Artist Rachael Kennedy and I set off for a morning of painting in the Everglades. She hadn't been out for a while and didn't like going alone. We're just so used to having people around that it can be a little creepy in some of the back country all by yourself. I'm more uneasy Florida than I ever would be in my native New England, and have talked with people from here who feel the same way about there. I'm wary of alligators and they are more nervous about Moose! Doesn't stop me from wanting to paint out there, though. Perhaps the exotic-ness of it is what attracts. Anyway, we had plenty of company from the alligators on our deserted road. This old guy has been there for years. In the last couple of years he was joined by another. Yesterday we probably saw at least ten, all lying in the weak light. Fortunately all were across a canal!

We didn't actually put paint to canvas--as we dragged all our stuff out of the car some large clouds came up threatening rain and the light went flat, so we returned to the car and did some exploring. One of our stops, close to Marco was the historic Horr House. The remains of an old pineapple plantation will shell tabby walls can be seen on Key Marco. I had painted here before, but Rachael was particularly interested since she's one of five artists doing paintings for the Marco Museum. We were advised that there were snakes inside, and lots of fire ants on the property, so we approached gingerly! Then, to Artist Tabletalk, a group of professional artists who meet each month for art talk. We helped artist Tara O'Neill to celebrate a big birthday, and the conversation was all about Art Basel and wet paint.