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This is How Courtin' is Done in The South Dragonflies have survived here for millions of years and they are the stuff of romance in their enthralling lore and captivating superstitions to many. Many perceive and adopt them as their "spirit animal" for this very reason. Their mating ritual however is anything but romantic, definitely not enjoyable for the female, and I wondered how the species has survived for so long.  Read on.  It was mid September in the south so I was on a hike and a mission to see what the last blast of summer would offer me.  At first I could only see a hint of what I thought may be a dragonfly. Dragonflies frequently mate mid air and the scientific term for their ritual is, "tandem linkage," for obvious reasons. What are the chances they would be in the precise time and destined place in their mating ritual that I could not only see them,but have enough time to complete this shot.  I think painting this would be very enjoyable, both in acr...

This haunted waterfront town is filled with curious ghostly tales and centuries of engaging history so obviously it's one of my most favorite to visit in October especially. Even as far back as Captain John Smiths recounts of his explorations, he mentions Portsmouth, VA in 1608 when he writes of a Native American village in the now "hospital point" area of the city.  FYI! Visiting it after sunset is even more exciting, so go for it and let your curiosity and imagination take over. The city's havoc-filled history includes the famous and the infamous such as traitor Benedict Arnold and famous Brit, General Cornwallis.  The strategic port city was even headquarters for the British forces in 1781. Besides the many elaborate church steeples adorning the skyline, I think my most favorite is a building completed in 1845, with an unusual and intriguing connection to its adjacent structure so read on.  It's the old Norfolk Courthouse and is in the "prison square area...

                                            Victims of the Alligators of Carolina WARNING: THESE PHOTOS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR THOSE  INDIVIDUALS SENSITIVE TO ANIMALS HUNTING AND FEEDING ON OTHER ANIMALS                                                  RELAXING IN SOUTH CAROLINA If you embrace the hypothesis some naturalists embrace that the relationship between the numerous alligators that populate the south and shore birds is mostly symbiotic, this may shock you.  It's true that many of the birds in the southeast prefer to build their nests over water and alligators resultantly cruise those waters preventing racoons and snakes from getting to the birds eggs and chicks. That would indicate a relationship that benefits both....

Sometimes you only need a photo to tell a story.  This is one of those times in Charleston, SC.   Scientists have been studying whales and dolphins for years, debating to what extent Cetacea may seek to foster a social relationship with humans, and also with each other. On several occasions on my whale watching jaunts I have seen whales seeming to purposefully interact with the humans in boats, so while I don’t have a proven scientific theory, I am convinced they seek us out – in one way or another.   On many occasions, they swam leisurely back and forth, coming close then swimming away and circling under the boat as if enjoying the excitement and laughter of its human occupants.  Frequently whales have suddenly surfaced literally out of the blue; meandered at the surface to the edge of the boat and blown a thick stream through its blow hole with its pungent, rotten fish smell all over the humans standing excitedly close to the edge. One has to wonder if ...

The insect on this Hosta bloom is the perfect example of symbiosis between plants and insects, but it's not the only one.   Gardening became especially popular when Covid suddenly forced us to become more mindful, and we realized how unimportant shallow, useless things we'd been pointlessly chasing actually were.  Most of us were given more downtime than we ever wanted, and we were more less forced to look back at what made us happy, fulfilled, and stress free, not what we were told would make us happy.  That's when nurseries and gardening centers suddenly grew in popularity and they ran out of so many items because people were suddenly remembering how therapeutic "playing in the dirt" was again and began gardening in their own backyards. Some of us extended the gardens we'd established, while others spread their creative wings for the first time. And most found the benefits of this new physical activity was surprisingly rewarding.  The satisfaction we felt...

I chose this photo to post at my profile because -like so many of my friends and followers, and hopefully me, there's so much more to it than meets the eye.  Literally. This annual migration means tens of thousands of birds fly thousands of miles to stop over every year like clockwork to refuel at this very spot.  The mountain ranges seen in the distance to the East and the West will drain melted snow - or not, and thereby dictate the success or failing of the many species that rely on this stopover every year.  I deliberately didn't edit, tweak, or photoshop this photo so read on why it's so important.   You'll see Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, species of ducks, and sandhill cranes to name a few, enjoying their layover, swimming side by side while they rest and refuel with much needed water and nutrition. Each season brings in new and different species of waterfowl and land animals to this unique section of the Rio Grande, all dependent upon our fragile climate ...

During the Pandemic, I hunkered down and decided to expand my little outside corner of the planet into something that could keep my hands and mind occupied but away from the stresses plaguing us all. I dug in, literally and studied and perfected a wildlife garden that to this day provides a wonderful and rewarding respite. In my efforts, I discovered a rather surprising and heretofore unrecognized gem in the world of wildlife gardening.  Palm trees of all things, especially the flowering Jelly Palms add a lot more than beauty and atmosphere to your landscape. The stately palm remains beautiful but also stays the same through most of the year, including the cold months in the deep south.  Suddenly however, sometime in Spring or Summer-depending on the particular species, a long pod develops on this particular palm, and then slowly begins drooping toward the ground.  After a short time, this 3ish foot long pod will suddenly pop open to reveal this beautiful spray of intrigu...

  Birds of a feather do flock together, however this particular bird was oblivious to her obvious uniqueness.  I discovered this beautiful goose recently and learned she’s not only rare but probably new to the northern Myrtle Beach area as to date, unreported.  And while the rest of her species appeared to be accepting her, her coloration was completely different.  This Leucistic Canada is a Prime Example Why We Should Never Let Anything - Especially Our Appearance, Deter Us From Pursuing Our Dreams and What We Feel Destined to Be and Do in Life I felt fortunate that I was able to get her to pause briefly, and she appeared to be coyly posing for her 5 seconds of blog fame. In this case it was important to get the shots perfect to be able to present her true and unique coloration. I also included a few of her flock very close by so you can see the similarities and the unique and rare differences. After some research I identified her as a Leucistic Canada Goose, a sp...

UPDATE!  On 10/13/21  Wicked Tuna began offering a new and delicious lionfish dinner at their 4123 US17-Business, Murrells Inlet location, known as "The Seafood Capital of the South."  We're hoping they will bring them back soon for 2023, whether it be there or in their newer Myrtle Beach location. Given our 2020 "new normal" this year in light of the stress of the pandemic, restrictions, and overall uncertainties, several friends have mentioned that they want something new and different to put a little excitement on their holiday dinner tables and asked if I had any suggestions.   Lionfish immediately came to mind!   Another adjustment for all of us in the throes of our "new normal" is that restaurants are not open or as available to us as in the past.  So now, many of us have stepped up to the plate and the stove-  literally as well, and are doing a lot more experimenting and finding a new joy and fulfillment cooking at home.  For thos...