A Snowbird in Paradise

"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.

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.

This evening I wandered out to the lake to watch and photograph the two baby Sandhill Cranes who were much closer than yesterday.

Then while I watched one of the parents flew in, it seemed, to check on the babies. A neighbor out working on his house was sure the parent would soon be chasing me. He should have grabbed HIS camera. It would have been quite a photo. However, the adult Sandhill Crane just watched me and, when I was getting too close, she few off.