Changes Again

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

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

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

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!

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

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

Night Blooming Cactus

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.