My dogs like walking the Sand Hill Trail at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala. Often we’re the first ones walking the leaf-strewn path and that means our chances of seeing wildlife are pretty good. A fact of life –…
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,…
Olde Englewood Village Plus Charlotte Harbor
Come to the second annual Authors Book Fair! Admission is free. Parking is free. Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11-3 at the Deltona Regional Library. It is an event so full of energy and creativity you will come away inspired and…
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in Cross Creek
She often started her day on the front porch. A small manual typewriter awaited her words. But I like to imagine Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings ignored the typewriter at first. I picture her comfortable in her chair at the big round…
Pumpkin Pie from Scratch is a Winner
We thought it was cool to raise one eyebrow really high and cock your head to one side, like your face was saying “WHAT? YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?????” I’d practice in front of a mirror but both eyebrows…
Milkweed Crisis in the Backyard
Holy cow! I’ve got a crisis! In my backyard the monarch caterpillars have chomped through all the leaves on the milkweed plants and they are still hungry. The very last milkweed has five, count them FIVE caterpillars and only TWO…
Lessons Learned from Stranded Starfish
Note: This is a true story Starfish were the last thing on my mind as I began my beach walk. My footsteps made no sound on the fog-shrouded beach. I searched the sand for telltale signs of tracks leading out…
Wading trip – Get Wet and Wild in Punta Gorda
What’ in a wading trip? Get wet, get happy, learn new things. Are we fourth graders on a field trip? Heck no. We are adults at the annual Florida Outdoor Writers Association Conference held last week in Punta Gorda –…
Grandma Rie’s Bodacious Biscotti
Grandma Rie’s bodacious biscotti started in childhood. Back in the dinosaur days before computer games and cell phones, most kids played outside, riding bikes, playing baseball, doing anything to stay out of the house until dinnertime. But not Maria Muscalo.…
Photographs of Life Moments at Villa Lucia
Photographs. As a reporter it used to get to me when people said “a picture is worth a 1000 words”, hey, I was the one writing those words! Why should the photographers have all the fun?But sometimes they do. This…
Alachua County Forever Opens Sweetwater Preserve
Alachua County Forever opened its fifth property to the public on July 19, 2008, with a vine cutting at Sweetwater Preserve. Two reasons to cheer – new trails to walk plus another piece of natural Florida saved from concrete and…