Highland Hammock State Park
Sebring, FL
One of the first state parks in Florida.
The concept of the park was inspired by a
letter from Dr. F.H. Newell with the U.S. Department of Interior.
In February 1930, the land was considered for
a national park, but deemed too small.
Margaret Shippen Roebling donated $25K to
purchase the land.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
began a
1,450 acre botanical garden and in 1935,
Highland Hammock became one of the
state's first parks.
The Cypress Swamp.
Giant spider web.
Self-timer: Bonnie and Gina in the swamp. 
Blurry water reflection - but a cool photo accident.
This reflection and water lily looks like a painting.
Is this a reflection? or is it the sky above?
Close-up of a dewy web.
Gina saw a program on TV that was about an area in Indiana that many years ago was just a field with trees,
an earthquake occurred and that area became a lake,
some of the trees could not withstand having their roots in the water all the time and they died,
then when a drought arrived all the stumps that used to be trees appeared.
The swamp borders the blackwater stream in the lowest elevations of the
park.
The focal point of this beautiful park is its 500 acre hammock - a shady
forest resembling a subtropical jungle.
Erie banana spider photo.
They look as though they are suspended in mid air.
Thought this tree looked like a giant upside down skinny whale.
Colorful mushrooms.
Banana Spider close-up.
Can you find the banana spider in this photo?
Think I might submit this one to a contest.
The hammock.
Palm trees also grow in the hammock.
These pretty purple berries are called beauty berries, very popular with our
feathered friends
Nice grouping.
Even though some of the trees are dead, moss and fern always finds places to
grow.
More bright colored plants.
And a few limes too.
Nice detail with a 7.2 mega pixel camera.
Isn't he pretty?
Think I might submit this one too.