An Alligator in the Park?!

The park is a great place for a morning walk - especially on the high temperature, high humidity days. It provides shade and fairly open spaces. This summer we have seen a blue heron, box turtle, deer and woodpecker close up. But who would have thought we would ever see an alligator! I grew up in Florida and visiting places with alligators was most common. I’m used to seeing them, but don’t particularly like them. Today we stumbled upon a very unusual sight - it took us back a few feet. Aside from the usual greens, flowers, and fungus we typically see along the trail was a very large alligator snout - mouth wide open and ready to pounce. It was actually a fallen tree that broke off in a most peculiar way. We have never walked the park at night and this most certainly would cause goosebumps - or more - to any passers by. Needless to say we were surprised to see the creature, but certainly glad it wasn’t real.