Filatore: July 2007

July 31 (Tuesday): Image #212

Look at that beautiful, unspoiled tract of dairy lusciousness. Like the untouched, virgin slopes of fresh powder, full of potential. And Neopolitan...the best of three flavors all rolled into one. Triple your pleasure, triple your fun.

July 30 (Monday): Image #211

On August 9th, I leave for Alaska on a trip with Samaritan's Purse. More details about the trip will come later, but today I got a box full of shirts, hats and other goodies.

July 29 (Sunday): Image #210

Of course this is a staged photo. Everyone wants their picture taken so they can be on Filatore's photo of the day! I think that Sarah (left) has been jealous ever since her husband Chet appeared back on June 28, and Elizabeth (married to Keith, whose picture appeared on June 24th) is always hamming it up for the camera!

July 28 (Saturday): Image #209

It's late in the day on Saturday evening. It's raining.

I'm home alone with only the cat for photo inspiration.

July 27 (Friday): Image #208

Did you know that some people make a living selling shark's teeth that they find? I found an online site that sold them for as much as $400!! I wonder how much I could get for this tiny tooth I found at the beach today. . .

July 26 (Thursday): Image #207

Trying my luck at a little small engine repair. The bad news is that it didn't work. The good news is it's not mine, it's my neighbors!

July 25 (Wednesday): Image #206

There is no question about it--the Tour de France is my favorite three weeks of television watching for the entire year. I'm glad it only lasts for three weeks, because I am addicted while it's on.

July 24 (Tuesday): Image #205

A Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) looks for breakfast. Taken from my back patio around 6:45 this morning.

July 23 (Monday): Image #204

Back on March 29th (Image #88), I took a picture of hundreds of tiny grasshoppers that were in our driveway. It is the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea guttata), and check out how big it is almost 4 months later!

By the way, if you are really sharp, you might notice it is hanging out on the Hibiscus plant from Saturday.

July 22 (Sunday): Image #203

Q: What do you get when you combine 147 letters, 294 labels, several hundred envelopes and one pen?

A: My 2007 Whitney Classic fundraising letters. Look for yours in the mail, and if you think you might not be on the list, let me know I and will make sure you get one. My goal for 2007 is $5000. Stay tuned for updates. . .

July 21 (Saturday): Image #202

Did you know that a recent study showed that American kids can identify over 1,000 corporate logos, but less that 10 of the most common plants or animals found in their own backyard? I'm working to change that statistic by the end of this year.

The bloom of a Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), native to China and the national flower of Malaysia (known as "bunga raya" in Malaysia). I wasn't fortunate enough to take this photo in its national habitat--these plant is very popular in the temperate climate of Florida, ranging from white, red, yellow, orange and various shades of pink. This one is right out our front door.

July 20 (Friday): Image #201

come back later...I'm waiting on a picture.

July 19 (Thursday): Image #200

I went for a ride today at the beach, and walked out on the sand as the sun was going down. Just down from the parking lot, I noticed this sea turtle nest. In St. John's county, there are currently 38 identified sea turtle nests.

This is a nest of the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtle. From April -September, the females come ashore at night and dig the "nest hole" with their hind flippers. Then they fill it with anywhere from 50-175 eggs, and leave. Several weeks later, the young turtles dig themselves out (interesting note--all the young ones leave at once. Never one at a time) and march to the sea. In another fascinating note, no matter where they travel, they always return home to their ancestral beach when it's time for them to breed and lay eggs.

July 18 (Wednesday): Image #199

Ginger leaves today for a week in Charlotte.

July 17 (Tuesday): Image #198

We've seen this guy before, back on April 11th (Image #101). It's little Kenan Hager, although at 16 pounds, after eating this entire box of Bubba burgers, he won't be little for much longer.

July 16 (Monday): Image #197

I left DC at 4:30 PM. Bumped off one plane and delayed by a major storm in Atlanta, here is the time when I pulled into the driveway early Monday morning.

July 15 (Sunday): Image #196

Back in DC on Sunday: The white granite portico of Union Station, just a few blocks from the Capital. Opened in 1907, it is one of the most well-known landmarks of DC and also one of the busiest--over 20 million people a year pass through the Station.

July 14 (Saturday): Image #195

While I was in DC, Ginger drove up to Columbus, Georgia to meet our old friend Mo. Mo serves as a Nurse in the Army, and leaves next week for several months in southern Iraq. Good luck; our prayers go with you for safety and sanity.

July 13 (Friday): Image #194

I am taking some graduate classes in Washington, D.C, and was fortunate to spend Friday & Saturday night with our good friends Leigh and Doc. They insisted on posing beneath the famous Michael Jackson painting.

July 12 (Thursday): Image #193

I came out in the garage early this morning, and found this Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris) sitting in a water dish we leave out for Moses. They like to find a small depression full of water to "soak" themselves, or their skin becomes very dry and cracks. In this case, the depression he found was Moses' water dish!

July 11 (Wednesday): Image #192

July 10 (Tuesday): Image #191

How can you resist eating at this place? I recommend the #2 Special, but only if you like it spicy.

July 9 (Monday): Image #190

Lagerstroemia indica, better known as your friendly Crape Myrtle, with the humidity literally dripping off!

July 8 (Sunday): Image #189

Tom & Cindy on the left, Christian's sister Elizabeth & her husband Andy in the ballcap, Jackie, Ginger, myself and Christian.

July 7 (Saturday): Image #188

We met our good friends Jackie and Christian on Saturday. We worked in California with both of them, witnessed their courtship and marriage, and even together for awhile. For the record, Jackie makes some fantastic coconut macaroons.

"Looking back on the wild free days of my youth, I realize
that my fondest memories are of the suntanned faces of my old companions."
-Belmore Brown

July 6 (Friday): Image #187

Ginger and I spent the weekend in Pensacola, visiting some old friends who were coming to Florida.

July 5 (Thursday): Image #186

Ginger's Uncle Jr, Aunt Faye, and their grandson Jack stopped by on their way home from Orlando. Jack is the one in the middle..he's a little goofy.

July 4 (Wednesday): Image #185

After teaching Roscoe the Labradoodle how to swim, we we watched the fireworks over downtown Jacksonville from a friend's backyard.

July 3 (Tuesday): Image #184

Ginger and the beanstalk.

Moses, the Great Orange Bean Picker, looks for beans on top of the post.

July 2 (Monday): Image #183

Now for this week's Nature moment:

Florida has over 150 species of dragonflies and damselflies, which are mosquito-killing specialists. (The difference between a damselfly and a dragonfly? At rest, the wings are held together over the abdomen by a damselfly, but are held perpendicular to the body by dragonflies, as above.) Both have movable heads and huge compound eyes (eyes that would make a Ghost Crab jealous), and their legs are attached just below their head, which makes walking all but impossible , but makes it easy to hold their lunch and dinner close to their mouth. And check this out--they have the ability to move each of their wings independently, which allows for backwards and forward flight.

This is a beautiful example of a Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans). Both sexes have green eyes, but only the male has a blue abdomen and thorax.

Filatore