BEAR!!

I'm back.  I have had a very nice break from blogging now that my 365 days are up.  I still haven't sent my camera away to be cleaned, its hard to give it up.  The send-away process takes a couple of weeks and I don't like to be without a camera for that long.  I will force myself to give it up one day soon though.  I have been staying very busy.  The park has been a popular place lately as the temperatures have been hot and humid.  Everyone wants to come and swim in the cool spring water to cool off.  Wouldn't you?  I find it hard to believe sometimes that I ever had time to blog everyday.  I have had a couple of long days recently when I got home late, absolutely exhausted and was very happy to not have to blog.  I have been missing it though.  I enjoy sharing the fun events at the park and hearing the reactions.  I think from here on out, there will be a nice balance for me.  I will blog for fun with no stress involved.  To kick off the fun and the new beginning of the blog, I have redesigned the page.  Let me know what you think of the new layout.

I stopped by Katie's Landing last week.  I was just floored by the beauty of the place.  You may remember some construction pictures that I had previously posted.  The majority of the construction took place before I arrived at Wekiwa.  An old facility had been removed and a picnic area, parking area, and restroom had been built.  I witnessed the construction of the bulkhead at the water and the graveling of the canoe launch.  Now, nature has had its way with the new construction and the place looks like it has always been this way.  It is a very inviting place now and I look forward to spending more time there.  I am finding a lot of favorite places in the 42,000 acres that I help to manage that I look forward to utilizing once fall arrives.  The summer heat and humidity mean that any recreational outdoor activity for me involves being in the water.



The most exciting thing that I just had to blog about was my first bear sighting.  I have been wishing and hoping that I would see a bear soon.  I have heard so many other people's bear stories and I was so ready to have my own.  It finally happened!  I was in the office, working on a computer training, when a call came across the radio.  A bear had crossed the main park drive by the ranger station and was headed to my house!!  Several of us in the office ran outside to see what we could see.  My yard is visible from the office and we finally caught sight of a big, beautiful Black Bear!!!  It came out of the woods near us and walked along slowly.  I snapped quite a few pictures and may have done a little dance of joy while we watch the giant bear mosey along.  It wasn't at all interested in us.  It was out exploring and maybe looking for something to eat.  I was so pleased to see such an amazing wild animal outside of a cage, just being itself in the woods.  It was a great experience and definitely worth the wait!  I'm sure it won't be the last bear sighting for me.  Stay tuned and I will continue to share the fun stuff.