Ringling

 A few years ago our girls watched the movie "Dolphin Tale." While we were in Orlando we learned that Winter (the dolphin) lived a couple of hours away in Clearwater Beach. We could not resist the opportunity to take the girls for a visit. In recent years the music from "The Greatest Showman" has echoed through our home. The movie is about P.T. Barnum but the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. John Ringling lived in Sarasota and his property is home to the Circus Museum and his home is open to the public. With all of this information about the circus in the air we had to pay a visit.

High wire practice.

This is how Olivia goes through a museum. She reads every single thing and wants to learn all there is to learn and absorb it all.

This display was amazing. We thought it was a train set but it kept going and explained every part of the circus. We learned all kinds of things from this display. How the train cars were unloaded. How the circus workers ate and how meals were prepared. How the show animals were separated from the work animals. How they set up and how they tear down. Did you know that while the evening show was less than half way finished the first train was already packed and on its way to the next town.

John Ringling's personal train car.

The Ringling home is a sight to behold.

Everyone loved The Ringling but this girl and her sister could not wait to get in this pool. Tonight we dream about the circus.