Woodstove

A woodstove and kettle in one of the wineries we stopped at yesterday.

Grow Little Tomatoes (and Basil), Grow!

I really like my little greenhouse! Let's hope my tomato plant and basil don't "cook" inside it.  It was 75 today -- but back down to a low of 30 by Saturday.  My only question was whether to plant my strawberries inside the greenhouse or outside...  Inside will keep the birds and bunnies from eating them (I hope), but outside will let the bumblebees polinate them.  Any gardeners out there with advice?

Signs of Spring at Hoover Park

Skunk cabbage poking up.


A pair of mallards.


Red twig dogwood... sorry, no bluebird on the bird house, though I sat and waited for him to make an appearance.

Great Blue Heron

I'm seeing more and more Great Blue Herons, whether it's in Florida  or here in Ohio.  Must be a relative of this grey heron I once saw in Betws-y-Coed, Wales, as they look very similar.  These are very adaptable birds and can make their home in salt water or fresh water marshes--wherever there are fish!

Muskrat Charlie and Friends at Hoover Park

A rather large muskrat swimming across a small pond.

A bluebird on a fencepost.

A fox squirrel chattering away up in a tree.

Nice to see the animals making an appearance for the arrival of spring next week!

Reaching for the sun

The crocuses in our garden are looking up for some springtime warmth.

Getting greener out

The view from our deck is looking greener!

Mount Vernon

Plantation home of George Washington, first president of the United States.

View from Mount Vernon's front porch across the wide expanse of the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C. George Washington once said of Mount Vernon, "No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this." I tend to agree!

Washington DC at night

Jefferson Memorial

Washington Monument

In the Everglades

Raccoon

11-foot alligator

Pelican perched on the prow of our airboat

Bumper Crop of Shells Yesterday

Yesterday, the tide washed in sea shells in piles 9" deep...mostly small shells like cockles, clams, scallops, slipper shells and "kitten paws". Can you find the kitten paw in the photo above?  (Hint:  top center!)

Sunset cruise with dolphins

Sea Urchin

Three Pelicans on Three Posts

Captiva Sunset

Captiva Crab

Roseate Spoonbills

At Ding Darling Nature Preserve

Another Ding Darling Resident

Newt? Gecko? Chameleon?

Snowy Egret, I think

My seashell hoard so far

Off to the beach, Captiva Island, Florida

Lazy Heron

Looks like this fisherman gave up fishing, since the heron would probably get to any fish he caught before the fisherman did!