Sunday, January 6, 2008

Green Thumb Sunday - Swamp Plants


Swamp Plants for Green Thumb Sunday


green back lit plants growing in a swamp




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This swamp or marshland is one of several trails that is maintained by the Aududon Society in our state.

It was quite a harrowing experience walking this trail which was set literally in the center of a swamp.

There were planks, made by two 2x4 beams that were setting upon posts on either end. The posts were submerged, so all you saw were the planks, surrounded by oozing, bubbling, gurgling swamp water. The planks needed to be readjusted in some spots, as they had slipped completely off the posts.

When you stepped on a plank, it would dip in the center between the posts, and the rising water would surround your shoe. All this while keeping your balance, trying not to slip on the wet plank, praying the plank would hold, and just imagining how deep the water was if it did break.

I feared most for my camera, clutching it with one hand while my other one had a death grip on my husband's hand, arm, or shirt - stretching all the way out - not wanting too much weight on the center of those planks.

This image was taken while squatting down on one of those precarious planks, and holding my breath. I just couldn't pass that light up.

You can see all the floating algae around the plants. It has a unique, eerie beauty.

We had applied bug spray before we went in, but there really weren't that many around considering swamps are usually notorious for them.

I enjoyed this little adventure, but I think next time there is a swamp involved I will keep to the edges unless we have the canoe.









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20 comments:

  1. Hi Kathy, awesome the way the light shines through the plant,great pic! you really must have wanted the pic, I be carring a big stick to see how deep the water was,lol.

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  2. Ha ha Bob! Most of the "big sticks" were rotted slimy things - there were a few trees around though, and they were a big help for hanging on to.

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  3. Your walk sounds scary - I hate swamps and always wonder what is lurking in the shallows! Beautiful photo - with bright, clear colours that we are missing in our winter!
    TopVeg

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  4. Beautiful light in this shot, Kathy. It was worth the risk, but I guess we wouldn't feel that way if you had fallen in!

    We once hiked to a mountain lake in NH, and our daughter, then four, had on her new hot-pink sneakers. That bubbling ooze got on the edges of her shoes and caused her great distress! She was a very upset little girl for the rest of the day.

    You've reminded me that I once fell in a river in New Hampshire with my Minolta 35mm. My husband grabbed it from me and tore the case off before the water soaked inside. As for my jeans, well, we had to hang them from the car window and they flapped in the breeze for the rest of the day, drying out. We barreled through the hills of NH that way. Good thing we didn't get arrested for indecent exposure, lol....
    Of course I had to put my pants back on (discretely) when we stopped at a McDonald's for a shake, at daughter's request.

    No sooner did I get my jeans on and my camera back into its case, than it dropped from my car seat onto the concrete of a food-store parking lot. It somehow survived that mishap too--quite a day for my poor camera.

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  5. I love the brightness of the green leaves! Not sure if I'd walked through all that for the photo though!

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  6. Whgere is your sense of adventure??..lolol..;-) Throw in a gator and it would be perfect...;-)

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  7. Shots like this one are worth the adventuring it took to get! You're right: You just HAVE to take advantage of light like that.

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  8. You did a great job taking the photo. How we suffer for our art! Haha! I hope there weren't any bugs or slithery things during your walk.

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  9. Topveg - I'm ready for spring's colors too!

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  10. Lynda - sounds like that day had it's share of adventure! Not too great at the time, but the memories are the good part!

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  11. Jenty - you would be surprised when the right light is beaconing you!

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  12. Rick - Thank goodness there are no gators up here. There are a few snakes though - glad they kept to themselves that day - no doubt in my haste to get away from them, I would just end up getting myself right into the water with them.

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  13. Bobbie - Yep, the feeling exactly!

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  14. AVCR8TEUR - thanks! No critters that day - thank goodness!

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  15. Adventures are always good Kathy. I do to worry about my camera whenever we go deep into the woods. Really nice photo, refreshing for winter days. Anna :)

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  16. Great shot Kathy, love the color in this, you gotta love swamps there is always such vibrant greens in them.

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  17. Great story telling...I loved it...keeps you wondering what will happen next! Glad you made it through that without falling in with an alligator...not sure I could have done that walk!

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  18. Anna - it was scary at times, but I am glad we did it. A good memory!

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  19. Thanks, Julie - the heart was definitely pumping - and not from over exercising.

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