Florida Adventure...Post 4

By

Gypsy Rhapsody

Good Morning from the Sunshine State
The Everglades have been breathtaking.
V and D have gone out everyday ready to explore something different.

Here they are waiting for the "tree" tour.

According to Vannie, the rangers are sooo informed.

They know their "stuff"....

Ranger Christi did the the "tree" tour.

This beautiful leaf come from the SeaGrape tree.

It actually has clusters of grapes, but they are very hard to

harvest, because they ripen individually.

I'm told they are very tasty.

Dave brought home one of those leaves to spruce up the place.

Once a decorator...always a decorator.

Who knew there were so many species of palm?

This is the royal palm...it's the biggy one.

FYI...notice the osprey nest in the bottom left of the pic.

The cabbage palm (Florida State Tree)

One little tiny weeny little sprig hanging down...

The beginning of THE "Strangler Fig".!!!

"Drum Roll, Please" 

I think I'm feeling a little scared.  

One of those sprigs was hanging around me yesterday.

It looks very sneaky. 

A little tiny bird dropped a tiny seed or

pooped a tiny seed, and that was the beginning.

This is the Strangler Fig surrounding a cabbage palm.

It's hard to see the palm in the middle.

Next pic might be better.

Can you see the palm sitting right there in the middle

of the strangler fig?

The fig doesn't actually strangle the palm, but

it does enclose it.  The palm will be fine, unless all

light is cut off from it by the fig.

No way am I going to hang around those strangler figs.

They give me the heebie geebies ....for sure.

Everglade Boat Tour...White Water Bay Back Country

Move over, Dave,...I'm coming.

Vannie said, "No way, Gypsy, the boat can't hold you."

Dang.!!!!

Manatee

Mangrove

Vannie waiting for the next boat tour.

The Sunset Florida Bay Tour

She is looking pretty relaxed...like maybe she might fall off that tree.

Be careful, Vannie.!!!

Heading out

Florida Bay is only 3/5 feet deep in most places.

V and D are coming up on a canal marker.

...and on this marker is our friend the osprey and her nest.

Those ospreys really get around.

I'm expecting one to start making a nest on my bumper any day.

So Gorgeous...

Looks like the sun is slipping into the bay...

Wait...Wait...Oh, nevermind...

Heading home...

Another end to a perfect day...

More to come.!!!