Wild critters

I spent a couple of days hanging in the woods around Ocala and simply absorbing the sounds of nature and the peacefulness of the Florida landscape I grew up with.

I wandered down to the river at dawn to watch the mist rising and see the alligators floating along looking for breakfast.

There was a beautiful heron among the many birds wading in the water and the total stillness of the morning reminded me once again why I love this state and how much I hope we continue to take care of the environment by setting aside these wonderful spots to enjoy the outdoors.

On my way back to the cabin I glimpsed a beautiful buck standing under an old water oak, munching on leaves. I was frozen in movement, since the sight is so rare. I am sure he made his way to the state park to avoid the hunters in the Ocala National Forest.

I also viewed a creature I have never seen before. It was crossing the road in the middle of the afternoon as we were coming back from lunch. A fox squirrel, with a long, striped tail who simply stopped and looked at us and then continued on his way. I have heard they are very shy creatures so I feel priviledged to have seen one in the wild. Although this picture looks the most like the one in front of us, according to the notes, this is a Big Cypress Fox Squirrel and inhabits from Lee County south. I was in Marion County so this may have been a Sherman Fox Squirrel instead.

The requisite number of squirrels and armadilloes were making noise all around the cabin and I heard the wild turkeys calling to one another, but did not glimpse any this trip.

I came back refreshed and relaxed and except the the killer sinus headache from the cold front which followed me home, I am back at my regular life again.