Spanish Moss

I took a very long walk yesterday (I like to explore) and the intent was to take pictures of the spanish moss that grows around the south. I have a not so secret love affair with it. Yet, as all things in life are unpredictable, this post is also turning into one that includes birds and backyards. It's only fair to include everything on the walk.

If I start from the beginning, I was headed to the man-door gate at the edge of our apartment complex and ran smack into a family of sandhill cranes. Literally, one more step and I would have stepped on ones toes. I have no idea how I missed them, it's not like they're small creatures. I had seen this family before when I was leaving for work one day because they were blocking the road, I hear them all the time too. Their calls are loud. After further research, I found out that sandhill cranes in Florida are endangered, and these are three of the 5000 remaining (I've seen up to six before). I think that there is a mom and a dad - they mate for life, and their most recent offspring. They don't seem too scared of people by how close I was able to get to them.

I didn't use any zoom in these pictures:

They were essentially trapped in the complex because of the gates, so when a car left and the gate automatically opened, I watched them calmly head that way and exit. Of course, they are proper birds and used the crosswalk.

I proceeded with my walk and took pictures of my favorite species of tree here - the southern live oak. I like all of the branches they have.

There is a specific road that I like to walk down because it has a long line of oak trees and they are all decorated with spanish moss. I've seen armadillos here before and large toads too. Spanish moss makes everything kind of look like it was transplanted straight from Sleepy Hollow, which is probably why I love it so much.

At the end of this particular road there is a backyard with one of the coolest treehouses I've ever seen. I creeped as close to the house as I could while still feeling like I was outside of shotgun range and took pictures of it. Legit treehouse items include: a swing, a pulley system, two floors, screened windows, a porch, furniture, and a ceiling fan.

Finally, on my way back, I found an ideal backyard. Drying wetsuits, hammock, palm trees, and a garden.

Other notables:

-The part horse stable, part tennis court where lessons are given

-The man falling off of his lawnmower because he was going too fast in the field

-The trailer park barbeque with blaring music

-The pack of vultures flying overhead

-Almost stepping on an anthill

-The man riding his bike with 2 gallons of water strapped to the handles (it was 100 degrees)

-Trying to find the blue heron that I could hear, but not see

-Passing the completely gold colored buddhist monastery

-Listening to the noon church bells at a church next to the trailer park

-Chasing after a butterfly and looking like a lunatic