Florida Cooter

This is 'Cooter', he is one of my 6 turtles. He is a Florida Cooter and the friendliest of all my turtles. He eats from my hand. Al is a red eared slider and he also eats from my hand and is the oldest of all my fluffy pets.

I love watching them and the interaction they all have with each other. It's more relaxing than watching fish.

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

How many times have we walked by a weed and not seen the beauty? Starkey Park is a county park filled with wildlife, trails, pine forests, open fields, drying ponds and beautiful weeds. I am always amazed at their beauty. And the price for an exciting stroll through this natural park is free.

Skimboarding

Skimboarding on the Gulf of Mexico at Green Key. Low tide seems to be a better time to skimboard, lots of exposed beach. According to this expert the bigger the board the better.

Skimboarding has been around since 1920 starting in California. At local beaches on the gulf skimboarding seems to attract the younger crowd. The waves are mild and predictable. Most of the sport is done along the shoreline.

Four tips for skimming.

1. Wax your board

2. Run don't jump

3.Stand correctly

4. Practice, practice, practice

Salt Springs

Werner Boyce Salt Springs State Park is tucked away in Port Richey, Florida. It looks small and unassuming but in reality it's huge and inviting. It hugs 4 miles of coastline on the Gulf of Mexico. Inside the park you will find pine forests, salt barrens, marshes, wetlands and mangroves overflowing with prone Buttonwood. On a recent walk we discovered Wilson Plover nests. High tides flood the salt barrens and salt accumulates. Vegetation in the salt barrens have to be very salt tolerant. Black needle rush is bountiful and sharp. Cord grass and saw grass also survive in this area. Once you have obtained a grass cut you will never forget the experience. Mangrove trees are sensitive to frost and grow horizontally in the barrens.

The Salt Springs Alliance, a volunteer group conducts a 'Sounds at Sunset' walking tour.

http://www.saltspringsalliance.com/

Survival

Several weeks ago a Muscovy duck hatched 13 babies in a pond near my home. 13 - a bad number? Superstition says so.
Most nights I ride my bike down and feed them. They are unafraid and so cute. The other day they were down to 10. Yesterday they numbered 7. Tonight they are a half dozen.

It's seems like a safe area and it is rather secluded. A great place to raise your brood with all the neighbors feeding your babaies. I wonder exactly how many will survive to adulthood? And do I even want to know why they are disappearing a few at a time? Probably not!

Survival of the fittest. Then life in the burbs for any wild animal is tough and filled with dangers. But - yet we continue to take their habitat with total disregard. Is 13 a bad number? I'm betting momma duck is thinking that right about now.