Farewell Okefenokee

Even though it has been raining most of the day, I’ve been busy finishing my pack up chores.  Basically, all I have left to do tomorrow is unhook the water and electric, pull in the slides, raise the levelers, hook up the toad, and head down the road.  My plan is to drive a little more than I like to a campground 259 miles away in the panhandle of Florida.  I hope to arrive in Scott, LA, on Wednesday, and that’s about 670 miles from here.

Since I don’t even have a chair to sit on outside under the awning this evening, I decided to look through my 900 saved pictures from my time at Okefenokee and reminisce.  I have so many wonderful memories that it was hard to choose.  I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I did picking them out.

From the birds, to the alligators, to the Chesser Homestead, each day provided a new memory or learning experience.  And I certainly couldn’t forget Nurse Ratchet and my hip replacement surgery.  I’ve never had an adventure like that, and I was so lucky to have my brother by my side.

Then there were all of the friends, new and old, who added such excitement and fun to my days.  That little ditty from my Girl Scout days often played in my head:  “Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver and the other’s gold.”

As unforgettable as the people and the wildlife are, it is the Okefenokee Swamp NWR that calls to one’s soul.  I can now so relate to the feelings of those early ‘swampers’ who loved this place and never wanted to leave.  It’s so hard to explain the draw of the swamp unless you’ve been out there in that wilderness.  It will remain one of my favorite places in this country.  I never thought this place would grab my heart so much.  Perhaps I’ll return again some time in the future…

                                                                               THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy