Pictures of the Week 2008-1
Hello All,
This is the first of our little blurbs for 2008. We have managed to get a little cool, wet and windy weather here in Central Florida. But, the temperatures are back up into the mid 70’s again and forecast to stay that way for the foreseeable future. That’s why we keep returning here in the winter.
Our bird feeders have been busy with all types of little guys feeding away. Dave was talking on the phone a while back when a Tit Mouse started pecking away on our window. He was really pounding away!! This little guy was evidently seeing his reflection in the tinted window and was staking out his territory. He stuck around for about three weeks trying to drive off this guy he thought was invading his space.
This is the first of our little blurbs for 2008. We have managed to get a little cool, wet and windy weather here in Central Florida. But, the temperatures are back up into the mid 70’s again and forecast to stay that way for the foreseeable future. That’s why we keep returning here in the winter.
Our bird feeders have been busy with all types of little guys feeding away. Dave was talking on the phone a while back when a Tit Mouse started pecking away on our window. He was really pounding away!! This little guy was evidently seeing his reflection in the tinted window and was staking out his territory. He stuck around for about three weeks trying to drive off this guy he thought was invading his space.
This past week we visited the
Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. We found the fifty acre garden to be
wonderfully relaxing. With three miles of trails it was a nice way for us to
get our daily walk. The garden is a local showplace featuring camellias, azaleas,
roses and huge towering oaks covered with Spanish Moss.
Mr. Leu was an Orlando native
who built a successful local industrial supplies business. For over 25 years he
and his wife developed their estate. They traveled extensively collecting
plants from many parts of the world. It has one of the largest collection of
camellias in the United States. The collection consists of over 2000 specimens
that bloom from October to March. Mr. and Mrs. Leu donated their home and the
surrounding gardens to the City of Orlando in 1961.
In the garden we came across a
most unusual tree. It was called a Lipstick Tree. It had clusters of bright
red-orange colored thorny seed pods. One of the workers said it is used to make
food and lipstick coloring. He said it was very easy to grow and asked if we
would like some seeds to take home. He said that the tree first blooms and then
develops the seed pods. It was a new first for us.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns