It’s National Native American Heritage Day on November 27th
The day after Thanksgiving is National Native American Heritage Day. Legislation was passed to commemorate Native Americans and encourage people to learn more about the cultures of the people native to this continent. However, a recently published study showed that we can learn much more from Native Americans, who well-preserve their lands and the habitats […]
November 6th is National Nachos Day. YUM!
November 6 is National Nachos Day, a day set aside to celebrate a delicious culinary delight. Nachos are crunchy with melted cheese, a perfect combination of taste and texture. Nachos were created by “Nacho” Anaya from Piedras Negras, Mexico in 1943. Over the years, other ingredients have been added to the tortilla chips and cheese. […]
National Reptile Awareness Day Should Be Appreciation Day!
October 21 is National Reptile Awareness Day. I would prefer the term ‘Appreciation’ instead of ‘Awareness.’ Many people are aware of reptiles but don’t appreciate them. They often state they hate reptiles—especially snakes! This day is for celebrating all 10,000 species of reptiles, from the cute, colorful gecko to the unnerving rattlesnake, and to educate and […]
I wrote Silent Rocks, but Susan Mule Gives a Dramatic Reading!
Above Susan Mule of the Cayman Islands reads Silent Rocks. Of particular importance to me are the two endemic iguana species on the islands of Cayman Brac, the blue iguana found on Grand Cayman and the Sister Isle Rock Iguana found on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. I’ve done field work with the latter […]
September 4 is National Wildlife Day
This guy, Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus, and his species inspired my book, Don’t Make Me Fly! September 4 is National Wildlife Day. As a biologist, I love wildlife, whether it is in my backyard or at some distant exotic location. Wildlife Day was established to remind us about endangered animals, locally and around the world. This […]
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 […]
How Do You Know if a Lizard is a Green Iguana? by Curtis Curly-tail
Hello, out there, friends and fans! It’s me, Curtis Curly-tail! Today, I wanted to ask you if you knew that Green Iguanas, Iguana iguana, come in different colors? And, if they come in different colors, how do you tell if a lizard is a green iguana? You look for the subtympanic scale. “What is that?” […]
Pet Peeves
I love having animals in my life. Over the years, they’ve mostly been reptiles and lately, if you’ve been following my story, there’s a horse tale in it. If we accept responsibility for an animal, we are responsible for its welfare, even if we have to sacrifice for it. This has come up in the […]
Fun Geology and Biology for The Lime Lizards Lads!
Geology is the science that explores the earth’s physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it. Geology is often included under the topic of Earth Sciences. You might be surprised to learn that I often include geology in my fun science books that feature lizards. You can’t really study biology […]
Tabby Sure Has My Attention! How About Yours? by Curtis Curly-tail
I like to think of author Elaine A. Powers’s You Tube channel as MY channel. It does, after all, say at the top of the page, “Curtis Curly-tail Speaks!” But, I’m like, “Whoo, hoo! Look at that girl go!” I mean, have you seen and heard Tabby the Five-Finger Fairy on You Tube? I’d read […]
Alligator vs. the Marshmallow
As a science book writer, I am asked to speak at schools and libraries about my favorite subject: reptiles. I often use props to help people visualize the facts I present. For instance, an iguana egg is about the size of a marshmallow. So, I bring a bag of marshmallows to use and, when allowed, […]
Which Iguana is Which?
Iguanas are an important part of my life. They are featured in the children’s book I wrote called The Dragon of Nani Cave, which is an adventure tale starring curly-tail lizards ,Gene and Bony, who live on Cayman Brac. I weave the science of the island into the story, because science can be fun! I […]
