Winston, my dog, and I were out for a run. He stopped to sniff something fabulous beside this Banyan tree. I was intently watching him when I heard the Banyan talking…well, it was more like buzzing. I glanced to my left and in a small little cave inside the banyan, a hive on the move had decided to take a rest. I don’t think the bees will make this their home. I will have to check back later this week to confirm.
Unfortunately, most bees in Florida today are a hybrid of the European Honey bee and the African bee. The Africanized bees tend to have certain behavioral traits that make them less desirable to be around and for bee keeping. Specifically, as compared with the European bee types, the Africanized bee:
- Tends to swarm more frequently and go farther than other types of honey bees.
- Is more likely to migrate as part of a seasonal response to lowered food supply.
- Is more likely to “abscond”—the entire colony leaves the hive and relocates—in response to stress.
- Has greater defensiveness when in a resting swarm, compared to other honey bee types.
- Lives more often in ground cavities than the European types.
- Guards the hive aggressively, with a larger alarm zone around the hive.
- Has a higher proportion of “guard” bees within the hive.
- Deploys in greater numbers for defense and pursues perceived threats over much longer distances from the hive.
Given those facts, and the fact that I am very allergic to one sting. I left promptly. But I wanted a picture, so I came back armed with my Epi pen, just in case. I am glad I did.
Morning in my heart begins at sunrise. So technically I felt I awoke in the middle of the night, 4:30 am. My husband has ALS, so early morning care takes about an hour. And then there’s Winston, my dog, who hates the dark, doesn’t want to run, but doesn’t want me to leave him behind. I literally have to sneak out of the house, usually a different door from the previous day. I was finally able to sneak out at 5:30 am. I had a 13 mile run planned. I actually like running in the dark…because I love watching the night turn into dawn. Every few minutes it gets a little lighter out. Pink begins to paint the horizon, then splashes of red, hot pink, orange, and blue are splashed on the canvas. Its as if a painter is creating a rare masterpiece layer by layer until voila..there it is. I had just moments to capture it, for as quick as it is painted, it is even more quickly erased. I don’t run with my canon, I wish I could. If anyone has perfected running with a camera, please let me know how. These Good Morning shots were captured with my iPhone. This was taken at Mile 9. This is my Good Morning Mile 9 Sunrise! Good Morning Everyone!
Tonight’s sunset…. Intensifying and changing moment by moment, more complicated, more breathtaking, and more intoxicating, all with passage of time.
Tonight’s sunset made me think of one of my favorite poets and poems…
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee”
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…..
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
…………….. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Savoring every sunset!
“And yet day and night meet fleetingly at twilight and dawn,” he said, lowering his voice again and narrowing his eyes and moving his head a quarter of an inch closer to hers. “And their merging sometimes affords the beholder the most enchanted moments of all the twenty four hours. A sunrise or sunset can be ablaze with brilliance and arouse all the passion, all the yearning, in the soul of the beholder.”
―
Mary Balogh,
A Summer to Remember Enchantment and Fascination waltz with me into the night…I am held captive by your beauty… I will never tire of capturing the beauty of sunsets. It’s a ritual in Florida to gather at the beach or your own special location to watch the day melt into night. Each sunset spectacularly unique. I photographed all of these from the same location in Cape Haze. (Thanks to my wonderful friend, and neighbor!)
I love Mockingbirds…that have so much spunk in a little package. They are very territorial and very protective of “their tree”. One time, I literally saw a Dr’s office entry rerouted while a news crew filmed people as they attempted to bypass the Mockingbird’s tree. I have also seen a mockingbird chase and red-tailed hawk. It remind’s me of the line ‘ah, poo..now what can a little thing like me do to a big thing like you… poo…Ha!, My money is on the little guy. When I took this picture I didn’t know the Mockingbird was in it. Pleasant surprise. I started laughing…because I know that this little guy was counting and thinking – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8…yep I can take them on..pretty sure!
A twist on Henry David Thoreau’s quote.. I used to love escaping into our woods when growing up in rural Indiana. Still have hopes of doing that someday! I am envious of my sister and neighbor hiking the Appalachian Trail next week. They are doing it separately, but just so happens to be on the same week. Giving me a double doss of envy, it didn’t help that I just finished reading AWOL on the Appalachian Trail either 🙂 So this is my version of escape:
I will sit on my stump:
and look up with gratitude!
So we started out on a run not sure of what to expect, we didn’t get far… before rain started pouring down.
Shartrina 