I just wanted to post some pictures of land that I purchased recently. It's 16 acres and has Blackwater River dividing the lot into two sections. And yes, those sandy beaches ARE part of the land. There is a total of 2 sandy beaches. Now I just need help ID'ing the vegetation on the land.
Here's another picture.
Another.
Here's a picture of me on one of the beaches to give some prospective.
Wow! That is just gorgeous. Where is it located?
Pam
Oh oh oh!!! Lucky you! It's beautiful! Can't ID anything but I wanted to say, "OH!!!"
It's in Blackwater Forrest. It's about an hour away from me here in Navarre.
Is that towards Milton or Crestview? I am familiar with some of the vegetation here. I live on Tom King Bayou in Navarre on 399.
Towards Crestview. I'll post some pictures in the Plant ID section to see if we can ID a certain plant.
Nice looking land, Bug! One of my brothers lives in Milton. I love to visit that part of the country because it is so different from where I am. Keep posting pictures!
Thanks Roy. You also live in a beautiful part of the country. This land is located very much near Milton. It's between Milton and Crestview. Did you ever get to canoe the Blackwater River? It's a very popular attraction here. This is Blackwater River that you see in the pictures. The land is covered by white atlantic cedars, pine, sparkle berry, hollies, magnolias and oaks. There are quite a few others yet to be ID'ed. Here is a plant that is growing all over. I just recently had it ID'ed here by another DG'er.
I think my brother took us over to a park on the Blackwater River. It would be fun to go canoeing there. What will you do with your land?
I'm afraid to do anything with/to the land. It's so perfect and I'm afraid to change anything that is natural permanently. I'm a big fan of Viktor Schauberger (an Austrian forrester). Actually, it was his concepts about river dynamics that got me interested into looking and tracing local rivers to observe his conclusions. It was then that I found that this land was privately owned. I was amazed when I called the owners when they said they would be happy to sell land that they didn't even know where it was located. For now I will camp on it. What I was looking for when I was looking were bends along the river. From studying Viktor Schauberger I knew that every river bend would have a beach on the inside of the bend and a dense forest on the outside of the bend. When I saw this on a map and saw that there was a land parcel right on the bend you can imagine my excitement. When I went to see the land in person for the first time it really was like a dream. Actually, I'm still waiting to wake from my dream. The reallity comes a little more each day. This whole thing was a journey that took over a year but it's all over now. (Or maybe it's just begining, depending on how you look at it.)
Good. For a long time I have thought that if I ever bought land I would do nothing to it. I guess I would try to intervene with floods or fires, in some non-invasive way. Maybe after a year or two think about some permaculture stuff. How exciting for you!
Roy,
Absolutely! I love the whole permaculture thing. Viktor Schauberger was on to this even back in his time. The word permaculture didn't exist but the concept was the same. Nature gives us just as much example of co-operation between different species of both plant (permaculture) and animal in order to survive and co-exist but humans for the most part choose to only see the "survival of the fittest" side of things. It's more convenient to see only this side for the more material and selfish person. It allows you to justify plunder and pillage of natural resources on a massive scale and feel nothing on your conscience for it. After all, it is the "natural order of things".
The whole buying land and doing nothing with it... I can relate a bit. One of my dreams has always been to buy up some really, really cheap barren land in an area that has been completely devastated by humans. Maybe in areas that have even been dessertified by the recklessness a previous generation and bring it back to its original splendor with all original vegetation. This would require that all stock be planted from seed since as Viktor says, "Nature makes no two alike, it would be wasteful and nature wastes nothing." It would be wasteful because nature always seeks to improve quality with every passing generation. To produce two alike makes no progress and therefore is waste. Now THAT, would be a garden on a massive scale. I also realize that "original splendor" is a bit eager considering that many trees can live for many centuries. Viktor Schauberger observed nature and understood it on an intuitive level. Doing this type of massive garden and leaving it to the Nature Conservancy after my time is up would be another dream come true for me.
That would be so neat. I think my dream is in part caused by all the development I've seen in our area. I'm kind of a city girl, (Roy was my parakeet who died a year ago when I joined D.G. so I used his name) so what I envision is vacant lots. Vacant lots with weeds, right in town, where snakes and insects and birds and prairie dogs can live. Apparently every inch is so precious here that some money-generating business must be built on it. And a parking lot for the business patrons to park their landrovers in. Whatever! But, I do think in-fill is preferable to suburban sprawl. We have both. I've read articles in Orion magazine about how wildness is coming back to abandoned cities, like Detroit. Pretty interesting. Not much to do with Navarre. Still. Congrats, again, on what you are doing. Or not doing!
did i see a gator in the water. ??? everything looks great.
When I was a kid, we owned land, up near Baker...and we often went to the Blackwater River, to go swim...so it looks so familar to me! Congratulations, it is gorgeous!
I've been there! well at least close. Bob's Canoes out of Milton. LOVE IT!
I haven't seen any gators yet Herbie. The idea does make me a bit nervous.
Yeah Melv, Baker is not far from here. I like the Baker area too. It's so wooded. I just love this whole area. I actually grew up in Texas in a small town that was mostly wooded so I that's why I like the woods.
Sally, I went to the Department of Forestry's main office in Munson and I recall seeing a place called Bob's Canoes in Milton. Mostly the ones that go by this area are from a place called Blackwater Canoe Rental that is located right outside of Milton by about 12 miles.
then I guess I haven't actually sat on your beach but one nearly identical---so much fun. Never ran into a snake in the river on four canoe / tube trips, but you'd think they're there. No gators seen. Clear spring fed water
I think my brother's friend lives in Baker. I'll find out. For some reason it rings a bell. Not that it matters. Just that it is a beautiful area. I think they do have alligators. Sorry.
I am from that area, and we never saw any gators back when I was a kid..it was too far North for them..but their range may have changed since then...
Well, from what I understand they do live in this area but are rarely seen. They seem to be very shy and the river gets so much traffic that I guess they stay on the side pools of water along the river's length away from the river.
I actually love to see a varriety of wildlife so I can appreciate even the alligators in their own way but I would worry about my dogs more than anything else. Of course my dogs rarely wander too far away from me anyway so it's probably nothing to worry about. I think that the only alligator that would snap at me would be one that would mistake me for smaller prey or mistake me for an animal since they seem pretty shy of humans. I can't help but think of this when I have to put my hands into the water from the bank at night for some reason or other.
Sally, a long time ago I went to Blackwater River and layed out on a very nice beach and burried a friend up to his neck in the sand. I was sure that the beach made such an impression on me that I would be able to find it easily and confirm later to see if it was the same beach as was on the land that is located on the parcel that I was buying but I never could confirm it. The beaches are all very nice along and it's very difficult to tell them apart. Of course now I can locate the beaches on this lot with out a hitch anywhere. (BTW: I always make sure to level sands anywhere I dig holes after I'm finished in consideration for the wildlife)
oh how awesome Hugo!!! Can I come build a house there and hide away from the rest of the world ???
Thanks Donna. I knew you would appreciate this. Sure!, We can be neighbors, why not. You know, I expected to see more birds that I've seen there. Everytime I do see a bird or butterfly at my house or on this land it always makes me think of you Donna. I was trying to take some pictures of this huge yellow and black butterfly that was drinking from the wet beach to show you but I missed it. (Actually, my dogs decided to go greet the butterfly as I was trying to get the camera.) It seemed to have far more yellow than black on it.
You know though, I have a problem. Maybe I'll start a new thread about it to ask DG'ers for some advice. Where should I post a new thread looking for advice? The advice I'm seeking is on a presistant tresspasser that has pretty much stated that he will continue to do so. I have had a confrontation with him that almost turned physical. Where should I post that thread? Any ideas?
I would just post about it, here...what is the deal with this person?
Hugo, I'm gonna build a house right next to Donna, right next to you. 'Kay?
Melva,
The problem with the person tresspassing seems to have corrected itself. I had a very confrontational meeting with him and advised him that he had better make absolutely sure that he is correct in his assumptions regarding my property line before cossing it again as the next time a problem arises I would be happy to respond accordingly. He doesn't even own property in my area! If this flares up again I'll be contacting the sherrif.
Lisa,
You and Donna would make the best neighbors since we all share a lot of the same interests. Sure! We can be neighbors! lol When I go there it feels like a huge playground and in my oppinion, I haven't even explored some of the best areas yet. I would really like to see some of the northern parts of the forest. Especially those areas less explored but I need to get a GPS device to record places of particular interest as I find them. I want to be able to come back to a certain area again later if I so choose to. For now one thing I've done is walk up and down the river searching for the most interesting pieces of drift wood. This past weekend I collected lots of blueberries. These are not blueberry bushes they're small trees and they're loaded with fruit right now.
Congratulations, Hugo! It seems you found your own Paradise. Love your pictures. Please post more.
Hugs,
Ursula
edited for spelling
This message was edited Jun 25, 2008 10:08 PM
I wanna come see!!!
wow Blueberry Trees!!!! What a great find on your property. The birds are getting all mine this year. Still have 3 qt bags in freezer from last year and a couple jars of jelly from 2 years ago lol
Ursula,
Hi! It's nice to see you. I'll be glad to post more pictures as I take more. I've been mainly taking pictures of the different native plants in an effort to ID them but I'll get more land pictures.
Donna,
It sounds like you did pretty good too with regards to blueberries. I didn't get that much but I'll be picking more since there are lots more still ripening.
Lisa,
We should make it out there sometime so you can see it if you really want to check it out. Just tell me when you want to go. For me during the week is best right now. I'll be going out there again probably on Tuesday or Wednesday.
I will just have to wait until the weekend is good for you. Since I took this nursing director job, I live at the hospital
