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Yoda’s summer house, I found.

June 10, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner 8 Comments

Leon Sinks - Yoda Lives Here.

Yoda’s summer home, I found. Deep within the remote river swamps of the Apalachicola National Forest, he lives. Magnificent and beautiful, the area called to me, in a dark force sort of way.

Signs warned of alligators and bears. On high alert, I was, watching, mindful ever.

Yoda’s friends, I glimpsed—lizards and swallowtail butterflies. Hidden, alligators and bears stayed away.

Luckily, lost, I didn’t become.

which way?

No, Yoda, I never saw with my own eyes, but watched and listened and waited, I did. His presence, I felt.

Okay, end of my Yoda-speak…Leon Sinks just outside Tallahassee is a geographical wonder. I can only take so much perfect, pristine white sand and throngs of people, before I need to walk in the woods. So I did. I shut my eyes and listened to the sounds all around. The swarming of bugs. The slithering and ker-plunking of critters. A dragonfly variety I’ve never seen before—too quick for a picture. At times I felt like I was back home in the Ozarks, but then I’d spy sand on the trail and the occasional palm tree growing deep in the forest.

The pinecones were huge!

huge pinecone!

Like larger than a ladies size 7.5 huge…

big as my foot!

Here’s one of the actual sinkholes. Sinkholes are collapsed caves, often deep and fed by underground aquifers. The topography in this area is karst, meaning formed as groundwater dissolves the limestone or other soft rock. Fragile in the geographical scheme of things, but looks like it’s been there since the Land of the Lost.

Leon Sinks - Gopher Sink HOle

The sinkholes were cool, but really, the swampy area fascinated me more. Because, Yoda and all.

Leon Sinks, Florida

Luminous, it was.

Leon Sinks in the Apalachicola National Forest is a great place for hiking in Florida. Well-groomed trails and bathroom facilities, too.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]I found Yoda’s summer home deep in the swamps of #ApalachicolaNationalForest @floridahikes #LoveFL #LeonSinks[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Fresh Swamp Music

Filed Under: Nature & Seasons, Travel Tagged With: Apalachicola, Florida, Florida Panhandle, Forgotten Coast, Leon Sinks, sinkhole, swamp, Yoda

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Comments

  1. Staci says

    June 10, 2016 at 8:25 am

    Nice!

    Reply
  2. Flo says

    June 10, 2016 at 10:34 am

    Thanks for sharing?

    Reply
  3. Ken johnson says

    June 10, 2016 at 2:36 pm

    Beautiful! Go Yoda Go!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      June 16, 2016 at 7:22 am

      Thanks, Ken!

      Reply
  4. Tim says

    June 11, 2016 at 7:16 am

    Did you, you did!!!….as always, an Awesome read, Talya!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      June 16, 2016 at 7:22 am

      Thanks, Tim!

      Reply
  5. Colene says

    June 15, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    Devil’s Bathtub page 97 The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      June 16, 2016 at 7:20 am

      haha maybe so!

      Reply

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Talya Tate Boerner


Hi! I'm Talya. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Baylor graduate. Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE

and

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law


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