Sawgrass - Part 2

Back at Sawgrass Nature Preserve.  Great places to wander and lots and lots of trails.  It is pretty relaxing and very cheap (free) way to spend an afternoon.  Bring some water, however.

Ancient looking oaks with Spanish moss make for picturesque viewing.

Spanish moss does not hurt its host and thrives on air.  Go figure.

View from the lookout.  You can see a great distance from these lookouts, and I always get the urge to mark my territory.  Oh my.  I didn't but I wish I could.  Civility prevents me.  Damn civility!  One of the things I miss about the country.

Spring/summer and everything is lush and green.  It is rather remarkable that of the three preserves I like, all of them are smack dab in the middle of town.  What a wonderful way to escape the bustle of city living and be surrounded by quiet nature.  Like I have said before, much of it looks prehistoric.

This is rather deceptive.  Looks like you would be able to walk over to that pond, and indeed you would.  But you wouldn't stay dry.  All of this is a swamp area and it may look like a field, but it is actually water with these grasses growing in it.  And I'll bet that sumbitch is full of snakes.

No way I'm going out there.  Wet, swampy, bug-infested, this is a true swamp like area, and I wouldn't be surprised that Mom and Dad gator travel around out here too.

Ain't no way I'm going out there.

The boardwalks are great fun and go forever, and keep your feet dry.  

Sometimes it looks prehistoric.

Occasionally you can hear a car up on the interstate, but mostly, it is peaceful, quiet serenity.

You can take several trails in this place and stay out there all day and see new things.

I almost expected to see a T-rex or Steven Speilberg jump out from the thicket.

Those of you planning your winter vacations and coming down to see me should pencil in one of the preserves as a must-see.  Of course biking, the beach and Vinoy are musts, too.

No comments necessary for many of these pictures.  Just click to enlarge and take a walk with me.  Oh and it's free, too.

Oh, and there are few people around.  You can walk for half a mile or more and never see anyone else.  It early is nice.  I'm talking myself into another trip.  The three best preserves are:  Sawgrass, Wheedon, and Boyd.  But there are a few across the bridge I'd like to check out too.

Tomorrow is the day you've been waiting for.  I filmed one of these guys finding and eating lunch.  And, no, it's not the bird.