Garvin Woodland Gardens

This spring we were driving to Hot Springs Arkansas and noticed a sign on the freeway for Garvin Woodland Gardens.  We decided to check it out on our way out of town. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise! We just missed the massive tulip beds as the recent storm had finished them off, along with the daffodils. However the azaleas were in full bloom. This is a large garden with excellent paved paths and interesting bridges. 
http://www.garvangardens.org/ 

Azaleas

Azaleas

Azaleas

Azaleas

Mike in the azaleas

The remaining tulips

Noxubee Wildlife Refuge

This past sping on our visit to Mississippi, we went to the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge near Louisville. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Noxubee/ The water was high but the knees of the Cypress tress were still sticking out of the water. The Yellow Warblers had just returned and we also saw an alligator and turtle sunning themselves. There were many wildflowers. We also saw a blue-tailed skink that Mike almost caught! Mike spotted the snake and I believe it is a Mississippi green water snake. We also saw the man made nesting boxes installed in the trees for the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers. We didn't see any of the woodpeckers as they will start nesting later in April. It was a nice sunny spring day.

Cypress

Alligator

Cypress

Turtle

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Cypress knees

Red-winged Blackbird

Blue Tailed Skink

Mike trying to catch a Blue Tailed Skink

Green Water Snake

Green Water Snake

Green Water Snake

A nesting box installed in the trees for the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers

A nesting box installed in the trees for the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers