Fall

Of the many things that one needs to get used to having transported from the 42nd parallel to the 28th is the inversion of seasons. Summer means dormancy. Fall means new-growth. This week the dangle pods seemed to have doubled in size. So much so that I could not get my photo panaroma maker to make a decent panorama out of my photos. Instead, I will begin with this image of the eucalyptus tree that centers the plot we have been clearing. Two years ago, the tree was surrounded by Brazilian pepper. Now it stands nearly free amongst a field of dog fennel, bushy bluestem, and sedge. The dangle pod growth heralds the growth that has renewed everywhere. Oaks are sprouting the maroon baby leaves we see two or three times a year and the palms are pushing out new fronds and their soon to be flowering effervescence. When I made my way across the clearing today, I notice dozens of small frogs that have come to populate the small pond that centers the area. The pond itself has been infested with duck weed as long as we have been working here, but it has been mostly dead as a result, since the duck weed prevents decomposition underwater and makes the water anoxic. These frogs seems to have adapted an ability to rest atop the duck weed and use the pond as a wide open surface on which they hunt insects. They all apear to have been born in the past few weeks. While there is lots of new greenery everywhere, the flowers are still waiting even cooler weather. There are a few new bloomers, though. Like these white ones which I have not seen before in the Hammock. It is growing in three places right now. It grew in no places last year. The final shot is the understory of the dangle pod forest.