A walk around the neighborhood or forest will confirm winter is here. Of course, there are the recent thermometer readings and the shorter days. Other signs are the thicker coats on animals which, by choice or situation, must remain exposed to the elements. Some, like the native reptiles and amphibians, are absent from sight, having…Read more
Bidens alba, in the Aster (sunflower) family, is a common weed or wildflower, depending on your viewpoint. Commonly known as Beggar’s Tick, or simply Bidens, it is considered native to Florida and subtropical regions of the Southeastern United States. It has been deemed naturalized or invasive in tropical and subtropical parts of Asia, South America…Read more
Last minute Christmas bargains are being hurled at the panhandle’s citizens through every conceivable mass media channel known to humanity. The retail establishments are packed, and the package delivery services’ abilities are straining at the coming deadline. The indecisive are now at the panic point where choices must be made or disappointment (and unending recriminations)…Read more
With the holiday gift-giving season in full swing, many are scrambling to find the perfect item for that special person on the receiving end. As the old saying goes, good things come in small packages. Well, most of the time. There are always gift cards to preferred retailers, the 21st Century equivalent of cash, or…Read more
Shoes are a necessary implement of civilization and an indispensable part of the human wardrobe. They come in an incredible array of sizes, shapes, materials and colors. This vestment has been in use by people since before recorded history, insulating against cold and protecting the human sole from all manner of damaging contrivances which could…Read more
Walk into any retailer and the evidence is in plain sight. Christmas is a little over three weeks away. Decorations, gifts, cards, and wrapping paper are prominently displayed for the buyer’s convenience, along with red and green pillar candles wafting holiday fragrances. In the wild, shorter days and lower temperatures in north Florida are the…Read more
For those with any level of visual acuity, November is the beginning of an overwhelmingly colorful season. Holiday lights, decorations and merchandising efforts all vie to use the most conspicuous and unavoidable selections of shades, many of which cannot be found in nature. Fortunately, panhandle Florida has many wondrous colors in the leaves of plants…Read more
People who collect items do so for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the purpose is an unlimited curiosity about the subject which is collected. Stamp and coin collectors often fall into this category. Others collect to satisfy an insatiable want to physically possess the subject of their obsession. In extreme cases this is labeled hoarding…Read more
Exotic invasive species are a continuing problem for panhandle Florida and many other places in the country. The non-natives are brought into an ideal environment where they can grow and proliferate with unrestrained abound. The cost of their control can be measured in millions of dollars annually and in countless numbers of native species pushed…Read more
Sometimes camouflage is the best option for making inroads toward one’s objective. This ruse can be quite effective for going unnoticed, until an event exposes the truth of the situation. Such has been the case with many defoliated or partially defoliated plants and trees as the autumn progresses. Any resident of north Florida may stare…Read more
