Doing yardwork is actually something I crave during Winter, so I'm happy to be able to still find things to do. I finished putting down a layer of leaves, and today I finally finished covering one section of the garden with coffee grounds -- and started the next section. At this rate it'll probably take another month or two -- or longer if we get enough snow to impede my daily walk to Starbucks. So here are some pics of the main beds in the back yard -- nothing glamorous, just the garden being put to bed. I didn't take pics of the two side beds or the front. After putting down fertilizer in Spring, I'll put a thin layer of fresh mulch on top to hide whatever leaves have risen up from below the coffee grounds. And I'll have to do more work on the "lawn"...... :-) ~Christopher

For me, lobster is the most sublime eating experience in existence! I can't think of any other food I love as much. My KNEES get weak just imagining the taste of perfectly prepared lobster dipped in drawn butter!!! Yum. BUT...I have to say that I cannot even GUESS what made the first person decide to TASTE one. I mean, who LOOKED at that thing and went, "Oh, I'll bet that would be delicious!"???? So, I have to admit, as far as looks go, the iguana comes in way ahead of lobster, shrimp, clams, oysters, and the like. At least it doesn't resemble an insect or a glob of slime, so I say taste 'em! (I don't eat froglegs any more, as I'm worried about the state of our native frogs too much. I haven't heard that bullfrogs are in decline, but just to be safe.......) And Sumala, no, we do not have any native lizards that reach 18 inches. It may have been a Knight anole or a small iguana, or some other escapee. We DO have some pretty large skinks, but they don't look like regular lizards, being more snakey in side to side movement. And I don't think any of them reach that size either. More like 8 to 9 inches for our most common one, the southeastern five-lined skink, and about 12 for the broad-headed skink that ranges only down to mid-Florida. If your critter looked more like a regular lizard, then it was probably an exotic. Marcia

I have been in Florida since 69, the native wildlife & plant life has been changing for many years but the global economy is really taking it's toll. Florida is different than many states as the sub-tropical weather allows many species to climatises & flourish here. We ship plants to all parts of the globe & they ship theirs here. There is no way a inspector can confirm a entire shipment of plants if pest free, hence we have citrus greening, a half dozen types of white flies. sri lanka weevils, Cuban tree frogs, pythons and a Gambian rat as big as a cat in the Fla Keys. As much as I don't like indiscriminate killing of wildlife I will exterminate every exotic pest I find. The health of the Fla ecosystem is counting on it. Check out the Fish & Wildlife page on current exotics. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/amphibians/ Some are not much of a problem but others like the Bufo toad or Cuban tree frog are. Just my two cents Craig Here is a link that might be useful: FWC invasive speices

That is all correct. The upward-curved vine tip will occur when the vine is growing along the ground, because when it encounters a vertical surface it is positioned to take advantage of it. The same curve will happen when it grows past the top of the vertical surface and is hanging in space because it is still seeking a vertical orientation. If it were to grow straight on the ground and in the air, it would pass the tree or vertical surface instead of attaching to it and climbing it. A straight orientation hanging in the air would put it on a trip back to the ground. This plant is programmed to climb. If it grows on the ground, its leaves are small, and its tip is curved upwards. It grows small leaves to support its growth and focus all of its energy towards elongation. Internodes are long, and it is REACHING to find something to climb. When it encounters a suitable surface and attaches, it has achieved mission number 1. Leaves get larger, and the vine thickens with each new leaf. Internodes get shorter, the tip straightens because it is vertically oriented and attached. If the tip curved now, it would launch itself out into space and defeat mission number two, which is reaching the canopy, where it can get the premium quality light. Right now it is putting all of its energy into growing large leaves, large vines, and large aerial roots to grip its host. It is happy in this position, growing the largest, most robust leaves and vines that are simply not achievable without being attached. It is still reaching (upward), but not with the same desperation. Its needs are being met while it pursues mission number 2. If you were to pry the tip away from its host, each new leaf will grow smaller, the vine will grow thinner, the internodes will lengthen, and the tip will curve toward a vertical orientation. Now it is again in reaching mode, elongating desperately in search of a new host. Now I am not a botanist, and i havent read any books on the subject. I learned this by observing its behavior when i encounter it. Maybe someone that has some botanical training can confirm or correct my hypothesis.