Falling in love with a quant town in Tuscany.

On January 5, 2026February 5, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Vacation6 Comments

Monticatini Terme is a small town in Italy, between Florence and Lucca. It’s a great home base when visiting the Tuscany area. We spent a week here during our recent 2 week trip in Italy and then did day trips to the surrounding cities. This was our view from the hotel room and you could see the ferris wheel (pink) in the left.

We had some free time to spend wandering the town and soaking up the local food. On a late Sunday afternoon we got gelato and sat on a bench and watched everyone going about their day. It was nice to see more locals here than tourists.

Monticatini Alto (meaning high or tall) sits on top of a mountain at the edge of town. We could see the small town up there as we walked around near our hotel.

You can drive up to the mountain top but we took the funicular that was near our hotel. The funicular has been in service since 1898 and was a little jerky as we made our way up the mountain.

The view from the top was amazing. You could see most of Monticatini Terme from the top.

We walked all around the outside of the small village and on one side we saw a pool on the side of the mountain. Now that’s a pool with a view! The house was on the other side of the street and they had a tunnel under the street going from the house to the pool deck.

Shots of the village above. It was a little cool and windy up there on this morning.

We had lunch here. La Torre was run by some older Italian men who barely spoke English. We got salads and pasta and I had the best spaghetti cooked in red wine with pancetta and onions.

Riding back down the mountain later that afternoon.

Monticatini is know for it’s mineral rich thermal spas and is a designated Unesco World Heritage site. The Terme Tettuccio spa was built in 1779 and is still used today.

Looking down a quiet street.

The town has a lot of green space and there was a beautiful park near our hotel.

Sunset from our hotel on our last night in Tuscany. The next day we were heading back to Rome and Naples.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) at Image-In-Ing.

Sunset on the causeway

On December 31, 2025January 3, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography, Tampa bay sights6 Comments

Back at the end of August I went for a sunset walk at the Dunedin causeway. The sun was still up pretty high so I had time for a long walk since I wanted to be at the other end of the causeway before the sun went down.

The sun was peeking through as I walked past the kayak rentals.

I made it to the west end with plenty of time.

Every Wednesday night jeep owners have a meet-up here to watch the sunset on the causeway. I counted 42 jeeps this night. They have events during the year such as the Trunk or Treat Halloween event that draws tons of people. During December many of the jeeps are decorated for Christmas.

When I got to the west bridge there were a lot of flying critters also watching the sun go down.

Heading back to my car I saw a great egret catch a fish and take off in front of me after swallowing it.

Almost down and I still had quite a ways to get back to my car. There wasn’t any clouds in the sky for a great after glow so I wasn’t paying attention on the way back.

🎵 “Don’t let the sun go down on me” 🎵

On December 10, 2025January 3, 2026 By dinajohnstonIn Tampa bay sights5 Comments

I usually like to get my walks out of the way in the morning but every once in a while I have something else going on so I walk later in the day and try to catch sunset. In late August I started my walk at the Dunedin marina and walked for about an hour around the area before coming back to my car before the sun set.

I walked down a neighborhood street that runs along the water before getting back to the marina.

The sun was going down on the “still damaged” dock. They are currently repairing the damaged areas in the marina and are supposed to start on the dock early next year.

Going down along the jetti in front of the marina.

🎵 “Sittin on the dock of the bay” 🎵

The End.

Beautiful colors after the storms

On November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn Uncategorized5 Comments

Lightning from the bathroom window in late July.

Beautiful summer skies from the front and back yard in late July. When it storms late in the day and the sun comes out right before dark bright colors appear for a short time.

The little frogs come out after a storm. They show up on the windows and the walls outside.

This is Fred. He has a specific hump on his neck and back and sleeps on the old white trellis during the day. If he sees me walking up to the window he jumps over to the window and acts like he wants to come in.

Around the yard in early July

On November 8, 2025October 28, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

The little hummy was still visiting the backyard in early July.

The bunny too. It’s always fun to catch him with a mouthful.

I looked out the back and saw 2 black bellied whistling ducks walking around. I’ve seen them many times on the other side of the lake across the street but this was the first time seeing them in the backyard.

They started taking a bath in the small newly formed pond that appears after a heavy storm.

One afternoon I looked out the back and saw a turkey lurking around near the bird feeder and bath. I shot this through the window. Later I didn’t see her and walked outside with my camera.

Looking around I saw her standing in between 2 trees in back of my neighbor’s. I sat down on my patio chair and watched her for a few minutes.

She plopped down and fell asleep while I was sitting there. After a while I quietly got up and went back instead. She was gone a little later after her quick nap.

A brown thrasher showed up while I was watching the turkey sleep.

Sunsets in July from the pond across the street. Note the alligator in the middle of the pond in the first shot. He’s a small one and I don’t see him often.

Summer skies in the yard

On November 3, 2025October 24, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

The best thing about the quick late day summer showers are the rainbows that follow. I saw the sun peeking out after a storm and ran out the back door to catch the above.

The clouds were swirling over our driveway one afternoon in late June.

I was able to catch lightning through the upstairs bathroom window.

Sunset over the pond across the street.

The juvenile bluebirds (with the white spots on their wings) were growing up fast. There were two families that were feeding at the dried mealworm feeder most of the summer.

Bunnies were still coming by to eat the grass late in the day. One day I saw a one near the patio and then later I looked out the window for him and didn’t see him. At first I thought he left and then I saw movement right below the window. He ate through most of that spider plant.

The hummingbird was feeding on the shrimp plant.

I was keeping my eye on her as she left the shrimp plant and flew up near the top of the oak tree. I was able to run upstairs and catch her through the bedroom window. She sat up there several days in a row after feeding.

This young Carolina wren was taking a break on the patio (which has since been cleaned) and was eating bugs from the patio but I think he thought that leaf was something yummy to eat as well.

Someone in the neighborhood is feeding the ibis. This one saw me standing in the door and walked right up to it looking for a snack. I took the above with my phone.

I was out doing yardwork at the end of June and heard what I thought was a swallow tail kite calling. I ran inside and grabbed my camera and was back out right as this one was sailing overhead along the golf course. Luckily there wasn’t anyone on the course and I was standing on the tee getting shots. There were 3 of them cruising over the trees and circling back over the back yard.

I realized that one of them had a frog in his talons.

A juvenile landed in the pine tree in our backyard and was screaming at the parent. He wanted the parent to bring him the frog and the parent wanted him to come after the frog and learn to feed himself. The parent with the frog made several passes over the pine tree, yelling at the young one. The juvenile finally flew off and followed the parents over the trees and they were gone.

Storms moving through the front yard as the sun peeks out right before sunset.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) at Image-In-Ing.

The backyard in late june

On October 18, 2025September 20, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

The bluebird families were continuing to come to the mealworm feeder in the backyard throughout the summer.

I saw a pileated woodpecker in the oak tree in the back and ran out with my camera. I realized there were two of them and they were pretty high up in the tree. Dad (with the red stripe under his beak) quickly fed the juvenile and then went scooting up the tree with the young one screaming behind him.

Other birds at the mealworm feeder included a Carolina wren family and the thrasher that’s been hanging out here for a month.

We’ve had several bunnies stopping by and it’s fun to see 2 at the same time. One was much bigger than the other so I’m thinking the little one is an offspring of the bigger one.

A ruby throated hummingbird feeding on the shrimp plants.

The young squirrels spent so much time playing.

A juvenile Carolina wren was spreading his wings out in sun on our patio chair.

Watching the moon going down in the early morning from the driveway.

Summer skies in late June at the pond across the street.

The backyard in late May into early June

On October 6, 2025November 9, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

We’ve had 2 bunnies in the backyard since May. They both still come every few late afternoons, although not always at the same time. The first shot is the smaller bunny which I think may be offspring of the bigger one.

We had several juvenile tufted titmouse visit. They still have a little bit of cream in the corner of their beaks and don’t look so scruffy as the adults. I’m assuming they nest somewhere nearby.

We had a lot of juvenile cardinals as well.

Bluebirds have become regulars to the dried mealworm feeder and I can’t stop taking pictures of them.

We had a pair of brown thrashers in the backyard for a few weeks.

I saw the Carolina wrens hopping around and watched them go into my neighbor’s patio as the juvenile was still following the parent with the bug. The parent was teaching the young one to look for bugs but the young one just wanted to be fed.

My hanging shrimp plants were doing well. The hummingbirds get the nectar from inside the white part of the bloom.

I found some lacewing eggs on my jade plant that is up against the sunroom window. Those tiny white dots turn into something that looks like a moth but are a pretty green. I had the dots along the window as well but still haven’t seen any of the actual lacewings in the yard.

This is the first time I’ve seen one of these. A green coneheaded planthopper.

Taken through the window, a squirrel looking at me with an acorn in his mouth. I think he was afraid I was going to watch where he hid it.

I saw the turkeys through the window but since they were across the fairway I snuck out the back door and was able to get the above from the patio.

Later I looked out the back window and this one was right in front of our patio. I took the above through the window as she stared at me for a few seconds and then left with her friends.

Sunset going down behind the pond across the street.

Around the yard in early May

On September 15, 2025October 15, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

Watching through the trees as the sun goes down across the street.

Watching the sun go down from the kitchen window as a squirrel photobombs the picture.

Out in the backyard, the dried mealworm feeder was busy.

We had several bald molting cardinals visiting the feeders in early May.

Lizards were getting frisky. I took the above through the sunroom window.

I was taking the garbage out front and heard great crested flycatchers calling to each other. I ran and got my camera. They landed high up on the trees in the yard.

This dove was spending time in the begonia plant. I thought she might start a nest there but a few days later she left.

My neighbor on the left had siam tulips blooming and my neighbors on the right had plumeria blooming. I have the advantage of seeing them both from my patio.

I heard Harley (my 11 year old cockatiel) screaming from the sunroom. I ran over to the window and saw a red shoulder hawk on the ground in the back. Harley has a very specific “there’s a hawk back there” scream. After putting him in his cage I opened the back door and chased the hawk away (but not before taking a picture).

We had a few juvenile red bellied woodpeckers coming through with the parents. I was out in the backyard and was able to catch Mom feeding one.

My pitcher plant was blooming.

One late morning I was coming into the neighborhood and saw a coyote walking down the sidewalk right before my street. I luckily had my camera in the car and pulled over and was able to get a few shots before it took off into the woods.

The sunset shining on the clouds in the backyard right before dark.

Around the yard in late April

On September 1, 2025October 15, 2025 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

Everything was blooming in the front courtyard in late April.

My neighbor’s plumeria was peeking over the wall.

The lady ruby throated hummingbirds were coming several times a day.

The titmouse were checking out the unused bird house but they didn’t build a nest.

We had several young squirrels hanging around the backyard and they think our philodendron plants in between the two big oak trees are their playground. One morning I was sitting on the patio with my camera hoping to catch the hummingbird and this squirrel had the best time playing in the plants.

Taking a break from playing to eat a snack.

This blue jay is not shy and flew right over and sat on my chair and watched me reading for a while.

By late April the suet feeder was down and I added a small open feeder on that hook. I filled it with mixed seed and dried mealworms, hoping to attract the bluebirds back. In the beginning all I saw were the usual birds including woodpeckers and titmouse.