Shelley Beatty

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Airboat tour of the Everglades.

April 17, 2012 by shelley

I think our favorite thing we did was an airboat tour of the Everglades, the largest subtropical wilderness.

Alligator in the Florida Everglades.

Alligator in the Florida Everglades.











Water in south Florida once flowed freely from the Kissimmee River to Lake Okeechobee and southward over low-lying lands to the estuaries of Biscayne Bay, the Ten Thousand Islands, and Florida Bay. This shallow, slow-moving sheet of water covered almost 11,000 square miles, creating a mosaic of ponds, sloughs, sawgrass marshes, hardwood hammock, and forested uplands. For thousands of years this intricate system evolved into a finely balanced ecosystem that formed the biological infrastructure for the southern half of the state. However, to early colonial settlers and developers the Everglades were potential farm land and communities. By the early 1900s, the drainage process to transform wetland to land ready to be developed was underway. The results would be severely damaging to the ecosystem and the species it supported.
With the support of many early conservationists, scientists, and other advocates, Everglades National Park was established in 1947 to conserve the natural landscape and prevent further degradation of its land, plants, and animals. Although the captivation of the Everglades has mostly stemmed from its unique ecosystem, an alluring human story of the Everglades is deeply interwoven with its endless marshes, dense mangroves, towering palms, alligator holes, and tropical fauna. Various groups and people navigated through and wrestled with the watery landscape to make it home, and even to exploit its natural wonder at times. On these pages you can discover more about the Native Americans that existed and thrived; the agricultural development and drainage of the Everglades; the people and groups who advocated for the conservation of the area; the Everglades’ role in United States War efforts; the preservation and restoration work that continues today; and much more.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Alligator, Everglades, Florida, Miami, subtropical wilderness

More pictures of Miami…

April 17, 2012 by shelley

We took a Harbor Cruise, including a trip around Miami’s Star Island.








Star Island was completed in 1922 by the Army Corps of Engineers by dredging sand, the land was initially owned by developer Carl Fisher, who purchased several land parcels of what would become the city of Miami Beach. It is accessible by land and barrier islands via the MacArthur Causeway.
Star Island has a guardhouse at its entrance, giving it the illusion of being an exclusive, private area. However, anyone can enter after stopping at the gate. There is simply one oval of inland public road on the island and no public access to the water. The island has been the home of many wealthy residents, including celebrities, since its creation. Don Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Lenny Kravitz, Will Smith, Gloria Estefan, Rosie O’Donnell, Paulina Rubio, Madonna, Alex Rodriguez, P.Diddy, and Sylvester Stallone have owned property on Star Island. In a 1979 trial, prosecutors alleged that members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church based a marijuana smuggling ring on the island, in the house now owned by O’Donnell. Some scenes in the 1994 movie The Specialist were filmed there.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: AANS, Miami, Travel

Bob’s meeting AANS, held in Miami Florida this year.

April 16, 2012 by shelley

Bob’s meeting was in Miami, Florida this year. Neither of us had ever been to Miami, so it was an interesting experience. A few shots of Miami:









Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Florida, Miami, Travel

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I'm Shelley. Mom of three and grandma of eight... living right in the middle of the country, Kansas City! I'm happy to be alive and enjoy sharing exciting goodies that I find and make. Here you will find ideas for LDS Young Women's activities, family updates, and a compilation of all things wonderful.

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