Florida Trip - January 2011

A long weekend trip to Florida. Staying with Bob & Barb in their vacation home in Hudson. Mild mostly sunny weather - quite a difference from wintry Ohio. First day was spent mostly at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - manatees, alligators, and various Floridian wild birds. On the trip back to Hudson there was a stop on the Gulf shore at the Pine Island Beach/Rock Island Bay where we watched flocks of mostly sea gulls. Sunset at the Robert K. Rees Memorial Park near New Port Richey. The next day was a long rural drive on Rt. 19 to Tallahassee to visit family friend Patty. The final day was a short sunny walk along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks before the flight back to the frozen North. Thanks to the Akron/Canton, Detriot, Tampa, and Atlanta airports.

Owl Updates

Our Eastern Screech Owl has continued habitation of our backyard tree. He'll (she'll?) usually pop out of inside of the hole to perch and watch as Oliver runs around the tree. Yesterday he napped on the hole's edge and gradually gained a coating of snow. Visitors have stopped by - small birds, squirrels (of course), and a red-shouldered hawk. Nicki and I have been adding and updating photos to our collection which can be found in a previous blog entry below.

Winter around our house - January 12, 2011.