Let's take a hike!
I've taken so many photos this summer and I know I can't share them all.
But I wanted to take you all on a hike.
Let's hike the Holly Hammock trail in the Ross Prairie Forest.
These photos are all taken on the same trail....
one right after another.
You can see how the trail changes as we walk.
This is all in about 2 miles of the trail (before we make the turn and loop back around).
It's always changing and one of the reasons you never get tired of hiking in the forest.
Let's take a drink of water now and keep going!
This is a good spot to look at the prairie!
Back into the brambles!
And since most of you follow my blog, you know all of the interesting things I see along the way.
So I'll go back in time and share these bear photos with you.
Black bears live in the forests here in Ocala, Florida.
Getting out in the forest is an experience you never forget.
The weather is changing and I'll be spending more time out there.
Who...Who? Me! Me!
40 comments:
...the owl is fabulous, thanks for sharing!
Beautiful photos of your walk.
I find it a bit scary that there are bears living in your forests, here now wolves live in the forests and they cause a lot of trouble for sheep farmers.
I wish you a nice weekend.
Greetings Irma
Hello Diane :)
The forest trail is beautiful. I like the trees with the tall straight tree trunks and the trees with twisted branches. The changing scenery with lush greenery and narrow paths looks so inviting Thank you for sharing the bear and owl photos .
All the best, enjoy your weekend Diane.
these are my favorite types of paths, natural, made my critters and not boards or concrete put there by humans... 100 percent God Natural
Those trails actually make it look like the weather is much cooler than it really is here!! Lovely photos!!
Thanks for take us along on your hike. This looks like a fabulous trail.
Such a healing. Pleasure to walk along with you dear. Aloha
Not sure I burned any calories "joining" you on this hike, but the scenery is beautiful!
Lovely post and great photographs ... love the owl.
All the best Jan
Great photos and owl is my favorite!!
Hello,
I enjoyed walking the trail with you. I love the bear photos, they are always a treat to see from a distance of course. The Barred Owl is a beautiful bird. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.
The trail looks so peaceful and inviting. I love the owl in particular.
Poor bears to live where there are so many humans!
I love your owl photo. I feel as if it’s always a good day if I see an owl.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I love your woods. I think I have thousands of photos of the trails I hike on, and I never get tired of seeing other people's trails that venture on. Your woods in that park seem cared for either by fire or mechanical clearing. I love looking into the woods.
We have bears in Oklahoma and I have never seen one although where I hike they are just plain not there.
Beautiful hike! This is the time of year the balck beards are very hungry as thye are putting on weight for hibernation so they must love the berries and grubs they find in that forest! Here, they search for full garbage cans...lol
What a nice hike that you took us on! Love that owl shot.
Oh, I love the Barred Owl at the end. My favorite owl forever. And I love seeing the bear photos. I miss seeing our bears in person now that we don't live in the Ocala National Forest anymore. When we lived there they came through our yard regularly. Thankfully I was usually safe inside when they came, but there were a few times I was outside, but thankfully the bears always decided to go the other way. You are blessed to be able and get out on these hikes so often. Now that fall is arriving, it's the best time to go hiking! Thank you for sharing this hike with us. It was delightful, even here from my "room with a view". LOL. Take care and enjoy the upcoming fall days.
Hello. I love hiking. Thank you for showing the photos from your hike.
What a beautiful creature!
That was a great hike, dear Diane - thank you for taking us along! It's really fascinating how the forest changes while walking. Your bear photos are wonderful - and the ones of the young bears are adorable. But I don't know if I would be thrilled to meet bears while I'm alone and defenseless in the forest... However, we are thinking about spending our next long vacation in Canada (hopefully in the fall of next year... let's see if that works out) - and we would like to do bear-spotting tours there with indigenous guides... Your owl is also a wonderful sighting!
Thank you for your nice words in my blog 😘
All the best and have a nice Sunday
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/09/weltreise-2024-sw-usa-roadtrip-teil-1.html
Another fabulous hike. The owl is absolutely beautiful.
I'm right with you on this hike! I always think of the term "forest bathing" when I hike through a forest! There is something soothing about being there!
This is an awesome trail to hike ~ great photo share of your travels ~ hugs,
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thank you for the lovely hike albeit virtual.
Forests are filled with life, and I do like all your photos of your walks.
The forest walk looks so lovely, but I am not so sure about meeting a bear. Give me a kangaroo any day! Have a fabulous week!
Whew! I'm tired now.
Thank you for the virtual hike, Diane. We needed that.
It's probably my imagination, but the past few mornings have felt "less oppressive" than usual. Looking forward to more.
this was a wonderful opportunity for us to see exactly what you see!! it will be especially nice for you now that the weather is cooling off. beautiful images and the owl is exceptional!!
I always enjoy seeing what you see. :-)
Love, Carla
Such a lovely walk through the forest. Bears would scare me away from taking a walk. Love the photo of the owl.
Gracias por este paseo tan bonito, me ha encantado, pero con los osos me da un poquito de miedo. Besos.
Thanks for the nice comment. I'll reply earlier this week...
I am very happy about the contribution to MosaicMonday again, thank you for that. I was happy to follow your walk, dear Diane. You captured the varied nature along the path wonderfully in words and pictures. When I saw the black bears, I immediately thought that hikers should be careful here. I would at least have been terrified. The owl makes me smile... my grandmother always called us, my sister and me, her two little owls :))) Isn't that cute?
Kind regards from Heidrun
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
That Owl is so cute. This looks like a pretty trail for walking. And wouldn't that be something to see one of those black bears?
Happy October days ahead, Diane.
~Sheri
**I'd love to see your acorn decorations sometime. ; )
seeing your collection today made me remember places I´ve been oo. Great memories :)
aww.... bear?..... scary
Fabulous owl photo! How wonderful to see him. Hoping your area of FL is safe from the storm ; thinking of everyone in our winter state (and of our little canal cottage, hope it doesn't drown).... take care, be safe.
Diane - it thrills me to no end that you have black bears in Florida! A lovely hike - thanks for taking us with you! Joining you from I Like Thursday!
What a beautiful journey through the Holly Hammock trail!
Your photos captured the diverse beauty of the Ross Prairie State Forest perfectly.
I love how the landscape transforms with each step—it's like walking through different worlds!
And the bear photos are such a treat; what an incredible experience to encounter wildlife in their natural habitat.
Here’s to more hikes and more memories in the great outdoors!
Wonderful hike! I hope you are safe in this stormy weather.
Holly Hammock - how did that name ever come about? Was it the name of the landowner? Did Holly set up a hammock in this spot? or did someone set up a hammock in a holly bush and name the spot so they could remember where they had placed the hammock?
I suppose I should keep my crazy thought to myself. I don't want to be locked up.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
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