A low winter sun over Central Florida's Lake Harris.
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Phillip's Natural World
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Lake Harris, located in Lake County Florida is about 30 miles northwest of Orlando and part of the upper Ocklawaha River Basin, a sub-basin of the St. Johns River. The 19,000 acre fresh water lake encircles several cities including Tavares and Leesburg.
Cypress knees. . . and a little American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) among the knees.
The Leesburg Boating Club nestled under the arms of a centuries old Live Oak.
Below: Cypress Trees along the north shore of Lake Harris.
Lake Harris primarily receives inflow at its southwestern shore from the Palatlakaha River which originates from the Clermont chain of lakes to the south. Other inflowing rivers include Helena Run, and outflow from many small springs in Yalaha.
Lake Harris is the largest lake in Lake County at (56 square km). Combined with an adjoining lake, Little Lake Harris on its east side, the two lakes exceed 15,000 acres (61 square kilometers).
Below: A flock of American White Ibis work the wetlands around the lakeshore.
Below: Close up of Monkey Island
SPACE X
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully completed its first geostationary transfer mission on December 3, 2013, delivering the SES-8 satellite to its targeted 295 x 80,000 km orbit. Falcon 9 executed a picture-perfect flight, meeting 100% of mission objectives.
Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at 5:41 PM Eastern Time. Approximately 185 seconds into flight, Falcon 9’s second stage’s single Merlin vacuum engine ignited to begin a five minute, 20 second burn that delivered the SES-8 satellite into its parking orbit. Eighteen minutes after injection into the parking orbit, the second stage engine relit for just over one minute to carry the SES-8 satellite to its final geostationary transfer orbit. The restart of the Falcon 9 second stage is a requirement for all geostationary transfer missions.
These images were made from a distance of about 45 miles near the center of the Florida peninsula. The rockets contrail shone in the setting sun for almost 30 minutes.
BEES CANNOT WAIT 5 MORE YEARS.
A honeybee on a Sunflower Tree (Tithonia diversifolia), Florida, December 2013.
Honey bees, native bees and other pollinators are responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat. Bees pollinate 71 of the 100 crops that make up 90% of the world’s food supply. Many fruits and vegetables, including apples, blueberries, strawberries, carrots and broccoli, as well as almonds and coffee, rely on bees. These beneficial insects are critical in maintaining our diverse food supply.
Honey bee populations have been in alarming decline since 2006. Widespread use of a new class of toxic pesticides, neonicotinoids, is a significant contributing factor. In addition to killing bees outright, research has shown that even low levels of these dangerous pesticides impair bees' ability to learn, to find their way back to the hive, to collect food, to produce new queens, and to mount an effective immune response.
This week, 15 countries are imposing a two-year restriction on the use of several of these chemicals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates it will be 2018, 5 years from now, before it makes a decision on this deadly class of pesticides.
Bees can't wait 5 more years – they are dying now. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has the power and responsibility to protect our pollinators. Our nation's food system depends on it.
Sign to show your support at: SAVE-BEES.ORG