Spotted this as I was passing through the heart of nearby Madeira Beach today. If the beer is that cold, it’ll definitely be the place to hang once summer heats up! Cheers, y’all!
Icy…
Riot of Color
While I still have some room for more plants in my front yard I am pleased with my pollinator garden thus far. I lost a few plants over the past year but their spots have been filled by ones from a kind neighbor, my favorite native nursery, and even a few very welcome volunteers.
It’s fun to wake up and see what’s new each day!
Team Building
My new boss has the greatest ideas! She organized an amazing day of team building, both on and off the water. The weather contributed by being practically perfect; sunny and warm with a light breeze. All in all, a great way to spend the day!
Goober Pea*
I recently removed some elderly hedges that were at the end of their life expectancy. After cutting down the five foot bushes I spent a couple days chopping and digging up the roots. I smoothed out the soil and covered my new planting bed with mulch while trying to decide what should go there.
This week, I walked out my front door and was greeted with a couple pops of green. My first thought was that somehow I missed a few persistent roots. Upon closer inspection I discovered that I am now a peanut farmer.
I already know who the culprits are, my noisy local flock of Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata). I don’t know anything about growing peanuts but I’m about to find out.
I figure if it’s good enough for a couple of our former Presidents (Jefferson and Carter) then it’s good enough for me! If all goes well, in four months the jays should get a 4000% return on their investment.
*Brought from Africa during the slave trade these legumes were originally called goober peas (derived from nguba, a Congolese word).
Namaste
Went to yoga on the beach with my friend Katie this evening. What better way to spend a rare Friday night off from work? So relaxing!
Island Time
Friends and I wandered out to Anna Maria Island Sunday afternoon for a bit of relaxation. I can’t think of a better way to spend a day off.
Traffic Jam
In an effort to avoid a serious backup on the highway, I took a side street to work the other day. Unfortunately, this new route didn’t turn out to be any faster since I encountered this handsome devil.
It’s breeding season and though I didn’t see any females nearby this guy was certainly strutting his stuff. A pleasant diversion to be sure.
My View
The colors were just lovely yesterday evening so I climbed up to the top of the bridge over John’s Pass to get a better look. This jetty at the north end of Treasure Island is my turn around spot when I walk the beach.
It’s a wonderful place to watch the water and relax.
Lined Up
Summer must be on the way! Not only are the days are getting longer (and warmer) but the tilting of our planet means the sun has once again started to line up with the opening in the John’s Pass bridge near me.
This year our 12+ hours of daylight started back on March 15th and will continue through September 26th. Interestingly, we’ll get within six minutes of 14 hours on June 20th. That’s a lot of sunlight to enjoy!
Wee One
Had an uninvited guest at the house last week. It was a bit of a feat to capture him without doing any damage to the tiny thing. After a quick photo session I placed him outside under one of my rosemary bushes. Live long and eat lots of bugs, little dude!
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