Another gorgeous day for biking - Feb. 28/14

Once it warmed up enough (about noon), we headed out for another bike ride.  What a gorgeous day!

We actually saw this fellow last night when we went for a walk.  Found a whole bunch of them in a little pool area by a go-cart track.  Here's looking at you! 

Does anyone know what this fruit is?  When it's ripe, it's really sweet, and I think by next week we'll be pigging out on them. 

This little fellow may be challenging us for the fruit! 

Found a "tree-full" of vultures!  The one on the left is a black vulture, the one on the right is a turkey vulture - has a red head.  Both are scavengers. 

One path we took led us past the Kissimmee Regional Airport - lots of small planes, including some jets coming and going. 

We think this is some kind of a fish farm - covered with a net to keep the birds out. 

 

The red keys show up on these trees first, then the leaves.  I used to think it was red leaves of flowers coming out. 

 

Such nice reflections. 

Part of our route today took us through a woods/swamp.  No rails on the boardwalk make me nervous. 

This is part of the Cyprus swamp, with lots of "knees".  There WERE rails on this stretch, fortunately. 

We came to a pioneer village, so had a look.  This is a "cracker house".  Crackers were Florida cowboys who "cracked" whips to herd the cows. 

 

While we were at the pioneer village, this Sandhill Crane put on quite a show just over the fence.  I loved it! 

I think he thought that this big red leaf  was some kind of prey, and was flipping it all around. 

This was a water run-off area, and he was splashing the water up, as you can see in this pic.  What fun I had watching him! 

He finally realized that his prize was not edible - look how dejected he looks. 

A pretty big student for a little desk! 

The "teacher" is ringing the hand bell to call the students into the school.  Then I noticed a rope beside the door, and rang the big bell up top. 

Later, the sandhill crane came right up to the chain-link fence.  I love how you can see right through his beak at the nostril. 

Paul waiting unhappily for his turn in the outhouse (just kidding!).
 
 
Does anyone have any wisdom as to why my camera suddenly started taking black and white photos?  I don't think I changed any settings!  Weird!
 
 
We saw these two birds, and I got so excited, thinking they were bald eagles, then realized they were just osprey.  The top one is in a nest, I believe. 

Biking at Shingle Creek Regional Park - Feb. 24/14

What a fantastic day of biking we had today!  Hot, but not too hot.  It was supposed to rain, but never did.  We rode to Shingle Creek Regional Park, close to where we are staying for the next 3 weeks.

It was a bit of a bumpy trail - cement, but worn out.  Still better than grass. 

There's a tree on the far side that has a lot of scratch marks pretty high up the tree - wonder what made those??? 

Riding on a skunk! 

I love the big old live oaks, that spread themselves all over the place. 

This live oak had most of its roots out of the ground, but still it grows and flourishes. 

I SO want to see an armadillo, and I think that's likely what made this hole, and lots more like it, but I never seem to see one.  Maybe they only come out at night. 

This hawk had one foot up in every picture I took - maybe has an injury. 

This is a picture from across the creek  of where we often picnic. 

Back home, we went for a swim - in the VERY warm pool.   

This fellow was basking in the sunshine.

And this fellow was basking in the very warm water of the pool - it felt more like a hot tub! 
 
 
I THINK this is a camellia, but not sure.  Anyone?  It smells incredibly sweet!

Moving Day - Feb. 22/14

After four weeks in one place, we had to move today - still in Kissimmee, just a little further down the street.  Since we had to check out at 10 am, and couldn't check in til 4 pm, we played some mini-golf.  Thanks Reg and Janice! 

On line for the hole - lucky putt!  Actually we both got a hole in one, but not on the right hole for a prize. 

 

So many beautiful flowers! 

 

You wouldn't want to pick THESE flowers! 

 

 

After golf, we walked around Old Town for a while. 

It was a VERY unsettled day!  Rain came down in torrents while we were at Old Town. 
 
 
 
 
I KNEW Elvis was still around!

Biking With Jo and Eric - Feb. 18/14

Another lovely day here - making up for the cold and rainy days we've had!  Jo and Eric came over from Lakeland today, and we had a very enjoyable day of biking in Celebration, then they came here for a "crock-pot supper" with us.  Poor Eric went home a little battered and bruised, but still moving. 

This was Jo and Eric's first real day of bike riding, and we really put them through the paces.  They hung in much longer than I thought they would for the first time. 

We stopped for lunch at a picnic table in the park where we often see a couple of red-shouldered hawks, and sure enough, they were there to entertain us. 

This fellow had obviously found something in the grass, and he was really digging for it! 

I'm thinking maybe this was the female of the pair, or maybe a younger one - not quite as colourful as the other one, but still very majestic. 

 
 Lunch in the park.
 
 
 
 
I TOLD you this ice cream store was too handy!  Eric bought us ice cream on the way home.