One trip was in a 6 person John boat as far into the mangroves as it could take us. Our guide told us about the variety, habits, and nests of the birds above and those standing in the waters, including osprey, heron, pelicans, ibis, egrets, and anhinga. He described the mechanism the mangrove trees use to stay nourished during periods of high and low water levels. Because the trees stand on a sandstone base they are not able to withstand hurricane winds so they interlock their roots with that of neighboring trees.....a natural team effort to survive!
While in the mangrove, we felt that we were intruding in the pristine, mysterious world of the wild!To look ahead into a canopy tunnel of trees and see alligators and wading birds scattering was magical!
A bicycle trip took us to a still standing 1800's general store used by the local swamp people and the trading Seminole and Calusa Indians. The store owners slept above the store, situated on the shore, so they would be available day or night, depending on when customers would arrive by canoe or raft. We learned of the school children, then... being picked up via a boat and taken to a school in the swamp. During swimming in the river for recess, one child had to sit on the bank on "alligator watch!"
The zebra butterfly, tiny tree frogs, and spiders were especially interesting. Ty took a half day bike trip along the waterways and was really captivated by the insect world!
We biked into Shark Valley, named after a river, not sharks, during the week after Christmas, There were soooo many families on vacation. The area is most attracting due to the large number of alligators within five feet of the trail and to watch the stupidity of people trying to get a "close up" of an alligator was frightening!
The special people we met during these two weeks included Jack, a wheelchair-bound man with Parkinsons, celebrating Christmas eve with his family. He stated while looking up at Janet, in a soft spoken, stammering voice "there is nothing better than being with friends and family while eating freshly opened oysters on Christmas eve." He had a huge smile!
Another was B. Little Eagle, a basket weaver who set up shop near the post office. She was part Cherokee, Pueblo, and Apache. She and Janet visited daily during our coffee breaks. She is a teacher in various school settings on the ways of Native Americans. A most interesting person with a sweet personality!
The last was a guy from Georgia who pulled up in a small 1980 Toyota pickup truck. I told him I liked his ride and he replied that it got better mileage now that I had cut off the back half of the camper topper that was mounted on it. "It's got all I need in it." The side of the truck advertised "Bear Publishing". What a character!
We are now on beautiful Sanibel Island near Ft Myers for the New Year Holiday. We will bring the New Year with Jim and Kathy, friends from Colorado!
Janet has some thoughts of the end of the year and beginning of another..... After watching the Today Show on 2011... So many natural disasters out of our control, too many man made disasters within our control! Remembering special examples of quiet, gentle strength....Ty's Dad and Grandmother, Janet's Mother, Inessa's Grandmother...those lives rooted in seldom heard words.... Respect, Decency, Honesty and Integrity! Like the cypress anchoring others with interlocked roots... nature's eco-system teaches us daily how to coexist. Can we learn from this vast school of teachers and the simple lessons of nature and evolve into better people in 2012?
Thought: Time is the school in which we learn.
Funnies: Ty's brain is so relaxed from not working he asked for carrots and celery for lunch and instead said celrets and cary!
Happy New Year! HiYo, Silver!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat professional looking pics!
ReplyDeleteIt was quite magical reading about Chokoloskee and your experiences. I enjoyed our brief encounter and remember, you are invited for a stop while traveling through Wisconsin. Betty
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