Photo-a-Day Challenge

Bleak, Brisk, Gray, and Golden

My week in photos

Sunday was wet — all day. Not drenching rain. Slow, soaking, dripping, drizzly rain. The good kind that the earth drinks in sips.

Our walks were squeezed in around the precipitation. Each time the weather radar showed a break in the rain, I’d grab Syau and head out the door: several walks, but short ones. Even so, we got caught in a shower once. Syau was very displeased.

Starting our walk Monday morning, the sky was blanketed with clouds. Before we returned home 30 minutes later, the sky was mostly blue.

But it didn’t last. More clouds moved in. Most of the day was overcast, but the sun broke through for a few minutes during our afternoon walk when Syau took me to a pond we hadn’t visited in a long time.

While Ben was at dialysis, I baked pumpkin bread. Then, I worked in the evening—a typical Monday.

I walk by this tree often but have never noticed the Turkey Tail fungi growing in one of its crevices. Isn’t it lovely?

It was cool Tuesday morning — 53F — the precursor of our first true cold spell of the season.

Other than several Eastern Bluebirds and a few American Crows, our Tuesday morning walk was birdless.

We were under a freeze warning Tuesday night, but it didn’t get quite that cold. It was 36F when we awoke at 6:45 am on Wednesday and only one degree warmer when Syau and I headed out the door at 7:20. It was our first 30-degree weather of the season and unusually cold for November.

This Gray Squirrel didn’t seem to mind the nippy weather as he chomped on breakfast.

Neither did this Eastern Phoebe. Although the Phoebe’s colors aren’t flashy, I think the yellow and dark brown are extremely attractive.

Ben and I had an early morning meeting to reapply for a special assistance program through his insurance. I tried to complete the application online as instructed, but the website was glitchy and confusing, and I kept getting kicked off. After fussing around for an hour on Tuesday, I found forms to download and complete. Having been told several months ago that his application must be made online, I wasn’t sure if a paper submission was acceptable. Calling the office’s number only allowed me to schedule an appointment. I was dreading it — certain that the paper application would be refused. Inexplicably, we were told his program had already been renewed. Huh? How did that happen? No one knew, but one of the clerks said, “It’s a gift. Just say thank you.” Not trusting that his status would remain active, I asked for proof. The clerk gave me a certified paper saying he’s enrolled through 2024. Yes, I was relieved but also annoyed. I spent an hour trying to apply online, 30 minutes completing the paper application, and 30 minutes driving to and from the office for nothing.

I didn’t work Wednesday evening, and I hope to make that a habit as I decrease my hours in preparation for retirement in 2024.

Another freeze warning for Wednesday night. It was colder Thursday morning than the previous day — 34F — but we again escaped freezing temperatures.

Thursday morning was a bust for photos, so I walked with my camera in the late afternoon. The squirrel above stayed upright for several minutes and let me get surprisingly close.

A few steps later, I saw this two-year-old Ibis. How do I know he’s two years old? American White Ibises are born brown. During their first year, they are brown above and white below. During their second year, they begin losing their brown feathers. This bird will molt into its white plumage in the spring.

The sun was slowly sinking when I came across this Eastern Bluebird basking in the final rays of daylight. He was just one of several Bluebirds on the utility lines.

A warm front rolled in on Friday, and this was our beautiful morning. Our 7:00 am temperature was 21 degrees warmer than Thursday, and our afternoon hit 83F.

One street in our neighborhood has an unusual number of Northern Cardinals. I have no idea why, but I never walk there without seeing several. They hide in tree foliage in the summer but are easily spotted on bare branches at this time of year.

A neighbor gave me this Poinsettia last Christmas. I had never successfully kept these plants alive past February, so I set it by my front door, figuring it would be dead before March. In the past, I’ve done what horticulture sites tell you to do with a Poinsettia. Didn’t work. Since I see some gorgeous Poinsettias growing in yards around here, I planted one in the ground a few years ago. Didn’t work.

For this one, I only gave it water occasionally while waiting for its demise.

It lived. It thrived. It turned green.

Encouraged, I repotted the Poinsettia in June and put it back by the door, where it stayed during our wickedly hot summer. I don’t care if it turns red, but websites say, if that’s your goal, the plant needs total darkness for 14 hours a day for eight weeks.

My front area gets lots of sunshine in the fall. Despite all the rays of sun that my plant soaked up, it has begun turning red. Which is fine if that’s what it wants to do, but I’d be perfectly happy should it remain green.

While Ben was at dialysis, I worked for one client in the afternoon and another in the evening.

From 34F on Thursday at 7:00 am to 70F on Saturday. This is why cold weather is so difficult for Floridians. Our bodies can’t adjust when we go so rapidly from one extreme to another. Often, I’ve seen winter temperatures rise 40 degrees from sunrise to noon.

Although Red-Bellied Woodpeckers are the most common woodpeckers in Florida, I don’t see them as often as Pileated, Red-Headed, and Downy Woodpeckers, so this one was a treat.

Another overcast day. Rain came across Florida to the north of us, but we remained dry.

Since I often see this Little Blue Heron in the neighborhood, I named him Mori, short for Morado, which means purple in Spanish. I determined the bird was a male from the size of his body and beak. I hope he hangs around through the winter.

While I worked all day, Louise Peacock kindly managed Weeds & Wildflowers, as she also did on Friday.

Another month, another week, and soon, another year.

© Dennett 2023

If you don’t already participate in the Weeds & Wildflowers Photo-a-Day Challenge, I hope you will join us. This is our third year sharing our lives, neighborhoods, activities, travels, and experiences through photos and short narratives.

Here is a list of our Photo-a-Day storytellers:

Erika Burkhalter / Eileen Vorbach Collins / Anne Bonfert / Sasha Meyer / Tracy Aston/ Lisa Bolin / Juan O. Aguilera / David Wade Chambers / June Nguyen / Mia Verita / Susan Alison / LensAfield / Barbara Radisavljevic / Diana Lotti / Barbara Dalton / Kim Zuch / K. Barrett / Sandra Barrett / Shruthi Sundaram / Gustavo Mendez / Olive Wilson / Jane Frost (Jane Grows Garden Rooms) / Jillian Amatt / Scott Younkin / Penny Grubb / Shell Parsons /Ivy Shepherd / Lynne Nardizzi / Ken Martin / Amethyst Qu / Beth Bruno / Julia A. Keirns

Please let me know if you’ve participated in the Photo-a-Day Challenge and don’t see your name here.