coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

A walk around a small lake

Many housing developments are built around small lakes in Central Florida. One in particular, called Oakland Park, has done a terrific job of protecting some of their green space. A beautiful walk around their lake is open to the public, and we often bike there in the morning to take that walk. One of the highlights is the preponderance of little blue herons that build their nests and raise their young in cypress trees surrounding a wooden dock.  Let me take you on that walk:

cypress knees
hibiscus


a couple of sandhill cranes walking around the neighborhood


probably a night heron hiding behind some Spanish Moss


yellow canna, pickerel weed



very old, very big live oak


beauty berry


here's the momma little blue heron with her new born fluff balls


and here is the daddy little blue heron, a few yards away


muck reflecting green leaves








29 comments:

  1. Incredible photos! How lucky you are to have a beautiful place like that to walk!

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    1. We are! The majority of developments slash and burn all the trees and build houses right up to the lakes.

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  2. What a lovely walk, thanks for taking us along.

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  3. Oh wow! These photos are stunning and lovely. They make me happy just looking at them and imagining how wonderful it is to take this walk. Thank you thank you for taking us along.

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    1. You are welcome, I only wish you really were walking with us.

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  4. “Perhaps / The truth depends on a walk around a lake”
    (Wallace Stevens)

    That's what I thought of when I saw the title of your post. Thank you for the lovely walk with beautiful sights, especially the momma little blue heron at her nest with the chicks.

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    1. I don't know that poem. But I think he is correct.

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  5. The open trail is wonderful. And so are your excellent pictures. The trail harkens back to public footpaths in England. Even if this only goes around the lake.

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    1. I'm intrigued by these public footpaths in England.

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  6. The UK has only got the white sort. I guess that makes us inferior.

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    1. You know, I don't think I've ever seen a white heron. Apparently they are more common in South Florida. We have snowy egrets and great white egrets, but not the rare white heron.

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  7. I find it amazing that we live in such different parts of the world and yet there are familiar bits in both parts. Sandhill cranes fly overheard here every spring, heading to their nesting grounds further north. We have blue herons as well, although I haven't seen one.

    The photos are beautiful and the whole place is so green. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. My pleasure. I hope you see a blue heron soon. You have all those mountains and waterfalls.

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  8. Now that was a wonderful walk.

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  9. Wow! That is a beautiful walk! So very different from my neighborhood in suburban Chicagoland! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. I love the sandhill cranes. They look so graceful.

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  11. Just noticed that "muck reflecting green leaves" looks like a rather wonderful abstract painting. I would love to have that hanging on my living room wall!

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    1. The muck here is fascinating, ha! I often feel the need to photograph it.

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  12. How beautiful. I love shore birds like herons. And beautyberry is one of my favorite plants.

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    1. I was unfamiliar with beautyberry until I moved to Florida. I quite love it.

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So, whadayathink?