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. 

Blue Springs State Park, Alabama

 

We've been camping a lot! And while we were traveling to 'discover the real Florida' we crossed over the state line into Alabama to 'discover' one of their state parks!

When we pulled into the campground and found our space, I thought it seemed like the campsites were close together. But when we got up the next morning and took a walk, we found out there was only one other camper in this big beautiful campground and it was on another loop.

It was a wonderful experience and I wanted to start with this 'campground series' with some pretty Fall photos. 

Who takes a photo of the trash dumpsters?

And it was even beautiful across to the bathhouse.

Of course I found a hiking trail in the forest on the first day.

Grab your pack and camera and let's go!

The temps were perfect, cool at night and in the 70s during the day. The only down side was the newly hatched mosquitoes. I talked with the camp host and he said they didn't have mosquitoes all summer. They had just shown up! I hope we didn't bring them from Florida! Haha!

I saw evidence (as in 'scat') of bears and a bobcat. And I saw lots of small birds like chickadees and this Pileated Woodpecker.

I can't hike without seeing monsters.

Up close, you can see that it's just an old burned out tree but don't hike after dark! 

We were so happy to see some Fall foliage.

I've created some mosaics to share even MORE photos!

Hiking down by the Choctawhatchee River.

It was one of the most beautiful State Parks I've ever seen!

I'll include a link HERE to check out the website. 

Keep Alabama on the camping list!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !

Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

 Most of my hikes take place on the Greenway. 

It's close to my house and there are several trailheads where I can park to start a hike. I'm over 100 hikes for this year!

Pileated Woodpecker

I love these big noisy woodpeckers!

There are 3 trailheads less than 5 miles from me so it's quick and easy to drive over for a hike on the paved trail or on the many primitive trails in the forest. 

And some of the trails have birds and critters that the other sections don't have. (or I don't see!)

So I thought I would share some of the sights I've seen over the past couple of weeks of hiking the Greenway. 

The weather has improved and I'm back to hiking just about every other day. It sure feels great!

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker juvenile

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker (back)

Red headed Woodpecker juvenile

Warbler (pine warbler I think)

And last but not least, Rufous-sided Towhees.

Florida towhees have the pale eye!

I saw about 6 of these birds flitting around.

They were a family of Towhees!

I named this one Scruffy!

We found a lot of these trails by going on the internet and searching and a few we found using google maps. 

I hope you can find places close to your home to get out in nature. It's fun to do the research online!

 It's a great time of the year to get outside.

Is it good hiking weather where you live too?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE !  

Gone Fishin'!

 I keep looking for good spots to fish in case I decide to go fishin'! I remember my Grandmother loading her car to go to the river to fish. I think she was about my age at the time.

When we were walking the paved path at Blue Run Park, a Black-crowned Night Heron flew out from the lower branches and caught a fish in one 'fell swoop'! 

It's probably about the size I would catch or more likely I would snag one of the lower branches! lol

Swallowing it WHOLE!

This is a bird we don't see often so it was a nice sighting.

And something we've never seen before were these 4 Pileated Woodpeckers together.

I think the one in the center was doing all the work. The other two were preening!

They are common at the Rainbow River but I think the most we've seen at one time is 2. There were 3 on the tree and another one down below.

Someone stopped to watch with us and he kept saying he had never seen this many together either.

A Limpkin greeted us at the beginning of the hike.

A good day was had by all!

Have you been fishin' lately?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.  

"Wildflowers and Woodpeckers"

 

I had planned a Wildflower post for April but when I looked at the photos I've taken this week, I decided to sneak the Woodpeckers in, too!

There has been terrible flooding in other parts of Florida but we haven't had any rain in our neck of the woods.

Passion flower

But the wildflowers are putting on a show in the forest!

The Passion flower is in full bloom at the hwy 484 trailhead.

And I also saw Red-headed Woodpeckers for the first time this Spring in that part of the Greenway. (Florida Trails West)

I was thrilled to see 2 of these beauties but they were quite a distance.

So I zoomed and cropped to get a better look at them.

Their heads look like velvet, don't they?

Pretty Pawpaws in the woods. 

Florida Pawpaw

They are showy and easy to spot!

And a regal Pileated Woodpecker on a pine tree. Hubby took the amazing photos of the Pileated!

It's a great time to be out in nature with so many wildflowers in bloom. And the wildflower attract butterflies.

Gulf Fritillary on Butterfly weed

There's so much beauty in the world around us and there's never been a better time to get out in nature!

Have you seen signs of Spring where you live? Our butterflies arrived before the wildflowers bloomed. They have been flitting around for a month already!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.  

  Mosaic Monday HERE and I like Thursdays HERE !