While the northern states are beginning to enjoy their spring flowers, those of us in Florida can also appreciate the special beauty of flowers and the insects that feed on them and pollinate them. It is indeed intriguing that […]
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There is nothing more therapeutic to the mind and body than a walk among nature’s glories. Since my jogging days are in the past due to unforgiving knees, I find that a quiet walk in a natural setting to contemplate […]
A central tenet of the Christian faith is that Jesus was born of a virgin mother and at Christmas many celebrate this event. You may think that this would have to be considered miraculous, and it is true that […]
Although beaches are generally thought of as a place for summer recreational swimming and general relaxation for humans, they are also a remarkable place to observe the special adaptations of the creatures that are able to live in this […]
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to tell the head from the tail of many caterpillars? Anatomically it is often difficult to see the actual head and the differences in the fore and hind legs are similarly often […]
Careful observations of flowers will yield many surprising ideas concerning the possible functions of their widely varied colors and shapes. Remember that flowers in nature exist only to propagate the species and not to please us. Therefore their primary […]
What defines beauty- the eye of the beholder or perhaps our genes? A sunrise photo elicits pleasure for most of us and we can agree that it is beautiful. This is not so for most insects even though they […]
One of the great pleasures in seashore living that I learned when we spent time in the Chesapeake Bay area was catching blue crabs with a hand line. In SW Florida this is not such a popular past time since […]
There is a common misconception in some quarters that anything “natural” is healthy and beneficial. Nothing could be further from the truth! The dominance of humans on planet earth is primarily linked to cultivation and domestication of a small number […]
The weather has been extremely warm both in this area and nationwide so we know for certain that we are in the throes of summer. Of course the seasonal appearance of some plants and animals would tell us that […]
Spring is the time for many creatures to make love and have lots of babies. The rapid flush of plant growth and emergence of prey in spring makes circumstances especially suitable for reproduction. Two flower beetles mating on a […]
In mid August natural signs tell us without looking at a calendar that the end of summer is coming. Nights are cooler here at the farm (55F this morning), few birds are singing and some have left us on […]
We human snowbirds are rapidly deserting Florida to return to northern retreats to escape the summer heat. Our 107 acre farm near Galax, VA, in the Blue Ridge mountains serves this purpose well but also allows us to engage […]
We human snowbirds are rapidly deserting Florida to return to northern retreats to escape the summer heat. Our 107 acre farm near Galax, VA, in the Blue Ridge mountains serves this purpose well but also allows us to engage […]
Spring is a time of wonderful sights and sounds as critters go through an accelerated process of feeding and breeding. Of course reptiles are “ectotherms” and need to bask to elevate their body temperatures to increase digestion and to […]
While we generally assume that the best sightings of animals are most likely to be found at parks and nature preserves, such is not always the case. Observations in our humble backyards can often reveal some truly amazing critters. […]
One of my favorite tiny wonders of the wetlands of pine flatwoods is the sundew. The name is appropriate since the glistening orbs of sticky material at the ends of filaments certainly shine in the sun as would drops […]
Here in SW FL we are deep in the grip of what we call winter, and the first photo proves that we actually have had one light frost already on Jan. 2. The general weather pattern is an irregular […]
On a balmy early spring day, I walked with a group of friends around Wildflower Preserve in Charlotte County, FL, and enjoyed the many sights and sounds of the season . Dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are again flying in […]
Mid to late March is an exciting time of natural changes due to the almost daily arrivals and departures of migrant birds, the initiation of singing in many species, and the greater activity of reptiles. An unusual lizard that […]