Florida Botanical Gardens

Linda and I took off for the Botanical Gardens last night. I couldn't stop her from wanting to have her picture taken. Usually she hides from the camera. I even told her there was a rat in the bushes, when she posed in front of the heart. It didn't stop her from wanting to be in the picture.

Click on the picture in the slide show,and you will be directed to the album. On the top left hand side it will read slide show. Click on that and see bigger pictures.

Linda wanted me to use the flash and take a picture of this plant. I have no idea what it is. Might have to go there in the morning, but knowing Katie she'll tell me. She's the one that told me the green grasshopper is named Katydid.

Green Grasshopper in the AM

Susie and Charlie have a routine. They get up a 5:00 AM every morning to do their morning business, and then have breakfast. As Charlie was finishing her breakfast, I headed out to the drive to retrieve the paper.

As you can see, there was a fairly large bug on the screen door. What can I say? My camera is always near, and even the bugs catch my attention. I should modify my last statement. The "Florida State Bug", isn't fascinating at all. It being the cockroach, creeps me out.

When we first moved here, we were standing in the garage with the door wide open, at night. Something flew in and hit Linda in the head. It was the size of a hummingbird. Turned out to be a Palmetto Bug, a cockroach with wings. It was one of the reasons I used to refer to this state as, "this God forsaken state!"

A bit of odd ball news. People are actually importing cockroaches to Florida. To either feed their exotic reptiles, or keep as pets. One of these, is the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. Just what we need, a cockroach that gets up to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. If the size doesn't freak you out, the hissing will.

Where's Charlie?

I'm not a very good dog owner. I let the dog dig in the back yard. She's so cute. She'll dig so deep that you can't see her head. Lucky for us, she doesn't dig near the fence. I just have to remember to fill the holes. With Linda's new hip, I don't want her stepping in one of them.

I think Charlie would have a great time in my home state. We always had moles in Bellingham, WA. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't have such a great time. When there is something in the star fruit tree, she won't come in until she's tired of jumping and barking.

Largo Central Park

Every year Linda and I look forward to the Christmas Decorations in Largo Central Park. I believe the park is 70 acres, in "downtown" Largo. (I used quote marks on the word downtown, because this city looks like a giant strip mall. I lived in Bellingham, WA and they had a real downtown.)

I won't write too many comment. Most of the night I was changing shutter speeds, ISO, and white balance to see what I could come up with.
Santa wants to be Elton John?


Usually I have to beg Linda to get in the photo. This time she suggested it.


Gingerbread house.

Getting Closer

I don't know why, but the cardinal seems to like to perch in the tree with the sun behind him. On the 13th I caught him in the morning, just east of me. Wouldn't you know, I forgot to change my ISO setting. I had been fooling around with night shots, and it was set at 3200.

Boat Parade

Joan invited us to her 9th floor condo in Gulfport to see the boat parade. Every year members of the Boca Ciega Yacht Club decorate the boats with lights. This year there were many participants.

We've had a cold front move into the state, and I thought I would need more than a sweat jacket. But it turned out quite pleasant, even down near the sea wall. We got a break, because we didn't have any wind.

Can hardly tell that this is a sail boat.