Sense of Place- Your Neighborhood

I have lived in the same house on the same street for my entire life. I used to want to move around and live in other places but there is a lot to be said for having a strong sense of place. I know my area so well that I am comfortable and being comfortable in one aspect of life gives you the green light to take risks in other aspects of your life. I live on a normal residential street in the Golden Gate area of Naples, FL. It is nothing fancy but there is a lot more nature here than there is in other places. I live on about a half acre of land. There are several very large trees in my front yard including palm trees and the backyard has pine trees, palm trees, an avocado tree and orange trees. The picture is of an orange tree in my backyard. There are several insects and small animals that hang around. I looked up the specific species that I see on a regular basis in my National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida. Some insects I see often include the Great Pondhawk Dragonfly, Two Spotted Lady Beetle, Love Bugs, Red Fire Ant, and the Monarch Butterfly. Some reptiles and amphibians that can be found in my area include the Florida Redbelly Turtle, Gopher Tortoise, Black Racer Snake, the Ring-Necked Snake, Corn Snake, and the American Alligator. Common birds I have seen around my house are the Black Vulture, Blue Jay, and the Northern Cardinal. Some mammals include the Virginia Opossum, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Striped Skunk, and the Common Raccoon. All of these animals and insects have been spotted around my house and down in the canal at the end of my street. The picture is of the canal at the end of my street. I think that my sense of place would be at the hammock in my front yard. It’s placed under trees that are dozens of feet tall that have been there probably hundreds of years. I feel safe sitting in the hammock under those trees. The trees protect me from the sun and it is easy to just fall asleep and enjoy the noises of nature.