Oh, I look sooo good

Of course I look good...I'm prime steak

We can't stop talking about how cute 'junior' will be

You can't beat meadow lark yellow for being cool

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Viera wetlands, about 100 miles south of OB, has usually been a good spot to find our feathered friends.  However Thursday was cool and windy with only some nesting sandhill cranes loudly hailing to us from a socially distanced location.

     There's another birding location nearby, but it's mainly only cattle grazing.  Sometimes the beef on the hoof even check to see what / who might be wandering down the trail between the fields.  And there, perched on a fence post was a meadowlark resplendent with lots of yellow styling.  So, you might ask, isn't it just another fancy bird?  Well, yes. Except it's the first one we've ever spotted.  And it seemed like he / she was ready to pose until we got a good photo.

Discover a waterfall in OB

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Who knows what you might discover on an early morning walk in OB.  Having lived in OB for 30 years, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the sound of lightly cascading water and there,just off the side street I was on was a waterfall.  The Ormond Memorial Art Museum
grounds include a 'Memorial Gardens' walk which will take you into lushly landscaped areas and includes a Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  We've walked it before, but never noticed a waterfall. 

Heading home from work on Friday afternoon

 ORMOND BEACH,FL - - The weekend is only a few hours away for this individual and the crew awaiting him.  He was about to pass under the Ormond Beach Bridge and dock at the fishing pier complex to unload / reload this work barge for another dock building / repair job. 

A Royal kind of morning

Classic ballet moves by a small group of Royal Terns

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Sunday morning, on our beach walk, seemed like a special time for our avian crew to congregate.  There are always packs of seagulls with lots of small water birds scattered in hoping to be taken as part of the crew.  Normally, the 'tern gang' is a small group hiding among the 'gulls.  Not this Sunday, although when a large flock decided to take off directly at me I only caught a tern six-pack practicing their sort-of flight plan.   
 

A gathering of egrets.....and lift off!!

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Initially, Tuesday seemed like a promising day to head to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. To get there when the light is right at sunrise we have to leave at 6am.  We noted the overcast conditions and no stars visible,  but weather forecasts noted it would clear up "some.

   It didn't. Everything was dull and grey.  And, it appeared the birds had been warned we were coming.  Finally, we headed for our last 'good' location to spot birds:  Black Point Wildlife Drive. For the first time we didn't even need to drive through the entrance gate.  

   The top photo shows a huge gathering of egrets waiting...for something.  And below it's mayhem as we get out of the Honda to take some photos. Of course, almost all settled back down just a little bit farther away.

 

Rest stop

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - No, these fine vessels aren't part of my 'toy' collection.  Although one can dream a bit.  Anyway, the city of Ormond Beach decided two years ago that The Granada Pier needed some some high class dockage to go with our 'trailer-in; trailer-out' facility.

     So, about $400,000 in tax money has provided us with a fancy Rest Area.  The only problem is that hardly anyone stops by to tie-up; spend the night and / or walk to nearby restaurants.  Luckily I was on my almost daily library walk (the fishing pier; bait shop; boat landing and "boat parking area" is right across the street) when I spotted this traffic jam.  

     The folks in the larger (about 60') craft are from Charlotte, NC and headed slowly south.  The sailboat's crew of two can be seen tying up.  They stopped here on info from the power boat owners.  After 3 days in St. Augustine it was time for more wandering to warmer locales as it was 27-degrees when they left northern Virginia.   

Welcome to the new year

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The leaves are falling off our maple tree while on other bushes they've turned a dull reddish color and are curling up.  Yet, other plants haven't given up ... or haven't checked the calendar.  Since we have five or six different types /colors of hibiscus it seems that when one or two shrivel up another one or two are blooming.  So, while some folks can't tell where their flowering shrubs might be in their snowy yard we have bright reminders.
 

See foam; sea foam

ORMOND BEACH,FL - - If you don't check the tide tables you might arrive at the beach just after peak high tide like we did this morning.  Additionally, if you aren't aware of the speed / direction of the wind you might get 'foamed out'.  Foam happens when organic materials in the ocean /sea water get churned up.  So all that photographic wave action is serving to 'foam things up.'  Great for playing around if you're out to frustrate your parents.
 

Go fly a kite!!

ORMOND BEACH, FL - -  A nice breeze, sunny skies, the beach, kids and a kite.  What more could you want?  The scary looking kite which, to me resembles a spider, is supposed to be an octopus. 
 

Ms. Claus to the dinner time rescue

Can you say:  Yum!

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Our next door neighbor loves to cook...especially around the holidays.  In normal times we'd be visiting  on Christmas Eve for her family get together.  I guess maybe we've been adopted.  

     Since social distancing, etc. is the order of the day...especially if you are old and creaky and in the covid-19 high risk category...we declined close contact this year.  And the next thing you know we were 'gifted' with scalloped potatoes; steamed broccoli and lots of ham.  And best of all, there was a big bowl of chocolate triffle with cherries on top.  

     My option is to always eat dessert first and if you have any room left then start on the real meal.  Of course, my better half was there to guide me onto the right decision...but if I wasn't around you can bet Lydia would have sampled the triffle before anything else.

'Twas the day before Christmas

The gulls are 'reflecting' on their good looks...

...while the herons are 'blue' because Santa isn't here yet...

...and the ducks are just 'paddling' the day away

 

Holiday decorations

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It doesn't seem like people are decorating outside their homes like in holidays past.  It's hard to look forward to the holidays with everything that has happened with covid-19 and will probably continue like this for a good long time.  As some signs say:  Wash up; mask up; back up.  Stay safe.
 

Cruising on a Saturday afternoon

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's sunny and cool. A great afternoon for boating.  However, the vast majority of sailboats and cruisers on the Halifax Intracoastal Waterway are heading south toward Miami or the Keys.  Guess these folks didn't get the message.

On the fifth day of Christmas

 

Fancy an soggy drive on the beach??

Don't get your toes wet

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - 9 a.m. Tuesday morning; high tide; light wave action; 40-degrees.  Perfect weather for a drive on the beach except for soft sand and soggy conditions.  Where's my 4-wheel drive?  Anyway, other than the 15-mph wind it was beautiful.  We've had a lot of hot (for the winter months) weather lately so this cold was refreshing.  Of course, I had on gloves; a wool/fleece cap pulled over my ears; long-sleeve T plus fleece plus heavy wind breaker; jeans; long socks and Keen sandals so no problem...except when walking into the wind. 

     Don't worry it hasn't lasted as it will be in the upper 70's on Friday.

The ibis stroll...

Follow me, gang

And now for a little exercise

Just in case you don't have any decorating ideas...Lowes does

The holiday decorations are shining bright

Snowflakes and green wrapping adorn the lamp light poles

Our city hall / library complex

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Somebody in Ormond Beach facility operations flicked a switch early last night (Nov. 24) and now it's holiday time.  These pics were shot about 6:15am so it looks a bit light out.  All the different lights look really neat when it's 5am dark, but then the flash pops off and ruins trying to make  'artsy' photos.  It may be mid-70's during the day, but with the decorations shining in the night it does give you a holiday feeling. 

Liftoff!!!

 

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Liftoff!! The SPACE-X Crew-1 rocket seemed to hover over the Daytona Beach Bridge and skyline before rising slowly (with a crew of 4) on its way to the International Space Station.  The 7:27pm liftoff made for spectacular viewing.

Our house in OB is one block from a park with a short pier stretching out into the Halifax River.  Depending on the launch angle it's a great place for night or day watching.  And note that the pic was taken with an IPhone 6xs...not new, not fancy...while my expensive cameras stayed home in my camera bag.

Butterfly checking out the drinking fountain

Time for a drop of water

 

 ORMOND BEACH, FL - - I should have looked closer at my butterfly pics.  On the previous post this BF has a very nice wing spread.  Then I looked closer at another frame and the water droplets caught my eye. Check out the previous post for what a good green thumb can accomplish.  Hint...I can only claim work on the hibiscus and cassis.

Hot weather and rain equals more blooms

Waterlily

Cassia or Golden rain tree

Bird of paradise

Hibiscus

Another hibiscus with buds getting ready to blom

And a butterfly on a Mexican petunia