During a break at work the other day, I wandered over to the bay. I caught this colorful reflection while trying to photograph a large school of small fish. I darkened this photo a bit but otherwise, this was just a fun trick of light.
Last night I was fortunate to catch the last 8pm sunset of the year. The clouds prevented a colorful show but they made up for it with some interesting shapes.
It’s been just under a year since my sister brought me Blue Passionflower (Passiflora Caerulea) cuttings from her yard in Tucson. I was worried about them acclimating at first but they seem to like it here.
This past Spring I was delighted that my vines served as host plants for Gulf Fritillary caterpillars. This week they started to bloom and I just love how showy they are. I’m not the only one, the bees and butterflies seemed to enjoy them, too!
When I arrived at Highlands Hammock State Park yesterday afternoon it was humid and 90 degrees. Not surprisingly, there weren’t a bunch of people out and about. It was muggy but I was excited to explore one of Florida’s oldest state parks.
There were about a dozen short trails to choose from so I decided to hike them all. Though, coming from the rugged terrain out west, I don’t really consider this flatland stuff to be hiking. As I strolled along I kept noticing pops of color in shades of red.
The biggest issue of the day was water. Some of the trails were flooded but it wasn’t deep or flowing, so I happily splashed along. By the time I was halfway through, I was glistening (women don’t perspire, right?). I was grateful for the cloud cover until it started to rain. Not just a gentle, soft drizzle but an actual downpour.
Thank goodness I brought my rain jacket! Darn shame I left it in my car, in the parking lot at the other end of the park. On the upside, I did have the entire place to myself for the rest of the afternoon. The downside? I was soaking wet and chilly (the storm had dropped the temperature into the 70s), and there was water in the lens of my camera (here’s hoping it dries out soon).
Regardless, I had a lovely time wandering through this special, protected area.
The weather down here is temperamental this time of year. I have three weather apps on my phone to help me plan my day. Most afternoons there are towering clouds and sometimes it drizzles, rains, or even downpours. The precipitation doesn’t bother me, I don’t mind getting wet.
It’s the lightning that concerns me. Florida is the lightning strike capital of the country, averaging 223 per square mile. And considering that lightning can travel at least 12 miles from the storm, I’m cautious to say the least.
Even though the weather can interfere with my beach walks, it certainly makes up for it with some striking sunsets!
The Peregrine Falcon at Moccasin Lake Nature Park thinks its a bit warm today! It is in the mid-90s here . Thank goodness for shade and water!
Came home to this view last week. It’s not a pot of gold but I’m happy with it.
Met this Leatherleaf Slug (Leidyula floridana) while working out in my backyard this weekend. My first slug sighting since I moved to Florida! I took a couple quick photos before moving it out of harm’s way.
Measuring under two inches, it isn’t the largest slug in the state, but with its crenulated foot, it is rather unique. This species is native to southern Florida but it has been expanding its range northward (slowly, I imagine).
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