Flew up to the Portland area yesterday to visit friends. I was greeted with gorgeous sunny weather (warm but blissfully cooler than the temperatures back home).
I’m splitting my time between the Portland area and the coast. It’s going to be a quick trip, just 5 days, but I’ll savor the time!
Nine years ago, I was introduced to the large-scale MindCrowd research project through the University of Arizona (my alma mater). There are a total of ten universities partnering on this effort to understand and ameliorate dementing diseases in the human brain.
One of MindCrowd’s goals is to better understand the average human brain (to enable researchers to pinpoint deleterious changes earlier). To achieve this they are looking for a million participants, as of now they are just over halfway.
You can contribute to this effort, well, effortlessly. All you need to do is answer some demographic questions and play a couple simple games on their website. One of the games tests your memory (see above), while another measures your response time (see below).
So, please, head on over to https://mindcrowd.org and give it a go! The brain you help could be your own…
Since I woke up earlier than normal, I switched my beach walk for a bayside one so that I could catch the sunrise. What a fantastic way to start the day!
Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that one of the cuttings I planted a few months ago has finally sprouted. The downside? I’m not sure what it is.
I typically keep notes on what I’ve planted but I’ve had such rotten luck with ginger and turmeric in the past that I’d rather given up on them. They are both in Zingiberaceae, the ginger family, and to be honest, I’ll be happy with whichever one it is.
Time will tell…
I volunteered this morning shoveling shells and hauling concrete balls as part of a shoreline restoration project. After having previously volunteered in the creation of oyster reef balls with Tampa Bay Watch, I was eager to get involved in the actual placement of them.
It was a big undertaking, thank goodness there were over 60 of us! The first stage was to haul and place 100 oyster reef balls just offshore, in the intertidal zone. The 200 pound concrete balls will help diffuse wave action while providing a hard substrate where oyster spat can attach.
While restoring oyster beds are important for improving water quality, these projects also create EFH (essential fish habitat). For the second stage we filled 1,000 mesh bags with shells. These 35 pound bags were then placed upshore of the reef balls to further protect the shoreline.
Needless to say, it was quite a workout! Though it was hot and humid at least we had some cloud cover that made the morning tolerable. I look forward to checking back on the project (when it’s cooler out) to see the improvements.
I had the good fortune to go out with friends to Passage Key this afternoon. The water was incredibly clear and calm, which was not only enjoyable but made it easy for us to keep an eye out for sharks.
It should come as no surprise that Florida leads the country in shark bites, of the 15 thus far this year 5 of them have occurred here (which does not include the rumored attacks from this long weekend). As the below graphic jokingly shows, there are definitely sharks in the salt water around here (24 species have been documented in the Gulf of Mexico).
Thankfully, our time in the water was blissfully uninterrupted. What a great way to spend a hot summer day!
While taking out the trash the other evening, something odd caught my eye. At first I thought it was a small bird tucked in the milo (grain sorghum) growing under my bird feeder, but upon closer inspection I saw that it was young rat.
I know they’re a reviled species but this little one was kind of adorable as it feasted on the seeds. It’s the first one I’ve seen in my yard, since I have a pretty good team of rodent control specialists (aka tom cats) in my neighborhood.
No matter the species, it makes me happy that wildlife enjoys my yard!
I was excited to witness the Sea Turtle Patrol crew in action during yesterday morning’s beach walk. Every morning at dawn, from May through August, a trained team traverses the entire 3 mile stretch of Treasure Island.
They are looking for tell-tale disturbances in the sand that lead to a new nest. After spotting a trail, they take careful measurements and protect the nest with informational markers. All the data is then carefully logged so they can analyze nesting rates at the end of the season.
Three sea turtle species commonly nest along our coast, Loggerhead, Green, and Leatherback (though rarely a Kemp’s Ridley or a Hawksbill will also come ashore here). Because they each have a different crawl pattern, it is possible to tell them apart even without seeing the actual animal. Which is quite helpful, seeing as how most nesting* occurs in the middle of the night. According to the Turtle Patrol, this new nest was laid by a Loggerhead Sea Turtle.
What a wonderful way to start the day! The view was pretty incredible, too.
*Though not all, the summer of 2020 I was incredibly fortunate to watch a Loggerhead Turtle digging her nest one morning.
When inclement weather interrupted our outdoor plans, these two intrepid explorers hopped in the car and headed north to the adorable town of Dunedin.
Our first stop was the Dunedin Fresh Market’s grand opening so we could listen to talented native, Aubrey Wollett. Afterwards, we wandered over to the town’s namesake brewery for a frothy beverage. Feeling peckish, we dodged sprinkles as we crossed the street to the Hog Island Fish Camp where we shared some mouthwatering seafood.
By the time we finished, the storm had blown out to sea, so we headed to the beach to watch the sun slip away. Our toes in the sand, what a perfect way to end a great day!
I never know what to expect when I head out to the beach but there’s always something to pique my interest: beautiful clouds, colorful waves, stunning sunsets, sand artistry, signs of wildlife on shore, marine life, shells and other treasures, and of course, people.
So many reasons I love living here. I hope that wherever you are, you get out and experience your local scene!
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