Tonight's Celebration (Celebration, Florida)

Just thought I'd share a few shots from this evening's "date" which consisted of a walk around Celebration, after dinner. This first one just struck me as lovely... the way the late afternoon / early evening sun struck the palm trees, and the reflection was perfect.

I wasn't sure I had the camera steady, so just a second later, I snapped another...

Notice the difference? Look in the water...

It's not at all unusual to see a gator in the lake, so I wasn't surprised at that, just at how quickly it appeared.

And, before we knew it...

The whole gator family, apparently, had joined us.

It was the first time I'd seen more than one at a time, and we saw three... possibly four... at the same time. It was pretty cool...

Comments: 25

j - Frugal Mom - r. Aug 28, 2009, 9:09pm UTC

Isn't Florida amazing?

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:12pm UTC

It sure is, J... in the past two weeks, we have had swarms of red butterflies, various snakes, a parrot, and a Grey Fox... all in our yard. Not to mention a hundred species of frogs and millions of dragonflies... No gators here, though.

They'd have to drag me away kicking and screaming. I'm home, here.

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Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:12pm UTC

Could it be that Julie and j are rubbing it in that they live where I want to live?? I think so. All we need is David W. and Rose and the Florida people can all talk about palm trees while I talk about soybeans.

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:13pm UTC

So sorry, Sue... but on the other hand... you do get Autumn. I will miss that... for about a week.

:)

Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:24pm UTC

I'll mail you some leaves:)

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:25pm UTC

:) And next time you come down, maybe we will run into each other.

Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:26pm UTC

Soon...coming soon! I'll keep you posted.

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:27pm UTC

Cool...

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:28pm UTC

By the way... it's your fault I ended up on Facebook, and guess what? I'm getting together with a friend from fourth grade, next week...

Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:33pm UTC

Isn't it fun? We are up to 68 members from our class in a group now. I've had some great conversations on the phone, and one in person so far. I wasn't in touch with any old school friends, and I now have 4 numbers in my phone.

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:38pm UTC

I don't have that many, but I'm corresponding with five people from high school. It is fun... hearing how different my life is from theirs, etc. Interestingly, the ones I'm corresponding with there are all friends who go all the way back to elementary school. We were all in fourth grade together. :) They came to my one and only birthday party.

Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:40pm UTC

A few of mine go back that far too. In fact, the girl who visited from NC was a friend from birth. Our mothers were pregnant at the same time and our birthdays are 2 weeks apart. That is going back a LONG way.

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flit . Aug 28, 2009, 9:22pm UTC

I don't know that I'd want to LIVE with gators though.... cool to see pictures though

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:25pm UTC

Oh, they are fun to watch... they just glide through the water with barely a ripple, most of the time. I'm not going in for a swim in a lake, ever... and I still find it rather amusing that they post signs that say not to "feed or harass" the alligators. I don't know about you, but I'd never have thought of harassing a gator.

Sue * Aug 28, 2009, 9:25pm UTC

flit-Celebration is beautiful, as long as you don't fall in the water!

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:27pm UTC

Over the past two years, it has become my favorite "quick getaway place." I love it.

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Kim B. Aug 28, 2009, 9:31pm UTC

I've been seriously thinking of moving to Florida from Va.. I have a cousin down there that wants me to try it. I know i'll miss Autumn and the mountains, but I won't miss the cold. Nice pictures... don't know about the gators though, lol.

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 9:36pm UTC

I moved here from VA in 2006, Kim... and I miss it around the end of October, but never any other time. However, the economy here is SO bad... if you don't have something 100% sure, here, please don't chance it.

Kim B. Aug 28, 2009, 9:59pm UTC

I'd be staying with my cousin until I got on my feet down there. I have a couple possibilities already. I just have to get down there. The situation i am in now is rotten. I might not even have a home here soon anyways. Kids are grown, I've never lived anywhere else outside of Va..
Where did you live in Va.?

Julie (there will always be a rainbow) Gaskins Aug 28, 2009, 10:02pm UTC

Chesapeake, Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Franklin, Wakefield, Surry County, Gloucester, West Point...

I think that about does it. :)

The winters here are absolute paradise; the summers not so much different from VA. I never have to dread the onset of winter...

What part of Florida are you considering?