Kaleidoscope

This is hibiscus, currently blooming around my house in four lovely hues of yellow, peach, pinkish purple and red. You can say a whirlwind of color...

The Chinese hibiscus, a native of China, was introduced to Florida by way of the South Pacific and Hawaii. Most hibiscus varieties have one-day flowers; the blossoms open early in the morning and wilt late that afternoon, however, the flowering season is nearly all year in southern Florida!

"I want real flowers, perennials which not only grow and
change and die, but also rise again and astonish me. A garden shouldn't just
bloom and look pretty; it should develop like the rest of life. Otherwise it,
and we, live only to be spaded under." Emma L. Roth-Schwartz

Apparently, the only color I am missing is white. Has anybody ever seen a white hibiscus flower?

Playground

I know how queasy you get by some of my alligator posts, so I intend to exploit it fully ;-)

Here we have another pair of Moorhens frolicking only a few feet away from the gator. This handsome fellow looks to be about 6 feet long (the largest alligator ever recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long or 5.3 meters) and seems totally disinterested. All tuckered out? Full tummy?

Or maybe, with Spring in the air he's more interested in love than war...

Update: Some of your comments made me think - human deaths caused by alligators have increased in recent years (11 people were killed by alligators from 2001 to 2006).
If you want me to continue bringing you these extreme (!) photos, may I suggest that you take up a collection to buy me a camera with a zoom lens, so I don't have to jeopardize my life each day for the cause ;-)

Quiz Tuesday part 14

Calling all naturalists and would-be botanists (Mimmu, you are excused;-). This photo was just taken at my neighbor Bob's garden. Seems like a straightforward question today:

What is this? And for an extra bonus: why is it crying?

Hooked on fishing?

Let's see... So far, we've discussed several attractions Naples has to offer: culture, art, shopping, dining, beach and golf. Another reason to visit us here is the fishing.

Yes, the temperate waters of the Gulf of Mexico provide a good year-round environment for fishing, whether your preferred technique is fly, spin, plug or bait. You can explore on your own (there are plenty of marinas and tackle shops for boat rentals), you can fish without a boat (on our many rivers and at the Naples Pier), you can fish the canals (especially when the tidal currents are strong) and even the beaches (most productive at dawn and at dusk).

But should you decide to charter a boat for a 3-hour fishing trip, like the one pictured above, make sure there's no Gilligan on board ;-)

It's not easy being green...

This special Sunday post is for all you kids, big and small. Look at this green lizard (inspecting the wasp nest in the eaves of the roof) and put yourself in his position: would you want to be green?

If you feel compassionate, go ahead and sing along with Kermit, but I must warn you - if you do, you'll be humming this tune all day long ;-)

"It's not that easy being green;
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves.
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold...
or something much more colorful like that.

It's not easy being green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ord'nary things.
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're not standing out
like flashy sparkles in the water or stars in the sky.



But green's the color of Spring.
And green can be cool and friendly-like.
And green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain,
or tall like a tree.

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why?
Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful!
And I think it's what I want to be."

From "The Sesame Street Book and Record"

Steaming

Psst...Please don't mention it to Chris & Deb but it is so darn hot in Naples lately (close to 90°F/32°C), we need to use this misting fan to cool off at the pool. I know, poor me...And no, it is not my fan, it belongs to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, previously featured here.

Have a cool...er...warm...er...whatever brings you comfort weekend!

Washing day

The striking anhinga, black darter, snakebird, water turkey - whichever name you call this bird in your part of the world - is a frequent star on this blog. He might not be the most graceful looking bird but his personality makes up for it ;-). Check out my previous posts here, there and yonder.

The anhinga is a water bird, a close cousin of a cormorant. It does not have oil glands for waterproofing its feathers like most water birds. So after a quick dive underwater to get a fishy snack, it must spread its wings to dry in the sun.

"The cormorants

hang their feathers

out to dry -

black velvet rags

showing threadbare

in the wind.

Like old women

living in the past,

they tend their

tattered finery

with talon fingers

and black

remembering eyes."

*

Rita Summers Washing Day

March 1st theme day: Men at work

Do you recognize this logo? Do you know its mission? Habitat for Humanity is working to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the face of the earth by constructing and building adequate and basic housing. Their actions are for the ultimate purpose of putting shelter on the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty housing and homelessness become socially, politically, and morally unacceptable in our nations and world.

Man and woman at work - Matt and Jill.

*

I am a proud volunteer in the HH project in my town. In a partnership with generous donors, and deserving homeowner families, volunteers like me build simple, decent homes. Our goal is to eliminate poverty housing from Lee County.

*

This is the toughest job I ever loved...

65 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st March theme, "Men at work", please use the links below to visit them.

1 (Porto (Portugal) ) -2 (Greenville SC (USA) ) -3 (Hyde (UK) ) -4 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -5 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -6 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -7 (Rotterdam (NL) ) -8 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -9 (London (England) ) -10 (Richmond, VA (USA) ) -11 (Sydney -Sally (Australia) ) -12 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -13 (Constanta (Romania) ) -14 (Evry (France) ) -15 (Lubbock, TX (USA) ) -16 (Szentes (Hungary) ) -17 (Villigen (Switzerland) ) -18 (Mumbai (India) ) -19 (Tel Aviv (Israel) ) -20 (Twin Cities, MN [USA] ) -21 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -22 (Houston -Candice & Megan, TX (USA) ) -23 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -24 (Singapore - Zannnie (Singapore) ) -25 (Dubai (UAE) ) -26 (Singapore -Keropokman (Singapore) ) -27 (Madrid -Dsole (Spain) ) -28 (Mazatlan -Kate (Mexico) ) -29 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -30 (Vantaa (Finland) ) -31 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -32 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -33 (Joplin, MO (USA) ) -34 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -35 (Sequim, WA (USA) ) -36 (Menton (France) ) -37 (Minneapolis, MN (USA) ) -38 (Istanbul (Turkey) ) -39 (Sydney -Nathalie (Australia) ) -40 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -41 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -42 (Anderson, SC (USA) ) -43 (Monte Carlo, (Monaco) ) -44 (Milano, (Italy) ) -45 (Grenoble (France) ) -46 (Wailea, HI (USA) ) -47 (Guelph, ON (Canada) ) -48 (Melbourne - John (Australia) ) -49 (New York City (USA) [Ming_the_Merciless] ) -50 (Cebu (Philippines) ) -51 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -52 (Antigua Guatemala (Central America) ) -53 (Hamburg (Germany) ) -54 (London -Jonemo (UK) ) -55 (Hong Kong ) -56 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -57 (Paris (France) ) -58 (Naples, Florida (USA) ) -59 (Saarbrücken (Germany) ) -60 (Shanghai (China) ) -61 (Quito (Ecuador) ) -62 (Zurich (Switzerland) ) -63 (Joensuu ( Finland ) ) -64 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -65 (Cheltenham (England))

After the rain...

Wild orchid after a morning shower. Into each life a little rain must fall...

"Still - in a way - nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small - we haven't the time -
and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time."

Georgia O'Keeffe

Quiz Tuesday part 13

Over the past 100 posts, through your comments left here, I've learned how incredibly verbal, funny, innovative and frankly, a bit disturbed, you really are!
So today's quiz will be a lasting testament to your creativity, should you accept this challenge ;-)

Please give your best answer to : why does the white heron (want to) cross the street?

What's for dinner tonight?

Since this is Lent, what better time to discuss dining out ;-). I've touched on the subject of restaurants here, there and yonder.

" Naples restaurants, as varied, as they are plentiful, offer everything from cutting edge taste sensation, to hearty traditional favorites, and the Naples area has attracted some of the world's top culinary talents. You can sample the tastes of the Caribbean or Italy one evening, tastes of Japan or France the next, and in between, some spicy Cuban or Brazilian cuisine." Florida Travel Guide.

That's all fine and dandy, but if you want some authentic Southwest Florida grub, go for the local favorites like grouper (fish) and chips, Florida stone crab claws, shrimp and scallops.

For those more daring, there is always (alli)gator tail. Bon appétit!

Soaring

Today's post represents how I feel, after the roaring success of my 100th post party yesterday! Thank you all for coming and showing your support for NDP. Nothing can bring me down today, not even my neighbor's complaints about the noise last night ;-)

"Weightless,
I spiral on unseen currents,
loftily, without effort
I leave the earth behind
on a soft breeze
absorbing the kissing sun
up here blanketed from all sound
save the soft flutter
of my feathers.
I oversee the earth,
the continuous struggle
for perspective and position,
knowing my place--
alone,
and uninhibited,
I choose my direction and
remain aloft as long as
it suits me.
I, the hawk,
free as air
define my days,
gliding unnoticed,
dreamlike through broad loops,
my shadow lost in the landscape,
and for an instant,
I know
I am the finishing detail
in God's composition."

Charles Albano