Key West (Floral Edition)

Key West in August is very warm, very humid indeed. On the bright side, everything's in bloom.

Ken took the shot above, the one below, and the one below that, the banana tree.

Look up there! Bananas!

I think this one of the fan palm is his, too.

Key West Chickens

Chickens were far more visible than cats last week in Key West. They were all over the streets near our inn. It seems unfathomable, I'm sure, that I never obtained the iconic crossing-the-road shot that would have made the whole trip worthwhile, but the chickens would all wait, quite cannily, until I let go of the camera and then they'd dart out! in front of us, into the road and on to the sidewalk across the street. Go ahead, ask the others if that didn't happen.

See those chickens? See that road? They crossed it, I swear. I just didn't get it down in pixels.
This one here is mocking me.

Key West Cats (and one from Long Island)

While we made friends with the southernmost felines below, our own four-legged Fiona stayed up north, the royally-treated guest of my ever-patient brother. (With this, her second stay, Fiona reached "Purr-furred Guest" status at the Murphy Meow-iott. How exciting!)

This is Pumpkin, a member of the staff at the Westwinds Inn, Key West. He's most attentive during the poolside buffet breakfast. He sees you have too much cream cheese for that bagel, he'd be glad to clear it away for you.

These other two were just passersby in the streets, they didn't have much to say for themselves.

Unfortunate Layout, That...

...skimming the headlines of the Sunday magazine supplement....

You Got a License For That Tongue?

We were having coffee outside, and I was deadheading some flowers, when all of a sudden there was barking and pitiful yelping and a man shouting out front; I ran down the driveway to see this massive canine making a mouthful of a tiny dachshund. Armed with pruning shears, I ran over to help the guy, (my neighbor Mr. P) who also had another small dog on a leash. The dachshund got away, and I grabbed its leash and brought it into my garage, while Ken got hold of the big dog, who turned out to be a gigantic, slobbering sweetheart. The little dog seemed fine, (if half-drowned in drool) so Mr. P loaned us a leash, and Ken secured Cujo to the front railing. I set him up with water and some dry cat food, and the big softie ate and drank and sat on the steps whimpering like a three-year-old lost in the mall. I walked up and down the block showing his photo (thank you digital camera) to the neighbors, and was able to return the dog to its owner, who lived just a few houses away from the canines he'd terrorized.

Then, two sheriff's deputies in an unmarked vehicle stopped to ask if everything was all right; it seems they'd been on my block, serving a warrant on a house five doors down from me. What?! Um...yeah, one of the houses I'd knocked at, but had gotten no answer from. (Whew!)

The little dog is getting checked out by the vet, but he seemed uninjured and I don't anticipate any problems. On the bright side, I met a couple new doggies. The dachshund, Hunter, is an absolute doll, and that gentle, drooly giant above is Beamish. (On the dark side, what was that warrant for? Who are those neighbors? Should I worry?)

All's well that ends well, but that's enough excitement for one day, thanks.

Now THAT'S Exfoliation

There are two praying-mantises around this year, I think. And from the looks of this molted skin, one of them just got a little bigger!

Grey Doily Of Death

From a lizard's perspective, it's quite a pretty tent, isn't it?

From here it's a ragged lace handkerchief thrown on the shrub.

From here it looks like an invitating oasis, a miniature landscape of frozen delights, with a cave you should probably not approach, if you know what's good for you.