Flowers along Bottoms Road

 These photos were taken on a walk along Bottoms Road near Panacea. All are plants as common as dirt in the wetlands of Wakulla County and all are multi-faceted gems.

Optionally click on an image for a larger view and slide show.

Vacation in South Florida

Trudy and I went on a week-long road trip last month down the southern gulf coast of Florida from Sarasota to Naples. She scored on receiving many stamps in her state park passport book and I harvested hundreds of photos. Here are my favorites.

 

Optionally click on a picture for a larger view.

 

Myakka River State Park - Canopy Walkway, Fort Myers

Top-down view of palms

 Tillandsia bromeliad

 

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota

Moreton bay fig

 

Sanibel Island

Baily Mathew Shell Museum

 

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Gator on Wildlife Drive

 

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Fort Myers

Ferns, ferns, ferns

 Cottonmouth moccasin

 

 

Rookery Bay Estuarine Research Reserve, Naples

Here is a REALLY scary mosquito model with a
wing span of about 4 feet.

 Strangler fig

 Golden polypody fern
(AKA cabbage palm fern)

 

 

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary,
Naples

Buttonbush flower

 Roseate spoonbill

 

 

Lido Key beaches, Sarasota

Piping plover

 Laughing gull

 My best photo ever of a sandpiper!!!

 Great blue heron stalking a fishermen's bait bucket.

Trudy ... MY TREASURE