Why I Do Love Where I Live

Took a walk this morning. It was actually more of a walk-about with the camera. I realized that I was a bit late if I wanted to get wild azalea shots and same with the dogwood growing in the old graveyard.
Well. I've been busy. What can I say?
But here you are. Here's what I got.
This is Florida, y'all. The part of it I live in, anyway.

Not one month ago I couldn't walk where these trees are because the river had become, as they say, unmanageable. It had grown full of itself from all the rain we had. So full of itself it had to spread out everywhere. In fact, last time I stood in the same place I was standing when I took that picture, wild ducks were swimming right in the middle of all those trees.
I see that the river has gotten control of itself and humbly retreated to where it belongs in its own sandy banks.

But here's how high it got on the oak tree. See that watermark?

The field where the water had risen to and covered is now greening up and there are what I call swamp lilies everywhere. I do not know their real name. I apologize. To you, not to them. They don't give a good goddamn what anyone calls them. They just open and bask their faces in the sun.

Here's another pretty little flower whose name I do not know. It's a sweet little thing, isn't it?

And another.

Here's a cypress wearing new leaves. It stands on the river's bank and I imagine it is hundreds and hundreds of years old.

An oak with moss. Just a random oak tree.

Here's the old hidden graveyard. Kori, this one is for you because I know you love it as much as I do.

Some palmettos in what was the flood plain.

Water-sculpture in a stagnant pool.

It is going to be SUCH a year for dewberries and blackberries. Such a good year. These are dewberry blossoms.


Here's one last one of the river as it meanders, as it wanders.

For those of you who are wondering, it's the same color as iced tea because of tannic acid from the leaves which drop into it. Which is the same thing (imagine!) as in, yes, iced tea.
So I suppose you could say I live in a place where the rivers run with iced tea.
If they had sugar in them, there wouldn't be any left to look at. We'd drink it all up.

Have a lovely day, y'all. Owen is here and I must shift gears and hold my baby-love.

Ms. Moon