Sightings close to home!

 I haven't been on the trails as much this week but hopefully I'll get back out more regularly after this week. We've gotten a lot of things done around the house and in the yard so I feel good about how my time has been spent! 

But I'm going to need some trail therapy soon! The weather has improved and I can't wait!

How do you like this Great White Egret that walked through the neighborhood?

And this was a funny sight looking out the window in the back!

Off you go!

They look like they are saying I'm not very nice. They only wanted to scratch in the courtyard and make a mess! 

We have a Dove family that I see every day. 

This looks like a young one!

And the sunsets have been spectacular.

I didn't enhance these colors.

(taken from the courtyard)

It really was this vibrant!

I also ordered a new camping journal. 

The green one is from this past year and I filled it up.

The brown one will be ready when we are....which I hope is soon!

Enjoy your weekend!

I hope you have something fun planned!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Greenway Sightings this week!

 

You know the saying about getting back on the horse after taking a fall. 

Well, mine was a 'bear scare'!

And I went back out a few days later to face my fears! 

On the very same trail....at the very same spot....I had a wonderful sighting!

This beautiful 8 point Buck.

I'll even share the first two photos before I had a chance to get a better sighting.

White tailed deer will many times run away but not very far.

Then they will turn and see if you are still back there!

And that allowed me to get past some of the weeds and trees to get a better view.

I was so thrilled to see such a magnificent deer.

Earlier I had seen a small deer with his Mama following along behind him.

And on the short distance that I walked on the paved part of the Greenway, I saw these guys.

I think these are electric unicycles! Very cool, don't you think?

My first thought was....where do you hold on?

But they were zooming through, smiling and waving at me!

It was a beautiful day to be on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

The weather has improved. It's still hot but not as bad as the past few months.

And I think 3 deer equals 1 bear in excitement, don't you?

Have you had a chance to enjoy nature this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

A Bear encounter on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway!

 

Finally!!! After over 12 years and hundreds of hikes 

on the Florida Greenway, I have a bear story!

And yes, I've seen bears over the years. I've been fortunate to hike in a lot of forests in the US, including Alaska. I've even seen them in the Ocala National Forest from my vehicle.

But this story takes place on one of my favorite Florida trails close to home.

I parked my Jeep at the trailhead and started off on a hike/bike trail until I got to the paved part of the Greenway. I planned to hike for one hour, which is a short hike for me. It's very hard for me to turn around at the 30 minute mark but I did this particular day.

This is the first photo I took by just lifting my camera and snapping without zooming. So he is in the far distance and you can get an idea of how far away he was.

The bear walked across the trail I was on and was ambling.

I was walking parallel to a firebreak. (a wide path that is dug up by heavy equipment to form a break that would stop a forest fire from spreading) 

So I took a few steps to my right onto the firebreak so that I had a better view when he went across the firebreak.

And there he was. 

He did not turn....and he did not look at me, so I didn't feel threatened.

I was scared of course and saw a spike in my heart rate on my watch! 

But he kept going and I stood perfectly still. I wanted to make sure there weren't any cubs following or another bear. And when a few minutes went by, I called my husband. I told him there was a bear between me and my Jeep and he said loudly 'A WHAT?'!!! I think that was one of the best parts of the story.  He told me to wait awhile longer and give the bear a chance to get farther away before I walked to the Jeep. I was never so glad to get in my Jeep and 'head for the house'! 

To describe how I felt....

I would say I was scared and excited and JAZZED! 

But having said that....I'm happy to have seen a Florida black bear in the wild right on the Greenway. But I'm done now. I don't need to see another one! I'm a happy hiker and a blessed one too. 

So that's my bear story. It was a medium sized bear. I know they get bigger ....and mine may get bigger in the telling. We'll see!

I saw a Downy Woodpecker on the hike.

And lots of beautiful wildflowers.

But I was so fortunate to actually get a few decent photos

 

of the HUMONGOUS bear I saw!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Halpata Tastanaki and the Florida Scrub Jays

 It's still hot and humid here in Florida but one day this week I just HAD to get out!

I thought I would drive over to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve (SR 200) and look for the Florida Scrub Jays!

And I found them not too far from the trailhead.

The one I got the most photos of was very dull in color.

I've never seen one so dull.

This is a photo of one I took a couple of months ago and it shows the pretty blue.

Well, I thought....I can at least walk down and see if there are persimmons on the fruit trees.

And there were quite a few.

Oh, I feel so good, I think I'll just walk down to where the trail splits and see what I can see.

It has rained some evenings and the sandy trail was like walking on velvet.

Look at all the animal tracks!

Wild Hog track

I felt great.

And I saw so many neat things.

It was partly cloudy and humid but I kept moving.

And the next thing I knew, I had a regular hike in.

Do you know how I know? Well.....I was hiking for over an hour and felt fine until I got home. And then I crashed! I didn't realize how out of shape I was after a hot summer in the house.

But I survived and now I can't wait to get back out there.

And there are always interesting things when you get out on the Florida trails. I met the nicest man at the trailhead. He was all set up with his ham radio. Well, that was a first and I really enjoyed talking to him. 

Thanks Chris for taking the time to tell me about your ham radio experiences!

Happy Hiking everyone!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

O'Leno State Park, the River Trail along the Santa Fe River

 The River Trail along the river is an easy hike and the most popular hiking trail in the park. Read more HERE. 

I'm still working on photos from our camping trips from the early summer.

It's too hot to spend time outside so I'm blogging, reading AND decluttering and cleaning house.

So far I'm feeling good about my progress. These are photos from a hike on the river trail.

This gator is a young one and not very big.

Doesn't he look prehistoric with all of his bumps and ridges?

He was far down in the water...I zoomed!

And this is not even an alligator.

I always call these monsters when I see them in the river or the forest.

The bridge is like brand new now with all the repairs.

I even walked on it for a short distance....

and took this photo down the Santa Fe river.

Some pretty flowers along the trail,

and a Pileated Woodpecker high in the tree.

And at the trailhead where you park they've put in new playground equipment.

It would be a good spot for a picnic or relaxing with a good book.

And I've just finished my favorite book of the year so far!

My Friends by Fredric Backman.

I love all of the books he's written but this one stands out as my all time favorite!

Have you read any good books this summer?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE.