Taking a Break:o)) - Thursday - March 8, 2012

Nancy and I decided that today would be a great day to take a break from the cleaning, packing and moving pattern we’ve been in for a couple of weeks.  The weather was to be warm and sunny with a high of 77 degrees.  So we decided to pack a lunch and head to Huntington Beach State Park!!!

Before we left, a gentleman who had seen our ad on Craigslist for the garage sale this coming Saturday called.  He asked if he could come this morning to see the model ships we had for sale.  He was here by 10am and ended up buying one of the ships, a printer, a sander and some kitchen items.  What a great way to kick start our garage sale!!

As soon as he left, we headed down to Huntington.  First, we drove through the campground and took a look at the sites everyone has reserved in November for the Carolina Clan Reunion.  They are all close to each other and we are sure to have a great time!!  I think we have site 25 surrounded.  So those campers may just have to join in the fun;o))  There are still tons of sites available so if you would like to join in the Carolina Clan fun, give us a holler and we will get you the information.

Next we headed over to the causeway and boardwalk.  There wasn’t as much wildlife as usual, but Nancy still manage to take a ton of photos.

Nice to see the beautiful Spring colors appearing!!
01 - Yellow Trumpet Vine and Bees  01b - Yellow Trumpet Vine and Bees closeup
02 - Juniper Tree with Blue Berries  02b - Juniper Tree with Blue Berries closeup


How about a Great Egret Ballet???03 - Great Egret Ballet


Here is a new duck to us, a Lesser Scaup!04 - Lesser Scaup
(Be sure to click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Nancy and I have a very special fondness for PELICANS ;o))

Today, this lone brown pelican headed right towards us
as we walked out the salt marsh causeway.

Circling Overhead…
07 - Brown Pelican Circling

Making his final approach…
07b - Brown Pelican Final Approach

Flaps Up…
07c - Brown Pelican Flaps Up

Flaps Down…
07d - Brown Pelican Flaps Down

Touch Down…
07e - Brown Pelican Touch Down

Dinner Time…
07f - Brown Pelican Caught Some Dinner

Siesta Time…
07g- Brown Pelican After Dinner Siesta

Looking Good…
07h- Brown Pelican Looking Good!

We just LOVE Pelicans :o))


Next stop was the Nature Center Boardwalk. 
 08 - Nature Center - Boardwalk

At the end of the boardwalk,
we found the cormorant hangout.05 - Cormorants

As the tide heads out, the oyster beds appear.08c - Nature Center - Boardwalk - salt marsh towards causway08d - Nature Center - Boardwalk - oyster at low tide

The Lesser Yellowleg is another new bird for us.04b - Lesser Yellowlegs

Snowy Egret with his yellow shoes…06 - Snowy Egret making a landing

Love his wild and crazy hair…
06b - Snowy Egret touch down


We stop by nature center to see the what birds were at the feeders.
09a - Birds outside Nature Center  09b - Birds outside Nature Center
09c - Birds outside Nature Center  09d - Birds outside Nature Center
09e - Birds outside Nature Center - Carolina Chickadee  09f - Birds outside Nature Center
Everyone is out enjoying the beautiful day!!


Next we headed out to the beach.
  10 - Sunshine on the Ocean
We got there and the sun was shining brightly. 

Our plan was to walk to the jetty and back. 

We had barely started our walk when the clouds rolled in.
  10 - Clouds Rolling In over the Ocean
The temperature dropped and Nancy got the chills. 
Didn’t think to bring a jacket.
So we decided to call it quits and head home ;o((


We’ll just go to Plan B – Put on sweatshirts and take the bikes out for a ride.  We got ready and as soon as I got the bikes out, the RAIN started.

So we spent the rest of the day CHILLING !!!

Tomorrow is suppose to be raining also.  We will be setting up our garage sale IN THE GARAGE!!  We advertise that it will take place Saturday, Rain or Shine.

I will be glad when this is all over.  I’m not fond of garage sales.  But, we got to do what we got to do ;o))

Nancy here:  Just wanted to let you know that I have posted a few more January catch-up blogs.  Click on the links below to read them.


January 20: SUPRISE Visitors

11 comments:

  1. Love all the bird pics but pelicans just love to pose for ya. Hope the yard sale is painless and things just fly away. Remember, you just want to get rid of things.
    Syl

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  2. Sorry your day was rained out. All in all, I think you had a good one anyway :)
    Good luck on the garage sale! Keeping my fingers crossed that it all just disappears...like magic :)

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  3. Great pelican pictures. I can never get focused fast enough to get pics of them flying.

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  4. Those Pelican pictures are out of this world! Probably the best I've ever seen and I LOVE pelicans. Great bird pictures all around.

    Isn't it great that if it rains on your "day out" you can just pick another one. Love being retired!!

    If you keep advertising the Carolina Clan you'll have the entire campground filled. Wonder if that big a group will fit around a campfire? :-)

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  5. You do remember that Gin and Syl and Dan and I call ourselves the "pelicans", doncha know? hee hee
    Gorgeous pictures!

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  6. A beautiful place for a 'getaway day' ... too bad about the chill and rain later on, but seems like the first part of the day cooperated beautifully ... I like that last photo of the pelican best, but then ... I'm a sucker for reflections.

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  7. Good luck on the garage sale. Getting rid of the last few things feels good!

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  8. Great Pelican Pic's. Good luck on the Garage Sale.

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  9. Incredible pix of that pelican. I love those birds, too and to see it landing step-by-step was a real thrill.

    I'd have been still trying to get my lens cap off...

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  10. We just love Huntington Beach! Great pelican pictures. Glad you took a break!

    Bruce and Laura

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  11. Hope everything went well at the garage sale. A totally empty garage would be a good thing.

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