ELUSIVE BUTTERFLY CAPTURED

After many failed attempts today was the day. I was finally able to get close enough to this butterfly to capture his picture. I don't know a lot concerning butterfly's but I can tell you that this joker is quick. I can also tell you that he doesn't like to pose for the camera. As to his identity I can't say mainly because I don't know. But to be sure these guys love Lantana Flowers and hate folks chasing them around with a camera.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Speaking of things that I don't know brings me around to this small tree or large bush. I have had it for around five years and it has bloomed the past two. The lady who gave it to me spoke only Portuguese and my small spattering of Spanish left us unable to communicate. She was a really nice lady but I couldn't understand a word she said. Anyway if you recognize what this bush is please to leave a comment and let me know. The bush is blooming now and is spectacular.--------------------------------------------------------

Cuban Buttercup plants are sprouting up now. The parent plant grew to big and I pulled it up. This one is a free new baby in the garden. I'm going to keep it as it is a volunteer.

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I brought the CHRISTMAS CACTUS out and put it in its place of display for the Holiday season. Most of the year it is hanging in the back of the yard from an avocado tree. It stays there out of sight with no care slowly filling up with avocado leaves until this time of year. I cleaned it out and put it up front on display. It never complains of lack of attention. This guy is over five years old and still going strong.--------------------------------------------------------------

And one last find for today. As I was cutting back some plants that had fallen over in a storm I found this guy under the debris. It is one of the Croton cuttings that I had thought the dogs had trampled. I haven't seen this plant for months. Its still hanging on even though the bush had been lying on top of it. I will put this guy in a container and let him recover and get some sunlight. -------------------------------sanddune-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: IF YOU CAN HELP ID THE BUTTERFLY OR THE YELLOW BUSH PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.

FIRST FALL TOMATO

Today marks a big day in my quest for a Victory garden to sustain the homestead. I discovered my first fall tomato ripe for the picking. It was on this Everglades Tomato plant that has been struggling to survive the South Florida summer heat. This plant grew up wild as it had reseeded itself

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And there it is ripe, juicy and in it's prime!

Well, ok maybe I will have to rethink my goal of being self sufficient for the time being.

But it is a start however humble.

Ever heard the saying that, the longest journey begins with the first step. Well there you go.

All that remains now is to figure out how to dice this fella up to feed the family.

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MORNING COFFEE

My favorite place to enjoy my morning coffee is sitting on my own back porch. I can relax and enjoy the view of my backyard garden while trying to pick out what is new or has changed. It is a great place to mull over future projects or just watch the wildlife. I think that is really the secret zen that makes gardening addictive.

You can garden at home without having to go anywhere and enjoy the peace, quiet, and beauty of nature.

Having your own garden gives you a sense of pride in your gardening successes and humility in your gardening failures.

Gardening is a last frontier that the government hasn't figured out how to tax yet. There is no entry fee and you can stay as long as you like.

I am always rewarded with something new like this Morning Glory bloom from a plant that reseeded itself.

Or the help of fellow gardeners who will share their knowledge
to help you succeed. They have discovered the secret also.

This young fellow is an American Beautyberry sprouted from seed. I traded some of my excess seeds for the beautyberry seeds with a fellow gardener up around Tampa,Florida. I am hoping to grow this guy and one other beside my bird feeder to attract the birds to its Berry's.


Besides the plants the different birds put on a show for free. They like the security of the nearby bushes as well as the free hand out from the feeder. While the birds here are not as colorful as in other places they provide entertainment.

The doves in the picture are the most prominent but others hang out throughout the day.

There are now four bluejays that stay close by now. They are chasing each other around most of the time. As well as a whacked out Mockingbird that sings late at night. It is amazing to watch him preform his acrobatics chasing and catching bugs in midair.

I am trying to incorporate in my garden a bird friendly habitat because they add so much to the Gestalt. Enough rambling time for a second cup of coffee.--------sanddune-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE- DON'T BE SHY. COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AND APPRECIATED. AFTER ALL I CAN USE ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.

CROSSANDRA SEEDS

Earlier this spring I tried to germinate some of my oldest saved seeds. I found some that were dated 06-20-2007 that I had collected from one of my garden plants. I had put them in a envelope and wrote yellow bush and the date on the outside.

This guy was the only one that eventually germinated but do to the age of the seeds I was happy to get one come up.


As the plant grew it finally became familiar to me.

Here is the plant now in bloom.

The seed labeled yellow bush that was a mystery plant is now recognized as a CROSSANDRA.

Best as I recall I had both yellow and orange bloom plants

and mixed the seeds of both when I collected them. This guy was obviously one of the orange bloom seeds.

The Crossandra is a tropical plant from Sri Lanka and India. It loves the high heat and the high humidity in South Florida. Mine do best when partially shaded from the hottest sun exposure.

There are several hybrid types out now that don't produce seed in bloom colors of red, orange or yellow.

My older plants have weathered over from several years back and I do get seeds to propagate more.

Today while staking up some of my older plants that were beat down from a rain storm last night, I discovered some dried out seed stalks.

I was able to extract some fresh seeds from this older Cassandra. I separated the seed from the chaff and stored the saved seed in a recycled old pill bottle.

These seeds will be started this week in the hope of some new plants . As with all the seeds I attempt to start I have my fingers tightly crossed.
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A REAL TROPICAL WATERGARDEN FROM CENTRAL AMERICA

It only stands to reason that if you want to see and learn about tropical plants you visit the real tropics.

From all the cash saved from frugal spending in my own backyard garden my reward was this trip.

The wife and I spent the day at the Tabacon Resort at the bottom of the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. For native Floridians or " flatlanders" being at the bottom of a active volcano was new. Hoping that it didn't chose this day to explode also added to the excitement.

This place is loaded with tropical plants of all kinds and has pathways leading throughout the gardens.

It also has thermal hot springs heated from the volcano. The average water temperature is 102 F so it is like a natural hot tub. There are areas all along the pathways where you can jump in the spring water and just soak while taking in the scenery.

Some of the plants here I have in my own backyard. This yellow shrimp plant pictured here being one of them.










The naturally heated mineral spring water has been directed through landscaped waterfalls.

These streams lead down to the ponds where you can get into the water.


It is obvious that the staff here work to maintain this garden. The entire time that we were here I did not see one piece of litter and the gardens were immaculate.

Another of the stepped streams flowing down into the gardens.

Anyone planning a water garden I would advise them to first visit this place. Strictly for educational purposes of course.

It is strong motivation for me to be extra frugal with my backyard oasis project so I can save to revisit here.
Again, strictly for educational purposes of course.---sanddune-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ITS LEANER, MEANER, AND GREENER

The lawn mower project is finished. After the final paint was sprayed on the mower was left overnight to dry.

Today I assembled all the parts back on and fired her up to give her a lawn trial.

All the while under the watchful gaze of this critter. I don't exactly know what it is but I call them lawn storks. They hang around in groups here and wander up and down the yards plucking out grubs and bugs from the lawns. lawn mowing seems to attract them as maybe they can see the bugs more easily and pluck them out with their long beaks.


Anyway the mower is now officially Key Lime Green with a smattering of Gloss Black thrown in for good measure.

She fired right up with a little coaxing and plowed down the nearly foot tall grass with nary a whimper of complaint.
With her new makeover and a freshly sharpened blade this mower seems to have taken on a new attitude.

I can now mow the lawn without the six foot high shower of grass clippings ejected from and showering down from the open rust holes like a ticker tape parade.

Today she seemed to strut through the grass with a new confidence or perhaps it was just me effected by the heat.---sanddune--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------