Opting Outside — This Is Rika

Thanksgiving is usually a big Holiday for me. I love to cook a big dinner for family and friends. This year was much smaller, Rob and I spent the day alone enjoying my home cooked meal and watching our traditional thanksgiving movie "Monsters Inc". It was a nice quiet day and we enjoyed relaxing. Black Friday has been a fun day for us in the past, we get up early and head out to grab a bargain or two and people watch. This year Rob had to work and I stayed home and did absolutely nothing! It was so nice for a change! Saturday we did get out for a tiny bit of shopping and later in the afternoon (evening, I hate it getting dark so early!) we went over to Pier Park to see Wynonna Judd and her new band, The Big Noise. The Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau put on the free event. Wynonna sounded great!

Wynonna belting it out. She sounded great!

Sunday was another beautiful weather day here in North Florida. Rob and I got up and out fairly early and headed out to one of our favorite places. St Marks Wildlife Refuge in the big bend Area of North Florida is a beautiful place to get outside and bird watch. With the absence of rain lately several of the ponds were pretty dry making the birding not so great this trip. The warmer weather up north hasn't helped either, I hope now that the snow is starting to fall next month will see a big increase in migrating birds. The Gators and turtles however where out and enjoying the sunshine.

While there were not as many ducks and other water fowl as usual there were still several birds out and other wildlife. We took a nice nature trail walk (about 3 and a half miles) and along the way we saw 3 deer, and 2 river otters (too fast to get a picture but they were so cute!) and several gators of various sizes.

Coots, they can be seen most any time at the refuge

Below are a few more bird shots from the day.

One of my favorite birds, the great and powerful American Bald Eagle

A 2nd Black Crowned Night Heron Juvenile

After the walk we headed down to the light house to watch the sunset. A quick stop at picnic pond first, like I said earlier it was a beautiful day!

The sunset over the Gulf of Mexico this night was an incredible one! The color was so soft and yet strong. A few of these pictures were taken zoomed in quiet a bit so the color is stronger than it looked to the naked eye. But I liked the effect so I thought I would share them as well.

These last 2 were taken on our way out of the refuge,

I think this will be a new tradition for Thanksgiving weekend. All the crazy running around and buying things at perceived bargains is not where my heart is any more. Next year won't you join me in getting outside and enjoying the beautiful country that we live in? Opt Outside and enjoy all of the beauty around us! This is worth so much more to me, this is what I am thankful for this year!