Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday,

On January 27, hubby and I went on a hike at the Hashawha Nature Center. A local park with some nice trails, a Raptor Center and camp in the summer for the kiddies. We had great weather, it was in the low 60's and sunny. 

These birds have been injured in some way, they can not survive in the wild. My photos are  of the Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl couple and there was a Bald Eagle. I do not like the cages but if you click on the photo, you can at least see the birds better.

We took the loop trail, at this section of the trail below it was mostly uphill. A few hikers (young hikers) passed us on the trail.

A pretty view of the sky and clouds.

The park also has an environmental center and a visitor center.

The trail starts off with the boardwalk near the lake.

We walked pass many fields, this one had corn planted in the summer.

Jan 30th, almost the full moon.

Jan 31st, the Super Blue Moon.

The full moon setting behind the trees.

I am thankful for all I have, I try to remember there are those (around the world) who would be happy to have mine and all of our bad days. 

I am thankful to take life day by day. 

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Saturday's Critters #197

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

If you love critters like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

I am playing catch up with all my blog reading, hubby and I took a short trip to Pennsylvania. I finally met up with Linda, her blog is  Thebeautyaroundus. I hope to return visits and comments asap.

'I am sharing some photos of critters and birds seen from our walk at the local Hashawha Nature Center. We walk a loop that goes by several ponds, their raptor center, wildflower field and back past the larger lake.

A couple of Slider Turtles sunning themselves.

Some views from our loop hike around the nature center.

From the Raptor Center, the Red-tailed Hawk and a Barred Owl. These birds are hurt and can not survive in the wild.

Some scenes from the larger lake, included the Great Blue Heron, wild hibiscus and a turtle.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy my post and photos too!



Here is a list of my linky parties;
Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Critters #164

Saturday's Critters #164

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

Sharing some birds and turtles from Lake Mirror in downtown Lakeland. A pretty female Mandarin Duck.

A soft shelled turtle, look at that nose.

More turtles at Lake Mirror, Lakeland Florida

 Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, White Ibis and more.

Black Swan at Lake Mirror

Koi fish at the Hollis Gardens @ Lake Mirror in Lakeland Florida.

A Red-tailed Hawk on the Lakeland Electric sign.

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!

To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Warbler Time

I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. These links are not just for me but you can also copy them and join in with any of these linky parties. . They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful hosts and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.


Teresa's Friday's Hunt
1. Start's with U
2. Weeks Favorite
3.  Morning

Random # 1. In the spring we see some pretty warblers pass thru our neighborhood and around our lake. The warblers like to stay high up in the tree tops which makes it almost impossible to get a good photo. I still like to document what I see and when.

#2. My name is Eileen and I have an addiction to birds. On this day I saw the Prairie Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, possibly a female Pine Warbler or Kinglet and a Chestnut-sided Warbler, Woodpeckers, Hermit Thrush and the Eagle nest.

We watched the Prairie Warblers chasing each other around the trees and bushes. This may not look like the best photo. But it is my favorite for the week, mainly because I love the bright yellow warbler checking me out. 

The Lousiana Waterthrushes show up a near the creeks that run into our lake, the same time that the warbler arrive.

Overhead looking up at the top of the pine trees, we saw a Red-tailed hawk.

"The sky is the daily bread of the eyes."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. Skywatching is another one of my simple pleasures. On this day, we drove around the lake for a walk on another fireroad, it is the same spot where we found the eagles nest. Another favorite photo, this shot of the sky and field was taken from the parking area.

4. Hubby and I are proud of our son at 23 years old, he has purchased his second home. After living in his first home for two years, he spent a lot of time renovating the first place and sold it within a week of listing. Some scenes from our ride to our son's new place, we take the back roads and there are a lot of farms, barns and animals.

5. The spring baby animals are so darn cute. We pass by this farm with the Longhorn cattle, do you see the little calf  laying in front of the whitish colored mom. Click on the image for larger viewing, it is in the middle of the photo.

  Lots on contrails from the jets and a pretty blue sky.  Make time for the simple pleasures. My simple pleasure is skywatching.

"Be thankful for what you have. Simple Pleasures are the best part of life."

I hope you enjoyed my post and images. As always, thank you for visiting and for the nice comments. Have a happy new week ahead!

To see more pretty skies, fences and fantastic photos from around the world please visit the memes below.  Thanks for visiting and for all the nice comments. I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead.

Here is a list of linky parties for part of the last part of the week, I hope to see you there.

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences.

Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.

Thank you to Nancy the host of Random 5 Friday

Thanks also to Teresa Friday's Hunt 
Thanks to Tom for hosting The Barn Collective

Hodge Podge

I am linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences and Random 5 Friday
I hope you can join in on the fun and share your fence scenes and pretty skies.

Wow, another week has just flown by.  I am sharing some various scenes and photos from our outings during the month of March. I hope you enjoy.

For Nancy's Random 5 Friday.

1. I am so happy to see the spring migration happening. I am glad winter is finally officially over (or is it)?

My skywatch is full of Canada Geese in flight. Spring migration is happening and the weather is not stopping it.

2. I am not the best birder, I second guess some of my id's and  there are times I can be totally wrong. I do try. I am not 100% positive but I believe this is the Red-tailed Hawk above. I think they have a nest nearby, they are always around our yard. :(  Edit: the correct id for my hawk, it is the Red-shouldered Hawk.

3. I love to birdwatch, I can watch the birds in my backyard or during a daytrip or while on a vacation. The birds are always included in my plans.  Mrs Cardinal at the birdbath... for Tex's Good Fence meme...you see the blurry fence behind the deck railing.


For Friday's Hunt.  Thanks to Teresa for hosting Friday's Hunt.
1. Starts with O
2. Week's favorite
3.  Spring or Fall

Skywatch & favorite...a pretty sky shot. I love all the different cloud shapes.

Canada Geese seen during our walk at George's Creek.

A peek at the horses and fence from our walk on the trail. You have to click on the image to see all the different fencing.

4.  I enjoy the simple pleasures of watching the sky near sunset.

5. Taking photos of the moon is addicting to me and this moon shot is also another favorite...My moon shot from March 15th. I hope you enjoyed your visit and my post. Thank so much for stopping by and for the nice comments.
To see more pretty skies, fences, barns and fantastic photos from around the world please visit the memes below.

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences.
Thank you to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.
Thanks also to Teresa Friday's Hunt  
Thanks to Nancy for hosting Random 5 Friday.

  I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Prime Hook NWR

I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful host and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.

After leaving Bombay Hook NWR (my previous post) we drove further down the coast of Delaware to the Prime Hook NWR. BTW, the coast of Delaware has awesome birding hotspots and  beaches. You can check out these birding spots on the Delaware Birding Trail.

 The start of the trail and walk at Prime Hook, a Mockingbird, our shadow shot.

With my photo above I am joining Cath @ Cath @ Home  and her
Word for Sunday which is Grateful. Stop by Cat's blog and say hello. You can check out her blog for more info and join in with her word challenge. Thanks Cath for hosting.

The sun reflecting on the water, a Great Blue Heron and some Ruddy Ducks.

The Great Blue Herons were a common sighting at Prime Hook NWR.

The herons were even in the trees.

We were surprised while watching a Common Merganser to see this Red-tailed Hawk fly in and grab it. The Hawk is standing on and holding the Merganser down into the icy muddy water.

For Tom's Barn Collective I found a barn not too far from Bombay Hook as we were leaving. Thanks Tom for hosting.

So far we were having a great day at Prime Hook and Bombay Hook wildlife refuges. Next post, we headed further along the coast to the Indian River Inlet where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean.

As always I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Thank you! Have a happy day and new week ahead!

Thanks for visiting my post and as always I appreciate your comments.

Thanks to Cath for hosting Word for Sunday
Thanks to Tom for hosting The Barn Collective

Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday 

Thanks to Monica for hosting NF Trees

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes

Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Weekend Walk

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  and NF Winged

 These are some shots from our walk at the local nature center, I started off my post with the moon setting on the morning of t July 17th.

 I love taking shots of the moon from our deck..

The sun was up and I still had a good view of the moon.

We must have saw thousands of dragonflies  at the nature center. This one has a pretty blue sky behind it.

Put a fence around it! This looks like  a garden fenced off to keep the critters away?

We actually saw two Red-tailed Hawks flying around and making loud calls.

I love these white puffy clouds over the nature center field..

 The sky and some pretty yellow coneflowers..

This House Wren seemed upset I was taking photos near its birdhouse..



I hope you enjoyed my post and photos
To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences
and for anything that has wings check out NF Winged

Thanks to Tex @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday also thanks to Monica of NF Winged!   I wish everyone a safe and happy long weekend.