THE GENTLE GIANT - Crystal River Manatee Festival

  "THE GENTLE GIANT" that's what they call the meek Manatee. Geni and I visited the Manatee State park and took in the Manatee Festival in Crystal River, Florida.

    What a amazing creature the Manatee is, first time I have ever seen one before. They are very large mammals that must come up for air every few minute's just like a whale does.  They weigh between 400-1200 pounds and eat 100lbs of sea grass and algae a day. When the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico start to cool in the winter they must seek warmer waters or they will die if the temperature drops below 69 degrees. When that happens they find the natural fresh water springs that lie along the the west coast of Florida. We have visited 4 or 5 of these springs and they are amazing also, they produce 40 to 100 million gallons of clearest fresh spring water every day that just comes from under the Earth's surface. You can also hire guides that will take you out and you can swim with these amazing creatures
   LINK:Manatee

   LINK: Manatee festival

  LINK: Three Sisters National Wildlife refuge

                                                                                                             

View from inside of tank

Roscoe the Manatee

Live music

Manatee's in the springs

Main street festival

a local pub

"HAIL TO THE CHIEF" THE 11 th PRESIDENT'S Home JAMES POLK

Geni and I visited the 11th presidents home in Columbia, TN.  On our way South to Florida, its just off the Natz Trace parkway in Tennessee.

Not one of our most famous Presidents but none the less James K. Polk expanded the borders of the United States to the Pacific Ocean, added three states to the Union, started the Naval Academy, commissioned the Washington Monument, and issued the first postage stamp.His wife also was the one who started the "HAIL TO THE CHIEF" song when the president enters a formal gathering.
link: JAMES K. POLK

Columbia TN., is a quaint little town a
LINK:Columbia,_Tennessee
                                                                           

                                                                                

Presidential China from White House

From his office in White House

Rear of Home

Outside Kitchen and quarters

Mrs. Polk's Fan from ball

Front of Home