Toothy

Hubs and I spent the afternoon at Myakka River State Park in Sarasota today - a good way to get our minds off the grief of losing Rocket.  This is definitely a place we'll return to, preferably on a weekday with fewer people.  
I am fascinated with the alligators in FL and this photo was too good to pass up, especially since it also has a black vulture in the frame (and I confess to liking vultures very much).  The alligators are thermoregulating - this is the way they regulate their body temperature on warm days.  Fascinating creatures.  

We also had the experience of hearing and seeing a male gator bellow for the first time today - there were two alligators swimming in the river and one suddenly expanded it's throat and lifted its tail out of the water, making a loud, distinctive bellowing sound.  It repeated this several times and then both 'gators swam away.  Very cool.

I posted nine other photos from today, including the bellowing alligator, starting HERE on Flickr

We are still feeling so heartsick at losing Rocket - I look up expecting to see him on the landing or on the counter, or coming around the corner.  I know time will heal this wound, but right now it feels so ... painful.

xxoo
Debbi