Hello February!

 Goodness! How can it be February already!?!

In attempting to make a January collage, I knew there would not be enough quilt pictures to suit, so I decided to focus on the main activity for January - our Florida adventure.

So, yes, embrace the adventure! We are talking about doing it again next year, so this might be our new norm. Maybe I will get used to a whole month without sewing. Maybe. We'll see...

Okay, for the collage explanation, let's recap January, shall we? The pictures are in chronological order.

TOP ROW: Our vacation actually began with a trip to see Bellingrath Gardens, south of Mobile, AL. We'd seen a PBS program about this place, and while January is not the optimal time for a visit, we still enjoyed all the beauty of the gardens and house. Entering Florida from Alabama, we got a chance to see the Panhandle area. One beach that looked particularly inviting was Mexico Beach. It was here where I finally removed my shoes and dug my toes into the sand. The views of Florida's interior lakes were often breathtaking, like this one in the vicinity of Mt. Dora, a pleasant little gem of a town near Ocala.

MIDDLE ROW: Throughout most of our month Florida's temperatures were cooler than normal; we did, however, have some spectacularly sunny days. During the time we were with my cousins, we boated on Tsala Apopka Lake, near Floral City. This first picture is from their docking area. In the middle is Floral City's Avenue of Oaks. These trees were planted in the 1880s, and are an iconic landmark for the small town. Originally there were 180 trees, but hurricanes, wildfires, and drought have taken a toll, and now there are 120. 

BOTTOM ROW: Much further south, we visited two National Parks, Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. A well known road, Tamiami Trail, cuts through the parks. We stopped at a couple places along the road to catch glimpses of alligators, turtles, fish, and waterfowl. The swampy Everglades is other-worldly in appearance, but the wildlife here is incredible. We kept hoping to see a panther, as panther crossing signs were posted frequently. Alas, no such sighting. After arriving on the southern east coast (south of Miami), we turned right on Route 1 taking us into and through the Florida Keys. The sun, clouds, and breeze caused ever-changing blues in the waters which totally mesmerized me. I was glad to be a passenger and not the driver. It's hard to fathom that the spectrum could contain so many variations of blue. And at last, back home, I did manage to make a quickie quilt, 4-Patch Delight.

It was a super-fun month! And now I am totally recharged and ready to attack February with verve and energy!

Happy Quilting, Friends!