Stupid critters

What’s Bloomin’ – up high

The day started out calm enough. First I planned stopping at the Key West library which offered a pleasant surprise other than the usual good read…across the street is a pair of White Geiger (Cordia boissieri) trees also known as Texas Wild Olive.
This rather small tree attains a height of 15 to 20 feet. It bears clusters of white blooms hidden amongst the large heart shaped fuzzy leaves. Blooming is from early summer through late fall, not fussy about soil ph and grows from Zone 9a -11 Nice little tree. Now to get to reading that book.
What’s Bloomin’ – Native.

Back home on Big Pine Key I wandered the gardens when an explosion of flapping wings caused a ruckus in the Orange Geiger (Cordia sebestena) tree.

This unseemly behavior that nearly gave me heart failure this morning was a White-crowned pigeon leaving abruptly after getting a final snack before heading back to Cuba. Stupid bird.
The Geiger tree is named after Captain John H. Geiger of Key West, former owner of what is now known as the Audubon House. Very similar to the White Geiger tree it is far more common in the Keys and is consider a native.
What’s Crawlin’- crabs

The day settled back down along with my heart rate as I went about chores. I came around the corner by the pool when the Dachshund went ballistic nearly tripping me in her haste to engage the evil creature from “the hole”.
Again I’m startled and have to start yelling at the dog to “shutup and get back here”, all with absolutely no affect, for the creature from “the hole” is a side scuttleing, claw snappin’ Blue Land crab (Cardisoma guanhumi).

The recent heavy rains have flooded their burrows causing then to skitter across the roads waving their massive claws in a vain attempt to ward off the speeding black tire of death. Stupid crabs…Stupid dog.

That's it, see ya