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(Click on images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) Sweltering summer days. Exploring in August usually means being out early. Today, we braved the humidity and building thunderstorms to visit one of our favorite patches at sunset. Citrus groves criss-crossed by clay roads are bordered by pastures, weedy fields, small lakes and a blueberry farm which seems to have been unsuccessful based on the level of disrepair we found. In a couple… Read More
(Click images to enlarge, click again to zoom.) “Wow!” That’s an overused interjection, for certain. Sometimes, however, nothing else conveys the meaning one seeks. Besides, it’s a direct quote, so there. The object of Gini’s amazement hove into view as we came to the first bend in the road after entering Colt Creek State Park. A large swath of lavender along the edge of the pine forest offered a spectacular “Welcome Back“…. Read More
Life is precious. Step outside. Breathe deeply. Tell someone you love them. (Our handlers released the latch to the door of our confinement and we furtively stepped onto the soft grass. It took a few moments for us to realize that we could once again spread our wings fully. In unison, we ran forward, flapped vigorously and were propelled into the bright blue sky. As we … “slipped the surly bonds of… 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.) Just after sunrise, by the side of a lake, we take delight in the distant, slightly eerie calls of Limpkins. Do they know they are the only living members of their avian Family (Aramidae)? Would they care? We are fascinated with the strange call, answered by calls from several different areas. An Osprey crashes into the surface of the lake, submerges briefly and… Read More
Our Natural Places 