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A Natural Place For Therapy

(Today’s post describes our visit to Colt Creek State Park in central Florida on September 26, 2025. Gini had knee replacement surgery 30 days prior. I will have four more sessions to complete 36 visits to the clinic for cardiac rehabilitation. Our last outing in Nature was August 15. Kudos to those who waded through all three blog parts!) (Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Friday. Late afternoon. No… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: celestial lily, chapman's goldenrod, colt creek state park, eastern phoebe, four-petal st. johnswort, gulf fritillary, pine lily, rayless sunflower, red-shouldered hawk, seven sisters, spider wasp, wild turkey

Familiarity Breeds Content

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) This year has been a bit different than others. “Getting old“, my bride says, “is not for sissies.” Indeed. Hindsight indicates we should have purchased one of those extended service warranties for our bodies. Our appointment calendar sure has been filled with visits to all sorts of medical practioners, laboratories, imaging services and we are now on a first-name basis with the local… Read More

Category: Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: annual blue-eyed grass, bar-winged skimmer, blackroot, carolina desert-chicory, carpenter-mimic leafcutter bee, chicory, common sunflower, coralbean, four-petal st. johnswort, gulf fritillary, mexican pricklypoppy, spring ladies' tresses

“One of the Forever Gifts …”*

(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Here we are again. We don’t exactly know each tree by their name, but we know we are among friends. The arching branches provide shade for our late morning breakfast. A breeze by itself makes no sound, but when it rustles pine needles above our heads it gives the impression of waves breaking along the shore of our souls. No matter how ingenious… Read More

Category: Birds, Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: bahaman aster, blue-eyed grass, blue-gray gnatcatcher, carolina desert-chicory, cloudless sulphur, common ground dove, common yellow stargrass, downy woodpecker, eastern leaf-footed bug, four-petal st. johnswort, leavenworth's tickseed, little yellow, mexican primrosewillow, north american racer, northern parula, oakleaf fleabane, prairie/savanna lily, red admiral, regal jumping spider, savannah sparrow, spotless lady beetle, walter's viburnum, yellow-rumped warbler, yellow-throated warbler

Finding Lost Lake

Header Image: Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) on Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.) One of our birding “patches” which we often mention is the Tenoroc Fish Management Area. We mention it often because we visit it often. A few minutes drive from the house, the area consists of over 7,000 acres (2800+ hectares) and offers a fairly diverse habitat. There are 30 lakes, hardwood and pine forests, open grassy fields, wetlands and well-maintained trails…. Read More

Category: Flora, Florida, Insects, Photography Tags: american alligator skeleton, apple snail, blue mistflower, brown anole, cloudless sulphur, ferns, four-petal st. johnswort, gulf fritillary, little blue dragonlet, lost lake east, mushroom, orchard orbweaver, rosy camphorweed, southern beeblossom, southern tussock moth, tenoroc fma

Our Natural Places

Exploring - Naturally