Sleeping in a barn

On January 8, 2025February 5, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation4 Comments

Brett and I spent 2 nights in a renovated barn (on the 2nd floor) near Vero Beach. We got there late in the afternoon and looked around a little before heading to the beach for dinner.

It was a little weird driving down a long dirt road after dark to get back to the farm.

The next morning I was awake early and could hear the horses down below. I got up and ran to the kitchen window and saw the above. The sun hadn’t come up yet. I quickly changed and ran out to see what was going on.

The horses were being let out of the barn. We were able to walk around the farm so I ran back upstairs and had a quick breakfast with Brett and we went out for a walk down to the main road.

We were also able to feed the animals and I had brought a bag of apples with us from our hurricane stash so the goats got a treat for breakfast.

Most of the cows were far out in the pasture but one Mom with 2 little ones came close to the fence for a drink of water.

The sun coming up through a spiderweb.

We walked out on the main dirt road and passed by a farm with a No Trespassing sign that said “Don’t even think about it”. Who would want to walk around on that cow poop filled pasture?

It was a beautiful farm. I don’t think they actually grow anything but they do board horses. They also had chickens and a few pigs.

The next morning I was up a little later. Some of the horses were already out of the barn.

A few were still in the other barn and I gave them all of the apples we had left since we were heading home soon.

We had a great time and even though we were sleeping in a barn it had all of the comforts of home.

Standing out in the field

On October 9, 2023April 9, 2024 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, flowers and plants, Tampa bay sights5 Comments

I found a new sunflower farm closer to my home (still almost an hour away though). Up in Spring Hill, an hour north of Tampa, Jimmy MC’s farm has U-pick sunflowers during the spring. I headed up there on the final weekend of the season almost at the end of May. This is not a big farm with activities for little kids. This is just a farm that you can go and pick your own sunflowers. It’s free to get in and $5 for two handfuls of sunflowers. I parked near the barn and walked out to the sunflower field.

They do have a picturesque tub that you can climb in and take pictures.

It was the last weekend of their season but the field was still full of sunflowers. It was hard deciding which ones to pick. So many! I looked for new buds that weren’t drooping yet and covered in bees. I didn’t want to disturb the much needed honey bees.

I was inspecting each one that I was thinking of picking and found this green spider on the back of one. I didn’t want to take him home (last year I brought home a small creme colored spider and put him in the backyard).

They had a lot of cows next to the sunflower field and I was envious of the ones in the back going for a swim. It was a hot morning. Their pond had really shrunk from the drought. Once most of the good flowers were picked they let the cows in the field and eat the remaining sunflowers.

As I walked back to my car I saw this sandhill crane family in the grassy parking area. I had my camera in the car so I pulled it out and snapped a few shots of them feeding. Junior was almost fully grown but still getting food from his parents.

I loved seeing the windmill out in the cow pasture so I stopped and snapped the above with my phone.

A small part of my stash that I brought home.

More from Myakka River State Park

On July 16, 2022July 10, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Florida animals4 Comments

While I was at Myakka River State Park in early May, I did see a little bit of wildlife. This young male deer was just off the road.

I lost count of the vultures and alligators I saw. I was there early in the morning before the majority of the alligators had started to lay out on the banks but I still saw a ton.

I saw this little bird walking around near the big alligator’s tail. Zooming in I saw that it was a spotted sandpiper. I hope he has good reflexes and can get away fast if that alligator whips around.

Far down the river I could see limplins looking for food. It looks like one of them has a snack.

I got out of the car and was walking across the parking lot to head to the boardwalk and this guy came out of the bushes and ran across the parking lot.

A swallow tail kite flies low overhead.

Just down the road from the park, this old barn must have some pretty good stories to tell. I couldn’t tell if it’s still being used but the ivy is started to take over the roof.

More from my winter vacation.

On March 10, 2022February 26, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation9 Comments

Shots from Deer Valley ski resort in January. The sun had not come up over the mountain when we got there, although it wasn’t that early. I think the slopes had just opened up.

I watched Brett (in the orange jacket) head for the ski lift and then I went off to hike around and look for some things to take pictures of.

I headed up to a nearby hotel that has amazing views of Deer Valley. We stayed here several years before in October when everthing was orange and yellow so it looked very different.

Much later we took a ride around the area before going for an early dinner.

Winter vacation sneak peak

On January 20, 2022January 18, 2022 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation4 Comments

After 2 years of not going anywhere, we booked a trip to Park City, Utah so Brett could snowboard and ski. I’m not a skier but was planning to do a lot of walking around in the snow and just seeing the sights. Luckily our flights last week were uneventful and on time. We also spent some time doing some tourist things in Salt Lake City. I took a gazilion pictures (okay maybe not that many but almost 1,000) and I’m started to edit them now so I’ll have a lot of vacation posts coming but here’s a sneak peak.

Our first stop was Park City Mountain so Brett could snowboard. After dropping him off here, I headed over to the old historic Park City area to walk around.

The old strip is full of restaurants, shops and artist galleries. It was quiet the morning I was there so I was able to walk around without bumping into too many people. It’s usually packed at night.

We made several road trips outside of Park City including one morning to go snowmobiling.

We spent some time at Antalope Island in Salt Lake City. This buffalo decided to cross the road right in front of us. He was not fazed by cars. Everyone was going slow and stopped to let him cross.

There wasn’t any snow in Salt Lake City but you could still see it on the top of the mountains all around the city. We found a spot to hike around there not to far from the University of Utah. The views are amazing almost anywhere you are in that city.

Needless to say, more to come on our trip.

My first trip to Park City, Utah.

On November 19, 2018November 19, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation3 Comments

On our first day in Utah, we spent the afternoon at Antelope Island State Park. Then we headed over to Park City to spend a few days. It’s a quick ride from Salt Lake City and the driving through the mountain was pretty amazing.

We were staying in a hotel in Deer Valley and had to take a tram half way up the mountain from the parking area to our hotel. Great views of the fall leaves and bare ski slopes all around.

The hotel was very quiet and it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves.

The next morning we were wide awake very early so I took a walk around the hotel property and watched the sun come up over the mountain. I stopped to take a few pictures and a magpie landed right next to me.