Potts Preserve - hidden treasure

Pott's Preserve is owned and managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.  Located in eastern Citrus County on the Withlacoochee River it is tucked away, remote to most, but not too far from home.  If you contatct SWFWMD you can drive in or camp there otherwise it's a hke in from the front gate.   Here are some pics from my recent hike .

clik on the pics to enlarge

I don't mind a short walk because of the big oaks along the entrance road

 

there are more big oaks when you get to the camping area

 

Just past the yellow tent is an ancient mound overlooking the river

 

 directly across river from the mound is the mouth of Gum Slough

(which is a whole 'nother jewell in itself)

don't get lost in there - it's tricky

 Classic Withlacoochee River - it means little-big water

because when it spills its banks it covers a wide area 

 

I saw a big-un  . . . . on the other side of the river

 

 a big male osprey in the top of a big cypress

 

tillandsia bartramii starting to bloom everywhere

the tip of the red stalk will bloom bright purple. 

It's a common plant for us in central FL but it's not widely found 

Pott's  is a good place to sit and hang out with friends.  I recommend it as a group camp for my friends that like to get together in a natural setting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Creek - Forested wetlands in the winter light

As with most blogs there is a period of attrition following the normal initial excitement and newness. Such is he same with me and I have not created a new post this year,  So to make things easier I am going to depart from my attempts to blog about the facinating facets of the world we live in.   Now I am going to post  photos of my travels.   It will be much easier on me and will hopefully increse the frequency of new posts.. 

For example:  The other day I explored  Spring Creek in Levy County.

to record it for our memory

 

Small, isolated and remote but not too far from home.

Places that not many know about

There's a wild hog in Guf Hammock, I wouldn't wish on any man -  Will McLean 

these are the places I like to explore

Making a mental note to return when the iris are blooming to capture the spring season

but the winter holds a special light and colors of its own

 

The Green Fly Orchid

I've always appreciated flowers (it's not very manly- I know) but flowers have always held a connection to my faith.  They are so beautiful.   Native Florida Orchids attach to tree bark in moist locations.  The Green Fly Orchid can stand the colder climate of North Florida so I look for them during my local travels.

  This oak tree is full of epiphytes such as moss, lichens and orchids (epiphytes are plants that grow on a host but don't harm it). The bushy branches up there are covered with plants.   A big branch had fallen out and revealed what was growing up above.

The tiny little jewels in God's creation are no less special than the big ones.

Little Islands of Yankeetown - special places

I took a paddle in to some of  the special places I love to document them while they still exist.

As you can see below the gulf coast in this area is dotted with smal vegetated islands.

It creates a strange and unique habitat that will someday  be wiped away by sea level rise

Had a great but exhausting paddle.  I kept telling myself one more island -  then the wind started to whip up.

from one Island to  the next

to the next

losing track of time

little jewels of the earth

a gift

to appreciate

taking time to observe

taking time to enjoy

there are too many good pictures to choose

here are a few

you get the picture

enjoy them while they are still with us  - unitl sea level rise or a hurricane takes these little jewels away

Just sittin' on the front porch

It's the little things for which we need to be thankful .  Like sittin on the front porch just after a rain.  It's like the natural world wakes up again and everything has been cleaned.  click on the pic to enlarge.

I'm relaxing, pickin' a Blind Faith tune and out of the corner of my eye I spy  a little visitor 

there you are.

Now she sees mee too.

and she comes over to check me out.   I say hello to my little friend.

she goes about her business

I am thankful for the little things.

I hope she liked the music

The magic of the sunrise

Sometimes the light plays tricks on us.  Somtimes it reveals reality. Sometimes the message of the morning light is a poem of inspiration.
Sometimes it's a bit wierd .  Always differnt but somehow always the same.

I like to get up early.  As I have stated before  -  There is no place like the right time.   So I get up earlier and get there early. 
I start brewing my coffee after the cameras are set up and I wait to see the gift of a new morning.  Click to enlarge and enjoy this sequence of an ever changing but ever consistent solar event.  This particular morning was a little different but the dance of light and shadow filled me up .