Late summer is the time for enjoying panhandle Florida’s great outdoors. There is gardening, boating, cycling, hiking and numerous other leisure time activities which enhance the area’s pleasant natural environment. It is easy to forget that not all nature has to offer is an enjoyable experience. One consideration before tromping off into unfamiliar forests, and other…Read more
The burst of blooms and the perfumed air signal that summer in panhandle Florida can be very pleasant, despite the heat. Any outside activity results in encounters with a rainbow of colors and tones emanating from trees, shrubs and weeds. Any foray into the country will yield ever changing vistas of whites, reds, pinks, blues…Read more
It may be hard to believe, but summer is almost half over. Autumn, at least on the calendar, will begin in late September with more moderate temperatures. While there are still some, or many, hot humid days left to endure, the gradual dwindling hours of sunlight indicate the approach of hopefully cooler weather and a…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
Hair styles are a curious reflection of the culture in which they exist. Some are ornate and complex, with others being simple and, in some cases, completely “natural”. The mane can be straight or wavy, long or short, and in a variety of shapes. Spikes, tufts, swirls and many other forms are displayed by the…Read more
Out-of-the way corners in abandoned places conjure up a variety of disquieting images. The eerie silence in these neglected locales gives way to the subtle scurrying of unseen lives attempting to avoid contact and confrontation. While most of the residents of these unkempt sites are harmless, at least from the perspective of venal intent, a…Read more
The term creeping has many negative implications. It conveys sneaky behavior with potentially malevolent intent. The definition of creeping could be updated to the equivalent of internet stalking. It means to pursue or follow someone in a persistent, secretive way. By doing so, the goal is to advance gradually and unnoticed, then infringe on some…Read more
The consistent rains this summer have produced many positive results. The lawn grass is greener and growing fast enough to require weekly mowing, temperatures notwithstanding. Vegetables in the summer garden and fruit trees in the home orchard are flourishing under the ample precipitation. Shrubs and trees in residential landscapes have little to no need for…Read more
Sometimes events do not turn out as planned. The project’s initiative was sound, but unknown factors appeared and turned success into a mess. The sterling historical example of this concept can be summed up in one name, George Armstrong Custer. Panhandle Florida, however, has many lesser-known examples in the ornamental horticulture arena which have caused…Read more
It may sound like an unnecessary question, but it’s not. When one stops to think about it, a rather long list of things to consider when planning a landscape could be made. In nature, many plants have defense mechanisms to ensure survival. These mechanisms may include ways to physically deter a predator, like thorns or…Read more
