Hurry up and have fun

Looks good, Lets go in. 

This morning the weather was warming fast when the dog and I stepped outside.  The humidity is returning and rain is eminent.  We walked up to the west end of the dirt road and all in all it was a very peaceful walk.   The last few days have been very sunny with temperatures in the 90's.  The water left from the heavy rain is drying up in the ditches and culverts quickly.  In the U.S.  this weekend is a holiday for most everyone. It is known as Labor day.  I know it seems strange to take a day off on labor day but that is what we do.  I am pretty sure the holiday is about the advances made by labor unions and the like to reduce work the work week , improve working conditions and eliminate child labor and those sort of things.  Anyway Labor day has established itself as the official last holiday of the summer.  Everyone tries to cram in one more road trip, vacation, visit with Grand Ma and Grand Pa all in three days and it can be hectic.  I choose to seek out peaceful places so I just stay home.  The dog and I arrived home and I noticed the big Morning Glories I have growing on the fence.  There was a brown moth taking a look at one big flower so I thought that would be a good photo.  These morning glories are large and start off the morning a deep shad of blue and as the sun comes up they change to the familiar deep purple we are all familiar with.  Some time around mid day they begin to fold up and that is the end of the bloom.  This particular Morning Glory never makes seed and is apparently perennial as it has returned year in year out but has never spread.  If anyone recognizes this variety and it's habits please let me know in the comments.  Thanks for reading my blog today.  Have a great holiday.  Bye.

From near to eterninty

Petal powered.

This evening we walked up to the watermelon field where all of the watermelons are gone now. They have plowed the field and the melons that were left have been chopped up.  I guess they did not want anyone looking for leftovers.  Once we got back home it was pretty dark outside so I went into the back yard where the zinnias are next to the garden and there I found a very nice looking white crab spider hiding among the petals of the flowers.  There were actually several of them but this one was completely white.   I photographed the flower with my IPhone set on HDR and flash off.  I held an LED mag lite above and placed the phone a few inches away to get this photo.  The LED light gives the flower a strange almost daylight look with pitch black in the background.  I was glad it was getting dark outside as I wanted to begin the fall season of photographing the night sky.  I managed to get some shots of our Milky Way galaxy in the area of Sagitarius but the haze is a little heavy and it will need to be clearer to really see faint objects.   When the dog and I walk at night there are certain times of the year when the sun is at the right angle we can see satellites and the space station whizzing past so clearly it seems you should hear them going by.  We sometimes see meteors streaking across the sky which is a real treat when you realize how far and how long those little rocks have circled the sun before burning up in a few seconds before our eyes. Last night as I walked I looked up and thought to myself that there is a amall chance that where I am looking there is nothing to see all the way to the end of the Universe.  Is there an end to the Universe?  I will think about it and let you know.   I hope you have a peaceful night.  Thanks for coming by. 

 

 

Big spider. Small danger.

To be seen or not to be seen. That is the question.   

Each day as the dog and I go for our walks I watch for certain signs of the seasons.  There is of course the obvious signs such trees budding in the spring and the first frost in the fall.  Today we saw a more subtle reminder of where we are along the path of summer in my little patch of the country. The dog and I walked down to the pig farm in very comfortable conditions with cool temperatures in the low 70's and not very much humidity to speak of.  When we turned to come home I noticed a large Golden Orb spider hanging in her web near the edge of  road.  When we see these spiders in the trees and bushes grown to full size (about 3 inches) we know we are nearing the end of  the heat of summer and that hurricane season is at its peak.  These spiders can produce webs that can span 30 feet or more and can trap very large insects and even the occasional small bird.    The web has a sulfur color to it which is why it is called the Golden Orb spider.   In the years I have been traversing the woods many have fallen on me and although it is very disconcerting the spiders have never caused anything more than sore muscles from my frantic attempts to get the thing off of me. My research tells me they are reluctant to bite even though they can. You should check with your doctor if you are ever bitten by one.   If you can avoid handling them you should.  These spiders do have a strange habit they exhibit when disturbed.   The spider will not jump off the web as many others do but instead it will begin to swing back and forth causing the web to move back and forth as much as a foot.  I am not sure what this behavior is designed to do. My guess is it is used  to make the spider and web more obvious to the passerby so they will go around it rather than tearing it down.  These spiders are scary but harmless if not disturbed.  They can catch many large insects keeping their populations in check.   If you see one in the woods take a close look and enjoy it and then leave it in peace.  Thanks for reading today.  Have a good day.  Bye.

Eat or be eaten

Hey mosquitoes come over here for a minute. 

Over the last few nights I have been noticing a family of frogs out shopping for groceries. Tonight as I returned from walking I stopped to take some photos of one of the green tree frogs that are a staple every year by my front door.  This year though I have noticed some very small ones like the one in the photo I have posted.   It is only about 1/2 inch long and maybe 1/4 inch wide.  It barely covers one of the slender leaves of the hedge at the front door.  They appear to be very young.  I think these frogs place their eggs in the plants that catch and hold water like bananas and elephant ears.  I have never seen a tadpole from a green frog.  I wonder if they are green.  There is a light that stays on from dusk to dawn and has for years so the frogs and lizards congregate near it every night during the warm summer months.   The frog pictured is catching mosquitos and very small moths.  Most everything else that flys around the light is far too big for it to swallow.   I have seen numerous snakes easing past the glass storm door while I sat watching from inside.  The snakes are in search of small game and you can bet your bottom dollar that frog is on the menu.  It seems as though the snakes may have been successful over the last few nights as the number of frogs I have noticed seems to be declining.   It could be that they are just disperesing to a wider territory.    Thanks for reading my blog tonight.  I hope you have a good evening.  Bye.

What the dog saw

Yum! Turtle flavored.

This morning as the dog and I walked out I noticed that the sky had cleared and there was not a cloud to be seen. The sun at 730 am was a brilliant ball in the azure blue sky and was a welcome site. We walked down to the west end of the dirt road and along the way I spotted a large moccasin hiding under 2 feet of water in a drainage basin. I could see that it had a lump in it's body indicating that it had eaten well the night before. After directing the dog around that obstacle we moved on past the yellow jacket nest where someone had poked a long stick into the opening. I pulled the stick out and immediately the yellow jackets flew out in an angry swarm. For some reason they were not very appreciative of my help. As I ran away from the bees I looked back expecting the dog to be following me but instead he was otherwise occupied. It seems he was having some quality time on the opposite side of the road which was very quickly being turned into a stinging session by the yellow jackets. He managed to finish and was running after me with that "why did you do that" look on his face again. Later, when we arrived at the end of the road the dog started sniffing in the weeds and I knew he had found something and that I should watch out for surprises. He quickly located a baseball sized box turtle and started heading back to the house with his booty. I yelled to him as he ran that I was going the other way and that I would see him later. That turned him around and he came running back to me. When he walked up to me he made it clear that he was absolutely not going to give up the turtle. He held it tight just as you see him in the photo. After 15 minutes of fighting with him over the turtle I gave up and just followed him back home. Half way back he stopped and laid down to rest and I caught him with the turtle on the ground and wrestled it away and tossed it over the fence into the woods. It is a good thing dogs can't really speak because my dog was probably using every curse word in the dog language on me. I have to take the turtles from him or he will kill them or swallow pieces of the shell which I am not sure a dog can digest. Fortunately every walk we take is not this eventful otherwise either the dog or me would wind up in the hospital. If you don't have enough adventure during your walks may I suggest that you get yourself a stray dog and take him for a walk on a dirt road each morning and evening. But remember, you must be prepared for anything and I mean anything. Thanks for coming by. Have a good day.

These bugs are teenagers

The ghost of Cicada.

This evening our walk was once again in the dark.  On our way through the yard I noticed a familiar site.  The exsoskeleton of a Cicada or 17 year locust was attached to the bark of the large pine in the back yard.  Here in our area the Cicadas emerge each summer in small numbers.  There are parts of the south that can experience extremely high hatch outs some years.   There may be thousands of the noisy insects in one tree all making a buzzing sound like a door or phone buzzer.  It can be deafening.  Here we may only see 4 or 5 dig their way out of the ground, climb a few feet up a tree and then they pop out of their shells as in my photo.  They leave the old shell behind and emerge as a flying insect their only task to find a mate and lay eggs.  The eggs will be laid under the surface of the soil and will grow for approximately 17 years before digging their way out and starting the process over again.  Next we walked on down toward the east end of the paved road and I noticed that I could now see the bands of the Milky Way directly overhead.  I could also see the Big Dipper or Ursa major to the north.   The weather is slowly but surely warming again.  The humidity is edging slightly higher each night and we should begin to see thunder storms out in the Gulf of Mexico each night.  Sooner or later it will rain again.  Thanks for reading my blog tonight.  Bye

Can't Pillory the Fritillary

Orange, black and pointy.  

The weather for our walk this morning was nothing short of perfect.   Cool temperatures this morning definitely hinted that a jacket would be needed in a month or so.  The dog and I circled around to the back yard and had a quick look at things there.  I have 5 orange trees several of which are bearing a heavy load of oranges this year.  At this point they are about 1.25 times the size of a golf ball.  Ultimately they will ripen at the size of a baseball.  I have Hamlin sweet oranges, Washington navels and a Japanese Mandarin that the exact variety of escapes me.  After looking at the oranges we walked over to what was left of my Passion flower vines.  The Fritillary butterfly that I posted last night  has laid her eggs on the vine and as you can see from the photo the caterpillars are eating whats is left of the vine.   It's not a problem as the vine has borne all of the fruit this year and it will spring back to life after the butterflies leave in the fall.  The dog and I then hustled on out the gate and made our way down to the west end of the dirt road and very much enjoyed the beauty of the morning.  Here in the south if you can endure the humidity and heat of the summer you will be rewarded with a very long period of what I would call comfortable days and nights.  A time when we can turn off the air conditioner and open the windows at night.  You can hear crickets and night birds, far away train whistles and dogs barking.   I really enjoy this time of year.   I sure hope everyone has a chance to enjoy the out door world because after all it was made for us.  Thanks for coming by.  Have a great day.  Bye.

The dog and butterfly

Hey, turn out that light we're trying to sleep up here. 

It was night time when I arrived home this evening so the dog and I walked in the darkness.  We started in the back yard and as soon as I pointed the flashlight up I saw something shining in the pine tree in my back yard.  A big limb from the pine tree is being pulled down close to the ground by all the pinecones it has on it.  When I got close I could see that what I was seeing was a Gulf Fritillary butterfly.  It was roosting in the pine needles of the the tree for protection.  I did some research and found that this butterfly likes to lay it's eggs on the passion flower plant.  There are plenty of passion flower plants in and around my yard so that works out good for the butterfly.  The caterpillar of the Fritillary has a very orange body with shiny black spikes sticking out of it on all sides.  The caterpillars are a big problem for people like me who like to grow passion flowers in pots.  They can just about eat up the eatable leaves of a passion vine in one day.  I avoid this problem by starting my passion flowers early so my plant are finished producing by the time the butterflies arrive.  After looking at the Fritillary the dog and I walked on up to the watermelon field which is nearly covered with weeds now.  The owners will most likely go in and pick the good melons over the next day or so.  The good ones will be sold on labor day at a premium.  The leftovers will be going for next to nothing the day after labor day.   That is supply and demand in action.  Thanks for reading my blog tonight.  Have a great evening.  Bye.

When all else fails look mean

 



I am going to give you such a pinch. 

 This morning when the dog and I walked outside we experienced the shock that comes from a sudden and pleasant change in the weather.  A dry air mass has pushed the humid air away and the temperature this morning was in the high 60s with very low humidity.  The dog was as chipper as he could be.   He wears a very heavy fur coat all the time so when the temperature falls he gets giddy.  We walked down the east end of the road and found our good friends the crawfish there waiting on us.  I saw two where I took my photo. They were making their way to a basin at the end of the culvert where they will probably be looking for mates. The one I photographed looked as though he did not appreciate my attention.  Those little claws can pinch you very painfully so I keep my fingers out of their reach.   I am sure there will be many of these little folks moving down into the basin today as this is their season.   The raccoons know the seasons as well and they will show up soon  and have a feast.   Well good luck little crawfish and watch out for furry fellows with masks on.   Thanks for dropping in.  Bye

 

Green green grass of home

A sunset so beautiful even the dog stops to watch. 

This evening the dog and I drove over to my Mom's home to take her some purple hull peas I had shelled out last night.  When we left my Mom's house we drove down to a grass farm that surrounds a trailer park I lived in about 12 years ago.  I lived in that park for 8 years and walked the grassy fields every morning and evening.  I had another dog then.  His name was Bubba.  I walked hundreds of miles with Bubba round and round the fields.  He loved the grass fields so much he just could not wait to go walking in them.  Everyone laughed when I told them my dog's name was Bubba but every one remembers him and his antics.   He and I became a fixture on the farm and pretty much were given the run of the fields and irrigation ponds by the owner who became my friend.  It was a wonderful and peaceful time in my life I will never forget.  The dog and I took a walk around the fields as the sun went down but it was not quite the same.  Too much time has passed and the place is different now.  I guess what they say is true.  You really can't go home again.    But after thinking about it for a minute I remembered that they also say that home is where your heart is.  So the dog and I jumped in the truck and hurried down to the little patch of ground where my heart is in  Grand Bay, Alabama.   This evening at least I was able to really go home again.  Thank you for coming by.  Have a good evening.

Peanut patch as promised

The human eye reacts well to green and blue. 

This morning the dog and I walked out into the peanut field and took a quick photo just in case anyone may not have seen what peanuts look like when they are growing.  The peanuts are actually little sprouts or roots that grow from the side of the plant and then turn down into the soil.  A peanut will form just below the surface of the soil where the sprout goes into the ground.  Once the peanuts are mature a machine will scoop them up and flip the entire plant upside down.  This will expose the peanuts which are still in the shell to the air.  After a few days of drying another machine will come along and shake the peanuts free from the plant and suck them up into a hopper.  The dried plants will be picked up later and used for feed or fuel.  Peanut harvesting time is very dusty and plays havoc with some people's allergies.  If you look closely way down past the end of the rows in the distance you will see a silo used to hold grain for a dairy farm that used to operate there.  The buildings and the silo are made of terracotta tile and are still very attractive even though they are in disrepair.  It is a dream of mine to see that dairy farm come back to life one day.  A man can dream. A man can dream.  Thanks for visiting today.  I hope it is a great day for you.  Bye

When Moccasins aren't shoes

Very young water moccasin. 

As the dog and I walked out into the cool evening I wondered what we would see today.  As is usually the case when I think there is nothing left to see during our walks something literally jumps out at me.  Today we walked down to the east end of the paved road to have a look at what might be there in the culvert.   We saw several things there and I photographed a couple of them as possible subjects.  As we walked back I noticed something familiar on the road. I had mistaken it for a stick several times before but this time I knew what it was.  I grabbed the dog by the collar because I knew what his reaction would be.  It was the ever present water moccasin crossing the road.  This one was a juvenile and was approximately 1 foot long.  It was copper and bronze colored now but it will change to a dull black as it grows when the patterns will nearly disappear.  The snake was very angry that we had come near to it and jumped at me and the dog.  The dog would have loved to have had it out with it as he has a burning hatred for snakes.  I am not sure why that is because he was bitten about three years back and had to go to the emergency vet on a Saturday night due to swelling.  As I have said in a another post the dog has been bitten several times by snakes but only once was the bite bad enough to go to the vet.   The little snake we were looking at as I said was very angry and moved into the grass on the side of the road.  There it took up the classic head up and mouth open pose which gives this snake the nick name cotton mouth moccasin.  I wanted to get a photo of the "Cotton Mouth" but it moved into the brush too quickly for me so I only have a photo of it rearing up.     When they are larger they will coil and spring and you really have to steer clear of them.  Many people here don't avoid them though and instead just shoot them or hack them with a shovel.  No telling how many big rats and mice we are trying to get out of our houses that those dead moccasins might have taken care of.   Well, thanks for coming by.  I hope I didn't give you the creeps.  Bye.

The eels have come out of hiding

A face only a mother could love. 

This morning the dog and I made our way down to the culvert to see what has shown up there today.  When we arrived we found the eels were there. I posted a photo I took this morning showing one of the eels having his breakfast.  They are eating the algae growing on the bottom of the culvert.  We found  3 of these eels eating together this morning.  The one I photographed is about 18 inches long and their color is a gray-red-blue mixture.  They appear very slippery.  I would not know if they were because I can't bring myself to pick one up.  They are not aggressive at all and can be handled with a stick.  In the past I have seen as many as twelve grouped together in the culvert.  The morning was cool and humid but there was no rain during our walk.  I saw what appeared to be fog yesterday early in the morning which can sometimes indicate a change in the weather pattern is in the offing.  Many folks here are ready for some dryer days.  I will take the weather as it comes and make the best of it.
I hope my writing about what I see is encouraging you to look at your surroundings while you walk. Let me know what you see in the comments or email and I will respond.  If you are not able to walk and have some questions about the area where I walk please ask and I will respond.  Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  I hope your day will be a good one. Bye

Not a good choice for Christmas

Brazilian Pepper? 

This evening The dog and I walked down the dirt road to the spot where we saw the snapping turtle yesterday.  It was a little warmer as a tropical system has moved through the area bringing heat and moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico.  When we arrived at the end of the road I decided to take some photos of a plant I believe to be Brazilian Pepper.  About 2 years ago I described this plant to my brother and he identified it as Brazilian Pepper which he told me is an invasive species.  I have since spoken to the land owner and they have assured me that it is only holly and that it is no problem.  The fact that it is mistaken for holly is one avenue the plant has used to wipe out other plant species in south Florida.  Folks down there have apparently used the plants leaves and berries in Christmas decoration then when the holidays are over they are discarded into the trash.  The berries from the decorations germinate in the landfill and the berries from the landfill plants are spread by birds in the surrounding woods. The Brazilian Pepper's leaves can prevent other plant's seeds from germinating and in a short period of time when the remaining adult native plants die the only plant left will be the Pepper.  I am not sure if the plant can duplicate the success it had in Florida, here in our area where it is colder in the winter.  All I can say is the plant I have been observing has multiplied itself about 5 time in the last couple of years so it appears the plant has acclimated  itself to our climate.  This area has known several invasive species over the years and they have changed the look of the land forever.  We have the Chinese tallow known here as the Popcorn tree. We also have Cogan grass known here as Jap grass.  Both of these came in the holds of ships that arrived in our ports.  The lesson in all this is that we should think about it a little before we take a plant or seeds from one place to another.  Thanks for reading my blog tonight.  Have a good evening.

A Fly's nightmare

Warning spider ahead. 

The dog and I started our walk this morning in the back yard by the garden.  I noticed a spider there that shows up each year in the fruit trees.   This is the apptly named green orchard spider.  It builds a web in or around the fruit trees and bushes and hangs inverted while waiting for a flying insect to become entangled.   The green body with international orange highlights is very stricking in it's appearance.  There are quite a few of these in the yard along with numerous other spiders.  The one I have photographed here is about .75 inches long and will eventually grow to around 1.5 inches.  After viewing the spider for a few minutes we got going.  The dog got a little way into our walk and then he heard the roll of thunder from an approaching storm and he headed back home.  He has really become afraid of thunder lately and it is taking it's toll on his excercise time.  I brought him home and then I walked down to where the Yellow Jackets are continuing repairs to their nest.  I like to try and walk at least a mile in the morning and then walk another in the evening.  Today is supposed to be rainy so I guess we will be taking care of things inside.   I hope you have a great Saturday.  Thanks for coming by.

A sucker for sunsets

What a way to end the day. 

This evening the thunderstorms dissipated early and left only a few high clouds floating past.  The temperature was very comfortable at around 78 degrees and the humidity was hanging at around 80%.   Our walk took us down to a cleared field situated behind where the yellow jacket nest I mentioned in another post is located.  I took several photos of the sunset.  As the title says I am a sucker for the sunsets.   Each one is unique and the photo you take one minute you cannot repeat a minute later.  I usually take around 10 shots and then keep a couple of the best ones.  The IPhone is a different kind of camera than I am used to and I am slowly learning how to force it to pick up subtle shading in low light situations.  The photo I have posted may be a prediction of the future.  They say "Red sky at night sailors delight".  I hope that means I can get some yard work done tomorrow.  I will let you know.  Thanks for coming by tonight.  Have a good evening.

Green and mean

The dog knows to maintain a safe distance from this one. 

This morning the dog and I walked down to the west end of the dirt road.  The morning was pleasant and walking was easy.  When we arrived at the end of the road I went to one side where I was looking at some Brazilian Pepper growing there.  The dog was behind me on the other side of the road.  I heard him give out a little yelp which usually indicated he had found something.  When I turned around I could see he was looking at something on the ground but whatever it was it was not apparent to me until I crossed the road and nearly stepped on it.  It was a small snapping turtle.  It was about a foot long and was covered with green algae which camouflaged it on the ground. Every thing here has some kind of algae on it now so the turtle was hard to see.  When I spotted it and came over to take a look the dog settled down and would not get any closer than a couple of feet.  He has had it in with a much larger version before and came out on the losing end so he was not about to get in to it with this one.  Don't get me wrong, the dog loves turtles just not the kind that can bite your tongue off.   He often finds box turtles in the brush which he scoops up in his mouth and immediately heads home with.  I have to chase him down and take them away from him because he will eventually bite a hole in the turtle's shell which will kill it.  The only time the dog ever bit me was when he was trying to get a box turtle back that I had taken away.  I have to trick him by picking up a pine cone or stick and rubbing it on the turtle.  I throw the stick on one side of the road and when he chases it I throw the box turtle on the other.   I have probably had to do this with about 30 turtles since I have had the dog so I have gotten pretty good at the turtle trick.   Thanks for coming by.  Have a great day.

The sky is His canvas

THE ARTIST is at work. 

This evening I walked down to the soybean fields.  As I walked the weather began to lower.  There was a large thunder storm forming to the north of the field which was affecting cloud formation to the south.  I was going to take a photo of the soybean field but the clouds were very interesting so I made them the subject of the photo. This evening was filled with clouds lit by the sunset. The colors of orange, yellow and blue really did look like a painting.  I actually took quite a few photos of the sun lit clouds but this was the best one.  The thunderstorm brought cool temperatures and breezes that were very welcome after the heat of the day.  Eventually it began to ran and the storm died out.  At some point later in the year we will look back on these days and wish for a rain storm so I am going to enjoy them while they are here.  Thanks for coming by.  Have a restful night.

From the set of Deliverance

Its that Dueling Banjos I hear?    

This morning we walked down south of my house to the old pig farm area.  The temperature was very comfortable and the humidity was a little lower than it has been.  I stopped off and wandered into the thick woods that shelter a small creek which meanders quietly along in the under story.   Humans rarely ever travel through these woods due to the heavy brush and mosquitoes so the creek is left to make it's own way through the woods. This little creek starts at a low spot down the street from my home and winds back and forth in a southerly direction for about a half mile where it crosses under the road near the pig farm.  It's short journey ends when it empties into a small pond behind the farm.  I never underestimate these small creeks as they can turn into a raging torrent during heavy rain events.  This innocent little stream nearly carried the dog away a couple of years ago.  Thankfully he survived and is with me still today.    Thank You for reading my blog.   Have a good day.

The dog says "Hey"

Would you throw Teddy for me? 

Tonight I arrived home late so the dog and I started our walk in the dark.  The dog only walked a little while and decided he didn't want to walk anymore and he went home.  I let him back in the gate and walked by myself down to the end of the paved road where Zig Zag the lonely bull is.   There was nothing that I could see tonight that I could photograph and I too was weary from the day so I walked on home. Night time photos on the IPhone are new to me and I am still learning how to take them.    I had to settle for a picture of the dog trying to get me to play with his torn up teddy bear while I was writing this post. He can look at you pretty intently with his eyes. Sometimes he looks kind of spooky.  Thanks for coming by this evening. Bye.

Talley me bananas

Three months to banana ice cream. 

My morning walks always start with a turn around the yard to see how the garden and fruit trees are doing.  This morning I stopped at the north side of the house and took a look at the bananas growing there.  I have been told that these are most likely the Orinoco variety of bananas by a local botanist.   They can grow to around 20 feet in height.  The last banana on the bottom of the bunch is about 9 feet above the ground so my trees are probably around 15 feet tall.  Bananas here on the gulf coast are an iffy proposition due to the fact that they require 18 month of growth to produce ripe fruit. Hurricanes and tropical depressions tend to bring winds that damage them or knock them over.  Most of the time though a killing frost  in December or January will damage the tree once it is about 10 months old and it will have to start over.   The bananas in the photo will most likely make it  to harvest which will be some time in November or December.  The taste is very different from grocery store bananas.  These bananas are almost ice-cream or butter flavored.  The flavor is hard to describe but, they are very good.  Also there is a large flower that grows at the bottom of the stalk which most people cut off.  I leave it as it attracts all types of flying insects and humming birds.  You have to be careful walking around them at night as there are green frogs all over the leaves.  The frogs will jump some times and land right on your face which is a little disconcerting.  Thanks for visiting this morning.  I hope you have a great day. 

Run rabbit run

Opponents sizing each other up. 

This evening the dog and I walked up to a culvert on the east end of the paved road to see if the crawfish have arrived.  On the way we passed a neighbors grass covered drive way where I spotted a rabbit and quietly directed the dog's attention to it.  He glanced in the rabbit's direction and walked around casually pretending not to care.  Then he stood staring for a moment as you see him in photo I took.  After about thirty seconds of staring he bolted after the rabbit which ran down the fence line when it saw the dog coming. The dog gave chase but it was impossible.  It was like the difference between a car and jet.  The dog was simply out ran by the rabbit as is usually the case.  The dog has in the past caught the rabbits but they were in a situation where they could not see him such as high grass. After the chase ended we walked on up to the culvert where we found that the crawfish had not arrived. We did see a few small bass and brim minnows making their way down through the flowing water.  Soon the crawfish will come out of the ground and begin catching the small fish as they swim by which is always interesting to watch.    They are fierce little machines that don't seem to be afraid of anything and they are tasty.  As I look for the crawfish I am aware that there may be things in bushes watching me.  Anywhere there is flowing water there is the danger of water moccasins. They are in the area of the culvert in large numbers.  The moccasins should be dispersing their broods about now so we will have to be careful. When they are small the moccasins will appear a copper or bronze color and are about a foot long.  They are very aggressive and will jump at you if they feel cornered.  The dog has been bit by snakes several times over the years.  He has apparently survived.

Till death do us part

Something is poking me in the back. Can you see what it is? 

This morning the weather was beautiful again.  The temperature was in the high 70's and humidity around 80%.  Very comfortable for a walk.  My dog and I walked up to the west end of the dirt road intending to get some photos of the peanut patch that I promised a while back.  I was side tracked though by a tree I had seen in the past so,  I decided to photograph it instead.  This tree is unusual.   As you can see there is a fence post growing out of the side but that is not the whole story.  This "tree" is actually two trees that have grown so close to one another that they appear to be one until they reach a height of about 5 or 6 feet at which point they begin to live separate lives.   The tree on the right is a sycamore and the one on the left is a water oak.  The water oak has surrounded the fence post and has enveloped it completely to a height of about 2 feet. There appears to be no space between the two trees at the base. Where the trunk enters the ground the bark on the exterior of the two trees looks very similar except for color.   I have stopped to study these trees many times, trying to understand how they could exist so close to one another and how the water oak could have absorbed the fence post barbed wire and all.   I guess if you stay in one place long enough the whole world will pass you by or a tree may absorb you.  So keep moving.  Thanks for coming by.

Monday evening moon light

The moon shines brightly just after sunset. 

When I arrived home from work this afternoon I took the mower out of the storage shed and began mowing the front yard.   The high rain totals lately have the grass growing an inch a day in some areas of the yard.  When I finished mowing the front yard the sun had set and the moon was rising.  The moon at this point nearly full and is very bright.  It makes walking pleasant because you really don't need a flash light to see. School started here today and that reminded me that it won't be long now and we will begin to sense the temperature in the evening dropping ever so slightly.  As the days continue to grow shorter we here on the Gulf Coast will begin our second summer growing season. It is something like spring in reverse.  Ultimately it will end with a killing frost in October or November. Then it will be time for that light jacket to come out of the closet. The evening and morning walks will be a wonderful reward for those willing to take advantage of them.  Something to look forward to as we enjoy the last days of summer.  Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a restful night.  Goodbye.

Gone but not forgotten

The dog carries a tree to it's final resting place. 

The sun returned this morning after a brief vacation above the clouds and it didn't take much walking to work up a sweat in the heat of the early morning.   The dog and I walked up to a field that was recently plowed and had a look at a gigantic John Deere tractor with a huge plow behind it.  If I can get permission from the owner I will try and post a picture of it for the aspiring farmers out there.  After that we walked back down the road to check up on an unoccupied home nearby.  The elderly lady who owns the home is with her children or in a nursing home now I believe.  A friend who lives up the road  and I come by the home every now and then to make sure it is secure.   The owner's children have someone to keep the grounds up so the yard looks really nice.  This home has been here since back in the 50's which has allowed the landscaping to become well established. The lady who lived here planted trees all over the property. Now her legacy in the trees remains though she is no longer here.   The trees have been left alone to grow for decades and they have become enormous.  There is a magnolia with a trunk that is 4 or 5 feet in diameter in a field behind the home.  I can imagine that tree would have a great story to tell if it could talk.  Some of the trees have reached the point where they are dying of old age and disease which is sad but it happens. They have spent their entire lives growing upward and now bit by bit they are returning to the earth from whence they came.   Large rotten limbs are falling on the yard in places and they break into pieces when they hit the ground.   Today the dog found a big piece of one and decided to bring it home as he  does on all of our walks.  He likes to chew on them and have me throw them around when we get home he then discards them in the yard.  Yours truly has the job of picking them up and stacking them in the back yard.  He can bring several hundred sticks home a year. The stack is getting pretty big.  It worries me.    Thanks for coming by today.  Bye. tomorrow

Stump pulling weather

Dog pulling stump or stump pulling dog?

This afternoon the rain gave up for a little while and let the sun set in peace.  We had a tremendous amount of rain fall today.  All that rain protected us from the heat of the day so this afternoon was really quite cool and comfortable.   The dog and I walked down to where a pond had overflowed it's banks and crossed the dirt road. I wanted to see what kind of damage it caused to the road.  The pond was still high and the dog jumped right in and started his favorite water game.  Under water retrieval.   While he was under water I actually had time to shoot two photos of him one of which you can see below.  What he is doing is pulling on submerged stumps on the pond bottom which were left  over when the land was recently cleared.  He wanted the bottom to be cleared of all this debris for some reason.  Sometimes he will pull up a huge piece of wood and drag it to the waters edge and then go back and start searching again.  I sat and watched him while he worked today for nearly an hour.  One of my brothers says my dog is nuerotic.   I think he is just a neat freak.   Thanks for stopping by this evening.  Bye.

Walking between the rain drops

How do  I look?  Is my hair alright?

The dog and I managed to get our walk in this morning when the rain stopped for few minutes around 730 am.  As we walked we saw one of the very small frogs that inhabit the swampy areas around my house,  sitting in the middle of the road.  They are very small.  Only about 3/8 of an inch long.  I have seen them moving out of the swamp by the hundreds after changing from tadpoles to frogs. I snapped a photo of the frog on the road showing how small he was.   We walked up to the east end of the paved road and had just turned around to start back when a bolt of lightning lit up the sky.  I do not like walking when it is lightning and the dog is absolutely terrified of it.  When the thunder rolled across the sky after the lightning the dog just hunkered down on the ground and looked at me as though he was saying " why did you do that" or maybe it was more like "I tried to tell you this was going to happen".   I made for the house as fast as I could with a half mile to cover.  I looked back and the dog was still cowering in the grass and just beyond him a curtain of torrential rain was headed our way. I had to go back and persuade him get moving which he eventually did.   He ran along beside me and when the lightning flashed and the thunder roared he tried to get under me for protection which tripped us both up.  We made it back home and I opened the gate and got the dog to jump in the back of my pickup so we could go and get coffee. As we left the house the bottom dropped out and it rained about 3 inches in a couple of hours.  It is strange but when the dog is in the bed of my pickup he is seemingly unaware of the lightning and thunder and he rides along oblivious to the noise of the storm wagging his tale and enjoying the ride.  Weird.  Thanks for reading my blog.   Bye.

Momentary miracle

Passion flower. Beauty for all to see. 

The rain is still coming down lightly this evening. We have received about 1/2 inch of rain today.  I don't believe the temperature exceeded 80 degrees all day.  It was a pleasant day to stay inside and rest from the week's work. Just before dark this evening we walked down the paved road to an area that has very dense brush growing on the roadside. In the middle of the brush a beautiful flower will suddenly appear each year about this time.   It is the passion flower which some call may pop.  I have  a photo of the passion flower I saw today posted below.   The flower is arranged in such a way to allow a particular type of bee to pollinate it effectively.  In our area they are pollinated by the carpenter bee which looks much like a bumble bee.  Once pollinated the flower will wilt in about a day leaving a small pod about the size of green pea. This pod will become the passion fruit.  The pod will grow to the size and shape of a hen's egg and begin to turn a shade of yellow green at which time it is ripe.  The inside of a ripe passion fruit is filled with small clear sacks each one containing a a black seed.  I have eaten the passion fruit before and had a strange reaction to the flavor.  I opened a ripe pod and ate the fruit inside and immediately thought to myself "this taste just like bubble gum". Then I realized that it was the other way around and the gum had just done a good job of simulating the genuine article.  The passion flower has a very delicate arrangement of petals and reproductive organs that are very pleasing to the eyes. Most of the wild passion flowers in our area are of a purple color but they can be white, yellow and red.  If you find them growing in the thick brush along the side of your road you will be rewarded with a chance to see creation the way it was meant to be. Thanks for visiting tonight.  Bye.







Yellow Jackets are not a fashion statement

The Yellow Jackets are now rebuilding their nest.  

This morning the dog and I walked in the rain again.  The temperature was in the low 70's and the humidity was 100% as it was raining.  The rain was not the result of thunder storms so I took an umbrella with me. It is tricky using an umbrella in a thunder storm because of the wind.  We had a very enjoyable walk in the cool morning air listening to the rain fall on the umbrella. I took a photo of a Yellow Jacket nest located on a very secluded part of the dirt road.  It appears someone came upon it and did not like being surprised by the hornets so they tried to dig them out with a shovel.  Their nest is in an old tree stump on an embankment and has been there for several years so it will be hard to dig them out.  They are currently rebuilding the exterior that was damaged.   The Yellow Jackets are harmless if not provoked.  I walk by them and get within a foot or two of their nest to take photos and video regularly.  If you see a nest in your area and it is away from people you should leave it alone.  The Yellow Jacket is a predator for some undesirable insects and caterpillars which they keep in check by stinging and carrying back to the nest.  Don't throw anything at the nest because they have the ability to tag and track an intruder for a good distance.  They are interesting to look at but be careful because their sting is very painful.

Dog in a tube

The dog has rays shooting out of his eys.  He looks possessed.  

The walk this evening was hurried along by storms that seemed to be closing in on us.  The storms fizzled out as it got darker and the heat of the day dissipated so they never arrived in our area.  We walked up the road and the dog got the scent of a cat somewhere in the area.  He ran into a drain pipe and disappeared into the darkness.  The pipe travels several hundred feet underground and crosses under the road at one point. The dog has no apparent fear of entering the total darkness of the long pipe. I fear that one day something will happen and I will have to go into the pipe and get him. I have crawled into the pipe a few feet and found it very claustrophobic.   I managed to snap a photo of him as he entered one of the drainpipes we encountered on our walk.  He looks strange due to the light reflecting from his eyes.  Thanks for stopping by tonight.  Bye.

Peanut patch perambulation

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The dog leads the way home. 

Our walk this morning took us up to the peanut patch. The peanuts are a month or so away from harvest when the weather should be somewhat dryer.  I will put up a photo of the peanut patch when it is sunny so you can see them better.  Today I photographed the beautiful tunnel of trees that over hang one of the dirt roads we often walk on.   There are several types of trees growing here such as live oak, pin oak, water oak,  magnolia,  sycamore, wild blue berries, wild roses, muscadine grapes and dozens of grasses and weeds.  As you can see from the photo the dog always leads the way home because he likes to stop and look around in the bushes for the inevitable souvenir he will carry to the house.  He might pick up a tree limb, a pine cone, a discarded shoe or any number of things people have thrown on the side of the road.  He once carried a cone home from a construction site on our road.  I always try and keep him in sight to prevent him from walking in front of  the very occasional car or truck that may come up the road. The dog and I have been walking the roads around my home for five years so most of the people who drive by know to watch out for the dog. I have to be careful for those who don't know us.  In the summer we usually move pretty fast through this tunnel of trees because the tree and bushes harbor mosquitoes and flies that will attack you in the hundreds.  If there is no breeze you can just walk faster than 4 miles per hour and the mosquitoes can't keep up.  Sorry for being late in getting this page up. I forgot my phone this morning.  Thanks for coming by

End of the road for the pigs

The dog is getting so fat he is starting to look like a pig.  Just kidding. 

This evening we walked down to the old pig farm at the very end of the road. This farm is used in the fall to hold the pigs that belong to the local 4H students.  The students raise them to show at the State Fair.  The farm has been abused by the local thieves so much over the years that the owner has installed fences and gates to keep them out.  They have went so far as to steal the corrugated aluminum roofing from the buildings.   Many of the pigs have escaped over the years and have become semi wild in the woods surrounding the farm.  The dog and I were chased one dark night in this area by a sow with piglets.  That night I did not have flashlight and I could hear the dog chasing the piglets in the woods but I could not see him.  I called and called for the dog to come out of the woods to no avail.  Then I could hear the sow crashing through the bushes heading in my direction with the piglets squealing in the background.  Unknown to me the dog had ran out of the woods and walked up behind me and brushed against my leg.  I nearly jumped right out of my skin because I thought the pig had gotten me for sure until I heard the dogs license tags rattle in the dark. I could still hear the sow crashing through the bushes in front of me so I turned and ran for my life.  I had not ran like that in years.  I could hear my shoes slapping the ground as I ran as fast as my feet would carry me.  The whole time I was running my brain was trying to determine how fast a pig could run.  Apparently pigs can't run as fast as a scared human so I escaped.  Thanks for stopping by. Have a good night.

The lonely one

1/2 mile of lonely pavement. Solitude, I love it. 

Ah yes, blue sky and sunshine.  Our morning walks for the last few days have been rather dismal affairs with low clouds always threatening rain.  This morning however we stepped out into sunshine and for the most part a clear sky.   With some difficulty  I managed to coax the dog into walking the half-mile to the end of the road. On occasion lately he has been hesitant to walk in the morning.  He may have arthritis or some other unknown health issue or he may just be bored.  Who knows. He and I both are very blessed to have made it this far. This morning I photographed our lonely road.  The county paved the road a couple of years ago as part of an effort to eliminate dirt roads.  After walking on it as a dirt road for 10 years the pavement took some getting used to.  The scars from the construction are almost gone now and the brush on the roadsides is returning.  There's a field on the left-hand side of the road  where a black and white bull wanders by himself all day . His name is zigzag and I am fairly certain that he is lonely.   I always say hello to zigzag when I see him.  He never responds.  I guess he's not a talker.  Thanks for reading my blog this morning. I hope you have a good day. Bye.

The night shift

It is hard to take a picture of a spider and it's web at night. 

Attending church after work moves my walking schedule into the darkness of the early evening.   Evening is a time when some things such as spiders are just getting their day started.  I managed to get a photo of one this evening when the dog and I went walking.  The moon was half full and was high in the sky tonight so even the areas with no street lights were not completely dark.  The temperature at 9:30 pm central U.S. time was 75 degrees and the humidity was 93%.   We don't usually walk far when I arrive home after dark because it is difficult for cars to see us.   I wear a reflective vest and the dog has a highly reflective collar which I put on him after dark.  One thing more I will say this evening. Please remember the families of the two UPS pilots lost this morning in Birmingham, Alabama in your prayers.  We owe a lot to these men and women (and their families) who work through the night so we can have a box arrive on our desk tomorrow morning from just about anywhere.  I say Thank You to them and I am heart broken over your great loss. Have a good night and be careful. Bye.

Field of dreams

Are watermelons trying to hide or trying to be seen? 

No one wants to walk when it is cloudy.  It can be a little depressing.  I have always taken my dog with me on my walks to help keep me alert. .  His name is Dog just so you know in the future if I mention him.  Dog keeps me awake by walking in front of on coming cars, attempting to drown himself, fighting with snapping turtles and on and on. .  He has become such a source of stories I have decided to write  a small book about his exploits. This morning he and I walked sleepily up to the watermelon field and took a couple of photos.   These will be late summer watermelons and they are almost ready.  The vines are slowly but surely being covered by weeds as the summer comes to a close.  I thought some people may not have ever seen where those big fat watermelons at the grocery store come from.  If you are very lucky you may see one of these at your store.  Grand Bay water melons are famous for their flavor.  Something about the soil I think.  Thanks for stopping by this morning.  Have a good day.

The point of the story

You want a piece of me? You want a piece of me?  

This afternoon the rain came down in torrents.   I guess we have to live up to our reputation as the rainiest part of the country.  We can average 70 inches of rain per year.  After supper the dog and I ventured out into  a cloudy but rain free evening. The temperature was 75 degrees and the the humidity was 97%.  Fairly comfortable for August. I took a photo of a prickly pear cactus in my front yard as we left to go on our walk.  The fruit is beginning to turn from green to purple. I have eaten the fruit from this cactus and it is very sweet.  It does seem strange that a plant associated with the desert could do so well in this rain soaked area.  One of the reasons it does well is because of curious people like me who are never satisfied to leave well enough alone. While out walking a few years back I found a big piece of cactus that someone had pulled up and dumped on the side of the dirt road. I should have known better but, I pulled off a couple of the circular pads and brought them home. I threw them in front of my garage and forgot about them. They kept on trying to grow there so I put one of them in a large pot for a couple of years. After growing too big for the pot I planted it in the ground. Now two years later it is nearly out of control. I think it knows I am reluctant to try and prune it due to those one inch spines. When they stick you it can hurt for a week.  So take it from me, if you see a cactus on the side of the road with it's thumb out, keep going or it could turn into a painful relationship.  
 

Donkey honkin

R.J. the donkey says "Will there be snacks ?" " Hee-Haw".

The conditions for this morning's walk were better than last night. This morning the temperature was about 75° and humidity was 97%. The dog and I met R.J. the donkey standing behind his fence.  R.J.  the donkey can hee-haw very loud when he wants some grass, a carrot or some kind of snack.   We walked up to the watermelon field and had a look at the water melons which are doing very well. We are under time constraints on work days so we turned around and headed back home. The dog brought a flip-flop that he found on the side of the road home as a souvenir. He always brings something home from his walk. Thanks for reading my blog. I hope you have a great day.

Fire in the sky

Good bye to the day, hello to the night.  

The dog and I went walking for about 30 minutes this evening. The temperature was about 85° and humidity was somewhere in the 80's.  It was quite uncomfortable.  As the sun had set a few minutes prior to our walk I could not take very many pictures. I did take a picture of the moon and some clouds which were changing colors as the sun set below the horizon. The colors of pink and purple were mixed in the darkening clouds like embers in a dying fire.  As the dog and I left the area where I took the  picture  the frogs in the woods began to croak very loudly as though they were glad we were leaving. The next time we hear the frogs croaking I will try to capture some sound for you to listen to. Thanks a lot for reading my blog tonight.   Goodbye  for now.