This has been one of those trip where there seems to be animals everywhere—up close and personal animals. This Macaw kept trying to draw me in closer, but I knew better than to get too close. These birds have a bad repetition; they bite!

And the Flamingos are just drop-dead gorgeous, but they won’t hold still. I thought for sure taking their picture would be a snap. That was not the case. They are busy, busy birds. Like some people I know.

This is a young giraffe and he is a little silly guy, too, as proven in the photo below.

Doesn’t he look like someone you know. I don’t know who—but someone.

Mom had more sense. She would not come out into the hot sun! But she was quite willing to stand at the doorway and let me take her photo. “Hi, Mom!”

I realized when I took this photo that I really don’t have to go to Yosemite National Park to photo a Grizzly! I only need to hang out in the right places.

Finally, Mr. Tortoise seemed the saddest sort of fellow. But there was something so sweet and gentle about him. I know better than to let my guard down around wild animals. So, I stopped short of giving this guy a great big hug.

Ok, I promise to stop posting photos of alligators. This little guy spotted me from across the pond! Wonder what he was thinking?! Probably something very southern like “Gator bait!”

Storms at the beach are so relaxing and after they are gone, the sunsets are glorious.

I’m not kidding. I asked this alligator, “Do you remember Annie?” And . . .

He opened his eyes! I had this strange feeling that he did. I almost freaked out! . . . Then he winked and said . . .

“I remember you, too!” Oh, memories! Maybe, some are better left out or forgotten!

Still watching! You can bet this is one gaze that I thought about for the rest of the day and well into the evening.

Just a quick photo for Annie again. Here’s a place that is dear to her heart! And I remember it, too. She told me over the weekend that her Dad had worked here and that her and her sisters knew the place like the back of their hands. It is still beautiful and a strong reminder of “old” Florida and of postcards and pink flamingos. To be honest, it is a little like stepping back in time and so worth the stop to see.

This is what I remember most about Silver Springs—the glass-bottom boats. I talked with my Dad the other night and he went back over the memory of the trip we took when I was a child. He was so amazed at this place—the place where Sea Hunt (one of his favorite TV shows, back then) was filmed. In fact 80 plus movies were filmed at Silver Springs including a James Bond movie and all the first Tarzan movies.

And it is hard to imagine that the floor of this spring is about 55 feet deep. I kept thinking how easy it would be to dive straight down and touch the bottom.

Dear Annie . . . . Does this look familiar to you? Just wondering if you remembered it.