Greetings to all folks near and far.

I remember when my siblings and I were young and loved playing in the swamp near our home. I stayed pretty close to the dry land and the old Dogwood tree, which was our meeting place. My two older brothers often went much further into the swamp and usually came out with some pretty wild stories to scare the rest of us kids in the neighborhood. This is how legends are born. It is sad now when I visit the old neighborhood and see a huge mall sitting where the swamp used to be. That mall now covers some of the finest legends in the Pacific Northwest.

It is fortunate that some swamps, like the Okefenokee, were saved to remain a natural habitat for wildlife, flora and fauna -- and for tourists to visit and find out just how fascinating the swamp lands are.

Here is my article about the Okefenokee Swamp and National Wild Life Refuge, from the Appalachia site at BellaOnline.com.

Exploring The Okefenokee Swamp
The Okefenokee, covering approximately seven hundred square miles, is the Largest swamp in North America.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art177607.asp

The Chesser family history and homestead in the Okefenokee is a fascinating story. Their old family home still stands, looking quite livable and homey, on a small island on the eastern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. I can almost imagine myself living there, for it looks very inviting.

Come join me in my forum and discuss swamp life and tourism. I look forward to meeting you. If you are familiar with the Okefenokee, I would love to hear all about your experiences there.

Till next time, may you walk in peace and harmony and avoid all the carnivorous plant life in the swamps.

Phyllis
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http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=373

I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!

Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!

Phyllis Doyle Burns, Appalachia Editor
http://appalachia.bellaonline.com

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