THE PRAIRIE - PART THREE

Monday we had a late start waiting to get a ranger (a Polaris ATV) to haul our stuff to the equestrian area so we worked a bit later than usual.  Having to work around occupied camp sites can be a chore at times.  We did manager to get five tables sanded and coated.  These tables seem to older and more well used – and dryer so they are soaking up the Thompson’s.

Here are some pictures of the alligator clutch along the main road (Peavine).  A clutch is what you call a group of young gators, much like a flock or heard.  Momma is keeping a close eye on her little ones.  They young ones appear to be about 12 to 14 inches long.  You really have to look close to see them on that mud island.  This is the mom and babies.

This is a close up of just the babies – how many do you see?

After doing what we could do on Tuesday we stopped by the office to let Charlie know we will need more Thompson’s.  He next wants us to repaint the sign at the front entrance. 

Wednesday morning we loaded up one of the Ranger’s and took our sanding gear to the equestrian area to continue table prep and brought the Ranger back.  We then rode our bikes to do the work as we only had four tables to sand, but two of them were in pretty bad shape and took a lot of work. 

After lunch Judy looked at her sock and thought maybe her toe was bleeding and then she looked in her shoe.  She found the remains of a tree frog smashed in the shoe.  We then did the bolt count in the family campground and then loaded up the sanding gear to return it to the shop.  While at the shop we gave Bruce the list of bolts and the need for another five gallons of Thompson’s.  Think we may take all or part of Thursday off – all of it if we don’t have any material to work with.

Well as it turned out we had no more Thompson’s and no bolts so about 10:30 we took off for Port St Lucie on the east coast.  Not a hard drive but a long one along fields and fields of pasture and cows and dairy farms and then acres of vegetables – corn, cabbage, green onions and potatoes.  In some you could see the migrant workers picking cabbage.  Had a nice lunch at a place called The Captain’s Galley just of US1 and then made a couple of shopping stops and headed back home.  On the way out of town pulled into a Raceway gas station and topped the tank of as diesel was only..yes only $3.81.  We had just enough time upon our return to relax for an hour before heading to the office for game night.  As other volunteers had gone into Okeechobee for corned beef and cabbage, it was just us and the Anderson's so we taught them the game “Five Crowns.” 

Our supplies had arrived on Thursday afternoon so Friday we headed to the equestrian to finish up the tables.  But we were short stopped by the heavy dew and fog from over night.  The tables had standing water on them – and not from rain.  We did the legs of the remaining ones and then after lunch and the sun and wind had dried them, finished the tops and benches.  We are glad that task is complete.  Now to go back and put in bolts and screws on the ones which are not tight.

Can’t believe it but we slept in some on our lazy Saturday.  After breakfast we took Lilly for her morning stroll and on the way back she chased a squirrel up a tree.  Then she moved to the next tree and we thought at first she was following the squirrel through the branches and suddenly hair on her back stood up and she growled.  When we looked up we saw a raccoon.  They were just starring at each other. 

In our area, in fact right behind us, four families came in after dark and set up tents.  They have three or four little ones under 6 and they are having a good time.  They made little noise setting up camp and getting the kids into bed.

We decided to go out for lunch with Janice and Bob.  What used to be Cissy’s is now called The Prairie Cafe and under new owners.  The reports are accurate as the food is good and they have done some little things to improve the atmosphere.  The rest of the day was just taking it easy.  Saturday night’s moon rise was spectacular.  The moon was at a point closest to the Earth and rose so red and full.  Tried to capture a picture but it just would not work, but did mange to get a shot of sunrise Sunday morning though.

We made a day of it on Sunday, church, flea market and grocery shopping.  The flea market is nothing special but we can say we made it this year.  For a change we hit the Publix instead of the Wal-Mart and picked up the few items we needed.

Monday it was back to the projects.  Jon had to finish working on the tables (adding bolts and tightening others) and Judy was off to the office.  Judy was busy reconciling billings filing, she just loves office work – not – and Jon completed the main campground and rounded up what will be needed to power wash the ramp entrance to the Clivus.  The “Clivus” is like a large porta-potting but it composts waste and does not need to be emptied.  The wooden ramp and railing are dirty and in some areas green with mold.

The campground is full of lubber nymphs.  They are baby Lubber grasshoppers (Romalea microptera (Beauvois)), an interesting species very common down here.  They are flightless and really don’t hop very well either. 

Tuesday saw the conclusion of power washing and the end of office work for a spell.  By the time everything was done and all the equipment put away it was after 3.  We may take Wednesday off and go looking for long needle pine trees so we can collect more needles for Judy’s next crafting idea.  Saturday morning there will be a ‘sparrow roundup’ in the prairie area east of the campground.  They will flush the birds into a net and check and band the ones they catch.  This prairie is home to the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow – an endangered species.

     

Well Wednesday turned out to be a full day on the prairie.  About 9 we received a radio call from Mike and Carol (also volunteers) about going out in the park manager’s truck to check out the primitive camp sites.  We had originally suggested sites in 2008 and then added two in 2009 and last fall they done more work on the locations.  So off we went, spending all morning to the west locating and inspecting three locations/sites.  A little after noon we came back to the campground for lunch and discovered Lilly still outside – tied of course.  We thought that she may have started winning after we left and Bob let her out.  She has started that business when we are visiting Bob and Janice two camp sites away.  Well she looked pretty guilty and we thought for sure that is what happened, but it was not.  When Judy had returned with Lilly from her morning walk, Lilly’s paws were very sandy, so she tied her out to let her feet clean up some.  Well, between the radio call and then a phone call and getting ready to go out to the prairie, we forgot that Lilly was tied out.  She often goes under the trailer to nap and we just did not see her.

On our way back from locating the sites to the north, we pulled into an old citrus grove and picked some grapefruit.  This area also has several orange trees, but they are very bitter.  These wild citrus are nothing like the orange trees one sees in the many groves here in Florida.  These trees are big, thirty to forty feet high and because of this, many of the best fruit are too high to get to.

As we were making the four mile trek along a dirt road that serves as a fire break, we spotted three swallow tailed Kite drifting in the air currents.  These are rare to see in this area.  They are mainly found along the northern countries of South America.  They don’t use their wings to navigate – they use their “V” shaped tail as a rudder and sometimes as a pusher.

As we did not get to ‘play’ on Wednesday as planned we decided on Thursday to go out for lunch and search for long pine needles for Judy’s new craft.  We did do some work in the morning, putting site numbers on the electrical boxes in the campground.  After lunch at the Prairie Cafe, we headed for a trail head north/west off 98 passed the river.  We did not have to walk in too far and came upon lots of long pine needles.  We gathered a good bunch and will probably go back for more.

Friday morning was very foggy, but we got on our bikes a little before 9 for the five mile ride to the shop area where Charlie had set out the paint for our next project.  The big sign at the main entrance required painting.  As we were painting the background and back of the sign, Judy stepped on a red ant hill and she knew it right away.  Luckily she came away with only one bite.  We finished the base color and had a nice lunch overlooking the prairie and about 12:30 checked the paint.  Because it was old, old oil based paint and was applied over a sign made of compressed foam and other man-made materials, the paint was slow to dry.  We decided to take a break rather than sit and watch the paint dry so we drove back to the Greystone and took a two hour rest.  About 2:30 we went back but in some areas the paint was still tacky.  We did mange to get one coat of yellow on the letters so the sign looked good for the weekend.  However, Monday we will have to do some touch up and make it look better.

Saturday Jo, Amy and Missy drove up from Jupiter/West Palm Beach for a visit.  Some how they managed to miss the two foot by three foot sign for the park and drove 15 miles into the little town of Lorida, but finally did make it.  We had a nice visit and enjoyed a good meal of Jambalaya and corn bread.

 

Sunday will be our day in town and means we only have two more weeks here.  We plan on beginning our trek north on Sunday the 10^th.  Most of the other volunteers depart next weekend so it will be a lonely last week.
Slow getting this blog 'published' as we had a busy Sunday and Sunday evening.  It is now Monday morning and it is raining so no work for a while today.

THE PRAIRIE - PART TWO

After a peaceful Sunday it was back to the tables on Monday. Judy has been “asked” if she would mind working in the office some – she will do it but not a choice project. She met with Natalie on what it would entail and may do it some, but only if we have nothing else for her to do.

Tuesday we went to the Equestrian campground and found that only four of the sixteen tables there had been scrubbed and power-washed. Before we started sanding we headed deep into the hammock to locate the orange trees. There are three wild orange trees, probably 30 feet tall. All of the lower branches have been picked clean, but we had our step ladder and extension picker. We picked three bags – probably three dozen or a more. Some are okay for eating but mainly they are good for squeezing into juice.

During dinner we were entertained by several musicians. There was a banjo, fiddle and guitar and it was enjoyable. Latter Charlie stopped by with another five gallons of Thompson’s so guess when we are done cleaning those other eleven we will be coating them.

When we got ready for bed, there was a very bright light at the rear of the bathhouse. It looked a little like a small light house – white tent/Tepee bottom and this very bright light on top. On Wednesday we learned it was ‘moth-ers’…..did not know there were people out there who like moths and take pictures of them. Apparently that light attracts them to the white tepee and they photograph them. In the office they were all excited to show Paul, the biologist, all the great pictures of moths they had taken.

Judy spent Wednesday working in the office – not one of her favorite things to do. Natalie is showing her some things and she is helping out. She has inventoried all the stuff for sale, completed the gas/mileage usage sheets on each vehicle for February and has been answering the phone. Meanwhile Jon has been busy power-washing picnic tables in the equestrian campground. Today he completed six and has but five more to do, if the rain holds off. Thursday’s forecast is calling for isolated and scattered (yes that’s what it says) thunder showers nearly all day.

Have not mentioned the wildlife but maybe that’s because we are used to it. Along Peevine Road, the main road into the park, there is a small mother alligator with a number of babies. Ruthann took a picture and counted nine sets of little eyes. The mother looks to be no more that five feet long, a young mother. And along the south side of Military Trail between the office and the equestrian section a small one can be seen in a mud hole. We think this one will be moving on soon as the water is beginning to dry up. Nearly every night and sometimes early in the morning the coyote are going at it. Sometimes it is just howling and others it is yipping as they run across the prairie. Of course we also have seen lots of turkey buzzards (though not nearly as large as their Texas cousins), crows, Caracara and many of those little shrub nesting birds in the palmetto. There is a burrowing owl with a nest along the main road, but it is in a pasture with cows and several donkeys and is hard to spot. We will have to make a trip out to several of the sloughs and see what is there too.

Well the weather guys were right. Thursday started out sunny but clouds were building in the NW. Weather dot com indicated that the rain would not hit our area until about 11. Judy headed off to the office and Jon loaded up the power-washer and headed to the equestrian campground where there were five more tables to clean. It was a good thing he packed his old shelter half (military rain poncho) as at 9:15 the skies opened and it poured. Though it rained for nearly four hours, the rain gages only collected a half an inch. Late in the day Jon finished the tables and Judy completed unpacking Charlie’s office goods. They had packed everything up to remodel the offices late last year and just never got them unpacked.

As we are to man the park booth at the Speckled Perch Festival on Saturday, after putting numbers on the electrical boxes in the equestrian we decided to have some fun. Shortly before noon we headed to Sebring to look for a couple of items and have a late lunch. Judy needed a 5/16” furl or sleeve and some thread material to tackle the pine needle weaving and Jon needed some socks. We also needed to find a special florescent bulb for our reading lamp. We accomplished it all and even stopped by a Sweet Bay Market and picked up a few grocery items.

We had only been back a bit when in the northeast sky you could see this long and wide contrail with a shinning dot at its head. We watched as the dot separated from the contrail and moved further into space. Checking the internet we discovered that it was a military launch form Cape Carnival sending a new GPS satellite into orbit – an impressive sight. Almost forgot that on Wednesday we were sitting in the Greystone having lunch when we heard two loud booms and the trailer actually shook some – it was the shuttle coming back in for a landing.

We completed our tour as booth watchers for the park’s booth at the annual Speckled Perch Festival. It was an interesting four hours as we meet some folks from all over, including Louisville, Ohio. We were surprised at the number of folks that live in Okeechobee that did not know of the park’s existence. A highlight of the booth was an alligator skull. It came from a ‘gator found dead near Gum Slough near the north park border. There were no signs of trauma and the park staff is not certain what caused its death. The mud hole he used had dried up, but that was not why he died. By the measurement from the nostrils to the eye socket the length figured to be between 11 ½ and 12 feet – a big one for sure.

This is the preserved skull on the display table.

Judy waiting for more ‘customers’ to walk by.

As the park will be full all week, Sunday we had to do a little work. We had three tables to sand and coat in the main campground and coat the two near the visitor center. We managed to get all but one done in the campground. So we this next week will be finishing up the tables in the equestrian area and then work on tightening up tops, legs and benches using deck screws and bolts.

FIFTH INSTALLMENT – THE PRAIRIE

Monday morning the 28th we packed up and headed for what we call “The Prairie” 35 miles NW of Okeechobee. It was just nine when we pulled out of the dump station and headed for the gate and almost 9:15 when we left MacDill AFB. We took a sort of zig-zag course to Sebring and then southeast on 98. It was just after 12:30 when we pulled through the main gate at the park.

As we pulled into the office parking lot, we saw the ‘swamp buggy’ coming to wards us on Military Highway. As we got to the office (which was closed for lunch) the buggy pulled in and here it was Charlie Brown, the park manager, with thee volunteer couples. Two of the couples depart on March 1 and he was giving them a last tour of the park. He told us that we could park on V3 or V4 (V for volunteer), and that is what Natalie, volunteer coordinator, told us. This is the spot from Google Maps.

We opted for V3 as it is a bit longer and wider. As we setup Cliff and Ruthann Anderson and Bob and Janice Lewis stopped by to welcome us. It took a couple of hours to get all setup, but this will be our home for the next five to six weeks and wanted to make it just right.

Tuesday we went by the office twice to make connection with Charlie about what he had on the list for us, but we could never make the connection. We did chat with two couples that had been here during February. Guess it was just as well as we had some good (good for here) rain in the afternoon. The entire county is under a fire ban, so no campfires or planned burning.

After dinner we walked the nature trail and had not gotten a quarter of the way when we spotted two deer watching us. After the walk we sat on the porch of the visitor center for a bit and then started towards home. On the way we met up with Charlie as he was driving home. He laid out a number of things for us to attack so we know we will be busy for the next few weeks.

Our first task will be picnic tables. One of the volunteer couples that left had used a power washer to clean them and remove the mold. Not exactly how familiar they were with a power washer as the wood was pretty feathered and gouged in some spots. It raised the grain and will make coating them a real task.

Wednesday morning we drove over to the shop area to gather materials – belt sander, sand paper, etc. As usual it was a bit of a challenge to find everything. It was interesting to see that the five gallon bucket paint mixer we had made the first year was still being used as were the old Maxwell House Coffee cans for painting. Thing is they never cleaned the coffee cans out so we dumped a number of them. We got started about 10 and realized that there was no way to get the tops and seats smooth again, so we just worked on the real rough parts. We managed to get five tables done and then after lunch took the ‘ranger’ to the shop to pick up the Thompson’s Water Seal. Charlie had pointed out a one gallon and a five gallon can so he thought that would keep us going. Well, the five gallon can was empty but the gallon was full.

We managed to get three tables done, but did not do the underside – just the exposed parts. That leaves about 35 more to work on so we will be busy for a while for sure.

Judy is applying some Thomson’s to a table already sanded and Jon is tightening all the carriage bolts and finding ones that need to be replaced.

Natalie, the Admin Assistant, asked us to help with the Speckled Perch Festival in Okeechobee the weekend of March 12-13. They will use the swamp buggy in the parade and have a booth that will need to be staffed. More about the festival later - when we know more.

Thursday nights are Domino's at the office so we went up and were introduced to a new game called Wildfire. It’s sort of a cross between Mexican Train, Chicken Foot and regular domino's. It was fun and an interesting game to learn. It allows much more conversation and interaction than Mexican Train. Judy came through the winner on our first night playing.

With a full campground expected for the weekend, we planned on working on tables only until about noon. Charlie bought us five gallons more of Thompson Water-seal so we have plenty – for now. We worked on all the tables we had sanded on the inside of the circle and sanded a couple on the outside, but had to give up about noon. A storm front blew in and we had high winds and a few drops of rain. Before we had to call it a day we managed to get all but eight tables completed in this campground section.

While sanding on one table Judy ran a splinter up under her right thumbnail. She worked on trying to get it our, but it is under the nail and no way to get to it with a needle or tweezers. For now she will use all sorts of potion to try to draw it out and peroxide and alcohol to keep it clean.

Awoke on Saturday to another beautiful, but windy day and time to ourselves. Just before dark what appears to be two families moved into the two sites behind us. They set up three large tents and a dining fly. We tried to count the kids, but they did not stand still long enough. After breakfast Judy took Lilly for a long walk and Jon worked on a couple of things in the trailer. We will head into town about 2:30 to accomplish a few tasks before church and then get a bite to eat and do our weekly grocery shopping.

Not a whole lot has changed in Okeechobee. We first stopped by the CVS drug store and Judy talked to the druggist about her splinter. The druggist recommended a salve and a drawing cream and to soak the thumb in Epsom Salts. It should work out so long as it does not become infected. After church we ate at Beef O’Brady’s and then to WalMart. We did’t get back home until after 8….a long day. So Sunday was just a day of rest and dog walks and just chatting with folks. Lilly enjoys soaking up the sun and Vitamin D.