Quotes

“There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword” Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
“I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” Sir Isaac Newton
“The doors of wisdom are never shut” Benjamin Franklin
“In this life we cannot always do great things, but we can do small thing with great love”

Mother Teresa
“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles have strengthened me…you may not realize it when it happens, but at kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world the world for you” Walt Disney
“The time is always right to do the right thing” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“There is only one way to succeed in anything, and that is to give everything. I do and I demand that my players do” Vince Lombardi
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony” Gandhi
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently” Henry Ford
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” and also “I care not what other think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do. That is character”

Theodore Roosevelt
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorry, but only saps today of it’s strength”

A.J. Cronin

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them”

Albert Einstein
“The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on” Julia Alvarez
Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone elses
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
“When one door of happiness closes, another one opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us” Helen Keller
“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be” Groucho Marx

Melbourne - Brevard Zoo

One of my favorite places is the Brevard Zoo. We were lucky enough to have it built right here in Melbourne in 1994. Since then they have added new exhibits and remodeled some areas to accommodate the growing number of guests. The BZ has modeled the enclosure to resemble the environment the animals would be found in, no cages or bars, just all natural. Each area is named for the area where that particular group of animals is from: Florida, Australia, Africa, and South America. Each vicinity houses their native species spread out over a loop walkway, except Africa. You can see gators, otters, deer, and lots of birds in the Florida section. They have a feeding time for the gators, so if you are interested you should check to see when it is scheduled. In the Australia loop you enter an enclosure to see fruit bats and then further in for the aviary. You can purchase nectar to feed the colorful birds, warning – birds will be all over you so if you do not like this do not enter. My favorite section is Africa.

After going over the bridge and up the walkway you are now eye to eye with the Giraffes. For a small price you can feed them biscuits. It is a great photo opportunity and they are soooo cute! I would recommend going there first, and then returning before you leave. This way you are giving yourself 2 chances to see them.

The BZ has a “Paws On” park, but is currently under construction. I can’t wait for it to reopen because before I thought it was great for kids. The zoo also has kayaking through Africa and Florida. When the remolding is done they will offer snorkeling as well. The cost is not much; you can bring your own food or purchase it there. Other cool animals include red wolf, fox, and jaguar. If you live in the area you should consider a zoo pass that lasts for a year. BZ is right off the 95 Wickham Road / Viera exit. http://www.brevardzoo.org/

An anteater trying to sleep

Steve & Me

“Steve & Me” by Terri Irwin
I checked out several books to take on my NC trip, this was the last one I picked up because I thought “what will I read that I haven’t already heard?”
On our 11 hour trip home I couldn’t get into another book I had so I started to read this one. Now a few days later I am done. Terri Irwin told about the Steve she fell in love with, not the Crocodile Hunter we knew from TV, sharing stories of a side of him that was her protector, the Steve that grieved for his “mum” when she died in a car accident and of a man who didn’t think he would live many years. He lived life to the fullest and did things many of us wouldn’t even dream of. I remember the day he died, how sad many of us were. Hard to believe it will be 3 years this September. Not only were my kids fans of his, even owning Steve & Terri talking dolls, but I was a fan too because he made wildlife interesting and so far from the PBS way of teaching (nothing against PBS). I think it would be a good read for someone who is familiar with Steve Irwin because Terri refers to different situations you probably saw on TV.

NC Trip - Linville

Linville Caverns – was not a far drive from Beech Mt and a cool side trip. The caverns have an average year round temp of 52* and are 2,000 feet below Humpback Mt. The caverns hid Civil War deserters and also has the signature of William Earl Hidden who was sent by Thomas Edison to search for platinum. We paid $24, the prices recently went up $1 per ticket. I do feel like we were rushed through the caverns while on our tour but I believe that had more to do with our guide who spent at least ½ the tour talking to one guest as though she was the only one there. Either way it is a neat place to check out.
http://www.linvillecaverns.com/

a bat inside

Linville Falls – we found this scenic place while lost looking for the caverns. Im so glad we decided to drive further to check it out. What a hike…I was out of breath quickly, as was the rest of my crew, but the walk was so worth it. We could hear the falls which was a good sign but you have many options for trails. The view was awesome and the falls were very pretty. I can only imagine how much better they look when the trees have color. It's free and that's nice.

NC Trip - Grandfater Mt

Grandfather Mt – going here was on my agenda from the start and I was looking forward to walking across the suspension bridge. Our first attempt didn’t end so well because we were told the weather was bad on the top of the mountain, which meant the bridge was closed. We only had to pay ½ price and if we came back on another day we could just pay the other ½.
We ended up at the museum just because we wanted to get in a safe place from the thick fog and wind. We left with not much seen and a pound & ½ of fudge (it was on sale).

The 2nd time, which was the following day and I had to talk the rest of my group into it, was much better. We did not realize how much you can see since it was all hidden away by clouds. Grandfather Mt is just tremendous! Of course the way up is in typical NC fashion, a back and forth winding steep road. We went straight up as far as we could by car. The suspension bridge was a little intimidating and my walk across was quick without looking down but on my way back it was easier to do so.

They have many areas to picnic even some grills, areas to see native animals and a little shop. The 360* view is breath taking; any other comments will sound silly. Just check it out if you are in the area.
www.grandfather.com