Springtime in SW Florida is so lovely. The gardenias are blooming, citrus just finished blooming, a neighbor’s peach tree has half grown fruits on its branches. Not heavy enough to bend the branches, but heavy with promises.
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| Peace River at Wachula |
It was too nice to just stay home. Housework is never done – I have sewing and knitting projects unfinished, the yard needs raking – Heck with them!!! I loaded the kayak and took off for one of my favorite spots – the Peace River at Brownsville. It was sunny (no surprise there, huh?) temp in the low 80’s with a light breeze.
The county park was busy with people enjoying it all. A man was grilling hamburgers while keeping an eye on his 4 year old. A cluster of kiddoes were splashing in the shallows. A chartreuse colored kayak had just landed. Up river I could see a group at the big gravel bar – fossilers I supposed.
I’d brought my fishing pole, but the fish were feeling as indolent as I was. All that fiddling with pole, line and bait seemed to be too much work. I laid it aside. The current is very slow in spring so it took no effort to paddle upstream to see what the group were finding. This must have been one of the guided fossil hunting groups because they had an expert with them. One woman had a nice fossilized horse tooth. I’d never seen one so complete except in a museum. It was probably the size of my thumb. What a thrill it would be to find something like that!
After the group went home, the river emptied out of everyone else too - supper time for most folks. It was so silent except for a few birds I couldn't see. The sunlight dappled across the water as it filtered through the Spanish moss and dangling branches. Cypress are just coming into leaf with their feathery leaflets. I lodged my kayak into the gravel bar and just sat there absorbing the atmosphere. Tiny, tiny fishes nibbled at my ankles. I scooped up gravel and sand in my hand and let it sift through my fingers. What would you know? I found a tiny shark’s tooth in my palm! So tiny it would have drifted through the screen I usually carry when I go fossiling.
This afternoon the river is well named - the Peace River.
Pretty place! We have cut-leaf philodendrons blooming in central NE FL, and they smell good, too.
ReplyDeleteHello, Pam,
ReplyDeleteYou write beautifully and your photos are lovely. I used to live in FL. You brought it back to me, especially the smell of orange blossoms.