I mounted the nest box and pole in my back yard in late February. Frankly, I didn’t expect much to come of it and was prepared for disappointment. A couple of weeks went by and I saw no birds. In the interim I did some rudimentary research about bluebirds, which consisted basically of looking at…Read more
As July fades into August, more residents are questioning how the trees in their home landscapes would fair in a tropical storm or hurricane. Some have a high potential to cause problems. Others, like the southern live oak, are less likely to damage structures. Live Oak is often used as a generic term for any…Read more
Over 10,000 species of plants are growing in the state of Florida. About 3,000 of these are native. About 10 percent of those native species are endemic or widespread to specific habitats. According to the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP), an invasive species is defined as an organism (plant, animal, fungus or bacterium) that is…Read more
The low frequency droning is unmistakable. The casual flight pattern belies the potential agony of an encounter and the real possibility of a painful attack from multiple directions. Wasps in north Florida, and most other regions, are known for their dyspeptic nature and vile retaliation if provoked. They are the grumps of the mini aerial…Read more
As you read in the first column of this series, I’ve been hosting nesting bluebirds in my back yard for the past three years and have become quite fond of this beautiful and wonderful bird. Because bluebird hosts find this activity so incredibly rewarding, we hope others will become involved, not only to enjoy the…Read more
Until relatively recently in history, traveling any distance was an arduous and difficult process. The problems compounded if there was a large baggage load. Initially, there were two obvious options. A cart or wagon pulled, hopefully, by a beast of burden was the first choice. A boat or ship was the second option for going…Read more
The recent stormy weather, with all its potential problems, has focused many panhandle Florida residents on alternate tools for a variety of uses to keep civilization at hand. In some cases, gasoline powered engines are necessary to achieve a level of 21st century comfort. Internal combustion engines fueled by gasoline require more attention and present…Read more
For most of my life, I have appreciated birds in general. I understood they were an important part of the ecosystem, I enjoyed seeing them around, appreciated their beauty and songs, and I would occasionally put out seed for them (until I got fed up with the squirrels and raccoons raiding the feeders). I had…Read more
The label on most plants found in plant nurseries contains lots of information useful to gardeners. Even experienced gardeners can benefit from reading tags because of the frequent introduction of new cultivars with growing requirements different from others in the same species. A good plant label will give the common name of the plant as…Read more
Being sharp is usually considered a complement. It implies the recipient of the assessment has the intellectual ability and the mental agility to handle the rigors of contemporary life with ease. Sharp individuals anticipate coming events and prepare for them with preemptive actions which lead to a better than typical outcome. This proactive approach leads…Read more
