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Published: February 20th 2012
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Despite the fact that I went to bed at 9:30 last night I slept til 7 this morning almost non-stop. Lots of hiking, that’s the key.
No television or internet or friends so I have had to adjust. I laid in bed with my coffee reading my book of awakening and really listening to the lesson of the day. I have missed this introspective time.
Oscar and I were out the door after breakfast to hike to the sink hole. It turns out to be several sink holes and a study in different elevations and the effect on the vegetation. In the swampy areas there are cypress trees with all their knees, dripping in Spanish moss. Then just an elevation change of 10 feet and there is a whole new world. There are live oaks, hickory, black oak, magnolia, pines and a host of undergrowth. The sink holes occur when underground water levels drop and the limestone above gives way.
Oscar loved being able to run in the woods. He was still on his leash but was able to run the length instead of just a few feet.
I took a little break then left Oscar in
the camper and headed out for a photo expedition. The weather in the morning was very sultry again and dreary looking but cleared up so I thought the lighting would be better. I found many subjects that caught my attention including a manatee. Picture
There was an egret I played with, some vultures, a turtle, other water birds and then the wild flowers. Best of all was the snake. I think it is a cottonmouth and no I didn’t blow up the picture, I was that close.
I spent a part of the day trying to talk on the phone with little luck. The cell reception is very spotty so I’d get a conversation going and I’d loose the call. Then I found a place with one bar (can you hear me now?) complete with a log to sit on. So I got caught up on my kids activities for the week.
A little about the park. We are in Manatee Springs State Park very close to the Gulf. It is a first magnitude spring and haven for wintering manatees. The ground is made up of primarily limestone so the water is filtered and very
pure. “Between 35 and 150 million gallons of crystal clear water flow from this first magnitude spring every day. The water percolates through limerick to underground caves that feed the spring. This aquatic cave system is one of the longest in North America and harbors rare species of crayfish. The spring water flows through the quarter-mile long spring run to join the tannin-stained waters of the Suwannee River en route to the Gulf of Mexico. This brings fresh water to Suwannee Sound, an estuary about twenty-five miles down river.”
It is a remarkable place.
Dinner was fried fish, fresh tomatoes and leftover rice and beans. Tasted great!
The pictures are downloaded, blog written and I’m off to bed, it’s 9:25pm
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Kat
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pictures
your pictures are wonderful! What is the green stuff on top of the spring? I didn't see anything like that at Blue Springs SP