Wattoola

sand-hill-crane
Wattoola – Orlando Wetlands Park – April 2015
sh4
Young-un – Orlando Wetlands Park – April 2015
sand-hill-crane
Hey – Orlando Wetlands Park – April 2015

“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!” – Albert Einstein

Wattoola is the native American name for the bird – specifically Creek indians – from William Bartram’s Travels.

It is interesting the way Sand Hills and their young hang out together – mom, dad, and babies. As spring progresses I will be interested to see if other birds mimic this behavior. Ducks follow mom, but dad’s not usually around.

Quote found at http://www.quotegarden.com/family.html

Sunday Flowers

flower
Is That a Bee? – Leu Gardens – April 2015
flower
Flower – Leu gardens – April 2015

Leu Gardens is a botanical garden run by the City of Orlando. Donated by Harry Leu in 1961and beautifully maintained.  And not in the style of the northern botanical gardens, with green houses filled with plants, these are all outside!!

There’s also an historic house and museum on premise that was started in the 1800’s and finished in the mid 1900’s.

Random Bugs

eastern-amber-wing
Eastern Amber Wing – Leu Gardens – April 2015
viceroy
Florida Viceroy – Leu gardens – April 2015

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” – Richard Bach

The dragonfly escapes the butterflies problem. I will have to investigate the life cycle of the dragonfly.

Quote found at http://www.quotegarden.com/butterflies.html

Dragonflies

red-saddle-bags
Red Saddlebags Dragonfly – Lake Monroe Wildlife Management Area – April 2015
red-saddle-bags
Flying Around – Lake Monroe Wildlife Management Area – April 2015
dragon-fly
Unknown – Orlando Wetlands Park – April 2015

“You can do anything, but not everything” – David Allen

That quote is a reminder to me!!

It’s dragonfly season in Central Florida – they are beautiful creatures. However, I feel like the a cartoon character with a butterfly net as I chase the dragon flies around the path with my camera.

Quote found at http://shortquotes.org/

In Marjorie’s Wake

saint-andrews-crosscross
St Andrews Cross – Savage/Christmas Creek Preserve – April 2015
flower
Flower – Orlando Wetlands Park – April 2015

“I do not understand how a man can live without some small place of enchantment” – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Watched a video last night “In Marjorie’s Wake” from PBS by Equinox Documentaries. Highly recommended to all. It is about 2 women who recreate a trip that Marjorie Rawlings and a friend took over 75 years ago along the St John’s River. She was an author who preserves the memories of old Florida in her fiction. Cross Creek and the Yearling are two of her most famous.

This video goes through my “place of enchantment” not so small but magical.

Quote found at https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/46158.Marjorie_Kinnan_Rawlings