Monday, January 2, 2017

Monday, January 2, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2006. We flew from DC to Ft. Lauderdale and were coming down the airport escalator. Mattie spied my parents (who were waiting for our flight to come in) and practically dragged Peter down to greet them. Mattie was a born traveler. He loved the experience of a new adventure and Florida provided him with many wonderful opportunities. 


Quote of the day: The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value. ~ Charles Dudley Warner

We visited Flamingo Gardens today. The last time we went to these gardens was in 2006, with Mattie. Flamingo Gardens is a 60-acre, not-for-profit wildlife sanctuary, aviary, and botanical garden 

The Gardens were originally the property of Floyd L. and Jane Wray, who in 1933 built a home and citrus grove on what was then the edge of the Everglades, where they started a botanical collection of tropical and subtropical fruit trees and shrubs. The Wray Home is now a museum illustrating a country home in the early 1930's.

The grounds contain more than 3,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including orchids, ferns, bromeliads, 200-year-old oaks, and 300 plus species of palms. A narrated tram ride leads through the site's tropical rainforest, native hammock, wetland areas and groves. 

The gardens have a bear exhibit and right near it, was this cute cutout to take photos. I had Peter pull up a photo of our little cub, so Mattie would be included in our bear family photo!

This was Mattie's flamingo interpretation. Which I will always remember and LOVE!  

In honor of Mattie, my mom and I did a Mattie flamingo pose!

Flamingo Gardens Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary gives residence to permanently injured and non-releasable birds and animals, and is home to the largest collection of Florida native wildlife including alligators, bear, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacocks and flamingos.

No visit to Flamingo Gardens is complete without viewing Florida’s native alligators. Did you know that Sonny Crocket's pet alligator "Elvis" on the television show Miami Vice was from Flamingo Gardens? The original Elvis has since passed, but the name lives on with Elvis the 3rd and Priscilla, our current gators in residence.

An iguna, not far from the alligator. Mattie would have loved to see this green fellow. 

A nature wading area for the birds. Near this tree were all sorts of herons and wood storks.  

Peter with an Ibis! I love the Florida Ibis, they are so plentiful..... which is why I call them the Florida pigeon. This Ibis was pecking at Peter and was looking for a hand out of food!

This glorious tree is an African Tulip tree. Picture tulip-like flowers growing on a HUGE tree. 

A Flamingo Gardens puss. This cat has it made and seems to know it too!

On our drive home, this is what I saw. I snapped this photo while the car was moving. After seeing the rainbow, we drove into an amazing rain storm.