Noticed a Florida tortoise at the edge of our drive way. We relocated it next to a tree in order to ensure that it would not get hit by a car and provide it with some shade.
The photo above were taken at another location and of another tortoise. This was identified as a gopher tortoise. This tortoise was moving toward to us and biting a small pieces grass which did not let go of. Interesting habits of the wild life existing in and around our property.
We planned to see learning tower in Pisa, Italy for years as you never know when it will finally topple over. When we finally stood there to take photos, we realized how little we really knew about the tower and world heritage site.
It took us more than 20 minutes to walk to the site with a tour guide. The bus could not park close to the site because there is no space for parking.
Piazza Del Duomo started construction in 1064 by building Cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta. Then baptistery construction began in 1152. The construction of bell tower did not begin until1173 and took 177 years to complete. Well, unfortunately the tower was built at a unstable foundation. The tower has been learning forward to south, stopping and learning again.
Because of the sheer number of people visiting the site, it was somewhat of a challenge to take a great picture without someone getting in front of the camera or standing taking their pictures.
We planted this orange bromeliad 5 years ago. It started to produce pups, we called it baby bromeliad, 2 years later. And then more babies and grand babies showed up one after another. Now we have 11 bromeliad plants. The way to separate pups from main bromeliad is to cut as low as possible to the base using a sharp knife. The orange Bromeliad add beautiful color to our back yard, along with filling in some area so passersby can enjoy.
Before Hurricane Erma in Sep. 2017, we decided to secure only one tree — papaya tree. We really did not want to lose that tree with so many papayas. Well, we were lucky. After the hurricane, the papaya tree was standing tall even though we lost many of the banana trees along with lots of branches from the live oak trees. Now, 5 months after Hurricane Erma, we picked the largest papaya we have ever grown with a measure weight of 5 lbs 10.4 oz. There are still many more on the tree that will be ripening over the next month. Looks like we may need some help eating! We did save some seeds from a couple picked earlier in Feb. and will be growing trees from those seeds. Let’s see if we are able to duplicate the success.
When we heard that Hurricane Irma was shifting from direct hit on the east coast to west coast, we learned that we are now actually on the wrong side of the storm. At that point we started to install hurricane shutters on west side of the house which we did not do for Hurricane Wilma, 2005.
It took almost one week to prepare for Hurricane Irma, removing lose objects, filling containers for drinking water, filling gas (car and containers), and securing some of the trees.
So, Hurricane Irma made first landfall in Cudjoe Key, September 10, 9:10 am as Category 4 and then made second landfall in Marco Island, 3:42 pm as Category 3. We lost power for 16 hours starting Sunday night at 10:20 pm, September 10.
It was windy but we knew that Port St. Lucie would only have 50-70 mph wind, enough to knock out the services. We started a generator early Monday morning to support refrigerators, Wi-Fi, TV and RV in case we need AC in RV.
The cleanup efforts took the entire day on Monday, cutting and removing falling down trees, standing up and tying up the trees we may be able to save, cleaning the mess at back yard which is Westside of the house. Now I understand why being on east side of the storm is bad situation.
The crop of Banana trees were pretty much taken out as we lost about 12 of them.
When I was wondering how long it would take to get the power back to the house, one FPL truck drove by so I waved him down. “We lost power” I said. The driver smiled at me and said:” Everybody lost power” I was so happy to see the truck. I knew that they were working hard to get power back to all of us. Before the storm, all kind of utility trucks from Michigan, Texas already arrived in Port St. Lucie and ready to go to work knowing that this would be not only good for the power company, the customers, and more money in their pockets with all the overtime they would be putting in.
I needed a new work bench for the garage. The bench was made with ¾“plywood and 2”x4”x6’ boards. The 2”x4” boards were glued together and then cut to around 30” in length for the legs. A dado blade was use to cut a ¾” slots into the legs to allow the plywood to slide into. This type of construction provides sufficient support to the shelves to allow the shelves to hold the heaviest of tools. The top of the bench was made from 4 each 2”x4”x6’ pieces of lumber glued together then screwed to ensure strength. Because the lumber was not perfectly flat, a piece of ½” plywood was added to the bottom. 6 pocket holes were drilled into the 2”x4” pieces at the top of the base to allow the actual bench top to be secured to the base. Note a slot was provided at the top of the base that would end up between the actual bench top and the base. This area provides sufficient space for the long wood clamps to be stored. The total cost of construction was slightly more than $100.00 as most of the cost was in the purchase of the plywood.
Obviously, I was in need of a shelf above the bench so after staining and securing the material all matched and ended up very functional.
It seems to be a fact that a home gardener in Florida seems to be able to grow vegetable all year long. Now I seem to have accomplished the same thing as long time residents in that I planted 2 little eggplants plants last June which continue to produce. There are close to 2 dozen eggplants (mad apples) on the branches now after 8 months. Around the first of this year, we had already harvested close to that same number and possible more! We must have given away or cooked or earlier harvest. Let us say that it seems like the eggplant plant loves a cold snap every now and then which, seems to cause the flower to produce what else but a MAD-APPLE.
Now our Broccoli was planted after the first of the year because they seem to like cool weather (the leaves burn up when it is too hot). They have been very happy as long as the temperature does not drop to below 20 degree F, which in Florida no one can remember the last time that happened. When we harvest the broccoli head, we leave a little broccoli heard and then we are able to harvest more from the same plant at some future date.
During Florida hot summer, when all other vegetable is suffering from the heat eggplant plant is one of very few that seems to continue growing. Now, after Hurricane Matthew the eggplant plant is growing better along with increasing the number of eggplants produced. The photo below is the third eggplants we harvested. It weights over a pound (1.12 #). We once again made eggplant parmesan from it, and it was mouth watering!
There are at least 6 additional little eggplants so called Mad Apples on the plant as of today with a high potential of making it onto the dinner table.
Hurricane Matthew, Category 4, moved parallel to Florida coast on Thursday, October 6, 2016. It passed us in Port St Lucie perhaps around midnight. The impact to us was minimal. We did not lose power, we did however lose both Internet and local broadcast channels for 2 days, and additionally we lost some fruit trees. Even though the impact was minimal, it still took several days for us to clean up the yard. Hopefully we will continue with only cleanup and loss of fruit trees in the future in this hurricane prone state!
Three Sandhill Cranes visited our back yard. The cranes have grey – reddish skin and red patch on their heads. They were walking along the property line looking for their favorite food under the tree, in the grass etc. More information: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/cranes/sandhill-crane/
The peafowl was another guest that showed up also looking for food. Looks like our yard is going to the birds.
