It may be hard to believe now, but there was an epoch before the age of electronic gizmos when children universally awaited the return of warm weather which signaled the end of school was near. The balmy temperatures lured most youth into the outdoors, each anticipating new adventures and discoveries in the woods and waters…Read more
Florida is home to a wide variety of native plant, animal and fungus species which make up the biosphere. These lifeforms exist collectively and, with the aid of the weather, balance their respective populations by way of utilizing the other species and their byproducts. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world…Read more
The consistent and ample rains recently seen over Florida’s panhandle assure enough moisture is available for home gardens and landscapes as well as agricultural production. It has also minimized, if not eliminated, the need for irrigation and its associated cost for all of the above As with anything good, there is always an associated negative…Read more
“Nothing is there more friendly to a man than a friend in need,” so observed Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman playwright, about 2200 years ago. In modern parlance the remark has been abbreviated to “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. When winter sets in with all its hardships and privation, there are many birds…Read more
There are certain sounds which attract the immediate attention of people and set off instinctive reactions. Car alarms and sirens are two good examples. At the first sound of a car alarm, most of those present instantly look around to see what occurred. It may as be simple and harmless as the owner accidently hitting…Read more
With spring’s beginning there is an added frenetic pace to contemporary life in north Florida. Time off for spring break, with its increase in vehicle traffic, and the home landscape chores accumulating while the beach and tourist traps are visited both add to the chaotic rhythm of the season. The domestic deeds, tasks, and jobs…Read more
The seasonally cool weather has had a silencing effect on the nighttime chorus of insects, amphibians and most other animals. The frogs and cicadas have taken shelter in anticipation of the imminently arriving warmer months. With the exception of the barred owls, even much of the avian population is silently waiting out the dark hours….Read more
Nuts are a popular snack for people and many animals. In panhandle Florida many can be produced in home gardens and orchards. Wild hickories and oaks annually produce a bumper nut crop for the squirrels, deer and other wildlife which are dependent on the fat and nutrients to make it past the cold season. Pecans…Read more
Looks, as the old saying goes, can be deceiving. It is a cautionary pronouncement from experience in springs past, usually painful and expensive, to serve as a warning to those who follow and hopefully to avoid similar complications if the advice is heard. In most situations a threat in nature can be easily identified and…Read more
The old saying identifies the lion as the king of the jungle, feared and respected by all. Every creature which lives in or enters its realm, be it jungle or savanna, must respect the hierarchy of the order. Legend has it the regal creature can be generous with vassals or savagely brutal. The reason or…Read more
