This Could Be The Culprit - Florida Wildlife

If you read my blog post from a few days ago (Here ) where we discovered a strange nest in our front yard, then you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, then you don't know what I'm talking about but isn't that a pretty bird?

I think I may have discovered what/who was the culprit that made the strange nests in our yard.

Maybe.

A couple of weeks ago we saw this bird in the next door neighbor's yard having lunch. I'm not sure, but I think it may be a heron. I'm also not sure, but I think it may be the culprit that nested in our yard the other night.




I haven't seen any other activity out there, but that's probably because it's been a rainy mess here the past few days. The culprit probably found a dryer nest somewhere else.

Hopefully he had a bunch of tasty, frickin lizards to snack on.

Strange Things That Happen In Our Yard At Night

Yesterday the mulch in this area of our front yard was evenly spread with no dirt showing.  I didn't notice any strangeness when I arrived home around 6:45pm last night after taking Phantom to Bluepearl Specialty animal clinic for a checkup. Sometime during the night, something came into our yard, crept up right next to our living room window and created this thing that I can only describe as some sort of weird nest.

We discovered the strange nest as the Murph was leaving for work this morning. It looks like two nests side by side. Were there two strange animals sleeping side by side in our yard last night? My first thought is that the nest was made by one of those weird birds that hang out around here. Many different species of strange, very large birds that like to hang out in yards and on the neighbor's rooftops. I've even seen some folks feeding them. Some of these birds are taller than I am. There was an entire flock of white loons (or something)  down the street from us this morning, eating breakfast in a neighbor's yard about 5 houses down.

If this wasn't made by birds, then what? Turtles? Snakes?? I hear the the Everglades are being taken over by pythons, pets that were released in the area are multiplying. It is predicted that these "pet snakes" are migrating out of the Everglades to surrounding areas 100's of miles away. One day they are predicted to be as far north of Alabama and Tennessee. Tampa is uncomfortably much closer to the Everglades than those states. Could pythons already be here? Do they make nests to sleep in at night? Since they are nocturnal, do they even need a nest to sleep in at night? Do they sleep at all?

Alligators don't curl up in comfy round nests in front yards do they?

I know I'm worrying about this for absolutely no reason. I'm sure the nest in my front yard was made by something cute and fluffy, not something slithery, creepy or anything with sharp teeth. Nothing poisonous either.

Tonight I am going to keep a look out on the "nesting" area from a safe distance on the other side of the living room window and see if anything strange happens.

Running On Clearwater Beach And Indian Rocks Beach

Running and cycling are the best ways to explore a new area or to see your old area in a different way. That's my opinion anyway.

So...

The past couple of months I've been running and exploring my new city. Yesterday I ran in Clearwater Beach, Florida. If you are following me on Instagram you have seen some of the photos I take of the scenery on my runs. I can't imagine a more perfect place to run than here!

Clearwater Beach, Florida

Clearwater Beach, Florida

You can't see from these photos, but the public beach area was getting a little crowded as I was leaving because Clearwater Beach has the Sunset at Pier 60 Festival every day from 4 to 8pm. The beach area near the pier and on the pier was full of street performers, kids, pirates, vendors, entertainment, etc.

Clearwater Beach

A quieter, less touristy beach that I love running on is Indian Rocks Beach. Not many high rise condos here, just a few and lots of old houses and quaint shops and restaurants.

 I love running here too! I usually run along to sidewalk, but occasionally on the actual beach.

My pink Mizunos

Indian Rocks Beach

Indian Rocks Beach

Indian Rocks Beach, Florida

I love those pink polka dot towels. Just bring a good book and relax! After a long run, of course!

Because My Photographer Quit Without Even A Two Week Notice...

In November the Murph got a new job and we packed up two homes and three cats and moved down to the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area to begin our new lives. I was very excited and love it down here and everything so don't get me wrong.  I guess I didn't realize that with his new job keeping him busy, the Murph wouldn't have time to do his old job anymore.

 Old job = being my Chief Fashion Photographer/Athletic Supporter/Nutrition Consultant.

With no photographer, I am having trouble doing my Fashion Friday blog posts or any other fashion related blog posts that may require a picture of me in some fashionable or not so fashionable outfit. I've made some sad but serious attempts at selfies, but the photos turned out like this....

and these... not much better photos....

How can a person who generally has trouble with picture taking be coordinated enough to take selfies?

The Murph did agree to take this photo, but I never managed to do a fashion post on it.  It was a cute dress though. I wore this one to see Wynton Marsalis in Sarasota play a fun Christmas jazz concert.

Please excuse the photo bombing cat! He is seriously attached to me in a weird way. I always believed he was taken from his mom at too early an age. Bless his heart!

Dress: Mark & James by Badgley Mischka;

Shoes: Nine West

These days most of my pictures are of the cats so if you love cats you're in luck! If you love fashion, well, I'm sorry but until I can come up with a better plan, there just might be a bunch of cat pictures on my blog again.

Also, with no Athletic Supporter, my triathlon endeavors are nonexistent, but I have hopes for the spring and summer. If I can still swim and ride a bike without training wheels that is.

With no Nutrition Consultant, I've been sneaking to McDonalds to get sausage biscuits and hash browns several mornings and I'm lucky to get in one green smoothie per week. Not good for the detoxing, but I do get an occasional salad passed on from the Murph when he doesn't want to eat his lunches.

I'm still thinking I should become a vegan, but I've tried that before. It was the toughest 2 hours of my life!

Don't worry about me though. I'm tough! I'll figure it all out and be back to normal in no time. Hopefully, I will be better than normal because my normal could use some improvement. (or so I've been told)

In the meantime, here's some cute kitty pictures and some random home interior pictures because those I can manage to take all by myself.

Enjoy....

Stop taking pictures and give us the food!

Phantom 

Ed- The Good Kitty

Reminds me of Cadence and Phantom only they wouldn't be rubbing on each other like this.

Deluded Disillusioned sperm painting.

Cool Jazz Paintings.

Cadence showing his flexibility.

Also, I have job openings available for fashion photographer, athletic supporter (aka cheer leader) and nutrition consultant (aka food nazi).  Please apply here if interested.

Happy New Year!

I usually don't do new years resolutions and I'm not going to now.  I always try to stay fit, eat healthy,  and all those other things people resolve to do better in the new year.

I will try to blog more since I seem to have gotten a little negligent lately.

Anyway, Happy New Year to all of you who still pop in occasionally and haven't totally given up on me.

And a huge thank you too!