Friday Foto Friends.....

Happy Friday!!  Let's link-up with Debbie over at Breathing In Grace for her Friday Foto Friends party!  Visit her blog HERE.

I vowed that I would not post photos (again) from our visit to the ranch (Joe's client and our friends) but it was a very different visit this time, for me!!  For reasons of privacy, I will call our friends John and Jane.  They have been Joe's clients for years and a few years ago I connected with them on social media and then we started visiting/socializing.  When I retired, Joe invited me to go with him one day and I've been going each week since. I usually sit outside where the view is amazing and read my book while Joe works.  They are happy for me to be there.  This is my view from the patio...

Yesterday, while Joe and 'Jane' were working on the books, 'John' came in and said he needed to go tack up some fencing in a couple of the far pastures.  He asked if I wanted to ride along in the ATV while he made the repairs.  Wow!  Of course, I said yes.  The ranch is 1,200 acres and they have cattle, goats, chickens, turkeys, horses....you have seen my animal photos in previous weeks.  Their dog, Midgie, came along.  I was out with them for almost two hours and it was wonderful!!  I was also able to see more of the tornado damage that spun off from Irma a few weeks ago. There are trees down everywhere and it will take some big equipment to get it all cleared out. Huge job.  But I digress.  Here are some of the photos I took while we were out....

First is the new chicken coop.  Irma took the old one and this is the new home for the chickens. Quite luxurious.  'Jane' gave me three eggs to take home.  She is happy to have them laying where she can find the eggs now.

This duck won't leave.  He got very attached to the chickens while they were free-ranging.  He really seems to be lost and pining for company.  Too cute.  

This is a lake that borders the property.  It was a beautiful day to be out on the land.

This is a river that runs through the property and 'John' cleared this area so the grandkids would have a place to put the canoes and kayaks in the water.

The river has a bunch of trees down across it, making navigation on the water difficult.

There are two separate herds of cattle.  This is part of one on the back pastures.  If you click the photos to enlarge them, you can see better.

If you click on this one, you can see 'John' working on the fence.  The dog followed him each time he got out of the ATV. It was so cute.  'John' said she is protecting him from bears.  Haha.

This is Midgie, taken last week (she was on my lap in the office).  One of those fierce little things that would take on a bear if she thought John or Jane were being threatened!

More wild pasture area...

And of course, a gorgeous Florida sky. 

For the first time, Joe and I saw a deer when we were driving in (the lane to the house, from the road, is two miles long).  The deer ran along a fence until it found a place to jump over. It was graceful and majestic.  A wild turkey seemed to be following the deer which was quite curious.  Sorry I couldn't get a photo while driving.

It was a fun day for me!!  The mosquitoes were horrid when we stopped in the fields.  I hadn't prepared with repellent since I wasn't expecting to go out on this adventure, but I persevered. I also ended up with little burrs stuck to my sweater, which I didn't realize was hanging outside the vehicle and flapping along through the brush and weeds...not prepared there either.  They pulled right off.  Worth the good time!  I've never been in an ATV before and can only liken it to our air-boat rides through wild weeds and untamed areas.  It was so much fun!

I can't let November 3rd go by without mentioning that it is my dad's birthday.  I'm sure he is celebrating in Heaven (if birthdays matter there).  Lost him in 1989 to lung and brain cancer.  He would be 91 if we still had him with us.  Miss him still.  This photo was two months before he died.  He was only 63.  I know he would have loved being out on the land with me and 'John' on Wednesday.  He was raised on a farm and loved to hunt and hike through fields.  No ATVs back then but I know he would have had one!! Makes me smile.

Thanks for peeking in today!  Wishing you a good weekend!  Peace & hugs.