I recently found myself spending some time in Florida; about a month to be exact. Where am I now? Well sitting in an airport, in Florida, for a layover.... guess I just had to pop back in for a few hours.
Since my last post... over a year ago, I have spent most of my time back in the States, but wanderlust has struck again. I had a wonderful time kayak guiding in Monterey, California for the summer, but seasons change and so does my location. I said I was in the airport, I am on my way to South America, but before we jump ahead.... Florida! In-between the summer and my next big adventure, there was a mini-big-adventure to Gainesville Florida.
 |
| A Golden Orb Spider eating a Green Anole (Lizard) by the front door |
 |
| I repeat, A Golden Orb Spider eating a Green Anole, soooo cooooool |
Since my last post, I have also started to learn how to blow glass. The medium is something I've been itching to get my hands on for years. Long story short I was an apprentice this Summer with Chris Johnson in Santa Cruz thanks to a friend, Andy.
I am still a novice in the field, and eager to learn more, but I am already in love with glass. I think I always was though.
Glass is what brought me to Florida. I had heard there was somewhere in Florida where I could blow glass and live in a tree house... sign me up!
I got in contact with Sarah of Somewhere glass and did just that.
 |
| The Tree House I lived in! |
 |
| A platter made by Brad, in Brad's Studio. Ocala, FL. |
I had a splendid time. The tree house was the perfect size, I learned some lamp-working (blowing glass with a torch, usually smaller scale glass work) and got to play with some of my beloved hot glass (molten glass that you shape and harden as you work)!
I got to take pictures of Sarah's bees one day when she was checking the hives. Fun fact; Sarah bought the bees for Sky as a gift one year, forgetting Sky is very allergic to bees.
 |
Sarah's bees
|
A baby bee being born! They emerge full size. |
 |
| The queen in the middle |
|
 |
| A praying mantis amongst glass scraps |
 |
| A praying mantis found in this jar of glass scraps while organizing the shop |
 |
| Sarah and Sky's Property |
I did spend most of my time on Sky and Sarah's lovely property (where the tree house and glass studio and bees are) or at their neighbor Bill's (where the pool table was) but a couple of times I escaped and snapped a few alligator pictures. John took me to some springs and the gulf coast as well. And Cypress knees! Cypress knees look like little stumps or knees coming out of the ground surrounding the cypress tree. I don't know what they do exactly but people suggested it may have to do with the stability of the tree or its nutrient or carbon dioxide intake. Regardless, it was different and cool
 |
| Alligators at Paynes Prairie |
 |
| Paynes Prairie |
 |
| An anhinga catching a meal |
 |
| dragonfly |
 |
| A herron I believe |
 |
| them stealthy gators |
 |
| So good at hiding |
 |
| Some Bison at Paynes Prairie |
 |
Some cranes flying off in the distance
 |
The clear spring water!
 |
Fanning Springs
 |
look at all those cypress knees
 |
Cypress knee close up
 |
looks a little swampy to me
 |
| thanks for stopping by |
|
|
|
|
|
|
