Lost in Florida

Sunday/Monday/Tuesday

                         
                        You unlock this door with the key of imagination.
                        Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of 
                        sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. 
                       You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, 
                       of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into 
                       the Twilight Zone.  ~ Rod Serling*



Little did I know that, after doing a week's worth of chores on Sunday morning (fixed breakfast/lunch/supper for DH for at least 4 days, washed and dried three loads of clothes, went to the bank for cash and to my office for a couple of work-related issues, took out the recycling, and cleaned the cat litter, and caught the monster cat - bad boy escaped as I was in and out of the house) and flying across the country, I would be crossing over into another dimension.

 It was dark when we arrived. The enormous fireworks display we watched on our way to our rooms (and the towels folded into a familiar shape) merely hinted of what was to come.

Note the mouse head on the tapestry.

Daylight:

It was entirely too "perfect" this "happy place." Everything was green and lush and starting to bloom. I did finally see two pieces of trash (more on that later) and some scummy water, but otherwise everything was manicured and perfect. [OK, OK. It does appear they had some bad weather so there was a bit of brown foliage...but not much.]

Everyone smiles. The people who pick up the trash sing. Really? Really.

I missed my rowdy walking buddies.

In spite of the heat and humidity, I decided to take a few walks around the lake and document the amazing vegetation and the few creatures that managed to sneak in past the protected borders of "the kingdom."

Birds are not really welcome...

When I saw this rock I had a vision of my dear children (especially CJSB) climbing all over it.

Plants:

Plumbago was just starting to bloom (My grandmother had this plant as did my next door neighbor. I cannot grow it).

Pink azalea?

Azalea in the sunlight

Bird of paradise

Double hibiscus

Hibiscus buds - promising amazing blooms

I felt that if I stood there long enough I could watch the blooms open - like a time lapse photo.

Another pink one.

Another (slightly different) pink hibiscus

Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata)**

More "not" moss growing on a tree trunk.

Variegated ginger

A different variegated ginger

Palm trees towered over everything.

More hibiscus

Water lily and bud - day one

Water lilies - day two

Beautiful pale yellow hibiscus (My mother would have loved this one!)

This is the bud for the pale yellow hibiscus.

"Miniature" split leaf philodendron

Regular split leaf philodendron

Red hibiscus

Firecracker plants grew all over.

Along the lake were streetlamps with these amazing succulent hanging baskets.

Yellow tab trees ***  (I don't think I have ever seen one of these before.) were blooming around our hotel.

Close up of the blooms of the yellow tab tree.

Fallen blossoms from the yellow tab trees covered everything below.

White azaleas

Close up of white azaleas

Bougainvillea were just starting to bloom.

Palm with fern growing from trunk.

Close up of fern on palm tree.

This was only a sample of the plant life. If they had one specimen of a plant they had hundreds planted in landscaped beds and other groupings. I tried to focus on the individual plant or bloom and crop out the buildings and such around them.

Creatures:

     I. Mammals (I should just title this squirrels - there were two. Or I may have seen the same one on two different days.):

You know it is a strange day when I am happy to see squirrels.

This variety seemed a little different than the ones who love my attic.

I saw another squirrel on day two. You see him, don't you?

Let me help you - a close up of our little furry friend.

This guy was all over the place, but didn't stop long enough for a good photo.

He thought he was safe in the flowerbed.

But then he came out and watched me.

     II. Birds:

Mallards on the lake.

Drakes by the docks.

I freaked out when I saw this big guy sunning himself/drying his feathers. What in the world?

He turned and the name - cormorant - came to me. [But I still had to check and make sure he WAS a cormorant...and how to spell "cormorant."]

I watched him groom his feathers before moving on.

How often do you see a solitary gull?

He posed for me.

He turned as if to say, "This is my good side."

Little guys searching for crumbs under the tables.

Remember the tall palms? See the - um, maybe grackle - in them?

There he is.

I should be able to identify this small bird (with a little effort). He is grey with a yellow breast and red crown - maybe a yellow warbler (?).

American white ibises****

Immature American white ibis

Mature American white ibis. I noticed his right foot was damaged, but he got around just fine.

     
      III. Reptiles:

My friend  - day one.

They say that each body of water in Florida contains at least one alligator.

This little guy (between 3 and 4 feet in length) hung out at the same spot - at a bridge on the lake - day two.

He really was lovely - beautiful markings.

I met a lovely woman from Michigan***** (she was attending the same conference as I was) who was also out taking photos and she let me know where to find the gator. Apparently he is the only one in this lake (or the only one they know about). I saw the aforementioned trash  near where the gator hangs out. I don't think I would go picking up trash there either.

I apologize these photos were taken with the old camera, but I think you will get the gist of this beautiful, if strange, place.

I was so glad to see DH when he picked me up after my return flight. A thick fog had moved in and provided an appropriately creepy transition from the magical place to the real landscape I call home.


NOTES:

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone

** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillandsia_recurvata (NOT a true moss!).

***http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/TabebuiaAureaSilverTrumpetTree.pdf

**** My brother helped me identify these guys. Thanks, RF!

*****This woman is one of those special aunts who takes her nieces and nephews on adventures! We had ideas to share.