It's now officially an El Niño year, which typically means that Atlantic hurricane activity will be reduced. But not all El Niño events are created equal when it comes to their impact on Atlantic hurricane activity. Over the past 150 years,...

ABOVE: The second big El Nino storm of the year is winding up in the northern Gulf of Mexico tonight. We're very hopeful that this storm brings us much needed rain. ABOVE: While this image from today looks idyllic. . . it would be much nicer if the...

Yesterday we traveled across Florida at breakneck speed to see my college friend Terry. She lives near Tampa on one of the Keys in Tampa Bay. She is camera shy so I won't be posting any photos of the reunion here. It was our 30th year. Wow....

All of the Hibiscus spp. are in bloom. Hibiscus are in the Genus "Rosemallow" which is in the family Mallow (Malvaceae). ABOVE: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis sometimes called the Shoe Black Plant. This variegated specimen is about 20 feet tall by the big...

In preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner, I put up the Christmas tree. This is a 250 pound Rusty Lyonia (Lyonia ferruginea (Walter) Nutt.) that is supported on a solid oak base. In total it weighs about 500 pounds. The tree died naturally and was...

ABOVE: A robust bumble bee (Genus Bombus) on one of the Sunflower Trees (Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray). BELOW: A dying bumble bee. . .notice he has lost his bright colors. I watched as he repeatedly fell over. . . but kept trying to drink...