Potpourri …

… Otherwise known as almost the end-of-the-season catch-all.

 

 

We had a lot of busy days here at the Canal Cottage this season and most of those days were filled with repair and renovation projects.   So there weren't a whole lot of photo opportunities in the neighborhood, but the morning skies almost always deliver, no matter what the rest of the day brings.

 

 

I kept up with the doings of our local Eagles again this season.  Just like  hundreds of other people locally and thousands all over the world because of the web-cam.   There wasn't time this year to spend hours waiting for the perfect picture, but we pass the Eagle pasture almost every time we leave the cottage, so one day earlier this month we made a quick stop.    

 

At the Eagle Pasture, 2023

It was quite a year for these neighbors.  Just a few days after I wrote about the two new eaglets back in  January  the matriarch Harriet  flew off  in pursuit of intruders.  Sadly, she never returned.   Besides mourning the mother eagle many have watched for years, there was fear  for the eaglets who, at that stage, were still totally dependent on their parents for food and all care.  Usually the pair of adult eagles alternate hunting for food and protecting the eaglets on the nest.   So it was amazing to see the male Eagle completely assume their care and feeding and to see the eaglets remain safe in the nest while he was out hunting for food to bring back to  them.  Both eaglets grew successfully to fledge and, as of this date, one has flown away to begin its new life.  The other remains in the pasture area, well past the nestlings usual departure time.   It is taking care of itself while the male parent has left the area the way that the adults normally do every year after their offspring leave the nest.     Eagle watchers  can but await the next season.     

 

We did manage one more mid-week getaway earlier this month. 

We didn't go to Cuba  (and I'm pretty sure if we did they'd spell their capital  city  with just one "n").  This Havanna (Cafe) is in  Everglades City  near where we stayed.  The food is good and there's a really pretty garden area with outdoor tables.   

 

 

This is a  Royal Poinciana tree in a neglected village yard  in the Everglades.  It's all gnarly and unpruned and un-cared for and some jungly palmetto plants have entwined themselves around it.    But it's still so bright and cheerful even in neglect.  Everything grows in this climate. 

 

We almost had to get out of town this year to give Bill a little respite!      He enjoys having projects but rest and recreation is important too.   I'm beyond grateful that he was able to accomplish so much.  The Canal Cottage is now actually better than back to pre-hurricane status.    Quite a few of the other small homes in our resort are still awaiting repairs because people haven't yet been able to get on the  busy schedules for the appropriate repair persons.

 

 

Sometimes on a morning walk, I remember to look down instead of up at the beautiful sky!

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts.

MOSAIC MONDAY;   NATURE NOTES; THROUGH MY LENS; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; SIGNS SIGNS;  THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  and  SATURDAY CRITTERS