It was a sunny day when I went. This was a little unusual since it has rained here almost every day (at least it seems that way). There is something I really like about swamps. I guess I expect to find a witch or something. Or maybe a voodoo priestess. On both accounts, I was disappointed but the refuge overall was a great place.
Another reason why I like the southeast is the abundance of Spanish Moss. It hangs from the trees (especially the live oak and bald cypress) and gives a general creepy gothic appearance to roads, marshes and cemeteries. Spanish Moss is not a true moss; it is an air-plant, otherwise known as an epiphyte so it gets all its nutrients from the air or water. It hangs on the trees for company, I guess. 
Of course, there were lots of insects. Dragonflies are cool, aren't they? Kinda like flying jewels. 
I think this is a Blue Heron. Not sure though. I'm not a bird watcher and he was far away. He didn't come over and say hi, which was a sure sign that he was just visiting from the North. I'm sure a polite Southerner would have made my acquaintance. 
I saw a couple of gators too. They weren't friendly either, which was fine with me. Apparently you can eat gator. The meat is low in cholesterol and high in protein. I haven't tried it yet but I suppose if they served it in a won-ton, I would make an effort to ingest it.
