I didn’t realize I would get to see penguins molting on my trip to the Falkland Islands in early January. I found the molting birds so endearing. The adult king penguins temporarily lose their sleek formality, while the babies who are about to set off are a hilarious mix of fur and feathers. The southern rockhoppers lose their great hairdos and look a little unlike themselves. Sadly, I did not see any molting gentoos.

Penguins annually go through what’s called a catastrophic molt, where they replace all their feathers at once instead of replacing them gradually. This process is unique to penguins. Throughout the year, feathers get worn down and it’s critical to a penguin’s health to get a new batch. Another fun fact: Penguins have the densest plumage of any bird.

During the molting process, the penguins are not waterproof, so they’re stuck on land. To prepare for the molt, they’ll gorge on fish before coming ashore. Since molting is an energy-intensive process, they’ll slim down for a couple of weeks until all their new feathers are in. Then, they return to sea.

Other posts about the Falkland Islands:

• I Came for the Penguins, I’ll Return for the People: My Solo Trip to the Falkland Islands
• What to pack for the Falkland Islands

The post Penguins of the Falklands: Molting Edition [Photos] first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

As one Falklander said, “You can’t overdress here. You can only underdress.” While the temperature is not that cold in the summer, it’s the wind and possible rain that makes it feel chilly.

Bags

I traveled with:

• A camera backpack
• Another backpack with a PJs, a change of clothes, laptop, power adapters and charging cords, and medicine
• A rolling suitcase that is the size of a U.S. carry-on bag

If you do laundry, this is sufficient luggage space. I knew I’d have to do laundry and got lucky because a fellow traveler brought lots of extra laundry sheets, which she gave me, so I could wash underwear, socks, and even a couple of shirts. The Malvina House, where I stayed in Stanley, offers laundry service, but I was too cheap to use it. The heated drying racks in the bathrooms in Stanley and on Sea Lion sped up the drying process and really aided with laundry.

Packing list

Here’s what I brought:

• A pair of jeans
• Rain pants that fit over my jeans
• A rain jacket that fit over my winter jacket since my winter jacket isn’t waterproof
• Two pairs of long johns/base layer pants – one wool and one thinner pair
• Ski pants. I bought these used from geartrade.com at the last minute because I don’t have warm waterproof pants.
• Waterproof (and insulated) hiking boots that lace above the ankles. I wanted to make sure I could walk in a little bit of water, which was a good call.
• Tennis shoes. These were originally going to be for the plane back and around town. I ended up just using them around town. At Sea Lion, we were not allowed to wear shoes inside, so I’d consider taking some house shoes or slippers. However, I was fine with thick wool socks there.
• 2 long-sleeve quarter-zip shirts and 3 wool long-sleeve quarter-zip shirts. I washed one of the quick-dry ones and wore a wool shirt a few times over 48 hours without washing it. It didn’t smell. Even if it did, did anyone care?
• 1 short-sleeve shirt for the plane to/from Santiago. Washed it once.
• A vest. I love vests for their ability to keep me warm and their convenient pockets.
• A winter jacket (used Patagonia). Just a standard jacket. The temperature doesn’t get too cold in the summer. What gets you cold is the brutal wind and rain. When I was on Sea Lion Island, the wind was 30 mph.
• 2 pairs of gloves – one very warm and one thinner that allows me to feel things through the fabric more easily. I typically kept a glove on my left hand and didn’t wear a glove on my right unless I was walking or not operating my camera.
• A headband ear warmer and a beanie (used both)
• Scarf. I would trade this for a buff or another more compact neck/head warmer. I did not use the scarf at all.
• 8 pairs of mostly wool socks of varying weight
• 8 pairs of underwear and 2 bras
• Little crossbody purse for walking around town
• A book, “A Most Remarkable Creature,” about the history of the striated caracara (aka Johnny rook), which only lives on the Falkland Islands. It helped me better appreciate a bird I knew nothing about prior to my trip.
• Ebooks on my phone to keep my load lighter.
• Pen (for customs forms and postcards)
• Sleep mask. Neither of the places I stayed had blackout curtains, which was both helpful in waking me naturally and reminding me where I was, and annoying when I wanted more sleep.
• Hand lotion (travel size), multiple lip balms because sometimes I can’t find the one I have when I need it most, and other travel-size toiletries.
• Aquaphor (stick lotion that helps with dry skin). At the last minute, my mom gave it to me when I didn’t want to get lotion on my fingers.
• Water bottle
• Sunblock for face
• Laptop, camera, and accessories

What I’d do differently

If I make the trip again, I’ll bring:

• Laundry detergent/sheets so I don’t need to borrow any
• Different bags so I’m not waiting in all the lines with two heavy backpacks. I also didn’t have a great daypack.
• 1 or more handkerchiefs. My nose was so runny from the wind and cold that I soaked through my napkins/tissues.
• A small folding chair or mat so I can sit comfortably in nature and not sit on penguin poop. Although maybe I won’t want to haul things around with me and I’d end up not using it. I do think it’s a good idea if you just want to be with the penguins.
• Potentially a headlamp if I’ll be walking around remote islands at dusk
• Potentially fewer clothes, as doing laundry was quite easy
• Something someone on the island requests. Getting items that stores don’t stock is difficult and costly. If I return, I will ask someone if a local could use anything from the U.S. and pack it in my suitcase. When I returned, I bought some shampoo and mailed it to someone there. It would’ve been much cheaper if I had added it to my luggage. The kindness I felt viwhile siting leaves me wanting to pay it forward.

I’ll also leave my short (24 mm-70 mm) lens at home. Several people had 100 mm – 500 mm lenses (or similar variations), and I think that’s a great move if you’re trying to stay light and photograph wildlife.

For more information about my trip to the Falklands and other preparations I made, check out “I Came for the Penguins, I’ll Return for the People: My Solo Trip to the Falkland Islands.” And my photo collection of molting penguins.

The post What to pack for the Falkland Islands first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

Here’s what this article covers:

• Why I chose the Falkland Islands and my initial research
• Basics about getting there
• What I wish I had known about flying there
• Island hopping once in the Falklands
• My lodging
• Packing and other preparations
• Internet
• Places I loved visiting in Stanley
• Day trips I took from Stanley
• Sea Lion Island
• The people exceeded my expectations
• Books to read
• Last notes
• Helpful resources

Why I chose the Falkland Islands and my initial research

I’ve wanted to go to Antarctica for many years to see its glaciers, penguins, and go where few people have been. I loved being on and near the glaciers in Alaska and thought I would enjoy a trip to the seventh continent. For various reasons, I couldn’t make that happen this year, but I was tired of waiting. A friend had gone on an Antarctic cruise and mentioned how he wished he had the opportunity to explore the Falkland Islands more. After more research, I learned they have five species of penguins. I’ve loved penguins since I was a child, so this excited me. If I could do the trip for less than $10,000 – about the lowest cost of an Antarctic cruise – then I was going to do it. I estimated the trip to cost about $6,000. With the Falklands being close to Antarctica, having five species of penguins, and being far less than $10,000, I was sold. Woo!

After learning more about the Falklands, I knew I wanted to visit more than one island. While all of the islands have something unique to offer, Sea Lion Island was calling my name. Between it and East Falkland Island, where Stanley is located, I had a chance to see all five species in one trip. Sea Lion is also a nature preserve, meaning it has no grazing livestock and is focused on restoring native habitats for the wildlife. It also has a lovely, comfortable lodge and has plenty of wildlife within walking distance.

To book accommodations outside of Stanley (and even sometimes in Stanley), you typically email the lodge/manager to get availability if you’re not using one of the Falkland travel agencies. I enjoy trip planning, and planning things yourself is usually more affordable, so I opted to go that route. That said, I do know that when our flight from Punta Arenas was rescheduled for the next day, Falkland Island Holidays was excellent for my fellow travelers, adjusting at least one person’s itinerary who was visiting three islands in one week to give her as much time as possible on the remote islands.

Basics about getting to the Falkland Islands

If you are traveling from the U.S., you really have one option: flying through Punta Arenas, Chile, on LATAM Airlines, with a stop in Santiago first. There is one flight a week every Saturday. LATAM also flies south once a month from Rio Gallegos, Argentina, but that will limit your travel dates. I opted to find available lodging first and then purchase airline tickets around those dates, which took me through Santiago and Punta Arenas.

I ended up booking a flight to Santiago on American and separately booking the LATAM flight from Santiago to Mount Pleasant, which automatically routes you through Punta Arenas. My flight to Chile left on a Thursday evening and arrived in Santiago on Friday morning. Early on Saturday morning, my flight to Punta Arenas took off. The 24-hour layover offered a buffer in case my initial flight to Chile was delayed.

Since you have one shot a week at getting to the Falklands or else you’re out a lot of money, you buy travel insurance. You also buy it because it’s required.

If you live in the UK, you can take the Airbridge from the Royal Air Force (RAF) Brize Norton military base to Mount Pleasant. The flight refuels on Ascension Island. From what I heard, it is not as cushy as a commercial flight (bland, repetitive meals), but it has its benefits (more direct route; soldiers helpful with luggage, which is especially nice if you’re traveling with small kids).

What I wish I had known about flying there

If you know what to expect ahead of time, you might avoid some of the disappointment I experienced, particularly in Punta Arenas. First, the flight from there to Mount Pleasant was slightly delayed, and then it was cancelled after most people had their passports stamped to leave the country. LATAM had extremely poor communication throughout the entire process, and we spent seven hours waiting in various lines, on and off, at the Punta Arenas airport that day. LATAM put some people in a hotel, others in hostels, and told the rest we were on our own (that was me). At one point, LATAM wasn’t going to give everyone a voucher. When they did, it took 20-30 minutes to get the voucher, and the redemption process is convoluted.

Here’s what I wish I had known going to Punta Arenas:

• Flights to Mount Pleasant are often delayed because of wind. One scientist had been stuck in Punta Arenas for four days because of wind. That wasn’t the issue with my flight (plane issue), but it is common for flights to be pushed. I wish I had researched Punta Arenas a little ahead of time to identify potential places to stay, the average taxi price to get to the city (the airport website is outdated), and something I might want to do if I had some free time. Given my situation, I was scrambling to understand how safe the city is for a solo woman traveler, how much it should cost to get into the city, and where I should stay. I ended up having a nice evening and walking to a beautiful viewpoint in, but I could’ve done without the added stress.

• Be prepared to wait in line after line after line. Wait, there’s another line. Lol. By the end of the trip, I was at peace with lines. When arriving in Punta Arenas, I deboarded and had to get my boarding pass from LATAM for the flight to Mount Pleasant, go through security (short line), and then customs to get my passport stamped as a record of me leaving Chile. At Mount Pleasant, you’re in line for customs to enter the country. Then, most people, regardless of how they booked their travel, board large buses from Penguin Travel to travel to Stanley. Even if you went through customs first, you’re waiting on the bus until everyone finishes before you leave the airport. Bottom line: Everyone gets everywhere at the same time, so get used to waiting in line and accepting you’ll all get there when you get there.
• Think about food ahead of time on your travel days to and from the Falklands. I experienced more logistical issues with food on my return flights. There is a food kiosk in the Mount Pleasant airport, but the selection is limited. I recommend ordering a packed lunch from your hotel or stopping at a place like Teaberry (this is what I did) before you get picked up, since you will not have time to grab any snacks in Punta Arenas on the way back. You go through Chilean customs, get a new boarding pass to Santiago, and then board the same plane immediately. They might even call you name on the loudspeaker.
• Everyone leaves at the same time for the flight from Mount Pleasant to Punta Arenas. The bus that takes everyone to the airport often picks up locals and tourists, and you go back to waiting in many lines with your fellow travelers. You find out the day before what time you’ll be picked up. While the bus picked me up from my hotel at 11:40 a.m., the pick-up time at the same hotel the following weekend was 8 a.m. Apparently, the airport wanted to process all the departures before the flight from Punta Arenas arrived. I’m not sure how often this happens.
• You cannot have water in carry-on luggage leaving Santiago to the U.S. They search everyone’s bags after scanning your boarding pass at the gate. It is very annoying.

Island hopping once in the Falklands

Since I was going to Sea Lion Island from Stanley, I had to take a flight from Falkland Islands Government Air Service, a.k.a. FIGAS. You fly on eight-seater planes, and it’s the best airport experience you’ll ever have (walk in, weigh your luggage and yourself, sit down).

It works like an airborne taxi service. The day before your flight, you’ll learn when your flight takes off, and you need to be either at the airport or lodge 30 minutes before your flight so you’re ready to go when the pilot arrives. Your lodge manager will have the schedule, or you can see it on the FIGAS Facebook page. On my way to Sea Lion, we made a stop at Bleaker Island to pick up someone who was also going to Sea Lion. On the way back, the plane flew directly from Sea Lion to Stanley, as it was full of people heading there. You won’t know if you’ll have stops until the schedule comes out. We landed on the grass at Bleaker and on a runway at Sea Lion. Fun!

To book a flight, you email FIGAS with some basic information. My round-trip flight from Stanley to Sea Lion cost $388. There are weight restrictions, so you may need to leave a bag at your accommodation in Stanley. I left a backpack at the Malvina House Hotel. However, I might’ve been fine bringing it since my camera bag and suitcase weighed 18 kilos, which is two kilos under the maximum limit.

What else to know:

• The planes are loud, and FIGAS provides earplugs. However, if your ears are sensitive, you might benefit from having noise-cancelling headphones.
• You don’t get to pick where you sit because they need to balance the weight on the plane. A friend was lucky and got to sit in the front seat on two of her three flights, while I was in the back for both of mine.

My lodging in the Falkland Islands

In Stanley, there are a variety of places to stay. You can do an Airbnb-style place, which is what they call “self-catered,” or a hotel. Because I planned my trip six months in advance (late by most definitions), many options were already taken. I decided to splurge and stayed at what might be the bougiest place, Malvina House Hotel. I was lured in by its location and restaurant. I wanted to be comfortable and not have to think much about essentials.

Breakfast was included in the cost, and it’s a short, flat walk to the center of town. If you need ADA accommodations, please make sure you book a wheelchair-accessible room and make a note in your reservation. There is an elevator chair lift in one of the hotel’s two buildings. However, there are small sets of stairs in multiple places, including when entering the restaurant. Even though I was on the first floor of the second building, I still had to climb a few small sets of steps to get to my room. While nice, it is not a five-star hotel if that’s what you’re accustomed to. You are still on a remote island. I’m not used to staying at five-star hotels, so I found it lovely.

The Sea Lion Island lodge was magnificent. I don’t want to oversell it, but I was impressed with the food, service, and space. We even got whole apples in our packed lunches! Think about how many people were involved to get fresh fruit to tiny Sea Lion – a modern marvel. I wouldn’t expect fresh fruit anywhere in the Falklands, so appreciate it if you get it.

The Sea Lion team works hard seven days a week to provide guests with an incredible experience. Micky, one of the lodge owners, has a great sense of humor and indulged me when I asked for a picture with him and a book about caracaras that mentions him.

Packing and other preparations

For a comprehensive breakdown of the clothes I brought, check out my article about what to pack for the Falklands.

Here are other things I did to prepare for my trip:

I bought virtual SIM cards for Chile and the Falklands. This was really helpful in Santiago and Punta Arenas. I got my Chile SIM card from Sim Options and bought data only. I couldn’t get my SIM card to work in the islands and didn’t want to troubleshoot tech on my trip after the rough start. I was able to buy a WiFi card at Sea Lion Lodge, and Malvina offered free WiFi with the stay.

I ordered British pounds from my bank prior to leaving, so I would have cash on hand for various things. They accept Falkland Island pounds and British pounds in the Falkland Islands. However, they do not accept Falkland Island pounds in Britain. This means that you should spend any Falkland Island coins and notes you receive, unless you want to take them home as a souvenir or you intend to travel back.

I don’t think it’s essential to have cash, but I would recommend getting some. One tour guide requested cash only, and it was nice to have cash to tip tour guides, hotel staff, and servers. Plus, it’s fun to donate anything leftover to Falklands Conservation’s penguin statue at the airport on your way out. (I don’t have a photo of the penguin because no photos are allowed at Mount Pleasant.)

Internet – be prepared to be without

One benefit of being in the Falkland Islands is escaping the noise of everyday life. Right now, there is only one cell/internet provider, Sure, but people are also starting to access the internet through Starlink. If adoption of that takes off, it could improve internet access. I wanted internet to communicate with tour drivers and my family and friends to let them know how I was doing (and share cute penguin photos).

To get WiFi, unless the place you’re staying at provided access, you had to buy a Sure card, which was expensive. It was 10£ for 100 minutes. Even worse, the logout URL didn’t work, so you had to turn off WiFi on your phone when you were done. However, your session was only considered over after 5 minutes of inactivity, meaning you stopped using the internet but Sure continued to count those 5 minutes against your total time left. That eats away at the 100 minutes quickly.

The speed is also slow. I was able to send short video clips while in Stanley, where speed was a little faster, but I mainly sent text messages on iMessage and WhatsApp and a few photos. Sending videos on Sea Lion Island was out of the question.

Cell service is not available outside of Stanley, and I think many vehicles have transponders/radios to communicate. That is how the tour drivers talked to one another on the way to Volunteer Point and how the pilots let lodge owners on other islands know they are about to land.

Places I loved visiting in Stanley

I can’t go through every place I visited, but here are a few places I recommend in Stanley. Be mindful that nearly every place closes what would be considered early in other places. The gas station closes, the bank closes at 2 p.m. on weekdays, the grocery store closes at 8 p.m. – you get the picture. Places might also open or have longer hours if any cruise ships are in port.

The post office

The postcard selection is quite good, and they are a decent price (60p). Mailing postcards is 80 pence. That’s pretty reasonable given how far the mail has to travel. I had a lot of fun writing postcards to friends, family, and myself to give them an unexpected souvenir from this incredible place that is far from them. I also got a great deal on postcards at Sea Lion Island (40p) in case you’re going there, too.

Studio 52

This lovely gift shop has art, high-quality souvenirs, and beautiful products. I absolutely love the designs by 25-year islander Julie Halliday. While I didn’t get to meet her, I did interact with Leslie multiple times. She warmly greeted everyone into the gallery and was so helpful. I got my mom and sister gifts here that they love and picked up a mug and penguin print for myself. As an art and small business lover, Studio 52 was a highlight. I can’t recommend it enough.

Beyond Julie’s designs, she also features other work from other local artists. Plus, it’s close to the jetty for cruise ship passengers to stop by on their way to or from other places.

Falklands Conservation

Since I was traveling to the Falklands for nature, I visited the organization’s website ahead of my trip. I stopped by the small office to adopt a penguin for my nephews. The charity has a small selection of books, greeting cards, and pins for purchase to support their work. The entrance was a little hard to find, as it’s not through the front door of the house they occupy. It’s around the side of the house.

Falkland Islands Historic Dockyard Museum

This is a fantastic museum, with maritime, natural, and social historical information and artifacts. I didn’t get to spend as much time as I wanted, but I’m glad I stopped by.

The Wool Shed

Debi, a friend I made on my trip, and I had fun amusing Jeannette in this cute store, which features handmade items made from Falkland Islands wool. I bought an ear-warming headband, and Debi got a beanie. The Wool Shed has socks, skeins, scarves, blankets, and more.

Teaberry Café

Teaberry is open mornings through lunch during the week and on cruise ship days. They offer delicious pastries and a variety of sandwiches, making them a great option for a quick and affordable lunch. They’re near the Dockyard Museum and Falkland Collectibles.

Falkland Collectibles

A small, interesting shop with an owner who is happy to talk with you about collecting, currency, stamps, maps, and more. If you’re looking for mint-condition penguin coins, talk to Phil. I also had fun trying to collect penguin coins that were not in mint condition. During my trip, I was able to find eight of the 10 Falkland Island coins featuring penguins.

Waterfront Kitchen Café

I absolutely loved the vibe of this restaurant. The pistachio-and-parmesan-crusted toothfish and apple crumble pie were incredible. I wish I could have them again!

I loved the atmosphere and food in the Waterfront so much that I went there twice.

Malvina House Restaurant

This was on par with Waterfront. It’s a more upscale place (but you can dress casually) with delicious food and a separate cocktail/bar lounge if you don’t want a full meal. Their baked Alaska was exquisite. Yum.

Day trips I took from Stanley

Both these trips involved hiring a driver with a Land Rover or similar vehicle and going off-roading. My goal was to see all 5 species of penguins that call the Falklands home, and I was able to do that through these trips.

Volunteer Point

This is a must-do trip for anyone visiting Stanley. At Volunteer Point, you’ll be able to see colonies of king, magellanic, and gentoo penguins. I was having trouble finding a guide to take me so I ended up booking through a third party, making it about $100 more expensive and having to go with cruise ship passengers. If possible, I recommend avoiding that. I had to wait more than 1.5 hours for the cruise passengers to disembark before the two-hour ride to Volunteer Point. Plus, we had to leave Volunteer Point so they could get back to their ship. I also learned that visitors can go more places at VP if you’re not with the crowd of cruise passengers. I still loved seeing the king penguins and am glad I went.

Note: There is 45 minutes to an hour of off-roading on this tour, making it quite the adventure. When I say off-roading, I mean navigating over low shrubs and mountainous terrain, making the vehicle and driver work. My driver was skilled, and no one on his crew got stuck in the mud. The tour companies typically go out as a team in case someone gets stuck. If you get stuck, it’s okay; they know how to get the vehicles back on track. Also, there is a bathroom about halfway to VP an hour in.

Cape Bougainville

Cape Bougainville (pronounced boo-ɡən-vil) was my opportunity to see rockhoppers, hopefully macaroni, and maybe even a hybrid rockaroni penguin. I was really lucky and saw all three, plus a cross-species couple. My car was the only vehicle out there, making it a really peaceful experience. It didn’t rain on us, and the wind wasn’t too bad. The bathroom stop on this trip was behind some big stones. You do what you gotta do.

My driver, Ken from Estancia Excursions, was an easygoing fourth-generation Falkland Islander who I enjoyed chatting with and freely shared information about his experiences. I booked this directly with Estancia.

Sea Lion Island

While I loved the civilization in Stanley, I also loved the remoteness of Sea Lion. Being able to walk to see the penguin colonies at any time of day was freeing and allowed for different experiences than day tours. I opted to see the droves of gentoos coming in from the ocean at sunset each night, and it was a magical experience. Watching the sheer number come ashore and track them as they jump in and out of the water was an experience I won’t forget. It was worth braving the 30 mph winds and fickle rain to witness.

The lodge also offers tours for about $70, which I highly recommend. Lauren gave our tour, and she delighted us with her knowledge about the wildlife. She had a good eye for spotting birds and then sharing fascinating information about them. She pointed out a silvery grebe with two hidden chicks on its back. We waited and were rewarded by getting to see a parent feed them. The tour offers highlights of the island and may identify places you want to go back to, like the rockhopper and sea lion colonies. You can also pay for a ride to the rockhoppers and walk back to the lodge.

Other things to know:

• No shoes are allowed inside the lodge, so consider bringing slippers to keep your feet warm.
• The water pressure in the showers is intentionally low, as all the water comes from a natural spring on the island.
• You’ll wake up with the sun unless you have a sleep mask.
• Breakfast and dinner are served at set times, unless you make other arrangements.

The people exceeded my expectations

During the process of booking my arrangements, I got the feeling that Falklanders were a tight-knit, trusting community. I expected my trip to be different than visiting a big city, and they delivered. Falklanders look out for each other and extend that to kind, appreciative tourists.

When my flight was cancelled, a local asked if I needed them to call anyone on the islands to let them know. Another explained what a normal experience in the Punta Arenas airport was while we waited in a sluggish line. A family I met at Sea Lion told me the best time to see the gentoos coming in after I expressed awe at the tail end I had seen the night before.

This is not to say that everyone I interacted with was incredible or generous, but on the whole, I loved the people as much as the penguins. It’s because of them that I’m considering another trip there.

Books to read

These are books I either read to get excited or while on the trip.

• A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey by Jonathan Meiburg. This nonfiction book is not one I normally would pick up, so I’m grateful a friend gave it to me after learning it explores the history of the caracara. Penguin Random House calls it “a hybrid of science writing, travelogue, and biography.” The Falklands are home to the striated caracara, also called Johnny rooks, which are incredible birds. This book gave me an appreciation for them, so I was considerably more excited when I saw them on my trip. Sadly, I didn’t have a personal encounter like those described in the book.
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. While this well-written work may not be the happiest novel, it takes place on a fictional island near Antarctica. I was recommending it to people before I knew I was going to the Falklands, and I think it’s geography makes it appropriate for this trip.
• Penguins: The Ultimate Guide (The Second Edition) by Tui de Roy, Mark Jones and Julie Cornthwaite. Beautiful photography and fun facts about all the current species of penguins.

Last notes

Visiting the Falklands was worth the money, time, and energy. Exploring the Falklands over the course of a week rather than a one-day stop on a cruise ship was a much different experience that gave me a more intimate look at life there and a greater appreciation for it. I really hope I am able to visit again.

Helpful resources

• What to pack for the Falkland Islands
• Falkland Islands Tourist Board
• Solo travel post about visiting the Falklands on Reddit
• Andy Pollard from Falklands Nature
• Sea Lion Island

Just for fun

Penguins of the Falklands: Molting Edition [Photos]

The post I Came for the Penguins, I’ll Return for the People: My Solo Trip to the Falkland Islands first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

You’re thinking about putting solar panels on your roof, but where do you start? Before we dive into our experience, I want to make two points about going solar.

When it comes to solar, every situation is unique.

The system you need may be very different than the system your neighbor needs. There are an incredible number of factors – house orientation, energy usage, roofing structure, budget and retail electric providers (REPs) servicing your area, to name a few  – that can affect what is available to you right now and whether it makes sense.

What applies today may not apply in a few months.

The solar industry is rapidly growing and changing. For instance, a handful of years ago leasing panels on your roof was a popular way of going solar. Now, it’s not really recommended. So take older stories (and prices) with a grain of salt and try to talk to people who have had recent experiences or who work in the industry.

Table of Contents

1. Collect quotes
2. Comparing quotes & selecting an installer
3. Contract negotiation & deposit
4. More paperwork – HOA documents, city permits and TDU contract
5. Hiccup
6. Installation
7. Post-installation paperwork & inspection
8. Switch electricity plans
9. Enjoy with a solar party
10. Selling

1. Collect quotes

We collected proposals from three different companies, who were recommended to us by an extremely knowledgeable friend who just wanted us to have a good experience (he wasn’t getting compensated for the referral). We started the process at the beginning of November 2018, which turned out to be perfect timing (more on that later).

If you don’t know anyone who has gotten solar or is in that industry, try looking for solar enthusiast groups on social media platforms like Facebook. Some groups that should be able to help or point you in the right direction are:

• Texas Solar Energy Society
• American Solar Energy Society
• North Texas Renewable Energy Group

In North Texas, there is also the DFW Solar Tour that is put on every year. On the website, you can discover the homes that have solar panels and identify the installers.

Two of the companies who we got quotes from visited our house, where one put up a drone to help create a model of what a potential system for our house could looks like (cool but unnecessary), and one company corresponded with us via phone and email.

In addition to providing an electricity bill and our usage history, we provided these guidelines to the installers:

• We wanted to contain the system to one side of our roof if possible.
• We wanted the system to be able to power our new electric vehicle that we got 4 months earlier. This was important because they couldn’t design a system that covered the past 12 months of our actual electricity usage. We all had to do some math to estimate what 12 months with the car would look like.
• We also wanted to allow for potential future growth. We eventually want to get a second electric vehicle and would love to be creating as much electricity as we use.
• My husband would prefer all black panels (no silver edges) if it was cost-effective. Turns out it certainly wasn’t for us.
• We wanted to have the capability to add a battery for storage later (a battery can cost $15,000 alone so the price automatically put that solution in Phase II of the project for us).

And we got lots of quotes with different solutions that we had to sort through, and most of them contained two great money-saving line items.

Two incentives

Local Oncor rebate

Oncor – the transmission, distribution and utility provider for our area that maintains the electrical infrastructure – has a rebate program to encourage the installation of solar panel systems. They want and need more energy created locally. As North Texas grows, power demand increases, and it’s more cost-effective to create energy here than pipe it in from somewhere far away. It also helps prevent rolling blackouts.

Essentially Oncor starts each year with a pool of money available for new solar installations. Since solar installations take some planning and permitting time, we were contacting solar installers at just the right time (early November) to get a slot for one of these rebates that start being awarded in January of a given year.

On our quotes, the Oncor rebate was an estimate because Oncor had not yet announced its rebate rate. Even after the rate is announced, it’s still an estimate, as Oncor uses a variety of factors when determining the total rebate for a specific project.

Our installer provided a fairly accurate estimate that was only about $100 off. Oncor pays the rebates directly to the installer, so the homeowner is not out any cash up front while it waits reimbursement. Our Oncor rebate ended up being $4,192.92, about $0.48 per watt.

Federal tax credit

The federal government also offers a tax credit for solar installations in what is officially called the solar investment tax credit, or ITC. In 2015 Congress passed a multi-year extension, which was updated in 2020. Here are the rates as they stand in July 2021:

So if your installation in 2019 costs $10,000, then you would get a $3,000 tax credit since the credit was 30% at the time.

The IRS issued guidance in 2018 for the credit, which said that people can qualify for the tax credit if construction has started in a given year or meets the Five Percent Safe Harbor test. More on that here. And, of course, I am not a CPA. Talk to a professional. This guidance may have changed since then.

The one caveat to the federal tax credit is the fact that you only see the savings in the following year when you do your taxes. You still have to pay the savings out of pocket when your system is installed and then remember to tell your CPA about the array when tax time rolls around, so you get credit for it on your taxes.

Key takeaways:

• Get quotes from multiple companies.
• Ask friends or family for referrals. They might get compensated for a referral, so it’s also important to know if that is one incentive behind their recommendation. Some companies might even offer you a discount for being referred as well, so it might be advantageous if you feel 100% comfortable with that installer after meeting with them.  
• Research the different incentives offered in your area. Pay attention to whether they are time-sensitive or difficult to secure, and whether you are responsible for some of the money up front. There may be incentives you are unaware of so be sure to ask around.

2. Comparing quotes & selecting an installer

This was a tricky part of the process. First, installers are likely to provide 2 systems of different sizes to give you an idea of what your dollars can get you. But, the installers are not necessarily going to provide you with the same size systems as one another or use the same technology.

Right now, there are primarily two types of technologies that convert the power from the panels from DC to AC used on residential solar systems:

• One central inverter for your entire solar array, with optional power optimizers on each panel to monitor the activity for each panel. Also called a hybrid system in some circles.  
• Microinverters for each panel on your roof

There are some helpful, educational videos on YouTube if you want to learn more about the different inverter systems.

We received multiple quotes from each company but to make sure we were comparing apples to apples, we looked at the estimates for the similarly sized systems. This wasn’t an issue since they both were trying to cover our annual needs based on our home usage and the addition of an EV.

After initial meetings with the three companies, we ruled one out since we didn’t think we were a good match for one another.

Here were the final contenders’ estimates in fall 2018:

These systems were as close as we were going to get from competing installers. The chart above does not account for the difference in technology, outlined below.

I’ll take this opportunity to again emphasize that each situation is unique, so you should not expect these companies to provide this exact solution at this exact price to you.

While the Axium PDF didn’t state that it included 27 power optimizers, I’m nearly positive those were included in the quote. We would not have seriously considered the proposal otherwise, as power optimizers provide panel-by-panel monitoring information and stop the system from acting like Christmas lights – when one panel stops working, the whole system stops.

At this point, we made a list of questions and scheduled follow-up calls with each solar company. We were thorough.

Here’s a partial list of what we asked:

• How much do you charge to remove the panels to work on the roof?
  • Every roof will need to be replaced eventually. We wanted to have some idea about how that process would work.
• What are the product warranties? Are there labor warranties included from the manufacturers? How long are the manufacturer warranties?
  • Manufacturers often include warranties on their products but not necessarily on the labor to remove & replace panels/parts.
• Who designs your systems?
  • You want a licensed engineer that will design it.
• What type of maintenance or cleaning is required? Are any maintenance services included? If not, who should I contact?
• If the company fails, who should I contact regarding panel and inverter warranties and replacement?
• Why do you prefer the type of inverter you included in the proposal?
• How do we monitor production of panels after installation?
• What does “flush mount” mean?
  • As of right now, best practices dictate the panels be a few inches off of a roof to provide airflow to help cool panels in hot weather. One reason we asked this was because “flush mount” was mentioned on one company’s proposal but not the other. Turns out both companies install panels correctly but describe it a little differently on their consumer-facing paperwork.
• If there is a blackout or brownout, what will happen to my system?
• What’s the degradation on the panels after 25 years?
• What types of electricity plans are there for solar panels?
  • This is a big one because only in certain parts of Texas do we have the ever-beneficial net metering, where residents can get credit on their electricity bills for electricity they generate and send to the grid. Net metering is also called a buyback program.
  • The plans that are right for you will depend on the size of the system you can afford to install and how much electricity you use during daylight vs. nighttime.

After getting satisfactory answers from both Good Faith and Axium, we were stuck. Both were reputable installers with knowledgeable reps. Both had competitive prices. Which way to go?

We were having heartburn over which type of system to go with – microinverter vs. central inverter – because we didn’t want to bet on the wrong technology, and both seemed evenly matched with their pros and cons. I mentioned this to our solar aficionado friend, and he pointed out that there wasn’t a clear winner right now; otherwise, one would’ve taken over the market. Diplomatically, he was saying either would be fine – you can chill out.

So we went back and looked more closely at the manufacturers’ warranties. The microinverters had a 25-year warranty when the central inverter only had a 15-year warranty. You can buy an extended warranty for the central inverter but we probably didn’t realize it at the time (information overload). Plus, a larger system was more attractive. We were shooting for net zero consumption on an annual basis – consume what create over the course of a year – and I’d rather have a slightly oversized system than undersized.

So we moved forward with Good Faith Energy.

During this time, we also researched which retail electric providers, such as Green Mountain Energy or Reliant, had solar energy buy-back plans and called home insurance companies to get an idea of how solar panels would affect our rate.

Key takeaways:

• Try to compare estimates of systems that are close in size.
• Ask lots of questions.
• Process the information and ask more questions.
• At this stage, you should also figure out who your retail electric provider will be and collect quotes for home insurance.
• Make sure you’re completely comfortable with your selected installer.

3. Contract negotiation & deposit

Once we told Good Faith we were moving forward, it was time to review and sign the contract, as well as pay 20% down.

We did not negotiate the price, but we did request changes to the contract.

Here are the few things we asked to be removed:

• A paragraph that gave access to a heavy truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds and said they weren’t responsible for any damage from driving across a lawn, driveway or sidewalk. Turns out a heavy truck was not needed for our project, so this part was struck from the contract.
• A clause that said we waived our right to receive a list of subcontractors and suppliers.

In Texas, contractors are required to include the Residential Disclosure Statement, or Sec. 53.255 of the Texas Property Code. If this is not included in a contract from an installer, run. If it is, read it! We sure did.

One specific sentence caught our eye:

“Under Texas law, on final completion of the work and before final payment, the contractor is required to furnish you with an affidavit stating that all bills have been paid. If the contractor discloses any unpaid bill in the affidavit, you should withhold payment in the amount of the unpaid bill until you receive a waiver of lien or release from that subcontractor or supplier.”

When we signed the contract, we told Good Faith that we would be requesting this affidavit once the work was complete. We did this to make sure that no unpaid contractors or suppliers would place a lien on our house if Good Faith did not pay them for whatever reason.

While we trusted Good Faith would pay all its contractors and suppliers, we were protecting ourselves by taking this step. We did not want to pay for solar panels two times over. Since Good Faith did not balk at this stage when we said we would request the affidavit and then they later provided one that said all bills were paid without fuss, they demonstrated their trustworthiness and willingness to work with us.

Another part of the Residential Disclosure Statement stood out too:

“During construction and for 30 days after final completion, termination, or abandonment of the contract by the contractor, you should withhold or cause your lender to withhold 10 percent of the amount of payments made for the work performed by your contractor. This is sometimes referred to as statutory retainage. If you choose not to withhold the 10 percent for at least 30 days after final completion, termination, or abandonment of the contract by the contractor and if a valid claim is timely made by a claimant and your contractor fails to pay the claim, you may be personally liable and your property may be subject to a lien up to the amount that you failed to withhold.”

After we read this, we decided to request changes to the payment schedule and structure to make sure we did not pay the last 10% until we received the affidavit. Since we were requesting changes, we also asked to include verbiage saying we would not pay the final 10% until after our city and Oncor (our TDU) completed their final inspections.

With some changes accepted, some rejected and some amendments made, we signed the contract.

Key takeaways:

• Know your rights! The Texas Residential Disclosure Statement should be included in the contract, and you should read your rights so you can decide whether you want to exercise them.
• Kindly request changes to the contract if you are uncomfortable with the verbiage. If you don’t feel comfortable or confident reading and understanding the contract, pay an attorney a few hundred dollars to do it for you. It’s a worthwhile investment.

4. More paperwork – HOA documents, city permits and TDU contract

And just when you think you’re done with paperwork, there’s more! Besides scheduling a site assessment to make sure there aren’t any unexpected hurdles for the installation, there are more forms to fill and sign.

First, we live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association. So we needed to get signoff from our architectural committee before Good Faith could install anything.

The good news about that? Texas Property Code Sec. 202.010 dictates that HOAs and POAs cannot prohibit or restrict a property owner from installing solar energy devices. There are exceptions, one of which is installing them without prior approval by the HOA, so just do what you’re supposed to if you have an HOA – submit the form and get approval. If you want an explanation of this property code section, check out GoSolar Texas’ page on the topic.

Good Faith filled out our property modification request form, so all we had to do was sign and submit it. We sent it in on Dec. 19 and got approval back on Jan. 2 – a great response time!

Second, Good Faith prepared a packet of documents for us to sign to apply for our permit from the city. We had to do this twice (the second was actually an addendum to our original application) due to an unforeseen change of plans, discussed in the next section.

Third, we had to sign what’s called a tariff application with Oncor. I’m still unclear on why it’s called a tariff agreement but it was a simple document that also had the title “Application for Interconnection and Parallel Operation of Distributed Generation” on it. The document told Oncor that we, the homeowners, had hired Good Faith to install solar panels and included the type of equipment that would be installed.

Key takeaways:

• The contract is just the first of many documents you’ll be signing.
• Try to get your HOA or POA application in as soon as you can because you don’t know how long it’ll take for the architectural committee to approve it (or any issues you’ll run into).

5. Hiccup

Somewhere in the midst of all of the paperwork, we got some unpleasant news. Due to a shortage of a certain part that goes into the Enphase microinverters, there was a national shortage of the ones we were going to purchase. They could not be used in our solar array if we wanted to still install in early 2019.

Good Faith communicated our options:

1. Wait for Enphase to ramp production back up but we would miss the window to take advantage of the Oncor rebate, raising our price by about $4,000.
2. Go with a different microinverter, the Chilicon CP-720. The inverters are designed to convert the energy from two panels, instead of the usual one panel per microinverter.
3. Switch to SolarEdge central inverter (SE7600H-US) with DC optimizers (P370). This is the setup Axium offered us. We’d still have the ability to monitor each panel individually with the power optimizers, and we’d have one inverter instead of 13 or 26 that the other options provided.

Initially, we felt stuck and considered backing out. We had already stressed about the inverter decision, and this was a big change to make after we had already started the process.

We researched Chilicon and asked lots of questions about their product. We also asked more questions about the SolarEdge solution.

After a few days, one of the options felt like the clear winner: switch to the SolarEdge central inverter and use DC optimizers. SolarEdge has a solid reputation and we were more familiar with their company and products by this time, so it was the most comfortable option for us.

Good Faith agreed to buy the extended warranty for the central inverter so we would have a 25-year warranty instead of the standard 12-year warranty. This way our whole system would be covered for 25 years since optimizers and panels already come with a 25-year warranty. No change to the cost, and our install date would be pushed back a little, with new engineering designs drawn up and an amended permitting application sent to the city. However, we would still receive the Oncor rebate. Woo! We’re back on track.

Key takeaways:

• If something unexpected arrises, take a deep breath and take your time to make a decision that feels right for you.

6. Installation

We finally got here – and this was the easy part! We had a crew of around 7 working all day to install the rack on the roof, wiring, solar panels and Critter Guard. Since they needed access to our attic, we had to be home. Even if they didn’t need access, we still would’ve been there to answer any questions and supervise the process.

It took them the day to install everything and clean up. After they left, we noticed the way the Critter Guard was originally installed wouldn’t keep critters out. But we talked with our contact, and a Good Faith crew was out the next day to fix it. The responsiveness impressed us, and we were so excited to have a working system installed.

Key Takeaways:

• Make a point to be there for the installation and inform the crew of anything they need to know that is particular to your house.
• Inspect the installation once the team is done to make sure there are no glaring errors that might hurt you down the road.

7. Post-installation paperwork & inspection

After the installation, we still had a few things to do to make it official, including:

• Signing a one-page Installation Notice for Oncor, certifying the panels had been installed.
• Collecting our warranty certificates from Good Faith for our records.
• Waiting for our Permission to Operate (PTO) letter from Oncor that allows us to use our solar panels on the grid and get credit from our retail electricity provider for any excess energy we create. Here was the exact wording: “Once the Interconnection Agreement is Approved/PTO granted, and the Oncor meter is reprogrammed, your Load Profile will be updated at the beginning of your next full billing cycle. At that time, Oncor will begin reporting any excess generation. It is the customer’s responsibility to contact their Retail Electric Provider about any buyback programs available.” We received our PTO letter a day after we signed the Installation Notice.
• Passing a final inspection from the city. Good Faith was there for the inspection, which was scheduled about 2 weeks after installation. It happened without fanfare.
• Paying our final installment to Good Faith.

8. Switch electricity plans

As soon as you have the PTO, you can officially switch your electricity plan with a retail electric provider. We waited for the sign-off from the city before we did this on the offhand chance that a problem needed to be resolved.

We went with Green Mountain’s Renewable Rewards® buyback plan, which allows us to receive a full bill credit for any extra energy we send to the grid. They are essentially paying us the same amount we pay them for any extra electricity we generate.

[NOTE from Jan 2022]: Green Mountain might not offer this play anymore. Check out Rhythm’s solar buyback plan instead.

Since we had already done our research before we signed a contract with Good Faith, this was just as simple as calling Green Mountain and requesting the plan change.

This did take some time to go into effect, because they waited for the current billing cycle to end before we started our new electricity plan.

9. Enjoy with a solar party

Because I’m always looking for any excuse to plan a party, we celebrated with a fun get-together for our friends and family. Plus, multiple friends had expressed interest in learning about solar systems and seeing what equipment was installed, so we decided it would be more fun to throw a bash for everyone.

We served tasty snacks and delicious beverages using compostable cutlery, plates and cups. For grins, we set up a photo station, and everyone was in for a treat when our friends brought their Tesla Model X and entertained everyone with its dance.

10. Selling the house

We unexpectedly had the sell the house about a year after we went solar. A lot of people think solar panels make a house a pain to sell. If you lease, it’s true they can cause headaches because a new owner might not want to take over your monthly payments. However, if you buy your panels outright, this should not be an issue.

We had zero issues selling the house with the panels on it. In fact, our Realtor turned them into a feature, advertising that the cost of utilities would be low for the new owners. The house was already very energy-efficient on its own. It was a big plus to have panels that created as much electricity as the house consumes in a year.

Plus, after the move, we received a check for more than $200 since we had created more energy than we consumed during the year the panels were on. So we did achieve net zero over 12 months, which was the targeted and promised goal. Woohoo!

If you have specific questions or would like the contact information of the people I’ve interacted with, email me.

The post Going Solar? Here’s What We Went Through From Start To Finish first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

A friend, Tom Fox, documented a shooting in progress on Monday at the Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas. He wasn’t sent there to cover a shooting – a gunman happened to arrive while he was there. As a human being and the wife of a photojournalist, this complex story has me feeling all sorts of emotions that need to be out in the open.

Terrified because of what happened. Frightened of what seemed so close to happening. Shaken that this could have easily been my husband out on assignment. Immensely grateful that Tom is still alive, and that all the other DFW photojournalists are as well.

Uncomfortable with the way some people are talking about this story, heaping praise on him for capturing incredible photos and glossing over the fact that he experienced horror and trauma. The shooter was around 10 feet away.

Concerned that a teenager, or anyone really, who finds themselves in a similar situation – and who doesn’t have the photojournalism experience or training that Tom has – will attempt to get “that perfect shot” because they now have seen it’s possible and that it will garner lots of attention. And I’m afraid they’ll die in the process.

Unsurprised by the photos that Tom composed and how he reacted in a significantly challenging situation. He’s a passionate, amazing photojournalist.

Unsettled because this photo will continue getting discussed and every time it’s brought up it’ll be an acknowledgement of the talent he has, but it will also serve as a reminder of the day he almost died. And these conflicting ideas make this event hard to process.

Befuddled about and frustrated that some news outlets are continuing to use the shooter’s name. Not only does this memorialize him but it also makes it easy for those who want to research his preparation and plans to do so. Some pieces and outlets are doing better than others. But I have to gently and firmly call for better guidelines and execution of a newsroom’s “naming the shooter” policy.

Empathetic toward Tom and his family because of what they’re going through and will continue to process for months to come. Worried that they might have to change their social media habits because there is video that shows how close to death he was. This incident is inescapable in their online worlds.

Angry and exasperated.

We collectively are OK with these shootings as everyday events? We’re OK if thousands of us in our society are traumatized or expect to experience this specific type of terror at some point? Tom didn’t sign up to be embedded in an army unit overseas. He was doing an everyday, boring assignment that turned into a battleground. Do journalists really have to put on armor to do their jobs while they work within our country’s borders? Is that what we require now? Should all of us just walk around with the expectation that any place can turn into a war zone at a moment’s notice?

Troubled by the big ask we’re extending to journalists as they repeatedly cover mass shootings and potential mass shootings. How many can we really expect them to do? Who won’t go into the profession in part because they do not want to document this human destruction so frequently?

Journalism has always been a reality-drenched job that covers a spectrum of life events and situations, but, sadly, Tom is not the only one in Dallas-Fort Worth that’s covered a shooting in progress. We are requesting a lot of journalists, especially in a time when some label them “the enemy of the people.”

I hope that we can offer the support journalists need to avoid burnout and process the trauma they document or experience. And I hope we can take steps to lower the number of mass shootings that occur. They are not going away and they have real consequences.

It’s only a matter of time before a shooting affects us individually in some way.

The post Feelings in the aftermath of a shooting first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

When analyzing home electricity use, refrigerators use up so much energy that they are the only appliance singled out, joining other electricity hogs like air conditioning and heating.

Even though fridges use a lot of power, there’s great opportunity to reduce its energy consumption and save money on electricity bills. Here are six free ways to maximize your refrigerator’s efficiency.

1. Set your fridge to the right temperature.

Check to see if the temperature is in the optimal range. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends keeping the area where you store fresh food like fruits and veggies between 37°F-40°F, while setting the freezer section at 5°F if you own a fridge-freezer unit. For standalone freezers, maintain 0°F.

Don’t know the temperature in your appliance? You can buy an inexpensive refrigerator thermometer to find out. To get the most accurate temperature in the freezer, the DOE recommends putting the thermometer between frozen packages.

2. Let your hot dishes cool before putting them away

It’s helpful to be mindful of how much heat your leftovers are giving off before you put them in the fridge. Clean the rest of your kitchen to let your dinner cool off before putting the food in your icebox. Adding hot items to the cool environment will make your fridge work harder to maintain its temperature.

3. Keep your fridge full

Did you know your refrigerator is most efficient when it’s fully stocked? Kristin Swineford, former communications specialist for the U.S. Department of Energy, describes why.

“[I]t works like this: when you open the door, a stocked refrigerator will hinder the cool air from escaping and subsequently, the more items that take up space, the less air there is to have to cool.”

If you don’t have your fridge stocked with food, consider putting bottled water or pitchers of cold water (or your favorite beverage) in the appliance. For the freezer? Bags of ice will do the trick.

4. Make sure your refrigerator is properly sealed

Have a dollar bill or sheet of paper handy? There’s a fun, quick way to gauge how well the seals are doing their job on this heavy-duty appliance with these two items.

You’re going to open a door and place the piece of paper or dollar bill in the seal so that the piece is half inside the fridge and half outside. Then shut the door over the paper. Try to pull the sheet out. If it comes out smoothly, then you should look into repairing the seal. If it’s stuck, then your seal is in good shape.

5. Seal your containers, too

Make a habit of always covering your containers and wrapping your food when you put it away for later. Unsealed foods and drinks release moisture into your refrigerator, forcing your compressor to work harder to keep that low temperature. Since more work means you’re using more electricity, you want to do everything you can to accommodate your cooling appliance.

6. Set reminders for regular maintenance

As with everything in a home or apartment, there are proactive things to do to keep your refrigerator running efficiently. Those involve, defrosting your freezer and vacuuming around the fridge – and yes, even behind it.

A sign you might have forgotten to do these things? When frost builds up to more than one-quarter inch. A note: Frost buildup also creates more work for your refrigerator.

And then the condenser coils are important to clean twice a year. With clean coils, your unit can maintain the set temperature while using less energy, which saves you money.

Photo by Squared.one on Unsplash

The post 6 Free Ways To Decrease Your Refrigerator’s Electricity Usage first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

This weekend I was excited to go to a fall terrarium workshop offered by the Mansfield Parks & Recreation department. Amy Conley from Zoe’s Plant Shop was the instructor. You can catch her on Instagram or Facebook.

I was delighted to discover how quick and easy it is to make this fun, living home decor accent. We were finished in less than half an hour.

Supplies – What You’ll Need

• Clear vase. We used an 8-inch round glass one, but you can use any kind of clear vessel.
• 3 or 4 succulents. These can be ones with roots or cuttings that have had time to dry/scab over. If the end of a cutting hasn’t dried (usually they need a few days of drying time), the plant will take on too much water.
• Drainage material – rocks or sand. It won’t be seen since it goes at the bottom, so don’t worry if you don’t like the look of what you’ve found. And you only need to enough to cover the bottom of vase.
• Cactus potting mix, which is a fast-draining soil needed for succulents. You can buy this premade or make your own by using 50% regular potting soil and 50% perlite.
• Moss. You can use live moss or artificial; we used artificial.
• Fun decorations. Since it’s fall, Amy brought fall leaves, various small decorative gourds, pinecones, and glittery spiders. But you can use whatever small items you’d like and even swap them out as the seasons change.
• Workspace that can get dirt

Optional:

• Pencil/pen to help you place the moss where you’d like it to go.
• Gloves

Instructions

1. Cover the bottom of your vase with the drainage material, which in our case are the rocks.

2. Fill the vase with the quick-draining soil to about the halfway mark.

3. Place the succulents in the dirt and gently cover the roots. You can put all your plants in the middle of the vase, or put them all to one side. There is no wrong way to arrange them. If you’re looking for some design tips, don’t forget that items can be partially submerged in the soil or off-kilter. You can also scour the web for some inspiration or designs to mimic.

4. Place the decorative accents in their desired places. Arrange and re-arrange to your heart’s content.

5. Fill in the holes with the moss.

6. Water in the succulents well so they begin to take root in their new home.

7. Place near a south-facing window so that it can get indirect sunlight.

Care for Your Terrarium

As mentioned above, you should place the terrarium in a room or near a window that gets plenty of sun. Succulents thrive with 12+ hours of sunlight daily.

After the initial watering, the best way to determine if moisture is needed is to see if the soil is dry. If the soil is still wet, don’t do anything. If the soil is dry, water the plants. Check your terrarium once or twice a week. Try not to water too frequently or drop too much rain in in one go, because succulents don’t like to have their roots sitting in water.

If the plants get too large for your terrarium, just cut off any sprouts and create a new terrarium.

Photos by Lindsey Perkins Wade.

The post DIY Tutorial: How To Build A Terrarium first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

These reptiles are so well camouflaged that I didn’t even realize one was about one foot away from me when I was digging a hole for a new plant in my flowerbed. When I dumped dirt on top of it, it jump/scurried away and gave me a funny scare.

Full-grown Texas spiny lizards, known scientifically as Sceloporus olivaceus, reach a maximum length of 7.5 inches to 11 inches. Active during the day, the lizards primarily munch on insects and help keep the bug population in check. If you observe them repeatedly lowering their bodies to the ground in an action that looks like pushups, they are likely communicating to another male that this is their territory. If you’re trying to tell a male from a female, you’ll need to get a look at their bellies, where males have light blue stripes.

According to Herps of Texas, breeding occurs in early spring. Females lay on average 14 eggs per clutch throughout the summer and may lay eggs as many as four times a year.

Here is a collection of photos we’ve taken through the years, from babies to molting adults. Photos by Brandon Wade and Lindsey Perkins.

The post A Look at the Awesome Texas Spiny Lizard [Photos] first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

The Mansfield Public Library invited the Tarrant County Master Gardener Association to host a great adult program this week. The fun, free class taught residents how to make a living wreath in less than an hour.

What exactly is a living wreath? Well, it’s a wreath made of live plants. That’s about all I knew going in and was happy to learn creating one is easy. I review what you need to make your own and how to do it.

Supplies – What You’ll Need

• Living wreath form made of sphagnum moss. There are two options.
  • Pre-made: You can buy one pre-made from a place like Topiary Art Works. We used a 9-inch one from this site in our class. The wreaths had a hook to hang on a door, as well as feet so the wreath could be placed on a table as a centerpiece.
  • DIY: If you’re creating your own, you’ll need to purchase a wreath form, sheet moss and fishing wire. You’ll soak the moss first, pack it tightly in the form and secure it with the fishing wire. Then, you’ll be ready to go.
• Small plants in moist soil – We used sedums and succulents. The gardeners recommended plants from a 6-pack or 9-pack, but if you have a larger wreath with greater depth, you could always try for bigger plants. Each participant at the library class received a 9-pack of plants for their living wreath.
• Floral pins – These help keep the plants in place, as well as train them where you want them to go.
• Scissors – To help you “dig a hole” in the wreath for the plant roots.
• Cocktail fork – To help you get the plants out of the container, as well as help you create a hole for the plant roots.
• Pencil (optional)
• Gloves
• A workplace that can get dirty – They put a tablecloth over the tables for easy cleaning.

Preparation

The master gardeners soaked our wreaths for 24 hours, so we would be planting the succulents and sedums into a moist medium. This is a very important step that you do not want to skip. If your wreath is dry, you run the risk of the transplants’ roots drying out, which will cause the plants to die. After the gardeners soaked the wreaths, they let them drain for 24 hours, so they would not be dripping when we were working with the wreaths to create our living masterpieces.

Since the master gardeners were teaching many people to make wreaths, about two months before the class the master gardeners purchased 4-inch pots of different sedums and succulents. Then, they separated the plants into smaller clumps to make them more manageable for us and give us more variety. We each had a 9-pack of plants to work into our wreath.

Instructions

To start, I used the handle end of the fork and/or the scissors to create a hole in the wreath. You don’t want the hole to go through the wreath but you do want it as deep as your roots, if you can manage it. The pre-made wreaths were dense, so this was tougher than anticipated but doable.

Then, with the assistance of the fork’s points, I removed one of the succulents from the 9-pack and teased off the excess dirt. You don’t want the root to be completely devoid of soil, but keeping too much on will make it harder to put in the wreath.

Then, I gently (and sometimes not so gently) pushed the roots into the holes using my finger. One gardener recommend using a pencil for this part. A couple of stems might have snapped in the process, but I just kept going. These plants are tough.

After inserting a plant, I used a floral pin or two to help keep the plant in place. This also allowed me to secure the stems to the wreath to fill in empty places. Use them as sparingly or liberally as you wish.

Here’s what it looked like after inserting one plant – a little lonely but more joined it.

Then, I started the process all over again. To help keep the wreath balanced, I created holes every third of the way around the wreath, as advised by Master Gardener Nancy Curl, and filled in the wreath based on this approach. But there is no wrong way to do it; you could start at the top and work your way around.

Here are more photos of the process:

Once you’re done, you can lightly mist the wreath if you feel compelled; however, the soil in the 9-pack was wet and the wreath was soaked so I didn’t worry about it.

I was pleased with how my living wreath came out. The best part was not having to do any research, planning or prep work. Pro tip: Always keep an eye on activities at your local library.

Even though I’ll have to put in more work for the next one, it’s probably something I’ll attempt again in the future, especially since I learned you can buy pre-made forms. I wasn’t sure what to expect or where I would event start the process of creating a living wreath before attending this class, but it was fun and something different to do.

Care

Along with our wreaths, the Tarrant County Master Gardeners provided 10-inch plastic saucers. We were told we could either water the wreath like you would a plant and pour H2O on top, or we could put water in the tray and let the wreath soak it up. The handout instructions said to mist occasionally and water only when the wreath is dry. After 2.5 days outside on the patio with highs in the upper 80s, the wreath is still quite damp.

The succulents and sedums in our wreaths like bright, indirect light, so my wreath is currently on my covered patio that faces southeast. It’s a beautiful centerpiece on the table out there and I’m sure will look even better in a few weeks.

Inspiration & Helpful Resources

This was an easy and fun thing to do, and living wreaths don’t need to be limited to succulents and sedums. Any plant can be used!

The gardener leading our class, Nancy, had purchased some “rescue plants” from the clearance rack at Lowe’s and created a colorful wreath of petunias about two weeks before our class. Another wreath she recently made had sprouting lettuce seedlings. She brought and recommends the following book if you need more assistance to get your creative juices flowing: The Living Wreath by Teddy Colbert. I found another one, Living Wreaths by Natalie Bernhisel-Robinson, that looks promising.

If you have any questions about plant care, reach out to your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The organization has 250 county offices and 900 professional educators across the state to be able to deliver expertise and help to every Texas resident.

The Tarrant County Master Gardeners help the AgriLife Extension office as volunteers. They undergo many hours of training to earn the title “Master Gardener” and then give back to the community by volunteering at least 50 hours a year by teaching educational classes like this living wreath one, as well as work a help hotline Monday through Friday. Tarrant County residents can call the Master Gardener Hotline at 817-884-1944 or email a question/photo to mgtarrant@tamu.edu.

Have fun making your wreath! Use the contact page to share a picture with us.

Photos by Brandon Wade Photography.

The post DIY Tutorial: How To Make A Living Wreath first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.

This started as a Facebook post, a way to share a bit about my grandfather, who died last week. I wanted to link to his obituary on the newspaper’s or funeral home’s website, but they are both are packed with ads, which is off-putting to say the least. So I created a new home for part of his story.

In the past year or so, it seemed like I talked (and listened) to him more than I ever have. One of the funnier moments occurred last Christmas when my sister and I visited him. Out of the blue, he looked at my sister and said, “You’re pretty.” She smiled and said, “Aw, thanks.” I then asked, “What about me, Poppy?” and he said, “You hang in there.” I cracked up, a little surprised that he would be so complimentary of just one of us, and then lifting his index finger in my direction he said something about how a good sense of humor will take you far.

William R. Perkins

William R. Perkins passed away on July 19, 2016. He was born June 16, 1925, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Beauregard and Evelyn Perkins. He enlisted in Enlisted Reserve Corps (now known as US Army Reserve) before graduating from Oakmont High School in Pennsylvania. Bill was called up July 7, 1943, and was sent to Camp Hood for basic training. In November he was assigned to Purdue University in the Army Specialized Training Program. The program was abruptly terminated in March 1944 and he was then assigned to Company F 407 Infantry Regiment of the 102nd Infantry Division at Camp Swift in Texas.

He served in World War II from November 1944 to February 1945. He was awarded a combat infantry badge, a good conduct medal, the ETO campaign medal with one campaign star, a bronze star, and two purple hearts with oak leaf cluster.

Bill graduated from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts in geology. He worked for 35 years as a geophysicist in petroleum exploration. Most of his work experience was with Sun Oil.

He married the woman who nursed him back to health after tonsil surgery at Johns Hopkins, Corinne Susan Reinert, 67 years ago. Together they reared four lovely children. He was a loving and faithful husband and father.

He was an active member at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Richardson. He served in many capacities including singing in the choir and serving on church council. He and Corinne enjoyed travelling after retirement.

He is known among friends and family for his kind heart, generous spirit, and quick wit. His blue eyes often sparkled with his wonderful sense of humor. He was always willing to discuss history, the Bible, his travels, and his love of geology. One of his prized possessions was his collection of bolo ties.

He is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Mildred and Eleanor.

He is survived by his wife, Corinne, son Bill (Kathy), daughters Suzanne Habhegger, Stephanie Landers (Richard), Sandy Perkins (Jim) and six grandchildren, Andy Landers (Julia), Paul Landers (Adrian), Lindsey Perkins Wade (Brandon), Emily Perkins, Erin Hurtado (Mark) and Joshua Perkins. He is also survived by 5 great grandchildren, Collier and Vivian Corinne Landers; Jillian, Johanna and Jacqueline Landers.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 30, 2016, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Richardson Texas at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Church or the charity of your choice.

My grandparents celebrating my grandma’s 90th birthday.

The post William R. Perkins first appeared on Lindsey Perkins.