Orlando, FL

Walter Elias Disney, distant relative to Robert d'Isigny whom traveled with William the Conquer  to England was born Dec. 5, 1901.

Born in  Hermossa, IL to Elias and Flora Disney, he was the son of a farmer, his parents struggled with the farm and eventually in 1906 when he was four moved to Marceline, MO to try again where his brother Roy had just bought some farmland. Growing up in Marceline Disney developed his love for drawing with one of the family's neighbors, a retired doctor named "Doc" Sherwood, paying him to draw pictures of Sherwood's horse, Rupert. Walt spent the other part of his youth copying cartoons from the paper and watching the railroad cars, Walt's fascination with trains started here.

 In 1911 his family moved to Kansas City and he attended school for only the second time in his life, he was able to graduate 2nd grade here, this is where he met Walter Pfeiffer whom introduced him theatre, vaudeville and motion pictures, he also started attending the Kansas City Art Institute on the weekends, later in 1911 Disney purchased his own newspaper delivery route, he woke up at 4:30am to deliver the morning paper, then attended school and from 4pm to dinner time he delivered the evening post. Walter said that it was very exhausting and he would often fall asleep in class.

He continued this paper route for 6 years. His brother Roy joined the army and Disney wanted to join him, so he dropped out of high school but being only 16  he was to young for enlistment, so a friend told him about the red cross and he joined with them and was an ambulance driver.

  

In 1919 he moved back to Kansas and started a job cartooning for Pesmen-Pubin Art Studio, eventually leaving and starting his own company after marrying his wife Lillian, he started to work on an

animation with a girl named Alice. (1925 ish) , he then made a rabbit called Oswald, who became popular but Disney forgot to trademark him so he was stolen as well as several artists from his company, Disney was devastated and told his wife that he would create his own production company with trademarks and that it would never happen again, on the train ride home he started to doodle and ended up with a little mouse, who he named Mortimer but his wife thought that was awful and suggested naming him after her uncle Mickey whom everyone loved and so Mickey Mouse was born.

 Walt Disney dreamed up Disneyland from taking his daughters to carnivals and fairs but disliking how dirty, filled with fowl language and smoke they were.
He thought what if there was somewhere that you could take your children, have them be safe and enjoying the place as an adult too, but he wanted it to be a community, to feel like home and to be innovative, so when he attended the worlds fair he was inspired.

 He saw a way to make a magical place where everyone from around the world would come, have a piece of their home and a place that would always grow, change and build to be better.
Its a small world was the child of such a dream, it was one of a few that were shown at the worlds fair before becoming an attraction in his park.

 A lot of his Animation's were created out of real life or real people, though changed, it was life that inspired him.
Alice was a real little girl, Doc was from his childhood, snow white was also inspired by real life and stories from his childhood.
The Disney team has continued this by using parts of his life, like Arundel was the name of his great grandfather, that's where Anna & Elsa live.

 He took old stories that inspired him as a child and made them come to life, like Cinderella and Pinocchio. These traditions were continued by his company with recreating stories like Repunsel, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

 He was also fond of making the characters look like the people that they were inspired by or were doing the voices for, this also has continued, don't believe me just look up the voice actors for like every Disney animation ever, they look a lot like the cartoons they play.

 Disney wanted everyone to know that if you believe in a dream, don't give up and work hard you can achieve anything, his quote of dreams really can come true.
He wanted everyone to feel like they mattered and were important, which is one of the reasons his company has supported many charities over the years and in the present, Walt had a big heart for those less fortunate, especially orphans, just look at all of Disney's animations, Bambi's mom dies, Cinderella lost both her parents, snow white lost her dad, anna and elsa lost both parents and pretty much every other Disney film ever...

 Disney thought that it was important to try to help the less fortunate or those in need, His Moto of 'where dreams really do come true".

The Disney company gives thousands of dollars a year to the make a wish foundation alone, in this they are continuing his dream of giving everyone a happily ever after.

 Disney was quoted saying " I hope no one ever forgets that all this started with just a little mouse".

   Walt was very grateful to mickey for all his success, he was also very grateful to his brother Roy and his wife lillian, he said that without them and the help of a mouse he would not have achieved all that he did, we are all grateful to the little mouse too,

 Thanks Mr. Disney, may the force be with you.

 

Key West, FL Vol.2

Key West continues be a place of beauty, wonder and amazing culture. The people here are very welcoming and eager to share their culture with you.While taking a food tour with the made in key west tours, Analise not only showed me the best Cuban and island fair but she shared her history, her family history and the islands history, and its not hard to find, even your local coconut vender on the street can't wait to become your new best friend or tell you about something they've learned. The people of the conch republic have their struggles just like anyplace does but they don't let it get in the way of life's true happiness....Friendship.

 The Dry Tortugas National Park, Fort Jefferson.
This place was amazing, it had a lighthouse, fort, moat and great snorkeling.









The fort was built during the civil war era, but because they ran out of money it was never finished, also because of the poor building choices it started to fall apart and had to be abandoned. The lighthouse, you could walk on the top of the fort and it made for great pictures.

 The fort as we were leaving, saw flying fish on the boat ride back and dolphins.

 one of the long corridors in the fort, you can still see the tracks on the floor where the cannons would move to get the best aim.

 Inside the fort, there were unfinished barracks and old quarters here, as well as a civil war house that is still inhabited, the keeper of the fort lives there.

 We went snorkeling while on the dry tortugas, these little Jawfish were in huge schools everywhere.

 A beautiful Blue Tang that posed for me, there were so many different kinds of fish, it was like swimming through an aquarium.

 Some sea urchins living on a coral and brick wall. I'm always afraid to touch these guys, they look like they would hurt. I touched one in maui and screamed out of fear even though they don't feel like they look, everyone looked at me, it was embarrassing. stupid sea urchins.

 Jacques Cousteau gazing at the Jawfish swimming by, or it could just be Dennis wondering when they will get out of his way.

 Sargent Major fish swimming through fire coral and a brain coral, very pretty.

 Brain Coral with "things" growing on it.
they looked like tiny Christmas trees on it,
but I'm sure they weren't....or were they.

 Old Civil War cannon that had sunk that I saw while snorkeling, I didn't find any treasure but this was pretty neat to come across.

 Sea Fans, one of my favorite things that I saw just because of all the colors they come in, from purple, blue, to orange and red, they wave back and forth like peacock tails.

 This is a mean creature that has attacked me on occasion and made me hate it, the Jellyfish!
though they were in a lot of pretty colors here, like pink as shown, they will never fool me into coming near them again.

And finally my favorite find while here, the Bluehead Wrasse, it was so beautiful, like an underwater parrot, I admit that I stocked him a little bit just to get a decent photo, could explain why he hid from me,....worth it!

 The Key West Aquarium was a fun trip, you could see many of the local mammal and fishery, as well as pet some of them.

Spiney Lobster, native to this area, they tasted a little tough to me.

 The Stingray, I pet the hard shelled kind of these but couldn't bring myself to pet the Devil ray version, its a texture thing.

 Squid.....its a squid.

Sharks! they let you get in on the feedings, I passed but watched others feed them.
Its a life preserving thing.

 The Key West Butterfly Conservatory, it was filled with hundreds of different butterfly's and birds.
Hypolimnas Bolina "Great Eggfly Butterfly"
also called the Blue Moon Butterfly, it is found in New Zealand.

 Some of the Pink Flamingos that live in the conservatory, they weren't to interested in anyone but themselves.

Troides, " The Queen Alexandra Birdwing" Butterfly. these are in the swallowtail family, they are some of the biggest butterfly and are named birdwing for there bird like way of flying.
They come from, India, Asia and Australasia.

 Idea Malabarica " Malabar Tree Nymph"
they a large butterfly found in the peninsular India, also known as the Paper Kite Butterfly due to its wing design.

Junonia Coenia "Buckeye Butterfly"
This large Butterfly is from Canada, Nova Scotia and the United States, also known as a Barn Owl Butterfly due to the spots looking like owl eyes.

 Eueides Isabella " Isabella Butteryfly"
These are found in Costa Rica, they have a myriad of different designs but are all very beautiful.

 This is one of the types of Canaries that they had there, don't ask me what kind, I'm a butterfly girl not a bird girl.
it was dark blue, its a Canary, what more do you want.

This was some type of Finch,... in a tree, down by the river.......anyone who can pick up that scene quote has my friendship automatically.


Until next time, This island has been a blast, we can say we have lived in key west now.