Back to reality after being on vacation..Part 2

Today is sunny and fairly warm...the start of a beautiful day. I am adding more Florida photos to my blog today.
While I was in Florida we went to Epcot and Sea World and Old Town, but mostly we just stayed at the condo and relaxed in the sun or at the pool.  My brother and his family had already taken the kids to Disney before I arrived. Here are more photos I took while I was in Florida from Epcot and around the condo.

Taken at Old Town. My friend Jean who lives in Florida wrote that this plant is called a Loquat or Japanese Plum. The fruit ripens in April, and can be made into preserves or eaten raw. Thanks for the info Jean. :-)

 
  flowering air plant on a tree trunk
this plant has weird roots coming out of the ground to mid point of the plant is a split leaf philodendron. Again thanks, Jean for letting me know what it is. A lot of the plants that grow year round in Florida are sold as house plants here up North. 
        pretty small palms         I love Spanish  moss hanging from the trees.  
bamboo plants

Variegated Schefflera plant with berries (aka) Umbrella plant. I had never seen berries on one before.
palm tree that it's seed pod had opened with palm berries 
at Epcot..floating flower rings in the water
flowers surrounding palm tree
Such detail on this sand sculpture of monkeys at Epcot

I took lots of photo's of the topiary art that Epcot had throughout the park to celebrate their spring flower show. We never found the Goofy topiary. They told us there were over 100 topiary's throughout the park. Getting photos of the topiary's was difficult, because most faced into the afternoon sun, and then at night all the lights interfered with the flash.

sign entering Epcot
Entering Epcot
Entering Epcot..Elephants
   

Terry and I

Terry with Ostrich topiary's in the background

shooting water fountain at Epcot
Mickey and Minnie growing a garden..topiary's
  
Daisy Duck topiary
Donald Duck topiary
Pluto topiary
Peter Pan and Capt. Hook topiary's
croc o dile from Peter Pan topiary
Snow White topiary
7 dwarfs topiary taken at night
Beauty and the Beast topiary's
tea pot from Beauty and the Beast
tea cup from Beauty and the Beast
  From Beauty and the Beast
Cars topiary
Winnie the Pooh topiary
Rabbit and Tigger topiary's
Eeyore and Piglet  topiary
      Panda topiary in front of the Lands..China

The next several pictures were taken at the light show that started at 9 p.m., at Epcot. Illumination's fireworks and light show. This show was so very pretty.

the world lit up at the illuminations show
earth fire and fireworks
Epcot space ball light up with reflections at night with palm trees in the front

mural inside the silver ball..Exploration into Space taken at the beginning of the ride
planet Earth at end of ride
sign from the Lands..Germany
taken in the Lands..Mexico
large Troll in the Lands..Norway
Terry in the Lands..Canada
Below are 2 post cards that I created at the resort where we stayed. There was a machine that you could create scrapbook pages, mugs, t-shirts, key chains, post cards and other items using your own photos. I made a key chain for my sister in law, and 2 post cards. I selected photos that fit best in each letter spelling out Florida from my camera chip.
Post card #1
dolphins from Sea World, White Egret, Epcot with Terry and I, white egret, flowers, Mickey topiary, Akershaus sign from Epcot..Germany.
post card #2
water fall across from our condo, flamingo, Epcot space ball, purple flower, fireworks from Epcot, Epcot water with flowers, and white egret

Miscellaneous photos:

many of my friends from the online group An Affair with Art live in the south, and rave about Dukes Mayonnaise. I was sent a bottle in the mail last year, and so I bought a bottle at a Publix grocery store. I also bought a few bottles of spice that is made by Badia- Blackened redfish seasoning for Tom and some chocolate coconut patties and orange marmalade.

New Harley Davidson motorcycle at the Orlando airport. I had stop and buy my son's T-shirts.

sun water fountain at the outlet mall

photo taken from the car..Orlando hot air balloon descending. Mary Poppins  figure on the balloon.

Hello Kitty-Vans sneakers I found at an outlet mall. I bought the pink pair for my oldest granddaughter. They were out of her size in the multicolored HK sneakers. P.S..we had dinner with our sons and their families this afternoon. Katie loved her new HK sneakers and they fit. Bella loved her new Mickey/Minnie T-shirt, Minnie sweatshirt and her Winnie the Pooh lighted wand.

Bella 3.18.2012

  Bella with the hood up looks like a wizard

Bella moves so fast it is hard to get a good photo as she is always on the move.

Katie and Bella

Bella and Katie with her new HK sneakers on. I like the photo, but not so much the jeans with the holes. :-) Guess I am showing my age.

I still many more photo's..tomorrow I will add Sea World photo's to my blog. I hope you have enjoyed the photos I uploaded. I didn't even know where to start when selecting the pictures.
Until tomorrow...
Elaine