It feels like Winter in Florida

For the last several days, Florida has been in a deep freeze. Records are being set, crops, and animals that are used to warmer climes, are dying. I have been wearing a down vest over a fleece jacket or sweatshirt everywhere I go. Even inside the Tampa Aquarium! Most places here have no heat. Homes are heated with electricity or fireplaces. There have been many incidents of house fires due to folks being unfamiliar with what we would consider basic fire precautions. One family had their charcoal grill going in the livingroom! The house burned down. "Here's your sign". The sun is shining brightly today, but it is deceiving, for the temperature outside is about 40 degrees, maybe. There are a pair of Red Shouldered Hawks outside the kitchen window. Their feathers are "poofed" to help insulate them from the cold. My mom says this pair has been together for years. They have remained in the area and frequently come to the backyard pond for fish, or vulnerable land creatures. Many of the amphibias creatures have hunkered down in the mud, including the alligators, turtles, and frogs. I haven't seen a single Florida Anole since I arrived. They are under leaves, or other insulated dark places. Frankly, my wanderings here have been very uneventful so far. But the weather will become warmer again, hopefully before I head back north. I love to take hikes/bikes through the JB Starkey Park nearby. When I do, I'll be sure to look much closer for birds, and other creatures that have been hiding from the cold.