Ross Prairie and the Gopher Tortoise

 

I had to gas up the Jeep last week so I took a little drive over to Ross Prairie and actually hiked for one hour! One hour for the months of Oct and Nov! I haven't worried about it though. I'll hike when I get a chance and right now I have other priorities.

It was neat to see a brand new sign up at the trailhead.

And of course I love these piney woods hikes. The pine straw on the trail softens the sound and it is quite an experience. There was only one other hiker on the trails, a nice lady with her Yellow Lab.

There were so many Gopher Tortoise homes in the woods so I went back and found some old photos I had taken on this trail a few years ago to share.

I had hoped to keep up with my blog while we are going through a really hard time. But I realize now I can't. I have too much to do and rarely get on my computer. I look at my IPAD and try to read blogs and a library book when I sit down to take a break. But I am struggling. My husband has cancer, as most of you know by now and he is not doing well at all. He had 6 hours of Chemo yesterday and everything is a struggle.

I hope you all have a blessed holiday season. I need to take a break now for a couple of weeks but I so appreciate your prayers and kind words of encouragement.

Sweet hugs to you all, Diane 💜

A Cardinal is a blessing for the whole day!

 

I heard someone say that about Cardinals and I've never forgotten.

My husband and I have been very blessed over the years and we are thankful for that.

(taken on a hike on the Florida trails last month)

But now we are going through a very hard time and I wanted to write and ask you for your prayers.

Ron has a very rare cancer....B cell Lymphoma.

There's a good article HERE. He has the Splenic subtype. 

It is too advanced for surgery to remove his spleen so they have started Chemotherapy treatments. He's been in the hospital receiving blood transfusions too. 

I'll update you all when we get farther into the treatments. I had thought about taking a blog break but I get so much enjoyment from reading my favorite blogs and I know you will all give me encouragement.

I've come to know most of you over the years of blogging and know you have all been through hard times too and I have prayed for many of you over the years. So I'll thank you in advance for your prayers and I will be around to visit soon. I know I'll read my favs and I'll comment when I can.

God bless you, your blog buddy Diane

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

A Florida Fall

 It will be a few months before we get any cold temps here in North Central Florida but some of the vines and trees change color at the end of the summer and give us that hint of Fall.

White-eyed Vireo

I was finishing up a hike on the Marjorie Harris Cross Florida Greenway when I saw a dozen or more birds flitting around.

Most of the birds I got photos of were White-eyed Vireos.

They are so petite and beautiful.

I always think they are Warblers at first, until I see the eye.

I enjoyed watching them flying from tree to tree.

And then I saw this bird.

I thought at first it was a Tufted Titmouse but now I am not sure. 

This was in the same spot that I saw the bear one week, and then the 8 point buck the following week.

It's a good spot to slow down and look around.

I also saw a hoverfly. The wings were a beautiful bronze color.

More info HERE.

And I saw the biggest stand of Forked Bluecurls.

The blooms are only open in the mornings and they are tiny.

The flowers are less than an inch long! More info HERE.

There's always something to see in nature and it's fun to come home and do research on birds and wildflowers....an hoverflies! We can all enjoy learning new things.

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve and the traveling Tortoise

 

I set off to drive to the preserve in search of birds. 

Isn't the back leg kicked out cute? I think he was traveling faster than me! 

I told myself, I would just walk around and look.

But walking around turned into a nice long...hot hike!

And I did see a beautiful Red tailed Hawk.

His tail really glowed in the sun!

But the sighting of the day was this cute and very clean Gopher Tortoise.

This looks like a regular road but the gate is locked so you rarely see a work vehicle on the road.

But on this particular day, I looked up ahead and saw this tortoise on a mission.

You really need to stand still and let them pass so that they can get on their regular trail that leads to their burrow. If they feel threatened, they will get off and go through the weeds but that is not their easy path to their home.

So I stood still in the hot sun and took photos. 

And there he goes!

It's funny how the sun doesn't bother you as much when you are watching something interesting.

Now the road is overgrown with grass and that makes a soft surface to walk on.

The views out on the preserve are stunning.

And the wildflowers are abundant.

I love this morning glory.

And at the trailhead, I was joined by another Jeep!

Jeep parking only! Haha!

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

Have a beautiful weekend! 

Take a drive even it you can't hike!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Dotted Horsemint and Horses

 

Dotted Horsemint is in full bloom right now.

It's not only beautiful, it's smells amazing!

You can see why it's called 'dotted' when you look closely.

This is what a big stand of it looks like!

So does that have anything to do with horses? 

I did a search and the only reference I saw was the fact that it has an aromatic beneficial phenol thymol and is used medicinally for horses and humans. 

I went back over some of the photos I've taken of horses at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve.

The preserve shares a common fence with a horse farm so it's a good place to see horses.

There are trails on the preserve for horses too.

Our wildflowers are going crazy right now.

They are everywhere in abundance along with a beautiful variety of butterflies and moths.

Our temps for every day this week...high at right around 90, low 70. The humidity is not as bad and there are nice breezes every day so I won't complain! Typical for this part of Florida in September!

Does it feel more like Fall at your house?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Greenway Sightings this week!

 

You know the saying about getting back on the horse after taking a fall. 

Well, mine was a 'bear scare'!

And I went back out a few days later to face my fears! 

On the very same trail....at the very same spot....I had a wonderful sighting!

This beautiful 8 point Buck.

I'll even share the first two photos before I had a chance to get a better sighting.

White tailed deer will many times run away but not very far.

Then they will turn and see if you are still back there!

And that allowed me to get past some of the weeds and trees to get a better view.

I was so thrilled to see such a magnificent deer.

Earlier I had seen a small deer with his Mama following along behind him.

And on the short distance that I walked on the paved part of the Greenway, I saw these guys.

I think these are electric unicycles! Very cool, don't you think?

My first thought was....where do you hold on?

But they were zooming through, smiling and waving at me!

It was a beautiful day to be on the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

The weather has improved. It's still hot but not as bad as the past few months.

And I think 3 deer equals 1 bear in excitement, don't you?

Have you had a chance to enjoy nature this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

  and Mosaic Monday HERE.