Friday, July 28, 2023

The trails of summer!


 It's very beautiful here in Florida during the summer months.


We get pop up showers (usually in the late afternoon) that keeps the grass watered and allows the flowers to flourish.


Let's take a break under this big old Live Oak Tree!


I saw the Blue Grosbeak again this week.


His silver beak really glows in the sun!


Black Swallowtail butterfly


Neat looking clouds!


A curious deer in the trees. There were 3 of them!

I'm trying to drive out to Pruitt once a week to hike on the wide open grassy trails of Halpata Tastanaki Preserve.


I saw 3 Hawks and this photo is not particularly good. He's in flight in the lower part of the photo.


But look at the top corner....another hawk or a web? 

And I can see birds and wildlife every time I visit. Two vultures flew up into the limbs of this tree when I walked by and gave me a 'start'! 


I usually hike for an hour or so depending on what I see and how many photos I 'need' to take.


The sign at the trailhead had a Red-shouldered Hawk on the post when I finished my hike.


He was a real beauty! 


I drink lots of water and have apple slices and an oatmeal cookie (Keto recipe) for a snack when I'm finished.

And I feel so much better after spending time in nature!

What is your favorite snack after a walk or work out?

Happy weekend! 🌴

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

26 comments:

Tom said...

...thanks for taking me along while I'm in the comfort of my AC!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Nice pictures, the hawk is gorgeous.

MadSnapper said...

my favorite photo today is that wavy limbed tree. I love trees and that one is a masterpiece.

Jenn Jilks said...

Good for you! I weeded today for an hour, and I am a dripping bead of sweat. I is way too hot here on Ontario.

roentare said...

Beautiful nature! Love that giant tree the best

Terri D said...

Great photos, as always! That hawk in the last photo... WOW! Florida has the prettiest clouds and a blue sky like never seen elsewhere! Thanks for sharing!!

Irma said...

What a wonderful series of photos.
The red-shouldered hawk is my favourite.
I wish you a good weekend.
Greetings Irma

Veronica Lee said...

It's really beautiful there in Florida during the summer months.
Glorious photos!
I especially loved the hawk.

Hugs and blessings

Ann said...

I enjoy going along on your hikes. You always find so much to share with us. In the picture with the hawk flying across the bottom I did think for a second that there might be a second hawk up in the top of the tree. Then I realized that it was a web.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

We rarely take a snack when we walk, but if we do it is usually our homemade trail mix. If we are out for a full day, we sometimes take a boiled egg.

Penelope Notes said...

The Blue Grosbeak with its wings on the downbeat is a super capture not often seen.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Looks like a lovely day and a beautiful sky. The Blue Grosbeak is a great bird. Love the cute deer, the Black Swallowtail butterfly and the Hawks, great photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.

Lea said...

Great photos!
Love the Hawk on the post photos!

GreenComotion said...

I see somebody spying from behind the trees :)
Great photos!

RedPat said...

It is good that it hasn't been too hot so that you couldn't get out for a hike. Nice cold water is a treat for me after a long walk.
Great shots of the Red-Shouldered Hawk.

Lowcarb team member said...

It is always lovely to spend time outside and enjoy nature.
Lovely photograph of the Red-shouldered Hawk on the post.

Enjoy your weekend.

All the best Jan

Shiju Sugunan said...

Florida in summer sounds gorgeous. Awesome shots!

Kathy said...

Such a nice walk! I remember when it didn't hurt to walk how much I enjoyed it. Now you have to take the walks for me. You always show such interesting critters. Love your photos.

21 Wits said...

Hello, we've been feeling like it's Florida here in Minnesota with the high and often extreme temperatures, my car read 100 degrees one day last week afterwork! I really enjoyed your fun play with photos here, and all the lovely critters! Thank you and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Barbara said...

After a walk or a workout, I drink a lot of water and sometimes several swallows of an electrolyte drink. We keep bottles of that in the refrigerator all the time to keep headaches and other symptoms of dehydration at a distance.

Red Rose Alley said...

The clouds are so pretty, especially after a good rain. Nel used to get the pop-up showers in the Summer also when she lived in Georgia. That is a neat picture of the bird in flight. I like the twisted old tree on your hike too. A wonderful day in nature.

Wishing you sweet August days, Diane.

~Sheri

Wally Jones said...

Even I feel much better after enjoying "your" walk!

Great sights along the trail. The Blue Grosbeak is a neat find. Glad he's hanging around. It's hard to believe "fall" migration is not that far away.

Thank you, Diane, for sharing the beautiful sights with us!

Stay cool.

Caroline said...

Beautiful photos. I like the hawk. Have a nice day.

BeachGypsy said...

Howdy Diane -- love these great pictures! I saw a jeep yesterday and thought of you--- it had about a dozen yellow ducks lined up on the dash!!! I told Mr front porch why they were there--- he had heard about it either! Such a fun thing!!

BeachGypsy said...

I left a comment but it DISAPPEARED UGH!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Loving and missing the Florida birds!! (But your pictures are better than mine ever are and I always feel like I've been on your hikes with you! Thanks for letting me join you!!