Tuesday morning raindrops…

Raindrops on leaves – most magical green – saturated colors that excite.

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Crepe myrtle leaves dripping with rain.

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Flowering dogwood with bursts of green and red.

A rather rare occurrence here in Northeast Florida in early June – a long steady rain. After an extremely dry late winter and spring, rain has returned in a big way. Afternoon thunderstorms fill once dry ponds and bogs and gardens brim with life and color.

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Bald cypress branches hang low with wetness – maidenhair ferns pop with color and a chubby garden bird delights.

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Even the old boy himself can tolerate the rain…

…for a little bit at least.

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Pirate “enjoying” the rain. ^.^

And a blast of the most unnatural pink you’ll ever see!

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My daughter calls it “Barbie Pink”.

Thanks for visiting our garden on this rainy day!

Camera: Samsung Galaxy S4

Chris

 

Leave sleeping gators be…

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Or maybe not…

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Local pond gator doin’ his thing. He’s started to get interested in my presence.

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Here’s Wally out of the pond.

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Pond gators (what I call the local boys) are quite common around my neighborhood – but they are still gators, wild and unpredictable. I give these guys plenty of room and there’s usually a nice escape route available for me. It also helps to have some type of gator barrier (short seawalls work best) between you and your friend. DO NOT stand along the same shoreline of a small pond or swamp area with gators – they are super quick and can actually “climb” small obstacles.

Amelia Island Florida.

Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170

Chris

Fort Clinch State Park – Florida

Fort Clinch State Park is a beautiful 1,400 acre park on the extreme northeastern tip of Amelia Island. The fort makes up only one small part of this diverse and ecologically important park – here the old Florida can be appreciated for its tall sand dunes covered with a coastal maritime forest. More can be found https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Fort-Clinch

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Beautiful gopher tortoises roam the dunes at will. Here this one was at the base of one of the fort’s brick walls.

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Beautiful animals and fun to watch.

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Along the Atlantic Ocean coast of the park.

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Half mile walking and fishing pier – severely damaged by Hurricane Matthew last October 7, 2016.

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Osprey keeping a watchful eye on me and the ocean.

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At the end of the fishing pier. A jetty continues out farther into the ocean. It’s a great place to do some wave watching and capturing some great cloud formations.

It’s well worth your time to visit the park – between the ocean access and the St. Marys river access is a wonderful coastal forest and of course, the fort.

Thanks for your visit!

Camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170

Chris & Carol