Spring Swamp

Our beloved Green Swamp is full these few days: an abundance of water from the el nino rains, a rarity in this usually dry time. The river is flowing out of its banks and the newly green foliage is an intense light green, a joy to behold. Ibis and ducks and the occasional otter are happy. On the river today, we saw no alligators, but we know they are there. These Florida rivers running into swamp are certainly a jewel. The high water has flushed out an amazing amount of trash and we saw some styrofoam cups and even an occasional cooler thrown out by careless boaters.

Tonight, I hear the deep harmonic resonance of a million frogs croaking in the dark. On top of that are the sounds of the nocturnal insects.

We had a few young people visiting us this weekend, young men on their spring break from college. Our special friend, Stephan, wanted his house mates to see the real Florida. Stephan has grown up in Florida, son of environmental scientists.

My first viewing of them was to see one young man in cell phone mode striding around the pasture trying to get a connection, oblivious to the swallow tail kites overhead. The other young man was hunkered down at his computer trying to get an internet connection. Stephan was out checking on the property with his binoculars.

We had a wonderful dinner with them and Stephan's parents and brother Phil. We ate ribs off the grill, and by request, I made my famous exploding volcano cake. (Dry ice is the key.)

So interesting to see these young adults who are so accomplished and smart. Because I am old enough to be able to be totally eccentric I can ask hard questions at the dinner table. Seems that this generation is really NOT interested in politics or those dicey questions of ethics. It's
' whatever'.

There is, however, another group, and I count Stephan in this, who maybe do not demonstrate in any political way, but they are thinking and acting about being conservators of our planet. These young adults plant gardens, take responsibility for their environment, and think about careers that will help the world we live in. (I also think that the technophiles can do this!)

I just wish they would get up on their hind legs and be more vocal!

It has been a lovely spring season, despite the oak pollen that slays me.