oh my! what big teeth you have...

(OR, one of the reasons, why i don't swim in florida's lakes!)

due to cable/modem/router problems (which are fixed!!), work, chores...and, well...due to LIFE...
and the fact that i've been addicted to the books i'm reading lately...

this is the first chance i've had to sit and get online.

the days are slipping by...these pictures are from LAST weekend, when we rode across town to

La Chua Trail, part of Paynes Prairie State Park. this part of the park is known as Alachua Sink, 

which includes the deepest & largest sinkholes in the park.

the air was still a little cool...and many gators were out soaking up the sun!

ENJOY the alligators and assorted birds!!

just remember...stay on the trail!!

and watch where you step because this park also has wild spanish horses

(which i posted pictures of in the past), bison,  and  feral hogs.

SO there is a scattering of humongous piles of POOP!

Great Blue Heron

(if i have mis-labeled any birds, PLEASE let me know!)

Heron:   "I'll just pretend i don't see him."

Gator:  "Have no fear. i'm not in  the mood for bird today!"

egret  &  ibis

great egret

Little Blue Heron:  "hmmm, i think i'll enter the water farther down the shoreline."

little blue heron

ibis

TURTLES!!!!

“Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek. “

~Dan Rather

see ya later...yeah, Alligator!

be safe.

laura

lake ocklawaha...the e n d

i just couldn't get enough of these dragonflies!

before i do this final post...of the flora & fauna 

of Rodman Reservoir/Lake Ocklawaha...

i just want to say a big THANKS to everyone who breezes through...

and to those who linger...and even take the time to leave a note!!

i haven't been blog reading since last week, because of our weekend away...

and then i've been dealing with this Sciatica...if you've ever had it...then you know...

it's a pain in the ass...to sit...for any length of time!

SO

i HOPE to get caught up...this weekend!

i just had to explain. i haven't been ignoring you...i haven't been anywhere in cyberspace!

you gotta know i'm in pain...cause i haven't been taking the time to search for cool quotes!

ok, no more talk...want to get these pictures posted before it's OLD news!

Anhinga

along the shore...

Great Egret

Osprey nest.

these 'nesting poles' are scattered about throughout the lake

milo...dreaming...in camper...

Alligator...not a very good picture...but you can see all the floating stumps, logs, etc in the back ground.
also, see the dragonfly ?!

hmmm...a Little Egret  ??

 UPDATE!  Eileen @ Viewing Nature with Eileen...who happens to be a pretty good bird expert...
thinks this little guy could also be a juvenile  Little Blue Heron!  thanks eileen!

weathered wood on the shore...

in PART 1 of Rodman/Ocklawaha i mentioned that the

BIGGEST catch of the weekend was sam's 17 inch Bass!!!

here ya go!

sam and his prize catch!

so loverly...so many dragonflies...

another...not so great shot...but with THREE birds...and all the floating trees and stuff in the water!

TOO cute...TWO cute Cormorants...one standing on one leg.

this picture below... like two fish passing each other...

like sculptures...floating  wood   plants...

a dinosaur fish and some type of pan fish

ready...set...

GO!!!!!!!!!

thanks for wandering and wading...through all the pictures!

end of the day, time to get off the water & head back to camp.

thanks for the wishes on a speedy recovery...of my aching...back...and butt!

be cool & stay safe,

laura

the supermoon over lake ocklawaha...

...and the fauna & flora of the Rodman Reservoir.

(part1)

supermoon over Lake Ocklawaha, FL

i had wanted to do a post yesterday

with pic's from our weekend at Rodman Reservoir/Lake Ocklawaha...

BUT

i had to do a Tampa drive on monday...over 2 hours each way...back to back.

and the next day i couldn't stand straight.

Sciatica!

i've never experienced it before.

it pains to sit, to stand, to lie down.

it's a REAL pain in the ass...literally.

so...after using ice...heat...ibuprofen...stretching...Kinesio taping...

today i'm not walking hunched over (as much) but i'm still feeling it.

SO

in order to not aggravate it...i'm going to make this quick.

so i can get off my butt.

not too much gabbing...mostly pictures.

FIRST,

on the way there we stopped at one of those big ice vending machines to fill up the cooler.

you know me...and misspellings...or grammatical errors.

CAN YOU see why i snapped this one??

(there shouldn't be an 'apostrophe' in cameras.  no apostrophe in plurals)

ok...on to Lake Ocklawaha  or  Rodman Reservoir.

Rodman Reservoir is a flooded forest.

there's plenty of underwater structure...and floating trees...stumps...logs...

so you have to be a pretty good navigator...or at least lucky...

to troll around without running into something.

we have a small boat. a Gheenoe. it's like a canoe, but more stable...

with a flat back for a small motor.

i was combing the shore while sam pulled the boat to ground and fished off the back.

THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE he caught the BIGGEST catch of the weekend...

a 17" BASS!  

(that's inches...not pounds! we didn't have a scale.)

Dragonflies were everywhere!!

we also saw Ospreys, Eagles, Hawks, Herons, Cormorants, Anhingas...

and of course, Alligators.

Great Egret

Osprey young with mother...i wish i could know what they were saying...or yelling...to each other.

Great Egret

Alligator

a swarm...i mean...a school...of feeding minnows.

a  Hawk.  a Red-shouldered hawk i think, but he looks much bigger than the ones at home.

Anhinga...or snake bird.

Great Egret

heading back to the camp at the end of the day...

sam's silhouette...against the setting sun... 

and a last look at the super moon through the trees...

stay tuned for part 2...and maybe even a part 3.

gotta change position now...and get off my butt...go stretch.

i've had clients with Sciatica...but NOW i know first hand...the pain!

yikes.

be cool  &  stay safe.

laura

((yeah yeah...i know...i'm way behind in reading...but i have a good excuse...

this time it's not just that TIME is slipping away...bear with me.  :)  ))