Last week’s visit to Myakka River State Park was a bit warm but Alyssa and I had a wonderful time wandering.

Luckily for us, wildlife outnumbered people during our visit. We were treated to an Eastern Meadowlark serenade, watched a fawn and a three adult White-tailed deer graze, glimpsed a Wild Turkey, spotted a Limpkin, and spent some quality time with a dozen American Alligators (from a safe distance, of course).

Though the water level was low, the river valley was full of lush green growth. Easy to see why the ranch that preceded the park was named “Meadow Sweet Pastures”.

Thank goodness the land was set aside back in 1942 before Florida’s massive growth spurts (the first after WWII and most recently, in the past few years). The park’s 37,000 acres provide a safe haven for wildlife that are increasingly hemmed in by housing developments.

We ended our day with a little waterfront snack under a partial rainbow. Truly a lovely outing!