Thread: Post your Wildlife pictures.

Gotcha.



It's huge.


Cleaned up.


It's not purple, although when I cut it up I found 2 small streaks of purple-ish. The yam can also be white, apparently. So basically, when I went back in that dense jungle, I found the two types of air potato growing intertwined. I found my vine of D. alata (the very edible variety) and could not connect it to the root. I found this root a couple of feet away with a stem that had been cut. Because the two types are growing together, it could technically belong to the other type. However, the other type typically does not make roots in Florida. And when it does, they are typically baseball sized. The alata's root is much bigger. This is a big root. However, it's technically still within size range of either species. It is probably alata. But it could be bulbifera. I did research bulbifera and what I read says that the aerial tubers (the bubils) are poisonous. However, the root (NOT bubil) can be eaten if boiled twice with a change of water. The alata can be eaten with 1 boiling. Neither can be eaten raw.

My plan? I peeled it and cut it up. I am boiling the crap out of it. I am going to change the water and boil a second time. After that, I will take a tiny tiny taste. If it is bitter, I will throw it out. If it is not, I might take a tiny small nibble. And then see what happens. I don't really plan on eating any more than a tiny nibble, even if nothing happens. This was mostly a practice run.

Regardless, I AM THRILLED I got this sucker. I think I will be better at it in the future and definitely get a solid ID.

Cleaning up on my way home.

We went hiking at Jonathan Dickinson State Park today. It was hot but very beautiful. We had a great time.

Recent controlled burn

Wildflowers EVERYWHERE



Wild blueberry

Kitching Creek. We used to swim in this little river, but not at this spot.

Originally Posted by Hilary

It's not purple, although when I cut it up I found 2 small streaks of purple-ish. The yam can also be white, apparently. So basically, when I went back in that dense jungle, I found the two types of air potato growing intertwined. I found my vine of D. alata (the very edible variety) and could not connect it to the root. I found this root a couple of feet away with a stem that had been cut. Because the two types are growing together, it could technically belong to the other type. However, the other type typically does not make roots in Florida. And when it does, they are typically baseball sized. The alata's root is much bigger. This is a big root. However, it's technically still within size range of either species. It is probably alata. But it could be bulbifera. I did research bulbifera and what I read says that the aerial tubers (the bubils) are poisonous. However, the root (NOT bubil) can be eaten if boiled twice with a change of water. The alata can be eaten with 1 boiling. Neither can be eaten raw.

My plan? I peeled it and cut it up. I am boiling the crap out of it. I am going to change the water and boil a second time. After that, I will take a tiny tiny taste. If it is bitter, I will throw it out. If it is not, I might take a tiny small nibble. And then see what happens. I don't really plan on eating any more than a tiny nibble, even if nothing happens. This was mostly a practice run.

Regardless, I AM THRILLED I got this sucker. I think I will be better at it in the future and definitely get a solid ID.

After some more hunting, I have finally found Dioscorea alata (Winged Yam / Purple Yam / Ube). There is no confusion now. The two are completely different and I see that now. So glad I found it. These are very safe edible tubers. I found a nice patch of them. I just took a couple small ones because I didn't have my shovel with me yesterday, and because I didn't want to harm the patch too much.

Leaves are very different looking.
Stem is square, as it's supposed to be. Tinged purple.
Root.
Very purple!

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Like rubies.

Passionflower. I found some Maypops on the vine, but they are not quite ready.

IMG_20220629_174700635-1.jpg..guess
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IMG_20220628_155657438~2.jpg...a guard by the...
I got you working, magnificent moderators

IMG-20220701-WA0026-2.jpg...think pink

I found the Wire for the camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

Spoiler for DEER:

Spoiler for GHOST PIPE:

IMG_20220722_160233340_HDR-1.jpg

Spoiler for baby deer:

toe tapping on metal roof.

Some of the hiking I've done in the past few days that may have spurred my most recent lucid dream.

Spoiler for WINTER:

The deer out back ate the leaves off our bushes, yesterday morning.






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I got up, look out my window, and saw this outside. I grabbed my camera and took the picture!! Look at those eyes!!

I appreciate this thread. Thanks to all contributers.
After mentioning in my beginner lucid dream journal that my life is pretty mundane, a curious thing happened. I closed the dining room curtains to keep the searing afternoon sun out. Then there came a repeated tapping at my window. My curtains are very thin. I peered through them to see an oriole sitting on the window ledge. It kept tapping away on the window. It flew to the middle window, did the same. Then to the third window and tapped some more. It that's not a reality check moment, I don't know what is. It flew away before I could get video of it. I did get a pic of it later though while it was sitting in a tree nearby. Going to try attach a pic.

oriolemay2023-2.jpg

The hitchhiker. This little critter came for a ride on a coffee run. I picked it off the mirror and placed it far into the grass near the coffee shop.

Kind of strange. My ears are full of heavy metal classics volume 7 while I'm posting pictures of cutesy wootsey little hitchhiking snails.
Sorry about the double. I tried to delete the larger version and attach a smaller but both are now stuck to the post.

Out foraging mushrooms and we crossed paths with this lovely creature. The one ear turned back makes me feel as if it's thinking, "Who are you and what are you doing in my living room?"
IMG_9320.JPG

Originally Posted by Dusskee

Out foraging mushrooms and we crossed paths with this lovely creature. The one ear turned back makes me feel as if it's thinking, "Who are you and what are you doing in my living room?"
IMG_9320.JPG

She confused.

Wild Turkey chicks.

Wow. I've never seen wild turkey chicks.

Yeah, I was surprised that they were in the open like that.

Spoiler for Mushroom foraging, Spring and Summer pictures! :

Was out today!!

Spoiler for More :