HOP IN! Maybe we'll meet an artist on the trail!

 

We hiked the Halpata Tastanaki Trail at the Pruitt trailhead last week and met a well known local artist.

We've seen him before and spoken to him but this time I asked if he had art displayed locally. And he does!

Meet John Romaine. His facebook page is HERE.

I took a photo of the huge live oak tree nearby but he may have been drawing the one across the trail.

It's a beautiful place to set up your easel and spend some time.

We've had some good hikes lately and enjoyed our time outdoors.

(Mississippi Kite, Swallowtail Kite, Cattle Egret, Hawk)

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday weekend!

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

Also I like Thursdays HERE.  

A Hunter and it's Prey!

 

I'm not trying to make a statement with this post. I love ALL birds and ALL critters.

I'm just showing you what I saw in my backyard this week. 

Had I rather the Hawk catch a mouse or a snake? Maybe!

But we are overrun with squirrels and that's what he found to eat.

The crows were either trying to scare him off or expected him to share! lol

I snapped this photo not knowing what I would get....

but I was pleased with the results. (cropped pic below)

We all eat to live! Have pity on the Red-tailed Hawk!

He was hungry! (and the songbirds at the feeder live another day!)

I'll end with this beautiful passion flower seen at the entrance to the Florida Trails East off C R-484, one of my MOST favorite places to hike!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 

How about a little Adventure? Let's drive over to Cannon Farms!

 

It's that time of year already! 

Cannon Farms is open with a sunflower field as far as the eye can see! A link to all the latest is HERE! 

They have wonderful local produce to sell, too.

Lots of people were taking advantage of the beautiful morning (in the 70s) to walk out in the field to follow the maze and pick there own sunflowers.

I was happy to take photos and buy some that they had just cut!

So beautiful in every direction!

You can see the big sprinkler systems in the field here.

And then I even drove my Jeep into the back of the parking area and did a little Jeep photo shoot!

It's so DRY here so there's a lot of contrast to dry grasses along the road and the fields and lawns that are watered.

But the afternoon showers will be popping up soon so we'll enjoy the early summer weather.

I took this one out the side window when I left!

I bought LOTS of produce and put it away as soon as I got home. But here are some of the 'maters' and peaches I put in a bowl. The peaches are locally grown at Arthur Family Farm HERE!  They are SO sweet and juicy!

And the sunflowers will perk up in the vase soon. 

I told the ladies at the check out that I still had a sunflower from 2 years ago, so I want to share that photo too. It dried so beautifully! (the dust keeps it preserved too!!!heehee)

So that's our adventure for today! 

Come down to Florida and walk through the sunflower maze with me! 

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

Also I like Thursdays HERE. 

Hiking with Deers and Swimming with Ducks

 

We had a rare treat this week on the Florida Trails (East). We had just spoken to another hiker that went ahead of us and he motioned for us to come down where he was standing. 

There were 3 deers grazing in the woods. 

At first we thought they were a family of deers but when we saw the photos, we realized they were all bucks. 

A big buck with velvet antlers....

a large buck with one antler bigger than the other

and a small one with small knobs (antlers).

But the most interesting thing was the path they took. They grazed and walked parallel to our trail.

So we got to keep them in view for quite awhile. It was amazing!

So did we really swim with the Wood Ducks at Blue Run Park this week!

Oh my NO...that would have been embarrassing! They were mating (and in the swamp!)

We looked up the behavior online when we got home. She went down deep in the water and made her body like a surfboard.

And then when he climbed on her back, he grabbed some of her feathers in his beak to balance himself. (I thought he was keeping her head above water....but no, he just needed his balance.)

And they lived happily ever after swimming through the duckweed!

Take time to stop and smell the wildflowers!

Have you been able to get out in nature this week? I hope so!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’. 

Butterflies and Found Objects!

 It's wildflower season here in Florida which means the butterflies and moths abound!

Monarch Butterfly

I've never been good about identifying butterflies so I turned to my friend from It's All about Purple HERE to find out what ID books she might recommend. She suggested I buy one for Florida! So I have one on order and can't wait to get it! Hopefully it will make is a little easier! 

Black Swallowtail

Butterfly weed really attracts the butterflies!

This one looks brown but could be a Giant Black Swallowtail.

Butterflies LOVE thistle too!

And Goldenrod!

And hiking the Florida trails has always lead to 'found objects!

I know it's OK to take a painted rock and maybe leave it in another location. 

But I like to take a photo and leave it for someone else to take. 

A few more!

Did you find the heart, the girl rock, the beads, the sunshine, the sparkly red white and blue rock? Did you get a love you message and stop to read the signs along the way?

Don't walk too fast! You might miss something! heehee!

Has anything unusual turned up on your walks this week?

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I'm linking with All Seasons at the Jesh Studio,

Also I like Thursdays HERE.