When the moon crests the horizon over Myakka River State Park, the Florida wilderness sheds its sun-bleached daytime haze and transforms into an expansive world etched in silver and shadow. Across the open expanse of the dry prairie and the vast marshes flanking Upper Myakka Lake, moonlight settles over saw palmettos, turning their stiff, fan-shaped […]
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Sanibel Lighthouse
Standing on Point Ybel at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, the Sanibel Island Light has guided mariners along Florida’s Gulf Coast since 1884. First lit with an oil-burning, third-order Fresnel lens, the 98-foot beacon was designed specifically to endure the shifting coastal sands and volatile subtropical weather of the barrier island. Unlike the classic […]
Turken at Echo Farm
Despite its name and bizarre appearance, the “Turken”—often dubbed the Transylvanian Naked Neck—is not a hybrid cross between a turkey and a chicken. Biological barriers between the two distinct genera (Gallus gallus and Meleagris gallopavo) render viable offspring virtually impossible. Instead, the Turken is a pure chicken possessing a striking, naturally occurring genetic mutation. The […]
Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Bryson City, NC
The Lawn Crew – White Ibises in Sarasota
Our yards feed an itinerant white ibis flock, and the birds are now grazing assiduously at the Katz’s next door. Although common in southwest Florida, ibises appear exotic to visitors more familiar with ancient history. They may remember ibis mummies offered to the ibis-headed Thoth, and how each cadaver was sarcophagus-packed before being stacked in […]
Cattle at Smith Farm, Sarasota
The Smith Farm (held by the Cindy L. Smith Revocable Living Trust) is a 51.5-acre agricultural property located along Raymond Road in east Sarasota County, positioned directly across from the South Cell and Raymond Road boardwalk of the Celery Fields Click to open side panel for more information The property has been at the center […]
Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Mexico in July? Well, we went to see the whale shark migration, which we did, and the weather was great. But, again, the people of Mexico are terrific, and that made a fun getaway. Here’s a list of people from the trip:
