Friday, June 30, 2006

Palm Friday



A week ago today, this was the view from my window. We were lying in bed watching a World Cup game (atop what we later came to call the bugspread), when we realized that it was an Osprey instead of a gull that kept flying by outside. I never was able to get his portrait. (Serious time lag on the camera - if I manage an action shot you can pretty much be sure it's by mistake.)

I enjoyed this weary-traveller view of Florida anyway. Plus for me, it's got the anticipation of an Osprey written all over it.

After the game, we ventured out. I thought I spied parasitic growths on the palm trees. But no, they were blooming!

Almost all plants bloom in one way or another I suppose, but I tend to think of those with inconspicuous flowers as non-blooming. You never hear anyone rhapsodizing over oak tree blossoms, for example. Before last week I had assumed that palms were the same. Only it turns out that all my previous trips to Florida were just mis-timed to catch them.



They bloom. And this type produced little berries also.



I believe they were Cabbage palms (Sabal palmetto).

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* Bugspread = bedspread, with bugs! The Indian River was just at the back of the hotel, and if I'd had a brain at all I'd have realized when I made the reservation that a nice $59 hotel room on the water was too good to be true.

** You never hear anyone rhapsodizing over oak tree blossoms, for example.
Except Dave.

8 comments:

R.Powers said...

That's our state tree and thank you for noticing it's subtle beauty.
$59 waterfront...was there a roof and running water?

Glad you are back in the mix. Really cute cicada face on yesterday's post.

Dave said...

You never hear anyone rhapsodizing over oak tree blossoms, for example.

Au contraire!

sue said...

Love the blog! Hope you don't mind, but I've linked to ya... if that's a problem, let me know and I'll unlink asap. :)

threecollie said...

You have done a real service to us upnorth folks....who knew that palms has blossems, and such pretty ones at that!
And I surely understand your osprey picture. I have a catbird photo a lot like that.

robin andrea said...

Glad you are back posting. I guess you'll have to return to Florida to get that osprey photo. Sounds like a good excuse to me.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know palms had flowers. They are very strange looking..

Kay Cooke said...

Great to read of your holiday. Sounds like it ws rather fun - bed bugs and all! I believe you are describing a plant that is (or very similar to a native New Zealand plant we call the Cabbage Tree. Go here to read about them - my knowledge of them anyway.

e_journeys said...

Found you through Festival of the Trees at Via Negativa. I've seen platforms for osprey nests but no ospreys yet. Been living in Florida for 3 years & change, so I'm still discovering all the nature this place has to offer. I've been thrilling to palm blossoms, berries and bromeliads....