A few scenes from our walk this morning in Rocky Bayou State Park near Niceville, Florida. The weather here has been cold, but the expected rain has been delayed!
ReflectionGreat Blue HeronStream Restoration A habitat once destroyed is coming back to life!This is what the stream currently looks likeAnother viewSheila and Howard being goofy. Standing on the bridge crossing the stream. Looking straight down into the waterGreat Egret fishing in the streamGreat EgretSee ya!A colorful mushroom growing on the forrest floorMoss covered fallen treeBlooming Water LilyBeginning to bloomGreat Blue HeronOur front yard for a few days!Our back yardOur Side View
We enjoyed our day today: an early morning walk through a beautiful forrest; a wonderful lunch at a family restaurant, which opened in 1954; and a visit to the Air Force Armament Museum.
Fighter pilots, flying overhead near the museum, truly entertained me this afternoon during their practice runs. They were flying the new F35 fighter jets! Take off, landing, take off – over and over again! Hopefully my photos came out and I will be able to share with you what they look like!
For some reason these pinecones, stopped by other vegetation from falling to the ground, caught my eye. They are Longleaf Pine tree, pinecones. Big!
A very young Longleaf Pine Notice the looong needles!All grown up Tall, straight and strong, the Longleaf Pine!Mixed in with the Longleaf Pines – the Turkey OakA Stink Bug crossing the roadRed-bellied WoodpeckerWhite-throated SparrowCarolina Jasmine Vine Almost ready to bloom“Want to race Kloudy”, Skye asks“I.am trying, I have shorter legs you know”“I give up”“I’am tried, after my big race” Kloudy“Mom, will you come get this pine needle out of my way” Skye
Photos taken March, 2014 (1st/2nd) at Blackwater River State Park. These are a few of my remaining photos from our visit.
Today, we drove about forty miles to Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville, Florida. It was a short and pleasant ride! After setting up and walking the girls, we drove out of the peaceful, treed park looking for some Florida seafood. We stopped at a small restaurant called the Big Fish Grill, which overlooked a marina and enjoyed a delicious late lunch.
We decided after lunch to take a drive. We drove a big loop through Niceville, Fort Walton Beach and Destin arriving back at the park. Whew, lots of traffic, shopping centers, restaurants and high-rise hotels and condominiums!
Before we leave this area, heading west, I want to walk on the beach. I remember visiting Fort Walton Beach with my Mom and younger sister when we were kids; Dad always stayed home. We spent some fun vacations here swimming in the gulf. It sure is different from what I remember; of course that was a long time ago!
Tonight will be chilly, low of 37. Tomorrow we plan to visit an Air Force museum.
Photo taken: March 1, 2014, at Blackwater River State Park, Holt, Florida
The past few days have been absolutely beautiful, warm with sunny days and cool, starlit nights. We spent seven nights at Blackwater River State Park, this visit, which we enjoyed very much. I think this is our fourth visit to this scenic state park.
In the morning we head out to our next destination and I hope the great weather comes along!
During these past seven days we found new places to hike, a few birds to photograph, some beautiful, swampy, river areas to admire, and I can’t forget our sighting of the Fox Squirrel.
If you enjoy staying in state parks that are quiet and peaceful; filled with the aroma of pine with a gorgeous scenic river for kayaking and nature trails for hiking, then this state park is worth a look.
They have been working on a few renovations here at the park, specifically the pavilion on the river, which will be completed very soon. We can’t wait to see the improvements and to once again hike the trail along the riverbank.
A bog along a trailPalm Warbler sitting in a Long Leaf PineSunset on the Blackwater River (As close as it get to one!)I think a Hermit ThrushLife and Death Berry Bushes along a trailOld Bridge leading to Blackwater River Campground. Beach in the foreground.
Ruby-crowned KingletFace of Determination
It was a nice, sunny day today, at Blackwater River State Park, with temperatures hovering around 55 degrees. We spent time outside so things were good! A lot of the trails are covered with water due to heavy rains and river runoff, so we are limited to where we can hike. We saw another Fox Squirrel today, this one black with a white face, but he was too fast for me to get a photo.
This one and a half hour loop trail is covered with river water, in places, making it impossible to hike.
Tonight’s low will be 27 degrees; a little too “cool” for me! Where are our mild temperatures?
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