Corkscrew Swamp

Entry # 20

2-12-12

(Almost forgot to include this one)

     I enjoyed the trip to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Having lived in Florida most of my life this trip brought back memories from my childhood. My mother used to take my brothers and I there. My favorite part of this trip was seeing the towering cyprus trees that were hundreds and hundreds of years old. To be able to put your hand out and touch something that old has a deep intrinsic value; which I can't adequately describe. I also enjoyed seeing the abundance of different types of animals sharing the same lush ecosystem. The call of many songbirds could be heard all throughout the trip. I saw several alligators both big and small, several large wading birds like blue egrets and herons. I also observed turtles lazily sunning themselves. When I was able to break off from the group I also had the pleasure of observing a wild rabbit. It almost felt like I went back in time. It made it much easier to in vision the Florida which the MacIvey's lived in. Being so deeply immersed in undisturbed nature was really an eye-opener. It lies in sharp contrast to the hurried, very technologically-centered lifestyles that we are currently caught up in. It made me wonder if we haven't lost something very valuable by leaving the simpler times of yesteryear behind for our current lifestyles. This was a very engaging and thought-provoking experience.