Hi again,

I'm reporting from Cypress Gardens -- we went there last Saturday. As you'll see, Dad didn't let me row, but that wasn't for lack of my trying... He wouldn't even let me feed the alligators (something about me being to small a snack, I think he was kidding).

So, these "gardens" used to be a rice plantation, and now it is a large swamp, that isn't normally deeper than 6'. Cypress trees grow up through the water (see the next picture). Their roots give off some sort of inky dark substance, so that the water is almost black and you can hardly ever see the bottom!

The little cute one in the other boat is my friend Sadie Nan, with her parents Richard and Tammy (and Tammy's cousin). Richard works with my Dad at the Navy Nuclear Power School. Saddie Nan is four days older than me, but she doesn't hold it over my head too much. However, I hear that she makes less noise in church, and Dad holds that over my head all the time... In my own defense, he normally takes me out for making joyful noises. What's wrong with that? It's the south after all...

We saw a mama duck with a bunch of little ducklings following her, as wells as a bunch of turtles, and some hawks and alligators.

There were big kinds of lilly pads and also some plants like super little pads that grew so thickly together that it looks like the water was completely mossed over! Curious Mommy threw sticks and rocks into it to see if they would actually bounce or make splashes. Also, the Cypress trees grew "knees" -- these little stub like growths. What are they for? I don't know, Richards claims they are an evolutionary defense to trip and impale loggers. I think they're just cute cypress trees in utero. They just take longer to grow than normal cypress trees, and they suddenly become trees instead of knees when no one's looking. The swamp can get so murky people aren't sure that they weren't there in the first place. Tricky little nubs!

Just two more things:
I:

Inspired by my name, no doubt, everyone decided to try out their Tarzan tree swinging skills, on a big old vine hanging from a tree.

II

We went into a really cool reptile house. There was a giant galapagos tortoise outside, and a bunch of cool alligators, crocodiles, snakes (little and big), fish, etc..., etc..., etc..., and a frog that kind looks like Dad in the mornings.

PS I tried to talk the crocodile into giving me a trunk, just like the elephant child... but mommy couldn't coax him in to even trying. Maybe it's like Dad says, I'm too little even to snack on -- (if only I could convince mommy of this...)

With love from the Palmetto State,

-J.G. Stewart