Thursday, February 15, 2018

APOD Summary

Hi All,

The last few weeks have seen a marvelous collection of images from Astronomy Photo of the Day. As you look at these pictures, remember that this is not computer graphics but rather actual places in our universe.


When galaxies collide, stars are strewn in long tails.





This is an ultraviolet image of our sun.





Today's APOD is the Heart Nebula!
Happy Valentine's Day.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Birds & Reptiles

Hi All,

No trip to Delray Beach would be complete without visits to Green Cay and Wakadohatchee wetlands, home to great birds and reptiles.

The nesting wood storks were so close to the boardwalk we could almost touch them.


This great egret was looking for lunch.

This iguana was probably waiting to steal eggs from a nest.

Always plenty of alligators cruising the shallow water,

and turtles sunning themselves.

This guy is a Jesus Lizard ( a basilisk lizard not the rock band)

Looks like a rare banded heron but it is a tricolor with sunlight shining through the railings.

This momma grebe had four chicks.
Thanks Roberta and Elliot for a wonderful visit.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Monday, February 12, 2018

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

Hi All,

With three consecutive days off, we headed to Delray Beach to visit Roberta & Elliot. Today we enjoy the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center .

It is named after the Gumbo Limbo tree also known as the tourist tree since the bark gets red and peels.

They have a sea turtle rehab center though the turtles are not too photogenic. Not so this gopher tortoise.

There are several marine tanks with native Florida species including this tarpon with the largest scales of any fish.

Here's a porkfish

and a gray angel.

This green moray was impressive. They keep him well fed so he does not bother the small fish.

Environmental education programs give kids a chance to net fish from the ICE and learn marine science first hand.

Florida Atlantic University is conducting a sea turtle study on site. The gender of turtle eggs is determined by nest temperature and there is fear that a warming climate will alter the gender balance. In some places nests are 98% female!
Neat place, we enjoyed a lot.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Falcon Heavy Launch (Geek Alert)

Hi All,

Elon Musk's Space X had a successful launch of their new booster rocket, the Falcon Heavy,  today.

After two hours of weather delays they lifted off at 3:45 EST.


These photos are from the Space X video feed. From Barberville we saw a bright spot and cloud of smoke.

Space-X's current booster is the Falcon 9 with nine engines firing at once. The Falcon Heavy is three Falcon 9s strapped together. Here's what 27 engines firing at once looks like! 

When the side boosters shut down, they fly back to the launch site and land almost simultaneously. Awesome.

After the second stage shuts down, the payload fairing is jettisoned, exposing the payload. Most test launches use steel plates or concrete as a payload- but not Elon Musk. He launched his Tesla Roadster with a space suited dummy at the wheel. This image is a screen capture from the onboard camera. 
Elon is clearly a genius and a showman.

Love,

Sandy & Carl (mostly Carl)
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

Hi All,

This morning we helped 140 2nd graders better appreciate Florida pioneer life. After lunch we drove to the nearby Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge. It is a great place to hike and spot birds.


and other critters. This turtle must know the alligator is not hungry.

There must be ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. That's what causes these " Sun Dogs".

Two more Florida cooters sunning themselves.

Here a pair of black vultures settle high on a bare bush to watch for a meal.

We were not surprised to see a pair of sandhill cranes on the Refuge. We were surprised to see this sandhill family on a nearby lawn. Dad watches for danger while mom and the colt feed.

Last year's big Barberville project was the barn. This year it is the accessions room where, for years, donations of historic items were stored before they were put on exhibit. It was jam packed and we have slowly been sorting and inventorying items. This week's surprise, found in an unmarked Manila envelope, was a set of Wm. Rogers silver plate spoons depicting each of the Presidents through LBJ.
Here's the JFK spoon. The bowl depicts John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury capsule.

Speaking of space flight, yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1.
We have been toying with the idea of going to Cape Canaveral for the Space-X Falcon Heavy first launch on Feb 6. Then again, with 27 engines developing five million pounds of thrust, we will probably be able to hear it from here,

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502