okefenokee swamp, georgia-florida

The Great Okefenokee Swamp, one of America’s most fascinating natural areas is the largest Swamp in North America. "Okefenokee" what Seminoles called "Land of Trembling Earth" is approximately 700 square miles located in the southeast corner of Georgia and extending into north Florida. Most of this Eco system has been officially protected since 1937 as the OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE and in 1974 a portion was designated National Wilderness Area. Two rivers have headwaters in the Okefenokee, the Suwannee, flowing south through Florida to the Gulf of Mexico and the St. Mary's forming the eastern boundary of Georgia and Florida on it’s way to the Atlantic Ocean.

desert saguaros

Symbolic of the desert and all its mystery are these Giant Cacti whose grotesque silhouettes add character to the Southern Arizona landscape. They can attain heights of greater than 50 feet and the ages of some have been estimated at least 250 years. The blossom of the Saguaro is the State Flower of Arizona. Harming one in any manner (including cactus plugging) is illegal by state law in Arizona, and when houses or highways are built, special permits must be obtained to move or destroy any saguaro affected.

folsom, california

Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California and is most commonly known by its famous Folsom Prison. Folsom started as a small town called Granite City, mostly occupied by gold miners seeking fortune in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Though few amassed a great deal of wealth, the city prospered and has preserved its historical frontier appearance along this "Mall on Sutter Street" in the old historic district, suggesting years of the Mother Lode.