Florida trip

I had a very nice time on my winter vacation to southern Florida.  I met Cathy Dippo who was in the midst of a 3-month progress throughout FL.  She picked me up in Ft. Lauderdale and we drove to Key West.  The weather was quite cold and wet.  Even though it was a pretty bad day for it, my favorite part was our ferry ride out to Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.  It is an old military fortress used to protect the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico that during the Civil War housed Union prisoners (e.g., deserters & other army infractions).  But the most famous prisoners included Dr. Mudd and 3 other convicted "conspirators" in Lincoln's assassination.

After several days in the Keys we then drove up to just south of Miami and enjoyed the Zoo, a botanical garden with at least 500 varieties of palm trees, and Viscuya.  The sun shone brightly but it was still quite cool and breezy. The last night in FL I spent with John-Mac, Lani, and little McConihay.  John-Mac gave me a copy of his singing and guitar CD and it is fabulous! Below are some pics.

Cathy at our first night of margaritas and Key Lime pie

The roosters run wild and cockledoodledoo at all hours of day and night.

Dr. Mudd's cell with the channel he made with his spoon to try to catch the rain water.

Hemmingway's writing studio

Little Key deer (a bit bigger than a dog)

Glass bottom boat ride

Orchids at Viscuya

Viscuya

Flamingos at the Miami Zoo

The Terry family

Proud great Auntie with McConihay (age 2)