Winter Road Trip

I've been waiting on the weather window to open so I could take a winter road trip and finally it did! Last weekend we had ice this weekend I hit the road...Still not as sunny as I'd like it to be but hopefully it will change..so where in the world am I you ask? One guess...here I am parked under the cabbage palms the state tree of the State I'm in..

Im only just barely in the state of FL, I'm camped currently at Little Talbot Island SP. east of Jacksonville, FL.  Thanks to my sister for keeping my big dogs and looking out for Mom so I can have some free time to do some winter birding..

palm warbler

I saw a lot of birds today...yesterday was a lot of driving and getting settled for camping for the day and a walk on the beach...so today I concentrated on finding some birds...I wish I had better photos..and the clouds didnt help.

  

American Kestrel a bit far away...

Willet also far away playing in the surf..

Went to get my passport stamped at Kingsley Plantation and there was a tree full of Cedar Wax wings...

A river runs right in front of the plantation house I saw this man and his best friend out for a boat ride...

they made the slave quarters out of what they call Tabby...its oyster shells, sand, and water...

this one is sort of eroded, here is how it probably looked in the days when it was in use...

after visiting this spot the sun was still hiding so I went to the boardwalk on Big Talbot Island and it was full of stuff to see...

Casey waiting for me...

Hooded Mergansers and Shovelers

Pied Billed Grebes

blue winged teal

tri-colored Heron

Gr. Egret

 Redwinged Blackbird Females

Im going with Lesser Scaup it didnt appear that big to me, a new lifer and the female was there too...

later on in the day I head to Ft George just south of my campground and saw flocks of mixed gulls, terns, and skimmers.

black skimmers

little blue heron immature, 

wood stork

And lots of these guys around some already on nests..

Osprey

My campsite at Little Talbot is right on the marsh pretty good spot too..and the fastest Wifi

 I've ever had in my entire life!! At home Im happy to get 2 bars of a 4G signal here Im getting 4 bars!!

I only scratched the surface of all I saw yesterday and today...I hope to have more to share as the week progresses and I continue South!

More coming...

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Cabinets, doors, and Soapboxes!

Not much blogging going on here in DixxeLand (my own little world) that doesn't mean nothing is happening I am always busy! 

I brought some plants inside, Put in the new utility/laundry/sunroom I said to them "welcome home again" as the fern in the background  is a grand baby of one I had in this house long ago..

and  the tall spindly plant behind the chair... is my Avocado tree grown from a pit that sprouted on the compost pile a couple years ago.  I reset it in the fall and it really has the potential to grow LARGE if I keep re-potting it.  I can't plant it outside it will die in the cold here.

 I've been putting the dishes back in the cabinets!  I got rid of a lot but I still have a lot too!

I have to stand on a stool to reach the top shelf!  The bathroom work has continued I rehung the door...and not just rehung but changed the way it opens used to be from right to left now its the opposite.  Makes more sense to me...the floor is finished, all is done in the bathroom now except the vanity and sink! And of course $money is at the root of it! I have to spread out purchases to fit my budget...so that's the hold up.  

Finished Photo 

I did get the art canvases  hung and I'm happy with the look...is my spacing off a bit? Will have to tweak it...I do recommend Easy Canvas, they did a good job, the cost for this 3 pc set included shipping $124.99 Its 2) 18 x 24" and one 24 x 32" This is some more of my "pony art". I decided to only hang art that has a special meaning to me, created by me, or by someone I know like I said, "my own little world" These ponies are in deep shades of colors and not showing up well in these photos.

Moon watching continues to be a fun experience for me..I went out in the FREEZING air to snap these shots of last weeks lovely crescent...I tried out my new flashlight for some light painting on the fence. 

Soapbox Warning:  a mystery to me is how can a bunch of spoiled armed Rancher/Terrorists  hold a National WLR hostage just so they can continue to get a hand out from the Federal Govt??? I have yet to see a single mother take over the Social Services Office when her food stamps or welfare is cut, I don't want to pay for that man's lifestyle, his product is not sustainable!  In other areas factory work is the main way of making a living,  if it closes then the employees have to find another line of work, why  is he any different?  He wants to sit at home while his cows fatten on our land then haul them to slaughter by the pound, not much effort to "his way of life" as he called it.  He doesn't want to change his way of life so he want's the rest of us to change instead?  Wish the world worked that way but, hello, it don't!

And rehab bird was healed and released sorry no photos...I didn't want to stress her more than necessary!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Sun's OUT finally!

We had rain for nearly the entire month of December and it was so humid and yukky we had the ac on for 3 weeks! But then finally the SUN was able to persevere. 

 Then BLAST!!!! now its overnights in the upper teens and high of 40! Heats ON! So the sun came out..I joined my yard birds outside, these are my regular guests no surprises since the Rusty Blackbird I posted a few weeks back.  

One of our lady Dark-eyed Junco's waiting her turn at the feeder!

Of course Northern cardinals are one of the most numerous birds in our yards is it not uncommon for 8-10 to be in one bush waiting...

Red bellied woodpeckers, whose bellies are not really red but reddish, are so cool they hang out on the tree trucks and are not too bothered by my presence in the yard..

A really nice looking White Throated Sparrow on the ground, 

There has been a brown tree creeper hanging out but I can never get him in the open to snap a shot of him I plan to keep trying...but I found this little puffed up white throated sparrow was not the least interested in hiding he was trying to warm up.  Look at those beautiful little feathers..."o)

and the camellia bush got a chance to bloom before the tempts dropped to 24 and turned them brown...

In the front yard where the cedars grow my old buddy Milo the Mockingbird, (I have no way of knowing this IS him but it makes me happy to think it could be so it IS as far as Im concerned ;o) was soaking up the last rays of the warming sun before it dipped low....he is guarding HIS cedar tree and its full of berries I had hoped cedar wax wings may come but he won't share if they do drop by... he will chase the entire flock away!  He wants all those berries for himself. 

...and there goes Mr Solar on his way down tonight...

I didn't take any photos yet but I am rehabbing another bird.  Once she is well I will. 

I cleaned up and made some tiny changes to my blog page here...got rid of some stuff I was tired of seeing and may trim more..and did you know now you can do a Highlighted Post, I have one in my right column, and did you know now you can drag and drop your photos into blogger? Sure is easier..give it a try!

ONE of the 3 art canvases has arrived I really like it!! When the other 2 arrive I will share the "hanging" with y'all. 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.