I'm not THAT tough!

 

I'm braver than I used to be. I've learned that I can get out in the forest and feel very comfortable in nature. I am still alert when I get off the beaten track but I feel excited too. You just never know what you'll see when you go deep in the woods...

be quiet...go slow....follow me.

Use your imagination! 

Forest creatures!

So would I throw a sleeping bag on the ground and sleep at this primitive campsite?

Nooooooo!!!

I walked outside into my courtyard last night to listen to two Great Horned Owls calling each other. I know there would be all kinds of interesting sounds in the woods. I've hiked and backpacked and camped when I was younger. My boys grew up loving time spent in the forest.

But I like walking in the woods and then going home to shower, have lunch and look at the photos I've taken on my hike. I'm spoiled to all of my creature comforts.

And then too....what if a wild animal peeked out from behind a tree while I was camping?

Gray Squirrel

It could happen!!!

Do you love the outdoors as much as I do?

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

Holiday Colors at the end of summer!

 

We'll hang on to the summer season for awhile longer here in Florida.

But there have been some pretty holiday colors this week.

Halloween colors in these mushrooms.

And wildflowers are blooming all over the forest after the afternoon showers we've had.

The showers keep things moist for the mushrooms to thrive too.

Most of these photos were taken at the 49th Ave trailhead which is less than 4 miles from my house.

But I've driven to a lot of those trailheads and made one big trip to the mountains of NC and guess what?

I turned over 5,000 miles on my Jeep this week. My boys tease me that I should get out and drive more. But so many of the trailheads I enjoy are very near my house. And yes, I was driving 20 mph on a quiet road and taking a photo! lol

I'll end this post with a Florida Christmas card!

It will still be nice and green when December rolls around and I thought this looked perfect for a Christmas card. It's a big buck that walked across the trail in front of me. (I was walking on a firebreak road that has grown up with grass. They'll till it up soon so I wanted to walk on it before they did)

Tom sent me some beautiful mosaics that he made from my simple mosaic from last week. Thank you, Tom! Here's one of them to share.

I've had a good week of hiking, working on junk journals and baking. 

How was your week?

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

The Abominable Snowman moves to Florida!

 OK...maybe I exaggerate! Maybe he just came for a summer vacation! 

But I did look out in the preserve at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and wonder what in the world was out in the marsh.

I thought it was a mound of sand or a bleached out tree maybe.

But when I got home and looked at my photos.....

it was a big web full of caterpillars.

I couldn't resist playing with photos and overlaying a few to get some neat effects!

And I put him up in this big tree right along the trail! EEEEE!!!

And then I looked around at some of my other photos and found a few more 'monsters' to share.

So even when the sky is blue and bright, the woods could have monsters lurking.

You just never know......

if you let your imagination run WILD!

And come walk in the woods with me!

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

and I like Thursdays HERE !  

Art Journals

 I promised a blog friend that I would do a post that wasn't about birds or wildflowers but I'll probably sneak a few of those in this post! 

I usually call my journals 'junk journals' which makes my youngest son laugh a somewhat nervous laugh as if to say, Mom's gone over the edge. 

But these journals are so beautiful, I need to use the term 'art journal'.

I bought both of these books from a sweet Etsy shop called Nudgery Faire HERE and then I proceeded to cut and glue things onto the pages. 

She is very talented and I feel blessed to have 2 of her journals....and another one on my wish list. 

Her prices are exceptional too and I appreciate that. 

The first one I bought was the Fairy Forest.

The name is enough to sell me!

And it is indeed delightful. 

I still haven't finished it. I like to leave some pages available in case I find some perfect images to add later. And I always write quotes in all of my journals.

The second one is made in a different style and is so easy to work in. The pages stay open with the ring binding.

And of course she has put a lot of special touches into this one too.

Everything about it is beautiful!

A few more pages in a mosaic!

I love cutting things out, arranging the pages and gluing things in. I need a diversion when I can't be IN the forest!

(doesn't that look a bit like a monster or a BEAR in the center of the photo?)

Be sure and check this shop if you want a a journal to work on this summer! Just look HERE!

Are you working on craft or sewing projects this summer? 

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too! 

Sunny Days at Cannon Farms in Dunnellon

 It was a hot sunny morning when I went to the farm last week but the flowers were in full bloom so I couldn't resist getting out in the maze!

Everyone there is so friendly and nice. Ashley offered to take me out farther to see more of the Zinnias but I wanted to spend time taking photos of the sunflowers. 

I spent most of my time in the sunflower field.

There were so many more blooms since I was there just a week ago.

It didn't feel too bad at 10 am. It was around 80 degrees with a light breeze.

I just kept on clicking and trying to remember that I had to choose a bouquet to bring home when I was finished.

I saw flocks of Cattle Egrets fly over the whole time I was there.

Ashley said that the flowers were drawing all kinds of birds and bees and bugs. 

She had seen a lot of ladybugs early in the season.

And the Monarch butterflies loved this special sunflowers. (I think they are Mexican sunflowers)

Hummingbirds were around and lots of honey bees.

I even saw a Swallow-tailed Kite while I walked around.

Being out in the flower fields gave me a chance to get better photos of the Zinnias.

They were gorgeous!

What a fun experience! 

I bought lots of fresh veggies again this week. We didn't have any go to waste last week but hubby mentioned more than once that we were eating 3 vegetables at every meal! lol This week the bonus was okra! We LOVE fried okra! And it's really worth the trip for the vine ripened tomatoes and fresh picked corn. Thanks to the owner for coming out to my Jeep with corn he had just picked and I almost missed.

Here's the sunflower I picked and brought home.

It doesn't get any better than Cannon Farms, family owned and operated! They are closed for the season now but it sure has been wonderful to spend time there! Thanks for everything Cannon Farms. See you next season!

 

Links to the farm are HERE and HERE. 

I'm joining Angie for Mosaic Monday HERE . 

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays and

I like Thursdays HERE too!