A beautiful park

                                    

Atop a hill at Three Mountains Park

There is nothing I dislike about Florida more than how flat it is.                                                           
As an outdoor enthusiast who likes to hike and cycle, I find nothing more boring than not having hills and valleys to traverse. 
      
Nice view at Vista View

In fact, it is so terrible that I have basically parked my bicycle since coming to Florida.                                                                                           
Me who have been a cycling enthusiast since as far back as I can remember.😡      

All was not entirely lost though, for I had discovered a park in nearby Coral Springs called Three Mountain Park.

So named because it has three dumped-up hills. 

In desperation I have been going there on Saturdays, so as not to lose my hill climbing muscles totally.

Section of Vista View

It’s certainly not a Park though although it is listed as such.

I would just call it an open area, for it has no hiking trails, is often overgrown and only has a tiny, inadequate play area for kids.

Nice hiking trails at Vista View

It’s so yucky, that most times I go there, I see no one else.

But to get away from the flatness, I looked forward to the Saturday treks there.

Until a friend introduced me to Vista View Park in Davie, some 20 minutes away.

Well Three Mountain Park will never see me again and I think the CITY OF CORAL SPRINGS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF FOR EVEN CALLING THAT DUMP A PARK. 😡

Vista View Park only has hills because it was dumped up, just like Three Mountains Park. But guess what, they have put in benches, tables, hiking trails, restroom and water station, because clearly, the people at Davie know what a park is!

I have never seen any animals except a wild coyote once at Three Mountains. But there were sand cranes peacefully feeding in the grass when I went to Vista View today. Also there are quite a few burrowing owls that lay and hatch in roped-off areas, as they are clearly protected there.

I am elated to find somewhere with hills in Broward, being run by City Council that really cares.

Coral Springs City Council sucks.

Even animals know the difference!

 But at least the City of Davie knows what a Park is!

 

 

 

I’m moving!

Having to move house, has always been one of the most unnerving and discombobulating activities. And it doesn’t get any easier just because one gets older and more experienced.

Well, this time it won’t be so bad as I am simply moving from one apartment block to another within the same complex.

And where I am going will be better as I will have far more room.

But I  am going to miss the fantastic view from my bedroom window terribly.😢

Look at this night view from my window.

And this is the morning view.

This below is what I will be looking at from now on.

I know, it dosen’t look so bad but its just that I had gotten so accustomed to looking at the beautiful open space with the birds enjoying themselves.

Anyway, I mustn’t complain too much for I do live beside a well-kept golf course which I treat as my backyard.

I love walking around it in the afternoons and seeing the families of ducks, geese, and occasionally sand cranes, egrets and even racoons.

 It’s the damn iguanas that I don’t like seeing

While I get close to the birds and even feed and talk to them, the raccoons are a different story as they are said to have rabies.

I am especially impressed by ganders. They are such great fathers as they stay with the family until the children can fly and become independent. I wish most human fathers were like that! It’s also inspiring to see them all take off together and soar while hooting loudly, when the young ones are learning to fly.

The drakes are not as responsible and what I notice is that because the ducklings are smaller and there is no father around to protect them, they tend to be eaten quickly by the predators. On the other hand, ganders make loud noises, look fierce and stand their ground when you approach their babies!🤗

 The mommy duck usually tries a version of that but she is too small to really protect the ducklings though.😢

.             I have no idea whether it’s the raccoons who eat them or if its gators in the ponds. I have been looking for five years to see if gators are in the water but have never been fortunate/unfortunate enough to see one. 

But I feel they are around!

I have a feeling the racoons are quite fierce too.

 A few days ago, as I walked I saw a mom and two babies drinking water from a puddle in the road. As I approached, the kids ran away quickly but the mom got her hackles up. So, I stopped and she eventually ran to join her kids up in a nearby tree.

Moving won’t really take me away from the general environment and the animals I have become accustomed to. All I am really losing is my room with the view. Still sad but what the heck. 

Love the general environment.

And the upside is that I will be moving from an over 55 block to a regular block. 

That means I am getting younger.😊