We have been busy lately and our yard has been neglected. Here is a look around at what has popped up despite us.
Here are the flowers Chris planted in memory of his Aunt. They just keep putting out one flower after another.
A friend gave me this plant and I said "That wont ever live. It looks delicate and like it needs lots of care," and look at it now.
This just popped up I don't know what it is. I think we planted it. (Head scratch.) It looks like it will be something pretty.
Blue berries! They are still green but we should have a handful, if the birds don't get to them first.
Here's the armadillo trap. It's latest location is sure to capture that pest. He He! The armadillo is alive and happy and still going in and out from under our porch.
The compost pile. Sad isn't it. It started off as a huge pile of grass clippings and now it it a small pile of hay with grass growing in it. I think the good stuff from the pile has seeped into the sand. Just like when we put 6 giant bags of compost in our garden and the next year it's back to being sand. The armadillo enjoys digging it up every once in a while.
This is a weed that is growing next to the compost pile. I love this weed it grows every where in my yard and has pretty little flowers. I've seen a plant similar sold in the store only with bigger flowers
The bald cypress is alive and well. Every year when the leaves die off I worry that it has actually died. But happily it keeps coming back.
This is another weed that grows in my yard. People buy these too. They are called Lantana and come in all different colors. I don't like the way it smells.
Here is another weed. It's a tiny little daisy. People don't buy these. I don't think they have enough pretty flowers on them to count.
Not sure what kind of flower this is. My aunt gave it to me along with a bunch of other plants. This is one that survived and looks pretty good I don't think it has ever been with out a flower even in the dead of winter.
Aloe Vera plant. It has a pretty flower. Ours has several flowers this year. They say it is good to put the goo from a broken leaf on your sun burn. It will sooth it.
My mom has these growing like crazy in her yard she is either potting them up as gifts or digging them up to get rid of them. She has several variety's of aloe but this one likes my yard and hopefully it doesn't multiply like hers.
Plumbago! I would have preferred hydrangea better but Chris liked this wild looking plant better. I think it's messy looking and needs a trim. This is the color we are thinking of painting our house. With brown and white trim. Cause the eves are brown and we can't easily change that. So blue and brown house. What do you think?
We have a lot of work to do around the house and garden this summer so check back often to see what we're doing.
We finally decided to go check out the annual Dragon Boat Festival they have every year in Tavares. Since we had never been before we did not know what to expect. Apparently the day before is the big opening ceremony where they have performers from Disney come and do drums and Chinese acrobats and then later fireworks. We missed the live drum performance and martial arts display and mostly watched the race. It was still a lot of fun. A lot to take in. The competitors were very serious and it was really professional. There was an egg roll eating competition earlier that day as well. Next year we will have to go earlier and get the schedule of events.
Apparently the dragon boat racing got started in China when a man, Qu Yuan, threw him self in the river and died. Other people heard about it and raced out to the spot where his body was and splashed their paddles till they could recover his body so the fish wouldn't eat it. and that is that. Now dragon boat racing is a growing sport. And after having experienced it I can see why. It was a lot of fun just to go sit by the lake and watch the boats paddle out and back.
Dinner train! Goes from Tavares to Eustis. I thought it also went to Mt. Dora but I could be wrong.
As we walked up to Wooten park the dinner train pulled in and scared Reeses half to death. He dragged me all the way across the street to avoid it.
We were given the mark of the dragon.
The entrance fee was very reasonably only $3.00 and you could come and go as you pleased as long as you had a dragon stamped on your hand. We wondered threw concession area and threw the area where the drum demonstration was earlier. And then we wondered threw the competitors tents.
Dragon head we found while wondering threw the competitors tents. The t-shirt was $15 not the dragon head.
I think this was on one of the boats at one time or another.
Sitting under the womping tree! You know from Hairy Potter.
We were kind of late in arriving. We were trying to decide if it was going to rain or not. So we didn't get the choice spot, right on the finish line. But I think we got the next best spot right where the teams were getting ready and got in the boats to head out. We sat near a weeping willow tree. And as the wind blew the branches of the tree flew all around hitting anyone with in reach. It reminded me of the womping tree from Harry Potter.
We got to see the competitors march out to get into the boats.
The boats are all the same they just switch teams. I guess they have different divisions that race against each other.
And then we watched them march back in after the races. This went on over and over for each race category.
The weather was windy and cloudy so of course the water was choppy and ruff. We saw a lot of teams bailing water from their boats.
You can really see how ruff the water was.
While we were sitting there a sea plane taxied up and parked. He no doubt was coming to eat at one of the fabulous restaurants or taverns in Tavares.
Look a plane!
Sea plane!
We watched as the boats came and went to line up for the race. Some of them were dressed up. The lady on the front of this boat was dressed like a bumble bee.
Bumble bee lady
On the front of the boat sat a person who beat a drum. And the rowers kept up with her drum beat. On the back stood the guy that steered the boat. We thought with the ruff waves that surely one of them would end up in the water but they seemed to hold on pretty good.
Team lined up on the dock was waiting for a boat to start the next race in. While the boat in the for ground is fighting the current caused by the strong winds.
There is a lot of wind in this video but if you watch the whole thing you can hear the drum on board one of the boats.
All the animals seemed to like watching the boat races as much as we did.
Heron
Not sure what this bird is called it usually hangs out with black birds.
Eyes on the finish line. He even looks excited.
I think he was worried about this boat it was struggling against the wind to dock.
Good shot of one of the teams getting ready behind us.
This kid made a hat from the womping tree branches.
Sea plane!
The sea plane was turned around and ready to head out again. As it was getting even colder and windier we decided not to stay for the end and went ahead and left.
Sea plane!
On the way to the car we decided we may as well grab a bite to eat. We came across another sea plane in the parking lot at Al's Steak and Sea food.
Reese's love'd this bench in front of Al's dockside. Or is it in back?
This is actually the front. You walk up to the back to order.
Al's dockside is outside seating and a very comfortable atmospher. They serve sandwiches and sides.
The brisket sandwich.
Smoked turkey with cold slaw. The cold slaw was actually very good.
And I had pulled pork with curly fries.
We all really enjoyed eating at Al's Barbeque. The food was good and the people working there were very nice and helpful. And the prices were very reasonable for what you got. Over all we had a great time and plan to do it again next year.
