| This wasn't so much an Official Expedition as an Official Excursion, as my companion and I didn't expect to do any splashing about. After all, the Ft. Worth Nature Center is a public attraction, and lots of folks are happily hiking the substantial acreage on any given day. However, we wanted to go and take a nice, refreshing hike, get that stale indoors air out of our lungs, and possibly take some nice nature pics. I had never been here before, but my Excursion Buddyette had described it in such glowing terms that I was looking forward to seeing the place. |
| You know, I've lived in this part of Texas for 20 years, and never realized that anything looking like this was right next door! Reminds you of the Everglades, doesn't it? Very mysterious, atmospheric and scenic! |
| I wasn't the least bit prepared for this place! They had buffalo (behind a fence for your viewing pleasure and safety), a priarie dog colony (behind a fence for their viewing pleasure and safety), and a boardwalk over an honest-to-goodness MARSH! Now, marshes in this part of Texas are about as common as elephants, so I'd never expect that there was one within 300 miles. But here it was, all marshy and mysterious and forbidding-looking and just BEGGING to be photographed! And photograph, we did. I'm not sure that I'm being entirely accurate here by calling it a marsh...it's a lilly-pad-choked wide, slow-flowing sort of bayou at the south end of Eagle Mountain Lake. But for lack of knowledge of geological terminology, I'll call it a marsh. |
| As much as I adore critters and nature, I must admit that my knowledge of North Texas turtle species is sadly lacking. I only recognize two species: Snapping Turtles, and Not Snapping Turtles. This is a Not Snapping Turtle. Perhaps it's a Box Turtle...I don't know. I'm sure somebody will write in and provide the proper genus and species. Isn't he pretty, though, with the red patches where his little turtle ears should be? The lilly pads were neat, also, and the turtles used them for cover, quickly ducking out of sight if you approached too closely or made any sudden moves. |
| All around the perimeter, there was rich, black, organic mud that smelled, well...organic. I gingerly tested a few places here and there during our hike to see if it gave any indication of depth. I couldn't tell easily without having to get in and stomp around in my new running shoes, which I didn't care to do this time. |
| I intend to come back at a later date with more film and focus on trying to take some pics that my Internet friends who are into doing digital "alterations" can use as background shots. There are certainly enough interesting vistas here that you could easily burn four or five rolls of film without even working up a sweat. |
Map
On to the next expedition
