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Manatee Springs

Written by Joy
4 Comments
Manatee Springs
While we were visiting family in Florida, we took a morning and drove down to Manatee Springs State Park. This is a beautiful place where you can swim, camp, scuba dive or just have a picnic. Or you can walk to the end of the board walk that follows the spring run to where it meets the Suwannee River and fish.

Known for its clear spring water, which stays a cool 72 degrees year round, it is also a refuge during the winter months for West Indian Manatees. While I have seen manatees in the springs before, there weren’t any at this time. We are hoping to go back when it is cooler in Florida (is that possible?) to visit and see if the manatees happen to be visiting the warmer waters.

As we were walking around looking at this gorgeous place, I got to thinking about what an awesome God we have. He made this! God spoke and it came to pass! What a mighty God we serve!

Genesis 1:9-10, 20-21

9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Our Homeschool Home

I am linking up to Our Homeschool Home for Mingle Monday. Robyn has also featured Tidymom this week. She has a terrific new look to her blog! Be sure to stop by Robyn’s place and look at all of the other awesome blogs linking up.
photography

Manatee Springs

Written by Joy
Manatee Springs
While we were visiting family in Florida, we took a morning and drove down to Manatee Springs State Park. This is a beautiful place where you can swim, camp, scuba dive or just have a picnic. Or you can walk to the end of the board walk that follows the spring run to where it meets the Suwannee River and fish.

Known for its clear spring water, which stays a cool 72 degrees year round, it is also a refuge during the winter months for West Indian Manatees. While I have seen manatees in the springs before, there weren’t any at this time. We are hoping to go back when it is cooler in Florida (is that possible?) to visit and see if the manatees happen to be visiting the warmer waters.

As we were walking around looking at this gorgeous place, I got to thinking about what an awesome God we have. He made this! God spoke and it came to pass! What a mighty God we serve!

Genesis 1:9-10, 20-21

9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Our Homeschool Home

I am linking up to Our Homeschool Home for Mingle Monday. Robyn has also featured Tidymom this week. She has a terrific new look to her blog! Be sure to stop by Robyn’s place and look at all of the other awesome blogs linking up.
photography

Fort Matanzas

Written by Joy
5 Comments
Fort Matanzas
Fort Matanzas is located about 15 miles of St. Augustine. After we visited the Castillo de San Marcos, we drove the short distance to see this small Fort. The park is named in remembrance of 250 French Huguenots that were killed by the Spanish. Matanzas,, in Spanish means “slaughter”. The Fort was constructed 175 years later to help protect the Spanish Empire in St. Augustine from a new enemy, the British.
The History of Fort Matanzas is amazing and we definitely enjoyed touring it and look forward to going back again in the future.

photography

Fort Matanzas

Written by Joy
Fort Matanzas
Fort Matanzas is located about 15 miles of St. Augustine. After we visited the Castillo de San Marcos, we drove the short distance to see this small Fort. The park is named in remembrance of 250 French Huguenots that were killed by the Spanish. Matanzas,, in Spanish means “slaughter”. The Fort was constructed 175 years later to help protect the Spanish Empire in St. Augustine from a new enemy, the British.
The History of Fort Matanzas is amazing and we definitely enjoyed touring it and look forward to going back again in the future.

photography

The Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, FL

Written by Joy
4 Comments
The Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, FL

While we were in Florida, we went to St. Augustine, FL for a day.  Our 2 youngest children had never seen the Atlantic Ocean or any of the historical sites in St. Augustine.  One of the places that we wanted to take the kids was to the Castillo de San Marcos.   The Castillo de San Marco construction was started in 1672 making it one of the oldest standing structures in America.  The structure was completed in 1756.  The Castillo was built by the Spanish to protect their Empire.  During  the time the Castillo was being built, it changed flags 6 different times. The Castillo was also built using “Coquina”, a type of limestone made from shells and crushed shells.

This is an awesome place for a field trip.  I remember visiting it when I was in the 4th grade and now my children have also been able to visit it.  They have guided tours as well as short movies to help explain the history of the castle.  It is definitely a place we will go back to visit again.



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