Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday! 

Hello, wishing everyone a great day and weekend ahead. 
I am sharing more of our trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey on Oct 30-31st. We stayed one night at the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for a total of $88. The Hard Rock Hotel took over what was the previous Trump's Taj Mahal, since it went bankrupt in 2009 and 2015. The rooms are beautifully done after being gutted, we loved the newly renovated room. We had a partial view of the ocean and to the right we could see the bay. 

"It is a wonderful day, I have not seen this one before."


The moon seen from our driveway before leaving on our NJ trip. 

The newly renovated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. 

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is right on the Atlantic City boardwalk. 

Me and my shadow's view of dunes and Atlantic Ocean.

I am guessing these are the Laughing Gulls, I could be wrong.  

We were up and outside for the sunrise, the neighboring Ocean Casino has this ball on top of the building. It changes colors and messages. Below is the pumpkin ball. 

The message changed to the USA flag ball. 

"Slow down and enjoy life."

The ferris wheel on the pier changed colors, it looked pretty. 

"Happiness can not be far behind a grateful heart and a peaceful mind."


While watching the sunrise I saw rows of Cormorants or Black Ducks flying south. 

It was a beautiful sunrise.  

"When you start each day with a grateful heart, light illuminates from within." unknown

I am thankful I am retired and enjoying life. 
I am thankful to see the sunrise each day. 
A thankful heart is a happy heart. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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

Our World, My World

Hello and Happy Monday!

Officially Veterans Day is Nov 11th, but today is the day workers in the USA celebrate Veterans Day. I am thankful to all those who serve. 

We were happy to watch our son's dogs Nibbles and Chewy for a long weekend. I think they had a little doggie vacation too.  We took them for walks on the fire road once or twice a day. This walk is about 1 mile round trip from our house. We have many fire roads around our neighborhood for walking, at this time of the year we have to watch out for the deer hunters.

Grand-dogs Nibbles on the left and Chewy on the right go for a walk. 

Below some various images of the sky, the woods next to our house and the grand-dogs.

The mosaic below shows some of the red maple trees along the driveway this fall and the rhododendron and the window where the Screech Owl likes to sit.  As of 11/09/18 I have still heard and seen this owl in our front yard. 

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.

Thanks to Angie the new host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!

I hope to see you there. Thanks to the host today. Enjoy your day and new week.

As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Saturday's Critters #256

Welcome to Saturday's Critters !


If you love all God's creatures 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!


On Oct 30-31st hubby and I visited Edwin B Forsythe NWR near Atlantic City NJ. We got a great deal on a one night stay in the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City New Jersey. The Edwin B. Forsythe wildlife refuge has an 8 mile wildlife drive, trails and a nice visitor center. We visited the wildlife refuge twice, once on Oct 30th and again on the 31st before heading home. Here are some of the birds we saw on the first day. I took a lot of photos.


The Yellow-rumped Warblers (butter-butt) were right next to the visitor parking lot. I think they may have been eating juniper berries, not positive though. BTW, if any of my id's are wrong I do not mind being corrected.

We saw a few Mute Swans at the beginning of the wildlife drive. 

There were lots of Snowy Egrets and Great Egrets.

The Northern Pintail ducks were plentiful. 

The American Black Duck is a common sight at this wildlife refuge. I think the little shorebirds are the Dunlin, but I could be wrong. Any id help is appreciated. 

The only duck I am sure of below is the Green-winged Teal, not so sure about the others? Maybe a female Northern Pintail and more Black Ducks.

Below the Great Blue Heron look pretty spreading it's wings and there is a Northern Shoveler off to the right.

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !




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!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!

The full moon in October 24th is called the Hunter's Moon or the Barley Moon. It was time to harvest the Barley. We had a clear morning so I was able to take some moon photos from my deck. 



The moon on Oct 22nd.

The Hunter's moon on Oct 24th.

One of our recent walks on the fire road, this walk is almost a mile and a half from home. We saw some fall colors and a Northern Flicker and a distant hawk. 

I posted this photo on the Maryland birds facebook group asking for id help. It was a toss up between the Cooper's hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk. More replies leaned toward the Sharpie. 

The Northern Flicker high in a tree top. It was a cloudy day so the sky was not looking very pretty. 

Pretty oranges and red leaves. 

Some pretty yellow leaves. 

We saw a lot of bushes along the fire road with these red berries. The birds could have a feast here.

Thankful for the helpful replies and answers to my hawk id request. 
Thankful for clear skies and a pretty moon.
A thankful heart is a happy heart. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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

Our World, My World

Happy Monday, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!

Tomorrow is Election Day in the USA. If you have not voted already, please go vote!  


I have been enjoying the winter birds showing up in my yard and neighborhood.  The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a favorite, maybe this winter will be an irruption year with all kinds of migrants showing up.  I would be happy to see the Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeak and maybe even a Redpoll. But for now, I will enjoy what is in my yard and at my feeders.  

One of my winter birds, the White-throated Sparrow.

Some pretty yellow fall colors out our kitchen window.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch is being seen daily now. 

November 2nd we had a clematis bloom.

The Purple Finch, has a pretty raspberry color. 

Some pretty colors on the side yard. The red maples are looking beautiful. 

The female Red-bellied Woodpecker.

The male Cardinal and on the other side is the Red-breasted Nuthatch.

A Chipping Sparrow was still hanging around, they are a summer bird for me.

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.

Thanks to Angie the new host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!

I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.

As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.