In the pink...everything is coming up roses?

May 22, 2017 / Harry Selsor

When one hears the term “in the pink”, it conjures up images of pink rosy faced baby cheeks, or a feeling of well-being and healthy perhaps. How many of you woke up today feeling “In the pink”? Some of you may not be in the best of health or physical condition due to age or infirmity, but I bet most of you realize feeling “in the pink” has more to do with your attitude or outlook on the day than circumstance.

Meanwhile on the Broward, things are most definitely, “in the pink”. Due to the house and missing flooring issues, I have had few opportunities to get in my dock time this week. However, I did spot three pink Roseate Spoonbills. They have just returned to the area and were way up the creek so to speak. They did however give me a brief fly by which gave me an opportunity to share these few images with you. The Editor also had her white roses bloom. Hope she waters them soon so they feel better too.

This whole episode of the house being torn up and in disarray has been making me weary I must admit. The flooring is still delayed in shipment and may finally arrive today. When things start getting put back together I hope I start feeling a bit more “in the pink”. Now I know why they say “Patience is a virtue”. Blessings. Harry

**Good thing it rained recently or this rose would not look so nice**

**First sighting of Roseate Spoonbills on the Broward, summer is not far behind.**

**Young Roseate Spoonbill evident by the fact it still has white head feathers**

**Y'all pray for the Editor to keep the roses watered!**

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Casting Crowns

May 15, 2017 / Harry Selsor

While some of you may be enjoying balmy 60s and cool weather we hit the 80s already. However, last night as the sun was setting in the west I did get a cool breeze somewhere close to the sixties, really enjoyed it. One of the few pleasures we have had lately.

The Black and Yellow-crowned Night Herons have been about the only birds I have seen this week. These two species of crowned herons have very similar looking young but there is where the likeness stops. The Black-Crowned have a two tone beak as one distinguishing difference while the Yellow-Crowned has a black beak and longer and thinner looking neck. Both have red eyes. I call our local Yellow-Crowned Night Heron pair, “George and Georgia”. Both were in the channel at low tide looking for blue crabs, their favorite fare. The Black-crowned was sitting on the lizard lounge enjoying the springtime weather.

The house is looking like a war zone, hydraulic scapers are still ringing in my ear from tearing up all the old wooden flooring. The new flooring was supposed to be here last week but is missing in transit somewhere between here and Illinois. Someday I will be in a new home and casting my crowns at the feet of my Maker, till then, be blessed and hope all had a wonderful Mothers Day weekend.

**George, the Yellow-crowned Night Heron flying by enroute to a crab fest.**

**Yellow-crowned Night Herons have a distinctive white stripe below the eye..and all black beak.**

**The Black-Crowned Night Heron resting on the lizard lounge. Note the bicolored beak with some yellow near the base on the lower beak.**

**Both of the local crowned Herons have red eyes..**

**Hope all had a Happy Mothers Day..here are some more flowers for you!**

**Hopefully some day next month my house won't look like this. PS my insurance company just said all was complete...so I sent them this photo..don't know what they consider complete!**

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When smoke gets in your eyes.

May 08, 2017 / Harry Selsor

My apologies for today's brief blog. My house has all the wood floors removed except for two rooms and a closet. The poor pups don't know which way to turn. Jackhammers start again at 0830 this morning. In the meantime we are sleeping in a trailer in the front yard. Yesterday we could barely see the sun through the thick smoke and ash falling.

We discovered another weather /TV channel this week. Seems there is news other than the Russian conspiracy and the US is not the only place with severe weather. Poor Missouri and Texas had hail, storms. tornados, and floods. Quebec in Canada also had major flooding. Tornados throughout the midwest corridor also. Alaska is having earthquakes. The Okefenokee National wildlife refuge is a burning inferno with over 111,000 acres up in smoke. Florida and Georgia are at an all time low for water, the drought conditions make the fire spread even faster. Here is our forecast for Monday...

..."WEST MIMS SMOKE PLUME INCREASING IN SIZE AND WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT SOUTHWARD THIS EVENING... The West Mims Wildfire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has grown in size this afternoon, with its smoke plume expanding over southern portions of Charlton and inland portions of Duval and Nassau Counties. This smoke plume will gradually pivot southward through the early evening hours, impacting western portions of Duval and Nassau counties. Smoke may settle closer to the ground during the early evening hours. Visibilities may fall to 2 to 5 miles in these areas, with a strong smell of smoke in the air and occasional periods of falling ash. This plume may also expand into northwestern portions of St. Johns County, northern Clay County and eastern Baker Counties. Although the general public may not be affected...children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those that have heart or lung disease are especially vulnerable to smoke exposure. Fine particles are respiratory irritants, and exposures to high concentrations can cause persistent cough, phlegm, wheezing, and difficulty breathing."

Needless to say I have not had time to push the doohickey and marsh birds are scarce right now. But here is a May flower to brighten your day. The Editors Agapanthus are in bloom. Hope springs eternal. Blessings. Harry

**The Editors Agapanthus are nearly fully bloomed now.**

Smoke on the water....Great Egret flying low..

**Fire in the sky...the sun appears through the thick smoke haze.**

My hair feathers are on fire!  Northern Cardinal (male) grabs a drink of fresh water  in the smokey air. — My hair feathers are on fire! Northern Cardinal (male) grabs a drink of fresh water in the smokey air.

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Guess who's coming to dinner?

May 01, 2017 / Harry Selsor

April showers indeed bring May Flowers. The Editor’s Agapanthus are starting to bloom at last. Their tall stalks and bulbs have been growing in numbers and the purple buds are starting to burst through, becoming beautiful lavender blue flowers for May. Spring has definitely arrived on the Broward. Not everything is coming up roses though.

A few years ago, I had a roof leak commence during a National Weather Severe Storm warning over my home. It was some of the most powerful rains I have seen in my 19 years here on the Broward. My insurance company denied the claim and said my 17-year old home with 40-year shingles was really 29 years old and had old worn out shingles instead causing the leak so they would not pay. I got a lawyer and even the Insurance company's own inspector sent me an email indicated it was the severe weather, not wear that caused the leak. It still took over a year to come to a settlement. Once settled they had 20 days to send the check. They then reneged by not sending the settlement check. Then I have to wait for a judge to order them to pay up. So much for integrity. I would not recommend this company to anyone. I would like to invite them to dinner and pray all their roofs leak too and have them covered by less than honest companies and give them a taste of their own medicine. But I digress. Ma and Pa Eagle had a dilemma too. They had to decide what was for lunch. I was on a pontoon boat in Florida with new Facebook Friend Dick Vautrinot and fellow photographer Chris Billman. There were lots of pairs of eagles to be seen but not much action. Finally, Ma eagle told her mate Jorge to get some fish. He leaped off the limb, flew high, spotted a fish, did a summersault in midair and swooped down and snatched an unsuspecting catfish and flew off for dinner. And I caught it all on the Doohickey. Just like I caught the Insurance company in a big fat lie. But I digress again. Are we starting to see a pattern here?

Shad was on the menu for the local Osprey and another of the Eagles. I would like to give certain Insurance Company a sandwich that starts with same fish also but it would not be a "Shad" Sandwich. Oh, Lord hush my mouth..I am sounding like the head of the DNC…Fish anyone?

April Showers indeed bring May Flowers..the Editors Agapanthus are starting to bud and will be blooming soon.

**Here fishy fishy,,where are you? Oh, I see you Mr Fish..**

**Second or third year Eagle observes the hunt..**

**One of the neighbors is having shad for lunch**

**The Osprey is having a Shad Sandwich too!.....hmmm..gives me an idea but I digress**

**Test the waters well before choosing an insurance company. They may have great commercials but lack integrity in dealing with claims.**

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Reflections on Broward is now "Mountain Musings"

In the pink...everything is coming up roses?

Casting Crowns

When smoke gets in your eyes.

Guess who's coming to dinner?