Month: February 2021

Red Maple: Vivid Color Among the Gray

The subdued browns, greens and grays of the forest are beginning to return to the brilliant pallet familiar to residents who venture beyond their front door. In the last days of February the slow progression of woodland colors is shifting as spring approaches. Many plants, trees and fungi are not reflecting the awareness of the…Read more

St. Marks: A Waypoint for History and Respite

The term “at the end of the road” has negative connotations. The meaning of a dead-end with no place to go implies the focus of the comment is a useless or hopeless situation. The little town of Saint Marks, Florida, sits at the end of a road but has a long history of varied purposes…Read more

Laurel Wilt: A Threat to Florida’s Trees

All botanical signs indicate Spring 2021 will begin in a few weeks. Plants are budding all over the panhandle with a notable exception. Many red bay trees remain in what appears to be winter’s grip of dormancy. Unfortunately, most will never reawaken.  One little insect in the Xyleborini tribe of beetles has been destroying bay…Read more

Hooded Mergansers: Seasonal Dine and Dashers

Air travel has its advantages, even today with all the hoops one must jump through to gain access to this mode of 21st century transportation. Given the distances to far flung destinations, it is in many cases the only realistic option. Still there are challenges which try the patience of even the most experienced traveler….Read more