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Well, it’s a bit dark at 3:22am, but do have nature pics to upload from yesterday:
Loved all the grackles coming for breakfast. 
There’s usually a flock and they sing and boss each other around.
Here’s a few out melody-ing each other. 
As you can see, they grab as much as they can before flying away. 
The grackle in the foreground is a youngster and was not quite sure how to gather the food so it began making a big racket about wanting something to eat too. 
It’s Mama complied.
Really giving a thorough inspection. 
It was very funny.
Those are the common grackles, the fancier ones come too. 
Today it felt like a steam bath, they said it was in the 90’s but actually it was 103degrees from the humidity and it was humid, my lens had to be wiped many times during my sweaty venture into the yard. Bees and bugs thought nothing of going about business as usual. 
and even two enemies decided it was not worth arguing over the same plant. 
The roses are blooming all over. They love this weather.
Now, I’m going to bed and will add to this later – Abbe
Ah, Tuesday has morphed into Wednesday – I am in a time warp again as another day squeaked by. Where oh where do these hours go?
Anyway, it was a hot one. Woke at 7am yesterday and the moon was still gleaming against the blue. 
Aaron threw out the cast net and got a few shiners and he brought in a bass and a gar. 
Then he and Leila headed back to Tampa with their Bella, 
I had so much fun being with all my kids this weekend, family is so important! Don’t forget to tell yours how you feel and often…
On Saturday I had run over to Sanford and was in Maya’s Bookstore and saw this, 
an adorable baby sated in sleep. Yvette, the owner was keeping a very close eye on him as his mom, Wee Gauthier, an orchid vendor with “Orchids For All Occasions” put away her flowers as the Saturday Farmers Market was coming to a close. They were gorgeous orchids: 
As you know, I have a black thumb. But back to the sleeping baby, I am excited to have my own new grand baby this August! I hope I will be a big part of the babies life. My daughter made sure to get a romper for the baby that expresses who I am, 
The weekend with family was wonderful and went so fast, only wish Aaron and Leila lived here so we could all be together much more, what can I say, I’m selfish! But Tampa certainly is not California — get over it Abbe!
Andrea had come over with all kinds of baby madness shopping and had made an ADORABLE diaper cake, she’s such a talent: 
Back to Tuesday: wildlife and the yard.
The cranes came this morning and Papa crane had quite a conversation with one of the babies:
I still have not heard any baby noises from the wood duck box, but she keeps an eye out for me and flies away as soon as she senses I am near. She is a very nervous duck. 
I also bet the mallard couple have some eggs somewhere around here too, they are still hanging around.
The baby heron are so funny, one flew up in the tree after Papa crane chased him off, and he acted like he was going to kick some crane butt, but he was only making a spectacle of himself. 
The flowers too look beautiful: 
the rains do make them bloom and die faster. 
The birds too have been busy and the cardinals are back again, it seems they were MIA for a while. 
and of course the crows 
common grackle. 
and Mr. squirrel.
and of course my window view. Head on outside and enjoy something in nature.
First the business of art: Friday night the Casselberry ArtHouse held a reception for the exhibit, “Celebration of life, Bohemians Redeaux” – saw a few of my old group members from Womans Caucus for Art and their work. Here’s some of the art that will be on the walls for the next few weeks.
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They had quite a nice reception and wish I could have stayed longer as I missed a lot of good people. And Rob, your quiche was delicious! 
This was before it got crowded – it was a tribute to Sharon Pollard who talked 11 other artists to go with her to Paris a few years ago to spend time and together and to be themselves in a city known for great culture, the 10″ X 10″ paintings reflect their view . Sharon has since passed, but her legacy through art is very much alive and at the Arthouse, Enjoy!
The weekend flew away, the days melt like ice cream on a hot pavement. I have enjoyed the squabbles of the crows versus the mockingbirds. Where ever you go you see familiar battles with the smaller mockingbird chasing the crows out of their domains. The mockers must be guarding nests. 
The crows love to aggravate and they are food hoarders, the load their mouths with as much as they can fly away with. 
This guy was hurrying to get everything! 
The crows are sticking around lately. Love their cocky demeanor. 
So much fun to watch.
the heron babies are huge, fully grown, but they still come back at night to the nest to feed. I don’t think they know about landing on the land yet??? 
They are rigid young fliers.
As for the herons, spotted them yesterday out my window: 
later I saw the mother enjoying a nice Sunday bath before rejoining the family for a stroll, here’s the sequence of pics: 
Her head fully submerged. 
She was enjoying her time alone. 
Sheddiing a feather. 
laughing out loud at her own jokes. 
refreshed! 
catching up with the family. 
baby stretches his wings high in excitement. Mother calms him down 
more love 
They all groomed themselves. 
the babies are great groomers. 
And love their faces.
Then of course, must add some flowers and scene from the other night fishing, hope I have de-stressed you…
haha, this beauty is part of life here too.
and a visitor from Saturday 
….
Somehow these days have liquified and spilled away – I went to Tampa to paint the new house for the new baby. Painted bedrooms and the nursery which was a joy and every stroke was painted with love for the new life about to come our way. When I left, the chair rail was all cut, but not up yet, nor the border, but Aaron will get it all done and send me a photo of the end result.
The day I left Sanford, the baby herons had taken to flight and what fun it was watching their clumsy sailing from pine tree to pine tree where they would spend perched hours trying to determine when to fly back to the nest. 
The first day they learned their wings worked was on the 28th of April. One of the babies took off and stayed away about 3 doors down in a tree top for 6 hours. The other was too afraid yet and stayed in the nest waiting one extra day to test it’s wings. Since then they come and go, always back at the nest for bed time. 
They are very excited about flying, but as much as they go tree top to tree top, I have not seen them down in the water getting their food.
we enjoy our night time visitors and the flowers that have been blooming to make gorgeous photos:
Over in Riverview I really was too busy to take photos. I did stop and look closely at the blooms on the magnolias over there as there were so full and buzzing with bees. I had never noticed how fuzzy the buds were. They looked like they were coated in hair.
— The house was in a subdivision 6 miles from Aaron’s current townhouse. As is the norm here in Florida, many acres of cleared land have farm animals upon them to get the owner a tax deduction. In the meantime, they don’t have to provide an ounce of shade at all for these animals. You know those cows and goats in the heat of a 90+ degree afternoon oppressive sun can’t feel too good. It’s wrong that animals are treated so cruelly and the owner benefits financially, use the money for some shade!
In their natural state on land that has not been denuded for developers, the cows and goats will be found under the trees taking in the shade on these brutal afternoons. It is quite sad that the owners of agricultural animals are not required to supply an area of shading via structures on this vacant land areas, anything to give them some shelter. Am I wrong in my thinking? PETA, where are you?
I stopped by one morning around 8am, the cows were close by the fence. The first thing I saw was this bird who was intent on telling me this was its’ property. 
Not sure what it is. Here’s the cows:
So many look alikes. 
I got to pet one cows head and love the feel of the strong hide and the smell of these wonderful animals.
Back at the townhouse, the birds were scarce really, not much variety. The pond behind the townhomes had all these bed where the fish tilipia were nesting, they were huge, but, NO FISHING! Here’s a look at the birds: 
That limpkin was so chatty.
Then yesterday, I took off back for Orlando. Always keep my camera handy as I approach downtown.
And after that, it was a day of getting back into order, tossing junk mail, paying bills, hugging my other two kids and cleaning and loving on the cats. It was a great time in Riverview and it’s always good to get back into the groove!
Back from a nice visit to Tampa where it was officially announced, I will be a grandmother. This will be my first grandchild and it is exciting news, of course, Aaron wants me to move there, I am undecided as of yet. I didn’t get time to really take many photos except for Leila’s party, which I left on their computer. The pelicans are all gone, hardly any birds, only a few woodstorks. 
and smaller birds.
By now we all know about the earthquakes that rocked Haiti. And because of that, my little town of Sanford is on the map. The US Airforce transport planes are shuttling the sick, injured, orphaned and Haitian Americans over to Sanford International Airport 7 miles away. For a while those planes were coming in often during the day. 
These heavy green military planes rock the house as they flew over. While they were coming ever couple hours, 
I only heard two yesterday, in fact, they said they were going to stop because the state is having a hard time financially dealing with what to do with everyone. Some have family, many don’t, many more require hospital care. They also announced that Miami and south Florida would not accept anymore injured Haitians at the hospitals and even moved many patients up to North Florida because of the Super Bowl and the potential of needing those beds. 
This last pic is a transport heading back toward Haiti over a week ago. Poor Haitians, what is to become of them? I suppose more of the same.
Last night was a moon event, the moon was the closest to us for the year, unfortunately, the clouds were really thick too. But did get a few peeks in between. 
I am hoping that by the time the moon comes tonight, these rain clouds will be gone and I can get a really good photo. We are waiting and waiting for some front, it’s gloomy, but won’t hold my breath for rain. (Ah, as I write I hear the rain.)
Went over to see how Andrea’s cats look after being shaved. Musa was not happy
He looked like he had UGG’s on his feet. Lola was cleaning herself right away. 
And Cocobella gawked at them because she did not have to get shaved, so she gets to be dominant! The cat with the most hair wins for being the boss. 
My own Ringo was busy by the bird bath this morning just daring the birds to come near him, no one took him up on his offer.
Though there were a lot of birds earlier. 
And there is one black bird who has a broken foot I keep noticing, it’s curled up, but he is still feisty and gets around well.
Andrea always gives me the cutest things, she gave me a camera charm, and had this funny pot scrubber 
and adorable dessert plates 
And of course, Lee always sends her roses each week, this week’s were gorgeous as always, Lee is always so kind. 
After I left, I came home and noticed some vultures up the road eating a squirrel, I scared most of them off with the camera. 
When I looked up, there were about a dozen flying into the trees and could not get a good shot with all their movement.
Yesterday met Pam for lunch at Mimi’s and we got our art submissions off for potential exhibits, I am hoping we get at least one of the two. It was a crappy day yesterday too, but at least it was about 73 degrees. So I got to fish for the first time in a while and the fishing sucked, but my heron did come down to see if I hooked anything. 
Ringo watched the bobber – that’s his job.
And I looked all around,
I love fishing in this smooth, parallel world, where the ghost moon rests
it’s big head on soft, wide cloud shoulders
and birds sing with full hearts and
there is nothing to burden the mind
except for winking bobbers and a cat licking it’s lips…
Abbe's world of wildlife 