Wednesday, February 10, 2010

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!

Monday, February 1, 2010

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!