LadyUnderTheOaks

new

2011-03-15T12:51:00.005-04:00

we have new leaves on the oaks...such a bright clean
green! i think it is my favorite green...just fresh
and new!

the oak on the right has almost finished it shedding...
and the new ones will be coming in soon.

the oaks are full of the air plants this year...

playing with my camera on the back deck in the hammock
swing...going to read and probably fall asleep.
really nice breeze in the 70's in south west Florida.

hard one

2011-02-25T14:44:00.008-05:00

anger...disgust...hurt...sorry

this guy we have watched on our walks...very friendly.
amazed he has lived so long to be this large.
we have gone up to him, and he watched us...then left
and he followed.

he must have been someones pet...just don't know 'cause
he showed up in the orange grove way off the beaten path
no houses, just groves and empty field.

on our walk today we saw him in the distance...

why would someone shoot a turtle? a turtle?
four bullets...

he's back!

2011-01-26T13:14:00.005-05:00

just so it can be known - this
is the overhead canopy i have over
our property! when the owls start
calling to each other...i run out
and look up into this...
yes he is there...

"he is right up there over your
head"! right!

anyway here is a close up

Bo

2011-01-21T15:20:00.011-05:00

His name? "Bo" "Bodacious" "BoDiddley"

He comes when you call.
He comes bearing gifts - usually a
stick or sometimes a limb..
as in tree branch.

Remarkable
Outstanding.
Bold and Audacious

Most of all he is gentle.

He quietly walks beside you...and
even stays when i can
tell he would prefer to run on ahead.

He was a gift when friends
moved from acres to an
in town lot...and we love him.

Thank you Bill and Amber.

my favorite visitor

2011-01-21T14:55:00.012-05:00

i can be doing anything in the house - hear
this guy and his friend calling each other outside...
run get the camera and tip toe out the door.
... wait ...
... listen ...
... wait ...
and then move in the direction i think the closest
sound is coming from...then the hunt begins.

i can never never see them...always someone has
to point him out to me...
this time "if you just stand right over here by the
tractor and point the camera up in the air he is on
top of your head..." right!
then "you will never make a photographer if you can't
see them!" "he is right over your head!"
sure enough -

not exactly over my head..but he tolerated the
tractor, the dogs and me...

i think he was very tired...no more calling and the eyelids
just starting to droop...

he stayed and i watched the light change
across his feathers...beautiful soft light...

it once again became quiet.

COLD!!!

2011-01-07T13:01:00.000-05:00

it was way way too cold
here in sunny southwest
Florida!

these little guys could not
make themselves any smaller!

where have i been?

2011-01-07T10:27:00.000-05:00

it has flown by - time - that is! over a year
and half has just disappeared...i think cause
as we get older it just oozes on...
but i am still here, and have photos to
verify that...lots of photos...
just received a new camera from my son, trying
to get used to it and the dials...and my husband
says "did you get those pelicans..we don't have
those down here?!" turned quickly and shot four
times and got these guys...oh my!

don't ya love them?!

treasures of a little community

2009-06-09T07:25:00.000-04:00

i believe this tree would have been
removed by city planners in a large
city...
but it fits in this little community
by the gulf.

little bits of a tiny town

2009-05-30T12:30:00.001-04:00

walking on a street that winds
through the homes:

large and fancy
or
small and just enough

you can come across yard art!

most special

2009-05-09T14:38:00.001-04:00

this might make us move...
miss these more than anything...
just can't see them from under
a canopy of oaks.

from the beginning.......

all the way to the end...

most important

2009-05-09T14:28:00.000-04:00

if you go to a little island community
you go with a purpose in mind...
at least with us and that is
FISHING.

i am not the one fishing all the
time 'cause i am the one usually
taking photos..or moving the boat
or retrieving the bait or pulling
in the anchor...

someone told us it was good fishing
out by the rocks...of course it was
in the channel by a large marina-but
that did not stop us from trying.

you just had to be on the right
side of the rocks...with the anchor
just the right distance away
so that the boat slid right
up to the rocks but not into
the rocks.

but you are rewarded with a really
nice snapper...now you just have
to get off the rocks and to
the boat with the fish!

a different taste

2009-05-09T14:09:00.000-04:00

we took a mini vacation to a little
island community this last week...
stayed in a condo of family members
and looked at homes in the area.

it was a different taste of tropical
plush - textures, shapes, colors, and
smell...all the senses were exposed to
a real treat...

do not sit on a bench under one of these -
nor should you ever park your car under one
of these...they are used a lot for landscape
but no one usually looks up to make sure it
is not a coconut palm tree!

love the grasses and the way each little
strand blows with the smallest breeze!

the strangest tree - blossoms: no leaves...
and we have been told if a branch breaks off
just stick it in the ground and it will root
on its own.

the textures were really contrasting...
layers of stick trees, hibiscus, smooth
rounded leaves and grasses...

All very calming to the eye, relaxing...
and renewing. Just what a mini vacation
should be.

subtle

2009-05-07T09:12:00.001-04:00

sometimes
it is just nice
to go out on the porch -
sit
and wait...

listen,
watch,
and wait...

so many things are happening
so much is changing...
but we never
just stop,
look
and wait on Him.

fairies

2009-03-21T10:59:00.000-04:00

Zoe became eight years old yesterday....she had
told us she likes fairies....i do too!
Love the little books about fairies houses....

on my walk this morning i found these for Zoe.
they are wonderful beginnings for fairies
homes

this possibility has a back door....
and it is near the creek...

these little hideaways would be fun to gather items
and decorate for our little friends to visit and rest.

Happy Birthday Zoe!

fishing

2009-03-21T10:34:00.000-04:00

fishing in the middle of the week is the best!
had a wednesday off so we went out -
try to get there about sunup and this
was our greeting.
the water was as glass - the air and sky soft - just a gentle
morning.

can not tell where water and sky meet...

our favorite fishing hole for snapper...we even had a friend
drying his feathers....

i caught the first fish - snook - 3 inches too short - so back
into the water he went.

also caught this little jew fish - protected - so back he went also!

we did manage to catch some snapper and legal they were and
yummy!

new little friend

2009-03-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

on one of our walks in the orange groves this little
abandoned puppy came running through the
tall dry grasses.

could not leave her out there with no houses, water
or food....so i carried her on the rest of our walk
and home. she fell asleep in my arms. i think she
was so relieved to find people she could relax
a little. after an immediate bath to kill all the fleas
she fell asleep and slept through the night.
she ate bo's smushed food and i bought her
some goat milk...loved it. on a full tummy
she has made herself at home.

she follows us everywhere...no matter who is walking past...
away she goes...
loves to chew...anything!
seems to be very alert...does learn quickly...disciplines as well
as can be expected ???

and has even found a little cubby to hide in outside...going to take a
while to eliminate the puddles inside but she has me to train to
allow her outside just in time.

welcome "walker"!

Changes Again

2009-02-07T09:02:00.000-05:00

I had about come to terms with the destruction of the natural and deep woods around us for the sake of a fence. We had walked to the back of our property and assured ourselves that we would still have a few of my favorite trees and plants to build a new barrier around.

I love this tree...in the midst of oaks this elegant flat leaf tree
towered over me when i left and returned from our walks......
The branches were spaced and graceful with a canopy of green
leaves providing shade and a change from the oaks. We had
noticed the tree was just coming into bud...

This is my new view....the tree is gone....
well really here is my tree....

It was really quite an old tree because of the great spread of
the branches...under it are the big beautiful oaks that were also
plowed up to create this street for a fence
They had to come over 2 feet into our property to destroy the tree.
"I'm sorry" was once again used but not sure if i believe any of that
any more....
when all that was necessary is this small break that would allow
them the fence and the barrier. I still don't accept change very well.

Changes Too

2009-02-01T07:51:00.000-05:00

We have new neighbors...seem to be really nice...but
strange why some buy property and then are determined
to level or clear so much of it - the whole is changed. No
longer is there privacy - green barriers - between me and
the world. The owls, birds, small animals are all watching
the changes also to see how much disappears...
and where to go now for the things they were finding
in "my backyard". The boundaries we have enjoyed fence
free for 10 years are gone...spoiled i am....

Not sure why it is necessary to have 10-20 feet for a fence
line...not sure why it is necessary to pile plants and trees
in heaps to die and rot...not sure why they have to bulldoze
on my property and "i'm sorry" doesn't make trees grow
back or privacy restored....

Changes..changes...changes!!!

And we have another neighbor who has decided after losing
thousands of dollars on blueberry plants that were neglected
to now raise chickens and goats....of course they are neglected
also and where do they eat - my compose heap

and my plants (guess they taste better)..

He is trying to get AG exempt
on his property-maybe i would also qualify for a tax break
if they feast on my property... maybe the harvest of eggs-
have to maybe build a few nesting boxes! Yet again - changes
....he hasn't built a fence to keep them enclosed...! Now is that
not strange...want a fence on one side and not on the other...

Time to regroup and rethink and adjust...go with the change-
yet go dragging or digging in my heels...until that also changes.

I have found i do not like change...and that is really
hard because at this time in my life everything--just about
everything is changing.

Changes

2009-02-01T06:52:00.000-05:00

When most people are slowing down it seems that the
months of November and December are the busiest for
me....work involves long sessions starting very early in
the morning or in the middle of the night (depends on
how you look at that) but it really keeps me from sharing.

This is our Christmas tree - i buy it in early December and
put it up to enjoy as long as possible....After i took all the
decorations off - could not burn it so we stuck it in an empty
post hole in the back yard....it is still green and the needles
are just beginning to fall...

The first few weeks in January I try to come back to reality
and wake eat and sleep in a "real-time" manner...the oaks
over my head in my chair swing....and i have plenty of friends
to keep me company......

the changing of seasons

2008-10-03T14:51:00.000-04:00

Went out on the back deck (we consider it our front yard) and
saw this! I love, love, love acorns. Not fun to step on in bare
Florida feet but they are just so complete - food, seed and big
oak trees. The squirrels are loving it also...if you stand out
there long enough you are hit in the head from them scurrying
around eating up in the canopy.

I gather them also...and of course use them in decorating....

Then we have the lilies...this one is a surprise every year...
and i hope to follow its life along so i can see it change over
the days. Not sure what the little red berries are attached to it
- never have seen them before.

And the orchids.....really must have enjoyed all the moisture from
the storms this year. They are blooming in spite of my poor care.

Our visit from Fay!

2008-08-27T18:32:00.001-04:00

We have a wonderful creek on the backside of our property...when
it rains in a developed community to the south of us - they drain
their numerous canals into the creek...when a hurricane comes the
minority is sacrificed for those who have canals behind their property
and do not want water in their yard....so we get it.

This is the levels at 11:50am on Tuesday, August 19th...not too bad
but we knew what was coming.

A little later that afternoon about 3:50 pm - the creek she is arising!
The bridge is tied off on each side...and floats!

This is midway across the back yard as i could not venture further
because of the water and ants...about 5:50pm.

And this is our lake...I took this from our back deck! Fay had
ventured on to the east coast of Florida...and we continued to
have the oncoming tail of the storm...lots of rain and runoff from
the canals to the south...Very thankful we never lost electric so
it was all very tolerable. We did have neighbors whose homes
sit on the ground and they had water running through their
homes...Really a shame because they have been there for years..
a lot longer than the new homes being built with canals...

Lonely Mushroom

2008-08-17T14:59:00.000-04:00

Since we have had little rain this last week and are
expecting some from "Faye" my wanderings found
this little guy.

Night Blooming Cactus

2008-08-17T14:34:00.000-04:00

Assuming this is a cactus they grow in some of our palm trees.
Most of the time we only have the long arms of green looping
out bare fingers. I have noticed the beginnings of blooms and
the spent blooms....but i decided to walk early this morning.
The sun was coming up through the oaks but not high enough
to shine its heated rays on the blooms.

They have a real nice smell not over powering but they are huge
and full of colors.
The middle has a pink stem out to the yellow flower and the stamen
are bunched to the other end...I am sure God had a purpose
for this arrangement. I will have to find the name of it and do
some research. Fragile, appealing bloom.

The sun is starting to shine a little warmer but the flower is
holding on to its bloom.
So glad i witnessed the show this morning!

Just an hour later the show is over.

A Much Needed Walk

2008-08-14T10:59:00.000-04:00

Orange is nice in the garden - spices up the view. We transplanted
these to keep them from being bull-dozed and they keep
producing big full stalks...after they bloom the stalks are cut back.
Nice green and wonderful unusual orange blooms.

I love blue flowers...just so unusual. The purple here is vibrant
and it only blooms one at a time...would really be nice to have
a big hanging pot of them.

I call these hummingbird flowers...i have put them in several
places and they get have very tall stalks with this made for
hummingbird flower on top. Bright red - these are glistening
from a recent rain.

We put this plant in the big oak and it is finally coming into
its new home...nice to look up and find it.

Found this in the yard - just over to the side...it wasn't where
you would expect it and that was the nice part.

Mushrooms

2008-08-03T13:05:00.000-04:00

More of the found mushrooms in my yard...

this one wanted the same space as
the mighty oak...so he just curved around and found a little more room.

this mushroom is almost transparent...out of a cut off tree stump in the dirt
driveway.

So delicate at the bottom of a huge oak tree...

some of the tiniest little mushrooms i found...almost missed them.

a visitor to our copper feeding dish...they love this dish-probably
because of the red marble...and they fuss if we forget to empty the
rain water and fill it for them.

Orchid bench

2008-07-07T09:17:00.001-04:00

We have moved most of the orchids off the porch to this bench...they don't seem to
mind...no blooms but this is the plant growing period. I have found alot of unplanted
additions to the planters...but they make the whole effect nice until the orchid blooms
arrive.

unusual blooms - all red!

2008-07-07T09:08:00.000-04:00

very exotic...and lasts forever. it will send out roots and make more plants for next year.

Most unusual plant...never found more than a couple open blooms...but the ant likes
it also.

I have found this lily every year but never taken a photo...

do you believe in fairies?

2008-06-27T14:12:00.001-04:00

the small quiet places full of bright colors and musky smell of earth...

the fairies skip and dance; hidden away - under the tiny mushrooms!

rain and mushrooms

2008-06-26T19:07:00.000-04:00

i love this time of the year...the rains come every afternoon...the
oak leaves are on the ground...and the mushrooms start to grow...

new tiny toes

2008-06-21T11:57:00.000-04:00

new tiny toes of grandson kobe tucker - two weeks old!

remembering the later days

2008-06-01T13:36:00.000-04:00

their lives are spent...their freshness gone...yet

their ageless beauty is to remind us of just days ago....

weathered, a little yellowed around the edges,... still soft, smooth

they are still elegant in their later days...like old southern ladies...
sipping tea, rocking on the front porch....in the shade of the oaks.

planting

2008-05-31T07:19:00.001-04:00

to plant trees on an island nearby you have to transport the trees to the island...
we saw this boat chugging along with his load.

the red house

2008-05-31T07:11:00.001-04:00

i love this red house. it is an old fish house from the days when the fisherman could bring
their catch to this houses for storage on ice and to sell to those on land. the houses are
family owned -there are five along this stretch but this red one is my favorite...every time
we go fishing i get a new photo.

each pelican gets his own perch to rest and dry in the sun!

2008-05-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

gardenia

2008-05-10T10:01:00.000-04:00

perfect velvet and smooth

morning light

2008-05-10T06:29:00.000-04:00

because i leave my home at 3:30am and miss the mornings in the country
i am so thankful for the days i can see this....

morning walk

2008-05-04T10:36:00.000-04:00

my gardenias are opening...how many ways can you take photos of a gardenia? can you smell it - wonderful!

a canopy of leaves - love this tree...so different than the tall oaks, the leaves spreading in lazy flat branches overhead

walking in the morning

2008-05-01T08:31:00.001-04:00

these little guys are everywhere...i love the combination of colors that God
put together for tiny little lantana

i love these flowers; they will be gardenias when the buds open. they have such
old fashioned elegance...with their velvet petals and fragrance.

friends come to visit

2008-04-26T10:52:00.000-04:00

I mentioned before about owls and hawks. While cleaning the fish and boat after a recent trip to the water these guys came to visit...hard to get a clear photo. So surprised to see them together...we hear them calling usually from afar.

spring colors

2008-04-26T10:36:00.000-04:00

from home to the waters

2008-04-01T13:54:00.000-04:00

oranges are so yummy this year! the grove owner said there were fewer of them but
they were larger.

This guy follows you as you pull your boat in...he wants a free
fish!

walk on the beach

2008-03-22T08:25:00.001-04:00

this little squishy guy was washed up on the beach...he was the most colorful -
most of the others were just gray blobs...

all things small

2008-03-16T12:46:00.000-04:00

love to find things growing in the yard...an old wood pile produced these
mushrooms...

these little red bugs are so fancy: love their little lacy black wings!

just in the backyard

2008-03-05T14:33:00.001-05:00

grew a pineapple - just a little one!

can you see 'em? can you see 'em?

2008-02-20T05:37:00.001-05:00

these little guys moved out of their nest for a warm-up in the sun!
we were so amazed because we have a lot of hawks and owls...

fun with palm fronds

2008-02-18T07:39:00.000-05:00

lazy afternoon with palm fronds and images in the sand

hugh flower

2008-02-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

these hugh flowers are in my front yard out my kitchen window...they are about
seven feet off the ground....
i believe they are searching for sunlight from under the oaks....
but i can lean out the window and enjoy them!

dawn

2008-02-07T18:26:00.001-05:00

now sometimes i can be made to rise early and go fishing...
dawn over the water is a good way to begin a day!

sunsets

2008-02-07T18:15:00.001-05:00

my favorite time of the day - quiet...calm...still...
wonderful way to end a day!

companions

2008-01-23T12:50:00.000-05:00

my companions on my walks...
notice they are in front of me -
most of the time....
really all the time...

real little creatures

2008-01-19T06:44:00.000-05:00

some bees made a hive nearby then abandoned it to go back to their box

some of the real little creatures on our walks

sunset - better and better

2008-01-05T16:27:00.000-05:00

from the beginning the sunset turned into a long beautiful show

walking in backyard

2008-01-04T18:34:00.000-05:00

little yellow flowers searching for sunshine

and the creek that runs through our backyard...

walking near the gulf

2008-01-04T18:05:00.000-05:00

favorite place to walk is the very best seashell
collecting beach - cayo costa! i usually get dumped
off as my husband goes fishing elsewhere in the boat
...can stay here for several hours...quiet...except for
the sounds of the waves and the birds...

and then we found this little guy - only a few inches tall -

walking in my backyard

2007-12-25T07:10:00.000-05:00

i can share my walks with you...
my backyard walk is this way through and under the oaks...leaves...

my backyard

2007-01-24T19:26:00.000-05:00

oaks are losing their leaves finally
each breeze brings
the old to the ground in a slow drift;
you can almost see the tiny green
shoots of the new pushing them off
the branches.
orchids have decided to push forth new
blooms also -
amazing time of the year.

just a little bit

2006-12-10T13:31:00.000-05:00

to give just a little bit
to see what needs to be done
just to reach out to others
in small bits
whether words
or a touch
a gift
maybe a smile

a little extra effort on my part
might be all that is necessary