Everglades Eye

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Photographer Rick Cruz looks at his favorite subject, the Florida Everglades, as if the marshland were an emergency room patient left to fend for herself while we watch. "With the Everglades we are witnessing one of nature's most basic of survival instincts," Cruz says. "She is maintaining a fragile balance of a unique ecosystem; the only wetlands of its kind on our planet." He hikes through all regions of the park, especially Big Cypress and Loop Road, with camera in hand, watchful for those moments when the light, the grass, and the wildlife conspire to create magic. Cruz's show, "Connect with Nature to Change a Mood,"can be seen through May 15 at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center at Everglades National Park. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. Park admission costs $10 per vehicle. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez

Grandma's Game

MON 5/3 Blue-haired ladies with time to kill are known to be among the most fervent of gamblers. But bridge expert Dorothy Rosencrans is different. When her husband became ill and she became a caretaker, this outgoing 73-year-old took to her computer to get her game fix without falling prey to the lure of filthy lucre. Soon she was making friends all over the globe by playing on Websites. Beyond the game, Rosencrans became part of the virtual community that supported her through hard times and provided her with numerous anecdotes, which the retired newspaper columnist compiled in her book, Playing Around: My Adventures on the Zone.com. With more than 45 years of experience, Rosencrans might have given her bridge-mate Bill Gates some pointers. She appears at Books & Books (265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables) tonight at 6:30. Admission is free. Call 305-442-4408. -- By Margaret GriffisStreet Ball

Three's Company

SAT 5/1 How hot is the Hoop it Up National Tour 3-on-3 basketball tournament? At deadline more than 150 teams of scrappy street cagers from the Matzah Heads to the Big Ballers are registered to play. Though it may not be the NBA, top college and high school players showboat in the tournament's Top Gun division. Heated rallies take place in all divisions, organized by age and size. The 2-day event starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Office Depot Center, 2555 NW 137th Way, Sunrise. Registration is closed but spectators watch for free. Call 866-963-3198. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez