Life on My Planet

Grandma's Crockpot Ground Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 05:41:00 +0000

You may know this dish by a variety of names: Hobo Stew, Beggar Stew or Mulligan stew are of few. My grandma use to make this on Sundays after church. I loved into the house, out of the brisk fall or winter air, to the smell of this stew. Ahhhh... memories.

I like making this crockpot meal because it's fast, easy and affordable. I've simplified this even more by substituting individual spices such as thyme, bay leaves and parsley with Italian seasoning. In today's dish, I didn't include potatoes, but you certainly can.

Trust me. This is going to be easy.

Assemble your ingredients.

While your ground beef is browning, chop up your veggies.

Add them all to the crockpot.

Add the spices.

Add broth and V-8 juice

Slow cook for 4-6 hours and enjoy.

Grandma's Crockpot Ground Beef Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes Slow-Cook Time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs browned ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup of chopped sweet peppers
1 1/2 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 48oz. bottle of tomato or V-8 juice
1 15oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (undrained)
3 large carrots, sliced or diced
2 cups cut green beans
2 cups corn
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Method
1 In a large pan, brown ground beef. Drain fat.

2 Add ground beef along with all the remaining ingredients to a 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe Here

Visit the iHomeschool Network Crockpot Meal link-up for more delicious crockpot recipes.

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5 Reasons I'm Not Afraid to Observe the Florida Black Bear

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 04:01:00 +0000

I enjoy watching the Florida black bear in my yard almost every night. I'm in awe of them. I find them to be beautiful, magnificent creatures.

Most of my friends enjoy reading about my bear-watching adventures on Facebook. A few seem to think I'm foolish or downright stupid.

In the name of education and to alleviate anyone's concern, I'm sharing with you...

5 Reasons I'm Not Afraid to Observe the Florida Black Bear

1. I've educated myself about the Florida black bear.

The first two times I encountered bears in my yard, it set my knees to knockin' and heart to poundin'. Yeah. It scared me. I knew nothing except "Oh my gosh, there was a bear in front of my porch!" and that was enough to terrify me.

Knowledge is Power
I started looking up information about the Florida black bear. I found a lot of useful information at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website. In fact, I've spent a lot of time looking up information and attending festivals to learn more. This is what I've learned so far.

2. The Florida black bear is a timid creature.

Although American black bears tend to avoid human confrontation, they have been known to attack humans in defense of cubs (rarely will a mother black bear do this) or extreme hunger. Also, the American black bear is territorial.

Grizzly bears (brown bears) are aggressive. Period.

The Florida black bear (a sub-species of the American black bear), however, is not territorial. They are migratory. Being non-territorial means they have nothing to defend really. So they don't.

3. The Florida black bear is easily scared away.

I've watched neighbors frighten bears away with a flashlight. I've scared bears away by accident simply by speaking. Yes, speaking. Just saying something like, "Lorelai, it's over there" in a soft voice was enough to send the bear running down the street.

How easy is that?

4. I know the reasons the Florida black bear will attack.

There are three reasons a Florida black bear will attack.

To defend cubs
To defend food
To defend itself if it feels threatened.

As long as I'm not near their cubs or food, I only need to not make them feel threatened.

What could I do to trigger an attack?

I could move towards them.

I could make sudden movements.

What else could I do wrong? I could turn my back on them.

Aggressive or not, don't turn your back on a wild animal. In fact, you shouldn't even turn your back on a dog that's barking at you, why would you do it with a wild animal?

It gives them the upper hand. Don't do it.

5. I know what to do if a bear is uncomfortable or attacks.

More important than knowing why a bear will attack is knowing what to do if the bear seems uncomfortable or is attacking. How do I know if the bear is uncomfortable or about to attack?

If the bear starts huffing and puffing and stomping its feet...
This is a mock attack. It's not going to attack. Rather, it is warning you that it's uncomfortable.

If a bear is "eerily silent" ...
It's about to attack.

In either case...

Remain standing.
Speak in a calm, assertive voice.
Back up s-l-o-w-l-y. (Your goal is to give the bear room to escape.)
Avoid eye contact (same as with any other animal).
Stop and hold your ground if moving seems to irritate rather than calm the bear.

Do NOT:

Make sudden movements or move towards the bear.
Run. This can trigger their chase instinct. Trust me. A bear running at 35-40 mph is going to catch you. So don't do this.
Play dead. Playing dead is what you do in the case of brown bears. Black bears eat things they think are dead. Don't play dead!
Climb a tree. I've watched them. They climb quickly. FWC states the bears can climb 100 feet in 30 seconds. Who are you kidding climbin' a tree?

What if the bear attacks?
Fight it. These timid creatures who are afraid of flashlights and voices can be successfully fought. The bear will run away. The key is to fight back.

Now back to my bear-watching adventures.

I haven't encountered bears on hiking trips. I guess I'm kind of surprised by this now that I realize I've lived near them for 20+ years. Now, however, I'm in the Ocala National Forest, one of the three main bear habitats in Florida. I see them all the time in my yard and neighborhood.

When my neighbors' dogs begin barking like maniacs, I know a bear is outside. Usually it's in my yard. Then...

I look out the door to make sure it's not right at my front door. (The first two times I saw bears, they were on my porch. Yeah. I almost peed myself.)

Once I've determine no bear is within clawing distance, I walk onto the porch. I look at the barking dogs to see which direction they're looking. This way, I know where the bear is.

Once I spot the bear. I watch. From the safety of my porch, I watch. Usually they're a good distance from me. I watch them clawing trees, sniffing around, eating acorns or just walking through my yard to their next destination.

Why do I choose this manner for observing? Oh, that would be my bonus reason.

Wait for it.

6. I'm not stupid (also known as having common sense).

Some people seem to believe I think these animals are cuddly, cute little pets. Oh sure, I think they're adorable. I'll bet they are cuddly. To another bear!

They're God's magnificent creatures. The nature of this particular creature makes it easy for humans to watch them. I consider this is a great gift from our creator. There aren't many wild animals we can safely watch in their own habitat. I appreciate that I can do this.

Do I fear the bears?
Yes. I fear them, but not in a ridiculous way that will cause me to make stupid choices that result in an attack.

My fear for them is fear born of respect.

I respect this wild animal. I respect its space. I respect its ability to tear my face off, so I don't do anything to provoke that sort of thing.

What other things would you suggest for watching black bears? Or do you have any questions about it? Share in the comments.

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Upcoming: Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 22:04:00 +0000

I'm obsessed with bears.

Alright, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but since moving to the Ocala National Forest, I've developed a keen interest in the Florida black bear. (How could I not? They're in my yard all the time.)

On our own, we've learned quite a bit. Being naturalists, we not only are interested in nature but we also desire to learn all we can about the environment in which we live. For us, this now includes bears.

Photo Credit

This weekend, we are planning to attend the Florida Black Bear & Wildlife Conservation Festival. (Festivals are just one of the things I love about fall.) Today, I'm creating our itinerary for the weekend. I don't want to miss anything.

What is the mission of the Florida Black Bear festival?

The purpose of the festival, according to their website, is "to increase awareness and promote the safe coexistence of humans and wildlife by fostering community appreciation of the Florida black bear and other native wildlife species, as well as Florida's unique ecosystems that serve as wildlife habitat."

Wow! Is that right up my alley or what?

I called the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce to get more information. Not only has the date been moved from March to October, but they've changed the name this year to include additional wildlife such as the coyote. While there are vendors there, the event itself is free. The purpose truly is to promote awareness. I like that.

The event includes children's activities, presentations and even field trips into the Ocala National Forest for a mini-hike. (Did someone say hiking and field trip?! My excitement just went up 10 notches!)

Admission, Location and Hours:

Admission to the festival is FREE. It will be held in Umatilla, Florida on October 12, 2013. The event hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Visit their website for more information.

Hope to see you there!

Your Turn:
What types of festivals do you enjoy? Or what aspects of nature interest you? Share in the comments.

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10 Things I Love about Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 08:42:00 +0000

I love fall. I must inform you, however, that it is not for the same reasons you may enjoy the season.

Our season is different from fall in many other states. When I think of fall, I do not think of crisp breezes or leaves changing colors. Its hot, humid and trips to the beach are still an option. Still, there are things I enjoy in the fall.

1. Festivals - I can't speak for other states, but in Florida, we love our festivals. Floridians will celebrate just about anything from art to being green, fall to Summer, flowers to gators. We have an abundance of festivals in the fall. This is probably because summer is our indoors season and fall is for going outdoors. Yeah, I know. That's yet another difference on our planet.

2. Fall - scented candles around my home - I create seasonal themes with soy candles. In the fall, I enjoy the scents of fall - apples and cinnamon, pumpkin spice, sugar cookies - Mmmmm!

3. Food and cooking - I don't particularly enjoy cooking. I'm not even big on food itself. That changes in the fall. I actually enjoy baking, cooking and experimenting with foods at this time of year.

4. Pumpkin spice frappes - There's a wonderful little coffeehouse in downtown Deland that serves such a variety of flavors that put that Seattle-based coffee shop to shame. Not only do they offer more flavors, but they're also less expensive, taste better and offer monthly or seasonal flavors. I enjoy pumpkin spice in the fall but they also have special flavors like pumpkin and mocha. Again I say.. Mmmm!

5. Hiking - I realize many of you hikers enjoy this activity in the Spring or Summer. Summer doesn't work for us. It's far too hot, I don't sweat (seriously, I don't. Summer is a nightmare from which the only escape is the indoors) and the ticks and demon-mosquitoes just don't motivate me. fall, although still hot, offers a more pleasant experience.

6. The sounds of football - I'm not a big sports person. I couldn't really care less about sports, to be honest with you. Still, my childhood memories were of crisp breezes, returning home from church to the smell of chili or beef stew cooking, and the sounds of football on TV because my dad was at home. I may not have the crisp breezes but I can still put on a pot of chili and turn on a game. Which brings me to another thing...

7. FSU games - No, I don't care for sports but it's a family tradition to root for FSU and my family never misses one of their games. Even when we were in St. Augustine last year, we were keeping track of the score on our phones and stopped into a sandwich shop to have a Reuben and watch the game on the TV.

8. Azaleas - These beautiful flowers bloom in October and March in Central Florida. They can be seen in nearly every yard or public space. They grow wild on the edges of forests and appear in the most landscaped areas.

9. St. Augustine - We travel to St. Augustine each October and March. It's a tradition my kids and I have held for a long time.

10. Decorating my home - While the colors of fall are different here, I still decorate in the traditional colors of fall. I change my place mats, dish mat, stack cinnamon scented pine cones next to the fireplace, and decorate with cute items.

Your Turn
What are some of your favorite things about the fall season?

I'm participating in List it Tuesday at Many Little Blessings and Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Be sure to check out the other great posts at this edition of List it Tuesday!

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Lee Anne's Tiramisu Balls Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 03:08:00 +0000

My daughter absolutely loves baking and making sweets. Truly loves doing it. She makes things she doesn't even eat, just to make it. Today, I'm sharing her recipe for Tiramisu Balls.

This sweet little treat is a perfect blend of chocolate and coffee.

Are you getting that?

I said chocolate and coffee. 'Nuff said.

Lee Anne's Tiramisu Balls Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus refrigerating Makes: 36 balls

Ingredients:

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
60 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
4oz dry coffee
12 squares of semi-sweet baker's chocolate, melted
Shredded white chocolate for decorating

Method:
1. Mix cream cheese, cookie crumbs and 3oz. of coffee until well blended

2. Shape into 1-inch balls. Freeze 10 minutes.

3. Mix semi-sweet chocolate and remaining coffee.

4. Dip balls in chocolate mixture.

5. Place in a single layer on shallow pan which is lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with shredded white chocolate.

6. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until they are firm.

Printable Recipe

Do you have a favorite dessert you like to make? What is it?

Happy Cooking!

Making Preparations for Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:57:00 +0000

Feeling like summer passed us by...

I'm getting excited about the idea of Fall. I'll admit, it hasn't come easy. Due to my work schedule and transportation issues, I feel like we completely missed summer. Actually, it's more than a feeling. We did entirely miss summer. It was out there, but we weren't.

Ahhh well. Time to move on then. My daughter, Lee Anne, bought me one of those cinnamon scented brooms the other day. I told her I wasn't really feeling it but after a couple of days, I began to think, "Sure! Fall. A new start. Let's do this."

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Making Plans for Fall

I'm making plans for our October trip to St. Augustine (we always go in October and March). We're even adding a special water tour to the agenda.

I've started thinking about foods I reserve for Fall and Winter. Foods like my chili recipe, pumpkin coffee drinks and all sorts of baked goods. I grill out all summer, not really cooking inside much, but Fall just does something to me. I start cooking all sorts of things when the temperatures cool.

We're getting matching Flirty Aprons

Lorelai loves to cook with me and I've been wanting to get matching aprons for us. As it turns out, Flirty Aprons is now having a 30% off sale and I have a little extra income coming in this month. Exciting! We're gonna be all cute when we cook together.

Other Fall Preparations

There's a place down the road that sells 25 pieces of firewood for $10. My son no longer lives here to do the chopping for me, so I'm going to start buying 25 pieces a week until the wood pile is restored. My son used most of the wood on the grill this summer to give food that wood-smoked flavor, but now I need it for the fireplace.

We may not even get cooler temperatures until December or January (although I think we're going to have an early Fall and hard Winter), but at least I'll be prepared.

I've also begun putting away the candles scented for summer and pull out the ones for fall. Apples, cinnamon bun, vanilla, chocolate cream to name a few. I even pulled out my fall dish mat to place under our dish drain.

Food, fires in the fireplace, comfort food and a trip to St. Augustine. I guess I'm ready. Bring on the new season!

What are your favorite things about the Fall season?

Perfect Hearty Chili Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 22:32:00 +0000

Some people associate Summer with Chili. I associate it with Fall. With fall at or doorstep, I thought I'd share this chili recipe with you.

I love chili. I don't often make it, but when I do, it's an event! The following is a very hearty chili recipe. The tomatoes and sweet peppers give the initial flavor a certain sweetness which is readily followed by a spicy hotness.

My friend says that it's the "perfect" amount of "spicy". If you like spicy foods, eat it alone. If you need to tone down the amount of spice, eat it with saltines or sweet corn bread. Or throw a dollop of sour cream into the chili. It is easily balanced. That works out in my household. The youngest children can tame the "hot" while the adults can enjoy the spicy aspect. Perfect!

This recipe can be made with or without meat (we have vegetarians in our household) and I will include both versions below.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef, browned and2(15.5 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
2 (15.5 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
2 (15oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 1/4 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic (and tofu if using vegetarian alternative below). Cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
Pour the beans into a pot and set to Low. Stir in the vegetables and tomatoes. Add ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

(Options: I use an electric skillet instead of a pot, cover and cook at 200°F for about 20 minutes. Then leave on warm until we're ready to eat. Another option is to cook for 6 hours on low in a crock pot.)

Vegetarian Alternative:
Substitute the ground beef with1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed.

Printable Recipe

What makes a chili "just right" for you?

Life in the Ocala National Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Sep 2013 10:44:00 +0000

An Update
It's been a while since I've posted here. I've had a topsy-turvy year. There have many challenges and successes, but little I've wanted to say publicly.

I've decided that although I have a personal blog for family and super-close friends which is on complete privacy, I'll start blogging here as a more public personal blog. I closed down most of my websites and blogs. I've decided this can be the place where I do a little of everything.

This can be a place to share my southern-fried life, recipes and whatever else that isn't about homeschooling. I am currently redesigning it, so please forgive the incomplete look of it all.

Life in the Ocala National Forest

One of the biggest changes is that I moved to a small town set entirely within the borders of the Ocala National Forest. It seems a perfect fit for me. I love the country. I love small towns. I love forests. This has all that.

It also has bears.

We've had quite a few encounters with the Florida Black Bear in my yard. I keep trying to get photos but it never happens. Quite frankly, there were two opportunities for a photo. Both times, I walked out onto my porch to find myself face-to-face with the bear. I am not kidding. The bear was on my porch looking into my face.

Do I need to say that I quickly backed into my house without a photo?

Otherwise, I've not had a lot of time for exploring the surrounding areas. I know there are several forest and numerous springs nearby and that's all I know. This crazy rainy summer and work have been in my way. One day we visited Alexander Springs for an hour or so but nothing else.

I'm sure I'll have more to share about this adventure soon enough. I just felt the need to say something, explain where I'm going with this and let you know I'm still alive.

SkyWatch Friday: A Cold, Blue Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Nothing fancy. It was our first day of cold weather and the sky was perfectly blue and cloudless. Just a simple photo of the west end of our yard taken with my phone.

This was my entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

10 free things to with kids in West Volusia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 06:04:00 +0000

Mural at Painters Pond

Summer is here and many parents may be looking for low-cost activities to do with the family. If you're in West Volusia county this summer, here are 10 free things to do.

Outdoors and Nature
Hontoon Island State Park. Observe evidence Native American habitation as well as abundant wildlife on this island. Travel along hiking and biking trails which winding their ways around Indian shell middens. Other amenities include picnic areas, playground, gas grills, canoe and kayak rentals, primitive and cabin camping.
Location: 2309 River Ridge Road, DeLand, FL.. 386-736-5309

Lyonia Preserve and Environmental Center. This center offers many hands-on opportunities for learning. Features exhibitions, hands-on learning, indoor and outdoor classes.
Location: 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona, FL. Phone: 386-789-7207

River Quest Treasure Hunts. Rhymes and riddles serve as clues on this GPS-meets-nature treasure hunt (geo-caching) which stretches across West Volusia. Follow the clues and you will find yourself traveling through villages, cemeteries, historic locations and other interesting places. Culture, history and natural environment serve as teacher on this trip.

Farmers Markets Life skills and math skills can be honed at a farmers market. Children are never short on questions and most vendors seem to enjoy sharing their knowledge.

These are but a few of the many things that homeschool families can find to do in the summer that are low-cost, educational and fun for the kids.

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge. A migratory bird sanctuary, this refuge is home to the Swallowtail Kite and the Southern Bald Eagle. Opportunities for birdwatching, viewing alligators and other wildlife in their own habitat are plenty. Also featured are an observation tower, hiking trails, bicycling, and photography.
Location: 2045 Mud Lake Road, DeLeon Springs, FL. 386-985-4673

Culture and History

African American Museum of the Arts. Visit the region's only museum dedicated to African art and art created by African Americans. The museum is the permanent home to over 150 artifacts and features a revolving exhibit or artwork by emerging artists.
Location: 325 South Clara Ave., DeLand, FL. 386-736-4004

DeLand Historic Mural Walk. A piece of the Florida Mural Trail, this walk provides exercise and a history lesson. The beautiful artwork depicts the history of DeLand. For a preview of the murals and their locations, visit this photo gallery.

Gateway Center for the Arts. This is a complete cultural arts center offering live music, dance and theatrical performances as well as art exhibitions. Admission to the art gallery is free. Gateway also has a playground, pavilions and butterfly garden.
Location: 880 U.S. 17, De Bary, FL. Phone: 386-668-5553

U.S.Postal Service Museum. Step into a 1940s post office for a lesson on the United States Postal Service. Located in the same building as the original Orange City post office built in 1876, this museum holds hundreds of artifacts from postal history.

Alpacas of Willow Hill, LLC. How about visiting an Alpaca farm?

Did you find any new ideas here? Do you have any to add? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Happy Florida Living!

20 Fun Florida Facts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:36:00 +0000

20 Fun Florida Facts

Photo Credit

Florida covers 58,560 square miles of area. 4,298 square miles are water.
There are 30,000 lakes and over 1,300 golf courses.
Florida has over 1,300 miles of coastline with 800 miles of beaches.
Florida has a warm climate throughout the year with a rainy/stormy season in the summer.
Florida's capitol city, Tallahassee, was the only southern capitol east of the Mississippi River to remain in southern hands for the duration of the Civil War.

Amelia Island is the only location in the U.S. to have been ruled under eight different national flags.
The nation's oldest city St. Augustine, was settled by Spanish explorers in 1565.
The Florida Everglades are the only place in the world where alligators and crocodile co-exist.
Santa Rosa County's Blackwater River State Forest area offers over a million acres of protected wilderness with miles of hiking trails and canoeing routes and has been dubbed the "Canoe Capitol of Florida."
More than 3,000 Seminole Indians live on six reservations throughout the state of Florida: Big Cypress, Brighton, Fort Pierce, Hollywood, Immokalee and Tampa.
Florida's State Wildflower, the Coreopsis, is planted on Florida roadsides for beautification.
St. Petersburg/Clearwater claims to have 361 days of sunshine annually.
Pensacola's nickname is the "City of Five Flags" because it has been under the rule of the Spanish, French, English, Americans and Confederates.
The American alligator is the official state reptile.
Venice is known as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World.
Florida is home to the largest breeding population of bald eagles in the lower 48 states.
Plant City, known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, holds the Guinness record for the world's largest Strawberry Shortcake. It was 827 square-feet and 6,000 pounds!
Crystal River is the only place in North America where it is legal to have a supervised swim with manatees.
Clearwater, Florida has the highest rate of lightening strikes per capita in the United States.
The Saint John's River is one of the few rivers that flows north instead of south.

Which of these facts was the most surprising or interesting to you? Share in the comments.

Population Control Florida Style???

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Happy Nature Watching!

SkyWatch Friday: Lightner Museum Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:03:00 +0000

This was my entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

Air Potato Vine: A Threat to Florida's Native Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:56:00 +0000

Photo by Forest and Kim Starr

Last week, we attended the Annual Potato Roundup at Gemini Springs. We first were given a lesson about non-native, invasive plants and specifically the Air Potato Vine.. The Air Potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a perennial vine. Bulbs are produced on the vine itself and tubers grow beneath the ground giving this plant two means for surviving and reproducing. A part of the yam family, this vine can grow as much as 8 inches per day reaching heights of 60-150 ft.

It is considered a noxious weed in Florida. It is a quick-growing, large-leafed vine that spreads and overtakes other native plants. The bulbs themselves fall to the ground sprouting more vines which wind and twist with each other forming a thick mat. Cutting the plant down does not help the problem as the tubers can survive for extended periods of time and send up more shoots later. This is a tenacious plant and the battle against it is difficult to win.

Pulling potatoes off the vine.

This plant is problematic all over Florida but Central Florida seems to have an extra-special battle with it. A drive down any wooded area will reveal the extent of the problem. Entire wooded areas which have been overtaken in some areas.

One effort is to hold annual potato roundups at parks which are having a problem with the plant. Another is to use these opportunities to teach the community about the plant so that they can rid their own yards of them. (I found two in the woods behind my house a few days after this trip. The children and I picked up every potato we could find and pulled all the vines down. We threw the vines into our fire pit and burned them immediately.)

Air Potato

So everyone get out into your yards and gardens. Look for these potatoes and if you see them, bag them up and throw them out! Better to catch them now than to have your Azaleas succumb to them later!

SkyWatch Friday: Blue Skies Smiling at Me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:43:00 +0000

Yesterday, we attended an outdoor education class at Longleaf Pine Preserve in DeLand, Florida as part of a homeschool field trip to learn about using animal scat and tracks as tools of identification. Before everyone else arrived, my 8 year old daughter was taking photos to pass the time. Below is one of her photos. Such a beautiful blue sky!

This was my entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

Skywatch Friday: In My Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Last night..in my back yard...

This was my entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

SkyWatch Friday: Green Springs to Blue Skies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:54:00 +0000

Today we were visiting Green Springs in Enterprise, Florida. Standing next to the green waters, I decided to look up and snapped my shot.....

This was my entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

A Walking the Spring-to-Spring Trail

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:49:00 +0000

With the onset of fall-like weather, I've been wanting to go hiking. Today turned out to be more of a "walk" than a hike. Although we did get off the path a bit, the pace was slower because my 8 year old daughter was with us. Of course she's always with us but we've not gone hiking for a while. I think everyone's lost their "hiking legs". Our pace was about 1.5mph on average today. But that's alright. It wasn't about the exertion but the fun and enjoyment of being outdoors.

Walking Debary Hall to Gemini Springs

We walked from Debary Hall to Gemini Springs via the Spring-to-Spring Trail. We then walked the outer loop at the springs. We got off the path a bit to hunt for a geocache we never found but the fun is in the hunt, isn't it? Here are a few photos from the day.

What types of outdoor activities do you enjoy?

SkyWatch Friday: Colorful Night

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:15:00 +0000

This is by no means the greatest photo. I actually took this with my Android phone. I had just exited the grocery store and was struck by the beauty of the sky. I had no other camera available (shame on me!) and so I hoped for the best.

Click to Enlarge-- It's prettier that way

This was my humble entry into SkyWatch Friday. Go check out the more fabulous entries.

Happy Nature Watching!

Watery Wednesday: Birds at the Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:25:00 +0000

Just a simple, unimportant shot showing the beautiful White Ibis at the pond.

Click to Enlarge-- It's prettier that way

Be sure to visit (and join) other Watery Wednesday photo participants!

Happy Nature Watching!

Local Artist: Rog Lee

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Nachos and Music

Saturday night, we attended the Autumn Festival here in DeBary. Originally this was going to be a post about the festival but, as it turns out, our camera doesn't want to give up the photos. That's okay. I had something else I wanted to mention anyway.

Local artists, whether they are performers, painters, sculptors or any other display of artistic talent, are probably the biggest reason I attend so many festivals. When we arrived on the park grounds, Saturday evening, there was a singer on the stage who caught my attention. The lyrics to the song he was singing drew me in immediately:

We used to paddle up and down on the Little Econ
you could go and never see another soul all day.
But, now they're paving everything and those days are gone
and I wish things were still that way.

Chorus:
But you can still see Florida,
in a lifelike state
cause they have reproduced it for yaw.
Just eighty dollars at the gate.

At once, my 21-year old daughter and I exchanged a delighted, amused look. How perfect! A musician singing about the very things that concern us: Florida's natural environment being ruined for profit! Oh it was great!

I didn't catch his name because we moved on to games and rides for the children. However, as soon as I returned home, I did a little research and found out that his name is Rog Lee. He lives here in DeBary and performs regularly at local spots. He has a website which includes covers of older songs (love it!) and a link to his own original works, nearly all of which seem to focus on Florida. I even "liked" Rog's Facebook page. I just wanted to share this local find with you. If you're ever in the area, you may want to drop in wherever Mr. Lee is playing and enjoy his music.

For now, here is an older version of the song I quoted above. It says "50 dollars at the gate" which he's obviously updated to "80" as the prices keep increasing at our lovely amusement parks.

Happy Nature Watching!

Update and Nature Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:35:00 +0000

I haven't posted on this blog in a while. I've been busy. Life takes these long winding roads at a break-neck pace and my nature studies and hikes are usually the first thing to fall to the roadside. But I'm back in gear now.

We've got a few things planned for September which I'll be sharing. I am hoping to get back to the memes, Watery Wednesday and SkyWatch Friday. I miss trying to get those "perfect" shots of Florida's waters and skies. This month, we'll be attending a class on Volusia conservation lands, as well. We'll be Wetland Hiking! Fun right? So stay tuned for that.

I want to thank all of you who have recently started following me on Twitter. Don't lose faith in me just yet.. I'm on my way back to nature!

In fact, here are a few photos for you. My daughter was playing around with settings on a nature walk and came up with these shots.

Happy Nature Watching!

My Florida Garden: June 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:54:00 +0000

This is our "Emo" Sunflower. It won't follow the sun but faces the screened porch all day.

Florida is about to enter the rainy season. At least it should. I mean we should have had triple-digit heat indexes in April but we didn't. The weather does not seem to be following its predictable course this year. Still, if it does rain for 30 days, as it usually does, I'll be losing sunflowers to the deluge.

Beautiful Morning Glory!

This Zinnia refuses to photograph correctly. It's not pink..but purple LOL

Even the Caladiums are blooming!

This is ONE marigold plant. So many blooms!

I love the Plumbago!

Orchid

Marigold just opened..

Happy Nature Watching!

My Florida Garden: May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:02:00 +0000

It has been quite a while since I've posted. Keeping up with life has been a challenge but one I think I am meeting. One of my challenges has been my new yard. There is something very different about the soil on the west coast of Florida. It sucks! I've noted that it isn't only my yard, but the majority of yards, which are bad. And by bad I mean sand, weeds, sand spurs, very little grass and large sandy areas. I've been fighting this yard for months now. It's looking better but I see a lot more work having to be put into it next February.

Our front yard (sorry--bad mobile picture!)

Back yard

Those pictures were taken upon moving into the house in February. Since then I've been working on gardens mostly and a little on the yard itself. Here are my current gardening photos!

Capris Oleander on each side of our driveway

I love the little blue flowers of the Plumbago!

Arabian Jasmine! Oh that I could transfer this scent through a photo and share it with you!

Arabian Jasmine flowers

Moonwalker Sunflower

Gladiolas are shooting up!

Our butterfly gardens are starting to bloom!

Zinnia


Magnolia Blossom

"Red Flash" caladium

"Mystery" Geranium

Happy Nature Watching!

Nature Comes a' Knockin' : The Sandhill Crane

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Yesterday while studying the shadows in my yard for optimal spring planting layouts, my dog took a sudden interest in something outside of his fenced area. I looked, curious what held his attention, to find there were 5 Sandhill Cranes walking down the street!

I quickly called the girls outside and grabbed my camera. We have seen these quite a bit, since coming to Hernando County, Florida, on the sides of roads, flying over our house and, now walking down our street!

According to WhatBird.com, "A group of cranes has many collective nouns, including a "construction", "dance", "sedge", "siege", and "swoop" of cranes."

Happy Nature Watching!