Sand Snowman on the beach with shell accents

One week in paradise is not enough, but since we are headed next to the Florida Keys no complaints from me. Sanibel is a shellers’s heaven especially after a storm or gusty winds. By the time we got to the beach several days had passed and pickin’s were slim. Still I found the right combo of jingle shells to make a pair of earrings. The Sanibel Bead Shop is next door to Periwinkle Park and I made three visits to get supplies for a few projects. So that stoop thing, you can picture it, someone bent over looking for shells on the beach or in the water; either way you are bound to score.

I got lots of practice- finally using beads I’d bought on MV and Jekyll Island

The Park is lovely with mostly not-so-mobile homes, 80 RV spots, two duck ponds; one with colorful birds, lemurs, geese, ducks and a black swan. Four days a week, Libby brings out the stars and engages young and old(er) in an hour-long show and tell about these rescued birds. They develop strong attachments to owners and become unhappy when they are moved; feathers ruffle in danger or happy or want to attract mate.  Mother Nature gave them a “bird of prey” sense and they know when a bird of prey is overhead; even the ones they don’t need to worry about.
Young and old(er!!) enjoyed the demo one morning and many photos were taken.

Drove through the five-mile long “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge. Did same 23 yrs ago; seems like yesterday or eons ago. We’d been visiting Russ’s parents who had retired early to Longboat Key, but this time visions of moving to Florida danced in our heads. We cruised the area between Naples and Bradenton, even finding a home on a canal we entertained purchasing (the home not the canal). Wild and crazy right? But who wants to work in paradise? Decided to work in the Tundra, save our pennies….then retire in paradise.As you drive through the preserve you can always stop and park on the right shoulder but many convenient overlooks exist and they primarily serve as a place to fish and to allow a through-flow of water.

I never got to researching this dude- looks like a type of tree crab? or maybe it’s a frog crab? crab frog? The refuge posted plenty of info signs along the drive but nothing about these which we found on many trees as we walked from the road to an overlook through the mangroves.

Near the end of the drive was the Calusa Shell Mound Trail which was interesting and great signage about the Calusa Indians, shell mounds and how the Calusa thrived for thousands of years as fisher-gatherers.

Closing in on the warmth we crave; Sanibel temps have been very low 70s daytime and during the night as low as 50. Still using our electric heaters at night; the benefit is they make terrific mug warmers for breakfast coffee and tea. The sun feels so good and sitting at the picnic table trying to make perfectly round wire loops (they tend to be teardrop shape but you want round) was one of my favorite activities.

In the park one RV site really got into the spirit!

Another favorite activity was checking out all the Christmas decorations throughout the park as well as the entire island. Judging by the types and extent we figured that many RVers came here routinely and had just the right lights and setups to decorate their spot.

Our cheap and easy decorations and a new antenna!

Our site backed up to an oval duck pond and I enjoyed the ducks, ibis, egrets, herons and cormorants as they went about the business of life in paradise.

Oh, do you come here often?

No traffic lights on Sanibel or Captiva, just a traffic cop by Jerrys Market and as you enter the island off the bridge

Along the Ancient Hammock Trail

The word “hammock” supposedly comes from the Indian word “hammaka”, meaning shaded tree place.  Sebring, FL would be the second of six state or county parks this winter but the last one until the end of February. Every driving say is not without its wrong turn event and today was no exception. Missy, our “trusty” Garmin (the lesser of the evils) GPS says the park is on the left so when we see the large brown state park sign on the left, we turn. Oops , should have gone straight because OF COURSE the county road continues right through the park and the park is simply smack dab in front of us. We drive about four miles before finding a spot to turn around; no backing up you may recall.
The check-in process is different from Anastasia, requiring Russ present his license and we only get one vehicle tag to place on Bonny. None for Annie, but she’s not leaving until Saturday. Map in hand with no directions from the ranger dude (kid) who I thought we’d bonded with because of his CT connection, we proceed to drive past our loop road thanks to focusing on the bear-proofed dumpster! Yes, we’d been told, a couple of young bears had been in the park recently.

Keep away from the electrified wire-be sure to make a good toss

After an unnecessary tour through the campsites, our favorite spot being where we had to hold our collective breaths driving between two trees- and yes we were on the right road. The map gets scrutinized and we realize our road and the pump out station share a driveway, silly us.
I’d been bragging that our site was a pull-through, always easier than backing in because even if you are a super-pro the car has to be unhooked before you back in and you need room to do that. Often you do that in the parking lot at check-in. Since our spot was a pull-through we didn’t unhook and Bonny got a campground tour too. We pull into the site, brushing just a few palm fronds, our 52ft total length fits fine, but what’s this the electric and water hookups are at the end of the site not in the usual middle. You can guess what that means; yep we have to unhook, move Bonny and THEN we can back up the necessary 12ft.
Highlands Hammock is one of Florida’s oldest state parks (1935), covering 9,000 acres, with a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) Museum, park tram tour, bike trails and nine nature trails that lead you through lush, jungle-like foliage. Orlando lay in our way as we bravely ventured off I95 to Hwy4, but I still thought the Florida’s Natural OJ plant was a nice visual as were the acres of orange groves and grazing cattle. The smaller campsites sat empty on Thursday; the fifth wheels, trailers and motorhomes prevailed. By Saturday, with the day’s high temp forecast for 70, the tents popped up all around as local campers set up for the weekend.

Campground view Friday evening

The museum offers a glimpse of life in the CCC camps; filling in a gap in our knowledge about the CCC. When the U.S. entered WWII, the CCC men who were used to a military structure, became among the first to enlist.

Not the American Automobile Association

I was thankful this was the only bear we saw during our short stay

At Highlands Hammock,  between 1934 and 1941 the CCC had planted thousands of plants, constructed roadways, dams, bridges and buildings. Palm trees and massive live oaks, heavy with bromeliads and Spanish moss, are commonplace throughout the hammock. One ancient oak, measuring 36ft around, is 1,000 years old. You can see where preservation repair work has been done.

The ancient 1,000 yr-old oak

Repair work

Evidence of wild hogs

Wild hog evidence could be seen along many of the trails; disrupted soil and the occasional hoof print.
The Wild Orange Grove Trail was disappointing at first but by the mid-point orange trees delighted us left and right.

One of many wild orange trees

Cypress Swamp Trail: Strangled or embracing roots?

Old oaks offer perfect growing spots for other attractive plants

This boardwalk reduced to a catwalk as it wound through the swamp and Bowlegs Creek

This guy below was fiercely protective of the nut he held. He began his warning sound way before we ever spotted him high up in the branches ahead of us.  He kept it up even after we’d walked away; at least 5 mins total.  Wildlife was scarce along the nature trails, mostly egrets, squirrels, ibis. Alligators and turtles eluded us.

As we approached, his steady squawking caught our attention