Front Yard Photos

Here are some photos from the front yard for a change. They are photos of droplets after a rain and a very tiny purple and green bug - the color isn't very evident in the photos, but he/she/it really was purple and green - who knew something SO tiny could be so beautiful! The yellow flowers are allamanda. I love to do macrophotography, or at least this is my attempt at it.

A Great Story

If you love historic fiction, then go here and read this true story about one of Manatee County, Florida's founders.

There is a lot of other information on the internet if you become interested in researching the characters in the story further. Since that is my modus operandi, I have been scouring the net looking for traces of our heroine, her family and other persons in the tale.

The writer is a kindred spirit, I think, although I've never met her. She loves history, as do I, but most importantly, she is a Christian. That makes us sisters in Christ. The story she is writing doesn't leave out the faith of the characters (that was much more open and acknowledged by the general populace than today), or their flaws. For instance, many Manatee county natives know of the "castle" built by Dr. Braden back in the mid 1800's. If you visit the ruins, you will read about who Dr. Braden was - a pillar of the community, a Dr., etc. But you may not read about his slaves - or if you do, it will be glossed over as just another bit of information.

That's what I love most about this story. The author is teaching me a Christian lesson as I read the history - that is the lesson of trusting God, the journey of faith that a believer goes through as trouble and heartache touch his life - and the best part of all - this is a true story.

So, go and enjoy - so far there are 51 chapters! I took one whole day when I first found this blog, to read up to chapter 45. Since then, I've waited with baited breath for each new installment.

I have also always loved reading about the land before men came and settled it, whether the US East Coast, or the journey of Lewis and Clark in the west - and the way Florida looked before it was bulldozed, canaled and concreted. I once read in another piece of Florida history that below Lake Okeechobee there were moon vines growing in the trees so thickly that you could walk on top of the trees as if on a giant rug for miles. I cannot even imagine this, since now, the area below Lake Okeechobee is farming country, and the lake itself is surrounded by a dike. Oh, to have seen Florida in those days. There are photos of Coconut Grove with only one dirt road and the knowledge that panthers could be in the thick tropical trees anywhere. This story, "Eliza's Story", then, is another glimpse of a part of Florida before development. Florida in it's natural state - I can only sit back, close my eyes and imagine how beautiful it was.

I love it when I find such a, for me, perfect blog. History, Christianity, a great story - it's like coming home!

Back Yard Photos

I love to photograph insects and flowers. This morning, when my husband and I were about to leave the house for Target to get a new bicycle pump, I noticed this green fellow just sitting on the outside wall of the house. Here are two views of him - click on them for a larger view.




Next, when we got back from the store, I went into the backyard and took some pictures of a knight anole lizard that loves to hang out in our bushes.





It looks like he's playing hide and seek - actually, he wants me to go away....

Next these flowers from a weed that grows everywhere in South Florida - the seeds can be used to make one of the deadliest poisons known to man - ricin - but I just like the flowers, and keep the one bush of it cut back so that it doesn't take over.

Then there is my Lantana from the Everglades - we just uprooted a wild bush and replanted it in our yard - the butterflies love it.

Last but not least, another wild bush from the Everglades - Beautyberry. The birds love these berries and I love the color. We uprooted this also and replanted it in our back yard.


My favorite colors together in art and nature are purple and green. Those colors make my heart sing and my eyes jump for joy!

I Haven't Disappeared

I'm still here. I'm just a bit overwhelmed at present, but I hope to post more LaVerne memorabilia tomorrow.....