Florida Botanical Gardens visit

A week after returning from the UK my SIL and my niece flew in to see our pictures and hear all about our trip catch some rays. We had planned this week months ago when I didn't know much about traveling abroad and being gone from home for three weeks. While I had recovered from sleep deprivation I still had tons of office work and chores that needed attention, but since it was summer and nothing was urgent I ignored it and continued my vacation.

We did the usual when we are with the Mason family. We ate. We sunbathed. We ate. We explored new areas. We went out to dinner. Oh, and we ate. My SIL was very helpful in the packing for college list we were making, and had I been ready for that adventure, I would have completed the list while she was here.

Like I always do when in their area, my SIL found something to do that we hadn't done together before. She is coming back from a hysterectomy and walking is one of the ways to improve her strength. She got on an app and decided we needed to walk around the Florida Botanical Gardens one late afternoon before dusk. The girls and I had done that once before during the Gardens' Christmas lights spectacular with my SIL and nephews years ago so I thought it a good idea despite the hot weather.

It turned out to be a nice little outing. The walking area was shaded from several varieties of palm trees and bamboo. We took tons of photos of flowers and read about the different types of species native to the area. We walked through the area where weddings are held, and Madison showed everyone where her senior group had come to take pictures for prom.

The gardens walking path eventually took us through a water area; a pond more than a river. Of course, like all bodies of water in Florida, there were Beware of Alligator signs posted. Having lived here now for over twenty years and having lived on a river, I knew that the deep foghorn sound we were hearing were alligators so I stood still and searched.

Not far from us, hidden under a lily pad was a small alligator, his head and snout just on the surface of the water, his eyes watching us. I had to do a lot of pointing and enlarging of pictures on my phone before Darcy finally saw him, but the others gave up. A young boy and his mother out walking their dog asked me to show them and the boy immediately saw where I was pointing. (That made me think maybe I didn't need eye lasering after all) There was no barrier from the path and the body of water and I wondered if these gators wandered around the gardens at night.

We had purchased a few days before a selfie stick for my niece and so the girls spent a lot of time running through the gardens taking pictures and laughing. I have to say that the $10 purchase was a big hit and gave us hours of enjoyment. We spent a little over an hour at the gardens and then headed off to dinner on the beach. We agreed that pretty soon we were going to have to branch out farther from our cities as we have hit almost every point of interest now during our summer trips together.

But we are okay with doing that too. As long as we are all still traveling together (and the kids still want to be with us) my SIL and I are happy.