Paddling events, hikes and more Coming up as summer gets under way Florida Wildflower Foundation would like submissions of what's blooming Gwen Beatty's News Letter •Fascinating encounter At Weeki Wachee with three manatees (click here to see story below) Gwen Beatty' News Hi folks, Don't forget that the Apalachee Canoe & Kayak Club meets this coming Wednesday, July 16 at the Old Mexico Grill and Cantina located on Apalachee Parkway. Join us at 6:00 pm for dinner and 7:00 pm for our presentation. Our speaker this month will be Harley Means with the Florida Bureau of Geology who will be talking to us about North Florida rivers, springs and the geological features we are likely to encounter in this area. Join us; everyone is welcome. Boy, do we have a deal for you. Cal Jamison, the guru of Wakulla Springs is leading the ACKC on a tour of springs in this area. For details, see Carol Swartz's write-up in the section below. This trip is limited to 20 people so call Galen Moses as soon as possible to sign up. And remember, you must be a canoe club member to participate in canoe club activities. It's only $5.00 a year to join and we like to make it easy for you. Galen will have membership applications so you can sign up at the last minute. If you think it's too hot to get out and paddle, think again. Eleven of us met this past Sunday morning and put-in at Magnolia Bridge on the Chipola. We were on the water by 10:00 am EDT and took out 10 miles downstream at Peacock Bridge around 2:00 pm. We were well off the water before the afternoon thunderstorms swept in around 3:00 pm. The water level was good. It was 8.93 ft at the river gauge at Altha, FL. There were remarkably few other boaters on the river. The temperature was perfect. I don't think it topped 91 degrees all day and it was very comfortable paddling along the shady side of the river. If you're looking for a pleasant day trip, this is a good section to do. Last weekend, Gary and I paddled the St. Marks with some of the other folks from the Bruce Means Wetlands Ecosystems Class. We put in at Sigrid' Fain's house on the river and paddled upstream to the river rise. There was a lot more hydrilla in the river than we had seen earlier this spring. The most notable event on the river happened when an osprey plunged into the water in search of his dinner. He came back up and flew across in front of us, pausing in mid-flight to give his wings a bit of a shake to discharge the excess water before resuming his flight across the river. We had not observed that before. Doug Alderson is collecting information on water levels for the rivers in Florida. I'll send the information out in a separate newsletter next week. The information he is offering is invaluable for those of us who need to know the minimum and maximum water levels for easy paddling. If you would like to coordinate a canoe/kayak paddling event for the canoe club, send the information to me at the following address and I will publicize the event: gfbeatty@yahoo.com. I don't check my email every day so it would be a good idea to contact me as early as possible or call me at 942-7165 to tell me to check my email. If the event is open to all canoe club members, please let me know it's okay to publicize it. Some events are offered "by invitation only" and should be designated as such. I can also supply you with membership applications for non-members who would like to join and participate in paddling events. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Readers write in: 1) From Carol Swartz: "Cal Jamison, Ambassador of Wakulla Springs has agreed to lead us on a Sparkling Gems of Wakulla Tour on July 19th. Meet at the corner of Crawfordville Hwy and CJ Spears Rd at the Riversinks Tract parking lot at 9am.That intersection is located just south of the Leon-Wakulla County line. It is the 1st paved intersection. New Light Church Rd goes west, CJ Spears Rd goes east (left, if you are coming from Tallahassee). The entrance to the gravel parking lot is right on the corner. Be prepared to hike and take a dip in the cool water afterwards. Participants will be stopping at 18-20 karst window sinks and should be done around 1pm or so. Cal will have a van that will hold most of the 20. Another vehicle or two can follow along. The roads are passable for most vehicles, but some of them are narrow with overhanging branches. Bring plenty of water, a bathing suit if you'd like to swim and insect repellant. This trip is limited to 20 ACKC members, contact Galen Moses @ galenmoses@aol.com or 926-9467 to reserve a spot." 2) From Brack Barker: (brack154@msn.com) "FYI, the notice in the link is vague on the reason behind these workshops. Taking input from the general public on "training procedures" leaves a lot to be desired on what the FWC is after, and what caused these workshops to transpire. But after attending numerous FWC/BAC meetings, this sounds like the precursor to testing the paddle sports community prior to getting on the water. This has been a goal of the motor boat lobbyists for years to "control those canoers" as stated at previous public workshops. When it was mentioned that the motor boat operators/renters should follow a quid pro quo on training/education, the representatives said "NO". "If these workshops were being conducted just for safety's sake to inform liveries of the current laws, then the FWC should have held them prior to the start of boating season. The workshops being held in the middle of the summer speaks to a possible other agenda. These workshops weren't even brought up at the last BAC meeting in Tallahassee back in April, 2008. They could at least have more locations for the workshops spread out around the state. "Even if you're not in the livery/rental business, this could affect your paddle sports. Education/training is good, but if they only attach new rules/testing to the non motorized community, then it is a lopsided goal. I feel that the motor boaters should take written and operators exams prior to getting on the water in their motor boats. The state requires people to do that for motor vehicles. Why not the same for a vessel that can go upwards of 60 mph, with no requirement to wear a PFD. Or to know the difference in a day marker that is green/square or red/triangular. Open containers of alcoholic beverages are legal in a vessel too. Water is not as forgiving as some people think during a vessel accident. "Currently, there are no testing requirements for motor boat renters/operators prior to getting on the water. Only the PWC section has a basic pre-test. And if it's a non navigable water way (inland lakes/rivers), there are no state/federal requirements for commercial motorized tour boat operators to be licensed by the USCG or FWC. Ride at your own risk. "Attend a meeting if you can." http://myfwc.com/boating/Docs/PublicWorkshopNotice.pdf 3) This comes from Friends of Wakulla Springs State Parks by way of Carol Swartz: Plastic Bags: "This has convinced me to remember to bring my own bags to the market! Once in the slideshow, use the scroll bar on the right side of the screen to scroll through. Everyone on earth should see this. It's that important. And please pass it on: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID= /20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016 4) From Tom Butler: Sopchoppy: "I'll be out of town this weekend, but I thought I'd pass along news that the Sopchoppy River at Oak Park Bridge is at 9.6 feet, just shy of the 10 feet that is ideal for doing the Martian Bridge-Oak Park Bridge section, and hopefully high enough for lower sections. Maybe the rain we had today about 1 p.m. was widespread enough that the Sopchoppy might be up by Sunday." 5) From Galen Moses: Travel Trailer for sale: Get off the ground and camp in style in a 2007 Dutchmen Aerolite 20-ft travel trailer. Has air, heat, double bed and sofa bed, 2-door refrig., microwave, stove, toilet, shower, radio/CD; light weight, fiberglass exterior. Ideal for weekend paddling trips or extended camping. $13,250. galenmoses@aol.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Don't forget that the Florida Park System is offering free admission to all state parks on July 13. What a great way to get out and enjoy Florida's award-winning park system. Check out this site to look for a state park near you: Florida parks: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/programs/parks.htm If you're looking for a hiking trail, biking trail or a slow stream for an afternoon paddle, check out this site at Florida Greenways and Trails: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/index.htm FDEP is encouraging hotels in our state to go "green" and use less resources. If you plan to travel this summer and prefer the luxury of a hotel rather than a tent, check out this listing of Florida Green Lodging: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging/lodges.htm If you're looking for running trails in Tallahassee or a great place to just get out and walk for exercise, check out this website: http://www.gulfwinds.org/trails/trails.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Here's an interesting article on global warming and the effects CO2 enrichment is expected to have on farming: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/magazine/29weeds-t.html? _r=1&oref=slogin ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Here's what's going on in the Panhandle this month: July 11: Friday: the 'Zoo returns to the corner stage at the Bradfordville Blues Club (BBC). This will be a mid-summer good time where the humidity will be as thick as the groove. Marvelous conditions for Zydeco! http://bradfordvilleblues.com JB's ZydecoZoo @ The Bradfordville Blues Club 9:30 pm July 12: Maclay Gardens Cleanup: From 9:00 am to 12:00 pm The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park will host a paddling cleanup on Saturday, July 12 at 9:00 a.m. Get out and enjoy paddling on the beautiful 160 acre Lake Hall while participating in a lake cleanup. Bring your own kayak, canoe and gear (life jackets and whistles are required). This event is suitable for paddlers of all levels. Trash bags, snacks and drinking water will be provided for participants. Meet at the boat dock in the recreation area. Call (850)487-4115 for more details. July 12: Wacissa River Cleanup. 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. Wacissa River Cleanup & Fun Day. Prizes for most trash collected, birding tours, green guides and nature interpreters, special canoe and kayak rental fees, coffee and lunch available. You don't have to show up at 6 am; set your own schedule. Contact Jim Dulock at 997-2324 or jimdulock@hotmail.com July 16, Weds: Apalachee Canoe & Kayak Club meeting at the Old Mexico Grill and Cantina located on Apalachee Parkway. Join us at 6:00 pm for dinner and 7:00 pm for our presentation. Our speaker this month will be Harley Means with the Florida Bureau of Geology who will be talking to us about North Florida rivers and the geological features we are likely to encounter. Join us; everyone is welcome. July 19: Apalachee Canoe & Kayak Club fieldtrip: Cal Jamison, Ambassador of Wakulla Springs will lead us on a Sparkling Gems of Wakulla Tour beginning at 9 am. Be prepared to hike and take a dip in the cool water afterwards. We will stop at 18-20 karst window sinks and should be done around 1 pm or so. Cal will have a van that will hold most of the participants. Another vehicle or 2 can follow along. The roads are passable for most vehicles, but some of them are narrow with overhanging branches. Bring plenty of water, a bathing suit if you'd like to swim and insect repellent. This trip is limited to 20 ACKC members; contact Galen Moses at galenmoses@aol.com or 926-9476 to reserve a spot. 7/26 Sat: Florida Trail Association Paddle: Slave Canal Paddle Trip: We'll paddle 5 miles down the narrow, crystal-clear stream winding through a pristine swamp. The pace will be leisurely with refreshing dips in the cool water. Getting past fallen trees will require some maneuvering skill. Limit 12 canoes. Steve Haley (850) 216-1764 kneadtorelax2002@yahoo.com AC P/L July 2008 (Exact dates pending): Wilderness Trekkers: Ozark Mountains of Missouri Paddle and Camp with Host Nancy Doucette - We will be river camping in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. These rivers are paradise on earth. They are crystal clear spring-fed rivers that can be warm enough for comfortable swimming. There is more wildlife and more birds than I have ever seen anywhere. There are fabulous cliffs and caves. Anyone interested may join me. Nancy Doucette (561) 968-1789 kayakldy@yahoo.com 8/12 Tue: Florida Trail Association Apalachee Chapter Meeting: 7:00 P.M. in Bldg. F, Woodcrest Office Park, 325 John Knox Rd., Tallahassee. Program: Will Sheftall, Natural Resources Agent, will help us learn to identify animal tracks, scat, and other traces and signs that may be found on our trails and woods roads. Linda Patton (850) 668-4334 AC P/L 8/17 Sun: Florida Trail Association Paddle: Canoe/Kayak the Econfina: Are you looking for a great way to cool off on a hot summer day? Join us for a leisurely paddle on the Econfina River. Don't forget to bring snacks, plenty of water and sun protection. Afterward we will stop at the Apalachee Restaurant in Bristol for a late lunch/early dinner. Gwen Beatty 850-942-7165 AC P/L 8/20: Wed.: Apalachee Canoe & Kayak Club meeting at the Old Mexico Grill and Cantina, 3212 Apalachee Parkway. Join us at 6 pm for dinner and 7 pm for our presentation. Liz Sparks, Recreation Planner with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will talk about boating safety and the Aucilla cleanup scheduled for Sept. 26-27. 9/26-27: Aucilla Cleanup; "Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) will co-host a National Public Lands (NPL) Day event at the Aucilla WMA on Friday evening and Saturday, 9/26-9/27, 2008. We plan to expand beyond last year's NPL volunteer event to add more fun activities and do more than just clean up the roads and river area. This year we will be partnering with Jeff Norcini, UF/IFAS Extension Specialist, who will guide our volunteers in establishing several plots of native plants and wildflowers at the Goose Pasture camping area. We hope to create a couple of sustainable, low-maintenance wildflower plots that will increase wildlife viewing opportunities and enhance the beauty of the area. We'll count on Jeff sharing information on how to create a similar native wildflower habitat in our own yards and increase visitation by butterflies, birds, and wildlife. We will have a free group campout that Friday night at the SRWMD group camp adjacent to Goose Pasture for all volunteers. That Friday evening we will do a little prep work on the wildflower plots and then team up with FWC's Hunter Education program. They will provide an archery range and training for anyone who is interested in trying their hand at this increasingly popular activity (no super strength required!). We have some other educational and fun activities in the works for that evening. On Saturday morning, after a road cleanup and finishing the native planting project we will create a paddling flotilla of canoes and kayaks from Welaunee Landing to Goose Pasture. There will be more details worked out in the near future but for now we hope you will plan to mark your calendars for this worthwhile (and fun) project at Aucilla WMA." For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Liz Sparks at 922-6160 or Liz.Sparks@MyFWC.com Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Thur.-Sun.: 2008 Florida Paddlers' Rendezvous - Tampa Bay, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers with the Florida Paddling Trails Association. The event is free and you can come for all days or just one or two. Over 24 different paddles are scheduled, ranging from quiet river paddles to trips out into the Gulf to visit some local keys. For more information or to register, go to www.clubkayak.com/rendezvous2008 All paddles will leave from the Hillsborough River State Campground. They will drive to the launch site - from 10 minutes to about one hour - depending on the trip. We will launch together, take the trip together and return together. After that, you are on your own. The great thing is that you have Trip Leaders with local knowledge to help you have a fun trip. Even though the event is free, you must register on the website. Participants only need to mail their signed liability waiver form and a check for any purchased apparel. Participants can stay at the Hillsborough River State Park or in local motels. Members of the Apalachee Canoe and Kayak Club have reserved four sites at the park and there is room available to share. Contact Kathy Criscola at 878-2270 or katwalk100@aol.com if you want to share a site. Nov 2008 (Thanksgiving Weekend 2008): Wilderness Trekkers: Long Pine Key State Park Florida Keys Paddle and Camp in the Keys over Thanksgiving. Call Reserveamerica ASAP to reserve a spot and if full keep checking back for cancellations. 1-800-326-3521. Host Cathy Phillips 561-688-2398 or kyklvr@earthlink.net (preferred) Dec 6-7: FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION LITTLE CAPE ST GEORGE EDUCATIONAL OVERNIGHT FIELDTRIP DEC 6-7, 2008: We'll take a boat ride out to Little Cape St. George Island and enjoy an afternoon trolling the bay waters to see what we can find. We'll spend the night at the Marshall House on the island and take a walking tour of the island before we head back home on Sunday afternoon. There may still be redfish and trout so bring your fishing pole. Limit 17 people. Call early to sign up. For details, contact Gwen Beatty at (850) 942-7165. Have a great weekend, Gwen ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From Society of Environmental Journalists: LOCAL EXPERTISE SOLICITED TO DOCUMENT CLIMATE CHANGE FOR PLANTS: PROJECT IS LAUNCHED One of the indicators of climate change is the slow shift in the time of year at which plants flower, bud, leaf, drop their leaves, and disperse seeds. Such shifts have been seen in many locations worldwide. To get a more extensive and consistent handle on the details in the US, a coalition of government agencies, universities, and scientific organizations has teamed up to expand a "citizen scientist" program that allows people all over the country to document the time at which local plants shift from one cycle to another. "Project BudBurst" launched its program for all 50 states on Feb. 15, 2008 <http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/>. Many people in your audience likely will want to participate in this effort, which drew thousands of responses for the pilot program last spring. For additional information, a media contact at the National Center for Atmospheric Research is David Hosansky, 303-497-8611, <hosansky@ucar.edu>. A Feb. 8, 2008, press release is at <http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/537618/>. 'What's blooming' feature added to web page as Wildflower Foundation promotes photographic participation The Florida Wildflower Foundation has added a new "What's Blooming" feature to its Web site, www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org <http://www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org/> . It's designed to show off our fantastic wildflowers, whether they're growing on roadsides, along trails and rivers, or in our yards. Look for the feature under the Photo Gallery button on the FWF site's home page. To keep up with what's blooming around the state, we'll need your help. When something catches your eye - say, a spectacular field of wildflowers by a highway or a cluster of blooms beside a trail - send an e-mail telling us what you saw and where you saw it. Better yet, snap a photo and send that along, too! We'll post reports as soon as possible to let Florida wildflower enthusiasts across the state know what you've found. And if you grow wildflowers in your yard, we've got a page for you, too! To submit a report, e-mail FWF executive director Lisa Roberts at flawildflowers@gmail.com. Depending on your sighting, put "Wildflower Roadsides," "Wildflower Yards" or "Wildflower Trails and Rivers" in the subject line. Please note that you must own the rights to any photograph you send. The submission of a photo to the Foundation authorizes the organization to post it on its Web site. The Foundation is not responsible for photos that are copied from its site and displayed elsewhere. Did you know you can help preserve Florida's wild heritage with a click of your mouse? Purchase a Florida state wildflower license plate, which supports native wildflower research, education and beautification! Go to www.FloridaWildflowerFoundation.org <http://www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org/> . Butterfliers set for 2008 schedule, many pictures, sightings to be had There may be some last-minute changes which will be posted in our mailings. Most field trips will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET, but please be sure to check the latest e-mail for the exact time and place to meet. •Saturday July 19 NABA display and events at Birdsong Nature Center Festival •Sunday July 27 Hairstreak Chapter Butterfly Count in Tallahassee •Sunday August 10 Field trip to Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park •Saturday August 23 Hairstreak Chapter potluck and annual meeting •Saturday September 13 Field trip to Wakulla Unit of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge •Sunday October 5 Field trip to Hickory Mound, Big Bend Wildlife Management Area •Date TBA NABA display and talks at St. Joseph Buffers Festival •Saturday October 18 - Sunday October 19 Gainesville Butterfly Festival •Saturday October 25 Monarch Festival, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge •Sunday November 2 Field trip to Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area Billy B. Boothe, President Hairstreak Chapter North American Butterfly Association Bristol, FL 32321 (850)643-2583 NABA@NatureInFocus.com National Web Site: www.NABA.org <http://www.NABA.org> ‘‘Happiness is a butterfly which when pursued is just beyond your grasp ... but if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.’’ - Nathaniel Hawthorne For latest information on scheduled events, please e-mail NABA@NatureInFocus.com or call (850)643-2583.Billy Boothe +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Florida Trail Association Linda Patton 850 668-4334 or Howard Pardue at 850-523-8525 and see more below in Gwen Beatty's newsletter. Canoe and Kayak Club Anyone not a member of, but interested in joining the Appalachee Canoe and Kayak Club, attached is the membership form. It is a bargain and will get you more involved in paddling in this area. See you on the water -- Art Cooper Nature Conservancy (850) 643-2756 The Nature Conservancy Northwest Florida Program PO Box 393 Bristol, FL 32321 Sierra Club Call Kathy or Walker at 878-2270 Tender moments with manatee mother and her two calves By Tom Southern ths51@earthlink.com Sent to readers by Emily Hoon, River Rats Communication Coordinator Weeki Wachee Trip Report: October 28, 2006 "Darci, Cris, Sena, Nick, and myself were all standing around the parking area at Roger's Park, having a good time talking about what a good time we'd had on the river. Nick raised his head after what I guess had been a moment's reflection and looking me, well, everyone I guess, right in the eye, said, "It's nice to see nature". It wasn't just his comment pretty much summing up the day that brought our chatter to a halt for a few seconds. It was the profoundness of the truth in that disarmingly simple sentence I think, that made all of us pause in our own thinking. I know it reminded me once again of how grateful I feel to be able to experience what we do on the rivers we all paddle together. "We were only a few hundred yards downstream of the spring when Safi spotted three manatees grazing in the clear, barely waist deep, water. A mother and two young ones. The mother was the same injured mother Sarah Blocker was the first to spot this summer (boy, those young women's eyes!). If you missed that story (attached for your convenience), this mother had a watermelon sized tumor near what would be our left shoulder. Likely the result of having been run over by a power boat, according to a state biologist I talked with at the time. "We all just sat there in our boats and softly oohed and ahead and grinned and shook our heads as if we couldn't quite believe we were actually witnessing these three gentle, but still wild animals, quietly eating what for us would have been a mid morning snack. I think that for at least half the group it was the first time they had ever seen manatee, so surely they'll never forget the moment. "In addition to all those good feelings though, you couldn't help but feel bad, too. The tumor is even bigger now, if you can believe it, and it's moved more to her side than her back. It makes you sick to look at it, but at least we saw her eating plants in the water and the two beautiful little young ones (one about four feet long and the other maybe five or six feet), appeared to our untrained eyes to be healthy, though even they, even these babies, had scars on their backs from propellors running over them. The larger of the two's fluke (tail to us) was cut into three pieces, the wounds having healed, but the fluke obviously no longer able to operate as efficiently when it swam. "Everyone else was now out of sight around a bend in the river. I was just sitting in my boat, taking it all in. I'm not sure how it happened, whether she came to me or I floated over her or what, but drifting along, my canoe at right angles to the river's flow, I noticed the smallest of the three manatees floating along parallel tothe current. No more than a foot away, I could see her two little eyes set wide in her cute, round face, looking up at me. I decided she had to be a girl because I already had a crush on her, and you know, the cognitive dissonance would be too much, so....... "I reached out and stroked her forehead and rubbed her back. I held my hand to her mouth. It filled my palm. I could feel her whiskers against my skin as she explored my hand with her lips, nuzzling it and taking my fingers a tiny bit into her mouth before I guess she decided they weren't food and I remembered she had teeth designed to grind tough grass. We must have drifted along like that for fifty yards or so before, for some reason, maybe her mom calling, maybe her sensing she was getting too far from her mother, I don't know, but she turned and gently swam back upstream. For those few moments though, it was as if there was nothing else going on in the whole world. No sounds I can remember, and except for the one thought that maybe I should keep my fingers out of her mouth, no `thinking brain function', just two animals from two different worlds relating to one another, both silently floating down the river together. I'm not sure how she felt really, or what she may have been thinking, but I was falling in love:) "Unlike summer weekends when the Weeki Wachee is usually eat up with too many motor boats and people who have, umm, lets' see now, how can we say it and at least give the appearance of being non judgemental...... okay, how 'bout we say, they have a different idea of how to engage the natural world ........ we about had the river to ourselves. Only a couple of stinking (literally, not figuratively) motor boats and at least the young father who was taking his two boys out for aday on the water looked like he might be feeling apologetic for usingsuch a profane means to make his way downstream. "This is one of my favorite rivers. I love the green tint to the clear water. I love the narrow, twisting course the river takes as it threads oasis like through the xeric sand pine and scrub oak forest in it's upper reaches. I love the shapes the cypress trees and their knees take in the swamp that lines the middle stretch. And as houses along rivers go, even the houses that mess up the lower stretch aren't too bad. I love how there are so many cool places to hop out of your boat and swim. "As lovely as the river is though, think of how much nicer it would be if it were like Ichetucknee Springs State Park. No trash at all (once again, I filled up a large garbage bag), no more houses, maybe buy up some of the existing ones. No more having to pay the private concessionaire a usurous rate for the privilege of walking through his building to get to the put in. No more power boats except in the very lower stretch of the river. "If someone like Cris Rich, who is probably better organized than God, could get a movement started, by the time we are all old, we might get to go to a dedication ceremony where some politician gives a long speech taking credit for the hard work a bunch of people who love the river actually did, and we'll eat pork barbeque, drink cold beer, and go home and sleep well because we know there is at least a pretty decent chance our children will know the same feelings of joy and wonder and rapture we have felt floating down this elysian waterway, this little piece of heaven here on earth. "Thanks to everyone who came.........Darci Waldon, Nick Christie, Karen Holder, Brenda Chalfin and children, Eliot and Safi, Bob Hornberger, Cris Rich, Beverly Bennett, John Williamson, Sena Bergeron, and her whitewater kayak friend (oh, please forgive me, I cannot remember your name, but he's a nice guy, I promise!). "P.S. A little tip I thought of: when you're paddling toward the gulf after a cold front has just passed through and a cool, dry, stiff wind is coming from the west, put some of the lotion you have brought in your little 'personal stuff' bag on your face, it'll make the make the ride home more pleasant:)" |
| If you are looking for a lightweight
camera that is good for outdoor photography, I don't hesitate to recommend the Nikon D40x above. I use it and like it. -- Michael E. Abrams, Florida Wildflowers |
Events of the past, miscellany. Dr. Loran Anderson  Dr. Loran Anderson retired from his post as professor of biology at Florida State University and curator of the herbarium there. Friends, colleagues and students came from far and wide for the occasion at Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens in Tallahassee on June 28, 2003, to honor him. He is not only regarded as one of the top botanists in the South, but beloved by his students and colleagues and by all who find his helpfulness to be boundless. He has studied, identified and named many new plants, and his work and publications are highly respected. His enthusiasm for photography of wildflowers inspired us more than 10 years ago to keep taking pictures. Angus Gholson 
It was altogether fitting that special ceremonies were held Feb. 28, 2003, to honor one of Florida's eminent field botanists and authentic heroes, Angus Gholson of Chattahoochee. You can watch this on video. Click here for a Quicktime version of the ceremonies. The downloading of this video may take a few extra minutes if you are using a modem. Quicktime, if you don't have it, is available as a free download. is a faster download but quirky. Just click on either word to get to a download page. Botanists from the world over, and most botanists worth their salt in the Southeast have visited Chattahoochee and Angus's herbarium, and benefited from his decades of experience in the woods. An article in the St. Petersburg Times describes Angus Gholson "the weed man" although the article mistakenly says the late Dr. Robert Godfrey (tribute on next page) did his work at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He was, in fact, associated with Florida State University in Tallahassee. We have also placed some more pictures of Angus at http://www.flwildflowers.com/Angus. What looked like 300 people descended upon the Chattahoochee Nature Park, renamed officially for Angus Gholson, to honor him, his wife and family, and to shower him with love and affection. People came all the way from South Carolina and Mississippi. Gholson is also a veteran of WWII, having flown over Europe in bombing missions. One of the members of his flight group was the late actor Jimmy Stewart. The park was recently expanded from about 20 to more than 100 acres, all the way down to the river, with help of grants written with the help of the Florida Natural Areas Inventory and other agencies. Speeches by the city manager and mayor of Chattahoochee and by author Gil Nelson revealed more about "our Angus" that he would have liked, but Angus said he was delighted with the attention. One of his priorities he bestowed upon everyone, including the city, is to keep the park free of trash and non-natural clutter. A luncheon of pork loin and Brunswick stew followed the ceremonies, and then Angus led a group on one of his inimitable forays into the trails in the park. Trillium underwoodii were out in force, and the trout lilies were leafed out. Among the many things he pointed out, Angus showed everyone the leaf of the Tipularia discolor, a terrestrial orchid that vegetates the winter and gathers enough energy in its leaf to burst forth in the summer. You can tell the leaf by its purple underside.
Let us know if you are interested in the full hour VHS tape. We're not
professional movie-makers, but the sound is great and we will ship out
the movie for $20 and put any excess into a worthy environmental
cause.
GALLERY
 You'll have to go west to find the Florida flame azalea which thrives in the moist, springtime woods. Look for it along the banks of streams. It is the most dazzling of the wild azaleas in Florida. Rhododenron austrinum is a colorful welcome sign that spring has arrived in and around Chattahoochee and the Panhandle. Click on the flower for GIF (217k) and here for JPEG.
This "art deco" moth explores a common but lovely flower often found along the sidewalk. The petals of the pink Heliotropium (sp) uncoil as sun rises and the flower blooms. This plant and the orange and black Rattlebox Moth were discovered at the entrance of the St. Marks bicycle trail in Tallahassee. Click on the flower for GIF (106k) and here for JPEG.
Monotropa uniflora or Indian Pipe |
 |
| Calopogon orchid |
 Eulophia |
 Blue-eyed grass |
 Katydid |
 Columbine |
 Leon Sinks |
 Dragonfly |
 Gladiolus |
 Immature katydid |
 Trillium |
 Fruit of Passiflora lutea |