Cats and Feathers

ABOVE: Ramone and Damien Roscoe Roth (the DRR Tabby). . . spend their mornings in the sun room. They are very unlikely best buddies. Both are extremely timid.



ABOVE: Art? A shot along one of the walks through our woods in Deltona, this afternoon.



ABOVE: Dell-Roy. He's becoming my best buddy.



ABOVE: Scrawny Felix in the front window with the DRR Tabby.

Sage

There was a lot of sage blooming today along my walk route. I believe this to be Lyre-leaved Sage (Salvia lyrata L.). It was a nice walk down to the river. Walking back up the long hill it got quite warm. So much for our cool weather.



The Florida sages are in the mint family (Lamiaceae). These were attracting a lot of bees as you can see in the images above and below. I couldn't smell or taste the plant as I have a little cold and can smell nothing.



The other possible identification of this species is Blue Sage (Salvia azurea Lamarck). Either way, it was nice to see something new blooming as I walked through the pine lands to the swamps along the St. Johns River.

Check out the other new photos at my other blogs:

Phillip's Natural World and Phillip's Natural World III

Asters and Dell

I photographed these Aster Elliottii (Torrey and Gray) near Thornhill Lake this afternoon. The lake is a short hike off of SR 415 near Deltona. The flowers are a bright violet which caught my eye. They are occurring in the swampy ditches of the lowlands. This area is currently being destroyed by road widening and other construction along and near SR 415. The aster -- like the wetlands and Thornhill Lake -- are so insignificant to Floridians that they merit no common name. This stand was about 5 feet tall.



Since 2004 the Thornhill Lake Archaeological Research Project (see Southeastern Archaeology at UF) has been investigating sites within the Lake Monroe Conservation Area along the St. Johns River in southwest Volusia County. The current construction is creating a massive scar across the conservation area.

I can't imagine there will be much left of this area once the current construction is complete and when normal rains return. More asphalt = higher water levels. Its a shame. Behind me were 30 - 50 foot mounds of soil being trucked in for the new road.



BELOW: Dell-Roy hides from me this morning. I often forget to look up when searching for this cat. I let him out a few hours at a time. He spends most of his life in the laundry room while awaiting adoption to a single cat family.