For Joann

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Among the streams

Men Improve with the Years
by W.B.Yeats

I am worn out with dreams;
A weather-worn, marble triton
Among the streams;
And all day long I look
Upon this lady's beauty
As though I had found in a book
A pictured beauty,
Pleased to have filled the eyes
Or the discerning ears,
Delighted to be but wise,
For men improve with the years;
And yet, and yet,
Is this my dream; or the truth?
O would that we had met
When I had my burning youth!
But I grow old among dreams,
A weather-worn, marble triton
Among the streams.

Stonehenge of the Suwannee

When the river was low below Cone Bridge, these interesting rock formations were revealed. They look as if they were sculpted, as they were attached to the rock.

Whitetail Retreating

Three photographs were taken before the Whitetail disappeared into the deeper woods. Always have your camera out and ready. Camera's in waterproof Pelican cases may be safe from a spill, but you will miss many shots getting it out.

Whitetail watching

While quietly floating in the lagoon on Alligator Lake, I hoped to either see turkey or deer, which I often do in the morning. I was not disappointed as I spotted this well-hidden doe in plain view. I lowered the double-blade paddle and slowly lifted the camera for about two shots before she moved deeper into the hammock.
One of those photographs where you would not see the deer upon first glance.

Two Gone

Melissa, Melanie's sister died unexpectely in December of 2012. Then, in March of this year, Amber and Landon ceased all communication with any family, leaving us without Nathaniel our only grandson.
We have yet to recover from either loss.

That lyin' smile

If we could have read....that deceptive smile...the cunning behind those eyes...to take Nathaniel and Landon away...but perhaps we did...we just never dreamed....it would actually happen...

Ichetucknee Theology

Ichetucknee Queen

Ichetucknee Queen
by John Clare Stokes

The shimmering bejeweled necklace adorns a Queen
Refracting beyond measure Ishoholo's eternal sun
Through moss hung mists we glide in aromatic dream
While above Cloudless Sulphurs reflect in pristine run.

Dugout canoe bobs upon Ichetucknee

Our Queens train is laden with emerald threads
Along her path, bouquets of yellow buttons strewn
Deep below, the Menhaden hover over sandy beds
The lame dip thrice under a healing full moon.

Cheehoter cries upon Ichetucknee

Blue Heron Duenna guard her hidden treasures
As massing throngs bow in rapid succession
Below, above, beside a glory unseen beyond measure
Her enervating abundance never to lessen.

Coacoachee creeps along Ichetucknee

This floating Mendicant offers mere alms
Unworthy to enter this vaporous veil
Yet heard in aqua blue her voice saying, come
The blade breaks the facet to reveal the trail.

Float royal abydos upon Ichetucknee
Find joy Chechoter upon Ichetucknee
Come Queen to Coacoohee upon Ichetucknee
Bestow peace to warriors upon Ichetucknee.

He Lingers

By night the angel came and lingered. When morning came he was still with us. I am not certain who noticed, as most were busy with eyes cast downward in earthly concerns. Martha, Martha vision we could call it. The Mary gaze upward  upbraided for the idleness. And yet one thing is needful the Lord said, and Mary saw it.

Seeing Angels

Tonight I began reading again Madeleine L'Engle's book on being an artist titled Walking on Water.
In the first chapter she speaks of our losing the ability to see Angels. This is another one of those photographs you are compelled to take, you do, and the reason you did is not revealed until later, in post processing. In the sky, the lovely face of a cloud angel, bending down to take in the fragrance of the flowers below. The seen, yet unseen, something L'Engle say as we grow older, we lose.
I know when I had little two year old Nathaniel, my grandson with me, he was constantly pointing to the sky. I would look hard to try and glimpse what he was seeing. I am sure that he was seeing angels coming down for a closer view.

Pipeline

Now that Judy Hancock is long gone and her friends at Audubon and the Sierra Club grow long in the tooth, the precious environment she so strongly defended, is fair game. The latest assault is upon the Ichetucknee by FPL to construct a pipeline over the river. You would think these dim light engineers would plan a route that avoided such, but in their number crunching Juno Beach corporate offices, they do no see a jewel of a river, just a hurdle to jump.
So I suppose, with all the pleasure in photography the river has afforded me, I shall post more photographs and take up the cause.