Shivering Spring Breakers

You'd think that a visit to Florida the last week of March would guarantee beautiful beach weather......but not this year.   It has been so cold this week for Lizzie  ( left )and her friend Jenna on the right.     Freeze warnings every morning and windy, cool , sweatshirt weather during the sunny days.    Key West is cold as well.    The girls seem unfazed by it all considering they left Colorado with a foot of snow on the ground.    

They are old enough to avoid a chaperone in the theme parks.    So we dropped them off at Universal on Tuesday where the avid Harry Potter fans lived out their fantasy.    Then on Thursday, they will spend a long day at Disney World.     

On Wednesday, we headed to Homosassa State Wildlife Park.   I've written about this well run park before.   I think it is a must-see for manatee viewing and native birds and animals.    

The manatees were out and about and altho they don't DO anything, the large blobs are obvious in the crystal clear spring water maintained at a constant 72 degrees.   Manatees cannot tolerate cold water so they congregate near Florida springs.   

 This park was once a wildlife tourist attraction.   The State took it over and moved all of the non-native species out .....except for Lu, the hippo who has lived there since 1964.   He is a popular attraction but there

 are practical warnings around his enclosure.......and that isn't water they are warning about.  !!

The birds are plentiful and this is another anhinga.   I learned that they have no oil in their feathers so after they dive underwater for their food, they need to dry their wings.  

Alligators were popular attractions and to me, they all look stuffed since they rarely move......even in the water but that is their predatory nature.   

For the artist readers of my ramblings, you might be interested in an online class I'm taking called Watercolor Lettering  from Val Webb.   She's very good and came highly recommended.    So far I'm keeping up with the lessons despite working on the tree frogs, traveling, company and assorted lazy periods.  
I follow a few blogs and enjoy one in particular of an artist with a very quirky sense of humor.    She recently bought a Mini Cooper car....................and named it Alice !!     Think about it.............