(INTO THE WOODS AND BEYOND!)
This Junco didn’t seem to mind having a snowflake resting under it’s eye. I love these little birds and I only get to see them in the fall and winter.
I’m not sure that if I’ve posted this image before, so if I have, my apologies.
Poor Southwest Florida is struggling through a horrible bout of red tide. It’s as if the Gulf Of Mexico is ill.
I won’t go into details, but an incredible amount of sealife has died from this horrible situation. It’s a health risk to humans to inhale the airborne toxins. There have been reports of life guards on the beach wearing gas masks. From what I understand, no one is on the beaches anyway and businesses are suffering.
You can read more about this here. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683400/
It’s extremely sad and has gone on in the area that we visit for nine months now. The only thing that is some consolation, is that this is not ALL due to man-made pollution.
There are reports of red tide dating back to the 1600’s. It helps a little to know that the sea life did return to healthy levels over time.
So…I’m posting this image of a dramatic sunset in the hopes that by some twist of fate, Mother Nature, who is all about drama, will find a way to heal the waters.
Every once in a while, I need a little “Florida fix.” I pretend I’m there, staring at the little lone palm tree…wondering if it sweats when the days get so hot. Do palm trees sweat? I’m without chocolate…can you tell? I guess i’ll just have to go eat some………FRUIT!! What is the world coming to?
I’m really, really, really out of sync being temporarily displaced from my window into the woods. They’re making progress, it will get built, siding goes on next week…but still much to do. So…I thought I’d look at sunsets…you can look too if you want to.
Two views of the same sea oats and clouds.
I spent almost three weeks in Florida recently and obviously, I spent part of that time hoping to run into a squirrel. I decided to take a drive/walk one afternoon to see if the eagles had returned to their previous nest and just as I entered the nature area, I spotted a squirrel!
I went into full squirrel spotter stealth mode…slowly, slowly I approached the unsuspecting squirrel by way of the boardwalk…I crouched down to make myself appear smaller….I was almost on the ground by the time I was close enough for a decent shot.
Reaching my most advantageous location, I settled in and got comfortable. I was surprised to realize that all of my caution may have been for naught. Herds of bicyclists pedaled happily past, except for those who would stop to try to pick me up off the ground.Reassuring them that I didn’t need water, a granola bar, a bandaid or the name of a good psychiatrist took up a fair amount of time but the squirrel hadn’t budged an inch when I was finally able to put my camera back up to my eye.
Imagine my surprise when a SECOND squirrel made an appearance! Firing away with my camera I soon had enough images to last a lifetime. Bidding the squirrels a fond farewell, I made my way back to my car, brushed the leaves and sand off of myself and sped off into the four o’clock sun.
A WINDOW INTO THE WOODS 