E E E E E Yi Yi, or, EEEEZing into MONROE

The Greg Johnsons write:

This year’s missive is primarily a nature walk - through the EE’s and the MONROEs. The context is our spring trip to Florida.

We left for Orlando, by car, on a Friday night in mid-March. As soon as we crossed into Wisconsin, it started snowing. And within a few minutes we were dead-stopped on the freeway. An accident had closed the road. We sat at a gas station/restaurant for about 2 hours before we got going again. Arrived in Orlando on Saturday night about 10:00 - 1600 miles. We drove all night, and all day Saturday - a long haul!!

Armadillo, alligator, roseate spoonbill
On our first day in the Orlando area we went north of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, hoping to see a manatEE. We went to a manatEE observation area, but alas, no manatEE. However, in the Merritt Island NWR we saw our first armadillo, alligator, roseate spoonbill, wood stork and white ibis.

The next four days were spent at Disney World, where we took many rides, saw lots of shows, and endured much rain.

A pigmy rattler
We then drove to Flamingo, an area at the southern tip of mainland Florida, inside Everglades National Park. We stayed at the only lodging inside the boundaries of the Everglades. Flamingo is not really a town, but it does have a motel, a couple restaurants, a boat marina and a general store. We were in MONROE county. Saw a pigmy (yup, not pygmy) rattlesnake on a short hike near the motel.

The first day out we took the Shark Valley Tram Tour, a tram-ride into the Everglades. Not sure why its named the Shark Tour - there are no sharks. However, we did see birds we’ve not seen before - purple gallinules, anhingas, tri-colored herons, little blue herons. And lots of alligators. Also that day we took an air-boat ride, operated by the MiccosukEE Indians. Great experience!

Bottle-nosed dolphin
The next day we took a glass-bottomed boat ride into the Atlantic, out of Biscayne National Park, which is south of Miami. Disappointing trip - it was hard to see through the glass bottom. The boat would hover over sea creatures (anemone, kelp, colorful fish, etc.) but it was hard to see. However, we did see an Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphin on the way out.

Closed for potty break
On our next day we visited the Big Cyprus National Preserve, where we saw Liguus trEE snails. These snails primarily live in lysiloma trees, and come in many colors. On the way to the snails we drove through the little hamlet of MONROE Station. And prior to that, we drove through OchopEE, Florida, which boasts the country’s smallest post office. The original post office, which had a tool shed behind it, burned down. So they pulled the tool shed closer to the street and converted it into a post office. When we were there, the postmaster was just leaving for a potty break, and so it was closed. The building is 7 feet by 8 feet.

We spent the next 3 days in Key West. What a fun place!! Every night at Mallory Square, on Key West’s waterfront, thousands of people gather to watch the sun go down. And street entertainers gather crowds before and after the sunset.

Frigatebird, brown noddy
On our second day we visited Dry Tortugas National Park, which is accessible by boat only. Its 70 miles offshore from Key West, and is a set of islands that have been used for various purposes over the years. Sea pirates were based there many years ago. Fort Jefferson was built during the Civil War to control the sea lanes, and was used as a prison at times. We were on a catamaran that took about 2 ½ hours to get there. A wonderful place for bird-watching, snorkeling (crystal clear waters), boating, and swimming. We saw the magnificent frigatebird, whose wing span is the largest of any American bird, in relation to its body. It can’t land on water - it wouldn’t be able to get back out. And the ruddy turnstone, the sooty tern and the brown noddy - they’re birds.

Key deer
On the morning of our last day in Key West, Greg drove to Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge, in search of the Key Deer, a subspecies of the White-tailed Deer. The key deer is very small (less than 3 feet at the shoulder) and only exists on a couple islands in southern Florida. Lo and behold, he saw many!

From Key West, we were 2000 miles away from home. We took 3 days. While driving out of Florida, we crossed the SuwanEE River, the one immortalized in the Stephen Foster song - Way Down Upon the SwanEE River - somewhere along the way it lost the ‘u’. Just north of Orlando, there was a huge traffic backup, so Greg (he’s always getting himself into trouble as soon as he starts thinking) thought he would bypass the traffic by taking the local roads. Bad idea!! Very slow. However, we did go through the village of MONROE Crossings on the way. So there!

Horned Guan and Resplendent Quetzel
Near Atlanta, Georgia, we drove through MONROE county. And then we drove through TennessEE. More E’s. And in Wisconsin, we drove through MONROE county. More MONROEs. Ha!!

Tired of the nature walk? The 3 of us also went to Guatemala in August. Great trip. Greg and Linda went with a few others on a birdwatching tour - Alexandra slept in that day. Next year, if Greg goes, he’s going after the Horned Guan and Resplendent Quetzel, very rare birds, but they do exist in the mountains near San Lucas, Guatemala.

Red-breasted nutchatch and snow bunting We also took a short trip to the North Shore in Minnesota over MEA weekend. Another great time. And saw the red-breasted nuthatch and snow bunting.

Why do we do this? Because Mother Nature is absolutely fascinating!! Take the time to notice the birds and animals and flowers and bugs and fish and trees and snakes and other stuff. Why else do we do this? Because we enjoy our time as a family. We are so blessed with a wonderful family, and the time we spend together is priceless!! Have a wonderful family holiday this season!! And look out the window once in awhile - what do you see?

Greg, Linda and Alexandra