Early Turkey Day

Herding turkey vultures

Trying to look regal while waiting for you to keel over

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Early Thursday morning we stopped by Lake Woodruff Wildlife Reserve to check on what once had been a very good place for photographing birds.  Over the past two years the winter time population has dwindled.  It looks like it may be the same this Winter.  Unless you like taking photos of turkey vultures. They congregate almost everywhere. 
     Fortunately, they didn't ruin our appetites for the Thanksgiving Buffet at Brian Bar-B-Que.  It's been our turkey day meal stop for about four years.

Smile for the camera!

Whoopee.  We're going to be famous

No smiles during  yoga time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We took a ride to St. Augustine and the Alligator Farm to see what, if any,  damage the recent hurricane produced.  The alligators didn't look any the worse for wear.  The birds, however, were another matter.  It appeared the high winds had stripped most of the limbs of their carefully built nests.  And blew nearly all the residents out of the area.  We wonder if the avian nest owners will return to rebuild. 

The color green and a warning

Green heron and camouflage

Be careful

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's a bit early in the season to expect a lot of birds at our favorite viewing / photographing spots but our Friday trip to Viera Wetlands turned out fine.  There were a lot of the usual characters and a few who usually don't make an appearance where you can  photograph them.
     The green heron is usually a recluse.  We got lucky.  The info sign tells you all you need to know about watching how close to the water and weeds  you get and what to watch for. Of course, a good 50% or more of the photographers out were pushing their luck.

Crunch time

Crunch time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - After waiting nearly three weeks one of the FEMA work trucks started clearing the hurricane debris from our street.  There's a second trailer behind the one you see with a total capacity of 100 cubic yards.  The trucks filled quickly; left for an off-load destination where the debris was ground  into wood chips and then returned for another load...about 10 trips per  team per day.  The individual; operating the loader was very good.  We didn't have much to rake/sweep up after they moved on to the next house.

Hurricane to Veterans Day to meal time

Hurricane Matthew left our back yard covered in debris

It's hard to see the length/height of the debris piles...and they are still here

Showing the colors (Ormond Bridge) on Veterans Day

Lunch Time!! A great blue heron deciding on which wine to have with fish

Notes on crossing the road to get to the other side

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with this blog

FRACKVILLE, PA - - My previous blog mentioned we'd seen signs for "moose crossing" and "goose crossing" in a number of New England states.  After some deep research, I discovered a Moose conspiracy.  It seems the actors union to which the moose belong played a fast one on the town committees in the areas affected.  The areas put up "moose crossing" signs to keep the tourists happy and thinking they might really spot a moose.  Hah.  If the moose do cross the road they do it in another area so they don't have to put up with weird human behavior.
     The areas of "goose crossing" actually do have lots of Honkers lolling about on nearby ponds.  They might waddle across the road but are more likely to take to the sky in flight formation and honking so you know they are coming.  The "V" formation flight should be heading North, but East, West, or South are just as likely to be their direction.  These are Canada Geese so if they come down from Canada and points North then they are Canadian.  Right?  Some folks will fight you on that distinction.
     We spent a day in the environs of Boston recently where it looks like things/house haven't changed in a long time.  Reminded me of Poughkeepsie where I grew up.  I was back last year and the downtown still looks like a bombed out wreck.  The thing which amazed me most were two bars which I might have frequented back in the late '50s for a beer or two.  They were dark, sleazy and run down then.  A bit over 50 years later they were still the same.  Why renovate when the same old crowd shows up every day?  

Sights seeing

Set your easel by the sea (ocean) and inspiration will follow

A purple breakfast awaited us in York, ME

Ever wonder where parking metet heads go for Winter

BRATTLEBORO, VT - - In New England you can spend hours and hours of driving and get practically nowhere.  Like today we spent six hours driving from the outskirts of Boston to our current location:  active mileage - - 106.  But the leaves are beautiful; the houses historic and there's always something to create a conversation.
     Never did see what the subject the man in the top photo was so intently working on.  Not too much of a choice really...just sky; rocks; waves; ocean and trees.  I quietly watched him as he resolutely dabbed and thought; stroked and thought in a rhythm sort of like the waves on the rocks.
     York. ME basically closed shop after Monday's holiday, but  few hardy souls like Sandy's were open for those exploratory types like us out wandering. The breakfast - - eggs, bacon, toast and home fries - - was very good.  But when I asked for hot sauce the waitress who we figured was also the owner went far above usual service.  I has SIX brands to choose from.  I tried the three brands I didn't know,
     Later, while checking out the beach we spotted a dump truck more then half full of parking meter heads. And a city worker hard at work wacking meter heads off.  Hey, you've got to have something to do during the winter and refurbishing a money-maker for York will probably be a top priority.
     SIGNS TO THINK ABOUT:  Snowplow turn ahead;  Goose crossing;  Moose crossing;  Driveway plowing;  

Way up there in the big Down East

Mono shadows on a multi-colored foreground

"The Bus" is our home

ELLSWORTH, ME. - - Maine has been as good a place as any to wait out the outcome of what damage Hurricane Matthew inflicted on our house in Ormond Beach.  Luckily, aside from tree limbs (and two limb-caused holes in the roof) and  trash debris our home made it thru pretty good.
    Meanwhile I feel pretty good being away from home.  Strength and stamina is s†ill down from past trips but still fun...like my shadow-selfie.  We spent a day and a half on Mt. Desert Island better knonw as the location of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  Today's trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain was notable for sustained wind speed of over 20mph with higher gusts.
     Now the planning begins since areas of I-95 have flooded and detours are not on good roads.  Going out of way West seems like a better deal but will add a day or two to travel.  At least we have 'house #2' with us. 

On the road

WILKESBORO, NC - - Greetings from McDonalds...where else are we gonna get free wi-fi?  We left home late Thursday and  have been traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway while camping out.  The quickest way we knew we weren't in Florida anymore..41-degrees on Friday night camping on Mt. Pisgah.  Best Oddity:  A church in rural NC advertising "Drive thru prayer"  
     Once on the road we quickly saw the first of many road signs we have been familiar with through out our past travels:  "Road work ahead"
     I'm feeling pretty good so we'll see where we end up going. The plan now is three weeks after an enforced 10 month stay at home.  Subject of course to the hurricane brewing in the Caribbean.

Hot time

2010 Burro Pass (11,500')

ORMOND BEACH, FL -- Time drags.  Recovery is slow...especially if you are used to being a lot more active.  And used to being any where but home in OB.
     So I scanned through past summer trips and found a photo which made me feel good.

Alligator Farm - - 6/11

Waiting for Mom to return with more food

Only the tough survive the  food fights

These small Parrot family (conure) members were hidden in the shade in a large wire enclosure.

Just a funny pic of one of the fat boys hangin' out..alligtor-style

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

Flower Dancing

A Great Blue Heron struts his/her stuff among the flowers at Orlando Wetlands

Happy Mothers Day

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We took a trip to St. Augustine's Alligator Farm Friday.  They have a rookery which, at this time of year, is like a huge condo complex of nests and young birds.  In honor of Mothers' Day I wanted to show how much fun it is to raise a young, hungry family.
     The great egret family (top) have taken to munching on mom's head until they get food.  Meanwhile the roseate spoonbill clan are loudly voicing their displeasure at the food service.

I'm back

ORMOND BEACH - - Sorry about the three month break in my blog but something got in the way: Cancer.  Stage 2, left tonsil.  Less than a week after birthday 73, the biopsy came back positive.  Two days later I started treatment:  7 weeks of once-a-week chemo; 7 weeks of 5-days-a-week radiation therapy.  Add in a two week hospital stay near the end of treatment for being badly dehydrated and you have a fun time.  Not only that, but the radiation gives the inside of your mouth a bad "sunburn" so that you can't eat solid food and that's why I'm on a feeding peg.  Hook up to the machine and get  food through a tube in your stomach.
     Anyway things are looking a bit more positive now.  I'm walking a mile-plus a couple of times a day and working on getting my strength and stamina back.  Losing 25 lbs. didn't help.  So that's the story for now.  Sort of regular blogs to follow.  CHEERS

I can't find my snow shovel

80-degrees; fishing lines in the  water; boats on the river

A perfect April or May bloom....in late December

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The weather is weird all over the country.  We shouldn't be complaining.  In a regular year we might run the heat a few times.  This year, it's AC everyday.  People on vacation should love the weather, especially if they haven't been to Florida before.  Of course if you want to swim in the ocean, paying attention to the lifeguards and their information on rough waves and rip currents is a must.
     There will be a wake-up call sooner or later.  The temperatures...if only for a day or two..will drop to near 40 or lower.  The beautiful white, orange-ish, yellow and vermilion colored blooms on our bushes will realize that this really isn't mid-spring. 

Happy Holidays

Alf and Murphy

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - On this Christmas Day, we take a moment to reflect on loved ones who are no longer with us.  For 17 years the above two fur balls made life in our house interesting.  We miss them.

Not sure if your neighborhood is like ours, but we've seen Santa's Helpers buzzing around the streets on golf carts...pulling carts loaded with packages...and wearing brown!!  Not a red nose or elves clothing to be seen anywhere.

Out and about

Fish for breakfast

"I think I may have a problem."

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -  It's been nearly a month since my last post.  We've gone a few places to check out what has changed in the five months we were away...not much.  And our photoshoots involved much of the same subjects as last year. 
     One new discovery has been Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive,  an 11-mile (one-way) meander mainly through the wetlands on the North Shore of Lake Apopka but also a stretch of the shore line.  We found more birds than we've seen in a long time.
     As we were driving along we spotted a Great Blue Heron make a strike at a fish.  The bird was below us in a drainage canal so we couldn't immediately tell if got lucky.  The GBH quickly took off and it was evident it has speared something big.  Luckily the bird landed on the other side of the canal and we could see it's problem:  big fish; bad angle for swallowing and really stuck on it's bill.  Add to that that other birds will soon show up trying to steal the fish.
     We watched for a short while, didn't see much progress and then drove on.  

Home, again

Sunrise...OB

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Well, here we are.  Back at home in Ormond Beach.  We've cleaned out our VW "Bus" and again marveled at what we had stuffed inside.  You would think after six (five month) trips out West we would have packing down to a science.  Close, but not quite. 
     You could say that things are about back to normal...what ever that is.  We've been out to a couple of our bird locations.  It looks like our feathered friends are still on vacation.  So we'll take it easy and wait a bit for the weather to cool down (80's) before checking again.  Fortunately we know our favorite restaurants are still open.

1498; 1499; 1500

WEST END, NC - -  I know there were doubters out there.  Too many pieces; they won't finish the puzzle.  Here it is all done.  1500 pieces, no empty holes.  Now, what do we do with it??