Mike and I took our Sunday walk down by the Hailey Foundation Equestrian Centre, which is a little less than a mile from where we live. It is a beautiful facility. They cover almost anything you can think of where horses are concerned. I even wondered about horseback riding - and their website says you can ride - $40 for 30 minutes "leisurely walking rides in our riding arena." After riding in the fields and hills and swales in Snowflake, going to Baldy with Dad, Spud, Uncle Lynn and the boys, and riding in Hawaii with John-Evan, Rachel, David and Dad (below-April 2013), it isn't even slightly tempting. It did finally warm back up a bit today - hot to all of you in Utah - it has been in the 40's, but was 64 this afternoon. (1.1.2018 - it is 42, temperature drops through the day)
We walked into the area across the street from the Equestrian Centre where they have a nice housing development. The trees behind Mike are very tall, but almost seem to have not anything but the spidery moss on them; but, they don't seem so eerie anymore.
There are palm trees and other trees that don't look like any pine tree we've ever seen, but you can see the ground is covered with pine cones and needles.
Our sky view on the way back, another one of those "please the eye and gladden the heart" scenes
Back in our apartment, one of our bits of home - thanks to Jon Felix and family for the beautiful family proclamation - it is different than what most have. We get a lot of good comments. The "Liahona" was brought back from Israel by David Stratton, the picture is by a good friend in Russia.
They have some fun speed limit signs here -- the first is a freeway sign, the next on a side road.
One afternoon a few weeks ago, after we got through at the Institute we went down to Lake Alice to see the alligators. They usually stay in the water although there are reports and pictures and videos of them - one where the alligator came up where a group of students were having a picnic - and it went after their lunch, and got it - uncontested.
Mike is standing by the lake -- you can see the posted sign better in the next picture.
You can barely see the gator's eyes and nose, enough for us, and the turtle at the bottom of the water.
THE BAT HOUSE - The university has the largest occupied bat houses, not sure why that is such a great thing, but here are some fun facts for those who might be interested - as some of our grandchildren will be.
Estimated population: 400,000 bats
Capacity of Bat House and Bat Barn: 750,000 bats
Nightly insect consumption: 2.5 billion insects (more than 2,500 pounds)
Types of insects consumed: Moths, beetles, mosquitoes, flies, gnats, leafhoppers, midges, winged ants and many other pests of lawns, shrubs, trees, crops and humans 😋 (it really says that)
There are almost always people there to watch. They (the bats, not the people) "emerge during a 15-20 minute period after sunset on warm evenings when temperatures are above 65 F. High winds, heavy rain or cold temperatures will keep the bats in the house for the evening. On warm winter evenings, the bats may come out for a drink of water at the lake and exercise; however they can eat only when bugs are flying."
Then, it says "bats may swoop near those observing to eat insects attracted to the carbon dioxide in human breath. However, they will not attack or harm people when left alone." Still we plan to see them sometime. We didn't know that bats exercised ..
Will end this blog by jumping back to our visit to the UF Stadium, not long after we came. It has come to affectionately be known as The Swamp.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the largest football stadium in Florida, the 12th largest stadium in American college football, and the 18th largest stadium in the world, as measured by its official seating capacity of 88,548 - though it has often held over 90,000 for Florida's home football games.
During football season you cannot go on to the field, but this was right after.
The missionaries with an investigator - they went to the stadium and ran the stands. They quite enjoy those proselyting moments.
When we told the missionaries
we had been on the field they decided to do their morning frisby game exercise on the field -- they go about 6:30 and made it for about an hour before they were asked to leave.
This is in front of the stadium 
The mascot in front of the administration building. It is fun seeing part of the "history" of UF.
All of these things bring us an attachment to UF - we do miss you but are so very, very grateful that we are able to be here.
D&C 128:19-22 - Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! ... shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and now backward. Courage .. and on, on to the Victory.
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