I visited Alderman Ford County Park in Lithia, Florida in February of 2021. There are at least two different entrances on either side of the road. The paved path between them goes underneath the road twice in a grand loop. It also crosses multiple rivers and tiny streams on wooden bridges. A long boardwalk loop complete with covered benches attaches to one side. Small side trails cut through the jungle. It’s complicated.

There are many good places to watch the river, full of whirlpools and boils. There were also turtles and cypress. I could not take every side path that day, but I had planned on returning anyways. I encountered several strange things:

This tree with an eye:

This tree with a face:

This tree with a lap:

And these scary-looking holes to Hades:

This is a poem I wrote in 2020. I imagine it roughly to the tune of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.

I wake up in the morning and it's still dark outside - yeah it's dark
But I know I've got to go to work
I climb out of bed, when I stand up my back creaks - so loud
The dog is already running around my feet
I get lost on my way to the bathroom in my own house - oh yeah
So tired I could pass out standing up
The clock is spinning ever faster but all I do is stare - at it, yeah
I can't remember what I'm supposed to do next
 
I need some coffee
I need some coffee
I need some coffee inside of me
 
I feed the dog, the cat, the iguana, hold it, I don't have a cat - no cat
Oh hell, I'll figure it out this afternoon
I put on my socks, my shoes, my coat, my purse and hat - oh yeah
I gotta go back inside to put on my shirt and pants
The keys won't open the car, oh, these are the house keys - house keys
Oh, I'm not sure this is my car
I make it safely to the drive-through, I only hit the curb twice - only twice
The employees ask me what I need
 
I need some coffee
I need some coffee
I need some coffee inside of me
 
The nice employees they help me, they tell me, they say
Sorry ma-am, this is an oil-change bay
You want the place next door
Oh dear
 
I need some coffee
I need some coffee
I need some coffee inside of me

These are some things I saw on walks around the Tampa Bay area in the winter of 2020-2021.