A Squirrel is a Squirrel is a… Chipmunk?
Sometimes, stories are written to craft clarity from confusion. That’s certainly the case with my book Squirrels of the Sonoran Desert. I’ve lived in many places yet found myself perplexed by the local squirrels. In discussing them with other residents, it became clear that they were just as confused by the nature of these rodents. […]
Snakes (and Science) for All!
Buying books online is wonderfully convenient, but for me, selling my STEM-based books in-person is special, especially when the people are children. I’m delighted when kids show interest in the science that I include in my books. And I’m especially thrilled when girls are interested in snakes! Breaking into Science As a child, I dreamt […]
Morton Salt, Campbells, and Flamingos in the Bahamas.
Recently, while in Chicago I happened to see the iconic Morton Salt sign. It’s so huge you can’t miss it. While it’s called a sign, in actuality it’s a roof on the old Morton Salt factory on Elston Avenue. As a child, this sign always reminded me of the Morton Salt Girl and the drawing […]
How Not to Photograph a Bat
I wrote a book about the difficulties in photographing hummingbirds, How Not to Photograph a Hummingbird. It pits one bumbling human against the desert as he carelessly attempts to photograph an Anna’s Hummingbird. If lucky, a hummer may alight for a moment or two, allowing the photographer to get the shot she wants. But there […]
Mushrooms in the Desert? I Have Pictures!
Living in the Sonoran Desert, I don’t often see mushrooms. Sometimes, fungus appears on the trunks of dying trees, but that’s not often. This year, Tucson has had a very wet monsoon season, which is wonderful after years of severe drought. Along with the greening of the vegetation, the abundance of rain has brought forth […]
Sharing a Fond Memory of Mexican Jumping Beans. What’s Yours?
When I was a child, my parents bought me a package of Mexican beans, frijoles saltarine. I was fascinated to learn why the beans moved. Over time I forgot about them, until recently when I was reading an article about midge larvae that can fling themselves 36 times their body length.* The article got me […]
Mesquite Trees and Horses: Incompatible
When I moved to the Sonoran Desert, I learned about mesquite pods. I knew about the mesquite wood used for barbequing, but not the seed pods of the tree. They’re used as food by both people and animals. The mature pods, not just the seeds, are ground into flour, which is quite delicious. A five-gallon […]
Sharing the Morning Routine
As I watched the birds on the beach at sunrise on a recent trip, I noticed their actions reminded me of my own morning routine. Perhaps yours is similar. Do you start with a wash? This sandpiper decided not to dip under the water for its wash. No, instead he or she was sucking up […]
Saved: Dragonflies vs. Gnats–No Contest!
One major difference between the hot, dry weather of a desert (Tucson, AZ) and the hot, humid weather of the Gulf of Mexico (Ft. Myers, FL) in July is the number of human-eating insects. I was reminded of this recently. As I obtained my parking permit from the machine at the beach, a cloud of […]
Scientists Love Their Scat! And I Am One!
Scientists have long been using scat as a valuable tool in figuring out what animals have eaten. The indigestible parts pass through and are excreted. Some items can be easily identified, but others require a bit of investigation. When the temperatures were warm enough, I let my sulcata, or spur-thigh, tortoise loose in my walled-in […]
Ergot: A Fungus and a Tissue Protuberance–Geez!
My favorite bread flavor is rye. Given a choice, I will always choose rye. So, growing up, I wondered why rye hadn’t been more popular historically. After all, rye is easier to grow than wheat and, in my humble opinion, much tastier. The reason is Ergot. Ergot is a fungal disease that killed and disabled […]
Prize-Winning Size Found in My Kitchen!
Have you eaten your leafy green vegetables today? You should! Vegetables are important for a healthy lifestyle. My family members would agree – they are herbivores, and they enjoy their leafy greens. People may eat their greens cooked or raw. My reptiles prefer their greens raw. These collard leaves are important sources of calcium, iron, […]
An Unusual Visitor Stopped By
The Sonoran Desert is home to many species of hummingbirds. The first things I installed in my yard when I moved in were hummingbird feeders. Whenever a hummer would stop for a drink, I’d pull out my bird book to identify it. I’ve had quite a few species stop by over the years. Some were […]
My, That’s a Really Big Tongue You Have!
I have learned a lot about horses in the past two years. But there is one ability that continues to amaze me: the agility of the horse’s tongue. Above is a friend of mine, Simby. He has Cushing’s disease, which is treated with a small pill, Prascend. I give the same medicine to my mare […]
A Spectacular ‘Bloom Night’ 2021 at Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens
The Night-blooming Cereus had to bloom all alone in the summer of 2020, but this year, they opened in all their glory for the visitors at the Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens on June 30, 2021. Just prior to the 2019 blooming, I published my book, Queen of the Night: The Night-blooming Cereus. I wrote this […]
How About a Big Bug Snack? It’s High in Protein!
Every seventeen years, the Brood X Cicadas emerge from the ground in the northeast US. They climb and fly, singing their mating call, mate and produce the next generation. With over a million per acre, there are a lot of big, very noisy insects out there. Something different this year is the number of recipes […]
Come Out and See Me at a Book-Signing on Cereus Bloom Night
On a recent walk in a Sonoran Desert wash, I came across the plant pictured above. I think it may be a night-blooming cereus, Peniocereus greggii, the first one I’ve seen in the wild. I don’t believe it’s dead—these plants look like sticks in the Sonoran Desert. I have seen many night-blooming cereus plants and […]
Who Was Observing Whom?
I was exercising my young horse when he suddenly turned away from me to look at something outside the ring. I discovered my horse enjoys birdwatching as much as I do. However, as horse and human watched this Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, pass by, I noticed that it seemed to be studying us as much […]
Ecdysis: It’s Time to Grow!
Reptiles are characterized by having scales covering their bodies. That means when a reptile needs to grow bigger, it must shed the scales. The process of shedding the old skin is called ecdysis. One of my lizard family members has the best ecdysis. This is my red tegu, Rascal. First, the red skin takes on […]
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Prettiest Head of All?
Red-footed tortoises, Geochelone carbonaria, are popular pets. These natives of Central and South America are easy to care for and don’t get too big, growing up to 30 pounds. They are also known for the bright colors on their skin and shell, including their namesake red scales on their legs. Recently, I noticed how vivid […]
That Hurt! Where is a Bottle of Alcohol When You Need It?
A couple of years ago I rescued a Rhinoceros Iguana, Rango, who had bitten her owner and a guest too many times. I brought her into my home and, after quarantine, allowed her to free roam — until she started biting my feet. I finally figured out it was the color socks or pants that […]
You Know You’re From Arizona When . . .
You might be familiar with these Fun Facts posted on Facebook by Brad Snyder in 2013. They are still very true today, and I’d like to share a bit more about these interesting and fun topics. Book Note: I am fascinated by animals and plants and truly enjoy having them all around me. I have […]
Brittlebush Can Take the Heat!
One plant that has always amazed me in the Sonoran Desert is the Brittlebush. No matter how little rain falls nor how hot it is, this bush produces a lush crop of flowers. Brittlebush, Encelia farinose, is a bush native to the Sonoran Desert and is a member of the sunflower family. The leaves are […]
I’d Like to Recommend Snorting!
When I’m not writing fun science books, I’m caring for my animal companions: the iguanas, tortoises and turtle I live with, and my two horses, which are stabled just down the road. I’ve learned a lot about horses over the past two years. Many behaviors are still mysteries to me, however. One of them is […]
Do You Slather or Smear?
The English language has a lot of really great words. As a writer, I enjoy exploring them. This time of year in the Sonoran Desert, we increase the amount of sunscreen we put on our bodies. As the intensity of the sun increases with the warmer seasons, more sunscreen is definitely needed. I put a […]
Birds Do It, But Wow!
In the Spring, avian hearts turn to thoughts of love, or at least, to mating. Songs have been written about it. Cole Porter croons, “Birds do it, bees do it.” But have you ever thought about how birds “do it?” Recently, I realized that a couple of white-winged doves, Zenaida asiatica, were getting together on […]
Now, That’s My Kind of Window Dressing
I enjoy watching the sun rise over the Santa Catalina Mountains, and having a lizardly window dressing makes it even better. Who needs curtains when a Desert Spiny Lizard drapes herself across the screen? The Desert Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus magister, is a native of the Sonoran Desert. My window ornament is probably a female, since […]
May 8th is the First International Blue Iguana Day!
May 8, 2021 is the first International Blue Iguana Day. Blue iguanas, Cyclura lewisi, are the endemic iguanas on the island of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. I had the honor of volunteering with this program, collecting native plants and preparing the salad for the iguanas. This is a story of success for a […]
The Very Tall Octopus Agave Plant
I saw these magnificent agave’s in the neighborhood where my chorus practiced outside. I was astounded by the height of the flower stalks that passed the second floor’s windows. I had to know what plant they were! They are Octopus Agave, Agave vilmoriniana. These plants are native to northwest Mexico, so it’s not surprising they […]
Happy Birthday, Exuma!
Since my mare, Button, is approaching retirement from being a saddle horse, I decided to get a younger horse to take over her work. That is how Exuma, a Quarter Horse gelding, came into my life. Exuma was born on April 28, 2017. Today is his fourth birthday! Above photo courtesy of D. Iman He […]
