Baby!!!! It' really cold outside!!!

We've had below freezing temps here for three days.  Yesterday it snowed.  Such a slap in the face!!!  It would be fun to make jokes about the people in the south handling a little ice, but it was really bad.  Schools were closed - even today.  It snowed, sleeted, rained, sleeted, snowed.  It was exciting for the rangers - they were out walking in the forest and taking pictures.  Extremely unusual weather for this part of the country.  Most of my friends know highway 10.  It was closed for 10 counties, from the Alabama border east.  Smart move.  Prevented something like Atlanta from happening.

The pictures are of my screen house, my car, and my chair.  Perhaps not in that order, but who cares.  Certainly not me!!!

I just saw a deer right outside my moho.  I tried to get King Tucker to get up and look at it.  I was really excited.  He just put his head back down and siad, "Oh, another one".  Brat dog.

Controlled burn

I found it a bit unnerving since it was VERY close to my campsite. I had to go into town and saw a lot of trucks turning into our park. When I returned, the fire was right up to the road. Scary!  After we returned home, KT and I walked over to the burned out area. It is creepy. The sound of the fire is very different than I expected. I can't explain nor describe it. I didn't like it.  These controlled burns are imperative to a healthy forest. However, I would prefer them someplace else. 

The wind is blowing the smoke and sound toward me. I can hear the fire from inside the Moho. The smoke blocks out the sun. 

Deer Hunters

Yesterday I drove through the Apalachicola National Forest and Tate's Hell which is a protected wild area.  They are both huge areas and very isolated and snakey and swampy and foresty and, all in all, my kind of area.  I saw a lot of deer hunters standing beside their trucks at the edge of the road.  I was puzzled, but thought nothing more about it.  Well, turns out they set their radio collared dogs out to chase the deer, then figure out the direction they're coming and just wait for the deer to pop out of the forest.  Looks like they attract more hunters when they do that.  Wonder who gets the deer.  Doesn't seem very sportsmanlike.

It appears that this area is full of subsistance hunters and fishermen.  One of the rangers goes every off day and gets something for them to eat.  Once it was a duck, then 2 deer, then fish.  Camoflage is the fashion choice of this area.  I guess this is really a concentrated area of tobacco chewing rednecks.  When I go to the gas station, I watch where I step because they are always spitting.  A bit gross for me.

Update on King Tucker

He's overcome his fear of men, but I haven't found any disposable children to try him on.  We have no screens in our moho - courtest of KT's sepation anxiety.  I duct taped some new screen pieces up, we discussed it, and he hasn't torn them down  Good boy.  As for the cucumber mint lip balm I left on the table - I hope it tasted good.  When will I learn - er - wait a minute!  Good thing he has a lot of good points.  I love him.  He'll never replace Meekah and Sulty, but he's giving it a good try.

I'm thinking he has a good heart and a gentle soul.  Just patiently awaiting the arrival of this part of him.

Fun with Friends

Great night, great food, great friends!  Bob and Judy Shatney stopped for a visit.  We did the campfire thing with a couple of beverages, then went to dinner at the Tropical Trader.  Mmmmmm!  We had fresh flounder with salad and Greek potatoes and it was awesome.  Bob enjoyed his oysters and shrimp to the ultimate. 

 It was such a treat to have them visit.  I live a very simple life here - kind of hermit style - not at a like my home life in Muskegon.  I'm quite alone in my spot, which I do enjoy, but I still like to see my friends from all over.  Earlier in the week I had Rialta friends visit - Vickie and her husband and two dogs.  Really nice people.  Guess I'm not a total hermit after all.

I was doing some memories later that night.  Bob and I have known each other from kindergarten to the present.  Who would have thought two little Lakeside kids would grow up and meet in a remote campground in the Florida Panhandle.  We both have done such great things with our lives.  I'm proud of us.  I am so happy and proud to have such great friends.  I know they will always be there - cripe - they've put up with me for this long, what's a couple more years!

Panhandle fun

I have been so dang busy, I haven't kept up with my blog.

I haven't been able to do my hosting job in the campground spot because I have a naughty dog.  I apologized to the rangers, but I just don't trust KT with lots of men and kids.  He's come a long way and accepts men, but I can't find a spare kid to try him out on.  I have felt to guilty because they really need someone in the campground.  Well, we have a really nice couple that I met in the campground that will be filling that post.  I am so happy I don't have to feel guilty any more.  I will be doing the day use areas and that is just fine with me.  The day use is really beautiful.  It's at the confluence of the Dead River and Ochlochonee River.  Yippee!!!

I stay at the volunteer compound with three rangers living in houses.  It is so incredibly quiet!!  Deer are alway around which keeps KT occupied.  We are both very happy here.

Today was my second day off and I took KT to my favorite spots to hike and explore forest and beaches.  We had such a great time.  However, I'm pooped and he is all Tuckered out (that's for my son Bob's sense of humor).  He had such a great time with a palmetto root in the water.  He was afraid at first, then discovered it was a great toy.  Why do I buy him those expensive plastic things that he ignores.  He's like a kid - give him an empty box or a stick and he's happy.

Forgot to mention my social life.  I had a Rialta couple, Vicky and her husband and dogs visit.  Bob and Judy are stopping tomorrow and Ann and Jim are coming in February.  There are more people on my agenda for visits in the future.  I am way too busy!!!!

White fawn

Ranger sent these to me. 

Worrisome Weather

I'm so shocked at the -2 degrees in Muskegon and all the other low temps throughout the country.  This is just awful!  I just hope my friends and family are careful and take care of themselves.

It's 35 here in the park at the moment and will drop to 22 by morning.  Check my weather at Sopchoppy, FL.  

Isn't it strange that we have such wacky weather that will be over and done with by Thursday.

My park not only has white squirrels, but also 2 white deer.  The one I saw has a brown face and neck. Really a beautiful creature.  The picture is a bit blurry, but you can get a general idea.