The Center for Birds of Prey was spectacular.  What they are doing is nothing short of miraculous.  Approximately 500 birds are brought to their medical facility each year that have been injured.  Some typical injuries include vehicle collision, electric pole burns and even shootings!  Sad.  Trained Harris hawk Gorgeous wing colors Flight demo Peregrine “wanderer” falconCan travel up to 200mphSteep swift divers A 7 year old boy was asked to run witha fake bunny attached to a string in hopesthat we could watch a hawk swoop downto get it…it WORKED!!!  Brave kid!  hawk Black vulture…when they find aRead More

I fired up the scooter and went out for the day to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens…a step back in time to the pre/post Civil War days.  Too much history to include here.  It was enlightening to say the least.  The grounds were lovely…sooo southern!  The plantation house The bus tour included the grounds, the house, the Citadel (military college) and the historic downtown areas…the open ‘train’ tour ventured into the swamp land of alligators and the walking tour covered the old rice fields and the petting zoo where many of the critters were just walking around with you.  It wasRead More

My daughter just sent this to me.  My grandson, Cameron, wrote it.  He is 7 years old.  I thought it deserved a post of its own…as a Bright Spot!

     I finally got on the road Friday and arrived in Charleston, SC Saturday evening.  It felt so good to be back on the road!  I missed my cramped quarters and cold water dish washing…lol.   Who knew this unusual lifestyle would suit me so well?! Not sure what this is, but it’s awesome!!! There it goes……      I went on a hike through the grounds and around the lake…so beautiful!  It felt like I was far away in the wilderness with all the trees and brush and that ‘spooky’ southern feel.  There were small swampy areas all alongRead More

    Frozen flower on my antenna Duck-cicle  Three hours away from heading south!!!  Wow!  What a crazy winter I’ve been in MD for!  Such a mixed bag of what winter means for me…speechless wonder, love of sharing childlike joy, absolute annoyance!!!  The site of everyday things encased by layers upon layers of frozen drops can be really spectacular!  Nature’s ability to bounce back from the weight of accumulated ice boggles my mind.         Watching the world slowly (or not) disappear under a blanket of white has always been a favorite winter pastime for me.  The other aspectRead More

     I was talking to a dear friend this morning and he told me about the live eagle cam in PA where 2 eggs are being cared for by their adults.  I decided to check it out and what an unexpected surprise!!!  When I first got to the site, a mature was sitting very still in the nest.  I watched for nearly 45 minutes with little movement there, yet it was still awesome.  I sat thinking to myself, “Boy, I wish the other eagle (mom or dad) would come along.”  Literally seconds later, it happened!  A second eagle cameRead More

My first ever dragon fruit A heart…how cool is that? Wow, it’s like an albino kiwi…lol Ready to add some berries…yum!      My planned respite and regroup period in MD and DE has reached its midway point.  I’m pretty much on track with completing a list of TO-DO’s in preparation for an extended road trip.  This next span will be the longest to date without visiting family and friends.  I’m very excited about this next phase and almost everything is in order.  I have a physical next week.  My tax info is ready to send off to my accountant. Read More

   I realized last week that I had created a serious error in the grandmother department!  I have neglected to create a post showing off my grandkritters as part of my stops back here in Maryland!  I vow to take more pictures when I’m in Maryland and display them so that I can avoid being disowned…tee hee! Canon – Matthew’s kritter Rachel training her kritters Leon – Rachel’s kritter Loki – Rachel’s kritter Loki and Leon sharing water Gia – Rachel’s kritter Gia Gia Meaty – Nicole’s kritter As you might imagine, each of them have their own very distinctRead More

     I flew directly from San Diego to Albuquerque…from 2 weeks of amazing sights to a week of taking care of the storage issue and trying to see a few friends…so, I thought!!!!      My week in Abq turned out to be much more than I could have anticipated!  First, my rental car experience was perfect!  I performed amazing feats repacking my stuff into a smaller unit! Next, my friend Christine and her hubby welcomed me into their home for the entire duration of my stay.  Thank you guys…it was wonderful hanging out with you!  Our talks, laughs,Read More