Elizabeth's Secret Garden

The Orlando Wetlands Park is open Feb. 1 – Nov. 14 every year so visitors can come whenever it is convenient. The park is open from sunrise until sunset each day. If you enjoy bird watching, this is a great place to visit with its 1,650 acres of hardwood hammocks, marshes, and lakes. I had the pleasure of talking with a lady who kept record of the birds she saw along the way. This is a great idea to make your visit more memorable. Website: http://www.cityoforlando.net/public_works/wetlands/index.htm Directions: http://www.cityoforlando.net/public_works/wetlands/images/directions1.jpg If you have any facts that would enhance this tour of the wetlands or maybe you know some of the names of the species showed below, please send me a comment. The weather was nice and allowed for this beautiful view of the wetlands.    Various birds and wildlife, such as this Tricolored Heron, call these wetlands home. Seeing their habitat first hand contributes to the education on h...

Our family non-profit, SHAPE International, was invited to participate in the festival at the Ft. Christmas Historical Park. We sold 58 bars and 34 samples of soap! It was a great success. We enjoyed meeting many people and sharing our projects with them. My dad (in navy blue shirt) had a display of the electrolysis system he takes to Africa to purify water. Also, we showed how the Protos plant stove works. You can lean more about our non-profit at http://www.shapeinternational.org/ . Some of the booths provided an educational guide to protecting and caring for the environment. The booth to the left shared info on our Florida aquifers. The booth to the right was from the Florida’s Native Plant Society. They had brochures and were selling native plants. The Audubon Birds of Prey had a booth showcasing three different bird specimens. The Bald Eagle was a big hit and my personal favorite. Below are the other two birds. If you know what they are please share by commenting on thi...

Experience the Miracle of Live Butterflies is a family friendly event that is currently being hosted by the Oviedo Mall in Florida on February 4 – February 19. The admission is $2 and open to all ages. Above you can see the enclosure where the indigenous butterflies are free to fly. In addition to the exhibit, there are items available for purchase, some free arts and craft projects, and Adopt-a-Butterfly kit for $9. A portion of adopt a butterfly kits go to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Network supports Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Shands Hospital for Children at the University of Florida. Get more info on exhibit at Oviedo Mall: http://www.myoviedomall.com/go/mallEvents.cfm?eventsOnly=1   Official Website with other tour dates in US: http://www.butterfliesinthesky.com     Tour guides are available to give a brief introduction upon entering the exhibit. Painted Lady butterflies are one of the main attractions when int...