We Discovered the St Marks River

The beautiful St Marks River looks quiet and peaceful,

but we discovered lots of current especially since the tide was going out.

Our little flotilla spotted manatee, an otter, several little alligators and lots of turtles.

There were plenty of fish, but not many birds.

When we turned around and came downriver the current carried us with no effort.

This weekend we chose the Ochlockonee River

The Ochlockonee comes down from Georgia. It's not one of the spring fed rivers, and consequently the water is warmer and the current is slow. Most of the shore line is sandy beaches. We saw alligators, turtles, birds, a deer and fish jumping. We don't bother them and they don't bother us.
Great Blue Heron

Lunch time. Where are the picnic tables?
You won't find many traces of people here.
For about 4 miles of paddling upstream we only saw one little boat with a fisherman.

Anhinga

This is one big, ugly bird drying its wings in the sun after diving in for a fish

How low can you go.

Terry tackles the obstacles. The rest of us go around.

10 Miles Down the Chipola River

Jay Keiser, one of the people Marilyn works with

at First American Title Insurance Co, invited us to Kayak down the Chipola River

in the western Florida panhandle with him and his wife, Carol.

The river is fairly shallow at the put-in with logs

and other obstacles to test your kayaking skill.
Terry's stuck, but it didn't take him long to push off.

A few miles down river we pulled over on the grassy bank to take a break.

An Ibis took refuge in a tree as we floated by.

Marilyn pulled over for this photo op

to show the limestone formations along the bank.

Terry wanted to get out and explore the cave

that goes back into the limestone about 30 yards.

Jay and Carol guided us back to one of the springs that feeds the river.

The spring water is so clear you can see the little fish.

Terry decided to jump in. He didn't stay long.

It's cold water coming up from about 40 feet deep!

Marilyn waded in where it's shallow.

The spring water flows out behind her to feed the river.

Almost to the take out point.

Great float down a beautiful, peaceful river.

Jay took this photo to share. Thanks.

Back to the Wacissa River

The water is so clear you can see yourself.

Swimmers love the cool, clean spring fed water.

This air boat can skim over the surface in just a few inches of water.


This Green Heron is fishing, making good use of the thick seaweed along the shore.

Monticello Watermelon Festival and Parade

Let's celebrate the watermelon grown in northern Florida.
When we move into our new house we'll be residents of Monticello, FL
Click to zoom in and see the oranges on the tree behind Terry.

All kinds of arts and crafts booths.

These birds made of PVC pipe are really cute.

Marilyn bought a basket from the flower lady to hang an orchid in.

That's the Jefferson County courthouse in the background
Pretty girls riding in the parade on the Watermelon Queen float.

In Florida young and old get out for a good time.

If it's hot, the horses can ride.

We got our kayaks

Ready to go try them out on the Wacissa River.

Marilyn's is the red Pongo 120 duralite that you sit down in for good stability.

Terry's is the Tarpon 140 that's a couple of feet longer with more space for his fishing equipment. His is called a sit-on-top.

Goes great! Really easy to paddle.

Terry caught a bass!

Got a good look at this Yellow Crowned Night Heron.
We also saw lots of Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons which I've photographed and posted previously.

The Wacissa is fairly wide and quiet as it flows toward the Gulf.

The water is so clear and deep where the springs come up that the local kids swing out on a rope and jump in.

Terry put a bed extender on his truck so it's easy to transport the kayaks.

Interesting plant facts

This blog is especially for my Ohio friends who like to garden as much as I do.

In Ohio my mother and grandmother taught me the names of all the flowers and trees.

I remember over 50 years ago my grandmother showed me her backyard flower garden with her favorite columbine blooming. I brought starts of my mother's iris with me and have seeds from the offspring of that columbine and others to plant in my Florida friendship garden.

One of the first things I did after moving to Florida was to buy a good Florida gardening book to learn all the new varieties of plants I could try in zone 10.

That's a pine cone not a coconut. Is it a palm or a pine tree?

It's a sago Cycad. I think I'll plant one behind the sunroom.

What is that?


It's the bloom of a Mimosa Tree.

Crape Myrtle is on my list to plant for summer color.

And of course I want a few Oleander bushes.

We've been exploring the back dirt roads just to get acquainted with the area.

Much of Florida is very rural and wooded.