Evening with the Boys

Hi All,
After a day of shopping in Jacksonville, we spent the evening with the the boys. We had Garrett & Wyatt to ourselves since Scott & Tara got tickets to the Jimmy Buffet concert. We ordered a pizza and played board games all evening. It was great fun. We also got to see Garret's new train set and Wyatt's new compound bow along with all of the Pinewood Derby trophies.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

These are just Wyatt's Trophies. Garrett has an even bigger collection in his room.

Garrett's HO Train Set

Wyatt shows grandma his new compound bow

Morning on Merritt Island

Hi All,

We had to squeeze in some birding before our 8:45 AM class this morning. Black Point Wildlife Drive never disappoints.

The early morning sun cast a golden glow over the marsh and we saw lots of great birds and we were only 15 minutes late for class.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 

White Morph Reddish Egret

Northern Pintail

American Avocet in front of normally colored reddish egret

Huge Flock of American Coot

Yet another American Bittern

Space Coast Birding Festival

Hi All,

This morning we drove 90 miles to Titusville in time for a 9:30 presentation on Nature Photography, followed by a class on Florida bald eagles.

In the afternoon we did another birding lecture then began to explore the exhibit hall. We gathered info for a possible future trip to Ecuador. We also enjoyed the exhibits of raptors, snakes and other wildlife.

In the evening we attended a fascinating presentation by Richard Crossley.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Bald Eagle

Aplomado Falcon

Pine Snake

Blind Raccoon

Larger than life eagle

Another Great Day in the Forest

Hi All,

This morning we spotted the 3 local sandhill cranes along the campground road. This would have been more exciting had we not seen a pair of cranes in the CVS parking lot last night. Mary Rees came for a visit with her friend Mary. We had lunch at Square Meal then visited our motorhome. After they left we hiked along the campground roads again. The cranes were out in the meadow now but the walk did not lack interesting sights. We spotted a sun dog, a rainbow like patch of sky to the side of the sun (22 degrees to be precise). The picture with Carl's iPhone came out better than expected. Next we encountered a turtle along the road. Later we checked out one of the gopher tortoise burrows and, using our binoculars, spotted the tortoise inside .  Trust us, there's a tortoise in there.

As idyllic as this may sound, almost the entire walk was accompanied by screaming low altitude passes of F/A-18s. Air operations at nearby Naval Air Station Jacksonville were in high gear and we were right under the flight path as the jets returned from the bombing range south of us. Freedom isn't free and sometimes it is very, very loud.

As this is written the jets are gone and we are sitting outside in the late afternoon with the forest pretty much to ourselves.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Sun Dog

Turtle on the Road

Gopher Tortoise Burrow

Another Pinewood Derby Win

Hi All,

This just in from Jacksonville. Wyatt Greenbaum won first prize at this year's Cub Scout Pinewood Derby

Love
Sandy & Carl

Sent from my iPhone

Friends Across the Country

Hi All,

We are so lucky to have friends across the country. Yesterday Jim & Evalyn Campbell whom we met in the hot spring on the way to Alaska in 2008 came down from Jacksonville to camp for one night and we enjoyed dinner and a campfire with them. 

Friends Lynn & Bob Christiansen whom we met at a Habitat for Humanity build in 2005, have connected us with their friends in Washington state near Portland where we can leave the motorhome. Thank you Bob & Lynn.

This morning when it was very quiet in the VC, we set up our iPhones to make FaceTime video calls and called Don & Sandy Shapiro in New Hampshire. It was great to see and talk to them. Don took the iPad outside and showed us the snow we were missing. We don't miss the snow but we sure miss them.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Sent from my iPhone

Back in the Forest

Hi All,

Yesterday we hiked 2 miles to the visitor center to get our mail. Along the way we met Rex, the pet macaw who was watching his owner wash the truck.

Today, after a pretty slow day in the VC, we hiked around the campground and met the host couple doing their rounds. Their miniature Manchester loves to ride in the ATV.

Love
Sandy & Carl

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Rex on his Perch

Jane & Billy with Maggie May