As I'm prone to do of late, I found another wonderful place to enjoy God's beauty. Since purchasing my camera, my favorite things to capture are God's creation. It is so relaxing to pack the camera and head to one of the many nature centers, preserves, or State Parks that we are blessed with in South Florida. Recently while searching for more places to visit I came across a link to Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers. After looking at the website, I knew this preserve was going to be added to the list. I was not disappointed. For starters, it was a beautiful day and admission was free (parking is $1.00 per hour). This sign sums up pretty much how I'm beginning to feel about being in the outdoors.
A lesson was learned on this particular trip. Always carry your extra lenses either in your camera case or a purse. On this particular day, I decided to attach my 75-300mm lens to the camera and just carry the 18-55mm lens in my hand. What was I thinking? All was good until I was trying to take a picture of the snake (see below) and put the 18-55mm lens between my legs. It slipped from between my legs, rolled off the boardwalk and into the grass (thankfully it wasn't water). I looked at the stranger behind me and we discussed how to retrieve the lens. Wasn't but one way, climb down in the grass with a snake within a 100ft. of the lens. Why couldn't the stranger have been a brave man? Oh no, he wasn't going to go after the lens, so yours truly climbed down in the grass (all the while praying the snake didn't move) and retrieved the lens. After getting the lens however, the fool discovered she needs to exercise to remove weight off the behind to make climbing over a boardwalk railing easier. Thankfully, the not so brave stranger and his friend hoisted me over the railing back to safety and the snake never moved. It's funny now, but let me tell you this old gal was shaking worse than the leaves on those trees.