Key West Flora

These are some shots taken while driving about in Key West. This is a banyon tree, and those hanging roots will touch down and become another tree connected to the mother tree.

The red flowers are the Royal Poincianna tree, another common Keys tree.

Bougainvilla spills over a wall, the tall palm is a royal palm and the corner tree is a Norfolk pine, planted for masts.

Different colors of bougainvilla, and some other tropical flowering plants.

This is so typical, and colorful. The square things are crab traps. The floats hang from almost everything. I had them hanging in my silver buttonwood tree when I lived in Little Torch Key, as well as orchids.

Just thought you might like to check out the flora as I usually go for the fauna.

I love the foliage in the Keys...Colorful like the people who live there.

Keys Critters

Keys critters are not all 'furry'. I have so many pictures and less time to blog, but I thought I would start this set of blogs with a few pictures of some of what I saw while back 'home' in the Florida Keys.


To the left is a white crane, this taken on a bridge in Bahia Honda State Park.

This is a very common sight in the Big Pine area, it's an iguana, and they get really huge, 4 or 5 feet but this guy is little. They swim and climb trees and the hot weather is perfect for them.


The Key deer are also common on Big Pine, and they are tiny. This one was grazing on scrubby plants and grass at the Blue Hole, and that is where the alligator is..its a fresh water hole that attracts the deer and lots of birds and yes, gators.

This doe was resting in the mangroves in my friends back yard. They are very friendly and have no fear of humans, which causes a problem, because everyone wants to feed them and that isn't a good idea for the deer in that it keeps them staying in one spot,defecating and reinfesting themselves with parasites instead of the norm for deer, which is grazing while travelling about a larger area. Another problem is them getting killed by cars. The speed limit of 30 mph is strictly enforced on the island interior, and God help you if you hit one !

The keys are a unique set of islands and the scenery and the flowering shrubs and trees are so beautiful year round...but that's another blog.

Fishin',Floatin' and Flyin'.

On Memorial Day weekend, we took a 4 wheel trip to the Pigg River.

Caine loved sitting in the chair, but the current was a tad strong for his size, so he sat and sipped his juice and then took a turn at fishing. After losing his worm,twice, I was again re-worming the hook when he said,"Just put a fish on it Grandma." Can't argue with that logic.

On Monday, the neighbors and I floated the Pigg. Bob had to work, but his knees don't do well in a kayak nor a canoe for a 6 hour float. We had my red kayak, Clays green one, Melissa's flat bottom boat and my canoe. It was a good float for Melissa,Troy and Samantha;Lauralee and her guy;Sissy and Burger and me.
The hummingbirds are back big-time! I think they have brought all their offspring for years back! I can't keep up with the sugar water,once again.I tried to capture some of them this morning while having coffee. Here's the results:






The noise from so many birds is incredible.Buzzing and screeching. It is fascinating.
The still pictures don't do them justice, but you get the idea by all the blurred blobs around the feeders. (Of course you know if you click on the picture it will come up full screen size...)
Kind of like watching an aquarium, the blood pressure just slows.

Country is good.