The Gulf Coast of peninsular Florida seems to be hanging in.....

I did hear rumors of oil here and there and dead birds but I didn't see any for myself. And I ate a lot of grouper. Just because the natural world is somewhat resilient to a one time mishap doesn't mean we should let up on BP or slip into complacency; a repetition of this incident would likely produce far worse consequences.

Romalea microptera, the Eastern Lubber....I'm accustomed to seeing them with more red

But it is pretty this way!

Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae....this is a pretty butterfly

Hey, sometimes you see them in your garden, sometimes you see them at Home Depot (best plants in Leesburg) but it's always a pleasure.

I hope I haven't given Florida a bad name......as if Florida needed my help! (I love this state)

Hi Chris Upton

I work for the fire ant eradication program in Queensland, Australia and recently came across your blogspot with the images of your wrist attacked by fire ants. Those pustules do look really nasty and from other reports we have heard of fire ant attacks, you are lucky you didn't have a severe reaction.
With your permission, we would like to use these images for educational purposes to show people how painful and impossible gardening could be if we allow fire ants to take over our country.
If you are happy for us to use these images, could you please forward them through to myself in the original format?
I look forward to your reply
.
Kind regards
 
Christine Windle

Senior Community Engagement Officer
Biosecurity Queensland Control Centre

Aloe saponaria....this is a major hummingbird magnet so I'm alway glad to see one flowering when we arrive

This plant is one of the original colony. I have moved pieces of it to about a dozen spaces throughout the garden. That way the hummingbirds have more choices. And I have a nice repetitive visual element unifying the garden the garden.

The downside to Florida gardening is the damned fireants! The good news is the weeding is pretty much done.