A warm December day...

It is hard to believe that it is December 28. The temperature today was in the 60's and the sun was shining. Too nice to stay inside. So out I went.

First stop was Bed, Bath & Beyond. Got a new container for my ceramic brushes and two candles. Like I need candles. But they were 50% off. I have a candles addiction like I have a book addition. I have a box full of tarts. A bag full of votives. And another box in my closet of jar candles. If we lose electric, I have enough candles to make people in my neighborhood ask themselves why she has electric and we don't.

I then went to a new park my co-worker told me about. It is about 30 minutes from my house. Very pretty place. It has two names, Cape May County Park North and the Cameron Wildlife Sanctuary. The story goes: Mr. Cameron purchased a lot of acreage many years. He lived and maintained the property for many years. He didn't want developers coming in when he was gone and destroying the land, so he willed it to the County with the stipulation that the land be maintained as a sanctuary. This the County has done. More to the story is when they were constructing the Garden State Parkway, they needed a lot of fill. Mr. Cameron allowed the State to use his dirt, so to speak, hence creating a lot of ponds and lakes.

The park is big. Very big. There is an asphalt walk and natural trails through the woods. Ponds and lakes galore. The only wildlife I came across today is Juncos and Mallard ducks. That's okay. I'll be back.

After I left there I decided to go to Beaver Dam and see if there was any activity at the Eagles nest. I meet four people there who volunteer at the Nature Center. We talked for awhile and the one gentleman set up his high powered scope on the nest. Right below the nest an Eagle. OMG. Majestic birds. They told me that they do an Eagle count. I asked if they knew how many nesting pairs were in Jersey. To the best of their knowledge there are 54 pairs. Jake Landing's owl watches are starting soon. That is where I seen my very first Bald Eagle. I hope to see more this year.

When I got home, I had a cookie tin on my deck. When I opened the card, it was from my neighbor's thanking me for keeping an eye on their house. How nice was this? They come down about twice a month in the winter and just about every weekend in the summer. There has been only one occasion when I had to call them. I like my neighborhood and I do for people in my neighborhood what I hope they would do for me. Oh the cookie tin. It was full of home baked treats. Umm.

Well that's all. All the warm fresh air has worn me out. Enjoy your night.