What's In The Pipeline? Pipevine

Pipevine Swallowtail Larva

This baby was hanging out in the virginia creeper that is invading my blueberry patch. It was twilight when we met, so I had to use flash to grab a sharp picture of this sleek beauty. This caterpillar will metamorphose into one of our prettiest butterflies ... and we have some beauts down here in the subtropics.

What else is in the pipeline?

• There is going to be great surf at St. Augustine this weekend... perhaps ten foot swells due to Bill. Dangerous, enticing. Lots of rips, but the surfers (my big brother included) will probably be out there tearing up some waves. The nanny weather channel is already telling everyone to stay out of the water ... they drive me crazy.

• I have a line on some timber bamboo available for the taking, so I may be digging and hacking tomorrow. If so, I'll post about it of course. I love bamboo, the bigger the better ... size matters with bamboo.

• There is still time to cook up your entry for the Peanut Culinary Throwdown. The " UP" day is this Sunday, the 23rd of August. All you have to do is fix a dish that has peanuts as an essential ingredient. You can do just one dish or go for the Throwdown Master status by cooking an entree, a desert, and one other dish that involves peanuts. All you have to do Sunday is post about your dishes, recipes are optional, you can just show and tell us. After you post it, come over here and tell us you are "UP" in the comment section. May the best nut win.

• The late summer/early fall wildflower flush is coming on so be prepared for some wildflower shots. I saw some liatris in the swamp last week that were just all buds a'burstin'.

• School is looming directly in the pipeline ... starts Monday. For me, it started last Monday of course. School is why there was no post yesterday. I thought I would post on my lunch hour, but for some reason the school antipictureofaboob internet filtering software filtered Pure Florida out.

• I have decided to step outside my comfort zone and become the girl's soccer coach for our little school. They can't get anyone, I need the money, and the girls have asked me repeatedly. Why is this outside my comfort zone you ask? Anyone who really knows me, knows this ... I'm not a ball sports guy ... I don't follow any teams, don't get excited over sports "heroes", can NOT talk sports trivia and stats with the guys (and damn glad of it)... you get the picture.

Plus... these are teenage girls, so there's gonna be drama from time to time. Sorry ladies, but it's true. I've raised em, I teach em ... there will be drama.

I am not overtly competitive either ... unless I have a personal stake in the team. For me, this has traditionally meant that one or more of my kids was playing. I think zeal will not be a problem once these girls become "my" girls, so getting fired up to kick some soccer butt should not be a problem for me.

On the plus side, I HAVE watched a bazillion soccer games as the kids have grown up, so the sport is not alien to me and I confess to liking the nonstop action of soccer.

So, I have some background knowledge and there is plenty of time to learn more about strategy and rules before the season begins.

And I have Junior who is a soccer whiz kid and a thing of beauty on the soccer field. He's gonna be tutoring his old man instead of the other way around for a change.

What's looming in your pipeline?