Iron Rod Alligators

For our last week of school, we have been working hard on social skill testing, math on the run, history of modern ages, physical exercise at the beach, reading and mapping skills, and lots of natural science.  On one such science excursion we went to Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa Florida.  For a few months now, we've been hearing all the rants and rages of people seeing tons of turtles, alligstors and bugs.  So I thought why not pay the parking fee and see what we can see.

So on one of the hottest days I chose to bring the kids to the park.  We parked and then had to figure out which trail would take us to the alligators.  Once we found it we were having a blast. Here is a list of what we saw in a 2 hour treck.

Green dragon flies
Blue dragon flies
Black dragon flies
Red dragon flies
Yellow dragon flies
White dragon flies

Green metal flies

White butterflies 
Blue butterflies 
Black butterflies 

Yellow swallowtail butterfly

Brown Squirrels
Gray squirrels
Skink lizards
Catfish
Brim fish
Bass

And 2 baby alligators sunning themselves.  We didn't get to see the 10 foot alligator or any adult alligators at all. We didn't  see any turtles either.  But when we stopped by the teaching center we got to read up on everything.  The boys got to see different animal, and fowl prints and test each other with them.  So even though we didn't get to see what we wanted we saw so much more.

Saw this sign, thought it was super funny

As we left we took a different path that didn't  lead us to our car. There were many little paths that split into the swampy forest that my kids questioned taking until I brought up the Iron Rod that is the only path that will lead us to our goal.  I was happy to see they were more than willing to stay on the path that would lead us to our car, just as the Iron Rod will lead us to God if we stay on it, no matter how fun and exciting or mysterious the side paths may look.