A WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

 

 

Here's the sun  rising over East Drive  (taken from our street across the Canal  just as I started a morning walk this week.)  Sunrise was at 7:02 a.m., so at least on this day, I did meet my hot-weather goal of getting up and about earlier in the morning. 

 

 

A friend who lives on another block in the Resort grows these orchids.  She has left for the season, but the orchids will live and probably thrive on their own all summer, which is the rainy season here.  

 

 

Quite a few of our fellow snow-birds will buy outdoor potted plants for their yards while they are here during the season.  They're not usually able to take them back "up North" with them, so these neighbors who live here all year will be happy to give them a good home!   

 

 

 

 

The street where the orchids and the sign are ends at a nature trail that leads to the County Nature Preserve next door to the resort.   This sign at the Park's entrance reminds hikers and walkers that the summer season has begun.  (We've had a few good rainstorms already, but the trails are fine -- at least the ones where I walked.)

 

Top left:  Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Center:  Pileated Wooodpecker;  the other three are Red-headed Woodpeckers.

I'm always hunting woodpeckers when I walk this time of year.   I've said before (too many times) that here in SW Florida we don't notice much seasonal change between late Winter and early Spring.   It's hot and the usual Spring flowers don't grow here.   But the birds know.  There are more birds  in the neighborhood and lots of the usual Spring bird activity going on.    

 

 

Here's one more sunrise picture from a few minutes later than the first one.   Just trying to remind myself to get up early more often.  That sun was bright and hot by ten in the morning.  But it's raining (and flooding) in the Pacific Northwest and we're grateful to be here where the rainstorms never last all day and the sunshine almost always does.   

 

 

 

 

LINKING this week to the following:  Thank you to all of the hosts.   

 NATURE NOTES;   ALL SEASONS;    MOSAIC MONDAY;  THROUGH MY LENS;  OUR WORLD on Tuesday;  SAY CHEESE;  WILD BIRD Wednesday;   MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;   SIGNS SIGNS;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;   SKYWATCH FRIDAY;   FRIDAY  BLISS;   SATURDAY CRITTERS;  and RATHER B' BIRDING  

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Adam Jones]

I do like your trio of Woodpeckers. Such good looking birds.

[Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin']

Oh my, would you LOOK at all those orchids?!! Wow, dazzling. And your woodpeckers....fantastic. A great walk around your living space.

Have a great holiday if you observe, and thanks for taking time to share your post and photos with us at I'd Rather B Birdin' this weekend!!

[Linda in Virginia]

Beautiful sunrise. Love the woodpeckers.

[Michelle Banks]

So nice to see blue skies...just gray and rain here...Michelle

[Betty Crow]

Awesome selection of woodpeckers! The flowers are beautiful!

[riitta k]

I think that I have been here before, but your beautiful collages are every time eye candy. Wishing happy & sunny Easter!

[Eileen Wise]

Hello, Sallie. I love your beautiful woodpecker mosaic. Great capture of the Pileated Woodie. They are one of my favorites. The flowers are gorgeous. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your day and weekend! Happy Easter!

[Anu]

Hello. I like those woodpeckers.
Have a nice weekend!

[islandrambles]

Wonderful photos and I hope you are having a wonderful Easter also.

[Jutta Kupke]

Wonderful golden sky !
Your walk is so interesting, nice shots !
My contribution
Ich wünsche Happy Easter

[Peter B.]

I love the woodpecker captures, and beautiful sunrise photos!

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

Great sky

[Barb]

Glad you’re out of the flooding! Your early morning walk was spectacular. I have an orchid blooming, too (in the house!). Enjoy your sunny days, Sallie. We soon leave for the beach.

[Kelly Anne Rothaermel]

Gorgeous photos! thank you for sharing. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

[Jim, Sydney, Australia]

Good signs.

[Linda in Virginia]

Excellent pictures. It's wet here but not flooded.

[KB]

Love the plant adoption idea

[David Gascoigne]

Great shots of the woodpeckers, Sallie. It always seems to me that Red-headed Woodpecker is one of the most handsome of all, but they are quite rare where I live, although fairly common in the southwest corner of the province where they are permanent residents. Pileated Woodpecker is at home in our neighbourhood and we saw one recently on a tree in the neighbour's back yard.

[Photo Cache]

I've seen a woodpecker once in my life in Catalina Island. I couldn't stop watching it. What a beautiful bird.

Worth a Thousand Words

[Out On The Praire]

Lovely selection to give the FL feel. Like all the woodpeckers and orchids especially.

[Colleen LOOSELEAFNOTES]

Love the view! My favorites are birds and flower! I'm obsessed, watching and posting too.

[betty - NZ]

You found some great things to photograph, Sallie! I just adore the woodpecker with the great, bright colors! Thanks for linking up at My Corner of the World!

[Lady Fi]

Love your sunrise photos! And that plant adoption centre sign - priceless!

[Laurie]

Love the plant adoption agency idea. Nothing worse than throwing out a beautiful plant!

[ellen b]

Love that adopt a plant service. Fun. Smart to walk early and to stay dedicated to walking says the person who isn't walking right now. I am working in the yard and moving brush which should count for some walking. Fun shots of the woodpecker!

[DeniseinVA]

Beautiful photos Sallie, and those woodpeckers, really enjoyed them. I have only ever seen a pileated woodpecker once, and never a red-headed one. Pretty flowers too.

[NatureFootstep PhotoArt]

gorgeous sunrise! And so many gorgeous flowers. Out spring has not come that far yet. But soon I hope!
Great idea with the plant adoption site. :)

Wishing you a Happy Easter!

[William Kendall]

The woodpeckers are a welcome sight!

[gillena]

Luv your redheaded woodpeckers
Happy Mosaic Monday

Much❣love

[Betty Crow]

Beautiful collection of woodpeckers.

[Hootin' Anni]

Yep, I totally understand getting up early for walking this time of year!

(I'M jealous of the pileated woodpecker!)

[Junieper2]

Good for you, that you were out early enough to beat the hot sunshine! Ah gorgeous orchids - wished we could have them grow outside here, but Californian air is too dry for these beautiful ones, so we have them only inside! Have seen a similar woodpecker in our backyard, but disappeared while getting my camera (all the critters here are skiddish, because it's also an area for more dangerous animals. Yay, let the sun shine and Sallie is inside sipping an ice tea:):) Thank you Sallie, your posts are always so interesting!

[A ShutterBug Explores]

Wonderful series of nature photos!

Happy Times to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[Diane]

Beautiful blossoms and beautiful birds. Have a good week, Diane

[Debbie]

i LOVE the idea of a plant/flowers, planted in and growing from the center of the tree!! that's a great idea!!!

the woodpecker images are outstanding - and the sunset is as well!!! what a nice walk!!!

[Gaelyn]

Those orchids are superb and I love the idea of full-timers adopting house plants. Guess it won't be long now before you head back to OR.

[Taken For Granted]

You has a wonderful walk filled with beautiful flowers, birds, and sun rise.

[Sharon Wagner]

My orchids are starting to bloom! Fantastic color in your photos. They are my favorite flower.

[Lavender Dreamer]

We have noticed the Goldfinches come...and now they are gone! It's amazing to see big flocks of birds come through. We see a lot of woodpeckers here but have only seen the Red headed woodpecker a few times. You got amazing photos of this one. I'll show hubby! Enjoy your day! It's cooler today and we hope to get out for a hike this afternoon! Hugs, Diane

[Eileen Wise]

Hello, I would much rather walk early in the morning. Pretty sunrise. The orchids are beautiful, lovely blooms. The woodpeckers are awesome, the Red-headed Woodpecker is a favorite. Enjoy your day! Have a great new week ahead.

[Phil]

Over here it is light at 6am at the moment. Best part of the day for me, and even more so in May and June when it will be 4am. That's 4 or five hours before many people hit the streets with their cars, bikes, dogs and assorted noise. Enjoy it Sallie, especially with the "cooler" weather. All of those woodpeckers are lovely, more so now that we only really have one that is relatively common.

I agree about shooting birds. You may not like my next post but it should be read.

[Linda P]

Getting up early means that we're rewarded by seeing the sunrise which is an uplifting start to the day. Your neighbourhood looks lovely with those orchids growing everywhere. The woodpeckers are attractive birds. It's nice that those who stay look after the flowers left by those who go elsewhere.

[Nancy Chan]

What a wonderful morning for you. Beautiful orchids. I tried to grow orchids but not successful. The woodpeckers are beautiful. We seldom get to see woodpeckers here.

[mick]

A beautiful place to walk and the orchids are just magnificent. That little red headed bird is certainly a beauty! I an still trying to get my head around a park/suburb that almost empties at some times of the year! Although I had friends from Christchurch in south New Zealand that used to visit here every winter and the lady used to laughingly say they were climate refugees!!!

[riitta k]

Beautiful orchids. It is great that the plants 'circulate' between people, that they don't go to waste. That red headed woodpecker is stunning! Happy MM.

[Angie]

Sallie - that neighbor must have quite the green thumb to have orchids like those … I would have a tough time leaving them behind to fend for themselves! Thanks for adding your lovely mosaics to Mosaic Monday!

[Alan Bates]

Nice to have such a great place to walk right next to where you live. I about froze this morning at a State Park but give us a month or two and Oklahoma will be very hot as well.
I love your woodpeckers.
I also love how people give away plants when they leave for the season instead of throwing them out. That'll make our sustainability people at work swoon when I tell them about it.
Good for you, staying active and beating the heat.

[tomthebackroadstraveller]

...talk about a nice colorful neighborhood. Thanks let's do it again.

[Michelle]

What a pretty neighborhood!

[diane]

Lovely flowers and birds. You live in a great place for winter but I guess summer can get hot and wet just like Queensland.

[Carol]

Love your woodpecker!

[Sondra]

up and at 'em by 7 you get my vote! I love to be out early and watch the day wake up but it's hard to get out of bed sometimes. Love your woodpecker collage.

[Amy Franks]

I've never seen a woodpecker. Our summer from December to March is similar to yours, doesn't take much to warm up in the mornings.

[Florence]

Yes, in the summer, I find it necessary to get “up and about” early before it gets too hot. We had a cool front blow through last night so it is beautifully cool and clear today but the summer heat and humidity is just around the corner. Our birds are busy nesting and we already have a pair of darling baby killdeer. The barn Swallows have taken up residence on the back porch rafters so we will have baby barn swallows soon (and a mess on the porch below....) Enjoy your week.

[Penelope Puddlisms]

What spectacular sunrises, birds, flowers and mixing of weather. Rain and sun … there’s yin and yang in Florida. Maybe one day I’ll get there for a visit. :)