Rainy Season in Florida

CORECTION!

Animal control told me, "This is no Bob Cat", it's a "Panther"...

Ew ew ew ew!

I was standing on my upstairs balcony about 4:30 in the afternoon yesterday and I had to do a double take at what I was looking at, just slowly walking around my back yard!  Now I  have my yard registered with the "National Wildlife Federation" as a "Back Yard Habitat",  but I never dreamed I'd see a "Bob Cat"!

Now I knew that "Bob Cats" and the "Florida Panther" were 'free roamers' but not in my neighborhood!  The photo above is a 'google stock' photo.. I went through many images until I found one  that most looked like what I saw.
Back to my story..
When I first stood there watching this really beautiful 'Cat' walking around, looking into every planter I have out there, I realized the neighbor kids were playing in their yard!  I froze!  
Then my "Mom Mode" took over and I flew down the stairs and out the front door two houses down, in my jammies, and banged on their door!   Now these kids are young... 3-5 and 6 years old and they always play out back.... 
I remember the first thing I said was  "Hi, there is a 'Bob Cat' out back, and before I could say, "I hear your kids out there"... three people got off the sofa and flew out their back door...leaving me standing there!.. 
I wanted a photo so I rushed home and  ran back up to the balcony!  Well I had my cell phone in my hand and I'm sorry to say, "it took really bad photos"
The kids father came over a bit later, thanking me for the warning!  He looked flustered to say the least.. we walked out back but the 'Cat' was gone into the woods... 
"What a beautiful creature"   I've seen them in the Zoos but not walking around my yard!
She did look hungry,  Infact, "skinny is how she looked"   no wonder I have not seen bunnies out there in a while.. they always came out in the mornings for my carrots....
I think I'll not go out there in the dark anymore......
I had no idea if we were to 'report' seeing these creatures,,, if only to warn the neighborhood to be on the look out for "Bob Cat's" on the prowl?  I did call "Animal Control" but they said, "They were surprised this is the first one I've seen. Just don't let your pets and small children out"... Very unconcerned!

 

 "Hawaiian Hoya"

Every June we in Florida have "Rainy Season" settle upon us.
I remember as a kid, when my family had a home in Miami, we would walk home from school in the "Rain"... yes, the sky would open up each day around 3 in the afternoon,, really, every day! Sometimes it would downpour for about an hour then the sun would come out, and it was still raining.
We moved away from Florida and I spent the next 30 years in other places only to come back to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area, during the "Rainy Season" and "It rained for 23 days straight!  I totally forgot about this rain!

 

I walked out on the deck this morning to find my "Hoya" plant in bloom.  Although I have 5 plants around the yard, this one I gave a name "Bloomie"... She blooms on a regular basis, about every three months.

The Hoya Plant is one of the easiest plants to grown.  The wax plant, or shooting star, is a vine that loves to be ignored.  They do very well in hanging baskets, both indoors and out. The little blooms are called Umbels.  They come in a variety of shapes and colors.  Mine have very "Pink" blooms. The books say "fragrant" but mine, "I smell nothing?" 
When you feel this little 'star flower' it has the feeling of 'bone china'... so sweet and the flower will last about a week or two!

Today, out back, my yard feels and looks and smells like a 'Rain forest'... all the vegetation is lush and green, just dripping with rain!  So beautiful!  
The "Bob Cat" must have a family out there somewhere...hmmmm? 
I do hope he/she enjoys my yard as much as I do!

I'm linking up to ....

Tuesdays Garden Party

Out door Wednesday 

Wednesdays Gratitude 

Follow me Fridays 

Tickled Pink 

Tater Tots and Jello 

DIY Club 


Debiedoos


Saturday Night Special

Shop the House