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(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) (Note: This visit to Colt Creek State Park occurred on September 17, 2024. On October 8, during the night and the following morning, this area received between 15-20 inches of rain and experienced the 100 mph winds of Hurricane Milton. The roads and trails we enjoyed were inundated and completely covered in water for days. Thanks to amazing work by park employees and… Read More

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Summertime. Hot. Humid. Perfect. Starting early helps maintain a modicum of comfort. Until the sun rises above the tree line. Now it’s like a sauna. With bugs. Sauntering around in a sweltering swamp is, admittedly, not everyone’s cup of chai. The distant calls of Barred Owls and an overflight of a couple dozen White Ibises help take one’s mind off any discomfort. Our… Read More

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) I saw a pretty red flower. Gini whispered: “That’s an orchid.” We were enjoying the final leg of our anniversary road trip. About 30 minutes north of our hotel in Naples, Florida, is the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Consisting of over 13,000 acres, the sanctuary is a testament to citizen action to preserve an ecological treasure. Logging threatened to completely destroy what remained… Read More

(Click image to enlarge, click again to zoom.) We had not taken a road trip for quite awhile. March is the month in which we married, 56 years ago. Time to celebrate. Several locations in southwest Florida have been on our “sure would like to go” list for several years. As we reviewed the map, two new spots and one long-time favorite were declared the winners. The vehicle was serviced, hotel reservations… Read More

(Click images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) “All that water looks really shallow but if you wade out in it you would probably completely disappear in the soft mud.” I’m still trying to work out if Gini was being scientific or making a suggestion. Indeed, the average depth of the water throughout this portion of Merritt Island National Wildlife Preserve is from six to ten inches. There are a few deeper… Read More