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Welcome to my weekly update for February 18, 2024!
On our second day in Florida a couple of weeks ago, we just took our time driving down through the Keys. I’ve only made the trip one time and that was with my in-laws. We were able to stop and look around a little more freely this time on our own. As we tooled along, we listened to a Guide Along audio tour I downloaded for the trip (I love these tours and highly recommend them. They’ve probably got one for any scenic road trip you can take in the US and Canada. There are even a couple in Australia).
One of my favorite stops was at The Turtle Hospital, where a team rehabs and releases injured sea turtles. They admitted about 100 turtles last year and were able to release about 80 of them back into the wild. It was sad to see all the injured turtles there but it was nice to know that there are people who are helping them.
I also wanted to see the tiny Key Deer so we drove into the National Key Deer Refuge. The visitor’s center was already closed by the time we got there but we drove through the refuge and didn’t see anything. Then we took a detour through some nearby neighborhoods and there were so many deer eating the lawn grass! There were signs everywhere reminding us not to feed the deer but the first thing we saw was a family pulled over so the mom could take pictures of her young daughters hand-feeding them. *sigh*
Slideshow:
All images © Jennifer G. at Introverted Reader 2024
- Sombrero Beach in Marathon
- A Key Deer! They’re so tiny and cute! I promise I was in the car taking this picture while my husband drove by slowly. I wasn’t offering any food but this little one has obviously been fed by people before.
- A Portuguese man o’ war. There were several of these “jellyfish” (not exactly, but related) washed up on shore at Sombrero Beach. We were surprised that so many people were in the water with these animals in the area. They have a vicious sting that can leave scars. My husband, who mostly grew up in Miami, didn’t even trust me, a mountain girl, to take a picture without injuring myself! They sure are pretty to look at though.
- Twilight view from our hotel on Sugarloaf Key.
Posted:
It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright: Review– 4 Stars
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley: Review–4 Stars
Read:
Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) by Seanan McGuire–4 Stars
The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands by Jon Billman–4 Stars
The Art of the National Parks by Fifty-Nine Parks–4 Stars
Currently Reading:
Love Overboard by Janet Evanovich
Metamorphoses by Ovid, translated by Charles Martin
Mirror Lake (Shady Hollow #3) by Juneau Black, read by Cassandra Campbell
Up Next:
I’ll probably start After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis soon since that’s a library book.
What did your week look like?
Hosts:
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
I’m glad there’s a rehab facility for the sea turtles, but it sucks that such a thing is needed. I’m sure if we took my youngest there, we would never be able to leave. The art in the National Parks book is gorgeous and looks like some of the art from the board game Parks (that image is used for Mount Rainer National Park).
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
Beautiful photos and thank you for not feeding those deer! Why can’t people follow rules? They’re in place for a reason. Sigh.
Looks like a fun trip! I’ve only been to the Keys once, and the Turtle Hospital was booked solid so we couldn’t go. But it was still a wonderful trip! Next time I’m going to have to seek out those deer, though. So cute!
I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to visit the Turtle Hospital since we didn’t have reservations on a winter weekend but we got lucky and walked right in. You’ll definitely have to look for the deer!
The Turtle Hospital sounds wonderful. We almost stepped on a stingray once. Down in Clearwater. they had the signs out and we were wading and I said watch out for that stone. Then it moved- a stingray
Oh my. I’m glad you avoided it!
What great photos! There are times we see jellyfish on the Outer Banks beaches. Dog goes after them. So far, no disastrous results. 13 of the Worst Breakups in History sounds good. Hope you have a great week.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2024/02/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and_02091337683.html
Yes, I see moon jellies on the coasts of the Carolinas pretty regularly.
Nice photos. It looks like a good trip. Your books look good too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Thanks!
That deer is so tiny! I love it. I’m glad you’re having a good trip. If I ever go anywhere again, I’ll look for an audio tour. I’m the type of person who always stops to read the educational signs. 🙂
These audio tours are basically the roadside signs so you’ll love them! You download them ahead of time and they’re triggered by your GPS location.
My son got stung by a jellyfish in Galveston. It was painful. That Man O’ War is beautiful nevertheless.
The Art of the National Parks looks like a beautiful book. I’d love to read it.
We are learning to help with turtle rescue right now. We are going to Padre Island next month to learn more.
How awesome, to help with the turtles! I’d love to see the babies hatch sometime. I believe my husband’s oldest brother and his family, who live in San Antonio, went somewhere around Padre Island to watch them hatch one year.
If you haven’t yet read it I recommend On Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery which examines turtle rescue efforts.
We call the Portuguese Man o War Bluebottles, they are very common in Australia and their stings are very nasty.
Wishing you a great reading week
I’ve read How to be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery and loved it! It was one of my top ten books last year. Thanks for recommending this book to me.
Why do people insist on feeding wild animals?! I just don’t get it.
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip; I’ve never done an audio tour while driving.
We really like GPS-based audio tours. It helps us understand what we’re seeing and the history of the area. Think of it as someone reading the roadside signs to you and pointing out the best places to stop. We use them a lot in national parks.
Thank you so much for your lovely photos. I can see why the deer get fed – aren’t they cute? And that jellyfish looks beautiful – not fair that something so deadly can look so exotic. Have a lovely week, Jen:)).
A big part of me was ready to load one of those deer up and bring it home as a pet, if I’m being honest 😀
I don’t blame you!
What amazing photos! It’s wonderful how much you get out and see new things. You’re reading some pretty good books too. Thanks for sharing.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Thank you!
I would have love the turtle hospital, anything to make an animal, reptile, etc. better is wonderful to me. Have a wonderful week, Jen ☕📚🐉🤗
Agreed!
You’ve read some very interesting books. I love the sound of It Ended Badly and the Lucy Foley. Also the Art of the National Parks. Enjoyed reading about your holiday.
Thanks for stopping by!
That little Key Deer is so cute! We haven’t visited the Keys in forever. Enjoy your time there!
I’m in South Florida once a year to visit my in-laws but this was only my second trip to the Keys. I’ve wished for more time to see everything after each trip.
The Florida Keys is one place I would like to visit!!
That Janet Evanovich book takes me back! I read that years ago and remember being amused by it!!
Have a great week.
I agree about the velella velella. My sister and I saw them at Cabrillo National Monument near San Diego last spring. They were so cool!
What a cute little deer! It looks like it has short legs. Lol. The Portuguese man o’war isn’t quite as cute. Looks a little bit like velella velella, which we see on our coast every so often. Gorgeous twilight photo! Love the reflection of the clouds on the water.