Light it Up

Forget Rockefeller Center. There is no tree more ornate, more spectacular or more literally full of life than what I witnessed a few nights ago. In the middle of the seemingly unending urban sprawl that is the megalopolis of Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach is a little pond rimmed with Bald Cypress that remains as a vestigial wetland behind a massive executive building complex in Oakland Park.

I had stopped just a few hours after sunset in search of a geocache and was wildly distracted by the squawks and croaks that emanated from the darkness. As my eyes adjusted, I fixated on the ever shifting white spots that decorated a Bald Cypress in the middle of the unlit pond. As I continued to listen and watch, a near full moon began to rise directly across the pond, illuminating the Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets and White Ibis that had all taken refuge in this well protected tree.
How fantastic to be in the right place at the right time. Could a scene like this be what inspired the early pagans to decorate trees around the Winter Solstace, a tradition that evolved into today's Christmas trees? Either way - it would inspire my holiday decorations in the days to come.....

Tink! - Tropical Storm Fay

As a kid I always loved the board game Bermuda Triangle. The purpose was to move your four ships around the Caribbean and Atlantic, picking up cargo and avoiding the massive hurricane that randomly spun across the board.

Now I feel like I'm part of the game and it was only a matter of time before a hurricane came my way. I've lived in Florida for 28 years of my life and never had a hurricane pass by. This one is making me nervous. MaLe and I are heading to Fort Lauderdale now for a wedding (Sunday 8/17), but may have to return Sunday night to retrieve cats or hunker down with them if things get sour. Maybe it'll go to Texas. In the board game, if the hurricane spun over the top of you, it made a sickening "tink" sound when the magnet sucked up your ship. I'm thinking the noise will be a little different in real life and as far as I know magnets are not involved.

Water Taxi - Ride the Goose

Fort Lauderdale is famous for water taxis that shuttle people around Venice's sister city. Turtles apparently receive similar services.

I walked past the following scene today - dismissed it and continued on. In my head I saw a Turtle decoy on top of a Goose decoy. Then the Turtle waved a back leg and I realized that the nimble little cooter had clambered up on the floating bird to bask in the sun. I didn't dare get closer in fear he'd flee and give up the best basking spot a reptile could ask for. It must have taken the poor thing all morning to reach that plateau! Just imagine the difficulty in that maneuver. I would think it'd be easier to catch a greased pig!