Hurrah! Civilization is just outside our gate!

Wekiwa Springs State park is 123 miles north of Kissimmee Prairie, but we saw a big change in the trees and land along the highway as we drove. The cattle ranches and open pastures gave way to naked deciduous trees, orange groves, and eventually the populated area around Orlando. 

I felt very happy to see a city. 

I think we are going to be content in our new home. We will be here for 12 nights. Looks like there are many great trails, a spring and river to explore. 

We started our first full day here with a very pleasant 4.5 mile walk. 

The sky was very clear and very blue this morning. 

The air temperature was perfect in the mid 70's.

The path was well marked and free of roots and large rocks. 

There were no stairs or hills.

It wound through pine and oak groves and stands of rather dense Palmetto growth.

Even though we have seen many Palmetto palms of different varieties and sizes, we are still enchanted by their form. As we walked, Craig challenged me to find the most perfect one among many. This was my choice:

Like most places in Florida, many of the oak trees were covered with Spanish Moss.

Did you know it is neither Spanish nor a Moss?  

It is a bromeliad, a perennial herb in the pineapple family! 

It was called Spanish Moss because it looks like the scraggly beards of the Spanish explorers.

Although it is quite soft, the Spanish soon learned it was not good for stuffing their pillows. It seems chiggers love to live in it if it has fallen to the ground.

I enjoy learning these little bits of information, and wonder if I will remember it all when I am very old.

Although I said at the beginning of this post I was happy to see a city, I am in fact very glad that it is on the other side of the park gate and our campground is a more natural setting.

Although it looks like we are parked with our nose in the road, there is really plenty of clearance. If we parked further back in the space, our satellite signal would be blocked by a large tree.
 Must have Football you know!