Backyard Bird Watching!

I stepped out into our courtyard to take these photos.

This beautiful Red Shouldered Hawk lit up in the top of a pine tree on the edge of the golf course.

And I zoomed as much as I could to get some good pics.

A Mockingbird swooped in to try to scare the hawk away.

But it didn’t budge.

Another day, I took these from INSIDE my house.

Looking out at the courtyard, I spotted these 2 ‘interacting’.

I know this snake is harmless but I still don’t like to see a snake, do you?

Well actually…

this dove said, I’m not skeeered at all!

But let’s do what the hawk did and FLY!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Summer time FUN!

We don’t get to do any hiking in the summer months here but we do get in the Subaru and take lots of drives.

 

I just love looking around at the beauty that surrounds us!

I’ve shared some of our sightings in other posts but I always end up with a few photos that don’t ‘fit in’.

So I guess I’ll share a bit of a hodgepodge today.

I think most everything is ‘self explanatory’.

Well maybe I need to mention this is a pink elephant alongside the road!

 

And do you see what I see in this photo?

Does it look like a monster is coming out of a giant egg right on the river bank?

You just never know! Maybe it IS!!!

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences!

‘Grumbles House’ in Dunnellon, FL

It doesn’t take long to drive over to Dunnellon from my house and it gives me a chance to reach 55 mph in my car! haha! Most of the time I just drive ‘around town’ and it’s stop and go trafffic. So one day last week I wanted to get out on the hwy and DRIVE.

This is one of my favorite places to shop. They have lots of pretty new things but also antiques and consignment items.

It’s an old house so you wander through each room and then go upstairs for even more. When I first got there I saw a turtle I wanted to buy (for hubby) but thought I would look around first. Then I forgot where I saw it. The lady working there knew right where to find it though.

And I also bought something else I’ve always wanted A flower frog. I know…everyone probably has one already. But with all the thrift store shopping I’ve done, I’ve never found one. And they are usually too expensive in the Antique shops. (this one was less than $5!)

So these are my treasures! And as they say, A good time was had by all! It was well worth the drive!

Do you have a shop in your area like this? (Susie, I KNOW you do!)

I’m so happy to be linking with Mosaic Monday HERE! Won’t you join us?

 

The Golfing Community

We live on a golf course here in Florida.

And it’s a beautiful place to live.

I don’t play golf.

But I love living here and meeting so many interesting people.

It’s amazing the ‘friends’ that stop by on a sunny afternoon.

I’m sure they’ve finished their game of golf.

But where do you think they are headed?

To the pool? The fitness center or pro shop? Maybe the restaurant that is nearby.

I’m not sure where they were going.

 

But I’m glad they stopped to rest in the trees behind our house.

Because I got to stand outside with my neighbors and enjoy the ‘wild side’ of living on a golf course.

And yes, I know these aren’t the best critters to have in your neighborhood…

but you have to admit they are pretty cute!

And just look at the tricks they can play!

“Look at me, I can hold on to the sides and swing free!”

Hey, there’s not room for everyone up here!

But since you’re here..

pose for the camera!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE.

A Nice place to live!

I guess no matter where you live, you always wonder how it would be to live a different lifestyle.

I’ve lived in a lot of very different homes in my lifetime but I’ve never had a farm or a ranch.

And I never learned to ride a horse.

(I’ve been on one a few times but I wouldn’t say I was really ‘riding’! heehee)

These all appeared to be ‘a horse of a different color’.

I wonder if any of these are tame enough for me?

So I'm joining Tex for Good Fences!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled programing (or posts)…

to bring you a Public Service Announcement!

It’s always nice to have a good experience when you’ve dreaded something and even procrastinated getting it done.

I drive a nice car but it’s not new. It is close to 14 years old but I still love it.

 

(this is an old photo taken at Sholom Park)

I knew it needed a complete set of new tires and some general maintainance. I wasn’t sure how long they would need to keep it or how much it would cost. So I waited.

And then! It was finally TIME! Past Time! So we scheduled all the work to be done!

So how did it go?

I feel like I’m driving a brand new car! It’s even perfectly clean inside and out for a change!

A BIG thank you to the Ocala BMW service department! You really came through for me. I think I’ll drive this one a little while longer but it was fun looking around the showroom at all the ‘new models’.

How do you like this color?

It would be hard to find one I like better than mine though. So thanks for taking such good care of it this week! I started to say…See you soon. But truthfully, I hope not! heehee!

PS I did a review on them a couple of years ago HERE.

PPS They didn’t need to keep it long and I thought the cost was reasonable.

I’m joining Katherine’s Corner for Favorite things HERE this week too.

A Wee Bit of Decorating!

One thing leads to another.

I actually have a small fan that sits here on my nightstand but hubby had it in the garage to clean and oil it.

So I took the red roses out of this vase and put a combination of roses that I think looks softer and prettier.

I  love to surround myself with beautiful things..

a pretty lamp, stack of old books (mostly poetry), seashells, an angel and dried rose petals.

Just a little change can make all the difference, don’t you think?

It’s Florida…make a spot for the fan! heehee!

(and now that I’ve looked at my photos, I wonder if I should go to the craft store and buy ‘new’ flowers for this vase…maybe a flower with smaller blooms. Hhhhhhmmmm!)

I’m joining Katherine’s Corner for Favorite things HERE!