I have been gardening for decades and have built some fairly remarkable outdoor spaces in the various places our family has lived. However, it was not until we relocated to Florida that I discovered two approaches to living in harmony with the environment that have radically changed my worldview. Those would be permaculture and deep … Continue reading Permaculture and deep mulch gardening
Tag: Nature
A morning surrounded by tornadoes
Well, today was an interesting day here in southwest Florida. We knew there were going to be severe storms this morning. I went to bed early last night because I love intense storms, and did not want to sleep through them. I pictured myself waking up, making coffee, and sitting out in the courtyard watching … Continue reading A morning surrounded by tornadoes
“Winter” blooms
The name [Florida] comes from the daring adventurer Juan Ponce de Leon, who accidentally stumbled upon the Florida peninsula ....The year was 1513. Ponce de Leon was searching for gold and the "fountain of youth" -- a legendary spring that gave people eternal life and health. He sailed from Puerto Rico on March 3 with … Continue reading “Winter” blooms
My favorite gardening tools
Every time I visit a nursery, I unlock some new achievement level for fitting plants into my SUV. Between Christmas and my own shopping, I have found some amazing gardening tools worth recommending to others. (Note: This is not a sponsored blog post. I am not getting compensated in any way for recommending these items. … Continue reading My favorite gardening tools
There is nothing like a South Florida childhood
We have logged many hours at Fort Myers Beach and the beaches on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Our new favorite beaches to hang out at, however, are the Causeway Islands on the way out to Sanibel. They are called the Causeway Islands because they are natural landing spots for the series of bridges that carry … Continue reading There is nothing like a South Florida childhood
Walking through the swamps on a rainy day
Elise is fond of saying that Florida has only two seasons: dry summer and wet summer. For a tropical climate, this is an accurate assessment. We have seemingly started the transition into the wet season this week, with several days of torrential rain. In South Florida, "torrential rain" is not merely a heavy thunderstorm. The … Continue reading Walking through the swamps on a rainy day
There Are Wee Parrots Nesting in Our Tree!
When we moved into our new house in South Florida, one of our biggest regrets was that we had not worked it into our contract to have a certain dead palm tree in our yard removed. Our neighborhood is full of ancient royal palms that are truly enormous and thus very expensive to remove. We … Continue reading There Are Wee Parrots Nesting in Our Tree!
Bearded Dragons are the Craziest Pets
Henry Flagler with a blueberry on his head. Bearded Dragons love berries. We almost named him "Raspberry," because he had a fuchsia face from pounding down so many berries when we first saw him. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunset. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places … Continue reading Bearded Dragons are the Craziest Pets
“Amazonian river monster” found in the Caloosahatchee
We live right on the Caloosahatchee River where it drains into the Gulf of Mexico. There are canals in our neighborhood where people keep their large sea-faring boats. The canals aren't especially deep and the neighborhood children love to swim in them. As we are of the "free-range" parenting persuasion, there is not much that … Continue reading “Amazonian river monster” found in the Caloosahatchee
A small Texas oil company wants to drill in Big Cypress National Preserve
A friend I made during our recent trip to Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress National Preserve is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the United States. It is also home to many threatened and endangered species - including the Florida Panther and West Indian Manatee - whose existence depends on park management … Continue reading A small Texas oil company wants to drill in Big Cypress National Preserve
Days of Sunshine 