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I love this picture!

As always, when asked what I want for Mother’s Day, the answer is the same. I want an outing with the family at a location of MY choosing.

It often involves something more feminine. Being in a house full of guys, I usually have to give up the girlier things during the year, but for Mother’s Day I get my berry picking and botanical gardens visits!

This year, I asked for a trip to Bellingrath Gardens near Mobile, Alabama. Again. I had already dragged the family out there over the holidays to see the fantastic light show, but I wanted to see it in the spring with all the flowers in bloom before we moved to Colorado.

I was not disappointed. And Timmy, my little naturalist, was just as impressed with all the flowers and animals.

I took the good camera with us so I could capture the beauty! Enjoy some pictures. Be forewarned, I took over 300 pictures, so I’ve distilled it down to about 30 of my favorites.

Timmy was helping me find pretty flowers to photograph in the rose garden. I was in heaven with all the roses!

Timmy was helping me find pretty flowers to photograph in the rose garden. I was in heaven with all the roses!

Plumeria! The scent of these flowers bring back so many memories of Hawaii!

These next few are in a tropical greenhouse exhibit. Plumeria! The scent of these flowers bring back so many memories of Hawaii!

Pretty orchids!

Pretty orchids!

A pineapple plant! It was cool for the kids to see how pineapple actually grow...NOT on trees!

A pineapple plant! It was cool for the kids to see how pineapple actually grow…NOT on trees!

 

Back outside, plenty of pretty flowers as you walk through the gardens.

Back outside, plenty of pretty flowers as you walk through the gardens.

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I had zinnias in my garden in Nebraska. I love how bright and cheerful they are.

I had zinnias in my garden in Nebraska. I love how bright and cheerful they are.

Fuchsias! I had one of these as a hanging basket in college. It was very big and somewhat overwhelming.

Fuchsias! I had one of these as a hanging basket in college. It was very big and somewhat overwhelming.

Reading the dedication of the park to the Bellingrath family.

Reading the dedication of the park to the Bellingrath family.

There was plenty of wildlife to see also. This koi had to be over 2' long!

There was plenty of wildlife to see also. This carp had to be over 2′ long!

 

I attempted to manually focus this picture so we can see the spider web and the TINY little spider who did all this work.

I attempted to manually focus this picture so we can see the spider web and the TINY little spider (towards the left) who did all this work.

If you look closely, there's a snake on this tree branch. Timmy amazingly saw it slithering in the brush and brought our attention to it.

If you look closely, there’s a snake on this tree branch. Timmy amazingly saw it slithering in the brush and brought our attention to it.

Look, it's a real live armadillo! I think Jacob was the one who saw it from a distance scavenging among the dead leaves.

Look, it’s a real live armadillo! I think Jacob was the one who saw it from a distance scavenging among the dead leaves. I had to seriously zoom in on this picture.

 

The kids were impressed with the bamboo. They were feeling the velvet-y exterior.

The kids were impressed with the bamboo. They were feeling the velvet-y exterior.

I don't know what this is, but it's pretty.

I don’t know what this is, but it’s pretty.

There was a nature walk through a wildlife refuge...I liked the cypress with the Spanish moss.

There was a nature walk through a wildlife refuge…I liked the cypress with the Spanish moss.

A lizard. We saw many of these on the boardwalk.

A lizard. We saw many of these on the boardwalk.

There was an edible garden area. Swiss chard, parsley and pansies. I had that same Swiss chard among my zinnias in Nebraska. It's called "City Lights" if you want to find the seeds.

There was an edible garden area. Swiss chard, parsley and pansies. I had that same Swiss chard among my zinnias in Nebraska. It’s called “City Lights” if you want to find the seeds.

 

Pansies.

Pansies.

 

Heading towards the Asian garden.

Heading towards the Asian garden.

 

More carp...these ones were pretty friendly. I guess they assumed we'd feed them, so they followed us around.

More carp…these ones were pretty friendly. I guess they assumed we’d feed them, so they followed us around.

"Here fishy fishy...."

“Here fishy fishy….”

 

My camera's flash was being temperamental here.

My camera’s flash was being temperamental here.