It's not a fish!!

I went with my ex-brother in law and my niece to Sea World the other day. 

It was the first time I had been there in several years and I couldn't tell if anything had changed.  But the weather was great and it was so much fun to spend a day with my niece, who is crazy about dolphins. 

Like everyone else who goes to Sea World we went to the "Shamu" show.  I put it in quotes because the original Shamu passed away in 1971, but the name lives on.  It was awe-inspiring to watch these beautiful animals performing for the crowd, but I wish they would call them orcas instead of "killer whales".  It's probably just a personal preference, and whatever you call them, they are beautiful animals.

We spent so much time hanging with the dolphins that we almost didn't get to see any other animals.  We got to check in with the pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) and their perennial guests, sea gulls and egrets. 

And it wouldn't be an Images by Karen post if I didn't include a few flowers and plants!

Look at the pretty flowers!

Last weekend, we went to the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, north of San Diego.  It's an absolutely beautiful place with about four miles of trails and a huge variety of plants and flowers.  We only saw about a third of it, which is great because it means we have to go back and see the rest.  Here are just a few of the flora (and fauna) we saw.