Jan. 31, 2015 "Pelly" Madness

Jan 30, 2015 Random Thoughts

Blogging makes you want to write........

Everything that can leak....does leak.  Zip lock plastic bags save the day.

I know the clothes pins are in this van somewhere......

Still have not met an unpleasant person.

Ed and I are equal card players.... 500 Rummy  Makes for a challenging game.

We start to get a sense for what we really need to be happy...not nearly the "stuff" we thought.

Super Bowl this Sunday...I have been around for all of them, but don't watch all of them. Neither team is of interest.  Our teams are SF (Michaela's home team) or of course the Browns.  We will be on the road Sunday; may or may not have broadcast available.

Ed's purchase of a Shark hand held vacuum...works no better than a lint roller!

Entertained last evening...Ontario Canada friends from camp.  Nice campfire,  snacks and wine. Good conversation.  One couple driving a Lexington also.  Funny road tales and compared notes on parks.

Baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast with hot coffee.  I love my Half-time oven.

Ed announced he had 60 miles on his bike this trip...me, not so many.  2095 miles on the Lark odometer to far.  Heading to Henderson St. Pk. on Sunday...new adventures.

Jan. 28, 2015 Birding Shots

Hiking this morning with the cameras:

Eastern Towhee

Brown Headed Nuthatch

Hooded Mergansers

The woods by the Gulf:

Old Turpentine Stihl

Jan. 28, 2015 Loon

We awoke to the cry of the loon out in the bay this morning.  Took me back to all of those summer  vacation trips to lakes in Ontario Canada as a kid.  A sound of the fabric of my life!  This loon is in it's winter plumage, not the bright black and white we would see in the summer season. 

Jan. 28, 2015 A "lifer" kind of a day

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Found only in this part of Florida/Alabama. We wanted to see and photograph to add to our life list.  Only took one day to find him in St. Andrews State Park...Panama City Beach area.

Had some great shots of Water Birds also:

Female Bufflehead Thanks for input from my birder friends.

Horned Grebe

Red Breasted Merganser

Jan 27, 2015 On the Road

Yesterday we spent 4 hours on the road to this new location on the Panhandle of Florida.  A good part of that 4 hours was a two lane road through the swamp (another one). Our Garmin GPS always suggests the highway. We like traveling the back roads, even in the Lark.  We get a lot of "recalculating".

It's not that we don't love the Garmin, we do.  Great in traffic and six lane highway ramps.  For us, there is nothing like the open road with little traffic as possible.  There is another strange but friendly tradition among RV'ers.  It turns out you need to consider waving to every motor home/trailer driver  coming the opposite way on a two-laner. I guess a sort of brotherhood (or sisterhood, lots of women drivers)  road warrior thing. It was so desolate yesterday on our route the Fed Ex driver even waved to us.  It's a rather nice human  interaction with strangers. Quick but nice.

We are getting our sea legs... can't drive 45MPH because we have a "harmonic" tone that makes you crazy.  Seems this isn't unusual when you are blasting through the atmosphere in a rolling bread truck. (So far impossible to find the source)

Can't go 70MPH because you are topping out with no extra speed for passing.

So we go 60MPH and that seems slow until you are in the cab with 14,000 lbs attached to you.  Seems like you are flying!  Best gas mileage is probably 55MPH, but Ed just can't hold her down to that. Have to remember for the last 50 years, starting with a 1967 GTO  455 8-cylinder 4 Speed on the floor...Ed has not been passed on the road, he does the passing.  A new world out there for him and he's doing great.

Mellowing a bit???

*****

Merlin   Bird Variet

Back to Garmin: on the lonely road yesterday we had to entertain ourselves. I have a habit of naming things near and dear. So..what shall we call our Garmin?  Needed to be a bird, of course.  But I like a double meaning.  So, after many miles we came up with "Merlin"  a fast and sleek falcon and a magician.   In the Lark we are fast and sleek in our own minds and we believe Merlin is rather magical, with it's uncanny road information.  I'll spare my readers how we got "sullmates" on another road trip to Virginia in 1995.

Jan. 27, 2015 St. Andews State Park Florida Carolina Chickadee

Arrived yesterday afternoon to this state park at Panama City Beach on the "Emerald Coast".  Now we are talking...the beach woman in me is happy!  Good bye forest..hello white sand. This beach has been named one of the best in USA.

Our site is Bay front with two palm trees.  Quite nice, have to admit  we are good "pickers" from the internet sites.  

My palm trees and water view!

The glorious Fl sun is shining and a bit of a cool breeze, 65degrees and flawless blue skies. Nice that this park is both wooded for birding and gulf front for beaching.  Biked and walked the beach this AM and will be doing some serious "shooting" later. 

Got a tour of a brandy new Airstream 25' trailer this morning. Ontario, Canada owners out on their first trip. Made in Ohio!  Thing of beauty and quite pricey.   Baby boomers are loving them and there was just a story on nightly news this week about the company expanding to produce 75 a week! Hand done, all of them.  

Southern Variety:  Carolina Chickadee
Slightly different from our Black-Capped Chickadee in Ohio
I can go into the difference: pretty boring. :)

Jan. 26, 2015 Red Shouldered Hawk

Some Turtle For Lunch?

Ed disappeared into the woods and came back with these great pictures of the Red Shouldered Hawk.  

Red Shouldered Hawk 

The sharp eyes of a raptor

******

Kestrels are hard to capture.  They are extremely fast.

Ed did a great job...I am so proud of his work.

He has amazing patience.

American Kestrel

Jan. 26, 2015 What is Blue and Large and Everywhere?

Back on the road in the Lark.  Realizing that Kissimmee State Park and St. Andrews State Park are a good 8 hour drive apart...we quickly grabbed a night half way between.  The first ugly state park in Florida, Manatee Springs is at least undergoing renovations.   The saving grace...A smoker with the very best bar-b-que pork dinner to be had! The fridge and freezer were packed with a weeks worth of groceries, but who could resist dinner with drinks for $8?

Brings me to Blue and Large... Walmart, of course.  I've never been a big promoter of Walmart (for well known reasons) however: Walmart is a RV'ers dream.  The size of the parking lots alone are impossible to pass on.  Open all kinds of hours, in every medium sized town in America and they offer overnight parking..free if you are in a pinch.  Not to mention they now offer some RV parts and supplies.  Only outshone by Cracker Barrel...where you can park over night and have Pecan Pancakes for breakfast before pulling out! Sometimes when you are in a strange town, Walmart and Cracker Barrel are comforting.

Today on the road we experienced 30MPH headwinds...tough on the driver and we were happy to pull into St. Andrews, a wonderful site on the water.  Can't wait to explore the beach tomorrow.  

Stopped in St. George Island and learned about Tupelo honey. A honey provided by bees that only pollinate Tupelo trees. This honey never forms crystals...and lives forever (if you don't eat it first).  A foodie couldn't pass on buying some of that!

I have not much experience writing. Did some wedding announcements, obits and anniversary announcements in our local paper a million years ago.  Now I have this little "blogging" bug in my ear. All day I find I'm thinking about what to add to my journal. Who knew...

January 2015 Ying and Yang

All is not perfect at camp.

Take chiggers for example. Chiggers only seem to be in the south, they are mites so small you can hardly see them with the naked eye. They live in tall grasses and the moss that hangs from the Oak trees. They are ugly and red. They don't bite so much as burrow into your skin. How do I know this?  When you are not wearing the correct apparel in the woods, you suffer.  No more sandals and shorts for me.  Mosquitos are nothing compared to chiggers. Think Poison Ivy.  

Then there are the very old men in campground that prefer to be shirtless,  wear gold necklaces, have boney knees peeking out of long khaki bermuda shorts, and wear  black shoes and black socks. This fashion statement is so wrong.  I can't say but I'm betting North Jersey or New Yorkers.

Think Christmas lights of the large multi-colored sort and Pink Flamingos with solar lights shining on them at night.  Whoever thought this was fashionable decor.  Add a clever wood burned plaque announcing John and Clara from Dubuque "live here".
Retro 1950 still lives at camp.

We have come quickly to learn no parking the Lark at a campground that announces: Bingo on Mondays, shuffleboard tournaments, get togethers and sing a longs, Recreation Halls and/or mini golf! Not ever.

Weekdays are peaceful: Friday afternoons of holiday weekends are scary.  The public shows up in the biggest, shiniest of double cab diesel Pick up trucks, towing the latest 22' Jayco Pop-up camper. In doubles, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws and a Pap and  a Gramma.  As the Jayco unfurls it's many side compartments providing sleeping quarters for 18: siblings, cousins and a few neighborhood kids. Add at least 3 dogs out of the back of the truck.  Bonfires are started, shouting, laughing and cursing only override outdoor speakers and the shrieking of happy kids. Children fly by on bikes, scooters, skates and skate boards. Red Cups (see footnote) come out with more shouting, laughing and cursing. This group is late to get up in the AM, however, manages to stay up well into the night.  Oh, to be young again!

Another issue:  how can a campground have no cell service and no wifi?  Is this possible in 2015?  This may only be my issue.

All of this is out shone by the fact you never find an unpleasant person. Everyone smiles and say hello, will be glad to give you a hand, a better idea and a funny story.  There is no road rage, nasty retorts or frustrated idiots.  Campers, both snowbirds and locals, are having a great time and want you to have a great time too. How cool is that.


*footnote: A plastic Red cup is the official holder of all that is illegal to drink in State Parks.  We bought two washable ones to be eco responsible.

Red Cup

Jan 19, 2015 Provisions

Between camp we have a day  to get ourselves organized; provisions purchased and "chores" completed. We see the virtue of having a Toad.... car in tow...

Bikes get you around camp...but not into the closest towns.

We are heading for Lake Wales for shopping.  We have been on the road since Dec. 12th and hair cuts have become crucial. Two ways to go with this.  Let 'er grow and go the way of pony tails  (Ed has never been close to this choice) or find a  Great Clips.  Now, I warned Ed about this... 10 minute cut for $13 is risky!  I know Lauren back in Strongsville can remedy anything.  We were in and out in 20 and I think we both look the same. :)

Next stop Publix Grocery.  Publix does make the best Key Lime buy to be bought in Florida.  But it is no Whole Foods or Trader Joes.  I miss them.  I have 4 square feet of food storage and 1 square foot is reserved for spices and herbs.  It is quite amazing what you can do with an electric skillet (retro 70's) a crock pot and a grill.  As long as you have a red cup...we lack for nothing. We can be camped for seven days comfortably.

A quick run into Walmart for some repair equipment for Ed...I keep hoping things need repair as it keeps him busy.  :)  

We are loving this life...who knew!

Jan 19, 2015 Lake Wales Kissimmee State Park

The View From our Window

A glorious morning, we have had some overcast, but this AM the Florida Sunshine is out.  We have been at this latest park for two days and have heard and experienced that it is the nicest state park in Florida.  We agree.

Covered Deck with free WIFI....seriously....

Our reservations were late for Florida (we booked in Sept. 2014) and we were left with only one choice of a spot. Something tells you the "last" opportunity may not be the most popular camp location.  We were joyful when we arrived. Luck would have it, a beautiful private "jungle" camp. We slid in with 2 feet to spare on the sides, but opened into a private glimpse of old Florida at it's best. Ed has become quite the driver of the Lark...no space is too small!

Biking the Trails

We have watched birds, Sandhill Cranes, wild turkeys, and an armadillo from our Lark.  I'm listening to the barred owls at this moment. Park provides a lake front view on a deck with free wifi.
Life is Good.

Kissimmee State Park  #39  Wonderful Site

This park is so dark it is known for stargazing...and tonight is the night. Clear skies.  We got a preview last evening, as we walked to the end of the swamp and saw stars between clouds at 1000x brightness. Tonight we are hiking to a tower outlook, about 2 stories high with an incredible view...big sky.

Walked through camp...strange little creature.

Yesterday we biked out a trail for a few miles. On the way back we encountered a pair of Sandhill Cranes with a small sandy beach of their own.  Not shy, they let us sit on a bench and have a moment with them.  I got bored (as usual) and pulled out my iPhone and played them a recording of another pair of Cranes.  They were immediately on the lookout, stretching their necks and looking around. Cute, but they got the last laugh.  All at once they stretched their necks and put beaks to the sky and "bellowed" out their Crane calls to warn any others away. At such a close distance the noise was startlingly loud. We both about fell off the bench laughing!

I guess you had to be there.

Pileated Woodpecker on the way to the showers.

Came to our campsite this AM

We have had such good views and shots of the Red Shouldered Hawks

Steak night tonight...over the campfire.  Then stargazing.

January 18, 2015 The Colors of Birds

Our Photography in Florida

Hermit Thrush

A Purple Gallinule   

Common Gallinule

Anhinga  "Snake Bird"

Anhinga in flight

Black Crowned Night Heron

Our most exciting capture  " Osprey with Lunch"

Green Heron

Jan 15-18. 2015 Magnolia Park. Lake Apopka

Our next adventure took us south through Mt. Dora, Fl. Mt. Dora is an historic old Florida town. Always mentioned in guide books not to miss. Some very cool 1900-1930's architecture. Town was bustling on a Friday afternoon. Keep in mind we take up 3 parking spots and didn't see one available.  Historic homes on historic
streets are very narrow. We saw some great old classic bungalows and Ed was out of there!

Somewhere in our readings we learned of county parks that often let you park overnight and sometimes have full camp amenities. Magnolia Park in Apopka Fl had a small site on the internet and I called prior to leaving Cleveland. The nicest man answered the phone and told me we were most welcome. He had only 18 camp sites with electric and water and  we could have #12, the quietest and most private. No money down and he would write us in on the calendar in ink!  Yea!  Remember by this time every site in Fl was booked. No room at the inn anywhere. Skeptical, oh, a little. 

He quickly added they just spent $40,000 on new bath houses and had a 20 mile biking/birding trail...some of the best birds in central Fl. We're in. Adventure was one of our goals.

We are apparently very lucky on this journey. Magnolia Park turns out to be a ***** stop!  Perfect site and beautiful park with peacocks roaming around and had firewood delivered to our site!
Who knew?  

First day we did 8 miles on the trail around Apopka Lk, today 16 miles.  42 species so far including great shots of a Merlin and Purple Galinule. Not to get too excited...no "lifers". 

As soon as we get some wifi I will download some great pictures. 
Ed saw a large bobcat cross the trail today.  I missed that action.  I was, at that point, hoping to make it back to the Lark, mile 16 was a killer.

A note: our neighbors are from Anchorage Alaska. They (she) is 
the birder and they fly and sometimes drive back and forth to Florida for the season. (Sometimes twice!). Invited them to our house for warbler migration in Spring. Exchanged cards and they warned us they may show up. You meet the most interesting people on the road. 

We are having a great time....so far.