Citrus!

Our days have started to really cool down, for here, 32f/0.0C the last two nights. The leaves are falling, a little, and the citrus is ripe!!  There are kumquats, grapefruit and Meyer lemons in this picture. The nice thing about citrus is that it stays ripe on the tree for a long time. these trees are in our driveway circle.

Intra Coastal Waterway

The Intra Coastal Waterway, or ICW, goes right by our dock. The water is constantly changing, as water will do. It has been a good week of changes.

The curious incident of the giant flyswatter.

Your intrepid blogger was on hand when the giant flyswatter took out an unsuspecting Accord. Shouldn't speed on our road!

Orange and yellow, Jax Beach

Sand triceratops, P.V. Beach

It is the time of year when Northeast winds scour some of the light sand from the darker sand below. I saw a triceratops here. I drink, you know.

Autumn peppers, garden

This year has been a record year for my chili peppers, of all varieties. I have discovered the secret to growing them. Buy from a reputable business, Ace Hardware in this case. Plant in a large container with good garden soil. I buy black plastic tubs from my favorite nursery, Plant Ranch. They are the size that trees come in. Before I fill them I duct tape over two of the four drain holes, on the inside. Fill with dirt, put in a little fertilizer and water regularly for three weeks. Then go to Provence for ten weeks with a very kind neighbor watching my garden. Come back to find the plants are four feet tall and covered with fruit. My neighbor tells me that he only watered the week after I left. After that we had enough rain here to keep them going. They have a lovely heat and I have been using them fresh in chilis and soups. Now they are drying off. The skin goes from a typical pepper skin, to a dryer, leathery skin, shown here, with incredible reds to browns, and then to a brown papery skin. They retain the lovely tasty heat even when dry, so I will be set for winter. My only regret is that the markers that told me which exact pepper they are, were lost over the summer, so I don't know what variety they are. Luckily I have a lot of seeds.

Muhly grass and 20mm f/1.7

Muhly grass is a very popular landscape grass around here. It is very hardy and makes a nice, innocuous tuft of grass all summer long. It the Autumn it sends up these incredible inflorescences in a stunning magenta that fades to a nice yellow.

The first two lenses that I bought when I moved into Micro 4/3 were the Olympus 90mm f/1.8 that I posted pictures from a few days ago , and the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 a semi normal length. It was very sharp but had a big problem, it took forever to focus. So, it slowly made it's way to the back of my lens shelf. I saw a comment on Michael Johnston's T.O.P. blog that indicated that the newer bodies made it focus faster. I have a Lumix G9 so, on it went...and voila! much faster focus. It is still a sweet lens so it's at the front of the shelf.

For Rei, Spider lily, MSD

Sorry Rei, couldn't resist. Saw this just today.

Dew on Muhly grass, PV Blvd.

Testing out my new 45mm f/1.8 Olympus lens on a walk.

 Sun room, Roscoe

 PVIC pool

 Morning light, PVIC

 Bike rack

 Janie's shadow and urn.

Beach grass

New web, garden

Bamboo, MSD

Two trees, garden, Roscoe

Blue-eyed chicken, Atlantic Beach

For Martina, we grow 'em big here.

Squirrel art with Monstera.

It is not untrue that squirrels will do anything to get your attention, if they feel safe. I was pruning Monsteras all last week, under a Live oak by the water. I noticed some fine sawdust falling on me. I looked up and there were a couple of squirrels chewing on acorns, directly above me. Of course, I yelled at them and they kept eating. I moved to another Monstera, under a hickory, and pruned there. Soon there was sawdust in the air again.  Now there were piles of leaves everywhere, but there was only sawdust on the two piles I had worked. on that day. Even when I feed the little beggars whole peanuts, they run up a tree and open them right over my head. No wonder they drive dogs crazy.

The habaneros are ready. Chili soon.

Pruning day.

There are four large Philodendron Monstera growing at the base of a Live oak near the water. I haven't paid them much attention and they took over. So today I went pruning. I filled our wheelbarrow 4 times with leaves. About one out of five stems has been hollowed our by very aggressive nasty little ants. After a few bites I learned to spot an affected branch and send the ants for a swim in the Intracoastal. I am ahead for a change, but in two months they will be sneaking back. A garden is never finished.

Notary, Vilano Beach

This is a funky little faux Art-Deco Italian restaurant in Vilano Beach. The notary sign completes it. Have a great plate of lasagna and get you will notarized.

Swan in bubbles, PVB

Apt, with bubbles

I don't know where the bubbles came from.

Love it again, Beach Blvd.

Garden tips.

I bought and planted six chili pepper plants in containers in my garden. They were just flowering a little when we went to Provence to cavort with German friends and others, for ten weeks. I held out hope of harvesting a few peppers when we returned. Well, it rained almost every day we were gone and my good neighbor, Clyde, watered on the off days. Now all six plants are huge and covered with peppers......quite hot too. I have mastered the garden art of benign neglect.

My little Hercules

Painting newly repaired termite damage. She's a dynamo.

Plant Ranch, Jax Beach

My favorite nursery.

We deliver, Jax Beach

Limonade, Isle sur la Sorgue

As the two Janes say, "Nothing tastes as good as the good Pschitt!"

Chicory, Saignon

Roadside plants both here in the U.S. and Provence.

Fountain pot, Saiognon

Slowly, these new pots are building some character.

Broom, Saignon

Happy grandfathers, Saignon

Brothers, Saignon

The Chaix boys.

Inadvertent origami, Angry chicken, Saignon

Inadvertent origami, dancing woman, Reillanne

Umbrella and legs, Saignon

Fredo, Saignon

Fete de la Musique, Saignon

Customer, Isle sur la Sorgue

Happier guy, Doppio

This guy was happier than the one below.

Baby, Isle sur la Sorgue

This guy had a "What are you looking at?" attitude.

Weeds, Saignon