I once caught a fish THISSS BIGGG!!!

 

The fish story will be at the end of the post but I'll assure you now, I only took the photo! I didn't actually catch the fish! But it's a whopper!

We drove out to the Gulf Coast last weekend and it was a gorgeous day.

It started with a few sprinkles of rain and that scared most people off and we had the trail all to ourselves!

The first bird we saw was a Roseate Spoonbill but I wasn't fast enough to get a photo. 

But then when we got closer to the Gulf, a Bald Eagle was on the shore and flew to a tree nearby.

It was an elegant mature Eagle and we stood there and took lots of photos while it preened.

That was one of the highlights of the day. 

And a great way to start the day!

We saw a few Osprey too and they are always fun to watch glide overhead.

This one perched nearby and we took the pics from the truck!

Looks like he's saying, 'are you looking at ME?'with attitude! 

I took these through the truck windshield. (it was clean from the shower earlier!)

And then when we finished our hike on the Withlacoochee Bay Trail we headed out on the 4 miles of dirt road. We stopped at one of the observation platforms and that's where we saw the 'catch of the day'.

I think it may be the catch of a lifetime! This young lady pulled in a 27 pound, 3 ft long Black Grouper! 

It was amazing! I was almost as excited as she was!

It was 'catch and release' so they put it back in the water to live another day! 

A fun day was had by all!

Don't stay home just because of a few sprinkles! You might miss the gorgeous clouds at the end of the day!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

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 !  

November in Mosaics (updated at the end)

 It's been an exceptionally good month to hike and we've gotten out every chance we could.

I've taken so many photos that I thought I would do a post with 'November in mosaics'!

These are a few of the leftovers.

Warbler and water lily

Kestrel

Bench at the top

Birds and squirrel

Wildflowers

Bare trees at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

Golf course behind our house and our Camellia bush in full bloom.

Interesting clouds

I hope it's been a good month for you too. It's not like Novembers in the past. Times change and we are constantly changing along with it. Look around and see what makes you happy and do more of that!

After I wrote this post, I had a call to tell me my mother had passed away. I wanted to share my favorite photo of my parents. My mother is pregnant with me and they were teenagers in this photo. (My mother turned 20 just before I was born.) I think they look very happy here. 

So the month has ended on a sad note. I would appreciate your prayers. They are both gone now and I feel incredibly sad. I know you've all suffered losses and understand. 

Thanks for your friendship always, Diane

I'm joining Mosaic Monday HERE 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

Happy Labor Day - Butterflies and Bees

 Thanks to all the hard workers that do so much to contribute to the strength and prosperity of our country.

These are some of the butterflies and bees I've seen this week, on the trails and in my neighborhood.

This is Sumac and the clusters of flowers are fragrant and attracting the honey bees!

What a joy to have so many wildflowers blooming now!

And pretty flowers in the flower beds!

Mosaics to share...

Bees...

and butterflies.

You can even see the rain falling from the sky before the rainbow came out!

Have a wonderful happy day! 

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

Reflections

 When we were at Blue Run Park, I took photos of the observation deck across the Rainbow River. 

It's beautiful where we were standing too but I was mesmerized by the scene in front of me.

Hubby was taking pics too!

It was hard to choose a favorite photo!

So I'll share a mosaic of every one I took! 

I love taking photos of the swamp as we walk too.

It had rained the day before and the water level was high.

Beautiful!

And more of the swamp photos in a mosaic!

Doesn't this cloud look like a feather? 

(or have I stood outside too long looking up into the sun? heehee)

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!