Chief Tomokie Statue, Tomoka State Park - January 3, 2015

This park's best feature was a cool statue.  It is very beautiful and strange.  I guess it used to have a reflecting pool out in front, more figures, and Chief Tomokie used to hold a spear. 

Tomoka State Park - January 3, 2015

Nice view and a surprise pair of loons out in the water!  Also many ducks flying overhead - lesser scaup?

The Loop, Ormond Beach - January 3, 2015

This part of the drive was pretty cool.  Would be good for motorcycles.

Bulow Creek State Park - January 3, 2015

A second cool tree for the day!  I was actually able to walk inside of this one.  There were no signs or information, just happened across it down the trail heading away from the mill.

Bulow Creek Sugar Mill - January 3, 2015

This place was great for photos and had a lot of great history too.  So strange to think of the people who were there once upon a time.
 

Fairchild Oak, Ormond Beach - January 3, 2015

Wow!  What an amazing tree. From the pictures, it is difficult to get a sense of scale, but this tree was massive, and hundreds, if not thousands of years old.  The plaque said it was 2,000 years old, but I didn't think oak trees lived quite that long.  Take a look!

Gaylord Palms - January 2, 2015

Wanted to see this place before Christmas, but maybe it was a good idea to go after because it was crowded enough as it was!  Definitely worth the trip though.  Inside, it was 9 degrees.  I have never been in 9 degrees before.  What a strange feeling!  Spent a bit of time inside taking photos, otherwise the cold may have pushed me through the rooms very quickly.  If you have never heard of this place before...all of this is made of ice!

Moon Ring - January 1, 2015

A special start to the new year when I just happened to see the moon halo tonight.  Apparently the same phenomenon happens with the sun, but is much more difficult to photograph (for obvious reasons).  This was pretty tricky to photograph too.  I had to spend over an hour to get these shots.

Fred Howard - January 1, 2015

By chance I ended up at Fred Howard on January 1st again!  Got to watch a bird release after rehab at a Sanctuary.  Also saw a banded piping plover (that was already there), an  osprey hunting for fish, and I watched the sunset.