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
FOG on the Fourth
Happy Independence Day everybody! Time to celebrate our Nation’s birthday. For those who have been visiting this site, you know that most of our articles have a pretty light tone. FOG looks at life with a smile on his face. Today, let’s get serious, just for a bit....
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FloriDUH Fireworks Laws
You might not believe this. Fireworks are openly sold in Florida, in stores, roadside tents and flea markets. However, it is illegal to set off just about any type or pyrotechnical device that goes up in the air or goes boom. The only fireworks permitted are...
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Debby – Rain, Rain, Rain
It looks like Tropical Storm Debby is finally moving offshore. She was a slow moving rain-maker. In our area, we had about 10-12 inches of rain from the storm. While she did produce some wind, our strongest gust was 40 mph, her legacy will be the amount of rain...
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Red Light Runners
If you are planning to move to Florida, have recently relocated here or are just visiting the sunshine state, be very careful at intersections. For some reason, many Florida drivers do not stop when the traffic light changes to red. Red light running is a national...
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Synchronized Strutting – New Olympic Sport
A family of Sandhill Cranes paid a visit to our backyard today. Mom, Dad and two youngsters. The adults are about 4 feet tall. Their chicks have grown fast, they hatch in late April. I was very fortunate to photograph the two young birds walking in step in the photo...
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Sailing Home
Just another day in Paradise as we watched a sailboat on its way home. This photograph was made by Mrs. FOG at one of our favorite places to watch the sun set: the Venice Jetty.
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Anoles – Harmless but Annoying
Any Florida visitor or new resident is soon to discover the small lizards that populate the entire state. Most people call these critters geckos, probably because of the famous lizard in the insurance commercials. Florida is home to geckos, but only in the southern...
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Hurricane Resistant House
What to look for when purchasing a home in Florida. No, you do not have to clad your Florida home in steel plates to be safe from storms. You might consider some of the following things when choosing a new home. Location, Location, Location That old adage used in real...
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Giant Egret Flying Home
Photographed this bird as he arrives at a rookery for the evening. More photos of the Venice Rookery here.
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Hurricane Season is Here
June 1 marks the start of the hurricane season, it ends on November 30. A hurricane can form anytime in those months; in reality, most storms that affect Florida appear in September and October. For many Florida residents, it is a time of heightened anxiety. Just...
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Guest Towels, What Do You Do?
OK, here is the dilemma, when visiting a friend’s house, you have the occasion to use the guest bathroom; you need to dry your hands, do you use the fancy towels hanging there or not? Guys know that those towels are put out to impress guests and that they usually are...
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Stingray Shuffle – Popular Florida Springtime Dance
No, we are not kidding, most full-time Florida residents are familiar with the Stingray Shuffle. Stingrays tend to congregate along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico more in late May and early June. They can be seen in very shallow, warm water (less than one foot...
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