Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday

This is my last post on our Florida trip in January 2019. We saw some new places and a few repeat places we enjoyed from previous trips. On this last full day after leaving Key Largo we drove to the Everglades National Park. Our visit happened during the government shutdown but this park was open partially. We visited the Flamingo area of the park, which is the most southernmost part of the Everglades National Park. 

The Flamingo area of the Everglades offers boat rides and tours. I like the sky and reflections of the clouds. 

A nearby Osprey nest. 

A Brown Pelican sitting on the dock. 

The White Ibis with a pretty blue sky. 

A view of the Florida Bay and gulf coast. 

We were happy to see a few Manatees around the boat docks. 

This was a small baby manatee off to the side, he/she looked a little sick to me. 

A sandbar out in the distance held lots of shorebirds, Osprey, Egrets and Herons. 

A Little Blue Heron with a Great Egret. It is hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. 

Below are a group of Snowy Egrets, a alligator that was making growling noises, Green Heron, Brown Pelican and another Osprey. 

I am thankful for all things nature related.
I am thankful for clear and sunny days.
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


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



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

John Pennekamp Coral Reek State Park, Key Largo

Hello, Happy Monday

I am close to ending my posting on our Florida trip. On this day we drove the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. Hubby enjoys snorkeling and we thought this would be a place for him to snorkel from the beach. We were wrong, you have to go out on one of their boats tours to see the good stuff. Hubby has been spoiled from his snorkeling in Grand Cayman, Hawaii, Belize and some other places we visited. 

My photos show the beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. There were not a lot of birds around, we did see a Great Blue Heron and some kind of Sandpiper. There were a lot of Palm Warblers around too. The no-see-ums were biting us to the point we could not enjoy the park. We did not stay long at this park. 

I am guessing a Solitary Sandpiper, please let me know if I am wrong. 

We saw a few of the Eurasian Collared Doves.

If you plan in advance, this park has boat trips for snorkeling and glass bottom boat rides. They also have kayaks for rent. There is a visitor center with a  30,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. 

Can you find the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Before we left we took a walk on the trail, I saw a Sapsucker sharing a tree with a lizard and more Palm Warblers. 

The trail was rocky and had lots of tree roots, we had to watch our step. 

These Palm Warblers were in the trees and on the ground. I guess the bugs were plentiful. 

We did not stay long in this park, we left and drove to the Everglades National Park. I will share the Everglades another post  for my last report on our Florida, 2019 trip.

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


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts 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 # 277

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 Saturday March 30th hubby and I took a few walks on some of the nearby watershed trails and at a spot called the Hemlock Gorge. It was a warm spring day, in the 70's.   We heard the frogs peeping or croaking, turtles were out sunning themselves, we saw a few geese, a couple of Eastern Phoebe's and a Bald Eagle flew over our heads a few times. 

We were walking on the fire road the Hemlock Gorge area and saw this Bald Eagle fly over us a few times. Can you even find the eagle behind the trees?

 Bald Eagle fly by! 

Canada Geese were seen in a few spot at our lake. 

Back at home the female Purple Finch is at the Sunflower feeder. 

When the Cardinal is not banging up against our den window I have notice a pair of Chickadee's acting like peeping toms at the window. 

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!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Hello, Happy Thursday!

These are some images from my yard and our neighborhood. Hubby and I took a walk on the local fire road to see the 2nd active Bald Eagle nest located at our lake. 

Behind you all your memories, before you all your dreams, around you all who love you, within you all you need. 

A view of the Bald Eagle nest, this is the 2nd active Eagle nest we have at our lake. It was hard to see the eagle on the nest, we had a brief glimpse of the Eagle's white head. I assume it has some eggs ready to hatch? 

We saw several groups of Common Mergansers on the lake or flying by. 

The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surrounds us!

Back at home and across from our driveway is the Great Blue Heron rookery. 

A look at the sky from our deck! 

Small seeds of gratitude will produce a harvest of hope!

Across our driveway are the tall pine trees it is where the Great Blue Herons are nesting. 

I am always happy to see the Northern Flicker in my yard and at the suet feeder.

A view of the lake from the fire road. Everything here is still mostly brown. 

I am thankful for my blessings that are bigger than my problems. 

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


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



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! Happy April to everyone too!

I am sharing more Florida images, these photos are from our 3rd visit on Jan 12th to the Blowing Rocks Preserve and Beach near Jupiter Florida. 

This day was more relaxed, we sat on the beach for a good part of the day. We watched the waves crashing on the rocks, I watched the Brown Pelicans flying along the beach. 

I sat for awhile on my beach chair and watch an artist paint this scene below. I was amazed at how fast she painted the scene. 

Not quite finished, but I think the artist did a beautiful painting. 

Waves crashing right in front of me, I was lucky I was not splashed. It might have felt good though, it was a hot sunny day.

I was enjoying the waves crashing on the rocks but I also enjoyed watching the groups of Brown Pelicans flying by. 

I tried practicing my flights shots, whenever the Pelicans came flying by me. 

We also  enjoyed the Blowing Rocks Preserve butterfly garden, we walked the boardwalk towards the Indian River Lagoon. 

I was surprised to see a shark swimming near the waves, I also saw a sea turtle. I could not catch them with my camera, they moved too quickly. 

Me and my shadow. 

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


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


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