The Wet Walk

I cannot imagine anything more magical than our walk yesterday evening in the Everglades. We got off the highway and literally walked right into the water! Slowly we marched, because the sticky mud rested on an unstable limestone floor causing a very uneven walking surface. We all had staffs like Gandalf in "Lord of the Rings" to keep our balance. The cypress knees jutted here and there also causing mayhem for our treck to the cypress mound. Yes, we were going to an alligator home! The alligator digs a hole about 20 ft deep in the middle of this grove of trees to rest in the dry season. Fortunately for us the water was a balmy 60 degrees F so the gators were elswhere warming in the sun, but don't think we were watching out for the Burmese pythons that have exponentially multiplied (once pets, these invasive species have topped the food chain in the Everglades-even fighting the alligators for king of the hill title).

Once inside the cypress mound, the light trickled in and we all "ahhed" with amazement. Air plants root in the bark of the trees, even tree branches the size of my littel finger! Tiny mosquito fish were darting here and there. If fairies popped out I wouldn't have been surprised.

I'm trying to upload my pics here, but time is short. I have put them on flickr, but again have not sent them out.

There is a new link - Toyota has created a wiki space, and a professional photographer will be posting online there along with some other Toyota teachers.

Hasta Luego!