Tag Archives: Lowndes County

Roof hatch latch 2025-05-26

Sometimes I need to go on top of the overroof we built, to clean the wood stove chimney, or to sweep off pinestraw. Instead of climbing 16 feet up the straw-slippery roof slope, I prefer to go through this trap door.

[Trapdoor closed]
Trapdoor closed

Which blew open in Hurricane Helene. So now it has a latch.

Who knows that that thing I used to hold the latch shut is called? (I’m not going to admit I had to look it up.)

-jsq

Maypops 2025-05-30

Scattered across an acre like this, growing on blackberry bushes, maypop is one of the most recognizable flowers.

[Maypops]
Maypops

Aka Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata is the host plant of the Gulf fritillary butterfly, Dione vanillae. The adult butterflies plant eggs on maypops, and the caterpillars eat the leaves. http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/blog/?p=9756

[Climbing on blackberry bushes]
Climbing on blackberry bushes

-jsq

Gulf fritillary in the garden 2025-05-25

Update 2025-06-02: Maypops 2025-05-30.

This Gulf fritillary was frittering away in the garden.

[Gulf fritillary]
Gulf fritillary

A Dione vanillae, at about 3 inches wingspan, looks small beside the cucumber plants. Continue reading →

Washington LaFayette Irvine on Irvine’s Ferry, Suwannee River, Luraville, FL 1881-01-01

My great-great-great-uncle Washington LaFayette Irvine on his ferry on the Suwannee River from Luraville, Florida.

[Irvine's Ferry, Suwannee River, Luraville, FL c. 1881-1882 --Florida Memory]
Irvine’s Ferry, Suwannee River, Luraville, FL c. 1881-1882 — Florida Memory Public Domain

Thanks to Ken Sulak for finding this picture on Florida Memory.

Accompanying note: This ferry was established in about 1872 by Washington L. Irvine, who operated a store near here. This picture has been viewed by many old residents of the area, some dating [back] to 1885, and they are unable to identify any of the persons in the picture. The Commissioners of Lafayette County opened a road from the ferry to Mayo in 1881, and the ground in the background appears to have been recently worked, giving some credence to dating this picture from 1881 to 1882. The man holding the guide pole is thought to be W. L. Irvine.

Here is how he is related to me. Continue reading →