July 10, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. Today we continue to feature the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

This tree is Ginkgo Biloba

It can grow to be 100 feet tall

You will mostly find male trees in nurseries

Because female trees get stinky in the fall.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

Sources: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c910

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 9, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. For the next week, we will be featuring the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

We are Azure-winged Magpies

We call anything from bugs to fruit "food"

You can find us throughout east Asia

Just look for our shiny black hood.

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/azwmag2/cur/introduction

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 8, 2026

I am a Hispid Cotton Rat,

My range is wide and expanding

I am mostly found in grassy areas

Where I can produce many offspring.

Location: Brevard Zoo, (NOT a captive animal, just a visitor)

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sigmodon_hispidus/

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 7, 2026

I am a Tawny Frogmouth

I'm captive and I live in the Brevard zoo

I'm normally found in Australia

Where I eat invertebrates and play a didgeridoo.

Location: Brevard Zoo (captive bird)

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/tawfro1/cur/introduction

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 6, 2026

I am a Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Parasitoids find my larvae by chemicals in their feces

My larvae use their mandibles to throw their poop away

As do other Swallowtail Butterfly species.

Location: Oregon, Ohio

Sources: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN906

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 5, 2026

I am a female Brown-headed Cowbird

I leave my eggs in other birds nests

I'll kick out the other birds eggs if there's not room for mine

As a mom, I am not really the best.

Location: Curtice, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/overview

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 4, 2026

I am a Savanna Sparrow

As mothers go,  I am the best

I gather food - up to 10x my weight 

Every day till my kids leave the nest.

Location: Curtice, OH

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Savannah_Sparrow/

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.