Saturday, September 30, 2006

Lake Parker

I love Lake Parker! Its one of the largest lakes in the area, and like other lakes in the area, is filled with birds. I believe there are a few parks located on the lake. We normally go to the one on the west side since its the largest and offers the most shoreline that has been cleaned of underbrush and offers solid footing. The lake is 2,272-acres.

We live on the east side of this lake and our daughters both live on the western side. Its the same distance whether we go south around the lake or north around the lake...which pleases me immensely because there is always something to see at the edges of this marshy lake. People fish, water ski, jet ski, cast nets etc on this lake. It has far too many aligators within its borders for any of those things to interest me! I prefer to enjoy it strictly from the shores. This is one of the first signs that greet you as you walk through the park.



There is an area with many picnic tables among the trees on the west side of the lake.. a bit further west there are soccer fields which are used year round for soccer and for field trials for the police canine units. Weekends are pretty busy on this side of the lake with lots of birthday parties held here. I love the week days because its very peaceful and quiet with most of the other people there also looking for the wildlife and peaceful waters. There is a sidewalk and many paths for walking. My husband goes most mornings and walks for an hour. He's taken me a few times, but has learned to take me to take photos, not accompany him on his walks. I'm far too pokey since its much more interesting to me finding the various things in the marshes and water than exercising. ;-D

These photos were taken as the sun was going down. At night all the birds get into the water and then into bushes or trees as protection from the aligators and such in the water.

Some of the trees look like they are covered with huge white blossoms since they always seem to roost in groups.



Love to watch all the birds soar over the lake, suddenly diving for a catch. Some, like this one continually soar, no doubt feasting on the mosquitoes.

And for my favorite: Blue Galinule..Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?















For more pictures of the Wood Storks, White Ibis, Great Blue Herons etc at Lake Parker, please copy and past this into the url... There are just too many photos to put into here. If you click on the first photo it will enlarge. Then if you click once on the small photo to the right it will go onto the next photo, etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98912915@N00/

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Wherever I am

I have learned to be content no matter what the circumstances... sometimes it takes a bit longer to remember not to murmur against the circumstances on the way to that contentment.


Wherever I am, there is a way to be content. There is beauty in everything and everywhere you might look. We spread mulch early this spring.. I spread a little, my husband stepped in and rescued me and spread the bulk of the pile. It provides a weed barrier and a moisture conserver... and some unexpected guests. When our rainy season started, mushrooms began
popping up anywhere you'd care to look. No.. the orange isn't a mushroom or fungus, but one of the navals from my daughter's yard. Even after 25 years it still excites me to go out and pick an orange and sit down and eat it.

With no energy to tend or plant a garden at the moment and so many plants wearied by the heat, there is still beauty to be found.. even in the fungus that pops up with the rains. I wonder how long those spores were laying dormant in the trees etc before hitting optimal condition to leap into life.

Seeds amaze me. My grandfather died approximately 50 years ago. about 20 years after that my husband and I started cleaning out some of the sheds he had filled with 'treasures. One of those treasures was an old metal box filled with seeds. We didn't expect any seeds to have survived years and years of winter freezing and summer baking, but we tried some of the tomatoes and they all grew. I have no idea what the variety, but for a seed to be that tenacious about life, it deserved to have a home. I also have some seeds that are up to 10 years old. I'm planning on at least trying them all out for viability.

I think its been so hot I'm totally ready for the cooler weather that's coming. Days that aren't quite as hot as they were still feel stifling and tiring. It stirred a memory of how we felt in April up north. Not ONE more day of winter!! We couldn't wait for sunny days and warmth to shake us from the winter doldrums.

But.. to everything there is a season and sometimes when we don't take the time to rest and rejuvenate, something comes along to cause it to happen. In Florida you rest a lot more during the hot months than during the cooler months. I've started seeds.. and now much get a place ready for them. Some will go into pots and some into the ground. If they don't make it in the ground I'll know better next year. That tentative nature that crept in is still alive and kicking.
I've gone to some of the favorite blogs and looked at the pictures of their gardens and glimpses into their enthusiasm for their upcoming gardens. I've reread things that are saved from the GardenWeb Florida forum. Enough to inspire, but not enough to actually get me outside doing. I used to tell people that if there was something really bothering them and they couldn't find a solution, they could always rely on "This too shall pass."

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Bok Towers, Lake Wales

The hurricanes took a toll on many of the huge old trees, but that's a part of life and allowed much of the understory to flourish once again. There are several areas of terrestrial orchids scattered throughout the area, many native trees and flowers.

The tower has carrilon bells and plays each hour. There are benches scattered here and there for resting and enjoying the peace of the surroundings. The paths are well maintained, none cemented -Most of the area is shaded and provides a great opportunity to see what survives in less than full sun.



Each turn of the path opens to new 'vistas'.. some with huge tree ferns, many different shade loving flowers and patches of sunlight where heat loving flowers put on a brilliant display.
There is just enough sun to keep things blooming and lots of deep shade to keep things cooler. Its unusual to see something like this patch of delphinium since its not a Florida friendly plant. They require cold winters to be a perennial. We can plant them in the fall and enjoy them through the cold months, but when days get steamy and the nights warm, they disappear.

This next picture is one of the stands of Nun's Orchid.. a terrestrial orchid that brightens any shady spot. They are supposed to be one of the easiest of the ground orchids to grow here.


There are just enough patches of bright flowers like daylilies to provide interest among the beautiful peaceful deep greens of the forest. During the cooler months, you also find patches filled with things like pansies and johnny jump ups such as in the next picture. Many of the plants here are designated butterfly plants and they have some sections devoted to specific uses. The yellow shrimp plant makes a bold statement and at the time was covered with bees.

There is one section containing only zeroscape plants and that area is mostly dry sandy soil.

Throughout the acres there are many tree ferns and other appropriate forest/jungle plants. They have at least one full time caretaker and many volunteers who keep things cleaned and neat. They attempt to keep things labeled and the workers are always willing to stop a few minutes and talk about the different plants and their care.

Entrance is $6-8$ per car and if you are there before 8:30, entrance is free. Its set among the hills in the Lake Wales area and its beautiful in any direction you look. The cooler months are my preference because the mosquitoes and horseflies a mostly missing!

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Bok Tower Birds

Bok Tower in Lake Wales, Florida has several water areas, including a small pond with an observation window. From there you can watch several species of ducks and assorted songbirds feeding from stumps placed in the water. I believe this is to give the birds some seeds that aren't quite as accessible to the squirrels.

The wood ducks are spectacular.. I noticed 3 pair the day we were there. They try to keep paths etc far enough away from parts of the area where the small animals live and the ducks etc nest.


This is still my favorite squirrel picture. The squirrels at Bok Tower have become pests at times.. One came to sit on my shoulder as I rested on a bench one morning. Two tried to climb a child's pantleg. A quick Mom rescued the toddler without too much fuss, no doubt preventing fear later on in life.
This elusive catbird was so still, hiding at the base of some plants. He posed for such a long time before scurrying back into the shadows. You can hear all sorts of birds there.. songs that echo in the tops of the very tall canopy.. and ones through the understory and down on the ground. We notice the ones of the ground first, but the ones high in the trees are the first ones you hear as you enter.




Waiting for cooler weather!

September 20, 2006
How we see things has been on my mind lately. How we choose to allow others to see things is more to the point. I've been thinking about my garden and how its mostly desire and not yet fulfillment. We reveal the perspective we want others to have of us and our life, just as the camera reveals what we choose. Its as simple as this lizard.. He's adorable, but you can't see that he's on an old wicker chair on its way that morning for trash pick up. The lizard is where the camera has focused your eye.

I love garden pictures that others share that show 'vistas' of their yards, borders, flower beds... The majority of my pictures are of individual plants or even the blooms. Looking at the variety of flowers and blooms, one might think that my yard was full of flowers. Its only full of flowers in my intentions at this point.

This hibiscus is such a beautiful bloom.. and the leaves such a shiny, glossy green that you wouldn't know it was planted years ago in a spot much too shady and seldom has flowers on it.
Someone on GardenWeb asked about missing the fall up north. The leaves are so strikingly beautiful they could take my breath away. Such a miracle we can understand that God does things to delight His children. Here there are very few spots of that brilliant color, but its even more precious when we focus on it. I think its the same as having a lot of gray in one's life, or turmoil. There is always that one patch that's beautiful beyond measure. We used to go to church an hour's drive from home through the Green Swamp. It was absolutely beautiful - the majority deep, cool green. Here and there were patches of wildflowers or new growth of the swamp alders and swamp maples in flaming red or yellows. Enough to delight your senses.

There is an adorable little girl in our neighborhood. She seldom walks anywhere, but skips, twirls, runs and just lets out that childish love for life. I thought about her focus.. fun and being a kid. As she went up the street you could tell her entire thought was 'home' at the end of the street.

We thought we wanted to live where there weren't too many children and all the noise. We thought we'd done that with ours and with our grandchildren. We find that all the children are like the flowers in the garden.. Absolute joy. Our 'neighborhood' is like stepping back 50 years. The kids play in the street, float between houses.. all the ages seem to be together at one time or another. Even the teenagers spend a lot of time simply walking around the neighborhood. Parents are out every weekend with their kids on bikes, 4 wheelers etc. One Mom takes their garden tractor and a little trailer and slowly picks up any kids who want to ride and goes around the circle. We hear the occasional dog bark, usually a lawnmower somewhere nearby.. It feels like nostalgia and I think its because the focus is on some of the good things that have disappeared from so many places.

Our youngest grandchild just turned 18 last week. Our middle grandchild turns 23 this week. So hard to believe that. I remember when our second grandson was born, I was home with his older sister. I woke up early in the morning with what I can only describe as a "sudden burst of joy." Later I found it was at the exact moment he was born. All three grandchildren are like precious spots of color in our lives.

I'm hoping that soon my passion for gardening shall return. lol. Its been so hot lately and with all the rains, the mosquito population is simply waiting for anyone to set foot in the yard. Our seasons seem to change drasticly when the calendar season changes. Our nights are generally in the upper seventies during the summer, but when fall comes they drop to the upper sixties and everything feels refreshed. Today I'm planting seeds. Always a sign of hope and knowing that to everything there is a season. This lack of gardening shall pass!


This was the sunset last night just before another big thunder storm rolled through. Sunsets are always beautiful.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Sandhill Cranes

September 14, 2006

I can remember a time when sighting a sand hill crane was momentous. We would occasionally see one way out on dirt roads in some of the open areas around old lakes in the Berkshires.

Here in Florida the efforts to save them have more than paid off. There are several spots around where you find them every year. One pair has chosen a small triangle of land that floods
in the center at the apex of two extremely busy roads. Apparently they have found it safe enough to return each year and at least spend their days in that spot. I believe that they roost elsewhere.

This first group stays in some pastures and yards on the way to my daughter's. There is a 5 acre minimum for houses and much hasn't been developed yet. They seem to prefer the open places near people.
I think this large group might have been 'extended' family gathering before migrating. It always amazes me that they migrate FROM here.

I was lucky enough this day to find the birds 'dancing'. Amazing to see these large birds leaping and prancing and flying. I think the trio is the parents and one smaller offspring.

I've seen several visiting a low birdfeeder fairly near to where I live. I've wondered if it was intentional, or they just discovered it. What would one feed sand hilll cranes?

There are usually egrets in the company of the cranes. I wonder if the cranes don't stir up a multitude of small bugs for the egrets. Normally you find the egrets with the cattle.. sometimes riding or sleeping on their backs. When the big mowers go along the roadsides they look like the pied piper of egrets as they hurry along to get the best of the newly disturbed bugs.

They must all have roosting places and feeding spots since we hear them about the same time each morning going to their feeding places and then again when they return at night. Almost like listening for the migrating flocks of geese.





























The last 3 pictures were very close to where we used to live, flying it at dawn and not leaving until late in the afternoon.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Zephyrhills

Isn't that a fanciful name?? I've always loved that name for a city.

Isn't it amazing how you get a brief touch of 'kindred' hearts and souls through these blogs? I started it just to keep a record of some gardening things, thinking it might spur me on to more "actual" gardening and less passive gardening. lol. I've "met" a few people through their 'blogs'. Just by reading what someone writes from their heart, you get a glimpse of who they are as a person. There are some wonderful people jotting down their thoughts out there. How wonderful so many are willing to share their thought and their knowledge and of course their photography. Three that have particularly beautiful photography in them are 'Alice's' "A Growing Delight found at www.heathhill.blogspot.com , Kerri's Colors of the Garden found at www.colorsofthegarden.blogspot.com and Judith's web.mac.com/knitagarden/iWeb/weedsbetweenthecracks. I've had to 'limit' my time reading blogs as each one offers a glimpse into an unknown regions - Armchair travel - and insights that people have that echo or make clearer your own thoughts -and that's more fun than mundane things like dishes or gardening. lol. So many times someone will write something that triggers a long forgotten memory.

A note from someone mentioned Zephyrhills bringing up so many memories of when we first lived in Florida. When we moved here about 25 years ago, we decided on Zephyrhills. We came here in August and of course it was a sleepy little country town. At the time the airport hadn't expanded and was mainly used for parashoot meets on our side of town. We all listened for the "jump plane" and would run to watch for the tiny little black dots turning into falling jumpers and then shoots popping open. There were many days with no activity there and I used to take mini vacations (an hour or two) and go down to a small boggy area in the middle of the field. It was filled with all sorts of birds and little wildlife. I'm sorry at the time I didn't think to find a camera and 'capture' some memories on film. They eliminated this spot and more or less closed the whole area as it became busier. The city went from about 15,000 to 75,000 when the snowbirds came back. I walked into 'my' Publix one day and found the manager grinning from ear to ear and the store looking like an ant farm. I asked him WHAT happened to my nice little store and he only said "They're Baaaack". LOL Good for him, not to my liking as I loved the quiet, sleepy rurality during the summers.

Zephyrhills is one of the more 'hilly' areas of Florida. Many mornings I'd take my husband up to work in Dade City through the hills and farms. The sunrises were amazing.. row upon row of hills with early morning fog in the valleys and incredible sunsets touching the hills. There are so many RV and mobil home parks tucked into all the hills, that you have no idea how many people actually live within the limits of the city.

When we found we had to move to Florida I tried to find every possible positive thing about it, including the diversity of wildlife, the gardening year round.. We didn't know that Zephyrhills had sadly used the chemicals DDT and Sevin before they were recognized as harmful to wildlife and there were almost no birds that first year we were there. They had repopulated considerably before we moved away four years later and I would guess that they are abundant at this point.

I think all of Florida has the opportunity to see so many migrating birds.. all it seems to take are some trees or water or seed heads. We had a huge holly tree next to the driveway, covered with bright red Christmas berries. One morning we heard a huge commotion and went outside to see the tree covered with cedar waxwings and robins harvesting every last berry from that tree. It was worth the sight! We had 3 orange trees that had frozen long before we bought the house and were now sour oranges from the original root stock. There was always at least one bird's nest in each of the trees. There were also two pink azaleas in the back - 12' tall and about 14' across... Absolutely incredible when in bloom. A solid wall of bright pink. A small white azalea never had the vigor of the pink. Under one of the big oaks was the most beautiful blue hydrangea. How I wish I had started some small plants before leaving. Along the side of the house were some gloriosa lilies - first time I'd seen them. Someone had apparently planted their old eEaster Lilies as there was a bed full of them and Zephyr lillies.

Out front were two crepe myrtle bushes. Since Zephyrhills seems to get a lot of frosts during the winters, they froze back to the ground the year we had snow. In the spring them came up nearly 5' and were more beautiful than ever.

I worked as a Florist for MaryAnn on 7th Street, a sweet wonderful person. When I think of Zephyrhills, its MaryAnn that I remember. I had grand idea of growing lots of flowers while we lived there, but was still operating on the northern gardening timeline. lol. The first year I did plant a small vegetable garden. We thatched the lawn and I used that abundant mulch for my garden. I'd told someone the only thing I REALLY wanted was watermelons. I also row composted and of course used watermelon rinds etc. The bugs ate everything I planted, but one volunteer watermelon plant thrived. Watch out what you ask for! When we began to get the fall rains I saw why mulching wasn't too great an idea. Our yard rose about 8-10 inches with a tropical storm's water and nicely floated ALL that mulch all over a neighbor's yard. After re raking it again, we sent it to the city's compost yards.

9 / 11

As I checked the date and was going to write, the impact of 9/11 became more important that what I was thinking about. I am sad for the families of those who were lost that day, sad for our country. I remember days of tears each time I'd consider it. How dare they do that to America. I love my country knowing its not perfect, but wouldn't choose to live anywhere else. Other places may be beautiful and offer benefits I've not seen here, but this is MY land.. this is part of me... That pain is still there... how could they do that? When we are the first to help anyone in need, how could they do that? I know others whose lands have been ravaged by war have the same feelings in their hearts. Life goes on.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Hollis Gardens

There are many parks in lakeland focused on water. Usually they are left natural, with plants taken care of and benches provided for people to sit and relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Hollis gardens is an exception and I love it ! The first and second picture is from the inside of the main entranceway. They change the flowers as the seasons change.


I love to go there with a camera and take pictures of what's blooming in any given month. It helps me to know (more or less) what might survive in my gardens at the same time. There is also usually someone on hand more than willing to talk with you about any of the plants.

People use the entrance stairs, benches, flowers frequently for weddings. The park is still open, but they ask people to remain away from this main area. In the second photo you can see the sluice which goes from the main entrance down to Lake Mirror, a small round lake with a fountain in the middle.





This photo is of a fountain (not running at the moment), the source of the water for the sluice. I love the sound of the water splashing, seems to make everything feel so much cooler.

You can see the fountain just to the right of center in the middle of the small lake.








Swans are the Lakeland 'icon' and there are many statues around the city. Lake Morton has many black and white swans that breed and are protected there. The kids from schools in the city decorated large swans that were sold and placed around town by various businesses.

These swans seem to be protecting the perimeter of the gardens.





In the gardens there is one section totally dedicated to butterfly gardening, a woodsy section complete with nesting birds and shade loving plants and trees. They have a few fruit trees, a water garden, shrubs, annuals and perennials. The main area of the gardens is divided into rooms with a predominant color in each - like this white room.















There are flowers all along the borders outside the gardens as well as inside. These are some cool weather hollyhocks. Just beautiful.











Along one sidewalk the fencing is a blue picket with gardens peeping out for people to enjoy. Right now there is a riotous colored bed of petunias all along the garden. Along the parking area are beautiful tiny pink roses that seem to defy the heat.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Saddle Creek

September 7, 2006
When people ask me what its like around us, I tell them we live in Timber Creek, off Saddle Creek. Lots and lots of water. Saddle Creek Park was once a phosphate mine. They mine in strips and they fill in with water. There is a huge area of small lakes and ponds all joined together. There's always someone fishing there... with feathers and without.

Usually when we drive through we see lots of cormorants either searching, diving, or wings spread as they drive. The other day it looked like a family get together with so many together and all seemingly playing follow the leader. There are always seagulls. These cooperated nicely giving me some action to film.































Always hunting, these birds are always alert for other things happening. Can you imagine what they are watching?


We are told all fresh water in Florida has aligators. I love to watch them, from a distance. My husband walks in the morning at Lake Parker where there are SO many. I think its his letting out his love for something a bit dangerous and exciting. lol.

There are no flowers at Saddle Creek Park. I had thought of tossing some wildflower seeds here and there, but there is something cool and calming with just the water and all that green. Its always breezy and always a family of mudhens somewhere to be watched.