Moon and Venus say Hello to Each Other!
PHOTO above is courtesy of the App called SkyView. Thanks to Tucson, Arizona being a dark sky city, stargazing can be wonderful. One recent September morning, I enjoyed viewing the crescent moon along with a bright object. Of course, that object was not a star, but the planet Venus. I thought it was worth a […]
It’s Not a Horny Toad! By Curtis Curly-tail Lizard
Did you know that people sometimes call lizards toads? Toads—which are amphibians, by the way, not reptiles like us lizards. Even this lizard’s scientific name refers to toads! Phrynosoma means “toad-bodied”–all because they have flat, round bodies and blunt snouts. The correct common name for these interesting lizards is Horned Lizard—not horny toad! The Horned […]
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 […]
Curtis Curly-tail is Blown Away is Now Available! by Curtis Curly-tail Lizard
Hello, everyone! I recently mentioned my latest book would soon be out—well, it’s here! The next Curtis Curly-tail adventure has been released: Curtis Curly-tail is Blown Away is written by, of course, my good friend and author, Elaine A. Powers. The gorgeous illustrations are by artist Monique Carroll, who also illustrated Grow Home, Little Seeds. […]
It’s That Time of the Year–Weather is in the News! by Curtis Curly-tail Lizard
Hello, everyone! I’m Curtis Curly-tail Lizard and every year, all of us in The Bahamas worry about hurricane season. I wrote here before about Hurricane Dorian, which hit the northern part of my country, causing a lot of damage. Of course, this the time of the year, weather is newsworthy in many places–like all the […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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?” […]
‘Zoe the Star’ Tortoise! by Curtis Curly-tail
Hello to all my friends out there! I hope you are taking care of yourselves and each other in these difficult times. I’m looking forward to the day when my human friends don’t have to worry anymore about the virus called Covid-19! (If I could, I would banish it right now!) Until this passes, please […]
Starfish: How Many Arms?
I started out my biology career wanting to be a marine biologist. Even though I ended up as a laboratory researcher, I’m always looking for interesting creatures when I visit the ocean. I never know who I’m going to write about in my next fun science book! One group of animals I always enjoy seeing […]
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 […]
Ground Squirrels: These Cute Little Burrowers Soon to Have Their Own Book!
When I lived in the Midwest and Northeast, I knew it was Spring when the crocus and daffodils raised their heads from the ground. Here in the Sonoran Desert, I know it is Spring when the round-tailed ground squirrels, Xerospermophilus tereticaudus, which dwell in the desert of the US Southwest and northwestern Mexico, raise their […]
Homeschooling? Worried About Education? How About Supplementing with FUN Science Workbooks?
The mission of my book publisher, Lyric Power Publishing LLC, is to “Make Science Fun!” That’s because they know how fun science really is. Their Activity Sheets and Workbooks are for Ages K-5 (see workbook covers for grade level and contents) and while they are highly educational, they are also lots of fun! Have you […]
The Marshmallow: Not Merely Fluffy Sugar
In a previous blog, I related a story how even in my early years, I was working to keep wild alligators away from people food with stale, very hard, marshmallows. This occurred on Sanibel Island, FL. Have you ever thought about where marshmallows come from? My marshmallow story took place on Sanibel Island, FL, where […]
Using Children’s Books for Science Education–at a Bar!
Last February, I had the honor of giving a science talk at a local bar. Yes, a bar! But it’s a very different bar–it specializes in astronomy and holds weekly science trivia contests with March for Science Southern Arizona. My talk was about using entertaining children’s books in science education. It was kind of fun […]
