Month: November 2023

The Not Exactly Sweet Sounds of Grackles

Thanksgiving 2023 is in the history books. The remnants of the festive meal reside in the fridge, being reduced slowly each day. Turkey sandwiches, turkey in salads, turkey soup and any other recipe the late fowl-of-honor can be utilized in for the sake of space in the icebox. Additionally, there is likely a review of…Read more

Flyers That Almost Fell to Flighty Fashion

Recent winter weather in the northern latitudes of the USA and other countries has made panhandle Florida look even better. Blizzards, snow drifts, avalanches and the like make north Florida, with its relatively mild temperatures, appear as a paradise. Still there is plenty of patchy white in the environment. The sugar white sands, as well…Read more

A Thanksgiving Guest Who Really Doesn’t Want to Be There

Uniquely American, the holiday of Thanksgiving has been celebrated since before the establishment of the country. On Thursday of this week, it is a day when families gather and express their appreciation for the bountiful resources provided. As with most family gatherings, food is involved. Traditionally, turkey is the centerpiece of the day’s culinary extravagance….Read more

Natural Help Against a Tricky Pest Plant

Sometimes surprises can puzzle and perplex, and yet be pleasant. Finding a twenty-dollar bill, for example, in a parking lot would certainly be a positive experience. The occurrence would likely be tinged with pity for the person who lost it, though. Even if they were totally careless with their financial resources, the discovery would make…Read more

The Winter Flight of the Butterflies

Notoriety can be a positive attribute when events go as planned (or hoped). Such is the case with the much-heralded Monarch Butterflies’ recent departure. These colorful insects have garnered the interest and concern of tens of thousands, if not millions, of people who are worried an age-old annual pilgrimage to winter grounds in Mexico may…Read more

A Reliable Food Source in the Cold

The traditional season of harvest and the gatherings of families and friends is at hand. A celebratory holdover from past generations who were completely dependent upon the land for food and other critical resources, in November one counted their blessings collectively or tightened their belt individually for a long and dismal winter. Today’s residents of…Read more

A Pleasant, Paved Road Through the Past

The desert southwest hardly seems a likely candidate for a forest of any size. Granted, there are some juniper trees and other dwarf species, but nothing like the stately timbers seen in more temperate environments. Such was not always the case. A visit to the Petrified Forest National Park in northeast Arizona permits viewing of…Read more

A True Blast From the Past

Florida has many holes in the ground beneath our feet. As every homeowner knows, there are midnight excavators which desecrate the lawn and leave it with enough pockmarks to pass for the lunar surface. Granted, the armadillos are just looking for a snack, but a random collection of shallow holes are the result. If this…Read more