Trees Are Good - The difference in temperature between our Pasture and Yard that we fondly call the Tunnel of Trees beginning July 29, 2014

Noticing a difference in temperature between the Pasture and the Tunnel of Trees we put a thermometer in both places to record exactly how different the temperatures are in each... we'll just let the pictures tell the story.

Where we live in Central Florida is a Pine Sandhill we call the Tunnel of Trees. It's loaded with Laurel Oaks, Longleaf (long needle) Pines and a few Live Oak Trees. We also have the pasture where a few Laurel Oaks, Scrub Live Oaks and Turkey Oaks live. 

An intro video to the Tunnel of Trees and The Pasture.

Scroll down to see the pictures of the thermometers. 

The Tunnel of Trees

The Pasture

Trees are good! 

2023 #ArborDayFoundation Celebrates 51 years!

He who plants a Tree plants a hope. - Lucy Larcom

AQHA Cajun Kid Flower 1976-2012

ApHC Miss Thinkin 1983-2014

These 2 horses loved on us and lived with us from 1995 until the day they passed.

They absolutely loved every minute of Life!

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It's Hot as Blue Blazes in Central Florida!! ~ Trees Are Good February 25, 2023

At 3:00pm on Saturday Feb 25th 2023 it was 90 degrees in the Tunnel of Trees. Because these trees shade the pasture until about noon, it was close to the same in the Pasture. 

The Laurel Oaks in the Tunnel of Trees have lost most of their leaves and are putting out new ones as well as flower nodules. It's unseasonably warm for February but sure is a pretty sight!

 

Trees Are Good January 21, 2023 Celebrating Arbor Day in Florida

Florida's Arbor Day was January 20th, 2023 but in Tavares we celebrated #ArborDay in Florida one day afterwards at Wooton Park. It was awesome to see so many families come out and learn the benefits of trees, I learned several things myself. Our utility company SECO actually has Arborists on staff! 

 

We brought home 2 Live Oaks and a Redbud Tree. One Live Oak went with a friend to Paisley to be planted in their pasture and the other to Scott and Val. They are planting it in their pasture. 

The Redbud is going in our front yard. ~ We planted it Feb 11th, 2023. 

The Avian Reconditioning Center had a presentation with a Red-tailed Hawk and a Barred Own additionally they had a female Kestrel and a Barn Owl. 

It was quite the morning for this tree and bird lover :-).

 

This is the thermometer in our pasture today at 3:15pm. It's right at 60 degrees. An overcast day it's been and the pasture is loosing heat. 

In our tree covered yard though the thermometer reads 65 degrees. It's amazing to me that the trees give us a bit of warmth in the Winter and shade in the Summer. What a cool thing hahaha. We love our trees. Trees Are Good to have! 

 

Trees Are Good - January 7, 2023 1:00 pm and it's a beautiful Central Florida Day!

 Trees Are Good - January 7, 2023 at 1:00 pm and it's a beautiful Central Florida Day! 

The Pasture Thermometer

We had a 3 night Freeze for Christmas 2022. First time we've had that in over 7 years. We're hoping it kills some of the invasive vegetation that has crept into our yard and many other places like Dora Canal. Now our weather is 50's at night and 70's during the day, very pleasant!

Today, January 7th, 2023 it's blue skies! At 1:00 pm The Pasture thermometer is reading a nice 75 degrees and the Tunnel of Trees thermometer at our Oak and Pine shaded house is reading 69 degrees. We're off to find the Red-cockaded Woodpecker in the Ocala National Forest... Fingers Crossed!!

Update: We found the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers!! It is so exciting to be able to see an endangered species that looks like it is thriving! We found a pair first, then a family of 4 and another pair. We also had White-eyed Vireos, Palm Warblers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers in the same area. It was a banner birding day! 

Thank You to the people that care enough to preserve this Long-needle Pine forest!   

The Tunnel if Trees Thermometer

Trees Are Good on November 22, 2022

This is another time that our trees have held in the night heat. The thermometer in our yard under the Tunnel of Trees is at 66 degrees while the pasture thermometer is at 62 degrees. Since our last post the St Johns River has been over flood stage twice. 

On September 28, 2022 Hurricane Ian hit FL and put a hurting on Sanibel Island along with Ft Myers. It hit landfall there and went our Titusville but gave us a huge wind storm and about 6" of rain. Sanibel is wiped clean of homes but the Lighthouse survived. Hopefully that whole area including their trees will recover soon. 

November 10, 2022 Hurricane Nicole hit Hutchinson Island just South of Vero Beach, went up to the Big Bend, hooked a right and went to Jacksonville and up through coastal GA. We had fewer smalls on the ground and it brought us about 3.5" of rain. The people in Sanford, Deland and Astor along the St Johns River are flooded again. Scary flooded!!

Fun Fact: Hurricanes Charlie and Jeanne hit 43 days apart in 2004.

18 years later Hurricanes Ian and Nicole took almost the same paths as Charlie and Jeanne and were also 43 days apart. 

Florida's trees have taken a beating in the past few months but we are #FloridaStrong and we will bounce back!  

Trees are Good! First day of Fall in Central Florida 9-22-2022

It's September 22nd, 2022 and the first day of Fall so we thought it appropriate to Celebrate our Trees! 

It looks to be about 102 degrees in the pasture at 12:30. The humidity has dropped some since August and the nights are getting cooler! 

The Tunnel of Trees is at 90 degrees, hurray for Trees!! 

Had a Gulf Fritillary in the pasture to brighten our day.

         This beautiful Garden Spider has created a web right next to our thermometer in the pasture. 

 

Trees Are a Great Thing! August 3rd, 2022 and the Tree Trimmers are here...

It's 8:45 am and the Tunnel of Trees is warm this morning at 82 degrees. Tom's Tree Service is here to limb up some big and small stuff in the yard. They are good guys and understand our love for our trees. Some of these big limbs are right over the house and making Kenny and I a bit nervous.  

The Pasture is much cooler than the Tunnel of Trees today. 73 degrees is comfortable and it's because this part of the pasture gets the morning shade from our giant Laurel Oaks, Live Oaks and Longleaf Pines to the East. 

These are the Before the "Limb Up" pics at 8:45 am...  my heart feels heavy!

Here are some before and after pics - not a true reflection since the after pics were taken at 1:15 pm

Below are more after pics... that is going to be a warm back porch for the next few years! 

Something good is bound to come out of this...

 

 It's time to look for the Good! The Firecracker Bush is getting a lot more light and the Hummingbirds love it when that bush blooms. If the Firebush, Cross Vine and other flowering plants get more light the Hummingbirds and other pollinators will enjoy that as well. 

Trees Are Good, Shade is where it's at!! June 10th, 2022

It's Friday June 10th, 2022 and a hot beast of a day here in Eustis, FL! 

The thermometer in the Tunnel of Trees in our yard has the sun baking right down upon it so it's a blistering 86 degrees at 9:15 am. The Pasture thermometer still has the shade from the trees on our side of the road so it's only 84 degrees at 9:15 am. 

At 9:15 am IT'S OVER 85 DEGREES! That's just wacky!

 

Trees are a Great Thing at 12:51 PM on May 20, 2022

We're celebrating the 8th birthday of our Longleaf Pine Tree! We planted it in April/May of 2014 just before we started this blog. It symbolizes and celebrates the lives of several of my favorites... James Neil Kulpan, My Dad, Cajun Kid Flower, our big red Quarter Horse and Miss Thinkin aka Moriah/Bonie our blue roan Appaloosa. They are in the pics of this blog.

This Pine has spent the past 8 years sending a taproot down for water. We're hoping this will be his year to grow and shine!

We're going to call that 89 degrees - The Pasture is loud and proud at 12:51 PM on Friday May 20th 2022! Welcome to Central Florida and May's humid days...

Our Yard, that we fondly call the Tunnel of Trees is a nice breezy 87 degrees!

All because of the shade!!

 

Celebrating #NationalArborDay Friday April 29, 2022 @ 8:45am Trees Are Good!

 

It's a beautiful day in Central Florida as we celebrate #NationalArborDay! Our Tunnel of Trees thermometer at 71 is pretty close to the thermometer in the Pasture at 73 degrees but it's only 8:45 am. We love 70 anything degrees :-).  

Happy Earth Day April 22, 2022 from Trees Are Good! The ongoing log (haha) of temperatures between a Pasture and The Tunnel of Trees in Eustis, FL

The Tunnel of Trees is running about 77 degrees at 10:45 AM this fine Friday on #EarthDay while the pasture is a very close 78 degrees. It's been windy for the past week and the temps have been cool because of that. It's dry though so we're hoping for some rain soon. Spring has sprung and the trees are beautiful shades of green with flowers such as Confederate Jasmine, Blue Flag Iris, Phlox and the Lantana you see behind the pasture thermometer are blooming everywhere! #HappyEarthDay to all!  

 

Trees are Good on Friday March 25th, 2022

 

After 1.5 inches of rain yesterday the sun is out and the temps are in the 70s. Perfect Central Florida Spring time weather!! The Tunnel of Trees thermometer is reading a nice cool 77 degrees while the pasture is up to 80, it's 1:30 pm. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds have been back in our yard for 2 weeks and there is an abundance of little 1/2 inch green Oak Leafroller Caterpillars floating on their silk threads coming down from the trees. Spring is in full swing and National Arbor Day (April 29th, 2022) is a little more than a month away!    

Pic from the Tunnel of Trees at 77 degrees

Pic from the Pasture at 80 degrees

It's March 3rd, 2022 and we are looking forward to celebrating #NationalArborDay in April! Trees R Good!

It's a beautiful sunny March day and at 12:15pm in the Tunnel of Trees at our home near Orlando, FL the thermometer reads 88 degrees!

 This is the thermometer located in our pasture near Orlando just west of our home. This thermometer is reading a nice warm 92 degrees. Trees are a great thing and hats off to the Arbor Day Foundation for celebrating their 50th Anniversary! #TreesRGood #ArborDayFoundation 

It's not been over 68 degrees in 5 days but today January 28th, 2022 it's a beautiful 72! Trees are good!

It's not been over 68 degrees in 5 days and we've had serious cloud cover with drizzling mist. We've actually gotten a 1/2 inch of rain from it. In our yard, at 1:00 pm where all the trees are located it's 70 degrees and the Pasture is a pleasant 72 degrees. Tonight in Central Florida it's going to be 35, tomorrow Saturday Jan. 29th 2022 the high will be around 47 and 27 tomorrow night. Sunday should return to 50 something and 35 at night. It's been at least 2 years since we've had a good freeze and hopefully this will take care of some of the invasive species that have crept in... The plants are covered, Squirrels are in their tree houses, we have put lots of bird seed out and have battened down the hatches! 

 

It's #ArborDay! in Florida and Trees Are a Great Thing! January 21, 2022 at 2:50 PM

This first picture is of a thermometer at 75 degrees in our yard which we call the

Tunnel of Trees!

The pic below was taken at the same time of day 2:50 pm but from our pasture which is a wide open area. They are running about the same today in celebration of #ArborDay 2022!