Notes From the New Smyrna Residency
I finished my first painting from the residency. I started it in New Smyrna and finished it in my loft studio this afternoon. The Merritt Island Refuge is a vast place. I can't imagine how many acres. It took us a couple of days to explore it and we only scratched the surface. There are miles of dirt roads criss crossing the marshes, swamps and pine hammocks. There were many different marsh grasses, which was surprising. I saw grasses that reminded me of the Ozello area on the west coast of Florida and the Forgotten Coast area of the panhandle. The wildlife and bird habitat is extensive. I counted many kinds of birds there and even many kinds of ducks and coots. We were told there were sightings of Pigmy Rattlesnakes and we thought we saw a Water Moccasin. We found deer tracks and scat several times as well. We found a wonderful trail sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited, which had a bathroom, and observation towers, as well as benches and picnic tables. Kudos to them for sponsoring that trail. There were several boat ramps with nice picnic facilities. One of the best things we observed was the clean, trash free habitat. It is carefully policed and that was very refreshing. There were kayak/canoe launches and paths for hunters. What a wonderful place. More paintings and stories to come from this location....
Linda Blondheim
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