We stopped at Paynes Prairie State Park just outside Micanopy Florida. We have been there before and found it to be an excellent spot for birding and relaxing. Roomy sites and very quiet. We took a long walk on Cone Dike trail. There were cautions about not feeding or approaching the bison or the Spanish wild horses that inhabit the prairie. We did not expect that to be a problem for us. As we approached the two mile post on the trail in the distance we saw a group of horses on the trail and decided to hold up to let them clear the area. They did not seem interested in moving on. Using our binoculars we were able to see that one of the horses was down on the trail and another was nuzzling it. This did not seem to be a healthy situation for the horses or for us to get any closer. We decided that a 4 mile round trip, two out and two back, would have to be sufficient. We stopped at the Visitor Center to let the staff know about the horse. The staff person made it clear that there was no likelihood of rescue as it is a wild life area not a zoo. We let her know we understood, but were concerned that other visitor might not like finding a dead or dying horse in the middle of the trail. She then told us a story of a group of walkers that had found a herd of bison on the trail between them and the Visitor Center at the end of a long walk. They were stranded for an hour or more waiting for the bison to move on. With assurance that the rangers would be notified we returned to the car and drove into Micanopy to wander through a few of the antique shops that are the primary feature in the center of town.
The next morning we got back on the road to Fort Desoto Park not too far from Carol’ brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Natalie.  We spent the week visiting with them and other family ad friends.  Their daughter Ericka got a day off from the Christmas frenzy at Old navy and spent it with us.  We also got in the car drove to Naples, about a 2 1/2 hour drive, where we met Arnie and Peggy and Marilyn and Al , cousins, at the Naples Museum of Art.  This turned out to be a wonderful day in all respects, ignoring the 50 minute hold up on I 75 while they cleared a wreck from the driving lanes.  It was great to get the cousins together.  They figured that Art had not seen them in 26 years.  We spent a couple of hours in the museum and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is in the Naples area.  The Steve Tobin exhibit is a highlight and the recent Mexican artists’ work needs to be seen.  Carol and I were fascinated with a 1918 print of “Steerage” by Stieglitz surrounded by work that he had supported in his galleries.  We went on to dinner at Water Mark which was pleasant if undistinguished in its menu.  We all head a great time and stayed at the table until it was clear we needed to begin the 2 1/2 return to our assorted homes.  They had come over from the east coast.  Wednesday we took it easy and Thursday, as were thinking of moving on Art and Natalie invited Cecil and Doreen who we had met in Calgary to dinner – Papa Johns Pizza and salad by Carol.
As I write I am sitting in Deer Creek RV and Golf Resort, just a few minutes from Disney World.  We are visiting the Topfs who live here and last night the Singers who we last saw in Minot in 2005 rolled in and we all went to dinner at Sweet Tomato.  Today will be a mini CHAI gathering for lunch with two more couples.  They are all preparing for a rally this week.  We will be rolling on to Alabama tomorrow.  Norm, Carol and I took a great hike in Tiger Creek Preserve yesterday.  It felt great to get out and move.