Sunday morning on the Halifax River

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Sometimes I get lucky on my early morning walks.  Heading up the Ormond bridge toward home from beach side I spotted a barge heading up river.  So I waited for it to get closer as
seeing a barge might happen every three-four months.
Click on the photo to enlarge it and check out the fishing pier; new docking area and two boats (homemade houseboat and sailboat) in the background.

Tequila sunrise

The nursery watch cat gets some petting..

...and, apparently, was looking for a bit more tlc

Here's someone who is not tech savvy

Our new 'fiesta' hibiscus

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -  Did the title make you thirsty??  Take your glass; toss in some crushed ice or cubes; add plenty of tequila; some orange juice and a drizzle of grenadine syrup for coloring.  Drink.
     And now the real story:   Over the past few weeks we've spent plenty of yard work time dealing with invasive bamboo; vines ( with and without thorns) and lots of other little things which seem to sprout back up as soon as you cut them off.  This led to Lydia's suggestion of: "Let's go to the nursery to look at plants."
     We checked a local plant place for hibiscus and found their selection of the size we needed wanting.  But not the variety.  I mean how can you not be drawn to a spectacular 'tequila sunrise' coloring.  Thus the Thursday trip to St Augustine where we had shopped before.
     As you can see, we didn't come home with exactly the variety we wanted.  This  just means we'll be heading back up the road in about 10 days when the plant we ordered comes in.
     In the meantime, I stand with shovel in hand ready to dig while my favorite landscaper points out the new home for the 'fiesta' hibiscus.

Hey, lets build a pipeline

A small section of the Alaska Pipeline

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Nearly 13 years ago (Aug.1, 2007) on one of our Denali NP days-off forays, Lydia and I found an above ground section of the Alaska Pipeline.  The pipeline pumps crude oil, from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, AK in an 800 mile tech marvel above and below ground.  It began operation in the summer of 1977 after a two year construction exercise in battling mosquitos and melting perma-frost in the summer and severe freezing temps, wind and snow in the winter.

More wandering around

A little color by a dock

The camera angle makes these flowers resemble lobster claws

One, two, three steps to stay safe

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - I'm still walking lots of places, but my trips keep getting earlier and earlier.  You can go at 5am and it's still mid-70's.  As you can tell from the photos I must have slept in.
    There are always more flowering things to shoot photos of.  And every so often a sign catches the eye, like this one on a walkway to the beach.

Optimism

These signs have appeared in random locations in the neighborhood

Scenic trail

A picture perfect summer day  (8/1/12)

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - So here we have fireweed in summer time bloom with some fleece-y clouds; a lake and a bit of snow on the mountains.  We were across the Canadian border from Glacier NP hiking on our days off in Waterton Lakes NP.
     Fireweed and lupine are known to be the first signs of rejuvenation in areas of forest fires up North, but are not to be seen down South where we live.  The colorful plant abounds in colder climates and as winter approaches the flowers turn into a fluff of grey floss signaling (as folk tales have it) that it will soon be snowing.

Happy Fourth of July

Skagway, AK

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - How about having the Royal Canadian Mounted Police marching in your parade on the Fourth?  These marchers were from the nearby Canadian border control post.  And they were in full regalia including the RCMP  trademark red tunics, campaign hat, sam brown belt plus firearm, jodpur trousers and highly polished tall boots. Toss in Old Glory and some vintage automobiles plus a cruise ship at the Main Street dock and you have a very festive Skagway, Alaska circa 2006.
     Skagway is like an island in that you've got the Inland Passage on one side for the cruise ships and Alaska Marine Highway ferry service.  On the other sides of town it's the Coast mountains and the Canadian border about 8 miles up the Klondike Highway.  It's a one road kind of place and that road comes in from Canada and across their border control and then crosses the U.S. border before dropping down to Skagway.
     The middle of nowhere is a fitting description.  This means all supplies - -like groceries and milk  and beer- -come on a weekly barge from the Lower 48 because customs duties and distance from the U.S. make this solution less expensive than truck freight.
     Party on!  But wear a mask and practice social distancing