Walking with the Alligators

Walking with the Alligators
A Florida Alligator

October 28, 2012

What Does Clean Water Mean To You And Me?

 Florida's Everglades National Park
As we celebrate the Clean Water Act this month, two things are really bugging me.
First, wildlife is still dying in the Gulf from the Eco-nightmare that the selfish oil people made of a spectacularly beautiful place, I know this because I have swam in the Gulf and been in awe of its pristine beauty for many years.
Oh,  you thought that BP and the nice oil people took care of the mess that they made there?
Think again, they have not.
Then there is our ever besieged Everglades Ecosystem, which is still fighting for its life everyday against the overwhelming big money machines that run South Florida, who see this entire area as only a minor impediment on their way to paving over and building over everything natural in the state.
Do I sound just a little hostile, you bet.
The Gulf and the Everglades have a great deal in common, neither of them can vote or write big checks to polluters, so they are abused and pushed aside.
It is up to those of us with opposable thumbs to speak up and vote and do whatever it takes to stop these big money Wildlife Butchers.
If Marjorie were alive today, she would be at the head of the line taking all of these people on, but she has waged her last battle.
God Bless her for the many, many years that she fought against them, she was devoted to saving the Everglades.
When will we get a Governor, or any politicians in this state, who will stand up to the Sugar people, the builders and the legions of selfish people who care nothing about the future of Florida and its wonderful natural beauty, only where their next check or guilty pleasure is coming from?
Our Environment cannot protect or defend itself, it needs us to speak and act on its behalf, now!
There, got that out of my system.
Next!!

October 21, 2012

The Joys And Sorrows Of Fall In The Forest

  
     Green Anole     A Female Green Treefrog     Harriet, our Gopher Tortoise.

Finally this morning, the day that we all wait for came, the temperature this morning here in the Ocala Forest was a crispy 49 degrees.
Now this was a joyous event for those of us who have suffered for the past six months in 90+ degrees,
98% humidity here, but for the beloved critters
around my house, it is now time for "see 'ya later."
None of my "children" the tiny green treefrogs or the beautiful green lizards (anoles) have shown up for the past two days on the front porch or been spied climbing up the lattice at the edge of it, where they usually love to hang out all day.
For all of them, I guess it is time to find a warm place to wait it out.
Surprisingly though, our Gopher Tortoise "Harriet," who has been MIA for several months, has now decided to reappear in the front yard, eating ferociously every day this week.
Not sure what this means, usually she disappears right about now for the winter?
It has been a strange summer for all of us, extremely hot and dry, where it should be tropical.
Not very good for anything that walks, crawls or flies around here.
Our lakes have all suffered and the wildlife right along with them from the extreme drought.
So, this new season that is now apparently finally upon us, brings the usual double edged sword, better weather for humans, but a going away party for the creatures we love so much.

October 7, 2012

Does The Environment Or Endangered Wildlife Matter To Either President Obama Or Mitt Romney?

 President Obama and Mitt Romney

This is a serious subject for many, but few politicians seem willing to risk their
carefully controlled standings this year to support such a low value return issue.
In fact, this subject is so low on the ladder list of 2012 Campaign Issues,
that you would have to dig down under the ground to get to it.
In 2012, the political silence on the Environment is deafening.
I have watched the debate and listened to the non stop barrage of ugly words
on TV for months, but one thing I can't seem to find in any of it, is even the
slightest concern for the Planet and the living things on it by these two men,
one of whom will be President of this country very soon.
Why is that, I wonder?
The staggering, obscene amounts of money these two have raised could feed
an entire country for years, I am sure.
But instead of going for good, this endless bank account is paying for even more ugly,
vicious words to be endured by an already Campaign saturated American public.
And yet, for all of the words spoken, not one of them is ever concerning one of the most fragile
issues of them all, our Global Ecosystems.
When did we stop caring for living beings and begin to covet only material things?
When all that is truly wondrous has ceased to be, will the money stuffed into
the campaign war chests of these two men buy us all a new world?
The Ark has already left the building~