Weekender - photo of the day - Bicycle at a lavender farm - fun question: what do both lavender and bicycles have in common?

Sometimes we all need to step back from the stressors in our lives and find a way to relax. So relax and think about this photo. Lavender and bicycles share many of the same health benefits (so too, would traveling to a lavender farm). 

This photograph was taken by Palmetto Bay resident Jennifer Santino Finger while at Washington Lavender, located on the estate at the George Washington Inn in Port Angeles, Washington. 

Photo Credit: Jennifer Santino Finger

Lavender is an herb. A/K/A the calming herb. The flower and the oil of lavender are used to make medicine. Lavender is commonly used for anxiety, stress, and insomnia. It is also used for depression, dementia, pain after surgery, and many other conditions.

Cycling can ease feelings of stress, depression, or anxiety. Focusing on the road while you’re cycling helps develop concentration and awareness of the present moment. This may help take your focus away from the mental chatter of your day. Cycling can also keep you lean and fit, which may reduce your risk for certain types of cancer. While Lavender in the bath may help some with stress reduction, cycling may offer a positive start to your morning or a stress reliever after a day at work.  Cycling regularly is one way to avoid a sedentary lifestyle and its accompanying health concerns. It can help prevent cardiac issues such as stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure. Cycling may also help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes.

Both Lavender and Cycling are environmentally friendly.

The photo itself is quite relaxing.

Enjoy your weekend. 

Wildlife photography - pictures give reason to appreciate and therefore the drive to protect our local wildlife - Photos by Jennifer Santino-Finger that aid other local wildlife activists.

Why Wildlife photography? Because photos have the power to bring nature to the viewer and turn them on to the wonder of nature. Photography has always been a powerful medium and it has become an essential tool to inspire the desire to protect wildlife; to spark preservation. Photos often go viral on social media, bringing the much-needed attention to imperiled wildlife. 

Palmetto Bay is a long time refuge for wildlife. Most of our wildlife is native, but some is unfortunately non-native invasive. I have documented many issues related to our local wildlife from invasive species (34 posts), features on the FWC (18 posts) as well as our local environment that so many work to save to home the special plants and local wildlife [Liveable Cutler (7), Miami Pine Rocklands Coalition (16), National Geographic, Native Plant Society (2), Our Environment (20) and Patch of Heaven Sanctuary to name a few. (see the labels posted in the far right column for more, or for all links)] And then there are the coyotes that have earned their own space. There is a need to co-exist. We should all work to make our backyards a wildlife habitat.

You may have missed an article on Channel 10 regarding a Wildlife Sanctuary Ordinance championed by Council Member David Singer (2016-2020). It takes a village to get attention to issues of protecting our environment. Catalysts are required from within. Channel 10 featured residents heavily involved in such protection. There are many to thank, but at this time I especially want to thank Carol Vega and Jennifer Santino Finger.

CLICK HERE or the headline to view the June 18, 2021 article by Channel 10 Reporter Christina Vazquez, Wild macaw parrots need to be protected from poachers in Miami-Dade, residents say

Poaching is a huge problem and it is important not to give away locations of these nesting birds that we all enjoy. Macaws are non-native, but are not invasive – this is an important distinction. Please review the article, link above. And remember, it is one thing to enact a law, but any law can be rendered worthless unless it is properly enforced.

Palmetto Bay resident Jennifer Santino-Finger provided Channel 10 with the photographs of the macaws here in Palmetto Bay. Jennifer graciously granted license to me to post a selections of her photos here to this blog. I am posting more than the parrots. There are many outstanding photos that must be seen!

(Click on each photo to view in a larger format.)

Palmetto Bay has much more than Parrots - Jennifer has captured numerous local birds in the only way they should be: through the lens:

We can't leave out this little fish who appears just as interested in the photographer:

A SUGGESTION - how about an exhibition!

This blog does provide the proper forum for these outstanding photos. I strongly suggest a Jennifer Santino-Finger nature photography exhibit at the Coral Rock House here in Palmetto Bay. It is long overdue and would be most welcomed. Parks should host it. Local students should be given an opportunity to see and participate.

Admit it, these photos add reason as to why we need to work to protect our environment, 22 acres at a time.

(Please note that photo credits for all photos posted here are Jennifer Santino Finger)

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Send more photos! This is also an open invitation for others to send photographs of appreciating Palmetto Bay! Better read than politics. CLICK HERE to view some of my prior posts of my attempts to photograph backyard nature here in Palmetto Bay!