On Christmas day we were hiking a trail at Lake Louisa State Park. A foot off the trail, suspended at eye level, was this gorgeous Golden Orb spider. You have to admit she is pretty. I wouldn’t want her touching me, but she was nice to admire and capture with my camera.
A few facts about this gorgeous spider: (taken from the web)
Physical features: The female generally exhibits yellow spots on a muted orange/tan abdomen (with banded brown and orange legs), and the male is a fairly plain dark brown. The male is 1/2” (12mm) long and the female is much larger, at 1″ to 3″ (25 mm to 75 mm) long.The abdomen on both the male and female Banana spider is 2 1/2 to 3 times as long as it is wide. The female’s legs have brownish stripes with noticeable tufts of black hair on her 1st and last pair of legs. The male has a less colorful appearance, but he also has tufts of black hair on his legs.
Poisonous: No
Lives in: warm, sunny climates
Eats: Like many spiders, prefers to eat flying insects like bees that are attracted to the golden web it weaves. These spiders also go after larger prey like butterflies and moths.
Red oaks and cypress trees reaching toward the sky,
Moss dangling from branches,
Vultures watching me.
In the distance a pier,
Inviting me to the river,
Reaching the end I peer down,
A cute little eye, looking up at me.
A Stroll Through the WoodsOdd Bird OutA pier leading to the Suwannee RiverI See You
Manatee Springs is an important winter refuge for West Indian manatees. From November through April, these gentle giants are regular visitors to the spring. (taken from park brochure)
Bubble!!Manatee Spring – Florida’s largest freshwater springs. An Inviting 72 DegreesManatee Springs is a favorite diving spot.
Reflection Art:
Three’s a Crowd
Park Visitors:
All aloneHigh above the SpringNorthern Cardinal (female)LookoutsPost Ornament
With no TV, no internet (at times we will get extremely slow service) and no cell service (text messaging works fine) what to do other than walk the parks 8.5 miles of trails, take photos of Manatee Springs and the Suwannee River, bird watch and just enjoy this beautiful park.
There are 78 campsites in the park and they are pretty primitive with water and electric. We were in shock when we first arrived, but now just love this park.
One loop is closed for renovation and will have a brand new bath house and new, improved sites with FULL hookups. This loop will hopefully be open by May, 2015.
Sorry for not responding to comments, I truly appreciate each and everyone! We leave here Sunday and will be back in communication!! (I hope.)
She greets the rising sun and accepts her daily task,
to protect the creatures that seek refuge within her embrace,
she kisses the moon as the tides swell around her,
and wishes upon the stars that peace will come again tomorrow.
Face Rock – Bandon, OregonFace RockTides, the Rhythm of Life
Playing in the surf
Ocean Hillside
Shoreline by Coquille Lighthouse
Bandon, Oregon
We enjoyed our nine days at Bullards Beach State Park in Bandon, Oregon (July 7-15)! We walked the mile and a quarter from our RV to the ocean everyday. We enjoyed searching for and eating at some of the local eateries, especially the Face Rock Creamery. Their cheese and curds are delicious and the ice cream they serve, from a local dairy, is wonderful! The best Fish and Chips can be had at the Bandon Fish Market.
Day trips in and around Bandon and birding in the area topped off our visit. I added five new birds to my life list. A visit from friends, traveling in their RV, spent a few days with us, which was truly a highlight of our time at – Bandon by the Sea!
Western Swallowtail (looks more like a Two-Tailed Swallowtail, but can’t see the tail(s) clearly)
We have a Radiant Crabapple Tree in our yard. This tree was obviously grafted from two different crabapple species, because it has both red and pinkish blooms. Before, our hail storm yesterday it was in full bloom and had caught the attention of this lovely butterfly.
Wolf Song Blog 