t plan their vacation to Florida around ‘hiking’! But it’s what I love best right now!

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There are so many great hiking trails near my house and right now the weather is perfect!

It’s exactly 3 miles from my driveway to the entrance of one of my favorite trails, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

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It goes for miles so I have to make myself turn around and head back to my car at some point! I usually limit these hikes to 1 1/2 hours and now that I am going more often, I’m trying to shorten them just a bit. I don’t want to ‘wear out’! lol

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And you just NEVER know what you’ll see! I came across something on a grassy trail and thought I was seeing a tombstone! WHOA!!!

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But then I remembered seeing the sign for a bike race in October.

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Then I saw even more ‘grave markers’ and moved one with my shoe. They were plastic!

I see something ‘out of the ordinary’ every time I hike!

Makes life interesting!

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I’m pretty sure I heard this Pileated Woodpecker say I could pull this pinecone out of his ear and maybe make a craft project out of it! hahahahaha

Have you seen anything ‘out of the ordinary’ this week?

I’m joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE.

35 comments:

MadSnapper said...

I just saw something out of the ordinary on other blogs, 2 of them in ICE storms. yowsa. also out of the ordinary on your post is the tiny yellow flower in photo number three of the fall leaves. so tiny and joyful. those things do look like real tombstones. you have a beautiful place to hike and every time there is something new and different. nature keeps changing

NanaDiana said...

LOL about the grave markers. I love that you hike so much and get so much enjoyment out of it. What a great part of your day.
Have a wonderful pre-Thanksgiving week. xo Diana

DUTA said...

Unusual finds, indeed. Hiking would be boring without the adventure of finding surprising, uncommon items along the way.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, you do have nice weather there now for walking. Interesting sights to see, the plastic grave markers looked real at first. I love the Pileated Woodpecker, I usually hear them before seeing them. They have a loud knock.
Happy Monday, enjoy your day! Have a great new week! PS, thanks for the comment and visit.

Sandy said...

I love that woodpecker. He is awesome. I would love to walk those trails with you.

Arlene G said...

That picture of the Wood Pecker made me smile. They always remind me of Woody Woodpecker from my childhood.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

This IS hiking season. I haven't been doing as much, as my knees have been an issue...but I will get out there now that we have a few cool days...of course as I say that, the forecast is for 80 degrees today lol

Debby Ray said...

This certainly looks like a great place for a hike. I love to find new places to explore! I have never seen a pileated woodpecker before...we have other kinds but not these...they are so beautiful. Have a truly blessed Thanksgiving, Diane!

Out on the prairie said...

i have found a few markers where people have sprinkled ashes of pets or loved ones.

Gillena Cox said...

Happy Hiking thanks for dropping by my blog today

much love...

Jeanie said...

You never know what you'll find!

ellen b. said...

I see why you like that trail. Such lovely scenes for your mosaics! Happy Thanksgiving week to you!

Ann said...

I would love to have a hiking trail this close to my house. This looks like a nice one too. I'm laughing over the pinecone in the woodpeckers ear :)

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hiking is neat --no matter what time of year... There's always something new and different to see when we are out walking or hiking.... I am one who enjoys hiking in winter ---but still having trouble finding the perfect gloves to keep my hands warm....

Nice post.
Hugs,
Betsy

Silver in AZ said...

That's very cool! I need to get myself back in shape so I can take advantage of the hiking opportunities in AZ.

Vee said...

That was a fun close! Hahahahaha...

Debbie said...

i have been to florida so many times but never to go hiking or bird watching. we have family in florida and visited very often when our boys were young!!

it's nice to see your fall colors, they are very pretty!!

funny picture of the pileated, they are in this area but i never see them!!

the hubs has a cold, the only new things i have been seeing are nyquil and dayquil!!!

Inger said...

I love your hikes, your trails, all the interesting animals and other things you come across on your hikes.

Terri D said...

Nothing out of the ordinary here except the amazing things you always share with us!

SImple and Serene Living said...

Florida is such a beautiful place to walk and it's flat, which works better for me. xo Laura

Red Rose Alley said...

That Woodpecker is definitely out of the ordinary. He's such a handsome fellow, isn't he? Ours are called the red-headed Woodpecker, and they have a red head, but this one has spiked hair, how funny. He sure is cute. You do come across some interesting things on your hikes. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Diane.

~Sheri

*I never had tv dinners growing up, and I always wanted to. Turkey tv dinners sound Yummy. : )

Angie said...

Diane - that first mosaic is tremendous - you could work for the Florida Tourist Board! I like the first picture with the lone leaf, but you really captured my heart with the miniature yellow flower peeking out from behind the oak leaves!! Thanks for joining Mosaic Monday, and Happy Thanksgiving to you!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

I love the shots of the pileated woodpecker, Diane! The tombstones made me laugh! We enjoyed a lovely walk today as our temperatures reached 60 degrees. We've had quite a chilly November this year. Thanks for taking us on your beautiful hikes. ♥

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

So beautiful!!! Can't wait, because nature walks are what I love best about Florida too. (Mine are too short to be called hikes -- but at least I get outdoors!).... That pinecone decoration will definitely be a one-of-a-kind keepsake )))). ..That living dead bike race must have been an interesting one, but I do think they should pick up their markers after.

Angie said...

Diane - the Florida Tourist Board should hire you - they would snap up that first mosaic! I loved the first picture of the lone leaf, but you really captured my heart with the pixie yellow flower peeking out from the oak leaves! Thanks for joining Mosaic Monday, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Kathy said...

Oh how I miss my nature walks. Especially when you post such magnificent pictures of the trail you are on. I would wonder about those tombstones too.

handmade by amalia said...

I love hiking as well and even though I don't have trails as gorgeous as yours, there is always something interesting to see. And the weather is perfect just now.
Amalia
xo

BeachGypsy said...

Hello my friend, I LOVE YOUR HIKING PICTURES! Especially the leaves one with the teeny tiny little yellow flower! Love the story about the gravestones!!---LOL--I just thought of something, if we stumbled onto some of those here in Charleston---they would most likely be REAL ONES.... ha ha ha ha LOL I love that picture you had up, was it yesterday or one of your previous posts--it was a scrub jay I think you called it?---that is a real pretty bird. And the woodpecker one here today too. You get some great pictures! LETS GO HIKING!!

Net - "It's a Wonderful Movie" said...

Oh, I love how you take us along on all your walks. It's always fun to see what you'll discover along the way.

Aren't the woodpeckers so interesting! Such a fascinating creature!

Blessings to you on Thanksgiving Week! Net

happyone said...

You sure have some great places to hike.
Since my favorite walking temperature is 40 or 50 I might be a bit to warm hiking in FL. : )
Great pictures along the way.

Su-sieee! Mac said...

No doubt you're feeling stronger from all the walking. Good for you. I just got back from a very short walk around the block, without a cane, too. I feel proud about myself. Good cheer to you. :-)

Little Wandering Wren said...

Hiking in your Florida fresh air looks anything but ordinary, how wonderful! Fancy finding all those fake tombstones - how lucky you'd avoided being there on the Ride of the Living Dead day haha!
Wren x

EL RINCON DE CHELO said...

Preciosas fotografías!!

Julie's Creative Lifestyle said...

That’s great that you can get out for those nice hikes. I enjoyed your photos. Have a Happy Thanksgiving 🍁

joyh82 said...

Looks like a great day for hiking! Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!