Gumbo Limbo

1.12.17

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

This place was recommended to us by some super friendly folks at Secret Woods.

We all loved it!

The highlight was seeing the turtles being rehabilitated...

 Can you see the slices on her shell?  She was hit by a boat propeller.

We saw another turtle who had a huge fish hook stuck in its esophagus,

and one who was just malnourished and sick.

Ellie took this darling video of Griff...

He's what they call a "wash back,"

 babies who get washed back up on shore after beginning their journey out to sea,

often because they've eaten plastic... which was Griff's challenge.

He's all healthy and ready to be re-released!  Yay!!!

These are the babies that are hatched and studied there at the center,

and then released far off-shore, directly into the current,

where they will have a better chance of surviving.

Statistics vary, but it is estimated that about 1 in 1000 hatchlings survive into adulthood.

We saw some beautiful tropical fish and rays,

and not beautiful moray eels...

My favorite creatures.  💜💙💚

Going back in time a bit...

Tim had found a coconut on the ground early in the week,

so of course they had to get it busted open and see inside...

...and we were so excited to see this at Gumbo Limbo!

So... what is "Gumbo Limbo," you might ask...

It's a tree with a red bark that peels back, kind of like sunburned skin,

giving it the nickname of "Tourist Tree."

😊

Secret Woods

1.10.17

Secret Woods Nature Center

The kids weren't very excited about going to this Nature Center

where they might encounter alligators, snakes, scorpions, or huge spiders...

but we knew it would be an amazing opportunity to see this unique ecosystem...

so off we went!  Yay!!!  😉

This is Brie:  You know that feeling when you're constantly looking around, trying to make sure you are not going to die, and yet feeling like something terrifying and oddly big-sized is hiding everywhere around you??  Yeah, that was what this lovely nature walk felt like.  Heh.

 Brave, adventurous Dad led the way... We followed tentatively behind... and luckily (??) for us,

 the only creatures we saw were ibises, cool herons, orb weaver spiders, and mangrove crabs.

We saw some amazing trees we'd never seen before.

Mangroves...

...and Strangler Figs...

...and saw some old favorites...

Turkey vultures seemed to be swarming overhead....

following us?  😬 Creepy.

Speaking of creepy... 😉

General Grievous... or manatee skull??

Tim and I really enjoyed our time at Secret Woods.  😉

Sun, Sand, and Surf

Jan 2017

Miami/Ft Lauderdale

Our first couple weeks in Florida, we were in the Fort Lauderdale area,

close enough to the beach to get there when we could.

It was so amazing to be stepping into the Atlantic Ocean!

...and neat to see how different beaches are in different parts of the country.

Ft Lauderdale Beach... we made it there a couple different days...

Can you see the rainbow in the photo above?

...and the sun shining on the crashing waves in that one below?

...and one day we made it a little further north to Deerfield Beach...

...and the weather was just a little nicer that day...  😉

Snow

More December 2016

"Snow" is also a relative term.

Ellie was so excited to see some snow when we were in Portland.

Can you see it?

Schools were closed the next day.  😉

(Granted, the roads did become icy and unsafe.)

Here is "snow" in Seattle.

...and then we went to Spokane.

 Can you believe how beautiful these flakes are?

Wow!!!

....There wasn't much snow in Cut Bank when we were there,

but enough to go sledding...

...kind of...

Snow always makes a drive through Glacier Park even more breathtaking...

...if that's possible...

I personally much prefer looking at snow to being in it.

Ellie, of course, must be in it.  Just like with the waves and the sand. 😉

How about you?