Archive for April 2024
Florida Day Six. Key Largo. Not Much Wildlife On A Morning Hike On The HM 40 Abandoned Nike Missile Base Trail.
On my second day in Key Largo during my recent visit to South Florida I decided to hike on the HM 40 Nike Missile Base Trail in the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. On my last hike on the HM 40 Nike Missile Base Trail, two years ago, I required a back…
Read MoreFlorida Day Four: Everglades National Park: A Quick Hike on the Old Ingraham Trail Before The Rains Started Again.
There were no tornados overnight on Friday during my recent trip to South Florida. I went to sleep in Florida City with tornado warnings on my iPhone. There were, however, severe thunderstorms, heavy rains and flooding. I was staying here on my visit to the Everglades National Park. The rain had stopped when I awoke…
Read MoreFlorida Day Six: Key Largo. A Walk Through A Quiet Neighborhood And Along A Busy Canal Ending With A Manatee Sighting.
There was little rest for me on my recent visit to the Everglades and the Florida Keys. I pretty much was active from dawn to dusk every day, hiking, editing photo working on my blog and eating. I was also checking in with my office and returning calls and emails. This wasn’t the plan. I…
Read MoreA Peaceful Easter Sunday Morning At The Susquehanna Wetlands
In the past, Easter Sunday morning always began with a visit to my parents. ( I usually attended the Saturday evening church services). I would share a traditional hard boiled Easter egg with horseradish from the Blessed Easter basket with my dad and mom. Mom and dad are gone now so I spend Easter mornings …
Read MoreFlorida Day Seven: Key Largo. Another Hike In Dagny Johnson State Park And Back To The Everglades.
It was my last day in Key Largo during my recent visit to South Florida. I wanted to watch the sunrise in the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park . So I was up before dawn on Tuesday and driving to the park in the morning twilight. The park is located about 5…
Read MoreFlorida Day Five: Florida City : Morning Hikes On the Southern Glades Trail , By Mistake, And Aerojet Road Trail
The skies were clear when I awoke in Florida City Sunday morning, The unexpected rain storm, that dropped records rains on South Florida ended. It was a cool 61 degrees when I left my hotel and drove to the Southern Glades Trail located on the outskirts of Florida City about five miles from the Everglades…
Read MoreMy First Visit To The Erie Canal In New York, As Insurance In Case Of A Cloudy Solar Eclipse.
I hiked along the tow path of the Erie Canal on Friday afternoon just outside of Weedsport, New York. I had wanted to visit the Erie Canal since I first read about it in elementary school. I learned this famous canal was vital to the economic development of our young Nation. My desire to see…
Read MoreFlorida Day Five: An Afternoon Hike In The Familiar Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock State Park
When I arrived at my hotel in Key Largo on Sunday I didn’t stay very long on my recent trip to South Florida. . It was a beautiful day, and I planned to relax more on this trip to Florida. But I was so close to another one of my favorite hiking trails, in the…
Read MoreMy First Visit To The Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York
Unlike the Erie Canal, which I was aware of since elementary school, I never heard of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge until a few days ago. Months ago I had made reservations at a hotel in Oswego, New York for Sunday and Monday night to observe the total solar eclipse on Monday. However, last week…
Read MoreA Little Rain, A Change Of Plans And A Pleasant Hike In Tuscarora State Park.
I hiked on the Spirit Trail in Tuscarora State Park again on Saturday morning. I always enjoy hiking this trail but this wasn’t my original plan. I left my home intending to hike around Leaser Lake in Lehigh County. I was hoping to see some wood ducks and other water fowl on the lake. It…
Read MoreTrout Lilies, Turtles And A Thunderstorm: A Spring Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands.
It has been two weeks since I visited my favorite hiking trails in the Susquehanna Wetlands near my home in Luzerne County . I rarely miss a weekend in the wetlands in the Spring. I had a good excuse, I traveled to New York to experience my second solar eclipse last week. I returned to…
Read MoreFlorida Day Seven: Back At The Royal Palm Visitor Center And The Old Ingraham Highway. In Everglades National Park
It was late Tuesday afternoon on my recent visit to South Florida. I was back in Florida City for the night and drove back to the Royal Palm Visitor Center in the Everglades National Park. It was mostly sunny and still hot under the late afternoon sun. I decided to take a quick walk along…
Read MoreExploring Oswego New York Before The Total Solar Eclipse.m
I didn’t stay in my hotel room very long after I arrived in Oswego . After reading about the total solar eclipse events the city had planned I left the Clarion Riverfront Hotel and walked down to the Oswego River. There were a lot of people fishing on the walkway above the banks of the…
Read MoreA Sunny Sunday Morning At The Montezuma Audubon Center In New York And Then On To Oswego
I awoke early on Sunday Morning in Weedsport New York. I was in the Finger Lake District on my way to Oswego to experience my second total solar eclipse. I decided to drive to the Montezuma Audubon Center in nearby town of Savannah. As on the day before there was almost no traffic on the…
Read MoreFlorida Day Eight: Lot Of Cool Stuff On Morning Hike On The Aerojet Trail In Florida City.
I was up early again on my recent visit to the Everglades and South Florida. I wanted to hike on the Aerojet Trail one last time before I headed to Flamingo for a two day stay in the new lodge that opened in the Fall. After my morning coffee fix I left the hotel, with…
Read MoreThe Circle Spins, And The Familiar Flora And Fauna Of Spring Appear At The Susquehanna Wetlands
“All my life’s a circle;But I can’t tell you why;Season’s spinning round again;The years keep rollin’ by.” These are the lyrics from a Harry Chapin song “Circle”. I found these lyrics to be so true on my hike on Saturday in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. Once again I saw the…
Read MoreFlorida Day Eight: My First Stay In The Everglade At The New Flamingo Lodge
After my lunch at the Farmers Market in Florida City I was on my way to Flamingo. the southern most location in the Everglades National Park. I was excited. I have visited Flamingo many times. I love this remote part of the Everglades. This time. however, I was staying overnight at the new Flamingo Lodge…
Read MoreA Walk On The L & NE Trail At The Lehigh Gap In Carbon And Lehigh Counties.
It has been awhile since I hiked along the Lehigh River, another one of our scenic and historic rivers here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. So on Sunday I drove from my home in Luzerne County to the D. & L. Trail along Riverview Road in Bowmanstown in Carbon County. Instead of hiking the D. & L.…
Read MoreNature Awakens, And The Birds And Flowers Return To The Susquehanna Wetlands.
It was early Saturday morning, and it was April. I was more excited than I usually am to visit the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County. I usually hike five mile hike here on a Saturday or Sunday. In April nature awakens. Everyday something new appears in our woodlands here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Another plant or…
Read More