2/14/17 Tuesday

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  The ReStore was having a staff meeting this morning and wasn't due to open until 1 so we chose to take the day off.  We drove up to Homosassa Springs and visited the wildlife park.  Years ago, this park was privately owned, but when the state took it over in the 1980's, they decided to find homes for all of the animals not native to Florida - lions, tigers, etc. - to other zoos.  The problem was that no one wanted the very large hippo that lived there.  The governor solved the problem by making the hippo a citizen of Florida!  Mainly we were there to see the manatees, but there weren't too many around since the water temperature has been warming up.  We saw a few and a very cute baby.  Unfortunately, my camera battery chose to die today so I didn't get too many pix and none of the manatees.  We did enjoy the many shore birds and flamingos in the park and had a lovely time walking along the boardwalks.  We also saw our first alligators of this trip here.  We just got back home and are ready for a quiet night.  I know from working as a waitress for many years, not to go out tonight for dinner.  It is the second busiest night of the year - Mother's Day is the first.  Today's photos are of turtles piled up on a log, a baby gator, the hippo, a great blue heron, azaleas in bloom, and a spoonbill.