The Days Go Slowly By.....

It's been really difficult these past couple of months, being away from the kids at school. Subbing kept Sparky filled with a purpose and out of Eldo's hair for a bit. Sparky is not sure if schools will ever return to the same model, if subs are even going to be needed, or what that whole scenario is going to look like, when school resumes. BUT---we have our house on the market here in Bradenton, FL, and we are hoping, hoping, hoping, that the house will eventually sell, and we can get back to traveling full time in a motorhome, because we really, really miss it!

Last week was Teacher's Appreciation Week, a poignant time for many regular teachers missing their students, who are attempting to keep things going with the educational process at home with distance learning under great duress and exceptional circumstances...You wouldn't expect substitutes to be given a shout out, but Sparky's school honored their substitutes with a ding dong dash--a great sign and a little gift bag placed on the sidewalk...Awwww...one reason she loves her school she subs at so much!

In the meantime, we have worked hard at staying home with minimal trips to the grocery, wearing masks, washing our hands a bazillion times a day, and working on yard work and inside little jobs. Sparky has been crafting up a storm making cards for her shop, JeanBeanGifts on Etsy.

Card in a box

Eldy is researching, researching, researching motor homes, costs, and RV travel videos on YouTube. We'll be ready if the times comes! Things are looking better and better as campgrounds open back up. It will be awhile anyway, till we might be able to do anything, so fingers crossed!

We'll see if cards make a comeback now that people have to stay apart more and can't visit as much. Sparky has also been walking Celery Fields and "the Hill" in Sarasota, (the Audubon nature preserve) almost every day for three weeks, and has lost some weight, due to not eating out. Celery Fields gets a LOT of walkers and runners due to the challenging "Hill", 85 high, the highest point in Sarasota County. The high schoolers cross country teams come out and train there several times a week.

Gaillardia-blanket flower

Celery Fields, besides the acreage and many marshes where many migratory species and native Floridian birds hang out, has a nice little butterfly garden that attracts painted buntings, sparrows, cardinals and many other little birds to its bubbling bird bath and plant oasis garden where you can sit in a gazebo and bird watch. Lots of beautiful flowers planted there to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Now that the beaches are open...they first opened last week for a defined two hour stay only, then one week later, it's now back to regular times. Sparky and Eldo headed to Coquina Beach, to break up our daily stay at home routine, a welcome break for sure! 

Today, Thursday, the picnic areas under the shade of the pines were mostly empty, the beach--definitely not. There were quite a few sun worshippers, but they were spaced out and were following social distance guidelines. 

Sparky walked the beach for a bit.....

We stayed in the shade for about two hours, then headed back

home. It was a beautiful day! But LOTS of wind.....We always tell ourselves, "We need to come here more often!" And we will....

Bye for now......

Felt's Audubon Preserve Ellenton, FL

Sparky has been going to Celery Fields in Sarasota a LOT, but there are other wonderful places to visit to see beautiful birds in the area, besides the Celery Fields. One of them is Felts Audubon Preserve, in Ellenton, FL. You know anything with Audubon in the name means some nice birding. It's free at the Celery Fields, and it's free at the Felts Preserve.

Felts Audubon Preserve is a 30 acre parcel managed by Manatee County Aubudon Society. There are wooded fields, a bird blind (they keep the glass viewing wall really clean and clear), a small pond and open fields. Over 100 bird species have been recorded. 

Sparky has been there twice. There are PAINTED BUNTINGS there! And Indigo Buntings! Today we saw pairs of both painted buntings, indigo buntings, and juvenile buntings. Sorry for the low quality photos today. The bird blind has a large glass viewing wall right in the front, so shooting through the glass into a dark, forested glen using a long zoom makes lighting conditions difficult. You can stand off to either side of the bird blind behind short partitioned wooden walls with open viewing windows but then you have to contend with the mosquitoes finding you when you might not be finding any birds at the moment! Wear insect repellent spray if you go in the early morning or late afternoon. If there are quite a few people there in the viewing room, and sometimes there are, it's too difficult to set up a tripod, so Sparky's photos are also a little bit blurry. 

These are immature indigo buntings, we think. The one on the left might be a female. They start out as brownish tan and as they mature, they lose the tan, and the blue starts coming in as you can see on the bird on the right.

It was a thrill to see BOTH the indigo bunting and the painted buntings come in to feed. They would stay for a few minutes then fly off. 
Some knowledgeable lady viewing there said, "Oh, they will be back in about ten minutes." And sure enough, they came back, this time with more friends.

Not only is this a great place to see buntings, but you might also see butterflies or great horned owls (we did)....

This is a JUVENILE great horned owl...his sibling was right next to him in a big ole tree wa-a-a-a-y up high. The sun was in the wrong place, but at least you can see the two of them, headed for sleepy time.

They blend into the trees so well! And they are so BIG for being young!

Heading back to our car, we spotted some beautiful wildflowers. Have no idea what they are, but they sure were pretty....

If you are thinking that you'd like to go visit this small preserve, we highly recommend it. 

Directions: From I-75, take exit 224, Ellenton. Go west on SR-301, turn right on Ellenton-Gillette Rd. Travel north for about 2 miles. Turn left on 49th Street East for 0.25 miles to 24th Avenue, and turn left.  The entrance gate is on the left about 100 yards from the corner. You have to park on the sides of the road at the preserve. 

It's definitely headed straight from winter to summer here in the Sarasota, Bradenton area. We've definitely had a nice cool spell for awhile back in February, making it more pleasant to get out and enjoy nature. Temps will be cool next week, in the seventies, during Sparky's spring break, so she's going to really enjoy that. Might get another posting in, we shall see! But then temps are climbing back into the eighties....as usual......Bye for now......