Black Bayou

After our guests drove away early Sunday afternoon the kids were in a huge funk. It is always so hard to go from the excitement of good company to the normal family time. It is like a magic spell is broken. You just feel blah!

We decided to try out a free place in order to try and lift the blahs.

We chose Black Bayou. I am so glad we did! I wish our company had been with us. I had NO IDEA how fun this place was.

We went into the learning center first.

They had tanks with native Black Bayou fish and wildlife all around.

Remy was in love with the alligators. The were so cute as they snuggled up together just like our puppies do. :) They didn't even try to eat the turtles.

Remy gave a small donation.

They had tables full of nature at the tables with books to look through and little games at some.

Outside they posed with the huge snapping turtle. :)

The next building had a small gift shop and we allowed the boys to spend a few dollars, not much, so that they could remember the day. There were also some museum type of exhibits to look at.

This exhibit taught the children that old trees are homes for bats. It had a little hand powered flashlight to use to shine on the top of the inside.

The "Please Touch" table was put to use by Remy while Eli refused the honor and looked around at other things. Hee hee...

Outside we came across this butterfly.

Elijah gazing out over Black Bayou. It was HUGE and so beautiful. We plan to go back on the first Saturday of the next month for a day of boating IF our finances are better.

Dragonflies were EVERYWHERE!

My sweet boy! There were two young men fishing and they were laughing at how excited Remy got over every little thing. :)

Remy came screaming to us. He swore this was the shedding skin of a dragonfly before it had wings. I don't know...could be.

We came across a HUGE old tree.

Remy showing off the arrow head he bought at the gift shop.

We came across a blue-tailed skink, but we didn't get a good photo of it. Remy started screaming and pointing and we saw this huge guy in the grasses. HE WAS HUGE! He didn't even mind we were there. He happily put up with our photo shoot.

Signs were posted all around the trails with sweet little quotes.

A snake.

We came up on a family of about five armadillos and they were right at our feet! They didn't care that we were there. They just went on about their way foraging and rooting in the dirt. I was squealing with mad delight...the kids were breathless. It was one of the neatest nature moments we have had. :)

A water snake.

I think I remember this as a sweetgum tree that had fallen over. It was still alive and showing its exposed roots. The children standing by it show the huge scale of this root system.

We found some carpenter ants busy at work.

Nothing can beat free trips that leave you filled up with sunshine and nature. :) We had a great time and plan to return this week sometime. :) The children want to have school out there. We will see...