The guide sang out “LBB at 2 o’clock.” Birders with binoculars swung them up tight to their eyeballs and looked off the right. But no, not me, I am standing there clueless. This was my first bird walk. I have…
Water Tours Offer Unique View of Florida
“That house on the right sold for seven million last year,” says Harold Bubil, Real Estate Editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune. All eyes swivel starboard. We look at the elevated waterfront home with patio, pool and a dock. Impressive.…
Flower Power Blooms in Florida
Wait for it. Coming. Coming. Zing! The calendar page turns and voila, March arrives today – yeah! Flower power in Florida starts in January and goes through April, This is much different than “up North” but then Florida is tropical.…
Florida Sunsets are Free and Fabulous
Another day. Another sunset. The ritual begins. We drift onto the beach, each headed to a personal place. There are no signs saying “Park here” or “Reserved for Lucy” but we know where we belong. I go for a flat…
Florida History Makes a Great Walk in DeLand
The year was 1876. Henry Addison DeLand took a vacation from his baking soda business in New York to visit his sister and brother-in-law, O.P Terry. They lived in South Carolina. Perhaps it happened over several glasses of wine before…
Monarch Butterflies Need You Now
You can save the world. Right now. Today. Well, all right, a piece of the world. How? Buy milkweed. Seriously. I’m not kidding. Monarch butterflies need milkweed as host plants. They lay eggs on milkweed, caterpillars emerge, eat leaves then…
Aviation History soars in Florida
Tucked away in a folder called “Places in Florida I haven’t been yet (but want to go)” are scraps of paper with scribbled notes, flyers, cards and brochures. The DeLand Naval Air Station sits in that folder. Think about it. …
Fishing and Fall are Big Lures in Florida
Ah fall. Crisp air, cool mornings. And fish are calling your name. Seriously. Fishermen hear these things. Redfish, mullet, shark, croppie, trout, grouper . . . listen to the siren call. “What kind of fish you catch depends on the…
Manatees and a Children’s Book
In another life I was a “go to” newspaper reporter writing about Florida environmental issues including Florida manatees. Every year, count on it, editors wanted a story when manatee mortality figures were released – the whys, who or what shared…
Sholom Park has Peaceful Paths
This is chapter 6 from the e book “10 Florida Great Walks Around Gainesville and Ocala” by Lucy Beebe Tobias 6. Sholom Park, Ocala Imagine world leaders sitting down and listening with respect to what each one is saying. Imagine…
Tarpon Springs Gives a Taste of Greek Life
I’m smiling and it is not even time for lunch. But I know lunch will be at Mama Maria’s, a family run Greek restaurant with marvelous food. Oh yes. First I find my way to Dodecanese Boulevard, home of the…
Warm Mineral Springs closes – then opens again
She squints at my driver’s license, leaning in to read the address. Sarasota County residents get $5 off admission to Warm Mineral Springs, a national treasure located in North Port, which just happens to be part of Sarasota County. Yep.…
Hogtown Creek Greenway walk in Gainesville
Chapter 5 in “10 Florida Great Walks Around Gainesville & Ocala” Hogtown Creek Greenway Quick Question: In the middle of what city can you find a dreamy forest pathway that follows creek beds? Answer: Gainesville, Florida. Honest! There is more…
Bed & Breakfasts Keep Florida History
I’m always surprised at how quickly things can change with just one turn. For me it was a right-hand turn off busy Highway 17/92 in Orange City near DeLand. That turn put me onto French Avenue. The frantic traffic, carried…
Pensacola – Dig Into the Past or Soar with Angels
In the faded photograph, my dad leans his long frame against the airplane, one arm resting on the open cockpit. A long white silk scarf is wound once around his neck with the ends hanging down all the way to…
Florida Beaches are Simply Sublime
Wahoo! I was just there – Gulf Islands National Seashore in Pensacola – a long ribbon of bright white sandy beach so alluring it had to be singing a siren song: “Come, sift the sand between your toes. Stay here.…
BOOK REVIEW: Paynes Prairie
LUCY’S BOOK REVIEW* Paynes Prairie: A History of the Great Savanna by Lars Andersen I’m convinced his mother qualified for sainthood. Seriously. Lillian Andersen used to drive her son Lars to Paynes Prairie so he could spend the day exploring,…
Great Florida Birding Trail attracts visitors
The photographer, wearing multiple cameras, walked towards me grinning. Cameras with long lenses worth more than the national debt of medium-sized third world countries hung from each shoulder. “Well how is it?” I asked, holding just one camera in one…
Gentle Manatees Swim in Florida Waters
Manatees were here before mastodons stomped down Florida grasses. Before Indians inhabited prime seaside real estate. Even before Ponce de Leon got himself killed wandering around Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth. Manatees pre-date Disney and interstates Yes, way…
Living History Reenactors are Time Travelers
Shadows pinched the sunlight into slim shapes on the trail. A breeze lifted tree branches. The birds were silent. Suddenly a war cry and the sound of thundering hoofs split the air. My back tingled with fear. I did not…
50 Great Walks in Florida is now an e book!
BREAKING NEWS University Press of Florida has just announced that Lucy’s award-winning print book 50 Great Walks in Florida is now available as a Kindle e book on Amazon. Did you know that once you click the “Buy” button you…
Downtown historic Melbourne has food and fun
It is not my fault. Someone has to bite the calories, taste the Grimaldi handmade chocolates then report to you. That would be me. I bravely walk into their store on Waverly Place in Melbourne. The vats for making chocolate…
Rain Barrels are a win-win for the Environment
As I sit here looking out the studio window, big, billowing white clouds are scudding out of the west, moving fast heading east to the Atlantic Ocean. Yesterday bands of rain came through town. Every 30 minutes or so another…
Visit Sarasota if you want to be invigorated
Want to be invigorated? Then my advice is – visit Sarasota soon. Why? For starters, here are five why’s: Be stimulated = Sarasota boasts a playbill loaded with award-winning arts and culture venues. These events don’t take a breather for…
Be Languid at Warm Mineral Springs
Summer sizzles. Getting wet and cooling down sounds like a great plan. Your options: Float down the Rainbow River in an inner tube with your buns cooling off at a constant 72 degrees, dip into a lake, find a pool,…