Melanie Lulue

I will research the search engine more before making a decision to make it my default, but I will definitely add it as a favorite so I can use it occasionally to help plant trees! Thank you for setting this up as a challenge. :-)

I love all things nature from the plants, to the water, to the animals. Living in central Florida we have much of all things nature and I just love it! I live close to a retention pond called Trout Lake that is also a very vital part of the ecosystem. The number of birds that live in the area (hawks, sandhill cranes, and smaller birds such as blue jays), is astounding. I have many trees in my yard so of course I see many of these birds on a daily basis and the numbers are increasing. I recently saw a blue bunting in my backyard and that is the 2nd time in the almost 21 years I've lived in my home to have such a sighting. I've attached the picture (not the best quality since I was inside my screened patio) I was able to capture with my phone before he flew away.  I've also seen a Baltimore oriole, but he flew off before I could get evidence. Amazing to see! Keep your eyes open as you explore nature. You never know what you might see!

My neighborhood isn't a great place to walk because sidewalks aren't consistent. They don't exist on both sides of the road and some yards skip them completely. It also isn't bike friendly since there are no bike lanes. To walk safely, there are parks nearby and they are beautiful to explore. I do wish our City would invest in making the neighborhoods safer for walking and biking. For my quick therapy escape, I just step outside into my backyard or patio. I have many trees and many birds to enjoy and that is what sold me on my little piece of paradise, as I like to call it.