You may have seen a surprising headline recently: Microsoft told its engineers to stop using AI. Considering Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in artificial intelligence and has built AI …

One of many memorable walking vacations with my sister took us to England, first to the Cotswolds for a week of gentle walking, then a more challenging week in Cornwall. In our second week, we joined …

Deep in the middle of a now-rare longleaf pine forest in northeast Florida, a gopher tortoise looks for a place to build a home. She is surrounded by saw palmettos, wildflowers, towering and graceful …

I just returned from a trip to the Emerald Isle. Two of my dearest old friends were my companions throughout the journey. Words like "enchanting," "spectacular," and "stunning" describe Ireland …

I found Chestnut Street while scrolling through Facebook Reels for relief from the heaviness of the world. Serendipity. What a find. It makes me laugh. The stories about life on Chestnut St. with all …

Outside the Home Depot in Yulee, you never really know what you’ll find. One day it might be a cheesesteak truck, some dang good coffee, or on a recent Monday, something unexpected: Jamaican food. …

We knew that sargassum weed had taken over Placencia, Belize’s normally pristine white sandy beaches, but what the hey? We go to the same five-room hotel there every few months for a couple of …

If you've been following the news about artificial intelligence lately, you may have noticed something unusual. The same companies spending billions of dollars developing AI are sometimes the …

When you least expect it, a new friend comes into your life. One of my favorite annual events is the Amelia Island Dance Festival. Executive Director Susie Dodge outdoes herself every year, and this …

The tortoise is a land-dwelling turtle. It is a very ancient creature with a proven anatomical system for survival. The way these animals operate in the world has been incredibly successful for over …

A stroll through the Arts Market on a Saturday morning in downtown Fernandina is a feast for the eyes! There are colorful displays of jewelry, flags, paintings and more crafted by the talented …

Note: This is a personal commentary based on my experience attending the Call to Action meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at First Missionary Baptist Church. I am not a reporter. Reporters’ accounts of …

Philly Boyz has been slinging cheesesteaks around Fernandina in one form or another since 2008. I’ve lived here most of my life. Somehow, until last Saturday, our paths had never crossed. Better …

It’s been years, maybe a couple of decades, since we visited the north entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp just south of Waycross, Georgia. Our memories of it were flavored by the repeated homage to …

I recently came across a wonderfully simple idea, and I plan to start using it more often, both personally and professionally. It's called an Idea Index. I first heard about it through Tim …

Recently, as I headed out into the backyard, something caught my eye. A beautifully spun spider web stretched nearly four feet from porch to tree. In its center was a large and quite busy banana …

I have spent countless hours watching the ocean, looking out at the sea off Amelia Island. In my years, I have seen shorebirds, gannets, spinner sharks, tarpon, stingrays, bait pods, whales, giant …

It's been another scorcher of a summer. Many of us have retreated to our air-conditioned houses. We venture out early in the morning or late in the evening, but we appreciate the respite of our cool, …

Would you attend a well-researched lecture by a highly qualified professional on a relevant topic that costs only $5?  That is less than the price of a fancy coffee. To attend, you didn’t have …

Anyone who has read my column over the last couple of decades surely knows that otters are a part of my long-time history and my ever-present passion. For years I was chair of the International Union …