Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Celebrates the Everglades

Clyde pointing to where the

Loxahatchee National Wildlife

Refuge is located and explaining

why it is such an important

location for the health of the

Everglades ecosystem

Every year around this time the Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge has a wonderful event

to celebrate the Everglades. They have speakers,

exhibits, entertainment, environmental

education trips and much more. It's a great

event where you can learn a lot about the

Everglades and it's ecosystem, as well as have

fun with the family. We were happy to be

a part of the event this year.

Clyde with (L-R)

Richard Horowitz - Friends of Loxahatche NWR,

Serena Rinker - Interpretive Specialist, Sylvia

Pelizza - Manager of Loxhatchee NWR

The Refuge was giving tours into their

research area to explain what kind of

projects they are working on that will

help clean the Everglades, and make

the water flow more natural. It was

a wonderful experience to be able to

talk to the scientist who are working

on the project!

Explaining the research projects that are

going on in the Living Laboratory

section of the Refuge

Looking toward the research area...

different ponds for different research

Clyde and Kenn Kaufman, Birding Guide Author,

were invited to be the speakers at the event.

Serena Rinker, Interpretive Specialist, dashing

about on her "go-machine"

There were so many people waiting to hear

Clyde speak that we thought they were

waiting for something else! So, we stood

back thinking there was an animal show

going on or something...nope, they were

waiting for Clyde! Amazing!

Photo taken by Warren Resen

Clyde signing books

Photo by George Quiroga of Clyde signing a book

another wonderful image of Clyde

taken by George Quiroga

at the event

Once again we found our lives surrounded

by positive people who care about Florida's

environment. It is such a good feeling

to hear about all of the great things

that are being done to save the Everglades.

Keep up the good work Loxahatchee Refuge!

Rookery Bay Photo Contest

Left to Right

Elaine Hamilton - Executive Director of

United Arts Council of Collier County

Clyde, Andy Browne - Program Manger

for United Arts Council, and Bruce

Robertson - President of Friends of

Rookery Bay.

Every year Rookery Bay Aquatic Preserve and

the United Arts Council of Collier County

hold a photographic competition. The images

this year were great...which made it very

difficult for me to judge.

The contest for next year will be announce

in the fall of 2010...keep an eye out for it!

Marc Damon receiving 1st Place Award

Cheryl McClure receiving 2nd Place Award

Clyde with winners (L-R):

2nd Place - Cheryl McCLure

1st Place - Marc Damon

3rd Place - Jim Freeman (couldn't make it)

We always have fun whenever we're with

a group of people who love to photograph

and also love the environment! A great

evening!

James Hill Library Opening - St. Paul Minnesota

We arrived in St. Paul to a O degree

temperature and the Winter Carnival.

We took a short, cold, cold walk through

the park to see the ice sculptures and

what should we see but an ice sculpture

of a 'gator! ...an appropriate welcome...

a frozen 'gator to go with a couple of

frozen Floridians!

For all of you who wondered whether he'd

wear his Birkenstocks in the snow...he actually

put on 'REAL' shoes and socks!

We had a wonderful lunch at the

VERY GOOD restaurant in the

St Paul Hotel where we were staying.

Enjoyed meeting the folks who are

responsible for putting together

the exhibit: (left to right)

Peter Gilbertson, Chairman JJH

Peter Pearson, Executive Director of

Friends of St Paul Public Library

Mayor Tom Swain, Board Member of Friends

Alayne Hopkins, Programing Coordinator for Friends

Paul Hirschboeck, Board Member of Friends

Amy Noble Seitz, Founder Exhibits Development Group

Clyde at entry of the library

Interior of Library

The interior is grand beyond imagination...

Roman pillars stretching to the ceiling,

creating a clear-story which makes for a

dynamic feeling...a feeling of timelessness.

That feeling combined with three levels

of books that seem to go on forever...well,

I was just overwhelmed walking into

the building. AND then, when they

added Clyde's photography I was pretty

much in tears with the emotion of it all...

my love of books, history and Clyde's

photography all in one dynamic place!

Sorry for the warped view of the building,

but it is so big that I had to tilt the camera

to get most of it in, which caused major

distortion.

Bust of James Hill

James Hill was a railroad Baron who

visualized the need for a library in his

home town of St. Paul. On hundred years

ago he built two monumental structures

next to each other...one was a public library

the other was a private library for

business reference.

Portrait of James Hill over the fireplace

Clyde going over details before the evening opening

Clyde being interviewed for TV

On our way back to the hotel to rest

before the evening event, we walked

through the park and enjoyed some

of the ice sculptures...until we were

too cold and then headed for the

warmth of our hotel.

We didn't walk around the park for very

long...evening was coming on and the

temperature was rapidly dropping...

In the lobby of the hotel we ran into the

dignitaries from the Winter Carnival...

they were having so much fun I couldn't

resist getting a photo of them with Clyde!

The evening event began with wonderful

guitar music as background...

Clyde giving a power point lecture

about his adventures during his

photographic trip

Clyde signing books

We had a wonderful time and it was over too soon.

Wish we could have stayed longer to enjoy St. Paul...

a wonderful community. But, we said good-bye to

Minnesota where "the men are strong, the women

are beautiful, and all the children are above average,"

with the hope that we'd return again and stay a

little longer next time.

South Florida Fair - West Palm Beach

Clyde's display at the fair

The theme this year for the South Florida Fair is

America's National Parks. National Parks from

around the country have displays at the park.

Clyde was invited to be a part of our proud

heritage of National Parks with an exhibit

of his photography from around the United States.

We haven't been to a county fair in ages, but this

fair is much grander than most county fairs...it

rates in the top five fairs in the nation. It was so much

fun to be a part of such an "Americana" event! Clyde

even got to be Grand Marshall!

If you'd like more information on the fair

call (561) 262-6517

the website is:

www.southfloridafair.com

inside of display

Jackie, Teresa and Clyde before

the fair opens...just a few folks

meandering around...and then...

...the fair opens...

Waiting in line for Clyde to sign books

Clyde with Rick Vymlatil, President & CEO

of the South Florida Fair

Clyde with Tim Pachis, Corporate Sales Manager

for the South Florida Fair

Everglades National Park created

a cypress dome, complete with a

swamp in the middle!

The trees are orange because cypress

loose their leaves in the winter...

it is winter here right now.

Biscayne National Park

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

created a giant redwood tree!

Grand Canyon National Park

Haleakala National Park...all the way

from Hawaii! They created a bamboo forest

Saguaro National Park created

cactus gardens

Behind them covered with plastic

is Mesa Verde National Park. It

was raining so they had to cover the

wonderful sand sculpture of the park.

Carlsbad Caverns created a cave

in a walk-way between to wings

of the building...even had stalagmites!

Yosemite National Park created

a water fall

Yellowstone National Park created

Old Faithful...and yes, it did go off!

The Seminole - Micosukee Indians

had a display centered around a

replica of the tree where they signed

the peace treaty

Getting ready for the parade

This photo of Clyde and I was taken by

Val Williams...we're getting ready

to be the lead car..the Parade

Marshall...something we've never

done before! FUN!

The grand kids jumped in the car

and joined us in the parade

Marching Band

Clyde as his car is driven through the

grounds of the fair

Jackie on "horse" in front of Hunters Cabin

The fair has a section on their property

where they have saved historic buildings. Since

I love history, this was my favorite place! These

are just a few of the photos I enjoyed taking

while taking a quick walk through.

Interior of hunters cabin

Looking through window of hunters cabin

Jackie looking like she enjoyed the hunt!

Robbie at Hunters Cabin look'n

like a real hunter...

Hunters cabin

Self-portrait of myself in the

hunters cabin mirror

Clyde with Judge Nelson E. Bailey of

Palm Beach County

Clyde signing books

Clyde signing books

Clyde gave a lecture

The children had a display of their art

Paint in the Park had a booth at the fair

Clyde with Allison Parssi a young artist

photographer who won the Gold & Silver

Keys in a Scholastic Regional Art competition

Her photograph will be going on to New York

judging in the National Competition

Clyde signing books

Clyde signing more books

Clyde meets alligator man, David Castillo

Clyde with David Castillo, aka Kachunga!

Clyde and kids with albino 'gator

Kayla holding Davids albino gator

It was a great day...and a fun day with family.

Hope you all have as much fun as we did when

you visit the fair!