The Neighborhood Pond at Sunset

 This is one of my favorite times to walk to the neighborhood pond.

Mourning Dove

I'm seeing a trend on my blog lately, the word 'favorite' is showing up a lot.

It's probably because I'm experiencing my 'favorites' again after a year of hard times.

The lighting can be odd at sunset so you never know what your photos will look like until you get back home.

Downhill Ducks

Canada Goose

Goose with the broken wing

Just a few favorite pics after a walk to the pond at sunset.

Magnolia bloom in a cube effect (a fav!)

Do you have a good place to walk near your house?

Try to get out when the sun goes down and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.

Love, Diane 💜

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE!

With the help of family and friends....

 I've felt uplifted this week.

And I know God is blessing me all along the way.

I'm getting outside as much as I can to see what nature has to offer. I still have low energy but I think I am seeing some improvement already.

So thanks again to all of you that have followed me on this journey and stuck by my side.

One of my favorite sitings in Florida is the Sherman's Fox Squirrel.

He is such a fun little critter and very photogenic!

Ahhhhh.....spring! 

Two red bellied woodpeckers were chasing each other from tree to tree.

Have you enjoyed some time outdoors this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

A Florida Fall

 It will be a few months before we get any cold temps here in North Central Florida but some of the vines and trees change color at the end of the summer and give us that hint of Fall.

White-eyed Vireo

I was finishing up a hike on the Marjorie Harris Cross Florida Greenway when I saw a dozen or more birds flitting around.

Most of the birds I got photos of were White-eyed Vireos.

They are so petite and beautiful.

I always think they are Warblers at first, until I see the eye.

I enjoyed watching them flying from tree to tree.

And then I saw this bird.

I thought at first it was a Tufted Titmouse but now I am not sure. 

This was in the same spot that I saw the bear one week, and then the 8 point buck the following week.

It's a good spot to slow down and look around.

I also saw a hoverfly. The wings were a beautiful bronze color.

More info HERE.

And I saw the biggest stand of Forked Bluecurls.

The blooms are only open in the mornings and they are tiny.

The flowers are less than an inch long! More info HERE.

There's always something to see in nature and it's fun to come home and do research on birds and wildflowers....an hoverflies! We can all enjoy learning new things.

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and the traveling Tortoise

 

I set off to drive to the preserve in search of birds. 

Isn't the back leg kicked out cute? I think he was traveling faster than me! 

I told myself, I would just walk around and look.

But walking around turned into a nice long...hot hike!

And I did see a beautiful Red tailed Hawk.

His tail really glowed in the sun!

But the sighting of the day was this cute and very clean Gopher Tortoise.

This looks like a regular road but the gate is locked so you rarely see a work vehicle on the road.

But on this particular day, I looked up ahead and saw this tortoise on a mission.

You really need to stand still and let them pass so that they can get on their regular trail that leads to their burrow. If they feel threatened, they will get off and go through the weeds but that is not their easy path to their home.

So I stood still in the hot sun and took photos. 

And there he goes!

It's funny how the sun doesn't bother you as much when you are watching something interesting.

Now the road is overgrown with grass and that makes a soft surface to walk on.

The views out on the preserve are stunning.

And the wildflowers are abundant.

I love this morning glory.

And at the trailhead, I was joined by another Jeep!

Jeep parking only! Haha!

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

Have a beautiful weekend! 

Take a drive even it you can't hike!

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. 

Hiking to Josef's Table

 

Are you ready to hike? Cap, hiking stick, backpack with water (and emergency items), camera, comfortable clothing, hiking shoes and phone?

OK, let's park at the trailhead and take off down this trail.

The first bird sighting was this flock of wild turkeys!

Now we'll turn onto the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway for a short distance on the paved trail.

We'll turn onto a horse trail and then onto the Florida Trail down...down...down...into the diggings.

There are a lot of really good articles (and books) written about the canal diggings but my sweet hubby helped me with some of the pertinent information.

"When I talk about the "canal diggings" I'm referring to a canal that was proposed in 1935 as a 30-foot deep, 150-foot bottom width, Ship Canal for commercial traffic to have a shortcut from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico across Florida from Jacksonville to Yankeetown.

Concerns about salt water intrusion into the fresh water aquifer caused proponents to adjust the canal to a 12-foot depth thus allowing only barge traffic and the name changed to the Cross Florida Barge Canal.

After many starts and stops, construction resumed in 1964 only to be stopped for good in 1971 due to efforts led by environmental activist, Marjorie Harris Carr.

About one third of the canal did get completed, some at each terminus, but the remainder includes long stretches of earth having been dug out and piled up along the sides. Over the ensuing decades the forest has reclaimed this ground.

Today, the 110-mile long, 70,000 acre Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway (renamed in 1998) is a state park that provides over 300 miles of hiking and biking trails on the remnants of the Cross Florida Barge Canal."

Above written by sweet hubby

Now we are in the diggings!

Be alert! 

Doesn't this old root look like a serpent?

And what if you come across your knight in shining armor?

It could happen if you are paying attention!

At first I thought it was an Army man but he has a shield and a spear! 

And there are some amazing rock formations down in the diggings too.

You can hear and see woodpeckers in the forest.

Yellow bellied Sapsucker

Red bellied Woodpecker peeking out from behind a pine tree.

Finally we reach Josef's table. It's up ahead!

It's a little longer hike than I normally make but the weather was fine and I felt good. 

I love it deep in the woods. The pine needles under the trees soften the trail and it is a quiet you can't find anywhere else!

We did it! Thanks for coming with me today. 

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE 

and Nature Friday HERE!