Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Today we went to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge to walk around the boardwalk. The weather was nice and there wasn’t a lot of people there when we arrived at 9 am. We saw that they offered a free tram tour but it was filled up so we just planned on doing the walk. When we got back to the visitor center, we were told that we were welcome to join the tour if the last 3 people didn’t show up. When they didn’t arrive, we took the tour. The tour guide, Don, was fabulous. Even though we have been there several times, I always learn something new! He was very knowledgeable and you could tell he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. We probably will sign up to go with him again just so we can hear him share more information!

I learned about the sawgrass blade and felt the edge of one. If you move your finger along the edge in one direction, the edge is smooth, but if you move your finger along the edge in the other direction, you can feel the sharp saw-like edges. I also learned that if you estimate the length in inches from an alligator’s tip of the nose to his eyes, that is how many feet long the alligator probably is.

We stopped near the levee and learned about the history of the water flow in the Everglades. We also learned about pythons and alligators. We were given a little time to walk to the fishing pier and we saw a great blue heron watching the fishermen. It was funny when one of the men caught a fish and the heron hoped he would get the fish but the fish was returned to the water.

It was a wonderful tour and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has time to take it. It fills up fast, so you want to call ahead and reserve your spot.

Other activities are scheduled like Sunday photo shoots and bird walks that we want to check out. We are also thinking about volunteering here but I tend to act on impulse too quickly so I'm trying to be patient and think about it before jumping in with both feet. We might want to check out the other activities to decide what we want to volunteer for.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Aunt Het Festival 2024

Today was the Aunt Het Festival in Fountain Inn, SC. It was supposed to happen last week but it was postponed until this week due to Hurricane Helene. Debbie came over to our house around 9:15 am and we walked to the festival. It started out cool but eventually, it warmed up. We stopped at several tables that were giving away bags and I could put my jacket in it. We also saw a vendor selling aprons and I was looking for a garden apron. We found a $10 one that was made of denim and perfect for what I was looking for. I also ran into Amy Burns who was playing a fiddle with a band. I hadn’t seen her in over 20 years and she looked the same as ever! Around 11:30, we went to Bucky’s BBQ and got takeout to bring home to eat in front of the TV.

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

Feeling Like a Lumberjack

Since hurricane Helene hit on September 27, we have been cutting trees. It has been an enlightening experience. It seems as if the more we do, we aren’t so exhausted and sore. The first couple of days, we were pretty tired and used muscles we weren’t used to using. We cut a lot of the stuff we could off of our pecan tree and the Leyland cypress in our yard. Then on that Saturday Dyanna and Earl came with the pickup truck and helped us haul it to the street. On Sunday we hooked up the garden cart to the lawn mower and moved some more stuff to the street. We went to Dyanna’s house on Wednesday and cut up some of her trees. There are still 3 trees on top of her house and we are waiting to hear from the insurance company. We are also waiting on 2 estimates for removing them from the house. It has been a very long week!

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

The 1987 22¢ Badger North American Wildlife stamp

The 22¢ Badger stamp (Scott # 2312) from 1987 was part of a special collection of U.S. stamps featuring different animals. This stamp was released on June 13, 1987, as part of a sheet with 50 different animals. The stamps were made to celebrate the wide variety of wildlife in America. Each animal on the stamps was chosen to show the different kinds of animals that live in North America. The artist, Chuck Ripper, drew the animals using a pencil and he also included plants that are common in the places where these animals live.

National Badger Day is a special day celebrated on October 6th each year to raise awareness about badgers. On National Badger Day, people learn about the importance of badgers in nature. Some people organize activities like nature walks, art projects, or storytelling to teach others about badgers. The day is a chance for everyone to appreciate these unique animals and to think about ways to protect them and their habitats.

Badgers are small, strong animals with black and white stripes on their faces and are known for their strong digging skills. Badgers belong to the weasel family, which includes animals like otters and wolverines.

Badgers live in underground homes called setts, which they dig themselves. These setts can have many tunnels and rooms, where badgers sleep, store food, and raise their young. Badgers are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They have powerful claws that help them dig for food and create their setts. Badgers eat a variety of foods, including earthworms, insects, small mammals, and plants. In the winter, badgers stay in their setts most of the time, but they don't hibernate like bears do. Instead, they might take long naps and eat food they've stored.

Badgers play an important role in nature. By digging in the soil, they help mix it up, which can improve plant growth. They also help control the population of some animals that might otherwise become pests. Overall, badgers are fascinating creatures that are well-adapted to their underground lifestyle. They're strong, smart, and important members of their ecosystems.

Stamp from the Author’s collection

Hurricane Helene

On September 27, Hurricane Helene arrived with a bang! It was my birthday and I was anticipating a fun day. Instead, I woke up to high winds and heavy rains. At 6 am, we lost power. As I sat in my sunroom in the dark, except for a candle, I heard the wind whipping around outside. I heard what sounded like ladders flying around, which I found out later were my neighbor's gutters that had fallen and were sliding on their porch hitting the railings. At daybreak, our oak tree in the front yard by the driveway fell across the street blocking both lanes. If it had happened a little earlier in complete darkness, one of the cars I saw passing by would have driven right into it. A little while later, a Leland Cypress and our huge pecan tree (over 100 years old) fell in my backyard. Luckily they didn’t hit the house.

Since our power was out, that means our sump pump wasn’t working in our crawl space under the house. Once it was filled with water, our hot water heater and HVAC system were completely submerged under 6 feet of water. When our power came back on, the pump emptied the water but we have to let the equipment dry out before we can even try to see if they will work. (Imagine dropping your phone in the toilet. You have to let it dry before you turn it on or you might fry the electronics.). As of now, we just have all the windows open to keep the house cool. Last night we had to turn on the ceiling fan in our bedroom so we could sleep more comfortably.

We are so thankful that we weren’t hurt and no one we know was hurt or has died. It is almost a week later and 50% of our county still doesn’t have power. Some use well water so without power, they don’t even have water. So many other people and towns have had it worse than we have. As we look at all the devastation around us, we look at our problems as more of an inconvenience than a catastrophe.

Now it is time for clean up.

Original photos by Pat Hensley