Some Sad Family News

Life is full of opposites isn't it? One minute you can be as happy as a lark, which btw, how happy are larks anyway? But I digress....

Perhaps you noticed in my last post that Cris, Bruce's older brother looked frail, yet totally with it. His eyes are wide open with what looks like curiosity to me. I am so happy our families gathered after several years of not seeing one another because Saturday morning we got a call from Bruce's sister that Cris had died. So while we were shocked having just seen him, we were not surprised as he had been declining for the last few years after nearly succumbing to Covid. 

I have two photo libraries on my computer, both of them voluminous as you can well imagine; it takes some effort to access the oldest one, but I was up for the task yesterday following a little help from our eldest. I found this picture of Cris in much happier times. (he looks so much like his Dad!)

He loved being behind the wheel of a boat, so happy to be on the water. When our boys were young, heading to Aunt Judy and Uncle Cris's for a Saturday of fun on the lake was a huge treat. He never tired of pulling them behind the boat on a big inner tube, seeing how fast he could go before they would fall off. That said, never so much to be dangerous. Cris was an Eagle Scout and the tenants he learned from earning that rank were words to live by. He was a great dad to his two daughters, attending more gymnastic meets than he could count for Jessie, while Katie ended up working with her Dad in the construction industry. Chatting with Judy on the phone Sunday night she said she was just so sad even though she knew it was imminent. What else is there to say? 

I know how hard it is to lose a sibling because I have lost two. Lost, that is a silly word for death, but there it is. 

While searching for a happy picture of Cris I came across this old one from Lisa's 50th birthday. I loved seeing this because it says so much about each one of us. 

I wish I could remember who took it, but they did good. I am flanked by Carol and Maureen, both of whom have died and who I referenced in my last post. I've always preferred wearing dresses and I am happy to report that when we were in Orlando I found a stash of tights, so now I am good-to-go which is a good thing because baby, it's been cold outside. At least overnight, although I think there are predictions for colder daytime temperatures in our immediate future. I will let you know.

As you can imagine we've been busy here including on day two of our arrival. Gerrie got in touch asking if we wanted to join them on a New Year's hike and while I was hesitant, this is a year for doing more things, including the yoga class which I attended yesterday and did not make a fool of myself so that''s progress! 

Gerrie could not resist taking this photo as I am so darn awkward, but I do look pretty good in the alpaca hat David and Michelle got me! There are those in our group who love getting out on the rocks and that would not be me!

 The weather was overcast, but only slightly cold; a good way to begin a new year together.

Along with others, we joined Cobby and Diane to celebrate his 74th birthday.

As well I have been getting out on the riverwalk in order to get stronger. Rarely do I walk in this direction andI have taken countless photos of the railroad bridge before but never this angle. I don't know the exact year that the trains stopped coming to Murphy and Andrews, but I imagine it was a hard pill to swallow for those in the region that relied on it. 

I never thought I would say something of this ilk, but I do love the bare trees of winter; seeing their architecture and imagining that in a few short months, buds will appear and before long birds will disappear in the lush greenery.

With several days of steady rain, nothing like Florida's torrential downpours, more like a drip, drip, drip, the river is much higher than it has been of late. Even though it was crazy windy and cold, I went for a Sunday afternoon walk and was I ever glad that I did because look at this cute little Downey Woodpecker I watched. Isn't it cute? 

I can't remember if I mentioned this before ,but I was made aware of a birding film on Youtube that I have now seen twice called Listers that has an accompanying book, should you be such a person who wants to know more. Jonathan knew I am one such type of person and I love it so I now have a copy of this. It was lucky I was having a birthday which, as you know we spent on the road.

Once we reached Valdosta on our trip back from Florida, we stopped at our favorite hotel and because it is only 200 miles from Orlando we had plenty of time to head downtown. It was mostly empty on that cold day but we did see their Christmas decorations which were very nice. I will say those empty spaces on the Santa and elf look weird with no one in them. Or so it seems to me.

Although we stopped at Buc-ee's for Bruce to get a drink we were hungry from having skipped lunch. We went into a Mexican restaurant, the name is forgotten, but those chandeliers were really something.

Pretty wild right?

One difference between photographing birds here as opposed to Florida is that the ones here tend to move a lot and quickly whereas in Florida,  oftentimes they will pose for you like this Osprey in a tree over the courts in Orlando.

It stayed there for so long that Bruce was able to drive to the condo and bring my camera back to me and still it stayed perched! 

What will follow are birdie photographs that are a few of those taken while we were in Orlando, mostly on our little lake behind our place.

Ta da...

A Green Heron, a bird that I rarely see. Amazing how it stands on the lily pads. As well, that head plume!! What great colors this bird has. 

White Ibis are common and numerous at times. This was one of those times.

A pretty little Palm Warbler in full song mode.

Northern Cardinal that I heard first as it was in a pine tree more than forty feet high.

With my head leaning way back to look so high above, a few Blue Jays came around although they are not nearly as easy to photograph as a Northern Cardinal because they move like crazy.

Interestingly enough, I have never seen a flock of Blue Jays in Florida, but just the other morning, in the early morning and still with dim light, I saw a flock of them in one of the neighbor's trees here.

Another beauty was taken at Lake Davis and I will let you decide if it is one of your favorite big birds. 

Another heron, this one is called a Tri-Colored Heron and isn't it so delicate? All of the shorebirds will soon be sporting their breeding colors, generally visible around the beak. It is so fascinating to see. Reading Genesis this morning when I read that God created birds on the fifth day, I wondered why He took so long? Imagine there are approximately 11,000 species of birds!!! Even more mind boggling is to think that there is but one species of humans and we are all different! 

Cris was most certainly one of a kind. A Florida Gator fan in spite of the fact that both of their girls graduated from FSU and by all reason, he should have rooted for FSU, yet he was a man who marched to the beat of another drummer. He will be sorely missed.

Until we meet again, I remain, 

your friend,

Gail