Surprise Your Employees with Some Fun–Use Zoom to Perform a Short Play!
Today is National Radio Day. Way back before TV/streaming media as we know it and before today’s audio books, there was radio. Of course, there still is, but in the early part of the twentieth century, radio was our only source for news from around the world, and it provided wonderful entertainment. Radio shows were […]
I’m Curtis Curly-tail and Have I Got a Roadrunner Video for You! (Meep-Meep)
“Hello to all! I’m Curtis Curly-tail and I am here to tell you about my latest YouTube video, which focuses on Roadrunners in Southern Arizona. Did you know when these large birds leave tracks behind, you can’t tell what direction they came from or where they went? I wish I could do that! And roadrunners […]
“What’s a Nurse Tree?” you ask.
In the heat of the Sonoran Desert, many cacti use the shade of trees to help them survive. They also help in the cold winters. These are nurse trees. Underneath a mesquite in my yard, I found this thriving Graham’s Nipple or Arizona Fishhook Cactus. The scientific name is Mammillaria grahamii. I wouldn’t have noticed […]
Ophidiofomophobia. Say, what?
I’m always learning new words. I thought someone who liked reptiles was a “herpephile.” I found out lately it is actually “herpetophile.” There really is a word for people like me who like reptiles and enjoy studying them. Then I read about “ophidiofomophobia.” I had to look it up, but, unfortunately, it isn’t a real […]
It’s National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day by Curtis Curly-tail
Image courtesy of マサコ アーント (Aunt Masako) from Pixabay Hello, friends! It’s Curtis Curly-tail, star of Curtis Curly-tail Speaks! I hope you are all staying safe and that you are ready to share or receive some zucchini squash. That’s right—August 8th is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day! If you have ever […]
August 7 is National Lighthouse Day
Image courtesy of the US Coast Guard August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Lighthouses have always intrigued, standing tall at the sea’s edge often high on a cliff. They have played an important part in history, making sea travel safer, indicating dangerous coastlines and reefs and rocks. Two lighthouses have meaning in my life, both […]
So, You Want to Write a Book? by Curtis Curly-tail Lizard
I’ve heard from many people staying at home now that lots of people want to write a book and writing creatively is a good use of time. I would even say it is a perfect use of time when the stories are about me–or even other reptiles, once in a while. People often ask me […]
Looking for More than Sky Rain
Growing up in the Midwest, I didn’t really think about rain. It rained all year long, although in the winter it could fall as ice, or if we were lucky, snow. The only time rain was newsworthy was during tornado season, when nature used it as a weapon, or mid-summer when the corn and soybean […]
“That’s MY Bed!”
Among the many reptiles I share my home with is a rhinoceros rock iguana who usually free roams my house. She basks under the heat lamps with the tortoises, shares the plates of veggies and finds sunbeams to relax in. Mid-afternoon, it’s time to head under some rocks for a nap. No, I don’t have […]
It’s New Tech Time–Elaine A. Powers Will Now Visit Your Classroom via Video Conferencing
Image courtesy of Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay Hello, everyone! It’s me, Curtis Curly-tail! You know me as the perfect curly-tail lizard from the Bahamas, who inspired Elaine A. Powers to write her very first children’s science book (fun science adventure tale, that is) called, most appropriately, Curtis Curly-tail and the Ship of Sneakers. Who knew Elaine […]
It’s Get to Know Your Customers Day!
Get to Know Your Customers Day is a day that is of interest to me every day. I want to know my customers. Do they like my books? How can my books be better? What should I write about in the ones to come? How can I improve the workbooks and activity sheets sold at […]
July 15th is National I Love Horses Day (Or, Actually, I- Love-One-Particular-Horse- Day)
I didn’t like horses as a child. In fact, I didn’t particularly like them as an adult. However, I did enjoy touring the countryside and riding a horse was much easier than hiking it all. When I moved to Tucson, I liked riding though the Sonoran Desert, but I found that the stirrups hurt my […]
Dads, Take Your Daughter For A Walk in July!
Some of my favorite childhood memories are the walks I took with my father, Dr. Norman E. Powers, pictured above. He worked long days, so spending several hours together outside in nature were particularly precious times for me. My father and brothers were active in the Boy Scouts of America. One of the local troop’s annual […]
Territorial!
Many animals (and some plants) establish territories. They protect these areas for their places to live, eat and mate. When I think of a territory, I usually imagine a natural area, but that’s not true for all lizards. Some lizards establish their territories on patios! Several male Desert Spiny lizards, Sceloporus magister, have divvied up […]
Sharing the Shores with the Sanderlings
To help with our staying-at-home, many nature organizations have been showing photos and videos of interesting plants and animals. The American Bird Conservancy featured Sanderlings, Calidris alba, in one of these offerings. Some of my fondest memories include Sanderlings that I watched and strolled among on Bunche Beach and Sanibel Island in Florida. My parents […]
Desert Dwellers Worshipping the Rain! by Curtis Curly-tail Lizard
Hello, everyone! I’m Curtis Curly-tail. You may know me as the perfect Curly-tail lizard from the Bahamas with an itch for adventure. OR, perhaps you’ve seen me starring at my very own YouTube page, Curtis Curly-tail Speaks. Well, of course, I do! I am perfect, as they say! Every morning I start the day by […]
Natural Fire: Helpful or Destructive?
Fire can be a wonderful or terrify thing. In many ecosystems, fires are important for keeping them healthy. These are low intensity fires that clear the ground of brush and scrub. However, invasive plant species like buffelgrass cause fires to burn hotter destroying the ecosystem, instead of nurturing it. May and June in the Sonoran […]
Eat Your Veggies!
June 17th is one of my favorite days of the year. June 17 is National Eat Your Vegetable Day. As an omnivore, I enjoy my vegetables. My iguana and tortoise friends are also big connoisseurs of vegetables–that means they’re experts. There are so many delicious vegetables to choose from. Don’t be afraid to try something […]
Empty Night Skies
I love to swim. I taught myself how as a child after watching my brothers’ swim classes. I’m fortunate to have a pool at my house. Every day the water is warm enough (80s and above), I’ll take a swim. Sometimes, I swim laps for an hour; sometimes I jump in only for a few […]
Who Protects Your Home?
Many homeowners have security systems to protect the premises. There are many choices: Ring, ADT, Vivint, etc., all of which involve people. My security system involves reptiles. I have free roaming tortoises that are adept at tripping. They utilize the carpets that camouflage them well. Yes, even I have face-planted! I also have large roaming […]
Ouch! Cactus Exposed By Curtis Curly-tail Lizard!
Perhaps you’ve read my stories about reptile meals in my blog posts and on my YouTube Channel, Curtis Curly-tail Speaks! I like helping my human friends prepare the meals for my reptilian companions. This morning I was collecting pads from the prickly pear cactus for the desert tortoises. I only harvest the young pads due […]
Why Flake When You Can Shed?
Reptile skin is really interesting. Instead of flaking off like human skin does, reptiles shed their skin in strips. Snakes shed one complete body skin at a time. Lizards might shed their skin in sections of the body. The scales that make up the skin are made by the epidermis of the protein keratin. The […]
See What Happens!
Red-foot tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonarius), like Gladiola, are omnivores, which means they eat meat, as well as vegetables and fruits. Being tortoises, they don’t run down prey like a wolf after a deer. No, they look for slow moving animal tidbits or carrion. Any opportunity for some protein should be explored, as shown by Gladiola here. […]
Comfortable in Her Own Skin
There’s a saying about being comfortable in one’s own on skin. Recently, this saying took on a new meaning for me. Last year, I became the delighted owner of a Missouri Fox Trotter named Button. She was born in Missouri, so every winter she grows a coat worthy of the cold cruel Midwest winter winds; […]
Hey, Fans! Here’s My Next Video: All About Cantata Sulcata
Hi, everyone! It’s me, Curtis Curly-tail Lizard and have I got a video for you! I figured you fell asleep last night thinking about Sulcata tortoises and you wondered: Do they make good pets? Click here on Curtis Curly-tail Introduces Cantata Sulcata to learn all about my friend, Cantata, and these special tortoises. Thanks, and […]
Watch Out for Those Dangerous Choices in Clothing Colors!
When you get dressed, do you consider your pets? Sure, I know those of you with fur babies might wonder which outfit would go best with your pet’s hair. However, if you live with iguanas, you must make your clothing choices carefully. Iguanas have excellent color vision. Since they eat leaves and flowers, this makes […]
Who’s Your Favorite Footrest?
Do you have a favorite footrest in your home? Putting one’s feet up is so relaxing and relieving. The cushioniest footrest in my house is the one that came with a comfy chair. Simple, functional, the perfect height, very practical. My favorite footrest is covered with a needlepoint I stitched many decades ago. I was […]
Word for the Day: Saurophagy (And Autophagy!)
Photo courtesy of Kaimuki Backyard on You Tube. I learned a new term today. It’s not a word to be used in daily conversation but interesting, nonetheless. The new term is saurophagy. Its means “the eating of lizards.” I was a little sad to learn this word in a report about one iguana species, C. […]
Is That Torpor or Hibernation? by Curtis Curly-tail
Howdy, friends! It’s me, Curtis Curly-tail! You know how I LOVE to bask in the sun? Well, I’ve recently learned that some of my friends go underground when it gets cold—to stay warm! My human friend, Elaine, wrote here at Tales & Tails that round-tailed ground squirrels spend the winter underground to stay warm. Yes, […]
What is that Tongue Doing?
I have lived with many iguanas over the years, but Stella, a green iguana, is the only one who constantly sticks her tongue out. I’m always afraid I’ll startle her and she’ll cut her tongue with her razor sharp teeth. Fortunately, that has never happened. Her tongue is intact. So, why is her tongue always […]