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A Writing Prompt with Malice
I was experimenting with a writing prompt for mysteries. The prompt was to write about a common object in a mysterious way. I looked at my pepper grinder, a device that pulverizes hard objects. All the multi-colored peppercorns are ground into indistinguishable pieces. How terrifying it must be for the peppercorn to be crushed and […]
A Creep or a Convergence?
With Spring, the tortoises wander about more actively. The brumating species, like the Sonoran Desert and Sulcata tortoises, emerge from my bedroom to join the now more ever-wandering red-footed tortoises. I have a heat lamp set up in the front room where the tortoises can sit and bask. Usually, one or two will be utilizing […]
Chorale, Cul-de-sac and . . . Chupacabra?
To maintain safe social distance, my chorus has been meeting outside in a neighborhood cul-de-sac. We’re masked and standing six feet apart. We meet after dark and we each bring an illumination device, such as a clip-on light, or a head lamp or maybe even a wrap-around flashlight you wear on your neck. Whatever type […]
My Computer is Padded: Reptile-Side Chats Here I Come!
In previous posts, I mentioned the lessons learned from doing Facebook Live talks. I was able to continue them last week with my new laptop. New, because my Sonoran Desert tortoise peed on my old laptop and killed it. I did hold her up for 12 minutes, and she showed great restraint, so it really […]
Life from a Lizard’s Point of View is Funny!
Bizarro is one of my favorite comic strips. I like its quirky look at life’s often ordinary activities. I particularly like the way the artists incorporate science into their comics. Entertaining and educational. Their play on words is delightful. This particular strip reminded me of my own Conversations with Dudley Dewlap scripts, which feature life […]
The Facebook Live Learning Curve–Post Two: Pee on Set
In a previous blog post, I mentioned the surprises I had in my first Facebook Live talk. My second talk with my iguana went well and I thought I knew what I was doing. Hah! For my third talk, I showed my Sonoran Desert Tortoise and I mentioned how reptiles urinate when they are stressed. […]
Writing and Riding Fill My Days
With the pandemic, I’ve been dividing my time mostly between two activities: riding and writing. I’m either at the stables with my two horses or at home writing, surrounded by my reptiles. It’s working out well since I’m getting fresh air and exercise with Button and Exuma, which stimulates my health and well-being for the […]
Singing While Wearing a Mask? I Can Now!
I have a music degree along with my science degrees. I’ve enjoyed singing and performing on stage throughout my life. People on stage or in concerts are often told to sing out, project to the audience. Singers are extolled for singing to the last row or to the balcony, so that everyone can hear them. […]
My Bahamian Boas Book is Having Its Birthday Today!
I’m celebrating the March 6th ‘birth’ day of my book, Bahamian Boas: A Tabby Tale. CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE ME SPEAK ABOUT THE BIRTHDAY OF MY BOOK. A special guest appeared, whom you will very much enjoy seeing. CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE SNAZZY THE SNAKE HIGHLIGHT THE BIRTHDAY BOOK ON YOUTUBE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, […]
What I Learned from My First ‘Facebook Live’ Presentation
One of my activities that I love is taking my reptile family members to schools for sharing. I can talk about reptiles for hours. Of course, with the pandemic, I’m not able to do these live presentations for now. I’ve offered to present my reptiles using Zoom meetings, but then decided I might try a […]
March 2nd is NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
March 2nd, National Read Across America Day, is set aside to encourage kids to read. As an author of fun science-based children’s books, I love the idea of children reading books. I’m happy they’re reading, whether it’s one of my brightly illustrated picture books or adventure tales, or any other authors’ books, comic books, graphic […]
Today is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day– Meet Tabby the Five-Finger Fairy!
Today, February 26, is Tell a Fairy Tale Day. A fairy tale is defined as a children’s story about imaginary or magical beings and lands. Some fairy tales have been around so long they are part of folklore, passed down from storyteller to storyteller. Many of the fairy tales popular today were written in the […]
Horseback Riding and Cougars Just Do Not Mix!
I recently had an encounter with a mountain lion while riding my horse. Button tried to tell me a big cat was near, but I couldn’t see it. I suspected she had seen the cat by the way she bolted. It was a wild ride but we got home safely (with much stomping and agitation) […]
February 20th is NATIONAL LOVE YOUR PET DAY
Almost 70% of families in the US have pets. I suspect with the pandemic that percentage may have increased. I, of course, have a household filled with pets. Mine don’t have fur, like the more familiar cats and dogs–they have scales. Yes, my pets are reptiles. In addition, I have two pets that I’m not […]
Having Fun With The Mysterious Massachusetts Potatoes
With all the bad news today, unusual stories bring us a lot of entertainment, probably more than they should. They also provide opportunities for puns, as you will read in this tale about the baked potatoes found at the Wayland Free Public Library in Massachusetts. The first cooked russet potato appeared on a Monday with […]
We’re Celebrating a Curtis Curly-tail Book-Birthday in My New Newsletter!
I’m publishing an author newsletter now, containing book announcements and specials. Please click here to go to my newsletter, where you can see the colorful, graphic format; click through to the book-birthday video; and subscribe to come along with me on my author journey as I continue my labor of love to make learning science […]
Horse Care, Sirens, and a Desert Singalong
One afternoon about 3:00 p.m., I heard sirens on a nearby main road. The sirens went on for quite a while and included several pitches. The vehicles probably included those from the police and fire departments, and perhaps an ambulance. I listened as I brushed my horse, Button. She turned to listen to the noise, […]
Fossil Iguana Burrow in The Bahamas?
Even though Rock Iguanas (Cyclura nubila caymanensis) make their dens and escape holes in the limestone karst of the Caribbean islands, the females still need sand to lay their eggs. Females dig a burrow tunnel, lay their eggs in a chamber, then back fill it in—the iguana mothers cover over the entrance area to hide […]
February 6th is National Play Outside Day!
In many places, playing outside on February 6th will involve snow and layers of warm clothes. Even in the Sonoran Desert, the reptiles are brumating (mammals hibernate, reptiles brumate). However, that doesn’t mean all the animals are asleep out there. If the temperatures warm up, some of the ground squirrels pop up. Birds are flying […]
Now That Dog Can Bark On Pitch!
I am a retired biologist who writes rhyming children’s science books. I’ve been questioned about this and I believe the rhyming happens because I’m also a musician and singer. I still sing in community choruses and one of them had to get creative with rehearsals and performances due to the pandemic. Many musical organizations have […]
Do Books Have Birthdays? Yes!
I am pleased to announce the “birth” day of my book above. Curtis Curly-tail is Lizardnapped (an adventure tale featuring endangered flora and fauna of The Bahamas) is four years old this month.The book has a conservation/ecological theme–woven into a story about Curtis Curly-tail Lizard and his friends, who all work together to save themselves […]
February 1st is National Serpent Day!
I came across this beauty, a Western Diamondback Rattler, on a recent ride in the Sonoran Desert. Ooh, February 1st is National Serpent Day! Some of my favorite animals are serpents. I grew up with snakes as family pets, mostly garter snakes, because my brother was allergic to fur. We cuddled them like you would […]
January 31 is National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
The artist strategically placed the shells on the branches of the bush skeleton above. A piece of the exoskeleton of a horseshoe crab was also used. January 31 is Inspire Your Heart With Art Day. Art should evoke emotions, hopefully, pleasurable ones. There are many kinds of art. My book illustrators are all great visual […]
January 28th is NATIONAL HAVE FUN AT WORK DAY
Working from Home with our Pets January 28th is National Have Fun at Work Day and with the pandemic, many people who would go to work in an office or at least away from home, are now telecommuting or video conferencing. We find ourselves trying to convince our companion-animal family members to maintain professional boundaries. […]
Author Interview: Elaine A. Powers January 27th Big Blend Radio
I will be interviewed by Big Blend Radio on January 27th at 5:00 pm, Mountain Standard Time. The broadcast will available online at Big Blend Radio’s channel on BlogTalkRadio.com. It will also be available afterward as a podcast. Big Blend Radio is hosted by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith. They are the mother-daughter travel team […]
Welcome to Tales and Tails!
“Welcome! I’m Elaine A. Powers, the biologist and author of the science books on this website. Welcome to Tales and Tails–a blog written by two adventurers, one human–me–and one small lizard.” “Hold up! Why are you calling me small?” Curtis asked. “And let’s not forget where your first book came from!” “Curtis, look at the […]
What Makes Sunsets So Spectacular?
Sunsets can be spectacular in Tucson, Arizona. Bright colors predominate, such as the red one above. Sometimes, they’re dark red, sometimes orangish-red like on this night. Why are these sunsets red? Because of particulates in the air. The colors of a sunset are caused by the scattering of light’s wavelengths. Stuff in the air like […]
There’s a Rainbow in that Dying Cactus
The saguaro pictured above is dying. I was curious about where the colors were coming from. I learned the green color in the photo above is, of course, from chlorophyll; the orange is carotenoids and the purple in the rainbow is betacyanins. Plants live and die like all living organisms. Some die of old age, […]
The Box-Tortoise
Photo Above is Amarillo the Redfoot Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) In some of my books and videos, I mention box turtles, genus Terrapene. These are amazing turtles that, because of a hinge on their bottom plate–the plastron–can fold up to protect their heads and limbs. No predator can grab an arm if it’s tucked inside a […]
