Birds...Beware

Another beautiful day in paradise!  It's just a sultry, August day in Florida, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  Woke up to rain this morning, now it's a steam bath outside.  Hey, at least we're not in triple digits, like part of our country.  I began my August ritual of cutting back roses, especially the knockouts.  I got about a third of the roses done this morning, a couple more sessions, and I'll be ready for a beautiful fall bloom.  I've already told them, 'if you're not great this fall, you will not be here in spring', (yes, like most of you, I talk to my flowers).  Roses are entirely too much work, unless they're going to give back.  While outside this morning, I noticed some lovely blooms on my  saucer magnolias, Magnolia x Soulangeana.  They bloom profusely in late winter- early spring, sometimes a late frost will damage the blooms, like with our azaleas.  The rains, of late, have given them another small flurry of buds and blooms.

I have six of the saucer magnolias on the property.  They're classified as deciduous, but they lose their leaves so late, I hardly notice they're bare before they burst out in leaf again.  This back yard tree, is large enough to offer a shady spot.  I don't take many photos back there, because that's where the Honey's very large shop is located.  There's a small Meyer lemon tree, and a couple Don Juan roses, beyond the sitting area. 

So, while we're visiting the shop anyway, I'll share this...

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This hawk came in a couple evenings ago, looking for dinner at the bird feeders.  They're so beautiful, I just wish they ate birdseed, instead of birds!

The rains have the shade gardens looking very lush...

The way the sunlight played through the alocasia, made it look like an x-ray.

I always have to put up another  curcuma picture...I just love them.

If you've never seen a Blue Ginger, I can't wait to show you this bloom, when it opens.  It has a way to go yet , but they are very unique.

This is where one of my Swallowtail plants is living, on the back deck.

That's all for now, I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful weekend.