big cat in the hood! holy cow!

The Florida panther is an endangered subspecies of cougar (Puma concolor) that lives in forests and swamps of southern Florida in the United States^.  It's exclusively known as the panther in Florida.
Males  can weigh up to 160 pounds and live within a range that includes the Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. This population, only currently occupies 5% of its historic range. In the 1970s, there were an estimated 20 Florida panthers in the wild, and their numbers have increased to an estimated 100 to 160 as of 2011. In 1982, the Florida panther was chosen as the state animal.  Panthers are spotted at birth and typically have blue eyes. As the it grows the spots fade and the coat becomes completely tan while the eyes typically take on a yellow hue. The panther's underbelly is a creamy white, with black tips on the tail and ears. They lack the ability to roar, and instead make distinct sounds that include whistles, chirps, growls, hisses, and purrs. Florida panthers are mid-sized for the species, being smaller than cougars from Northern and Southern climes but larger than cougars from the biotropics. The two highest causes of mortality for Florida panthers are automobile collisions and territorial aggression between panthers but the primary threats to the population as a whole include habitat loss, habitat degradation, and habitat fragmentation.
The Florida Fish and Game Commission has a site to report sightings of panthers .Her you can also find more information.  

https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/panthersightings/ge

 

the story

  So it was about 11:00AM when my remodeling contractor, Terry, showed up to start working on my new master bathroom..As he was getting organized on the front porch he noticed a large animal (the size of a large dog) bolt across the road and yard into some bushes in my side yard. He stopped and took a step toward the bushes and in an instant the large cat with its sleek body and boxy head bolted down the boardwalk (towards the back of the property)  and disappeared into the thick swamp brush!! He noticed that it looked like it had something  white hanging from its ear.

 

 

  Here is my harvest from my earth box and I got 4 spears of asparagus from my yard.....haha but tons of lemons and ruby reds this year

trippin' to the north for spring

I headed up to Virginia and Pennsylvania for spring but it was a bit early.I saw pink and white flowering trees and these wildflowers.The joy was seeing the wild daffodils and an artist friend  made an arrangement and we painted it!

MY JOY!

at a rest area

I thought these mosses were amazing!

It's A Hard Road

I jumped on the train
I left this old town
I escaped the rain
I'm no longer down
The wheels start to turn
My worries are gone
I have lots to learn
About the trail that I'm on
As I look around
I see my new friend
I know I am bound
To travel till the end

I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best

The train it did slow
I'm in a new place
The moonlight does glow
On my tired face
It's time for me
To try and find a bed
It's time for me
To rest my weary head
Morning is here
There's sorting to do
I'll sound sincere
With my goodbye to you

I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best
 

Liam Hughes

Into the wild....with the Sierra Club

The news lately has featured stories about giant sinkholes opening up in Florida and one even killing a man ! Human activities like drilling and droughts, which lower water levels underground, can cause sinkholes and so can putting up buildings and parking lots, which changes where water drains.The entire state of Florida is prone to sinkholes since it sits on top of a layer of limestone rock known as karst, which can be dissolved by acidic groundwater.

The aquifer developed millions of years ago during the late Paleocene to early Miocene periods, when Florida was underwater. In 1936, Victor Stringfield first identified the existence of Floridan Aquifer in peninsular Florida and is referred to it as the "principal artesian formations." Ranging over 100,000 square miles (260,000 km), it underlies all of Florida.

When the water pressure is great enough, the groundwater breaks to the surface and a spring flows. Water temperature and flow from a Floridan spring are relatively constant (72 degrees).  Florida springs provide a source of nature therapy and recreation through boating, swimming and camping. The major issues impacting the health of the springs include urban sprawl, growing demand for groundwater and introduction of pollutants. Threats to the quality and quantity  Florida's aquifer and springs can be  the contaminants  or the f water usage ,and physical damage we cause in and around the spring and downstream spring run. Also impacted athe animals and in particular the Manatee.

The Florida manatee, Florida’s state marine mammal, is a large aquatic relative of the elephant. They are grayish brown in color and have thick, wrinkled skin on which there is often a growth of algae. Their front flippers help them steer or sometimes crawl through shallows and their  powerful flat tails help propel them through the water. Manatees are herbivores; they eat marine and freshwater plants.Well known for their gentle, slow-moving nature, manatees have also been known to body surf or barrel roll when playing. They normally rest and feed often. Manatees communicate by squealing under water to demonstrate fear, stress or excitement. In the winters the manatee go into to warmer springs to feed.

Recently our local Sierra Club had an outing to the Weeki Wachee State Park and participated in a Kayak trip down the spring run! 

 http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/weekiwachee.html

the rainbow connection

rollin' down the river

As the current gets stronger and the wind, it becomes difficult ot stay out of the branches as the turn get more sharp

The lazy woman likes to coast downstream in the current but the wind has better ideas

swamp lily

long and winding run....4 miles

Yes, crystal clear

Nothing beats a personal experience with these gentle creatures

.

How ? underwater camera!

a closer look reveals the scars of careless boaters in their domain

yo mama