A Snowbird in Paradise

 UPDATE:  I started a new blog...Scape that Table!

I can't spend ALL of my time at the computer (well, I CAN but I don't WANT to).  I recently was looking at a fellow scrapper's blog and was introduced to "Table-scapes".  When we got the new dining set last year I bought some colorful dishes and set the table.  With a nice centerpiece it attracted some attention instead of attracting "stuff".  I used some more of the same dishes to set 2 places at the breakfast bar, too.  We had seen some gorgeous tables at Pier One and I so wanted to make ours look attractive, too.

Then I ran across some Table-scapes in a friend's blog, while looking at her scrapbooking.  WOW!!!  I needed to step up my decorating.  St. Patrick's Day is near so that was m y theme.  These are my very first so don't compare them to the great tables in Table-scape Blogs.

The dining table with leaf removed (will seat 8 with the leaf).

The breakfast bar which CAN seat 4, but we keep set for 2

My Dollar Store colorful dishes and Pier One Margareta glasses

A bamboo salad bowl with a bamboo plant and fresh flowers.

Each place has its own fresh mum.

"Spiny" the Spiny Orb Weaver

Just outside the bedroom window lives this Spiny Orb Weaver.  It is such an unusual looking spider to me that I have become quite fond of her and watch her every morning.  Since early January her web has been ripped apart by winds twice, now, and each time she has a new one woven within 24 hours, but in a different spot so I have to go looking for her.

She is about the size of my littlest finger nail.

These pop out of the lawn about 6 inches.

 Using the term, "Lawn" might be stretching it a bit, but it IS green and kept cut.  However, when the lawn has grown to cutting length there are all kinds of flowers.  Oh, I am familiar with dandelions and chicory, but these are tiny little PRETTY flowers buried among the greenery.

Here is the stem of the above flower.

Some tiny little orchid flower hiding in the grass.

These come from a shamrock-like plant.

This was blooming on the Bottlebrush Tree trunk just above the lawn.

We love it when friends want to share one of their "special eateries" with us.  Some friends called and asked us to meet them today at one of their favorite marina restaurants for lunch.  It was special to see them again and special to have lunch at "Sailor's Return".

A really nice Marina Restaurant in Stuart, Florida

Just a few of the lovely boats in the marina.

Indoor and outdoor eating.  It was crowded

Another nice thing about getting out like this is seeing new things and places.  Our friends directed us to Old Stuart and we wandered around there a bit.

The old train station.

The Fountain in the middle of Old Town.

I love art work on outside walls.

This view with the stern-paddle boat and the artistic awning was fascinating.

A plain block building dressed up with a lot of imagination.

The colors on these directional signs were SOOO Florida.

This old Flagler Line train is being restored in Fort Pierce.

For some reason I love the huge birds in Florida.  For all of my life my parents' bird station, and then my own  in Michigan attracted wonderful little birds...LITTLE birds.  I knew about these large birds in Florida and saw an occasional one from afar in Michigan but some of these birds come right up to you with no fear.  I love taking their photos but love digitally scrapping them even more.

Here are this year's favorite bird photos so far.

Wood Stork

 This handsome fellow was the first bird I hand-fed eight years ago.  He was also the first bird I photographed with my new Canon Digital DSLR camera.  Yes, I can get very close to him without spooking him, but, no, I do not let him eat from my hand.  I am “respectful” of that long, sharp beak.  It could do some damage.

Florida White Pelican

White Ibis

 Usually, the past 8 years, we would see one or two Ibis mixed in with a flock of Cattle Birds but this year we have a flock that ranges from 10 to 25 Ibis and no Cattle Birds.  I started feeding the Ibis each morning and now they come knocking, or at least come close to the screen house.  I was surprised to hear their “grunt” when fighting for bits of food.  The fellow I photographed alone hangs back and just refuses to allow me to feed him.  We like keeping these birds around because they shove their bills into the sand/soil getting out all the insects.  The more they do that the better for us.

Great White Egret

A Sebastian friend posted to Facebook for all Sebastian folks to look out to the West.  This is what we all saw.  It went from this to deeper colors as the sun set further but also became darker and harder to get good photos.

A door to the screen room was left ajar all afternoon. I discovered this large, gorgeous butterfly trying to get out and I just HAD to take a picture before rescuing it. I had a little Dollar Store butterfly net my granddaughter used to try and catch little lizards. I plopped it over the butterfly and lightly held the wings through the netting. A moment later it was freely flying away to other places.


Here is a more personal item than I usually include. On April 4, our next door neighbor was found unconscious inside her home. On the 12th she passed away. She was an avid gardener and watched the wildlife with me. She introduced me to feeding the big birds in 2002. She was the sweetest woman and will be so missed. I cannot imagine not having her there next winter.