Welcome New Floridians
This site started on the Tenth Anniversary of our moving to Florida. Ten years came and went pretty quickly. We have learned a lot in those years and have made some mistakes along the way. Our goal is to try to help new Florida residents, and those thinking about relocating here, profit from our experience.
The articles are set up with a variety of categories, so you can look for whatever interests you. We are open to suggestions to improve the site and will try to answer any questions asked.
Our Articles
Cleanup Crew
It probably will never be said that vultures are beautiful birds; although, I bet their mothers think they are quite fetching. However, the big birds perform a much needed service; cleaning up road kill and other animals who have met their demise. It certainly is not...
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First Light
Sunsets tend to draw the most attention of tourists and locals alike, especially here on the west coast of Florida. Its fame is well deserved and does not disappoint us very often. But sunrise offers much to those few who rise early. The beach at dawn has its own...
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Hoverfly
While standing in the woods trying to photograph some birds, this large fly kept hovering around me. It was fairly easy to photograph, it actually stayed in one position for a good while. The fly didn’t get too close; perhaps 3 to 4 feet away. It kept watching me for...
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Honey Bee
Busy bee making sure I have limes on my tree. This bee is pollinating my lime tree as he collects nectar. Florida does have an issue, as do other warm states, with the African Honey Bee invasion. The Florida Department of Agricultural has information on their website...
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Fox
Friendly Fox Not long after we moved in to our Florida house, we saw a fox go through the yard. We were shocked. If you didn’t know, we moved here from a house in a city neighborhood in Pennsylvania. The most wildlife we saw there was an occasional cardinal. As...
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Rabbit
Who doesn’t love a bunny rabbit? Well, some gardeners are not especially fond of the little furry creatures. The first year we moved to Florida, we planted asters in the flower bed. We found out that bunny rabbits LOVE asters; they ate them right down to the...
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Motherhood at a Turtle’s Pace
I know that many of those who read this post will wonder if I have any life at all. If I did, would I spend over an hour watching a turtle laying eggs? Yes, I would and did. In fact, this is the second time I have stood and watched this happen. Mother Nature never...
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Shells to Remember
When we first moved to Florida, someone told us that they went to the beach each New Year’s Day and picked up one seashell. They then, marked the year and the high temperature for that day on the shell and saved it. That sounded like a good idea, so we have adopted...
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All my eggs in one basket – bad idea!
Yep, we all know: it is never a good idea to have all needed items or services provided by only one source. Sometimes, even though we should know better, we still do things that are not in our own best interests. Enter Verizon FiOS. For those who may not have this...
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Cows that don’t moo – Sea Cows
Manatees, also known as sea cows, live only in Florida and even here their future is uncertain. The manatee population has steadily declined due to the loss of suitable habitat and pollution. The big mammals live in the water, but they need to surface to breath every...
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Christmas Cactus
The true name of this plant is Schlumberger and it is native to Brazil. It really should be called Holiday Cactus, at least here in Florida, because it usually starts to bloom around Thanksgiving. No matter what it is called, it is a really pretty flower. It only...
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Christmas in Florida
One of the biggest adjustments to living in Florida has been the celebrating of the Christmas Season. It was one of the things we never even thought about, as we planned our exodus from the cold of Pennsylvania. Christmas has always been a big deal in our family. In...
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