per·i·pa·tet·ic
ˌperēpəˈtedik/
adjective
  1. 1.
    traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
    "the peripatetic nature of military life"
    synonyms:nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant,migratory, unsettled
    "I could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle"
  2. 2.
    Aristotelian.
noun
  1. 1.
    a person who travels from place to place.
  2. 2.
    an Aristotelian philosopher.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Skywatch Friday--Sinkhole Sunset at Lake Jackson

I'm especially fond of sunsets, and even more so these days. When I'm looking west, can you guess where my thoughts are headed? The apartment complex where we now live most of the time sits close to a park that's adjacent to a fascinating geological phenomenon--a sinkhole lake. Lake Jackson is on the rebound, filling up, regaining its depth and breadth in a cycle of drain/regain that usually begins every 25 years. I took this picture in early June, shortly after SAM and I moved to Tallahassee where he works. It looks like autumn has arrived already because most of the leaves on the trees have disappeared. Most of these trees, though, are not dormant. I think they are dying. They might not have a problem with "damp feet," but their roots will not survive being flooded. They started growing here when the main body of the lake lay elsewhere and the soil that it used to cover was at that time dry enough to support them. 

The native Americans who originally settled here called this place Okeeheepkee, or "Disappearing Waters." I found a fascinating account of one man's exploration of it that dates from 1842. You can probably guess from this excerpt what political party he favored at that time:
"...I think of nothing which will interest you more than our near neighbor Lake Jackson, which I shall prove to be as self-willed and unreasonable a body of water for a lake as the Whigs fancy they have proved its illustrious namesake to have been as a president and a man..."

 
Please visit Skywatch Friday for more sky perspectives from around the world.

29 comments:

  1. That's a beautiful sunset! I hope you get your house sold and things settle down for you with the new realtor. I've been house hunting all day for my daughter and things are looking good in that area here so maybe in Florida too? Have a great weekend!

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  2. Stunning sunset photo and very interesting article embracing the phenomenon of the cycles of nature. ~karen

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  3. Gorgeous images - lucky you to have it so close. I like the Native name for the sinkhole and the way you wove in the history and the natural phenomena.

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  4. Interesting post and the sunset is beautiful! It is good new that the Lake is on the rebound. Happy skywatching!

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  5. Interesting post and the sunset is beautiful! It is good new that the Lake is on the rebound. Happy skywatching!

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  6. Apartment living has some advantages. Usually you can spend more time traveling and doing things together instead of fixing your house every weekend...which is what we do mostly.

    Those skies are stunning. I haven't done SKYWATCH in a long time. I always forget!

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  7. Beautiful sky photo! Lately we have been having the prettiest pink sunsets down here! They just make you happy to be alive!

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  8. Thanks 44 stopping by today; your blog is great. I will be back!

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  9. Thanks for the insight on Lake Jackson and its disappearing waters. Imagine, trees with "damp feet"...like the way you brought that up.

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  10. nature always amazes with it's rhythms that have nothing to do with us... it's wonderful that you live so close to this lake and can watch it. BTW - it's the first year I've grown the Gloriosa lilies, but as far as I've found out, once they start blooming they go continuously until frost.

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  11. What a lake! We know so little about our planet. Each area has some peculiar instances to show. And that shot at sunset really captured the mood and set the pace to the post.

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  12. Wonderful pictures..you are living in a place which is blessed by the nature and changing seasons..

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  13. a beautiful photo! And most interesting information. The quote at the end is, of course, quite humorous!

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  14. That looks like it must have been one sunset and like splendid I thought the quote was humorous.

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  15. I've never tried to picture a body of water that was "self-willed and unreasonable" although I've known a few folks like that. Gorgeous pics!

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  16. I've always wanted to see the mysterious Lake Jackson. I've heard about its ups and downs but can't seem to locate the data set for it online. Do you have any ideas on that?

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  17. You have won the set of 6 handcrafted Eagle cards from my blog this morning!! Congratulations! Please e-mail me with your mailing address so I can get them into the mail. It will take up to a few weeks since I'm in Nova Scotia. Congratulations! ~karen

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  18. I lived in Tallahassee about thirty five years ago, when I was too self-absorbed to be interested in the really fascinating things in life -- like disappearing lakes and astonishing sunsets. Nice to learn about Lake Jackson. Now I want to come see.

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  19. Tina, it is a buyer's market out there--lots of bargains to be found at prices not seen in years. Earlier this year, we did have a couple of offers for less than we paid for it almost seven years ago, and we've put a lot of money into improving the place. I doubt if we will put it back on the market until next year. The area where our house is has been overbuilt, thanks to overzealous developers and their planning commission buddies. I am glad your daughter is able to buy at one of the best times in history for buyers. It couldn't happen to a nicer family.

    Karen, thank you! I will send you our address as soon as I get done here.

    Thanks, Sarah. I think the sunset makes this still shallow portion of the lake look nicer than it actually is. It's more of a glorified swamp than anything right now. Maybe in a few years it will really be something.

    Eileen, thanks for stopping by. I need to visit some of the other skywatchers like you!

    Rosey, I guess for now we get the benefit of both worlds--apartment living and home ownership. It's an interesting time in our lives for sure. I hope our budget survives the benefit of the burden! You should do the Skywatch again. I'll bet you have some spectacular shots to show us from Colorado.

    Julie, I agree with you about the sunsets. They're so peaceful looking and romantic, especially when you get to share them with someone you love.

    BBTS, thank you for visiting! I enjoy reading other bloggers' opinions on books, and I'll be back to visit you too.

    RGB, I can almost imagine that I hear the trees sighing and shifting their weight around in the mud:)

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  20. Thanks for the info on the lily, Claude. If I can get my hands on one, I'll give it a try. I'm guessing it's better to plant them in late fall to give the roots a head start for the bloom season?

    THL, I'm glad that nature is so peculiar. I fit right in! Thanks for stopping by.

    Tomz, you live in a very interesting place too. I enjoy reading your impressions of the place and the people.

    SLS, thank for visiting and commenting. I stopped by your blog earlier, and I need to go back and leave a comment. Those vegetables you preserved look fabulous!

    MBT, most people in Florida run inside when the sun goes down. They think the bugs are going to eat them alive. There are so many dragonflies, frogs, and bats living around here, the bugs are almost outnumbered.

    WS, thank you. The guy who wrote that article was perceptive and funny, even if he did let his political slip show.

    Mr. S, you really should take a trip to the Northwest side of the state. I've put in a request for some data, and when I get it, I will let you know.

    Elizabeth, I'm still learning about the area myself. You really should consider visiting it again. Thanks for commenting.

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  21. How interesting. When the lake drains, where does the water go. Caves, underground rivers..? We don't see many sinkholes up here and when we do it's usually caused by man undermining the ground above.
    Marnie

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  22. Gorgeously melancholy. Silhouette sunset photographs are melancholy, especially ones that show a body of water. And sometimes I can't tell if what's pictured is a sunset or sunrise.

    (Your mention of a sinkhole reminds me of "Sinkhole," a song by The Drive By Truckers. I can't find a good version of it on YouTube else I'd include a link.)

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  23. Marnie, I guess the water rejoins the underground aquifer for a while, until it's time for it to resurface. Scientists are still investigating the mechanism behind the system. Like Mr. Sobczak said, it's mysterious. I do love a mystery.

    TC, I'd love to hear "The Sinkhole." Could you play it on guitar and upload your own version? Sunsets, by the way, really do make me happy, not sad. But then melancholy isn't the same thing as sad, is it? I'm glad to see that you're commenting and posting again. It isn't for nothing. You'll see.

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  24. Beautiful sunset! Sunsets near water seem more so vibrant dont you think?

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  25. "It isn't for nothing. You'll see."

    After reading that I felt a tinge of excitement. Fleeting. But still worthy of a thank you! ;~)

    And I'd love to learn how to play "Sinkhole," if I had the time (sorry excuse I know).

    And no, sadness and melancholy are not equal. Both have their place in This Life.

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  26. Great sunsets; I can see that I'm going to have to shelve my preconceptions about your neck of the woods!

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  27. That's a beautiful sunset. I really like silhouette shots.
    Sydney - City and Suburbs

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  28. Fascinating lake all right. We have hundreds maybe thousands of sinkholes in our limstone "karst" underground. Disappearing rivers which reappear from caves and springs. Not a single lake in the whole county though. The only county in our state without one.

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  29. Hello, I love Wakulla Springs! Did you know I stayed in Tallahassee for three weeks lol? We were going to move there, but hubby decided not to take the job because I was so homesick. Anyway I remember the Springs and how beautiful they were.

    Would you believe there are Manatees here this summer? I heard them talking about it on the news. They didn't say where they were and I really wanted to go and see them. I saw a lot while we were in Ft. Myers.

    The pies look wonderful ! Oh and yes I know about the See Rock City signs. I've seen them all my life traveling to the great state of Tennessee where all of my ancestors came from. Everytime I see the Rock City signs, it does something to my heart. I actually saw a Rock City birdhouse downtown and I wanted to run and knock on their door and say hello. Sanity stopped me though.

    The Blazzues in Pensacola sounded like a fun night. I can't dance, but I have been know to try lol it seems like it's been way to long since I even tried.

    "Son" sounds like a hard-working man. And I too, highly respect any person that can get out and work in this heat and humidity. Sometimes I hear them hammering and drilling at the new subdivision going up in the distance and I just want to make something refreshing for them and take it to them.. I know they drink gatorade all day, but still....It's really hard work and my heart goes out to them.

    That's a beautiful sunset !

    Hope you had a great week-end.

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