Thanks to old friend Mark.....not literally old you understand.....he's actually MUCH younger than us even tho we've known him since high school days when we were all in the same class.....Maybe he's younger because he married a MUCH younger woman who keeps him young. But I digress....................
Mark sent us a link to an NPR episode yesterday. You can read the abbreviated version or click on the link and listen to the 13 minutes. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125389925I think it's a fairly good representation of this place. The picture shows how the golf courses suffered from the mind-numbing cold and freezing that was so pervasive this winter. ( Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration of the cold but it was miserable.) They over seed the fairways and greens with cold tolerant grasses so they stay green but everything else is just brown. It has finally started greening up with the warmer temps and abundant rain. Anyway, this place has been labeled with all sorts of discriptions.....Disney for adults, Stepford wives senior division, drinking the koolaide, company owned town. It's unique and hard to talk about without people's eyes glazing over. When we personally consider what our activity level would be like if we lived up north, there is no comparison. This place is vital, busy, very pretty and works for us.
However, sometimes the ugly comes out of the ponds. We were playing one of the newer courses the other day when we spied this crawling around the bank.
Usually, the marshalls warn the golfers about these but this time it was kind of a surprise when we looked over the hill. They say that if there is a body of water, there
will be an alligator in it. (those houses in the background are not in TV) Many of the retention ponds are connected by a pipes so they can transfer water for irrigation and the various pond inhabitants flow along from pond to pond. Spring is mating season for the alligators and we will see them more active and out and about. When they get too large, they are usually moved to somewhere else.
Usually, the marshalls warn the golfers about these but this time it was kind of a surprise when we looked over the hill. They say that if there is a body of water, there
will be an alligator in it. (those houses in the background are not in TV) Many of the retention ponds are connected by a pipes so they can transfer water for irrigation and the various pond inhabitants flow along from pond to pond. Spring is mating season for the alligators and we will see them more active and out and about. When they get too large, they are usually moved to somewhere else.
That guy looks pretty big to me. Guess you don't go fishing for your ball if you hit the pond.
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