Moving Back to Florida

My husband and I recently moved back to Florida, after being gone 8 years. I've enjoyed taking pictures with a refreshed eye and wonder for all the interesting creatures and landscapes unique to the southeast. It really is a photographer's paradise. From the swampy inland areas to the lovely beaches, inspiration surrounds you. In the cooler months this last spring, we visited many local parks to take pictures. My husband acted as scout, pointing out things I never saw. (I tend to obsess over the small things and sometimes miss the obvious.) One thing that strikes me on coming back, is how many birds there are. (Was I just too busy to notice before?) They are simply amazing. In my new neighborhood, we have Sandhill Cranes--lovely long-legged birds that walk around like old married couples. Through photography, we have become quite the birdwatchers, sometimes spending the whole day following bird-sitings. They have led us to bald eagles nesting in trees alongside the road, to lovely blue herons fishing on the coast. Now, in the warmer summer months, the parks have taken on a different feel. With every picture I take, I wish I could somehow add the sounds of crickets or chorus of frogs and somehow project the humidity that hangs in the air as thick as the moss. The swamps become a bit more ominous because of the possibility of gators and other crawling things. Funny how I'm not scared, hiding behind my camera. Hmmmm.