Category Archives: Okra Paradise Farms

Half way between Atlanta and Orlando and all the way to paradise!

Skeeter hawk and blackberries 2024-06-05

We were picking blackberries when this skeeter hawk landed on me.


[Dragonfly and blackberries]

Dragonfly and blackberries

The dragonfly just sat there for many minutes while I picked with my right hand.

Eventually it flew away.

The blackberries are very ripe and tasty.

-jsq

River, Sky, Gretchen, rainbow 2024-06-05

We were picking blackberries when this rainbow appeared.


[River, Sky, Gretchen, Rainbow]

River, Sky, Gretchen, Rainbow

River and Sky, the dark and pale dogs, are our two newest.
They are both Carolina Dogs, a landrace breed.

Gretchen may have been annoyed that the cloud usually above her head had turned into a rainbow.

-jsq

Turtle or tortoise? 2024-06-05

I can’t find a turtle species that quite matches this reptile crossing the road.
But the yellow inside shell isn’t like a gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus).


[Turtle or tortoise?]

Turtle or tortoise?

So what is it? Tortoise or turtle?
And if turtle, what kind?

I set it on the other side towards where it was going.
It hissed at me. Continue reading →

River escapes 2024-06-02

River got a little too ornery the other night, so I put her in the pen.
By the time I was back in the house, she was outside the house door.

I tried again, making sure the pen door was latched.
She did it again.

We guessed she either climbed over the six-foot fence, or stuck her nose under and lifted up the pen.


[Movie: Circus dog River (77M)]

Movie: Circus dog River (77M)

So yesterday we tried in daylight with video.

We were all wrong.

Here’s the video:


https://youtu.be/VbZJksraIgA Continue reading →

Blueberry Scacrecrow 2024-05-24

This scarecrow in the blueberries seems to be working.
We’re actually getting some blueberries before the birds do.


[Scarecrow and scaresnake in the blueberries]

Scarecrow and scaresnake in the blueberries

And here’s a better view of the scaresnake.
It has since disappeared.
Didn’t seem to blow off, since it would be nearby, and it isn’t.
We guess a buzzard thought it would be a treat. Continue reading →

Halberd-leaved rose mallow 2024-05-27

It’s summer when we see this flower.
Each bloom lasts one day.


[Halberd-leaved Rose Mallow]

Halberd-leaved Rose Mallow

But each halberd-leaved rose mallow plant has many blooms
of Hibiscus laevis.

The plant likes wet soils, but this one is in the middle of upland piney woods.

-jsq