It is vital to set goals is life. Without a goal, how do you know where to go? If you don’t know where you’re going it is all too easy to become lost, literally as well as figuratively. Mapping out a route for what you want to do in life is critical to being successful.
Philosophy lesson for the day is over.
Once in a awhile – okay, most of the time – we have no specific goal in mind when we explore Nature. We go. We see. We breathe. We connect – with each other as well as with our surroundings. We are satisfied and “happy”.
I am blessed to have a partner around whom it is impossible to NOT be happy. She is very special.
Today was like any other. That is to say, it was extraordinary! We traveled a short distance to Colt Creek State Park. Open fields, pine woods, lakes, wetlands, cypress swamp, oak hammocks – diverse habitat inhabited by diverse life forms. Moving along at a quick pace produces an amazing array of sights, sounds, aromas, textures. Slowing down reveals an enhanced experience of all of the above. Standing still forces one to appreciate details impossible to see when walking.
We have a favorite spot under the tall long-leaf pines where we enjoy breakfast each time we visit. Today was similar to others. The shrill cry of a Red-shouldered Hawk indicated annoyance at our interrupting her own search for breakfast. A big Pileated Woodpecker flew from one tree to another. Butterflies flitted among blooming Spanish Needles. From low in a scrub palmetto came the song of a White-eyed Vireo and the summertime cicada chorus was non-stop.
A few hours in the park this morning refreshed our souls. Facing a calendar filled with visits to medical practioners and laboratory technicians seems less daunting.
Diversity shared is diversity enjoyed.
Recent rains have created “instant wetlands” where there is typically only tall grass. Adding water sure can be attractive for some. If you know how tall a Great Egret is then you have an idea how tall the grass has become.

All white tells us this Little Blue Heron is still in its first year of growth. Soon it will become mottled with blue/gray splotches and then next spring will show off its full adult plumage.

Pretend you can’t see them. We wouldn’t want to hurt the feelings of this pair of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks who think they are perfectly hidden.

Even at a great distance it is hard to miss the black and white and red of a Red-headed Woodpecker.

Having just emerged from its cocoon, a Gulf Fritillary (Dione incarnata) perches in the morning sun to dry its brand new wings.

A gorgeous bright red bird AND a beautiful song! Hard to beat that combination this morning. The male Summer Tanager is a joy to behold in any season.

Pale Meadowbeauty (Rhexia mariana). Common in the area, uncommon in its loveliness.

An adult Little Blue Heron illustrates how our immature friend above will eventully appear.

Florida has nearly 30 species of Ludwigia to enjoy with some looking very similar which can make identification difficult. The Narrowleaf Primosewillow (Ludwigia linearis) helps by having, just as its name suggests, very narrow leaves. Bright yellow four-petaled blooms appear on single stalks which can reach up to 36 inches.

The preening tree. This cypress tree was a favorite spot for perching and cleaning today.


Sunlight can make the wings of a female Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) glisten even more than usual.

Looking like some alien with large ears, the Hairypod Cowpea (Vigna luteola) is a vine which wraps around sturdier plants, smothering some in the process. A lovely yellow bloom makes us almost forgive its bad growing habits.

Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). We grew up taking these ancient creatures for granted as here in central Florida they were so abundant. Although still plentiful in some areas of Florida, their habitat continues to disappear due to agriculture, mining and construction development. This one was on a mission and totally ignored us as it trundled down the main park road. Thank goodness it obeyed the posted speed limit.



It’s easy to see the relationship to Sunflowers (Asteraceae family) when you spot the fairly small Oppositeleaf Spotflower (Acmella oppositifolia). The plant tends to grow fairly low and sprawls in areas adjacent to lakes and ponds.

A butterfly demonstrates how to drink nectar while upside down. I tried that with milk and it came out my nose. Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes) on Winged Loosestrife (Lythrum alatum).

American Germander (Teucrium canadense) is a lovely member of the mint family. It can reach nearly three feet in height. Pollinators have no problem flying to that altitude for their reward. Depending on which taxonomist you can corner, this plant is also known as Canada Germander, Canadian Germander, Hairy Germander or Wood Sage.

In North America there are more than 1,000 species of Robber Fly. Worldwide, around 7,500. Since I diligently researched all of those species, I concluded this is absolutely, positively a Red-footed Cannibalfly (Promachus rufipes). -maybe-

We are not exactly near the coast, but the gorgeous Saltmarsh Morning Glory (Ipomoea sagittata) just doesn’t care. The wetlands of the middle of the state are just fine, thank you very much.

We got up this morning and traveled to our local state park. I guess that counts as having a goal. We returned feeling better than when we did before our visit. I guess that counts as goal fulfillment. Success can be very narrowly defined by each of us.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit.

We have turned back the clock to mid-July. I guess it is a testament of sorts to how busy we have been that there are several trips which have gone unreported. As we have an opportunity, we shall attempt to catch up.
Weather-wise, today in the first week of September, it could just as easily be the middle of July. High temperatures, equally high humidity. Regularly scheduled thunderstorms. We recognize that the calendar has advanced as we are beginning to see warblers arriving in small numbers with their autumn suitcases packed with plumage for warm climes. Additionally, our Swallow-tailed Kites have left the area in favor of insect rich pampas in Argentina. Recently, we were rudely reminded that it is actually late summer as Hurricane Idalia raced northward along Florida’s western coast.
Back to mid-July. We had brunch by the lake as a Limpkin stalked an Apple Snail. Overhead, we were entertained by the aerial prowess of a Swallow-tailed Kite. An alligator peered at us from just beyond the shoreline. Gini remarked it was difficult to believe we had been exploring for two hours already.
Time flies …
The intense heat would soon encourage us to seek the air-conditioned refuge of our living room. Until then, we would immerse ourselves in close encounters of the natural kind. We have been to this area often enough that we could almost list what we would see before ever leaving home. Once here, it’s like greeting old friends. We know the address of a butterfly, the branch office of a dragon, the wading pool frequented by the egret.
It was a summer’s day. We loved it.
This bright male Northern Cardinal forced me to break my “cardinal” rule of not including photographs of birds on utility lines.

It was still a bit too early for warm air thermals to support the Swallow-tailed Kite’s preference for soaring. This one likely spent the night on this branch.

We don’t care that the Gulf Fritillary (Dione incarnata) is one of our most abundant butterflies. It is absolutely gorgeous from any angle!


A twig charred from a recent controlled burn makes a perfect ambush platform for this female Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea).

So small that it could be mistaken for a wasp, especially when it flies with legs dangling, the diminutive Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera) hopes would-be predators do exactly that.

Although it is not quite as bright as its Gulf cousin, a Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) has a subtle beauty all its own.

It’s hard to believe one could not help but see a brightly colored lime-green spider just sitting out in the open. Unless it is sitting on a similarly-colored leaf where it blends in rather nicely. This Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) hopes an insect morsel won’t notice it either.

One of our larger black butterflies, a Spicebush Swallowtail (Pterourus troilus) has really striking markings.

Many of the lakes in this particular area are too deep for wading birds. Recent rains have created large puddles which attract all sorts of creatures, including this Snowy Egret which is busy looking for some of the smaller creatures enjoying the pool.

North America’s smallest falcon, the American Kestrel, is fascinating to observe. We were able to watch this one hunt from a fence perch and then from the air as it hovered and then streaked along just above a grassy field.



Our morning outing in hot July was incredibly enjoyable. Just like our outing in hot August. Very much like our outing in hot September. We’re confident cooler days are just around the hot, humid bend.
Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!





















































