One thing is certain, the recent rains are making the grass, and most other plants, grow. Thankfully the conversations about drought have been silenced for the time being and everything is green. In the local home gardens a member of the grass family is responding positively to all the moisture from above. Sweet corn in…Read more
Florida is a state where lightning strikes, and it is more than twice. With summer bringing multiple thunderstorms weekly, the chances of tree damage are quite significant. Lightning protection systems for trees are old technology, having been developed decades ago. They consist of three connected parts. A copper cable “down-conductor” directs the charge of a…Read more
Evenings in panhandle Florida produce a raucous din created by insects, amphibians and birds. Anyone hearty enough to take an early evening walk in north Florida will experience a continuation of the frenetic activity and riotous sounds typical to summer in the south. The near deafening call of cicadas (Magicicada spp.) is part of the…Read more
Being refined can be a desirable quality. It reflects a process in which the best possible features have been distilled and are on display. With this refining process there are traits which are suppressed and sometimes lost forever. While these lost characteristics are rarely missed in today’s homogenized existence, their absence lends a consistent repetitiveness…Read more
The recent storms and tornadoes have focused the attention of many residents on trees within their home sites. Typically, these large plants are part of the background and receive little to no notice. However, weather events such as tornadoes, hurricanes and the like can reveal often overlooked safety and maintenance issues. Much of the damage…Read more
In the days before mass marketing, big box retailing and internet sales, people had to create their own solutions to the wants and needs of daily life. The results were based on the materials at hand and were often imaginative, but sometimes bordering on the absurd. If purchasing and bartering were not an option, then…Read more
The generalized reputation of any group is always suspect because the actions of a few members can tint or taint the collective perception of all members. Any assemblage has its saints and sinners, but most of those associated are just going quietly about their assigned task. This concept applies to humans, and also to insects….Read more
Almost everyone wants to help an underdog. Environmentally, one local underdog has six legs as an adult. Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, are likely the best-known butterflies on the planet because of their remarkable and much publicized ability to migrate thousands of miles across international borders. They then congregate in the same spots year after year….Read more
The recent ample rains will have a positive effect on the plant population, and by default home water bills. The liquid encouragement is the foundation for the growth and development of turf, shrubs and trees. The insect population benefits too. It is getting ready for what should be a banner year, at least for most…Read more
