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
Royal Terns
A beak to beak discussion between two royal terns. These birds are year-round residents along the Florida coast. They often congregate in large groups on the beach. Florida residents know not to feed them. If you do, they hang around and make tons of noise. The...
read more
Almost Dark
Often, tourists and new Floridians will leave the beach as soon as the sun dips below the horizon. For the experienced viewer, the show is just getting started. This photo was done as the light was almost gone. The sun had set several minutes before, but the sky was...
read more
Round and Round we go.
For some reason, Florida local government officials, decided to replace some busy intersections with roundabouts. Not the best idea they ever had. What is a roundabout? It is a circular section of highway where, in a perfect world, drivers enter and exit without...
read more
Watching Grass Grow
Summer season in Florida typically is very hot and humid with frequent rain, components guaranteed to make the grass grow. New Florida residents are often surprised to learn how often the grass needs to be cut. With the frequent summer rains, the lawn needs a trim...
read more
By the Light of the Moon – Night Blooming Cactus
About 4 years ago, we purchased a night-blooming cactus plant. It was just a cutting from another plant, about 6 inches long, wrapped in newspaper. When we got it home we just stuck it in a pot of soil, watered it, put it on the lanai and then pretty much neglected...
read more
This Little Piggy Made a Mess
If you have been reading our articles, you know that our back yard faces wetlands. We would have it no other way, even though sometimes it poses some problems. Not long after we moved to Florida, the feral pigs introduced themselves. Time for a bit of history lesson;...
read more
Florida Turtle Nesting Season
Each year, various species of sea turtles crawl out of the Gulf of Mexico, dig a nest in the sand and lay their eggs.The photo above shows the tracks made by a turtle crawling up the beach to make a nest. Nesting season starts in May and most of the baby turtles hatch...
read more
Red-Shouldered Hawk
We enjoy seeing these magnificent birds in our backyard, until they grab a bunny rabbit or screech owl. Mother Nature can be cruel; we have to take the good with the unpleasant. FOG sez: Mother nature sure can be cruel, what else could explain Tom Selleck being...
read more
Four Ingredient Barbeque Chicken
Yep, you read it right; just four things needed to make mouth watering grilled chicken. Everything seems to have a story and this recipe is no exception. It all started in the mid 1980’s along Route 30, near Ligonier, PA. Our little family was driving by and noticed a...
read more
Sea Snake – Seaweed – Mermaid’s Necklace???
Most Floridians have no idea what this is. Do you know? If you do, count yourself as being in the minority. Most people won’t touch it for fear of it being slimy or gooey; it isn’t. It is an egg casing from a whelk, a saltwater mollusk. The casing is fibrous, tough...
read more
Afternoon Storms
Florida’s summer season normally sets into a pattern of hot, humid days with a strong chance of afternoon thunderstorms. However, that has not been the case for the last few years. We have been experiencing close to drought conditions. That is, up until this year. So...
read more
I Otter be in Pictures.
This guy wondered into our backyard the other day. He must have had an itch on his back that he just couldn’t scratch. He rolled around in the dirt for a while and seemed to enjoy it. If you look close he has his tongue sticking out in the photo on the left. We have...
read more
