tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11259801297346730942024-02-18T21:31:32.848-05:00Through The Eyes of a Park RangerHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Park Ranger? This blog will give you a small taste of the responsibilities, the exciting moments, and the awesome views experienced in the park from my perspective. Look back to the archives for a 365 day account of when I was a Park Ranger who promoted to an Assistant Park Manager. Now that the 365 project is complete, I will not post daily, but I will be back to share some exciting moments with you from time to time.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-21190022361348034182010-09-15T23:10:00.000-04:002010-09-15T23:10:15.221-04:00Time FliesI guess that time flies when you are having fun. A lot of time has passed since I last blogged and that is regrettable. I am a person who functions well with deadlines and if there is no deadline... well, there is little blogging. I have still been taking photos. I don't take pictures daily and I am really seeing a difference in what I end up with. I am still catching some nice views every now and again though. I have quite a few photos to share with you today and quite a few more, that I have to pass up and share another day. I don't know that I can accurately catch you up on all that I have done in the past months, but here's my attempt.<br />
I hit the 5 year mark with the Florida Park Service. My park manager presented me with a certificate and my 5 year pin at our last personnel meeting. Its hard to believe that it has been such a long time. I am really looking forward to seeing what the next 5 bring.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994225377/" title="IMG_9481 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9481" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4994225377_2809585c10.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I have been getting more comfortable in my new job. I have passed the 6 month mark though, so I guess it isn't that new anymore. I have had my first review with my park manager and have to start giving all the rangers their reviews... a big task! I have participated in several prescribed fires since I blogged last and have done lots of paperwork. Local schools are back in session and we have passed Labor Day so things are really slowing down at the park. It was amazing how quickly that change happened, it was like someone flipped a switch and all of a sudden, we don't have overcrowding in the park on weekends anymore. I am helping to coordinate more special events now that things are slowing down and the weather is thinking about cooling off a little. We have adventure races and orienteering events in the park often. They have excellent organizers and my responsibility is just to make sure that the facility is available, their paperwork is in order, and that there are no conflicts with other user groups. There is also a fundraising horseback ride coming up that I will be helping to coordinate.<br />
One event that I thoroughly enjoyed happened last weekend. We celebrate Literacy Month every September in the Florida State Parks by offering special programs and free admission when you show your library card or donate a book. The books fill our camper library so that campers in the campground can borrow a book while they are with us. This year we also had a big event at Wekiwa. It was put together by the F<a href="http://www.floridaliteracy.org/">lorida Literacy Coalition</a> and included several other partners to make it a great event. There were several stations that children and families could rotate through in the picnic area. There were some terrific story tellers who highlighted enjoying nature and science through reading. There was face painting and fitness, literacy programs, and even free books!! Every child who participated left with at least one book that was new to them and theirs to keep. I was impressed by one event sponsor/participant. A group called <a href="http://just1book.net/">Just 1 Book</a> was there. Their organization was started by a 10-year-old in Orlando. She started the program in her school when she learned of the poverty in a neighbouring town. She realized that if every child in her school donated "just 1 book," they could supply 763 books to other children who could really use the help. Within months, thousands of books were donated and the program is continuing to grow. Just 1 Book brought hundreds of books to the park and every child was permitted to choose one to take home.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994231935/" title="IMG_9573 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9573" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4994231935_59b7b81bdc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I had my own station at the Literacy Event. It was Reading With A Ranger. It was nice to be an interpretive ranger again. I read a book about a ladybug who was searching for a good home. When we finished the book, we went on a little nature hike to see if we could find some bugs who had made their home in the park. I was impressed with the kids and how long I could keep them interested in finding bugs. I expected to only be able to keep them focused on the walk from the picnic area to the spring area. It ended up that I took them on a half mile hike and we found spiders, ants, a beetle, some damselflies, dragonflies, and more.<br />
Another great program was the Moon Rope. Two wonderful storytellers read the book in Spanish and English and then, with the help of the kids and some excellent props, they acted out the story. Each child (and even a park ranger) got to be a different animal. They carried the colorful cut-out of the animal that they were representing. They made it to the "moon" and found gummy worms inside!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994233495/" title="IMG_9576 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9576" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4994233495_4473837e8a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Aside from special events, I am still just plugging away with the day to day responsibilities. As I am more comfortable in my position, I am finding that I am taking more time to enjoy my surroundings. Here are some of the great things that I have seen. Rock Springs Run is a northern part of the park that I usually visit once a week. I never know what I might see there. Sometimes its Sandhill Cranes and sometimes a new flower will be in bloom. The giant, pink blossom below is in the Hibiscus family. These beautiful flowers were towering above my head and I had to walk through some thorny shrubs to get to them... well worth it, I think. Once I was through the thorns, and photographed the Hibiscus, I started chasing a Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly and followed it to a Buttonbush.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994835698/" title="IMG_9563 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9563" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/4994835698_a423a8cc99.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994826446/" title="IMG_9414 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9414" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4994826446_c56f878d4c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994222175/" title="IMG_9430 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9430" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4994222175_08afd890d8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The main part of the park has shown a lot of wildlife and floral activity as well. There have been quite a few spotted fawns that I have watched grow. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994829564/" title="IMG_9455 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9455" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/4994829564_e9f3e64670.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Horsemint and several other flowers are in bloom in the beautiful butterfly garden which is located in the center of our parking loop near the picnic area.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994227875/" title="IMG_9557 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9557" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4994227875_9307fe0f8c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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One of our Park Biologists also pointed out to me an orchid that was in bloom. When I heard the name, Giant Orchid, I expected to see a very large flower. I was surprised to see that its stalk was very tall, but the blooms were tiny! Its also called Wild Coco, which might be a little less misleading.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994832074/" title="IMG_9497 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9497" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4994832074_81c1d95d54.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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I have been working with the <a href="http://friendsofwekiva.blogspot.com/">Friends of the Wekiva River</a> group lately as well. They are an organization that works to protect the Wekiva. I serve as an advisor to them and attend their monthly meetings when I can. They have monthly outings to enjoy the Wekiva River Basin, to socialize, and to attract new members to their organization. Some of those outings happen on park property. Last weekend, after work, I met with two of the board members to look at an area for a planned hike. It was a property that I haven't had the chance to explore yet. I had a wonderful time! We saw some ponds as well as some hilly areas. Those are Sandhill Cranes flying over the pond.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994235097/" title="IMG_9589 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9589" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4994235097_b6f8c46794.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I saw my first Burrowing Owl which was amazing!!! I didn't get a good photo of it though, that will have to be another day. The tiny owls utilize Gopher Tortoise burrows and have the most striking yellow eyes! I did find a Quail that was willing to be photographed. I think this is the best image of a Quail that I have every captured. They are normally quick to hide in the brush.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4994842668/" title="IMG_9597 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9597" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4994842668_c17a182bb2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Well, I hope that will keep you for a little while and I will try to return again sooner rather than later to share some more.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-13807734812302131162010-07-17T14:38:00.001-04:002010-07-17T14:41:02.559-04:00BEAR!!I'm back. I have had a very nice break from blogging now that my 365 days are up. I still haven't sent my camera away to be cleaned, its hard to give it up. The send-away process takes a couple of weeks and I don't like to be without a camera for that long. I will force myself to give it up one day soon though. I have been staying very busy. The park has been a popular place lately as the temperatures have been hot and humid. Everyone wants to come and swim in the cool spring water to cool off. Wouldn't you? I find it hard to believe sometimes that I ever had time to blog everyday. I have had a couple of long days recently when I got home late, absolutely exhausted and was very happy to not have to blog. I have been missing it though. I enjoy sharing the fun events at the park and hearing the reactions. I think from here on out, there will be a nice balance for me. I will blog for fun with no stress involved. To kick off the fun and the new beginning of the blog, I have redesigned the page. Let me know what you think of the new layout.<br />
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I stopped by Katie's Landing last week. I was just floored by the beauty of the place. You may remember some <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/busy-bee.html">construction pictures</a> that I had previously posted. The majority of the construction took place before I arrived at Wekiwa. An old facility had been removed and a picnic area, parking area, and restroom had been built. I witnessed the construction of the bulkhead at the water and the graveling of the canoe launch. Now, nature has had its way with the new construction and the place looks like it has always been this way. It is a very inviting place now and I look forward to spending more time there. I am finding a lot of favorite places in the 42,000 acres that I help to manage that I look forward to utilizing once fall arrives. The summer heat and humidity mean that any recreational outdoor activity for me involves being in the water.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4801887487/" title="IMG_9284 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9284" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4801887487_72afd75c12.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4801887483/" title="IMG_9287 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9287" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4801887483_477873fe69.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The most exciting thing that I just had to blog about was my first bear sighting. I have been wishing and hoping that I would see a bear soon. I have heard so many other people's bear stories and I was so ready to have my own. It finally happened! I was in the office, working on a computer training, when a call came across the radio. A bear had crossed the main park drive by the ranger station and was headed to my house!! Several of us in the office ran outside to see what we could see. My yard is visible from the office and we finally caught sight of a big, beautiful Black Bear!!! It came out of the woods near us and walked along slowly. I snapped quite a few pictures and may have done a little dance of joy while we watch the giant bear mosey along. It wasn't at all interested in us. It was out exploring and maybe looking for something to eat. I was so pleased to see such an amazing wild animal outside of a cage, just being itself in the woods. It was a great experience and definitely worth the wait! I'm sure it won't be the last bear sighting for me. Stay tuned and I will continue to share the fun stuff.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4801887475/" title="IMG_9294 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9294" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4801887475_2062cb22c0.jpg" width="500" /></a>Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-39765827265370921222010-06-23T16:24:00.000-04:002010-06-23T16:24:19.735-04:00Last Day!!!Well it was a wonderful year and I have a great sense of accomplishment for finishing this project. I have been able to share a lot of beautiful, crawly, and fun experiences with you all and I hope you have enjoyed the ride. Please stay tuned and check back with me in a month or so. I am going to take a break, give my camera some much needed rest, relaxation, and repair, and revamp the site a little. I am done with daily postings, but I will try to keep up with the exciting moments that I encounter.<br />
I'm sorry that I don't have a more interesting day to report for the last day of the blog, but it is what it is. Today was a quiet day at the park. Several of the administrative staff are using up some leave time before the full force of the summer arrives. Park visitors were pretty quiet today as well. I spent most of the morning in the office and most of the afternoon with the park staff.<br />
I got a fun Bee photo yesterday that didn't make it to the blog yet. It was intently feasting on the unidentified purple flower in my back yard. This Bee could not be distracted from its mission. It was there when I found it, allowed me to take several photos, and it was still in the same spot when I left.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4728449496/" title="IMG_9260 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9260" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1259/4728449496_cc78290949.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The only photo that I took today was of a Royal Walnut Moth who was having a rest under a leaf near the door to the ranger station. It is a beautiful moth and, I think, deserving of the name "Royal". Its caterpillar is an interesting character that I would love to see in person. Until then, this is what a <a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=hickory%20horned%20devil&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi">Google image search yields of the Hickory Horned Devil</a>, as the caterpillar is named.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4728449978/" title="IMG_9269 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9269" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1224/4728449978_e75b3567ac.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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While I am gone, I hope you go out and do some exploring on your own. Turn over logs and turn over leaves. Bring your camera, a magnifying glass, and a child. That's all you need for an exciting day in the woods or in your back yard. Take photos or notes and bring them home to your field guides or the Internet to continue the adventure at home to learn more about what you saw.<br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #1</strong><br />
As I said, this has really been a fun experience. I am glad to know that I can accomplish what I set my mind to and the benefits to my readers and myself have been more than I ever expected. I hope that I have helped to inspire future rangers or at least helped people to appreciate their state park rangers. I know that I have helped to educate a few people and that is worth all the work.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-82565220001371387502010-06-22T15:44:00.000-04:002010-06-22T15:44:03.235-04:00ReflectionsAs today is my regularly scheduled day off and the butterflies that I was chasing this morning refused to be photographed, I thought that this would be a good opportunity to look back and show you some of my favorite photos. When I had this bright idea, I was apparently not thinking very clearly. I had 365 days of photo files that I had to look through to find those photos. I didn't look through all of them. I stopped when I had a handful to share with you. So here they are:<br />
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I love this Dragonfly close-up, originally <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/flying-dragons.html">posted 6/8/10</a> because of the difficulty level of capturing it. I had to get super close to it to use the 10X macro lens and usually bugs don't like that. Especially bugs with wings who can easily just fly away. I also really enjoy showing photos here that people may not see on their own. When is the last time that you magnified a Dragonfly?<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684048664/" title="IMG_8997 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8997" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1298/4684048664_2614b6114b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Another image that people may not see on their own is a <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/02/prescribed-fire.html">person using a drip torch</a> to apply fire to a prescribed burn. The photo looks very dramatic because it seems that the fire might engulf her at any moment. Truth be told, the road edge is just to her right and she is in no danger at all. It looks exciting though! The photo is also composed in a way that would make my photography teachers proud. I have always been taught the rule of thirds in photography. If you divide a photo into thirds vertically or horizontally and break up the focus that way, it will be pleasing to the eye. For example, if you are making a landscape image of the beach and you make the sky the top third, the water the center third and the sand the lower third, it will be more attractive than dividing it in half with a horizon line dead center. Additionally, if you were to draw those lines dividing the image into thirds vertically and horizontally, where they intersect are called "hot spots". It is more visually interesting to have your subject on one of those hot spots rather than in the middle of the photo. You eye is drawn to those locations more so than the center of the photo. In this image, the person is in the left third of the shot. Her head is in a hot spot. Your eye is likely drawn to her head and then follows the line that her arm makes to the tip of the drip torch. The tip of the drip torch is also in a hot spot.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4363255589/" title="IMG_7245 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7245" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4363255589_349f4ccb8c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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One of my favorite <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/10/pretty-views.html">photo days</a> on the blog was back in October. I had a great morning where the light was in my favor and very inspiring. I picked two photos from that day to display here. I don't think that my photo teachers would have liked either of them very much. There is no exciting subject or focal point. In the first one, the top is very overexposed. I'll tell you why I like them anyway though. I like the way that the light carries your eye throughout the image in the first one. If you follow the rays of light, you cover the whole image. I also like that the water looks blue. This is where personal knowledge makes a difference in the image to me. The spring used to always look blue about 40 years ago. Now, if there is a color it is much more of a green hue from the increased nitrates in the water and the subsequent algae growth. The second image is the only one of my photos that is currently hanging on a wall in my home. It isn't very unique and nothing is going in the photo. I really like the diagonal line of the branch and the color variation in the leaves. I love the way the sun lit the leaves from behind and created so much contrast in the image.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4054391544/" title="IMG_4847 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4847" height="500" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/4054391544_e0e0146b59.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4054389072/" title="IMG_4843 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4843" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/4054389072_b725de5b31.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Another <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/10/through-fog.html">day in October</a> produced a very fun image. I liked this one so much because of the reaction that it got. It is a crisp image of the subject and though it is centered, normally a no no in photography, the baby spiders are close to a hot spot. Its not a textbook good photo, but the shock and awe from the blog readers made it great! I love the reaction that I get from a good creepy crawlie photo.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/3998255097/" title="IMG_4323 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4323" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3998255097_ba7dcc44c5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I do love a good bug photo. Many of my readers don't like the spider pics, but who doesn't <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-took-too-many-photos-today.html">love a butterfly</a>? I have a ton of butterfly photos, but this one may be my favorite. I wish that I had shifted the camera over a little to put the butterfly in a more interesting place, but I'll take what I can get with a bug that likes to flutter away. The sun was so nice and bright and the butterflies had been moving so much. It was hard to catch, but I am proud of this image. I am glad that the butterfly was perfectly in focus. I also like how the swivel viewfinder on my camera can let me get right on ground level without having to lay in the mud.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/3871909304/" title="IMG_3116 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3116" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2527/3871909304_4209d67fbe.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Last, but not least is <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/08/wet-one.html">another photo</a> that I got some good feedback on. The colors turned out so rich and bold. The sky was reflecting off of the water in a dark blue color and the white clouds were in stark contrast. The puddle on the rock was in a hot spot and the dark red leaves were a pretty blast of color. The blogged photo showed more of the scene, but I have another image of this view that I like even better because it was zoomed in on the rock puddle. You can still see the dark blue of the sky in the water but it highlights the red of the leaves even more.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/3856833092/" title="IMG_2943 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2943" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/3856833092_94c83276fb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #2</strong><br />
I really enjoyed going through my photos for this blog. It reminded me of another benefit to this whole project. Each photo jogs my memory of the day that it was taken. If you were to ask me what my day was like on 10/28/09, I would never be able to tell you. Looking back at my photos though, I remember the morning well. I remember the walk that I took around the spring and the way that the light created so many amazing views. The photos are like memories in themselves.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-61942125974674864192010-06-21T20:25:00.003-04:002010-06-21T20:30:30.707-04:00Summer, Day 1Happy summer solstice! Here we are again at the first day of summer. You may remember that I started this blogging endeavor on the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/06/for-birds.html">first day of summer last year</a>, it was also Father's Day. So we have come full circle. Today is actually the 366th day that I am sharing my visions with you. I didn't forget how to count halfway through, I knew that I would go over a few days. I wanted to do something special and countdown the last 100 days. However, the 100th day was in the middle of my move to my <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/02/big-news.html">new job/house</a>. I didn't start the countdown until I was somewhat settled, so here we are at Day 366 with two more to go.<br />
Today was another normal Monday. I think that a lot of people dread Mondays, but they aren't so vicious for me. I am off on Tuesday. If I work the weekend, then Monday feels like Friday. If I am off over the weekend, then Monday is just a blip on the radar before another day off. Mondays aren't usually very stressful for me either. Monday starts with a staff meeting at the shop and then a meeting with the administrative staff at the office. I get caught up on the happenings in the park and the upcoming events. I also spend some time at the computer as there is usually an influx of e-mails on a Monday morning. I also usually get to go to our distant, northern properties to do our weekly check. Today was no different.<br />
I really enjoy my trip out of the park and the 15-20 mile drive to the northern properties. Rock Springs Run doesn't seem like much. It is basically a long road that was going to be a much longer county road but it became a park instead. There are extensive hiking and horseback riding trails, but no structures or exciting attractions like a spring. Something about the property really draws me in though. I enjoy the long road that seemingly goes no where. The expanse provides a great view of the ever changing sky. The clouds were really performing while I was there as the afternoon storms were rolling in.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722078735/" title="IMG_9241 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9241" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1424/4722078735_684df5f7fb.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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There weren't as many wildflowers at Rock Springs Run today as there were a <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/wildflower-day.html">couple of weeks ago</a>. I should say that they weren't as obvious. Once I started to really search, I found more than I had seen from the road. There was the occasional Prickly Pear Cactus that would catch my eye with its bright yellow flower.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722078037/" title="IMG_9231 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9231" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1054/4722078037_c81d51bf60.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722730226/" title="IMG_9228 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9228" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1080/4722730226_f4c93c9412.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Once I was out of the truck and at the Cactus, I found a few more little flowers here and there. I found this type a couple of times but I couldn't see it at all from the truck. It was so small and delicate. I couldn't find an identification for it, but its flower resembles those in the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/friday-fun.html">pea</a> family.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722731586/" title="IMG_9247 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9247" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1038/4722731586_6f3e688799.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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I found some flowers that were done blooming and had gone to seed. They were just waiting for a good gust of wind to carry the seeds to other places to start the cycle all over again.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722078417/" title="IMG_9234 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9234" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1027/4722078417_466bee5ec5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I also found some flowers that similar to the wispy seeds mentioned above, but the white fluff was the blooming flower. There were several insects interested in these flowers, they must have been tasty ones. The wasp at the lower right was focused. It didn't care at all about the camera that kept inching closer to it. I also saw a few ants and a butterfly that probably would have landed if I had not been standing there.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722079409/" title="IMG_9248 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9248" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/4722079409_c52c6106b6.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The last flower that I found stood out almost as well as the Prickly Pear. I believe it is a type of Coreopsis. You may remember the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/03/some-ichetucknee-memories.html">Coreopsis photo</a> that I have posted before, the older post is Florida's state flower. This one is a close relative. I can't decide which one I like more. The state flower is more colorful, but this one has such a simple beauty about it.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722732252/" title="IMG_9252 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9252" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1414/4722732252_149bb870cf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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My next stop was Katie's Landing. There wasn't much to see there, but that was a good thing. An <a href="http://www.pangeaadventureracing.com/race_archive.php?r=42">orienteering, adventure race</a> was held there over the weekend with over 100 participants. I saw absolutely no trace of crowds. It was definitely an environmentally conscious group because the park looked better than I have ever seen it. I found some ducks there enjoying the peace and quiet. They looked like teenager ducks to me, not quite old enough to venture out on their own.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722790980/" title="IMG_9253 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9253" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1314/4722790980_7dd82dfaf0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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On the way back to the main part of the park, I drove through a few tiny patches of rain. I saw a lot of dark clouds, but it didn't rain at the park. Its funny how hit-or-miss the rain can be here. I wrapped up the last of the things that I had to do for the day and stopped in at the ranger station just before heading home. I found one more flower to photograph. It was right outside of the ranger station. A Saw Palmetto was in bloom. A tall stalk jutted out from the base of the plant and was covered in tiny white flowers. I see Saw Palmettos almost everywhere I look, but I don't always get to see these beautiful flowers. I will have to try to remember my 10X macro lens to really enlarge them and do them justice.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4722138493/" title="IMG_9257 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9257" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1320/4722138493_e969bcb625.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #3</strong><br />
Another reason that I have benefited from the blogging process has been the education that I am getting. Though I am not always successful, I try to identify everything that I post. In the past, I would see something interesting and try to make a mental note of it to look it up later. Apparently, my mental Post-It pad erases like an Etch-A-Sketch. I rarely got around to looking up all of the plants and bugs that I saw daily. Now that I have been photographing daily and blogging, I am doing a lot more research. I still don't find all of the answers that I seek, but I am learning a lot more than I would otherwise.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-14563821335749875742010-06-20T22:21:00.000-04:002010-06-20T22:21:06.770-04:00Happy Father's DayI started this blog on <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/06/for-birds.html">Father's Day last year</a>. On that day, I painted a very different picture from the park life that I have now. At Troy last year, I was all alone in a very quiet park. The spring was flooded and everything was quiet. This year, I wasn't working, but the park was far from quiet. Here at Wekiwa, there are no days when the spring is flooded and closed. It would take a hurricane to close down this park. Even though I was off, I had two park visitor calls before 10:00am. I could hear how busy the park was, even from the house. I was anxious to get away. What a difference a year makes!<br />
We went to the beach this afternoon. It was too hot out to do anything that didn't involve water and I was not interested in being at work. We expected the beach to be busy, so we went a little later in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day at the beach! It was much busier than when <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/just-beachy.html">we last went, on a Thursday</a>. When we got there though, some people were beginning to leave. We didn't have any trouble finding parking or a cozy spot of sandy beach. I even discovered some evidence of wildlife right away. There was a smashed crab on the beach. I'm not sure how it met its demise, but it was interesting to see. A fly was inspecting it at the same time I was. I thought of my Dad because he loves to eat crab legs. This crab didn't look tasty to me, but I think that fly thought it looked good.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4719501420/" title="IMG_9204 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9204" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4719501420_3d8d667209.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4718852491/" title="IMG_9203 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9203" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4718852491_38b379eb6e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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We saw quite a few kites flying in the sky and it was fun to play the game "bird or kite." There was one kite that was very bird-like. It had me fooled for quite a while. One kite was just enormous. It was attached to a surfer. The kite pulled him all over the place. Even though there weren't any big waves, the person looked like he had a good time. It must have been exhausting to hang on to that giant kite all day. Quite a few times, he came to shore and had to walk back up the beach again to his starting point, towing the kite through the air the whole time. He was there when we got there and he was there when we left.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4719501628/" title="IMG_9211 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9211" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4719501628_71cb4a628b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The beach was full of people, but as I mentioned they were starting to leave as we arrived. The first photo was taken right after we arrived and the second, shortly before we left. It was late in the afternoon and there were some dark clouds looming overhead. We heard thunder in the distance, but only found rain when we were traveling home. Please excuse the dark blob in the lower center of each photo. A piece of dust has settled inside of my lens and I have no way of removing it aside from sending it in to the manufacturer for repair. As soon as the blog is done, that will be the first thing I do.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4718853355/" title="IMG_9212 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9212" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4718853355_e705f8ca1b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4718854671/" title="IMG_9224 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9224" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4718854671_682e178eab.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The smashed crab and the multitude of people were not the only wildlife that we saw at the beach. I saw a lot of the same pretty shells that we saw last time. I also found this little oddity. I picked it up thinking that it was a shark tooth, but on closer inspection, I found that it was not. It appeared to be a very young something or another. The ocean is a mysterious place to me.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4718853841/" title="IMG_9215 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9215" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4718853841_be68cba2be.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The beach was dotted with this beautiful seaweed. The edges remind me of pine needles. I can only imagine how many miles this little pile of seaweed has traveled just to end up on our beach.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4719502622/" title="IMG_9217 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9217" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4719502622_3d10dcb465.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Again, we didn't see any Seagulls. I really don't miss them. Another scavenger was in their place though. I saw quite a few Pigeons. There were a lot more of them today than there were last time. Maybe it was because there were a lot more people who might drop their snacks on the ground. We also saw several Pelicans, but none came close enough to photograph.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4719502808/" title="IMG_9218 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9218" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4719502808_b4fe16995f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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All in all, it was a great day at the beach. We got just enough sun, the waves were small and manageable, the way that I like them.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4718855165/" title="IMG_9225 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9225" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4718855165_9b11f800ee.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #4</strong><br />
I have enjoyed blogging because it forces me to find things that are out of the ordinary. I am always looking for interesting things to photograph for the blog. I don't think that I would have taken such a close look at the seaweed or found the mysterious "thing" if I had not been searching for something other than a beach landscape to photograph. When I was at Troy, I made a brochure for a program that I gave. It was entitled, "Ten Ways To Have Fun On A Hike." One of the ways that I listed was to bring someone else with you when you walk. Quite often, you will see things that you might have missed or the other person will spot something that you overlooked. Blogging has been like taking other people with me wherever I go. I really search for something neat to entertain you all. Thanks for the company, its been fun.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-90708897085486198952010-06-19T19:07:00.000-04:002010-06-19T19:07:40.815-04:00Lazy DayI am off this weekend. I spent a lazy day at home today. It was pretty uneventful. I served as a pillow for my lap dog, <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/02/reflections.html">a Great Dane named Dozer</a>. I did make it out just before a rain storm to catch some photos. I found some flowers in bloom and plenty of insects enjoying those flowers.<br />
I am amazed by the staying power of the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/weekend-continues.html">Scarlet Milkweed</a> near my front porch. Each individual flower doesn't last more than a week, but when one fades away, another is right behind it to takes its place. The Ants just love these flowers. There must be some sweet nectar inside. I caught one Ant diving head first into a flower.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715672638/" title="IMG_9169 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9169" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1265/4715672638_41e8fd0ee4.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715673258/" title="IMG_9173 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9173" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4715673258_b631c8bbe0.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715673796/" title="IMG_9177 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9177" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4715673796_6d8c10afbb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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At the end of my driveway, I found a plant that I had never seen before. I thought that the little pods would open into flowers and planned on checking back in a day or two. When I looked a little closer, I saw that there were some flowers emerging. I had assumed that the whole pod would open into a flower, but it appears that only a tiny flower pokes out of the top. Fluffy seeds form in the pod, similar to the seed of a Dandelion.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715031431/" title="IMG_9180 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9180" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4715031431_83c20b6c52.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715674750/" title="IMG_9184 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9184" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4715674750_c9e8be85b8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Nearby, I found another little purple flower. I think that Florida has a lot of tiny purple flowers. I also think that I need a better wildflower field guide.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715675716/" title="IMG_9187 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9187" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4715675716_24ee0f2c54.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715675264/" title="IMG_9185 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9185" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4715675264_ce266b9522.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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In the back yard, yet another purple flower was still in bloom. I have photographed this one before, but I still don't have a name for it. I even showed it to one of our District Biologists. She thought that it may be a non-native that was planted to attract butterflies. I haven't seen any butterflies on it yet, but one Bee was loving every single blossom.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4715033555/" title="IMG_9197 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9197" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4715033555_a66b1797dc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #5</strong><br />
Blogging has done wonders for my organizational skills. In addition to the journaling of information that I mentioned on another day, I have catalogued my photos extremely well. For starters, I made sure that the time and date on my camera were set correctly. I also now have a folder on my computer for every single day of the past year. Its amazing how often that comes in handy.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-76058463065374212342010-06-18T20:30:00.000-04:002010-06-18T20:30:36.116-04:00HOT HOT HOTToday was another hot spring (yep, still not summer) day. The temperature was in the high 90's and the heat index was over 100. We also had high humidity. If that wasn't enough, we put fire on the ground! We did another prescribed burn today and it went very well despite the weather conditions.<br />
The zone that we burned was mostly Wiregrass and Pine Trees. There were a few scattered Oaks as well. The zone was burned just two years ago so it was really in good shape. There wasn't a lot of fuel that had built up, but just enough Wiregrass and Pine needles to carry fire along. We were a little concerned with the weather conditions at first. Our burn boss made a wise decision to decrease the size of the burn because we had very low winds, which allowed them to change direction easily and the humidity was very high, which made ignition difficult sometimes. When we lit our test fire at the beginning, I was a little worried that this would be a long, hard day. The fire didn't move at all, it just went out. It seemed like it was going to take a lot of work to get a fire to carry through the zone. Fortunately things turned around. As we moved down the line a little, we found better fuels that were in the direct sun so they were a little drier. It still took some work to get started though. One person lit the edge of the zone and I walked in to paint stripes of fire a little further in. The strips of fire pulled toward each other to burn out each area a little better. As it got later in the day and we moved into more open areas, we finally had a little wind on our side from time to time and that helped push the fire along. I did a lot of walking in the woods next to fire and got pretty hot. Before too long, I needed to take a break in the air conditioned truck. Fortunately, we had enough people that we could rotate our jobs as we needed to.<br />
We started on the east line of the zone. Once we rounded the corner to the south line, I was refreshed an ready to go. I was able to just walk along the edge of the zone and light as I went. The wind was pushing the fire into the zone and we were able to just move right along without much work.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4713142486/" title="IMG_9148 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9148" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4713142486_5553561712.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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It was neat to be able to watch the fire from the east line move across the zone towards us. We had to slow down about half way through to give the crew on the west line enough time to get their side burned out before our fire made it to them. While we waited, our afternoon storm came to visit. The approaching storm brought some stronger winds and they were shifting around a little. We needed to get the whole area lit before the storm came along and put it out. Some people from our team went to help the team on the west side finish up their line and I continued to creep along, slowly bringing my line towards them. I had the time to enjoy some wildflowers while I waited. I saw some of my favorites, the Purple Passion Flower. There were also a few other tiny purple flowers that I caught a quick shot of.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4712504271/" title="IMG_9161 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9161" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4712504271_435b20b9a7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4713142760/" title="IMG_9156 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9156" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1297/4713142760_f7833b0cef.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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When our ignition was complete and the sky was getting darker, we all got into our trucks and enjoyed our lunches in the air conditioning, a rare occurrance. We were hoping that the storm would arrive while we waited and put out the fire for us. We heard some thunder and saw a lot of dark clouds, but the storm decided to dance around us. In fact, the road was wet as we drove back to the shop after the burn and there were even a few drops when we got back, but nothing on the burn zone.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4713143482/" title="IMG_9163 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9163" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/4713143482_1bb91629db.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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After we gave the fire a chance to burn a little, we mopped up what was still burning near the edges and called it a day. There was very little mop up because the fuel burned well. There was not much on the ground aside from Wiregrass and Pine needles. There weren't many branches on the ground and there were just a few dead trees at the edges. We had to drop the dead trees that were burning at the edge of the zone to make sure that they didn't spread any embers into neighboring zones overnight, but there was only one such tree that I saw. We put out just a couple of other places where there was still fire smoldering and we were done.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4713143862/" title="IMG_9164 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9164" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/4713143862_c240fca5e4.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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When we got back to the shop, we had to prep the trucks for their next use. We filled up all of the fuel containers and topped off the gas in the pump. We used almost no water, so we didn't have to fill the water tank this time. We put our gear away and headed home. It felt like a very easy day on the fire line. When I got home though, I started getting a headache. I knew that I had been drinking plenty of water and I didn't feel overheated or dehydrated. It ended up that I needed more electrolytes and some Gatorade fixed me right up. Next time I burn in this heat, I will be sure to bring more than just water.<br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #6</strong><br />
I have enjoyed the feedback on my photos through the blog posts. I have really gotten a lot of encouragement from others with my photography. Its also interesting to hear which photos really excite people and which photos are just so-so. I think that I often have a different opinion about what my best photos are than other people. I don't know if that is because of the meaning that the photos have to me as they hold a memory of a time and place for me or because of what I see in them from photography classes. Sometimes other people will love a particular photo and I won't because it doesn't follow the "rules" of photography. The blog has been fun because the feedback that I get from people remind me that some rules are meant to be broken from time to time.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-25282362613841032612010-06-17T14:54:00.000-04:002010-06-17T14:54:49.430-04:00Thoughtful ThursdayToday was a laid back day. It was too hot to stay very busy outside. We are now at the very end of our fiscal year and can't do any more spending, so any projects that need supplies are on hold until we get our new budget information. Most of the administrative staff was squeezing in some time off while they could and some of the rangers as well. I myself am only working a half day today, so the blog will be posting nice and early today.<br />
Even with the slow pace of the day, I managed to get some things done and even got to explore the park a little more today. I took care of paperwork in the morning. We are saying goodbye to a temporary employee today, so I did her termination paperwork. She was one of our clean-up people, so I decorated a toilet brush (a clean one, of course) with her name and a thank you note. Everyone had a good laugh about it. We also had some other park service trinkets around that I gave her to remember us.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709709090/" title="IMG_9115 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9115" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4709709090_8ce8f9d355.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Later in the morning, I was dropping some paperwork off at the ranger station and I got a call to come back to the office with my camera. A Barred Owl was perched above the courtyard in front of the office. A group of office personnel had gathered to watch the owl and as each person arrived, the owl moved its neck around to get a good look. We all agreed that the owl was enjoying people watching today.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709043487/" title="IMG_9118 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9118" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4709043487_95d50b6a2a.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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In the afternoon, I drove out to the Youth Camp to meet with one of the directors to coordinate some canoe transport. They are beginning their staff training and the kids will start arriving on Sunday. The Youth Camp is really coming to life and its fun to see. I had a good view of the "bowl" behind the Rec Hall at the youth camp while I was out there. It was <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/silly-saturday.html">just burned last month</a> and most people would never know to look at it. I love that fuzzy look that the new Wiregrass gives the ground.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709043991/" title="IMG_9129 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9129" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1301/4709043991_d5980e08bc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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While I was in the area, I drove out to the Primitive Youth Camp for the first time. There are three campsites deep in the woods for scout groups and other organized youth groups. The road to the Primitive Youth Camp is over a mile long and it really feels like you are getting away from everything. On my way out there, I came across another Softshell Turtle. I'm sure that she was considering the road as a good place to lay her eggs. I'm glad that I came along at the right time to convince her otherwise. Her shell is very interesting from the back, it looks like a big helmet.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709686342/" title="IMG_9131 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9131" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4709686342_7b1246d96a.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709686812/" title="IMG_9132 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9132" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1294/4709686812_127fe731b3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When I made it to the Primitive Youth Camp, I was in awe. It was a beautiful area, full of Live Oaks. The entrance to the camping area is marked by a bridge that crosses a depression that evidently has water in it sometimes. The bridge was made last year by an Eagle Scout. There are three campsites, each with benches around a fire ring and a couple of picnic tables. There are even restrooms way out in the woods. They are primitive sites though, so the restrooms are just a step above an outhouse. They do have running water though. I think they are very nice for being primitive site restrooms.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709687676/" title="IMG_9133 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9133" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4709687676_146c92fb96.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709047445/" title="IMG_9138 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9138" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4709047445_7bca0f3e1c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4709046769/" title="IMG_9136 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9136" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4709046769_a433c16568.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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When I was back in the main area of the park, I was about to walk down to the spring. It was looking much busier than the last few Thursdays I have seen. The hot weather and the end of school have definitely increased our visitation. Before I made it to the spring though, I got called back to the office to meet with a person who is holding an event at one of our distant properties over the weekend. I went over some details with him and then decided to call it a day. I don't know how many more quiet days like this I will have this summer, so I might as well take advantage of them while I can.<br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #7</strong><br />
I enjoy hearing reactions to my blog. Quite often, I get calls or e-mails from friends, family and co-workers who want to talk about something they saw on the blog. Sometimes it surprises me to know who has been following it each day. Sometimes I feel like a celebrity. I have been at work taking a picture of something and hear someone pipe up "oh, is this going to be on the blog!?" Its fun, this has been my 365 days of fame.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-78225869445525299152010-06-16T22:30:00.000-04:002010-06-16T22:30:58.237-04:00In The BoxMy day was rather uneventful, another day in the office. My evening last night was a little more exciting. Somewhere around 9:00pm, I got word that lightning had started a wildfire at one of our northern properties. There were already some park staff and two of our fire trucks on the scene, but they asked me to bring another truck and call in some more park staff. When I arrived, the county fire department was there as well. The crew that arrived first had battled the fire a little, but the humidity was on our side and it remained manageable. If it was left overnight though, there was no telling what it might do as the weather conditions changed. The Division of Forestry also responded to help with the matter and they had equipment to create a firebreak around the fire. There wasn't much that we could do aside from wait for the firebreak to be put in. The majority of us headed home. We didn't do much and I never actually saw the fire, but it was a good exercise. <br />
Today, several people went back to the fire with a crew from the Division of Forestry to work on further containing the fire. It was still burning so they burnt out a little more of it to make sure that there was no fuel around the fire, no way for it to spread. We will have to check it again tomorrow, but it is under control. Hopefully it rained up there this evening. <br />
I didn't get to join the group at the fire today because I had to finish up the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/training-day.html">webinar training program </a>that I have been participating in for the past few weeks. Before the webinar started at 9:00, I had to send an e-mail, reporting the fire to all of the people who oversee the park from above.<br />
By lunchtime, the webinar was over and my training was complete. I still had more work to do in the office though. I responded to some e-mails that I had flagged earlier in the week that needed attention. I reported a staff injury to our workers compensation line. I wrote up a memo to inform staff of some down time in a program that we use to report our hours. I got out of the office only a couple of times to take care of a few things here and there. I had to help receive and relocate a shipment of 1100 pounds of doggie poo bags (don't worry, they were new bags). I also paid a visit to the ranger station. It was another wildly hot and humid day. The temperature was in the high 90's but the real feel temp was 109!!! I was glad that I wasn't on the fireline.<br />
The day was over before I knew it and once again, I hadn't taken any photos. When I got home though, I took my dog out and found a giant juvenile <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/buggy-tuesday.html">Lubber </a>hiding from the rain under the roof of my back porch. It is almost full sized at about two inches long, but it has not yet changed to its <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-took-too-many-photos-today.html">adult coloration</a>. It wings are also just starting to grow. It is an awkward teenager at the moment.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4707421091/" title="IMG_9107 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9107" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4707421091_e30844612c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thought of the Day #8</strong><br />
With my shift in job positions from Park Ranger to Assistant Park Manager, I do less of one part of my job that I truely love. Interpretation is my passion. I really enjoy teaching people about the environment and helping them to discover and connect with their surroundings. This blog has given me the opportunity to continue to interpret the things that I see with people, even if they are not park visitors.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-59888942552963523462010-06-15T19:16:00.000-04:002010-06-15T19:16:08.796-04:00Stormy TuesdayToday was my usual day off. We had considered going fishing, but the hot and sticky weather made us decide against it. Instead, we stayed inside and even had someone come over to inspect our air conditioner to make sure that it is ready for the summer. It needs to have its coils cleaned and some loose fan blades are making an irritating noise, but all is well other than those small issues.<br />
In the early afternoon, a storm arrived. The rumbling thunder came first. Soon after, there was lightening and more thunder. One giant FLASH-BOOM later, shook us. The power flashed off and on again. It was even powerful enough that the phone rang once! I was really glad for the surge suppressors that we installed less than a month ago on our good TV and the computer.<br />
I went out once today to run a few errands. There were tree branches and leaves coating all of the roads and neighboring yards from the storm. One store's lighted sign at the road was laying in shards around its posts. It was either struck by lightening or a surge made it burst. It was really something. The storm didn't last long, but it was intense. What a great day to be inside!<br />
I did get out for just a minute to take some photos. I had to wait a few minutes for my foggy lens to clear, but I captured some lovely rain drops that had remained on the Coral Honeysuckle.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4704119025/" title="IMG_9101 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9101" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4704119025_41df4f65dd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I also spotted a Regal Jumping Spider who was enjoying the shelter of my porch. I know that most people would, but I don't mind sharing my porch with this beautiful spider. It won't leave webs all over the place, but it will pounce on any other insect invaders.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4704119893/" title="IMG_9103 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9103" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4704119893_5bcdc4d432.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<b>Thought of the Day #9</b><br />
Another reason that I have enjoyed blogging is the journal that it has become. It is so nice to have a reference when I am at work as to when I did something. My time sheet is submitted monthly and not only do I record my time, but also a module number that reflects how my time was spent. There is a code for prescribed fire, park maintenance, training, working with volunteers, helping park visitors, etc. I will admit that I don't always stay on top of filling out my time sheet regularly, but it is easy to look back at the blog at the end of the month and know what I have been doing all month.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-49552843160014360932010-06-14T19:37:00.000-04:002010-06-14T19:37:10.148-04:00Mojave MondayToday was another normal Monday. We had our usual morning meeting at the shop, followed by an administrative meeting in the office. I reported to the group about the uneventful weekend and heard everyone's plans for the week. I did a little office work after the meeting and somehow, 11:30 rolled around before I knew it. I headed north to the distant areas of the park for a weekly visit. I was hoping to see some more of the wildflowers that I caught <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/wildflower-day.html">last week</a>. To my surprise, there were almost no flowers this time. They must have all melted, it has been hot and dry this week. The only ones that I saw have been photographed thoroughly on the blog. To be honest, I didn't mind that there weren't any good photo ops, I wasn't really looking forward to standing in the hot sun to take pictures. The temperature got up to 97 degrees today and with the humidity, it felt more like 103. Can you believe that it isn't even summer yet? We still have another week of spring!<br />
When I got to Katie's Landing, there were a few things to see. A Dragonfly was on the ground near my truck. I snuck up to it slowly to take its picture, but soon realized that it wouldn't fly away from me. It was dead, but it was still a good opportunity for a photo. This dragonfly is called a Red Saddlebags for obvious reasons. The "saddlebags" on its wings may have a purpose aside from a pretty design. The dark area makes the Dragonfly look bigger which may be in its best interest. It is also speculated that the design might make the Dragonfly look like a wasp, and who would mess with a wasp?<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4701542600/" title="IMG_9094 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9094" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4701542600_f4e4720d44.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Near the river, some Ducks had the right idea. What a good day for a swim! I guess if you are a duck, every day is a good day for a swim. There were also some <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/07/welcome-back.html">Mullet</a> leaping out of the water. I'm sure that they appreciated the cool water that they live in even more after a trip through the hot, humid air.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4700911493/" title="IMG_9096 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9096" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1287/4700911493_72f156ec40.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I stopped for some lunch on the way back to the main area of the park, then I headed back to the office. I did the paperwork associated with the properties that I visited today and thought that I would sneak away home a little early to make up for my late weekend days. I stopped at the ranger station to enter a deposit into the computer, and to post a new schedule. I made the mistake of answering the phone though while the rangers were busy. I thought it would be a quick question that I could answer, like it usually is. It was a person wanting to rent a pavilion. I started the call, I figured that I might as well finish what I started. I took the reservation and did all of the paperwork. Then I was put on hold to be transferred to the person who would be paying for the pavilion. I waited, and waited. Two of the rangers who had come in to cool off left. Another ranger got ready to go home because it was that time. I finally gave up. I called back the number that they gave me and asked that when the person was available that he call the ranger station. I didn't make it home early, but at least I made it home on time.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #10</b><br />
Ten days left of my 365 days!! What a year! I am looking forward to having a little more free time once the blog is over, but it has still been a great experience. I guess for my last ten days, I will tell you ten reasons why I have enjoyed blogging about my job. Where should I start?! It has been wonderful to press my photography a little. My best work prior to the blog had been when I was taking photography classes in school and was given assignments to complete. I had to take photos based on a specific theme or topic. Sometimes the photos were so-so if I wasn't interested in the topic, but quite often, I came up with images that I was proud of. Without an assignment, quite often my camera stayed at home. The blog became my assignment again and reminded me to keep taking photos. Just like in school, some of the photos were ordinary or just told the story of the day. I have had some great moments though that captured the magic of the natural world around me.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-23716802908186504832010-06-13T21:40:00.000-04:002010-06-13T21:40:35.484-04:00Super Busy SundayToday was another relatively tame weekend day. It was a little more challenging than yesterday, but that isn't saying much. We were busy. There were a lot of people that wanted to come to the park today and we had to send a lot of people away because we had reached our capacity.<br />
The day started out the way that most Sundays do though. We were slow in the morning. People get a late start on Sundays because of church or sleeping in or whatever. Once the ranger station was open and things were all set there, I took the rare opportunity to check out the park for a little while. I took a walk around the spring. There were quite a few people swimming laps in the spring. There were a couple of families that got there early to get the best picnic spots, but most of the people there in the morning were regulars who were exercising themselves and/or their dogs before the heat and the crowds set in. When I got to the lagoon area between the spring and the river, it was very peaceful. It really made me want to go kayaking though.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4697618703/" title="IMG_9062 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9062" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4697618703_51c12de5ae.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I felt a little sad when I got to the top of the hill and some of the park staff were coming my way. They asked me what was wrong because usually they only see me in the spring area if something needs attention or if there is a problem. I really need to find the time to get out into the park more often.<br />
I drove out to the other end of the park next to the Sand Lake parking area. Along the 2 mile park drive, I enjoyed seeing the sun filtering through the trees. I was also happy to find a very large group of deer grazing just off of the drive. There was a mother with her yearling and her young fawn. There were also two or three other does. A little ways away there were two bucks who had some very fuzzy new antlers growing. I thought that I would be able to get some great pictures because they were standing in such a nicely lit area. The vegetation in my way and finding out later that my camera was not set to the settings that I intended led to photos that were not what I expected, but its still nice to capture the moment.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4698253986/" title="IMG_9069 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9069" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4698253986_8352eb4070.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4697624789/" title="IMG_9071 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9071" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4697624789_767ac18180.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4698260210/" title="IMG_9077 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9077" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4698260210_5e35328c9c.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The park looked great. Most of the mowing had been done at the end of the week, so the park really looked nice, the way that it should. On my way back from the Sand Lake, I spotted a turtle in the road. At first I thought that it was a Gopher Tortoise, a normal sighting. As I moved closer to it to get it out of the road, I realized that it was a Box Turtle!!! I couldn't believe it. I had just been talking about Box Turtles with a coworker yesterday. I had told him that they are not very common and I would like to see one because I had never seen a Box Turtle in Florida. I used to see them regularly when I worked at a nature center in Delaware. Box Turtles spend most of their time on land, but they will go to water sometimes to cool off or to catch some food. They are unique because if threatened, they don't just retract their limbs into their shell, they also can close a garage door like flap to seal up their shell. It would be very difficult for a predator to find a soft place on a Box Turtle.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4697630087/" title="IMG_9080 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9080" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4697630087_d8539776f4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4698264198/" title="IMG_9085 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9085" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4698264198_7dbd641a28.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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After the Box Turtle sighting, I moved it off of the road and continued on my way. I stopped one more time to photograph a lovely yellow flower that I had seen along the park drive. There were several of them sparsely dotting the Sandhill areas along the drive. I believe that they are Rabbit Bells. Shortly after I took this photo was when I realized that my camera was not set up the way that I expected. The photo is a little darker than I would have liked it, but it was a neat, accidental effect.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4697634087/" title="IMG_9086 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9086" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4697634087_b3e80c6773.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The flower photo was the last one that I took today. I returned to the ranger station and things began to pick up a little. A steady line of two or three cars became a steady line of eight or ten cars and by 10:00 there was a line out to the road that stayed that way until well into the afternoon. We finally reached our capacity shortly after 11:00. When we closed and began turning people away, they weren't mean, but everyone had a question or a comment. It was hard to keep the traffic moving. I am definitely getting more comfortable with the process though. I am much more confidant with my answers to the common questions, complaints, and comments. I watched a lot of very patient people pass by me over and over again as they circled and waited to get into the park. It was nice to rejoice with them when they did finally get into the park. We stayed closed until around 3:30. We were able to open for five or ten cars at a time several times throughout that period, but people were coming to the park in droves. This was the longest lasting crowd that I have seen so far here, it seemed to be never-ending. Things finally began to slow down after 5:00 and fewer people were trying to come into the park. The crowds in the park were pretty well behaved. It was a good day, just a hot and busy one.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #11</b><br />
The early morning park visitors have it made. They are annual pass holders who have requested after-hours permits. The Annual Park Pass is good for all of the 160+ Florida State Parks (with just a couple of exceptions for parks with a higher fee). The after-hours permits are park specific because not all parks are able to allow after-hours visitors. The after-hours visitors can come into the park two hours before or after the park's normal hours. This works out well for people who come to exercise and want to avoid the crowds or the heat of the day. It is also great for photographers who want to catch the morning or evening light. We see a lot of people who walk, jog, or bike and then take a dip in the spring. There are also quite a few people who use the spring as a lap pool, as I saw this morning. The <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/thingstoknow/annualpass.cfm">Annual Park Pass</a> at $60 per year for an individual or $120 for a family is cheaper than most gym memberships and I'm sure the scenery is much better than the gym.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-90956884661334601572010-06-12T21:43:00.000-04:002010-06-12T21:43:10.485-04:00Easy PeasyDay one of my weekend went pretty smoothly. The repeater for our radios was making a horrible noise yesterday, but it had been off since then. Apparently the time off was just what it needed and we didn't have any radio troubles today. There were no pavilion rentals today, so there were no large groups in the park. It was definitely a summer weekend, but it was a tame one. We didn't have to close the park because of overcrowding until almost noon. We stayed closed, aside from a few openings to let 5-15 cars in, until about 3:00. There weren't any <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/memorial-day-weekend-day-1.html">outbursts like the one</a> on my last weekend. People were kind and as understanding as they could be. It was a pretty easy day. We didn't have any accidents or injuries, everything ran smoothly.<br />
It was still a busy day though, and I didn't have the opportunity to take many photos. I snuck out of the ranger station during a quiet period in the morning and snapped a photo of the flowers that were blooming in the garden in front of the ranger station. This one is appropriately called a Firebush. Not only are the flowers a bright red color, but the stems of each leaf have a reddish tint to them and I read that some bright red berries will follow the beautiful flowers.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4694227679/" title="IMG_9059 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9059" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4694227679_f892f07ac6.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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One thing that was a little different today was the check-in/check-out processes in the campground. We are no longer taking reservations in the campground because construction will start very soon on the sewer upgrades. Until the construction starts and possibly during construction if they are able to work on one loop of the campground at a time, we will accept walk-in campers on a first-come, first-served basis. As the walk-in check in takes longer than a reservation check in, a lot more time is dedicated to campers. It is a time consuming process because all of the camper information has to be typed into the computer. With more face-to-face time spent with the campers, there is more opportunity for chit chat and questions... which makes the information gathering process much longer. Maybe this will make all of our park staff appreciate our sometimes frustrating reservation service a little more.<br />
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The day went by quickly because we stayed comfortably busy. I even got home before 6:00! It was a good day and I hope tomorrow will hold more of the same.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #12</b><br />
I'm sure that I am going to regret typing this, but I think that my weekend curse may have lifted. The other Assistant Park Manager and I alternate weekends worked at the park. Our Park Manager warned us that with Assistants in the past, one of them would have all of the bad weekends and one would have all of the smooth weekends. It had begun to look like I was the unlucky one. I was getting a lot of angry visitors and accidents and injuries and missing people while my coworker was getting away easily with very few issues. My last weekend on and so far, this weekend have been very tame. I'm glad, but it makes me a little nervous about what may come tomorrow.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-64516016420782185612010-06-11T18:45:00.000-04:002010-06-11T18:45:44.863-04:00Appreciate Your Water HeaterI have been a little cranky today and I am having a hard time getting started on the blog without letting this bad attitude show. I will probably keep it short and sweet today so that I can stay a little closer to the sweet side of things. I promise to get a good night of sleep tonight so that I am good as new for my weekend on.<br />
The day started with the usual morning meeting and then back to the house with two of the Rangers. Yesterday, the water heater at my residence sprung a big leak. (Perhaps the mopping and cold shower this morning had something to do with my mood). It seems as though the tank itself ruptured some how. I was able to go out and purchase a new one yesterday evening and two people were able to come over this morning to install it. It is so nice to have a person dedicated to repairs like this. His expertise made the job go by quickly with few hangups.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4691913662/" title="IMG_9057 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9057" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4691913662_5cb8ea9eea.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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I now have a nice, new water heater and it is even a bit of an upgrade from the last one. A connection still needs to be made between the steam vent and the outlet pipe, but that will wait for another trip to the hardware store. While they were there, they also installed the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/half-day.html">new flood light for the back yard </a>that I purchased but had not yet installed. I am actually looking forward to taking the dog out this evening to see how well it lights up the yard. This fix also needs a little caulk and paint, all in due time though.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4691282689/" title="IMG_9058 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9058" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4691282689_fc4f64855c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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While the guys finished up with the repairs at my residence, I decided to make myself useful where I could. I helped to clean a couple more cabins in the youth camp. We were chasing spider webs and removing dust, sweeping floors and cleaning windows, and cleaning off the ceiling fans. We took care of two cabins before lunch which left only two more to complete the job.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4691910516/" title="IMG_9053 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9053" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4691910516_02223e62a9.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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On my way home for lunch, I stopped to see a Soft-shell Turtle. She was on a hike away from the water to find a place to lay her eggs. You can still see duck weed on her back, which is an aquatic plant. I gave her plenty of room because though they look big and slow, the Soft-shell can move her head quickly and deliver a strong and painful bite. They are unusual looking turtles. The pointy nose acts like a snorkel in the water so that the turtle can breathe without surfacing all the way. Their shell is strong, but flexible enough to allow easy maneuverability through underwater obstacles like rocks or trees limbs. Soft-shell turtles are mostly carnivorous, eating fish, crustaceans, and amphibians. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4691912654/" title="IMG_9055 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9055" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4691912654_ec7f7e3088.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I witnessed another carnivore in action today, but I wasn't able to get a photo because I was driving and it was flying. I saw a hawk flying overhead carrying something in its talons. Its catch was dangling and at first, I thought it might be a snake. As I watched though, my angle changed and I realized that the hawk was carrying a small squirrel. It was just landing on a perch to enjoy its meal as it went out of my view.<br />
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The afternoon had a hodgepodge of issues that came up. A tree limb was dangling above a walkway, just waiting to fall. A man was looking for car keys that he lost last night. Some hikers were lost on a trail and calling the ranger station via cell phone. The ranger station was overloaded with registering campers, taking phone calls, and welcoming park visitors just as soon as the morning person left. The park radios were acting up as well, producing a horrible and repetitive noise, making it a little more difficult to tackle all of the issues at hand. We took care of everything and managed to get the youth camp cleaning and maintenance wrapped up as well. I was glad to be home at the end of it all.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #13</b><br />
Happy Birthday Mom!! Thanks for always making me go play outside.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4664421639/" title="IMG_8837 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8837" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/4664421639_61ac95b9b5.jpg" width="500" /></a>Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-57233403905086975972010-06-10T23:54:00.000-04:002010-06-10T23:54:31.690-04:00FIRE!I got to participate in another <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/03/first-wekiwa-burn.html">prescribed burn</a> today. It was nice to take a break from office stresses and other concerns to just work in the field. The burn was not as exhausting as it could have been either, so that was nice. We burned a small area to ensure that no one acquired any overtime as Thursday is the last day of our schedule week. We were finished well within the work day and had time to prep all of the trucks for the next use.<br />
I was stationed on one of the Fire Engines and just followed along to watch the fire while other people did the ignition. The conditions in the burn zone today made my job easy. Either the fuels burned well or they didn't burn at all. There were only a couple of wind shifts that threatened to move some embers across our burn line, but nothing gave us any trouble. The crew on the other side had a few more obstacles than we did, but overall the burn was quick and easy. I had plenty of time to look around while I was watching the fire. Before we even got started, I had already found some butterflies. There were several Variegated Fritillaries fluttering around a very large<a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/time-out-tuesday.html"> Lantana</a>. You have seen <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/09/melalgia-monday.html">Gulf Fritillaries</a> on the blog before, they are a bright orange color. The Variegated Fritillaries are a dull brown color, but have a similar pattern.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689932552/" title="IMG_9019 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9019" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4689932552_031a23298f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I also found more <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/wildflower-day.html">Meadow Beauty</a> right next to the Lantana. A LOT more. There was a very large patch of it on the property where our fire was today.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689299833/" title="IMG_9024 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9024" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4689299833_f6e2496699.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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At the edge of the burn zone, I found the prize for burning in the hot, summer sun. There was some Wiregrass that had gone to seed. Wiregrass needs summer fire to stimulate seed production. Fire has been through this zone often enough to keep the Wiregrass in good shape. The seeds are beautiful in the sun, they look like tiny glass beads.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689300683/" title="IMG_9030 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9030" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4689300683_4101837d86.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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I found someone else enjoying the Wiregrass as well. This tiny Bagworm was moving, home and all, very quickly along the blades of grass. I wonder if it was headed for cooler territory. I have blogged about <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/11/monday-madness.html">Bagworms</a> before, but this one had a few differences in its structure.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689301637/" title="IMG_9031 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9031" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1266/4689301637_e7bbce6094.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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The zone that we burned today had a lot of variety. There were some open, grassy areas, some large Sabal Palms, some large Pines, and some Oaks. There was a mixture of fuels to keep things interesting. Some areas didn't burn well at all and others produced huge flames and a lot of heat.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689303517/" title="IMG_9035 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9035" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4689303517_fb9d73e2a6.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689306131/" title="IMG_9045 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9045" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4689306131_c13e7bd843.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When the big flames would die down, there were always more wildflowers to observe. I caught some quick photos of some Daisy Fleabane.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689941632/" title="IMG_9051 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9051" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4689941632_3d417c2830.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Another tiny, white flower was much more independant and unique. I only saw two individual stalks of this plant and each one had a solitary, three-petaled flower.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4689940708/" title="IMG_9047 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9047" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4689940708_a7c8a725f4.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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After the whole zone was lit, we gave it a little more time to burn what would burn and then we began mop-up to put out any hot areas near the edge of the zone. There was almost no mop-up to be done. It was really nice to have just a relaxing day on the fireline.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #14</b><br />
Fire and flowers seem like an odd combination. The truth is though, that there would not be as many wildflowers without frequent fire. The Sandhill ecosystem that we were in today would turn to Oak Hammock without fire. Without human interference, fire would come through periodically, killing the dense Oaks and opening up the tree canopy. When there is not dense tree cover, the sun can reach the ground and the wildflowers and grasses can flourish. Because of the need to control fire to keep people and homes safe, we must assist the natural processes and administer prescribed fire to keep the Sandhills as they should be, open.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-31140321613334896612010-06-09T22:23:00.001-04:002010-06-09T22:24:00.917-04:00Training DayToday was a long day, but I don't feel like I actually did a whole lot. When I got in this morning, I had just enough time to get caught up on e-mails before I headed into the rest of my morning. Today was the second part of the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/ravine-gardens.html">training that I attended last week</a>, Volunteer Management Training. For the first one, we met in person and the last two are being held via webinar. We logon to a computer meeting and we can all view one person's computer desk top. She was able to show us all a PowerPoint presentation while we were on a conference call together as well. It saved us the travel expenses and it was a good way to get more information out to us, but it just can't fully substitute for face to face group discussion. I finished up the webinar around lunchtime and headed home.<br />
After lunch, I went back to the office to pay an invoice and to sign some purchasing card records. When that was done, I headed to the Rec Hall for a talk about retirement investment options available to us. It was nice to hear the information. When I first started working for the parks, I was not at a point in my life where I knew what to plan for. I wasn't sure if I would stay in Florida State Parks for a long time or not and I didn't take my retirement choices very seriously. I'm glad to have the reminder to take another look at my options. When that talk was over, I headed to the Dining Hall to see the progress that had been made. It really looked fantastic and it is very nearly ready for the summer camp to begin. The floor will be touched up a little more tomorrow, but the kitchen had been thoroughly cleaned and several surfaces refinished. It looked great. I also had a little time to chat with the Park Manager and the other Assistant Manager. Outside of the Dining Hall, a Grape leaf that was burned in a prescribed fire was catching the sun just right. It looked like it had been dipped in bronze.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4686380253/" title="IMG_9018 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9018" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4686380253_03d50fe72a.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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We left the Youth Camp area a little after 4:00 and I was glad to be on my way home. When I was just about to round the corner to be on the final stretch to the house, my phone rang. Someone from the park office was calling because someone from the district office was calling because someone from Tallahassee was calling about time sheets that had not been finalized. I bypassed my driveway and headed in to the office. Last month, all of the time sheets had been submitted on time and there were no problems or issues. I also had plenty of time to work on them last month. This month, when I was pressed for time, there were missing time sheets, time sheets with errors, and overall silliness. I finally made it home around 5:30. Tomorrow will be a better day.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #15</b><br />
I am looking forward to the <a href="http://www.ffgc.org/youth/camp_wekiva.html">summer camp</a> beginning in the Youth Camp. The camp is run by the <a href="http://www.ffgc.org/index.html">Florida Federation of Garden Clubs</a>. We have worked hard to prepare the facility for this big, annual event. I am really craving the camp atmosphere as well. I spent a lot of <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2009/07/reflections.html">fantastic summers at summer camp</a>. I am interested to see this camp in action. As a park, we are not involved in the camp aside from support of the facilities, but I think it will be fun to have a camp so close. The camp staff will start arriving tomorrow!Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-10522958827502744952010-06-08T22:25:00.000-04:002010-06-08T22:25:29.398-04:00Flying DragonsToday was my regular Tuesday off. I love Tuesdays. I had another relaxing day at home. My fiance took the dog out at one point this afternoon and when he returned, he told me that I needed to get my camera and go outside. He had discovered something interesting in the yard. It was a big, white, fuzzy ball. I snapped a few photos of it and then began probing it carefully with a stick. I believe that this furry alien in the yard was a mushroom that became covered in a mold. Mushrooms and mold are both types of fungus and both like warm, moist environments. A mold spore must have found a moist home on the mushroom and flourished.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684041866/" title="IMG_8977 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8977" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4684041866_48288a8dfb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When that mystery was solved, I took a look around the yard. It was a little cooler than it has been lately because of a welcome breeze. It was sunny, but bearable in the shade thanks to the breeze. I noticed that the yard was covered in Dragonflies! They were zooming back and forth just a foot or two off of the ground. They seemed to be hovering over the mowed areas of the yard. There must have been some tasty bugs flying about. The longer I stayed out, I began to notice that when the sun went behind a cloud, the Dragonflies would stop and perch. When the sun came back out, they took flight again. I wonder if the hunting was better in full sun or if their vision was better to see their prey. How many Dragonflies do you see in this photo?<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684172320/" title="IMG_8978 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8978" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4684172320_050dd17f43.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I believe that these are all the same type of Dragonfly, though I am hesitant to say exactly which type. Dragonflies are very similar to one another and I am not certain about this one. I am pretty sure though, that the yellowish Dragonfly is the female and the blue ones are males. This particular guy was very patient and tolerant of me. I was able to get several photos of it and even stick my macro lens right in its face.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684045318/" title="IMG_8982 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8982" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4684045318_323c0ec9e7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4683417393/" title="IMG_8983 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8983" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4683417393_ccfb5fefc3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684048664/" title="IMG_8997 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8997" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1298/4684048664_2614b6114b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4684049518/" title="IMG_9015 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9015" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4684049518_6240d3e70f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #16</b><br />
The veins on a Dragonfly's wings are not in a random pattern like a finger print. Each individual species of Dragonfly has a particular arrangement of veins on their wings. They are part of an important structural design in the wing that keeps it strong and firm. There is blood being circulated through the veins to keep them strong. You may have seen some Dragonflies with spots on their wings. The spots are blisters of blood which may add weight to the wings and reduce vibrations. The Dragonfly eye is also rather intricate. Up to 25,000 tiny lenses are working together to create one image for the Dragonfly. I imagine it had a good laugh over my one, giant camera lens.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-72684814855806802192010-06-07T21:35:00.000-04:002010-06-07T21:35:37.954-04:00Wildflower DayToday was a normal Monday. I met with the park staff in the morning at the shop and the administrative staff a little later in the office. There wasn't much news to report. We are all focused on two things right now; spending every last dime of our budget before it is gone at the end of this month and get ready for youth camp to begin at the end of this week. It is a busy and stressful time of year for everyone, but we are just putting our heads down and working through it all. It will all get better soon.<br />
I got to take a trip out of the main part of the park today to head to the northern properties. I really like taking the trip up there. It is peaceful and I love being out in the field. Today it was especially fun because there were so many wildflowers in bloom. The hot days and afternoon rains have been just what the flowers needed. There were so many flowers in bloom that I had to pass some of them up (I do still have a job to do) and even some that I photographed that will have to wait for a slower blog day. I started at Rock Springs Run Reserve. I drove down the entrance road and found the majority of the flowers along the road edge. Before I even started seeing flowers though, I spotted some Wood Ducks in one of the ponds.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680066765/" title="IMG_8931 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8931" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4680066765_d43c8af02f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The first flower is not very showy. The Blackroot doesn't have much color to its bloom. It is just a big white cone. The insects that it attracts bring a little life to the party though. The bright colored beetle was easy to spot on the pale background of the flower.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680067903/" title="IMG_8935 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8935" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4680067903_f527b3e558.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Another beautiful white flower was on a tree. The Loblolly Bays were in bloom and they were just stunning. These trees are dependent on the ponds and marshy areas at Rock Springs Run Reserve. Their roots do not go very deep into the ground so they would dehydrate quickly without a constant source of nearby water.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680069937/" title="IMG_8941 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8941" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4680069937_03323d79ac.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I had to lean over some Blackberry bushes to get close to the Loblolly Bay flower to take its picture. I was so focused on the white flower that I didn't even see the berries at first. I looked down to place my foot so that I could lean over the plants and saw that there were ripe berries. After I took a few more photos of the flower and the berries, I had a little snack. They were sweet and delicious. I left plenty more for the wildlife.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680072289/" title="IMG_8942 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8942" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4680072289_07dafd1e07.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The next place that I stopped had quite a few flowers as well. This second area was further away from the ponds, in the drier grassy areas. It was easy to see which side of the park drive got the most sun. One side of the road was covered in beautiful flowers and the other had only a few. The first flower that I photographed at this spot was appropriately named, Meadow Beauty. It is a vibrant and fun flower.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680704484/" title="IMG_8946 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8946" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4680704484_d9a3b007cc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Nearby, I found another purple flower. This one I can't find a name for. It is a delicate flower and it eventually becomes little tufts of fuzz. It spreads it seeds the way that Dandelions do, via wind. I like the jagged little edges on each petal.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680075675/" title="IMG_8953 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8953" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4680075675_d9580e708b.jpg" width="500" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680709628/" title="IMG_8956 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8956" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1268/4680709628_b78e3344a7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The last flower that I photographed is also nameless for the time being. It is very similar to a lot of other yellow wildflowers, but I couldn't find this one in my field guides. It looked very nice with all of the purple flowers around it.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680712114/" title="IMG_8959 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8959" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4680712114_1730ae97ff.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When I left Rock Springs Run, I headed to Katie's Landing. It was the first time that I had been there since the bulkhead was completed. It really looked good. The park no longer looks 'under construction' and the bulkhead looks like it has been there for years. It has come along way since I posted <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/busy-bee.html">the last photos</a> less than a month ago.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4680082173/" title="IMG_8971 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8971" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1278/4680082173_93b5780168.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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When I got park to the main area of the park, I went home for lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon in the office. I finished up my first draft of a proposal for funds to <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/thursday-thursday.html">rebuild the bridge</a> at the spring. It was nice to get that project out of the way. My manager is looking it over now and I will add some more photos, but I'm glad to have the majority of it done.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #17</b><br />
It was fun to see so many new flowers today. Its still amazing to me what a difference in vegetation there is just three hours south of where I had been at Troy. I don't remember seeing any of the flowers that I showed today at Troy. It makes me wonder how much of the difference is related to the excellent burn program here and how much is geographic. I am glad to have the blog though, I wouldn't have looked up all of these flowers otherwise, I'm sure.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-13443465745543566642010-06-06T19:32:00.000-04:002010-06-06T19:32:50.275-04:00Soaked SundayToday was another rainy day off. I got some laundry and some vacuuming done. I was hoping to be able to take the dog for a long walk today, but when I took him out for the first time in the morning, it was too hot and humid for both of us. The humidity was followed by some short thunderstorms and more humidity. I managed to get out in the yard for some photos but I had to wait for my lenses to adjust to the conditions outside and for the fog to fade away from them.<br />
I found a lot of the usual suspects and looked for any changes with the plants in the yard. The spiders caught my eye today more than the flowers did. The first one is a close look at an Orchard Orb Weaver. I have shown you this little spider a <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/thursday-thursday.html">few times before</a>, but I don't think that I have caught the interesting pattern on its underside before. It almost looks like a smiley face!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4676063383/" title="IMG_8911 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8911" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4676063383_83fd330173.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Another spider was close by. A Basilica Spider had a web almost touching the Orb Weaver. Like the Orb Weavers, the Basilica Spider is named for the web that it builds. There is a big tangle of fine webbing surrounding a dome in the center of the web. The spider waits below the dome for another insects to get stuck to its web. You can see how fine the webbing is in this photo. Its an easy web to miss. This spider is about the same size as the Orchard Orb Weaver, only a millimeter or two long. Without the macro lens, you wouldn't be able to see as much of this spiders beautiful patterns.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4676691034/" title="IMG_8914 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8914" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4676691034_efd829c48d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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There is still Tropical Sage blooming all over the yard. When the first one popped up, I watched it carefully. Now that I see there is so much of it in all of my gardens, I haven't hesitated to mow it down in the areas outside of the gardens.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4676069389/" title="IMG_8916 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8916" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4676069389_9e84cb564e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The Aloe had caught a little rain puddle from today's showers. I imagine that some insects or maybe even a lizard or frog will benefit from this fresh pool of water.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4676696032/" title="IMG_8927 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8927" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4676696032_0ea82b90bc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I had to look closely, but some of the other plants were still hiding a few drops of water from the hot sun.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4676074397/" title="IMG_8929 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8929" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4676074397_147760a7f1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #18</b><br />
Plants usually take up water from the soil through their roots. Excess water evaporates from the leaves and the cycle continues to pull water from the soil. If needed though, plants can also take water back in through the leaves and distribute it to dry areas of the plant. If the soils dry out from the heat of the Florida sun and the short afternoon rains do not soak the soil again, the leaves of the plants can pull water in to cool and moisten the plant. Some plants, like the Aloe, are succulents and can store excess water for use later.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-13332106926938632342010-06-05T22:00:00.000-04:002010-06-05T22:00:11.218-04:00Super SaturdayI am off this weekend and loving it! I was ready for some peace and quiet. I had a day at home, alone, doing a whole lot of nothing! I did get out to take some photos though. I actually dreamed about taking photos last night. In my dream, I came across a small body of water that had turned red from a setting sun. I was trying to photograph some young, awkward birds who were perched together on a branch above the water. The white birds were pink from the setting sun also. I was just about to get my shot when a ringing phone woke me from my wonderful dream. I did have some fun this evening taking pictures, but it was between rainstorms and there was no beautiful, red sunset.<br />
I wasn't two steps out the door when I saw a Dragon Fly right away. They are becoming the blog mascot lately. Their reflective eyes and giant mouths always make them look full of personality.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4672878533/" title="IMG_8870 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8870" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4672878533_a1d8da0bb3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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My next stop was at the still unidentified plant that I photographed on <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/06/thursday-storm.html">Thursday</a>. There were even more blooms today. There have been ants all over the buds and blooms on this plant every time I have seen it. There must be something about it that the ants like.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4673504494/" title="IMG_8873 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8873" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4673504494_ea3999b775.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4673506754/" title="IMG_8884 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8884" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4673506754_ea3c04367b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I also revisited the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/sparks-may-fly.html">Beauty Berry Bush</a> that had started to bloom. It was COVERED in blooms today. They are such lovely and delicate little flowers, I decided to get even closer today with the macro lens.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4672885171/" title="IMG_8890 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8890" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4672885171_7ed0a8cda2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The Aloe right next to it had dropped all of its flowers. The remaining stalk was kind of cool looking. I think I like the bare stalk better than the way the flowers looked the <a href="http://rangervision.blogspot.com/2010/05/sparks-may-fly.html">last time that I saw them</a>.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4672887305/" title="IMG_8894 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8894" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4672887305_5bc883dee7.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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My last discoveries were of the fungal variety. There have been a lot of mushrooms springing up around my yard thanks to all of the rain that we have had in recent days. Mushrooms are so much fun to observe because of all the variety. They come in different shapes and sizes and colors that are always amazing. I especially love how quickly they spring up and disturb the sand and ground cover. The first mushroom is wearing a top hat of sand that must have been on top of the mushroom when it started to grow.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4673513336/" title="IMG_8896 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8896" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1299/4673513336_8f5307dc46.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4672891601/" title="IMG_8898 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8898" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4672891601_68deec0e04.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4673517570/" title="IMG_8901 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8901" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1278/4673517570_35fb16a623.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #19</b><br />
I enjoy watching the same plants several times a week. Its neat to observe all of the changes that they go through. Its funny to me how some plants will be covered in flowers and then completely bare, like the Aloe. Other plants like the Coral Honeysuckle in my yard will just bloom and bloom and bloom. The flowers last for quite a while and there are so many individual blossoms all over the plant that continue to spring up.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-73039705317219783062010-06-04T23:36:00.000-04:002010-06-04T23:36:40.854-04:00Friday FunWell, I have been wishing for more time in the field and I got my wish. I will need to learn to be more careful about my wishes. I didn't have much office work to do today and the fast approaching beginning of summer camp in the youth camp was weighing on me. My coworker was in a distant area of the park giving an ATV training program for state park staff. I decided to work with the Rangers today to help make progress on the cabin cleaning. We started with the Rec Hall in the youth camp first today because a meeting was going to be held there in the evening. We touched up some last minute details in and around the building and I picked up sticks to prepare for mowing. I spotted a couple of Tolype Distincta moths mating on a tree nearby. I was impressed by their furry appearance and the bright white color was a striking contrast to the dark Pine Tree bark.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4670198499/" title="IMG_8867 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8867" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4670198499_7d49191aa0.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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Once the outside mowing was a the last thing to do at the Rec Hall, an afternoon rain started. The very dedicated Ranger on the mower stayed on board and finished the job. I was glad to have that whole area out of the way before lunchtime but I felt bad for the soggy Ranger. I know how that feels. After lunch, we had a big group of people working on the cabins. We finished one half of the youth camp and started on the other half. It is really a big job to clean those cabins. The majority of them have four bunk beds and two single beds. All of the mattresses had to be removed from the building and cleaned. While that was going on, someone dusted all of the walls and the ceiling and cleaned the ceiling fans. The beds had to be moved, the floor swept, and the windows cleaned. There are also a few cabins that are a little larger. Some have restrooms and separate bedrooms so they are an even bigger chore. Everyone worked together to make a lot of progress. It was another hot and sticky day out and we were dodging thunderstorms throughout the day. We were all hot and tired and wet with sweat and or rain by the end of the day. I was glad to have a change of pace though. I miss stumbling across flowers and moths in the field. We all enjoyed this little Butterfly Pea that was at the bottom of the steps to one of the cabins.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4670828616/" title="IMG_8869 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8869" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4670828616_57d4e68456.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #20</b><br />
I couldn't find a common name for the Moths that I saw today. I was able to locate their Latin name, but I don't have a memory for Latin names and visitors aren't usually interested in that information either. People are able to retain information if it means something to them. I have heard it described as a velcro spot on your brain. I have a velcro spot for natural information but not for dates in history. Plants and bugs are important to me and information about them stick to my brain, but who-shot-who-and-started-a-war is not important to me and it slides right off. Common names for plants or insects are more likely to be remembered because they are usually something that a person can relate to. A Black Racer is a fast, black snake. A Scarlet Milkweed is a plant with a red flower that produces a milky substance. Sometimes when I can't find a name for something or in this case, when there is only a Latin name, I might make up my own name. It will help me remember information about the thing named and create a velcro spot on my brain. What would you call this moth? Maybe a Rabbit's Foot Moth or a Black and Grey Fuzzy Foot. Whatever I call it, I will be able to remember that it feeds on Pine Tree foliage and it will stay with me on my velcro spot. Try it the next time you have something that you can't identify. If you give it a descriptive name it may help you to identify it later or at least allow the information you have gained to stay with you.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-89462068664611370142010-06-03T21:25:00.000-04:002010-06-03T21:25:15.873-04:00Thursday StormToday was a busy day. I had been off Monday and Tuesday and away from the park Wednesday. I was the only Assistant Manager on duty today and I really had no idea of what had been done in the park and what was needing to be done. There were a few people that had specific projects to work on, but the majority of the park staff worked on getting the Youth Camp ready for the summer camp that will begin at the end of next week. Last Friday was the last business day that I spent in the office, so there was a lot to do. I had thirty-eight e-mails to read! Some of them needed action or other responses, so I flagged them until I got through reading them all. I had some messages on my voice mail so I listened to them next. Once I had a handle on all of the new things that had come in, I began knocking things off of the list. I answered the e-mails and returned the phone calls. I approved time sheets and completed my own. I followed up on some things that I had been waiting on last week, and I answered calls from the field while I worked.<br />
In the afternoon, the Park Manager and I walked the Youth Camp area. It was really coming together and the Rangers were doing a terrific job. They were working together in the Florida humidity to detail clean and prepare the cabins. It is no small task and it will continue tomorrow and into next week. There were a few small cosmetic fixes that had to be done to some of the cabins. We made lists of the more involved fixes. A Ranger with a hammer was all that was needed for others and they were fixed right away. The cabins have been there for a while, and many of the groups that stay in them are hard on them. The park staff put a lot of effort into making these cabins as good as they possibly can be and it really shows.<br />
Towards the end of the day, the sky began to get darker. Another storm was moving in. At 4:00, all of the morning shift people were gathered and ready to head home before the rain started. It was as if the wind blew them away, they were gone in an instant. I made it home after the rain had started and I was so grateful for the dry, covered path between the carport and the front door. I love my new home, especially when its raining.<br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #21 </b><br />
Throughout my day, I never had the chance to take any photos. I also didn't see anything spectacular. I headed outside after the rain stopped to photograph a new bloom in the yard this evening. I have several of these plants and have been waiting for a bloom so that it would be easier to identify. No such luck, this one evaded my Wildflower Field Guide as well. Perhaps a reader will help me out again.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4667889640/" title="IMG_8847 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8847" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4667889640_81d833478e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4667891722/" title="IMG_8849 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8849" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4667891722_426b32e04c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4667893900/" title="IMG_8854 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8854" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4667893900_6cd0370f50.jpg" width="375" /></a>Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-84121799299012076982010-06-02T21:29:00.000-04:002010-06-02T21:29:23.390-04:00Ravine GardensToday was a little out of the ordinary. It started early and ended late, but it was a good day. I met my fellow Assistant Park Manager and our Park Manager at 7am. We drove about two hours away to Palatka, FL for a Volunteer Management Training. It was held at a beautiful park that I had not been to before, <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/ravinegardens/default.cfm">Ravine Gardens State Park</a>. The training was in a very nice conference room in a spectacular building. It was not the usual state park meeting hall. At lunchtime, we were able to break to a beautiful courtyard and enjoy our lunches under a large gazebo. I walked around the courtyard a little bit after I ate and enjoyed the views and the flowers. There was a fountain in the center of the courtyard. I was able to hear the water in the fountain from where we ate.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4665045060/" title="IMG_8833 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8833" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4665045060_b925e9e578.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Around the fountain were thoughtfully placed flowers of a few varieties. The most impressive in my opinion were the Blueberries. They were just starting to ripen, but they were the biggest Blueberries that I have seen!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4664421639/" title="IMG_8837 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8837" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1285/4664421639_61ac95b9b5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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With the Blueberries were some large Pink Hydrangeas. They were also just beginning to bloom, but there were quite a few full blooms available for our enjoyment.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4664422889/" title="IMG_8839 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8839" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4664422889_749f6468f2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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It seems like this park would be a lot of fun to explore on a day when I have more time. There were quite a few paths and trails that disappeared into the giant ravine.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4664425337/" title="IMG_8840 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8840" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4664425337_a82414d2da.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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I caught one more quick flower photo before heading back to resume training after lunch. I don't know what this one is, but it was very close to a Gardenia. I was able to smell it before I saw it, and by then, it was time to go.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4665051152/" title="IMG_8841 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8841" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4665051152_6a56f5b79f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The training was beneficial. I went to a similar training a few years ago, but as my responsibilities have changed, it was nice to have a refresher. I was able to look at everything from another angle. I think that it reminded me of several things that I can do to assist our volunteer program, but some items definitely apply to managing anyone. It was also nice to see some of the friendly faces that I know from throughout the Park Service. These training have become so infrequent, I don't get to see my coworkers from other parks nearly as often as I did a few years ago. It was nice to catch up and also meet some new people.<br />
On the way out after the training, we drove the loop around the top of the ravine. It was a cool experience, it was almost like driving through the mountains, on a much smaller scale. The ravine was formed by water flowing to the St. Johns River. In the 1930's, Ravine Gardens was established as an attraction and developed during Roosevelt's New Deal era by the Civil Works Administration. The gardens that were planted, as well as the ravine itsself have been drawing visitors since then. The park has a very interesting <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/history/parkhistory.cfm?parkid=107">modern history.</a> I will let you take a look at their webpage to read more about what drew attention to the park during the Chicago World's Fair and how the Miss Azalea Pageant began. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4664428809/" title="IMG_8842 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8842" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4664428809_4e4288cd8b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #22 </b><br />
It seems a little strange to have so many exotic plants and so much manicured landscaping around a State Park, but not all of Florida's State Parks are managed to preserve Pre-European impact landscapes. Some of the parks preserve our cultural heritage as well. In 1999, this park was recognized as a National Landmark for Outstanding Landscape Architecture. Ravine Gardens is one of several parks that preserve some of the impact that we have made on our landscape in the past. I had a hard time photographing some of the flowers around the park because of my experience with exotic removal at other parks. It was hard to embrace things like Impatients and Coleus growing in planters around the building and the courtyard. While they were flowers that I enjoyed planting in our household gardens when I was younger, they don't align with state park foliage in my head.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125980129734673094.post-79167791198592237302010-06-01T23:18:00.000-04:002010-06-01T23:18:16.862-04:00The Weekend ContinuesToday was my second day off. The day was full of errand running and grocery shopping. It was pretty quiet and uneventful, following the tone for the weekend. Tomorrow, I will be traveling with some of my coworkers to another park to attend a Volunteer Management Training. It will be still another day away from the office. I will have a lot to catch up on, Thursday. Its nice to have a little variety though.<br />
I didn't take any photos today, so here is a collage of the Scarlet Milkweed. You have seen its progression very slowly throughout the blog, but here it is, all together.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4662259272/" title="IMG_8570 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8570" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4662259272_86f906c793.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4662260536/" title="IMG_8740 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8740" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4662260536_8e6c998227.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918678@N06/4662262060/" title="IMG_8743 by amycgoose2, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8743" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4662262060_ec704bc9d1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<b>Thought of the Day #23</b><br />
Summer is pretty much here. The official first day of summer is not for another 20 days, but it feels like summer to me. The temperatures have been high, the afternoon rains frequent. Hurricane preparedness commercials are frequent as well, and the park has been busy. The arrival of summer is bringing me back to where I started this blog a year ago. As the year is nearing completion, I am amazed at the year that its been. I am looking forward to looking it all over again soon but I am also looking forward to a break. The blog has been fun, but a lot of extra work. My camera is beginning to show some signs of exhaustion as well. I am really looking forward to being able to send it away to Canon for some cleaning and R & R. The blog will continue in some capacity, but after a little time off.Ranger Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00047250015710505222noreply@blogger.com0