What's special about this grasshopper? Only that he came all the way from Thailand. My sister, Anna, who is about as camera-crazy as I am (it's a family gene) snapped him near her home on the island of Phuket. Nice picture, Anna! Find out more about my brother and sister's

Thailand Adventure by clicking on this link.

Anhinga... dried out and ready to fish again. 

Turtles hanging out! These are just five of dozens poking up through the weedpack. 

Cocoa beach sunset from my Aunt's condo... 

Thinking about a snack... 

Another camelia... this one tweeked a bit in Picassa to set it ablaze (scroll down for previous images)...

These azaleas were spared the frost and had burst into bloom everywhere among their not-so-fortunate, withered predecessors (see previous post).

About a week after four days of nightly frosts and freezing which killed off a lot of Spring blooms (and my tomato plants!), here is one of the survivors! Shot at Rainbow Springs State Park. 

Part of a series from a walk at Rainbow Springs. The sky was slightly overcast and the light was phenomenal. 

A nest of spiders just about to make their way into the wide world. Picture by CMN. 

A shot from Noosa Heads Queensland, Australia, by my youngest son CMN. 

These dashes of red punctuate the lushness of the weedpack. 

I promise that this is the only picture you'll see of me on this site! I wanted to show those who have been asking just how clear these spring-fed rivers are. When you are underwater, the feeling is that of great open space with an amazing, alien decor, through which you can slowly (along with the all the other myriad critters) fly! 

About as clear as fresh water gets. As you move toward the head of the Silver River, the water become more and more tranlucent. In the big "boils" (spring-heads) you can often see groups of large gar lazily circling 20 feet below. 

Cormorant hangout... 

Cormorants are clunky flyers, but amazing swimmers. I've seen them catch fish under water with very little effort! 

Cormorants eyes are sapphire blue... Piercing even at a distance 

Silver River classic! This cormorant and a few friends are often sunning or drying on this same log.

Want to see what's on the other end of this? Scroll down to the next image... 

Here's the business end. As much as I've been around aligators (and once even had one swim out beside me, when I was snorkeling, with not even the hint of a threat) getting this close to a big one still speeds up my heart rate. 

Two body styles at opposite ends of the "evolutionary" spectrum. The turtle has been around the longest by far... and with fewer changes. I guess his motto would be when you've found something that works, don't mess with it! (but I think it would be more fun to be the ibis). 

Water can sometimes be a liquid mirror. For more "Silver River" images, scroll to the bottom of the blog and work you way up! (But first check out the neat monkey antics in the next few pictures).

A view going down our farm road after a few plowings, new storms and a windy day or two. 

Hush of Winter.

(Note the miniscule tracks where perhaps a deer mouse scurried along its rounds). 

"Home"

This photo supposedly "won" one of those bogus, vanity contests, where you "win", but still pay a fortune to go to an alledged "awards ceremony" and to get an album with your image featured! I put this up as a warning to unsuspecting photo enthusiasts everywhere. Who needs that when you've got your own blog? (Thank you Blogger!) 

Invitation...