Nature's Wonders

03/24/2026

Join Nextdoor, an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips, buy and sell items, and more

10/23/2024

In the Kasbah we encountered an intermingling Sicilian and Arab Cultures and co-existence of Muslin, Christian and Jewish faith.

07/30/2024

06/22/2024

Astride their trusty steeds, this band of determined women ventured into the Appalachian countryside, their saddlebags heavy with stories and dreams! These pack horse librarians, delivering books in rural Kentucky in 1938, were part of a remarkable initiative born from the hardships of the Great Depression. The Pack Horse Library Project, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program, employed these intrepid "book women" or "book ladies" to bring literature and learning to the most remote parts of Appalachia. Librarians often rode 100-120 miles per week on rocky, muddy trails that were impassable by car. They endured harsh weather, from scorching summers to frigid winters, to reach their eager patrons.

To share their inspiring stories with kids, we recommend the newly released "Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek" (https://amzn.to/3Wr7oZ7) and "The Horseback Librarians" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-horseback-librarians), both for ages 4 to 8, and "Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky" for ages 8 and up (https://amzn.to/3N8WAtf)

For adult readers, there are also several excellent historical fiction novels about these determined librarians: "The Giver of Stars" (https://amzn.to/4a0Ym9A), "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" (https://amzn.to/47ZbdHz), and its sequel "The Book Woman's Daughter" (https://amzn.to/3RqH6Cn)

03/19/2024

03/18/2024

My garden is full of butterflies, caterpillars!

03/18/2024

Some great ideas!

LET’S MAKE NATIVE GARDENS THE NEW NORMAL!

Why natives?

Marjorie Shropshire and I opened our book, "A Step-By-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard," with this list, which answers the “Why Natives?” question:

Many Floridians are adding more Florida native plants to their landscapes. The reasons for this trend vary widely:

To reduce maintenance costs—both time and money
To reduce irrigation and water use
To reduce pollution and runoff for the sake of nearby waterways
To attract birds
To use fewer pesticides—organic or not—for health reasons
To save monarch butterflies and other pollinators
To reduce utility bills by cooling the air and shading south or western exposures
To reduce frustrations with dealing with poor turf grass condition
To create an authentic Florida yard

Read the whole article here: https://floridapress.blog/2018/08/01/lets-make-native-gardens-the-new-normal/

03/15/2024

LET’S MAKE NATIVE GARDENS THE NEW NORMAL!

Why natives?

Marjorie Shropshire and I opened our book, "A Step-By-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard," with this list, which answers the “Why Natives?” question:

Many Floridians are adding more Florida native plants to their landscapes. The reasons for this trend vary widely:

To reduce maintenance costs—both time and money
To reduce irrigation and water use
To reduce pollution and runoff for the sake of nearby waterways
To attract birds
To use fewer pesticides—organic or not—for health reasons
To save monarch butterflies and other pollinators
To reduce utility bills by cooling the air and shading south or western exposures
To reduce frustrations with dealing with poor turf grass condition
To create an authentic Florida yard

Read the whole article here: https://floridapress.blog/2018/08/01/lets-make-native-gardens-the-new-normal/

08/16/2023