Callaway Gardens

We drove up to western central Georgia to see the azaleas

and dogwoods at Callaway Gardens.

Unfortunately it was a rainy day and we didn't hike the trails.

We only saw a few azaleas, but we enjoyed the indoor attractions.


I took advantage of the photo ops in the Butterfly House to practice photography.
This is a Paper Kite.

This mormon is sharing his blossoms with a ladybug.

The Great Mormon has a wingspan of about 5 inches.

He seems to wish he were outside in the rain.

Couldn't identify this one.

He might be an imigrant from Madagascar or South America.

Terry met up with his high school friend, John, whom he hadn't seen for 43 years.

The Horticulture Center had orchids, succulents and these huge double petunias.

Bougainvillea

We only viewed Mountain Creek Lake and the golf course from the veranda,
but the great company and food were worth the trip.

Hope we can get back for the magnolias.

Weekend at Home

The dogwoods are blooming and the woods is beautiful.

I decided to take a photo excursion around our yard.

Gladiolias are out already.

We have Blacked Chinned Hummingbirds visiting our feeder everday.


All the pink booming flowers must draw them in.

Out favorite is the Gulf Pride Azalea

Also salmon everblooming azaleas with almost silver pollen

George Tabor Azaleas in Monticello are six feet, but ours are just getting started.

The saucer magnolia named Ann was at its peak a few weeks ago.

Even the wild iris put on a show.

Lake Munson

We tried fishing at Lake Munson this weekend. It's south of Tallahassee with a nice entrance and boat ramp. It's only 2 to 5 feet deep, but full of bass according to the locals.

The cypresss trees provide great places for the fish to hide.

All I caught was a mudfish that isn't worth a thing so we dumped him back.

He was big though and put up a good fight.

Las Vegas

It's not Florida, but we had such a great time I wanted to include Vegas photos.

It's the Year of the Rat Chinese New Year theme at Bellagio Hotel.

The display is done in flowers with lots of beautiful orchids.

Here's the rat holding his pots of cut orchids.
The Bellagio gardeners water and renew them daily.

Marc and Mom liked the Monkey Tree display.

Marc got us the delux suite at the Luxor hotel with a fantastic view of the Strip.

Look at the unusual color of these cattleyas. Wow!

Lake Talquin in Feb.

It's a beautiful day on Lake Talquin for bird watching and fishing.

The temperature is about 75 degrees.

This Osprey's looking at ya.

People watching's a great sport.


Here comes her mate.

The pair is getting their nest ready. It's almost spring.

Two Ibis in a tree.

One comes down to fish.

Lots of fishermen out today too.

Marilyn caught the biggest.

Let's go to Disney World

My daughter Tricia came to visit so we headed out to Disney World.

It was a 4 hour drive from our house, but we got there in plenty of time to spend the day at Magic Kingdom.

The flowers and trees were beautiful in Jan. and the lines were't too long.

Tricia enjoyed some of the attractions she remembered from last time she was there as a teenager.

Here we are getting ready to go on the Jungle Cruise.

The next day we took in Epcot. The Nestles exhibit with the hydroponic gardening was my favorite. I'm impressed by those hanging pumpkins and the tomato tree that produces

for 16-18 months.


Here are the flowers in the Great Britain area.



Our favorite shopping area was the Japanese pavillion.

We decided to eat dinner at the Japanese steakhouse and enjoy the show.

This Ibis was looking for a handout.

Evertime we go out in the kayaks I've tried to get a photo of an Ibis with no luck.

Guess you find everything at Disney World.

This Great Egret looked pretty posing among the roses.


Tricia got this shot of a seagull coming in. It looks cute, but it's buddy was so hungry it dive bombed my ice crean cone and knocked the whole top off.

Maclay Gardens State Park

Beautiful, huge live oak trees, blooming camellia trees, formal gardens and woodland trails plus a lake for kayaking make up Maclay Gardens, "America's first two-time National Gold Medal winner."

Here are Sabal Palms and Sago Palms which are really cycads.

The femal Sago Palm has a soft cabbage looking center that produces reddish fruit with seeds.

The male which I've pictured in previous blogs produces a large pine cone.

The seeds in those red fruits are very poisonous, but this chameleon doesn't care.

Maclay gardens have many other flowering trees.

Jolynn is standing under an American Holly loaded with berries.

This is the formal walled garden with a metal sculpture

at the center of the fountain and pansies blooming in December.

Dark pink camellia

White camellia