4/23/15 Virginia Spring (#2)

Moving north and arriving for Spring #2 in Virginia made it easier to leave the aqua waters and warm sunny days of  Florida. With the Navy giving Jack so little notice to get his personal and professional life in order, we made a bee line back to our old stomping grounds near Fairfax VA splitting our time between Lake Fairfax Park Campground and Bull Run Regional Park Campground where acres of bluebells along the river were just beginning to bloom.  Both parks are lovely and well used by the locals for camping and picnicking.  John made a 5 hour solo kayak trip down Bull Run encountering shallows, trees across the river, small rapids he calls ripples and a sharp turn that he doesn't think we could have been made if I were with him in the tandem kayak.  

Cousin Mattie

John and Jack Billy Goat Trail

The first order of business was moving Jack out of his Washington DC apartment.  Many thanks to Deb's cousin Bruce and Carol for storing his belongings until the Navy takes over. Before he left for Newport RI, we went hiking with cousin Mattie at Great Falls Park in Maryland and picnicked beside the C&O Canal.  The replica of an original canal boat in the background is being pulled by mules.  If you hike the Billy Goat Trail, remember it got its name for reason.  This was the most challenging hike I have ever done, climbing constantly over rocks, boulders and up and down steep rock faces. But I did it!!!

 Jack is extremely excited about becoming a fourth generation Navy man but will miss his Environics associates.  The CEO sent a letter to the employees wishing him well and expounding on his character, qualities and accomplishments at the company.  We celebrated Jack's first week at OCS with a champagne toast with a couple of retired admiral friends and spouse who between them and John had over 100 years of naval service.  GO JACK!!  GO NAVY!!

Jack's best friend from high school is getting married in the fall and Deb attended Shelbi's bridal shower.  It was great to catch up with the Mom's.  Jack is supposed to be a co-best man; we'll see if the Navy let's him go.  Zoe also came to town to attend a wedding and baby shower for her friends.  Unfortunately a mid-April snow storm grounded her connecting flight in Denver causing her to arrive (sans luggage) in time for only a few hours of the reception AND in the same clothes she started with 36 hours earlier.  All were elated that she made it and she enjoyed catching up with high school friends.

Zoe and Sarah

4/1/2015 Florida Spring (#1) Flora and Fauna

This Plant in Key West is HUGE

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Firecracker Bush

 The calendar says it's Spring but in Florida it is hard to tell since most plants bloom year round especially in the Florida Keys.  This hibiscus and firecracker plant  looks like the ones we had in our yard when we lived in Hawaii.  

In Central Florida Spring means orange blossoms  and in addition to the massive orange groves many people grow them in their yards so their sweet smell is everywhere.  On an early morning foggy walk around Harris Lake we saw this squirrel enjoying the moisture before the heat of the day.   

This tall guy was hanging around the fishing boat that John and Sherrie went out on.  Clearly used to people, we had to walk around him.  He is about 3 feet tall and was stalking the fishermen at the fish cleaning station waiting for a handout.  First he has to fight his way through a mass of aggressive pelicans also there for the same reason.

 Gecko's are everywhere.  This little green one was at our campsite, but the big guys (3+ feet long) live along the ocean's shoreline.  My friend Geri tries to put out plants in her yard but the dozen of the big ones living near her mow them all down.  Reminds me of sister Sherrie complaining about deer in New England gardens and daughter Zoe about squirrels in her Washington State gardens.



Sunrise from Curry Hammock Campground