Tag: Okefenokee Swamp

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #375 – Where to find the Mysterious

Posted in PhotographyTagged , , , , 29 Comments
Mysterious Cypress Swamp

I am happy to welcome Patti back as this week’s host. For this challenge she is asking us to explore the mysterious. Her wonderful post contains great examples and tips to help inspire us.

I chose to include black and white images because I like the way they create a more mysterious feeling.

Cypress swamps are mysterious places. The featured image was taken from the Swamp Trail in Silver Springs State Park, Florida. The next image is from a different swamp, the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia.

Into the unknown in the Okefenokee Swamp
Into the unknown in the Okefenokee Swamp

I find mystery in old abandoned buildings and other old structures.

Abandoned mental institution on Milledgeville, Georgia

Abandoned dairy barn in rural Georgia
Old dairy barn in rural Georgia

Abandoned Chimney in rural Georgia
Abandoned Chimney in rural Georgia

Last week your responses to John’s On the Move challenge took us around the world on many interesting types of transportation.

Many thanks to Patti for her challenge Lens-Artists #375 – Finding the Mysterious. I hope you will join us for this week’s challenge. Be sure to tag your post with Lens-Artists and link back to Patti’s post.

Be sure to check back on Saturday, November 29 at noon eastern time when I will be your host for the next challenge.

For information on how to join the Len-Artists challenge please click here.

Every Day is a Gift

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #265 – Black and White and Monochrome

Posted in PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , 19 Comments

Our challenge from Anne is for Black and White and/or Monochrome images.

Monochrome photos contain only variations of one color. Monument Valley in Utah was the filming location for many old western movies. I thought it would be fun to bring back memories of those old western movies so I chose a few images from Monument Valley and converted them to sepia tones.

Some of those movies were directed by John Ford and starred John Wayne. In the image above John Ford’s Point is in the foreground with Monument Valley in the background. The next three images reminded me of other scenes in the movies.

One of the Mittens formations in Monument Valley, Utah

John Wayne’s cabin from the movie “She wore a Yellow Ribbon”

Stage Coach at Goulding’s Trading Post, Monument Valley, Utah

Black and white images contain only the colors of back and white. I chose three images from Florida and Georgia and converted them from color to black and white to add some drama to the landscapes.

Pa-hay-Otee overlook in Everglades National Park, Florida

Laura S. Walker State Park, Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia

Many thanks to our host Anne for the challenge Lens-Artists Challenge #265 – Black and White or Monochrome

Lens Artists Photo Challenge # 207 – Seeing Double

Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged , , , , 30 Comments

In this challenge guest host Jez tells us that “seeing double is all about reflections.” The best opportunities for me to capture reflections occur when I am photographing landscapes and wildlife close to a body of water.

One of my favorite places to see reflections is in the Okefenokee Swamp in south Georgia. The header image and this next gallery were all taken while exploring the Okefenokee.

The next gallery shows some of my favorite bird reflections. The trio of Roseate Spoonbills was taken in Texas, the other three images were taken in Florida.

One of my favorite reflection images is this final image taken at Crescent Lake, Washington.

Crescent Lake, Washington

Many thanks to guest host Jez of Photos by Jez for this Lens-Artists Challenge #107 – Seeing Double

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #188 – A Special Place

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, WildlifeTagged , , , , , , 15 Comments

Our host Karina asks us to show us the places that are or were special to you and tell us why. I’ve chosen to feature two National Wildlife Refuges located in Southeast Georgia.

Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mission

The National Wildlife Refuge System is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These public lands and waters across the United states are set aside to protect many species. They are special places to experience nature and to view wildlife. There are over 560 National Wildlife Refuges in the United States.

The Okefenokee Swamp is one of North America’s most unspoiled natural wilderness areas. According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge web page, “the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has 353,981 acres of National Wilderness Area within the refuge boundaries.  In addition, the refuge is a Wetland of International Importance (RAMSAR Convention – 1971) because it is one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems.”

The refuge headquarters are located in Folkston, Georgia. There is also access to the refuge in Georgia’s Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo and the Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross.

Alligators in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Turtle in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Swallowtail Butterflies in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Wild Turkey in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Snowy Egret in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Located just a few miles east of I-95 in Townsend, Georgia, Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including nearly 350 species of birds. In the spring, hundreds of wood storks, egrets, and other birds can be seen building their nests in the trees on Woody Pond.

Great Blue Heron in Flight at Harris Neck
Pair of Wood Storks building a nest at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge
Nesting Wood Storks and Great Egrets at Woody Pond
Baby Alligators at Woody Pond

Many thanks to our guest host Karina of Murtagh’s Meadow for the challenge Lens’Artists #188: A Special Place

Throwback Thursday #18 – January 30, 2012

Posted in Georgia, Nature, RVing, State ParksTagged , , , , 12 Comments

We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips. This January I am highlighting our January, 2012 snowbird trip to Florida.

Part 5 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

After enjoying our stay in Alafia State Park, we spent a few days in Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest before stopping at one of our all time favorite campgrounds on our way north. On this day eight years ago, January 30, 2012, we were camped at Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It was our last stop before going home.

We had camped there several times before but this stay at the park was quite different from our other visits. In 2011, a wildfire burned for days in the area and a lot of the woods were badly burned.

As we the drove the last few miles to the park entrance we were saddened to see the devastation caused by the 2011 wildfire.

20120130 Stephen C Foster (3)
Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp

The fire also destroyed part of the walkway through the nature trail.

20120130 Stephen C Foster (2)
Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp

We returned to the park several times after the fire and the area is recovering nicely. There are pictures from our 2018 visit at The Land of Trembling Earth.

It was great fun wandering around Florida that year. Except for a few cold days in the early part of the trip, most of the days were warm and sunny. We even had a few days when we could wear shorts!

We were gone for 36 days and went a total of about 3000 miles and have lots of good memories.