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,…
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…
Gainesville is Good to Go for All Seasons
Depending on the season Gainesville rearranges its face. The face during football season is painted orange and blue of course. GO GATORS. Every semester Gainesville changes its feel and look as the city ebbs and surges with the academic calendar…
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…
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…
West Indian manatees – see them in Florida
“Mary Margaret Manatee lived in a river that ran to the sea.” Thus begins a children’s picture book for ages 4 through 10 that I’ve written. Naturally, I had to go hang out with manatees for research. Where to go?…
Peace River Seafood & More in Punta Gorda
Got crabs? The Peace River Seafood Market & Restaurant in Punta Gorda does. Lots of them. Stone crab claws in season along with whole blue crabs that turn from blue to an outrageous shade of orange when they’re steamed. Ah,…
Book Signing Event in Ocala – YOU ARE INVITED! Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011
Eco – Gardening Writer Gives Library Presentation Who: Lucy Beebe Tobias, Florida writer and Ocala resident What: Slide show/talk/book signing of “Florida Gardens Gone Wild” Where: Marion County Public Library, 2720 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, phone (352) 368-4507 When:…
Fernandina Beach Sings a Beach Song
Are you fed up with summer simmer and showers? Ready to break out of the house? Well, buckle up. Have I got a super road trip just for you. Fernandina Beach, 23 miles north of Jacksonville, combines the gracefulness of…
Manatee Festivals, Oh My!
Holy guacamole! Can you believe it? Two manatee festivals take place on the same weekend this month! What were they thinking? (That would be the festival planners, not the manatees; they are just trying to stay warm). Ah, the choices…
Bioluminescent Kayak Tours -Only in Summer
We stood around the canoe launch site at Haulover Canal on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Our guide held up a two-bladed paddle and explained techniques. Dig this way, the kayak goes that way. You know the drill. She joked…
A Declaration of Cultural Diversity
We believe these truths to be self evident – cultural diversity makes us strong, celebrating our heritage keeps the past alive for future generations and when the Greeks are cooking, just show up. Amen. Cultural Diversity Alive and Well in…
Farmers markets on a Saturday morning
What are you doing Saturday morning? Here’s an idea – let’s go to the Fernandina Farmers Market, held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. I like those hours. You don’t have to get up early to get the…
Rain Barrel Makes a Difference
The rain came down in buckets. Lightening crashed nearby. Thunder boomed. My dogs and cats suddenly decided they ALL needed to be on the bed with me. We huddled together. Outside the house my three rain barrels – two in…
Five Fun Things to Do in April
Ah, spring. Open the windows. Let in fresh air. Inhale. Find fun things to do. Makes you restless, doesn’t it? Have I got a cure for you – five fun events for April all happening in places from my book…
Florida lighthouses have great views
Florida lighthouses have great views but it takes effort to get to the view. I earned this T-shirt pictured above the old-fashioned way – by actually doing what it says – climbing 203 stairs to the top of Ponce de…
welcome to my newly discovered world
How sweet it is to have this new site. It is a work in progress. Before long, this will be where my blog is posted and upcoming events for my book “50 Great Walks in Florida” and, most exciting, future…
The Goodtime Girl is Gone
The goodtime girl is gone. Suzi is dead. She had lymphoma, could barely eat and was in pain. She was put to sleep by a veterinarian in Ocala and her passing was very peaceful. Her mother Lucy was at her…
Independent bookstores attract me every time
Like a butterfly attracted to a brightly colored nectar plant, I flutter into bookstores, heart racing a bit fast, and eager to sip new things. I confess my step gets a little extra skip in it when I see an…
A Great Cup of Coffee and a Mission
A friend and I stopped at Mystic Bean Coffee Company a week ago on our way to St. Augustine. Their coffee is fabulous. A big “WOW”. I could hardly wait to go back. Yesterday I had an assignment to take…
Baby birds make their debut
A few mornings ago I was sitting on the porch, fiddling with a new camera, reading the directions. One booklet about something called “image stabilizer” showed how to shoot through bars (say you are at the zoo and there is…
Growing old and ill is hard to do
Suzi is dying. There is nothing I can do about it. Oh yes, I know death is the flip side of the life coin. Heads and tails. Sooner or later it comes up tails. Saying it is one thing. Living…
Heart of Florida Paint Out Going on Now
The sun is shining. The sky is blue. What are you going to do? Why paint, of course, or at least go watch lots of plein air artists paint. Charles Manning works on his under painting.“See the meadow in the…