The day after Christmas

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's the day after Christmas and everything is pretty quiet.  Although there were 20 individuals in the local upscale coffee shop in the neighborhood.  And 19 were half my age.  So it goes.
     The two hibiscus we just planted are doing colorfully fine.  Down at the fishing pier work to add docking facilities...and all the heavy equipment it entails...continues.  The hope is to entice the passing powerboats and sail boats to stop in. 
    

Getting ready for Santa...at the (alligator) farm

A surprise hiding in the decorations

This tricolor heron was eagerly awaiting...a snack

The red ruffed lemur look of innocence

My name is not Polly!!

Swan Lake|??

Try to blend in, guys.  Wood duck humor

It's the Christmas season, let's have a parade

We had dance teams...

...daredevils

...lots of royalty

...flowers

...more. flowers

...Snoopy

...a marching band

...And the Claus Family

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It was a balmy 62-degrees for this year's OB Christmas Parade.  The nearly 110 floats / displays passed by (by my estimate) a record crowd.  And a good time was had by all...especially the kids who spent the entire time scrambling for candy / trinkets tossed b y te passing parade.

Mountain climbing. Denali..by air

Denali

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - On this flashback, we head to Denali National Park in Alaska circa June, 2007.  We worked as transportation drivers in and around the park.  One perk of the job was the occasional availability of an empty seat on flight-seeing tours to check out Denali and surrounding glaciers.  At 20,320, Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) is the highest mountain in North America.
     We flew at about 13,000' trying to skirt the clouds.  This shot is of the backside of the peaks.  The main route to the top was obscured by cloudy conditions on the opposite side.  In any event, spectacular scenery.

All the comforts of home

Why would you want to live in a condo?

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It was 38-degrees Monday morning.  I wonder what the cold felt like living / sleeping in the (very small) DIY houseboat anchored on the Halifax River a short way from where we live?  If you click on the photo to enlarge it and look closely you'll see it may be compact, but it appears this individual(s) has about all that's needed...except electricity, water and sewer.  Transportation to shore is provided by a small row boat and there is probably a bicycle to get around on.  Since neither is to be seen, the "nobody's home" sign must be out. 

Images from the Deland Fall Arts Festivel

Siamese twins

Siamese Twins (towers), Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO.  Sorry, we couldn't get close enough to the 'Kissing Camels' for a pic.

Reflections along Black Point Drive

Green heron and ugly twin

Anhinga on alert

Early morning rest

This osprey did not like us taking his pic so he flew away

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -  Some days you get lucky.  On trips to Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve earlier in the year we didn't find hardly any birds...and those we did see were common every day type.  Friday (11/22) was very different.
     In less than a quarter-mile into the 5-mile Black Point loop we came upon the first of at least 6 green herons.  We normally count seeing one green heron a good day.  Of course seeing and being able to get good pics of the shy birds are two different things.
     Black Point Drive winds through marshy wetlands,  ponds with mangrove bush, plenty of palm trees and lots of other greenery so it's drive at 10mph (maybe) and keep the eyes peeled.  We've become pretty good at spotting birds and animals since during our summers as tour guides and transport drivers pointing out a bear or an eagle or blue heron would usually help the tip jar.
     The water was quite high along the drive so most of the good sun bathing spots were covered, but if you're a big gator you catch the sun  wherever you like.
     The osprey are all over MINWR and usually out of good photo range by camping out on top of utility poles.  Sometimes anticipation or blind luck (in this case) will get you a shot as the bird takes to the sky and you only get a lot of fuzzy half bird shots.

The white-crested laughingthrush has its eye on you

The thrush, from SE Asia won't be laughing when it gets cold

Mug shot

Still life with alligator

Target practice...can't get no respect

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's November 15...do you know where your Christmas list is?  I ask because over a week ago we encountered holiday music playing at a nearby mall...aisles are lined with holiday decorations...the Christmas lights are already up at the OB business offices like the town hall and library and police station...and it's been mid-70's-plus with no snow in the forecast.
    

No more campfires by the river

'Cold' mornings call for campfires and coffee

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Another road trip, or vacation as some folks term our annual holiday, has come and gone.  Our meanderings began on May 5 and ended when we got home on Oct. 16.  In between we somehow managed to rack up 14,149 miles. 
     Our 'welcome home' is always a bit of reality check getting back into the regular routine...again. Even more so when the heat index has been 99-degrees the past two (mon-tue) days.
     Check out Lydia's blog  (inthewind.blog)  for a map of our travels.

It's a long way from Colorado Springs to Southern Pines (NC)

Grain silos and grain farms...

...plus wind farms in Kansas

There was a monarch butterfly having lunch...

and a nice sunrise in Webster Grove, IL

Today's adventure was 'pickin' and grumblin' in Southern Pines, NC

SOUTHERN PINES, NC - - After a bit over 1,820 miles of mostly I-64 from Colorado Springs, CO, we've landed for a few days in West End, NC.  There's were a  whole lot of miles and miles of wide open spaces; grain silos and small farming towns; huge wind farms (and if you've ever driven across Kansas you'll realize why) and then rolling and small mountains once you reach Virginia / West Virginia.
     Saturday in Southern Pines is farmers market time with a hot rod show just down the street.  The special attraction was Heritage Fair by the Moore County History Assn.  A great time to dress in your ancestors clothes.

Packing, checking and peeking

The Siamese Twins...an erosion sculpture

Wiener Dogs Rule...with a pack full of doggie treats

A scrambling six-year old checks the downside of the Siamese Twins (towers)

A much older scrambler on a skinny ledge

GARDEN OF THE GODS, CO

Sometimes the day turns to sheep

Pushin' and 'shovin'

The pose or, maybe, a time-out

Larry, Moe and Curley make plans while another 'brother' ambles into the photo

Red rock, clouds and blue sky

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - - A funny thing happened on our way into The Garden of the Gods, a CS park.  We were talking about the two or three Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep we had seen last year when around a turn... a group of 15-20 males appeared.
     Most were resting in a field away from the road while a few were playing 'macho'.  The most activity involved a group of about 5 with plenty of leaning, shoving and one spectacular and loud head-butt (which caught both myself and LH off guard so no photo. )  But (or butt) the group mainly ignored the crowd of viewers and photo takers for the 30 or so minutes we waited for action ...other than some split rail fence jumping.
     The red rock formations were great looking when the sun 'lit' them up.