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Summer Solstice

 High Noon.  That would come at about 1pm this time of year, right (thanks to daylight savings time)?  If we were about 300 miles south, we’d be right on the Tropic of Cancer, the northernmost latitude at which the sun appears directly overhead at its zenith. At high noon, look at a vertical post in the sun on the longest day of the year.  I haven’t tested the theory, but the amount of shadow on the north side of the post should be a measure of how far you are from the northern edge of the tropics.   This is a picture of a north-facing 8 foot fence with a 2 inch shadow here. We’re on the ragged edge.  
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Our little palm

 Our little palm tree is growing up. It bloomed for the first time.  It’s the first one to mature.  Tiny little flowers on long stalks. It’s a little messy underneath the tree, but we’re so proud. 
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First

 There was Enrique, a Foxtail Palm.  Our centerpiece.He was good looking, but couldn’t take the winter. Then came Ricardo, a Cuban Royal.  Another big spreading tree.He succumbed to our Island winter as well. Our next effort was Jethro.  Jethro just seemed tougher. And one year later…  He’s still here!  Jethro is alive and well and happy at our house.  
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Father’s Day

 We drove to the National Seashore on Padre Island for a walk on the beach.  The sand is pretty rough, so we didn’t drive far.  We went past the 4 wheel drive sign, but only a few miles.  Then we just stopped and sat with the birds and water. Got a few seaside birds:Magnificent FrigatebirdBrown PelicanGreat Blue HeronCrested CaracaraBlack-bellied PloverWilletMarbled GodwitRuddy TurnstoneSanderlingLaughing GullLeast TernGull-billed TernCaspian TernBlack TernCommon TernForster’s TernRoyal TernSandwich TernBlack Skimmer 8 terns and a skimmer! https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205131835882428706345.0004c2ae16c099b874936&msa=0&ll=27.332735,-97.337494&spn=0.416618,0.889206 Dinner at Snoopy’s and Scoopy’s. Nice calls and notes from the kids.  We didn’t spend the day with them, but we thought about them and they thought about us. A good day. Happy Father’s Day to all. 
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A little more about Wilson’s Cut

 https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=205131835882428706345.0004c2adad05b3428e6b8&msa=0&ll=27.745531,-97.133732&spn=0.051882,0.111151  

From: Steve Taylor [mailto:spt@thetaylorcompany.net]
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 10:21 PM
To: Bill Taylor (Bill Taylor); David Taylor (David Taylor); Tom Taylor (Tom Taylor)
Subject: We’re back at Gulf Waters

  Walked at Wilson’s cut this evening.  Drove out through the mudflats to the exact mudhole that captured the Jeep about a year ago. I took the line to the left back then. I should have gone right.  I can tell you that the line to the left includes a submerged post that brings even a losing effort to a sudden halt. I decided this was the perfect spot to turn the Jeep around, park, and begin my walk.  (It’s a good place to walk wearing water shoes.)  I walked out until the sun set, which gave me thirty minutes of fading light to find my way back to the car.