Although The Big Year (2011) is one of my favorite comedies, I do not consider myself a birder (maybe somewhat of a birdwatching enthusiast, if you will). However, one of our favorite places to go birdwatching is Starke Lake in Ocoee. For a small lake, you can actually spot quite a diverse selection of bird species. Check it out!
Year: 2021
A Little Reckless
“The Keys are relaxed, a little reckless. The Keys are water and sky, horizon, daybreak, spectacular sunsets, the cup of night. The least interesting thing about them is the road, but the road, as is its nature, allows entrance. The road is the beginning … The best way to enjoy the Keys is still to seek out their simplicity and their eccentricity.” – Joy Williams, The Florida Keys: A History & Guide, 1988
What I’m Watching …
“There he is, The Geek! … Is he the missing link? Is he man or beast? Some have pronounced him man. But beneath that shaggy mane if hair lies the brain of a beast.”
Lake Gertrude
We took a nice stroll along the scenic Lake Gertrude Walkway in Mount Dora yesterday. It’s mostly shaded, so it’s not too unbearable, even on a sweltering summer day!
Hiking Lake May Reserve
I enjoy hiking Lake May Reserve in Eustis because it offers some rare elevation, a scenic path around the lake and a cool red barn that provides a good subject for amateur photographers like me. I never see too much wildlife here except for numerous butterflies. However, today I did view a black racer sunning directly on the trail. Cool spot!
The Further One Gets …
“The further one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Lake Apopka
One of our favorite walks involves taking the scenic boardwalk at Oakland Nature Preserve to Lake Apopka. Up and back is just about 1 5 miles with some great views along the way. Enjoy your hike!
One Day
“Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails.” – Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Hiking Spring Hammock Preserve
Over the next few months I will be doing a “greatest hits” tour of my favorite Central Florida hikes. I started with Econ River Wilderness Area in Oviedo a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend I hiked Spring Hammock Preserve in Longwood. Both are very scenic and not too strenuous.
What I’m Reading …
“America’s Alligator examines the colorful and sometimes conflicted relationship our species has had with Alligator mississippiensis. Doug Anderson explores the country’s rich alligator mythology and how it inspired various forms of art, stories, photography, tourism and even humor.”
Wandering Florida 