Today we visited Mixon's Fruit Farm.  This is an old family farm business that offers tours of the groves, a gift shop, juice tasting and a restaurant.  They had the best orange ice cream.  Tasted like a dreamsicle. They also have a Wildlife Refuge area as well. We enjoyed a tram ride through the grove and to the Refuge area.  The gentleman who gave the talk at the refuge was really great and sincerely cared about the animals.   We saw crocodiles, tortoises, an albino python, birds of prey and other animals who were injred or ill. I had an opportunity to hold a live alligator named Albert.  He was surprisingly heavy.  Solid muscle.

This evening we went to an extremely interesting event at a place we visited earlier.  It was called "Spirit Voices from Old Manatee."  After arriving at the historic village we first attended a Victorian era funeral for a young girl.  After the eulogy we follow the family to the old cemetery where at various locations near their own graves we listened in as the spirits welcome her to their world and told her the stories of their life and the history of those buried in this very old cemetery.  The performance was so good you didn't want to miss a second of the stories. What a great way to end our day.