Jan 29: 02907




Monday is such a hard day at work.

It reminds me of a quote by Michael Althsule, who said, "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."

Jan 28: 02807

Dinner with friends.

Jan 27: 02707


Jan 26: 02607


Back on Jan 12, I showed you some tracks that I suspected were made by raccoons visiting out compost pit. Tonight, I caught the little nocturnal visitor red-handed!

Look at that guilty look on his hairy little face. . .

Jan 25: 02507


"Nature is the truest democracy, and not the richest man in the world is served a grander sunset than the poorest beggar.”
-Michael Furtman; A Season for Wilderness

Jan 24: 02407


I noticed this bird sitting on the lampost above the Timaquana Bridge....it appears to be an adult OSPREY, pandion haliaetus.

Jan 23: 02307


It seems like everybody comes to visit in Florida! We got a call on Sunday that Dana, our good friend, former co-worker, wife of Josh and new mother to Hazel, was coming for a visit to south Florida. They were able to meet halfway and enjoy some beach time. Here's a self-portrait of Ginger, Hazel and Dana!!

Jan 22: 02207


Serious thunderstorm at lunch.

Jan 21: 02107



The price of gas on Jan 21st.

Jan 20: 02007

Our friend Barry came over for dinner tonight. His wife is out of town for a few weeks, and being an excellent cook, he insisted on bring a mouth-watering chuck roast for dinner. Moses is anxiously awaiting to see what he brought.

Jan 19: 01907

Ginger, baby Camryn, and Allison. Allison and Camryn are the wife and daughter of one the pilots in our squadron, and we stopped by for a visit.

Jan 18: 01807

technogeek (noun; slang): someone who is obsessed with technology, especially electronics and computing. For example, here are two "technogeeks" beaming information to one another on their Palm Pilots.

Jan 17: 01707


The marina at NAS Jax.

Jan 16: 01607


This project is turning out to be much harder than I anticipated. There have been a number of days when I am really challenged to find a picture, and some of the pictures I come up with are pretty lame. For example, take today. It was a slow day at work, nothing really exciting going on, so here I am, stuck with this dull picture of the sign at the front of our neighborhood. Pretty riveting, eh?

Jan 15: 01507


Only in Florida can we take all of our neighbor's poinsettia plants and plant them in our back yard. We did the same thing last year, and they lived for several months unil the deer finally came and ate them all. (Little known fact---the Aztecs valued the poinsettia as a symbol of purity.)

Jan 14: 01407

Most of the trees around here are covered in SPANISH MOSS, Tillandsia usnoeoides; some of the locals refer to it as "Old Man's Beard". I know I am getting a little geeky here, but did you know it's part of the pineapple family?

Jan 13: 01307


Ginger and our friend Katie enjoy a nice, messy S'more. I like the determined look on Ginger's face.

Jan 12: 01207


I was working on a retaining wall in the backyard near the garden when I noticed these tracks. We've had lots of rain, so the fresh mud made for great impressions. At first I thought they were from the armadillos that roam around our property at night, but my trusty guidebook tells me it is Procyon lotor, the COMMON RACCOON, looking for hidden treasure in our compost pile.

Jan 11: 01107


I noticed this sign on the side of the road, and I think it's a telling statement about the role of religion in today's world. "Bibles: Up to 80% off!"

Jan 10: 01007


Ginger volunteers at the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, a private non-profit charitable organization that provides financial, educational and other assistance to Navy-Marine Corps service members. It receives no federal money, but is funded solely by contributions from active-duty service members. I like to stop by on days when she works....they usually have some free food laying around, and it provides serious relief to my stomach!

Jan 9: 00907


A shot from the driveway about 6:30 in the morning. The temperature had dropped into the 30's for 2 days, making the mornings cold and crisp. It feels great...all we need is the smell of woodsmoke in the air.

Jan 8: 00807


It's been warm lately, nothing new for Florida, but stormy and windy as well. As a result, we have been getting some beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Jan 7: 00707


Lunch at Mama Fu's Asian Grill after church.

Jan 6: 00607


Ginger & Marina spent two days at Cumberland Island National Seashore.. .about an hour north of Jacksonville, just over the Georgia line. Here are some of the shells they brought back.

Jan 5: 00507


Just outside our back door, we have a small patio with the required gas grill, and hanging just to the right, a set of wind chimes. Shortly after we moved to Florida, a family of frogs took up residence in the chimes. Every night, they emerge and stick themselves, Spider-Man like, to our glass door. My guidebook tells me this is a GREEN TREEFROG, Hyla cinerea. Here's a peek inside his house.

Jan 4: 00407


The Christmas lights are still burning on our front walk. I think we will leave them up indefinately.

Jan 3: 00307


It poured down rain today; Ginger and Marina watched "Ever After" for the 67th time.

Jan 2: 00207




















We spent the early part of the day at Blue Springs State Park, the winter home for much of Florida's manatee population. After it got dark, we headed to Orlando to catch the Van Morrison concert. The above photo shows Ginger, myself and Marina paddling in the St. John's River.
Although not my offical photo for the day, I also like this photo, an uprooted cypress tree.

Jan 1: 00107


My first image of the year was taken shortly after we returned home from some New Year's festivities. My two favorite females; one that seems to be a little happier than the other.