Crabby meets Big Foot

ORMOMD BEACH, FL - - I've spent more time walking on the beach in the past few weeks than in the 25 years we've lived close by (about 1.5 miles).  For three years prior, our OB residence was a long walk to the ocean.
     Now, with COVID-19 I do long walks nearly every morning  with a choice of six routes of varying lengths.  And the beach stretch, maybe a half mile in length, is a nice break.  Of course, it's getting more crowded with germ spreaders so caution is advised. 
     I nearly stepped on this small crab although since it was already deceased it probably wouldn't have mattered. 

Raindrops

Hibiscus

Sentinel Pass

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - When it's 90-plus outside and we're stuck at home instead of traveling because  too many nasty germs are floating around out there...or any time  when boredom sets in I go check out my archives.
     In this photo I / we are in the Canadian Rockies close by Moraine Lake and Lake Louise  (July10, 2004).  We wanted to do this hike to Sentinel Pass but the sign at the trailhead read: "Groups of 6 or more due to bear activity."  So we waited for a while, but nobody came.  So, we did it anyway.
     Look to the mid-right of this photo; follow the snow up to the top of the pass.  This is where we had lunch and returned on the same trail.
    

Father's Day sunrise

Later, the temperature was a toasty 92 degrees.

New flowers

Dune sunflower

Passion flower

A trio of lilly-like flowers which I can't really identify...

...in purple...

...and yellow

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - I seem to spy all sorts of flowers on my walks around our neighborhood...most of which are very colorful.   Naturally, I can't identify them all but I take photos anyway.

Replacement time

The high mileage 2019 model

New, no mileage 2020 model ready to go

Nice, new and ready to head on out

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - About this time for the last 15 or so years I treat myself to putting on a 'new' pair of Keen sandals.  Living in Florida and being retired there isn't any reason to wear shoes...except for hiking boots and my gym sneaks.  You may ask:  Do you mean you wear sandals when it's cold in the mountains of New Mexico or when it really rains on the Oregon coast?   Yes on both counts although I try to not step in puddles.
     We mainly do our shopping for outdoor / trail wear at REI and other outdoor stores during our wanderings.  A lot of business carry the Keen brand...and they have sales.  So our philosophy is:  If its on sale and it fits then buy and save the pair(s) for the next change over.
     Just like the 'new' pair in two of the photos which were actually purchased in either late 2018 or early 2019.  

Park Scene

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - There are two nice parks near the OB bridge on the opposite side of the Halifax from where we live.  This particular one has a water wheel and a small duck pond.  I thought the play of sun and shade plus some clouds made it appear to be a quiet day. 
     Of course what you don't see is the yoga class in a pavilion just to the right or the runners, dog walkers and parents exercising their small tax deductions.

Are you covered?

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Not much boat traffic on the Halifax River.  Only the lone sailboat about the center of the photo.  Up until 10 days ago, the traffic heading North was fairly steady.  Mainly because June 1...the official start of Hurricane Season...was at hand.  NOTE:  We haven't been at home in OB past mid-May but once (2016) since we started summer forays in 2006.
   Not being a golfing or fishing or boating person, I asked a sort of recent neighbor who is a sailor-type why June 1 was so important. It seems, and makes good sense, not to be on either coast of Florida during hurricane season.  If you're a boater  you need FL boater insurance.  Not sure what happens if the Coast Guard checks your papers after June 1 and you don't have the right coverage, but it's probably expensive. 

Toe-ing the line

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - A lot of times when I'm out photographing, my shutter finger gets a bit twitchy.  And, bingo!  I've popped off four or five frames without realizing it...or, if I do realize my mistake then I probably have no idea what the photos might be of. 
     Once in a while, they might not be too bad.  With the above photo I could probably spring a paragraph on light and lines and various objects juxtaposing with other things.  But really, this is just an exercise in posting another blog post when nothing even remotely exciting is happening. 

Sunflower ads

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - As the economy gears back up, many businesses have gotten creative to alert their customers (and new ones) they are back to (somewhat) normal.

SHOWTIME: Whistling duck; dancing egret and leery great blue heron

Whistling in the wind

Dancing on the algae while looking for a tidbit

Social distancing...until the gator gets too close

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We found a lot of activity on our recent visit to Orlando Wetlands Park.  You have to go past the town of
Christmas to get there so this was a real present for us.  Yes, you have to walk a way to get to the Lake(?) with all the action, but the usual suspects from the other areas we've visited recently were all there...and posing.

One Year ago

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -  Here's where we would be without the virus.  On that day in 2019 it was, "Santa Fe here we come!"

Escape to Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

Black-necked stilt...with fancy pink legs

Great blue heron hiding out

Green heron kiddies...cutting up and making noise

Another of the GHK out in the sun

And a little bit of color

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -   Our trip to Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday was the first break in about 9 weeks.
     There were two things very noticeable:  (1)  Traffic is quite a way down.  On I-95 the big truck traffic didn't overwhelm.  And in 150 miles including connector roads we saw only two motorhomes...and one of those was parked in a driveway and looked lived-in.
     (2)  Social distancing in the restaurant where we had breakfast seemed very 'distant.'  And you took the menu and the salt and pepper packets and the sugar packets with you so they didn't have to throw them out.  Of course, masks and gloves were worn by all servers and staff.
     To really get the inside scoop on our day see Lydia's blog because I would have written about the same only not as wry.  (lydiahinshaw.blogspot.com)   And enjoy the photos.

Social distancing....on the water

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - There's still a bit of boat traffic on the Intercoastal Waterway, which in our area is the Halifax River.  And, a couple of days ago when I shot these pics the river was displaying two different persona...depending on your point of reference.
     The sailboat in the top pic is seen from the top of the Granada Bridge.  The water looks murky.  Note the passenger sitting up front, left.
     About 20 minutes later the second photo is a view from the fishing / walking pier which wraps around the bottom of the bridge (land side).  A powerboat is following a catamaran under a blue sky and blue water.
     The greenery is on beach side with the boats heading North past part of OB and Ormond Beach Shores. 

In the Neighboorhood

Hot coffee and a cool breeze off the Atlantic

Posing for 'Blogger' fame

Getting up there

Yosemite NP's Burro Pass; Sierra Nevada Mtns; 11,100' up there

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Places we can only dream about now.  A fantastic hike and we could have kept going, but from Burro Pass on you'd need to camp or spend a helluva long time hiking back out.
     This was the Summer of 2008 and we were working in Yosemite...so we spent our days off heading as far away from the central area of the park and this is where we wound up on one such foray.
     It's nearly 12 years on and, at 77, I've slowed a good bit.  My mind says I could do it again, but my body says: "dream on."
     We're just hanging out now staying safe and socially distanced plus walking all around the neighborhood.

Wandering the streets of St. Augustine

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL - - We started out on a trip to the Alligator Farm, but foggy conditions made it smarter to just wander around SA.
     Wander enough on the back - back streets and you'll encounter small religious enclaves.
     Of course, my internal GPS will usually point me in the direction of a coffee spot.  This particular one was "old-style" in keeping with St. Augustine's  claim as 'America's oldest city.'
     When you're nearly surrounded by the Atlantic, the Gulf and rivers all over the place you're probably going to go fishing...thus the attempt at FL  humor.
     So if you can't fish well then you better be a pirate...and park your pirate galleon in the nearest marina.
    Which is guarded by a pair of granite lions at each end of the bridge spanning the inter coastal waterway / Matanzas River.
     If you're just plain lazy then you should see the sights from the red train tour.

Never give up

"I've got it...now what do I do??"

Great blue heron contemplating its next move

Limpkin on the lookout

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The wood stork in the top photo has a problem.  It has this nice big fish...enough for a big meal with some left over to feed a lot of his stork friends.  And that's the problem.  The wood stork doesn't have the ability to swallow the fish...and it isn't equipped to tear the fish apart...and it doesn't dare drop the fish because another bird might swoop down and steal it.  We spent a good 10 minutes on Black Rock Drive in Merritt Island NWR watching the bird wear itself out trying all its moves.  It was an exercise in frustration and the flogging may still be going on.
     Earlier in the day (Friday) we made the rounds of Viera Wetlands.  This is usually a very good area for birds but lately the numbers have been getting smaller.  Hence, the character study of the great blue heron and a less seldom seen limpkin.

FPL (Florida Power and Light) to the rescue

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It was 6:45pm Tuesday night and all was well in our home in OB...except the wind was blowing pretty steadily at 20mph plus with gusts up to 37mph.  No problem when you're snugged in and surfing your computer.
    Bingo!  Three minutes later the lights went out...and it wasn't a popped circuit breaker.  No, the way the wind earlier had been  whipping whitecaps on the Halifax River nearby was also causing a good bit of swaying in the power lines.
     I should mention that it is now 43 degrees and dropping.  Cold enough to cause iguanas to drop from their tree limb perches in way south Florida.  A sure story to warm the hearts of the northerners deep in snow with wind-chill figures at nose-tip freezing figures.
     Naturally, with the power out so goes the internet connection.  But, that didn't stop Lydia from ginning up a way to contact FPL about our situation.  And they answered quickly with a timeline of "fixed by 11:30".  Break out the candles; the flashlights / headlamps and a (thankfully) juiced solar light.
     FPL included a map of FL in their reply email so we could see how others were fareing.  With 250 customers included in our outage, we were right at the top of the list.
     Thirty minutes after the dark descended, the lights came back on.  The candles; flashlights / headlamps from our camping stash and the solar light now sit ready and able to light the way again if needed.
     And the battery-powered string of holiday lights...that I haven't put away yet...are making merry.

Storm coming!

GRAND CANYON, June 11, 2010 - -  Sun, a swirling cloud bank of light rain showers, and the vastness of the Grand Canyon as seen from the North Rim.