An Apalachicola Christmas

I went with some family over to Apalachicola during some Christmas activities. Santa was there, of course, on the foggy, cold winter day. Here are a few pictures. It was a great time of cheer, music, hot chocolate, and joy.

-Out of the Wilderness

Florida State Park Photo Contest… Again!

One of my favorite things to do when I’m camping at state parks is finding fun things to photograph. Mostly I look for wildlife and there are a few photos that have become near and dear to me. A particular badass deer in Louisiana is one that comes to mind.

Florida has amazing state parks (does this surprise anyone?) with the beautiful coastlines and an abundance of wildlife. For the last couple of years I submitted photos to a contest the Florida Park Service has been doing annually. Here are a few photos from last year.

Now it’s that time of year when I have to pick new ones for 2024 and of course, being as indecisive as I usually am, I’m having a hard time narrowing it down! This is where you come in. I have 10 that I like a lot (the contest is for 8 photos) so when you have time, comment on this post with which you like most and if you’re feeling wild, tell me why you like the ones you pick. Or if you have strong feelings against one, I’d love to hear that, too. Thanks for your help. 🙂

-Out of the Wilderness

Llamas As Soft As Cotton Candy

Just me and a couple of llamas, no big deal. The church where I attend had their annual Christmas gathering and among the activities was a petting zoo, of sorts. The animals were from a rescue farm– pigs, chickens, a camel, and of course the llamas. I had no idea how soft their fur was going to be. Wow. For the young one, it was like touching cotton candy, barely even able to feel it.

I also beat my sister at axe-throwing. Can’t leave that little factoid out. 😉

Horses, llamas, pigs, possums… a lot of wildlife lately and it just confirms again that one day I’ll have a possum as a pet. I’ll love it and cuddle it and make sure it has a great life.

-Out of the Wilderness

The Apple Emoji Commercial – The Song and More

We didn’t start the fire… It was always burning, since the world’s been turning… The latest commercial for Apple Intelligence features a song that will 1) get stuck in your head and 2) remind you of the cadence of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” At least those two things are 💯 true for me. I use that 💯 emoji on purpose because the ad is all about creating your own images using Apple Intelligence. Take a look then scroll down for more info… including the song that is definitely NOT Billy Joel’s hit.

The Song. This is a custom song called “Anything You Like” by an artist who goes by the name The Dare. His given name is Harrison Smith. He’s a musician, creator, singer, and has worked on projects with Charli XCX so clearly he’s got good things going on professionally. Give him a follow on Instagram @itsthedare.

Less Than Meets the Eye. Apple Intelligence gives you the ability to create your own emojis, Apple is calling them Genmojis, which I’m assuming is a combination of generate and emojis. What they’re barely telling you, though, is that you won’t be getting exactly what you’re seeing in the commercial. Check out the fine print…

What are some emojis you’ve been dying to send to friends and family? Chime in below!

-Out of the Wilderness