The Forestry Forum

:P


To survive the depths of southern heritage is a challenge that confronts only a few of the hardiest Great Hunters of the North.  Mosquitoes, alligators, swamps and a diet of peas from wood spoons deters even the bravest.  A pride of the Southeast, an ecological marvel, an unconquerable wetlands the Okeefenokee is a world unto itself.

It's been almost a year since Jeff took his life in his hands and travelled from the relative safety of the Michigan north woods to the wild and untamed southland of America's forgotten wilderness.  Trails of asphalt bypass these cubby holes of ancient history, taking most adventurers to the beautified and civilized Disney Theme park in Orlando, the beach condos of Tampa and Daytona and the most civilized area of all, Miami.

How true and how sad. No-one takes the time to marvel at the wonderment of it all.

Tom,

You and I must think alike about the sort of thing worth visiting.  I visited Florida a few times and loved the swamps.  I liked St. Augistine and Pensacola Beach and Silver Springs.  I tolerated the place with the trained whales and porpises.  I refused to go to Disney World.  I can see all the people I want to in Branson.  I did see some in Miami that were clad (barely) a little different than they do in Branson.

I really miss Pogo---it's no wonder these younger guys are so warped without his phylosophy to fall back on.

Noble

I gotta say that I had the time of my life in Florida, and back up into georgia and the Okeefenokee. I don't think I would have made a typical commercial for the Florida we see up here on the tube.

We didnt see any giant mice, but we did see a wild gator in the Okeefenokee. We didn't visit Cinderellas castle, but we did visit the last existing homestead in the swamp that was incredible.

We didn't lay on a beach but we took a walk to the back of Tom's property to his dock and ate at a little place off the St. Johns river that had giant brim swimming around it and stuffed animals in it. What a great evening.

We didn't get dark suntans in fact 3 mornings there were below freezing. Kinda made me feel like I was still home and the Florida was not all that different from home. God still makes the weather, even there. ;)

We didn't see the fireworks at Disney but we had a HUGE bonfire in Tom's yard on New years eve that threw sparks towards the Florida sky and lit up the area so we could visit and eat and enjoy the coming of the new year with Tom and Gael and Tommy and his new wife. No giant booms just great conversation.

I learned I could prank a Florida girl with a remote truck starter as she walked by our empty truck in the dark. What fun!

We didn't stay in a luxury hotel with room service. We stayed somewhere much more comfortable and friendly. With Tom and Gael. The best food we ate while we were in Florida did not come from it's many restaraunts. It came from Gael's kitchen.

My family discovered the REAL Florida and hope to go back someday.