Temple Shir Shalom

We had a wonderful crowd at the Temple Shir Shalom Newcomers Club for our talk The Amazing World of American Cheese.

Thanks to everyone who came, was so welcoming, asked so many questions, and bought books too.

A Shell Mound Paddle

Hog Island seen from the Shell Mound boat launch.

Last Friday Peg and I paddled with Mark, following the route he has laid out for a Shell Mound Paddle. The weather seemed iffy, with perhaps 10-12 knot winds at the relatively sheltered launch ramp. We decided to give it a try nevertheless, resolving to turn around if we ran into waters too rough for the newbies to handle. All went well, although the wind did pick up when we got to the unprotected west side of Hog Island. It was easy to see why the island is eroding on its western flank as it takes the full force of the waves. We could plainly see the exposed face of layers of shells on this prehistoric burial ground. We will have to come back again to photograph this side of the island because we were too busy negotiating the 2-foot plus waves to get out our cameras. 

After a rough passage, the lee side of Hog Island seemed serene

Once we had rounded the southern tip of the island we were in calm waters again and were able to paddle close to the island and take notes on vegetation. All and all we had a productive outing laced with just the right amount of adventure.

Who We Met Today

Walking nearly 12 miles in San Felasco Hammock today, we had some fun experiences with wildlife, only a portion of which we were able to capture in photographs. Enjoy with us the ones we photographed and are able to share.

Good Guy #1. We found him on his back and unable to right himself, perhaps flipped by wild pigs planning to make a meal of him. Once rescued and again upright, he beat a beeline for his burrow.

Bad Guy #1. This is poison oak. What more needs to be said?

Good Guy #2. This little alligator is all right with us, at least until he grows up and decides we don't belong in his territory.

Good Guy # 3 Honest, this really is another gopher tortoise, our second of the day.

Good Guy #4 Just when you were getting convinced that all gopher tortoises look alike, we present you with this juvenile, not only smaller, but more colorful than his elders.

Bad Guy #2 This little plant, often bearing pretty white flowers, is called "Tread Softly." If that doesn't tell you enough, consider its other name, "Stinging Nettles."

Thanks for joining us on our little tour of the very slow or stationary plants and wildlife encountered on our walk. Unfortunately the numerous lizards, butterflies, and birds we observed were too quick for us to capture their images.

Shired Creek Paddle

Last Sunday we climbed into our kayaks and followed the Shired Creek paddling trail laid out by Mark Gluckman, finally getting some data to begin putting together our long planned paddling guide for the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges. We were fortunate to be accompanied by a group of experts recruited by friend Melissa Desa. We learned a great deal while having a productive and enjoyable day.

Mozzarella at Kona Joe's

Peg, Edie, and Donna review the instructions

At the urging of chief cook Edie, today we made mozzarella at Kona Joe's, a favorite gathering spot in our own Cedar Key, Florida. Ever the trouper, Edie came up with good cheese milk, an un-pasteurized un-homogenized cow milk from a nearby farmer. Unfortunately, only a half-gallon was available, and we opted to do one small batch with the good milk and another with a full gallon of grocery store milk.

Not bad-looking curds and whey

To no one's surprise, the good milk produced good results, and the other produced almost nothing we were able to salvage.

OMG, it looks like mozzarella!

Not sure we were able to bring about a revolutionary improvement in the ancient art of cheesemaking, but we had a good time and could count one significant success.

Wood Storks

We saw these this morning. We suspect they may have a nest nearby.

Natural Landscapes?

A Roadside Ditch

Driving on the Lower Suwannee NWR loop road a week ago, I was impressed by the way the landscape, and especially the hydrology appears to have been altered by human activities. Roads were built to get to the timber and later to get logs out. Except in the uplands, every road is bordered by water-filled ditches, the result of dredge-and-fill operations needed to move people and vehicles through swampy terrain. Consequences of road-building may include a greater area and distribution of open water than would have occurred under natural conditions and a possible lowering of the water table, making for drier uplands.

Shell Mound

Then on Saturday we heard a talk by Univ. of Florida archaeologist Dr. Ken Sassaman and his graduate students. They believe that much higher ground along the Refuges' coastline was altered by the activities of prehistoric residents. 


Activities of both the Paleoindians and much more recent lumbermen have apparently served to increase habitat diversity, and thus are probably favorable for wildlife. Nevertheless, one is led to wonder how different the area might have looked 12,000 years ago.


Except for occasional prehistoric shell mounds along the immediate coastline, paddlers will likely see landscapes much less affected by anthropogenic change than hikers.