This happened at the Wide World of Citrus in Clermont, Florida.

Snaking in between endless dusty rows of tangerines & grapefruits, there's a drainage ditch. A tall blue gray heron is stalking purposefully, and we are idly not looking at anything much, when it suddenly seizes (and staggers up the bank with) a gigantic catfish... he manages to keep a grip on it for a few seconds, and then the cat slaps itself loose to the ground. The heron regards this macho bit of work, seems to realize, "I don't have any way of fitting this thing down my throat... but I suppose I'll give it a shot..."

A couple tentative stabs later makes it clear that the catfish isn't getting smaller or more tractable. The heron makes an uncomfortable trip back to the ditch. It washes out its beak (that catfish is a slimy bit of business), stands on one foot, the other foot-- wades slowly away--

We make our way over the catfish. It's still alive, there in the grass.

Should we eat it?

It's already had a bit of luck, it was too big and slippery for that bird.

Too much of a mouthful.

I put the catfish back in the ditch.

That whole situation was a lot like the entire state of Florida.

MUDBOAT IT IS

COCODRIE BAYOU, LOUISIANA

SOUTH OF WHICH, ONLY THE TIMBALIER BARRIER ISLANDS

AND THE MANY-RIGGED SEAS

(and, you know, central america.)

LAST VOYAGE, TRANSMUTATION

SECOND LINE & SEND-OFF FOR POPPA NEUTRINO (1933-2011)

FEB 19, 2011

ALGIERS POINT, LOUISIANA

THESE COLORS DON'T RUN

SHOWCASE OF CITRUS

CLERMONT, FLORIDA

SAINT MARK, FLORIDA

LONG DISTANCE CALLS

LAKE CITY, FLORIDA

where the streets are full of empty churches and thrift stores. a woman stiching curtains indicated the library, where i recieved the spotless sunless of several gummy smiles. a man with a wart on his nose said to me, "if you're here Saturday, i can bring you sandwich."

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
over the bayou, left along the railroad and down to hobo beach. as you come into pensacola from the east you pass through the flatulently self-aggrandizing "Niceville."

EASTPOINT, FLORIDA
i lost my compass here during a skillet of juicy shrimp on the seawall. we drove 50 miles to find it in the dark-- it doesn't do to lose a compass when you're travelling, i don't think.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP, GEORGIA
scared stupid every time an old tire turned out to be an alligator, unwiding smoothly into the water. later along the back roads between georgia and florida an alligator turned out to be an old tire.

EULONIA, GEORGIA
another beautiful disaster.

SHAPING UP

MCLELLANVILLE, NC

HAMPTON PLANTATION, SC

FORT PULASKI, GA

BACON PARK, GA

AVENUE OF OAKS

SAPELO ISLAND FERRY LANDING

MERIDIAN, GA