Bucko and I recently took a trans-Atlantic cruise from Miami to Barcelona with a few stops along the way. Spain was new to us, and we happily signed up for a few-hour tour of Cartagena while we were …

Bucko and I recently embarked on a trans-Atlantic cruise ship crossing from Miami to Barcelona, with much of that time spent in empty days at sea, reading books, gorging on deluxe food and staring at …

It is difficult to miss all the clamming activity in Cedar Key, Florida, if you keep your eyes open, like I do. Unlike the clamming activities Bucko participated in as a youth in Blue Point, Long …

It’s been eight months since we adopted Melina from Cats Angels and she has made her personality clear to us. At barely 2 years old she is more active and personable than we remember our last years …

There’s a lot happening in the world of Amelia Island ospreys right now, and my inbox has been following two parallel stories. This is the time of year when ospreys start setting up their nest for …

Every year, I am still amazed at the wonder of spring in our neck of the woods. Each year, the azaleas on Amelia Island seem more vibrant, colorful and abundant than ever. The redbuds are the first …

OK, folks, are you ready for a great day’s outing right in our neck of the woods? Here’s one for you. The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Garden and Fort Caroline , part of the Timucuan …

It’s been a year since I’ve visited Cedar Key on the other side of Florida, once a place Bucko and I have gone to a number of times a year. We used to enjoy walking around the little town, having …

If you are looking for a fun place to spend the night on a Florida mini-road trip, check out The Lodge in the Wakulla Springs State Park. Although you can use Interstate 10 and get there in about …

Plant City, the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” is more than four hours away from Fernandina Beach. But it was the start of their 10-day Strawberry Festival, and my friend Betty …

My friend Jonathan Howard has developed quite a facility in Hilliard to house exotic animals that need a forever home: Otter Space Wildlife. Jonathan started his wildlife rescue work as an animal …

Some weeks, like this one, I don’t have anything interesting happening in my life to report about in my weekly columns. But, looking around my home, I see many old stories to tell. So, every now …

Whenever I go to Gainesville, every few months, I always try to stop at either Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park or Sweetwater Wetlands . These two natural areas are full of visible wildlife and …

Now is the time to get out in our natural areas and take a walk. In days past, I used to lead five-mile hikes for newcomers and friends, but those days are gone. Five miles is a bit too much for me, …

I’ve lived in Fernandina about 25 years, so of course I’ve been to Cumberland Island. I can see it from my walks on the Fort Clinch beach, where sometimes the famous horses are even visible from …

Lately, our remaining patches of maritime forests are on my mind. It started when my friends Susan and Flip showed me a bike trail in the Egans Creek Greenway that I had never traversed. It’s a …

Well, it took an overnight stay in a Mayan home in Belize for me to figure out the difference between cacao and cocoa. I was visiting Juanita and Reiny Choc in Indian Creek Village and they toured me …

Bucko and I visit Placencia, Belize a few times a year for a couple of weeks at a time. We stay at the same five-room beachside hotel, in the same room, with the same neighbors. Over the years, I …

Christmas in Belize is a celebration with traditions, family and remarkably good weather, or so we heard. Nearly a year ago we booked our two-week stay in Placencia for our favorite room in our small …

For the past couple of years now I’ve been revisiting Portal, Arizona again and again, and each time is different. This place in the far southeastern corner of the state borders the Chiricahua …