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 […]
What Does 2021 Hold?
If you’re familiar with Facebook, you know they often have games for people to play. Every now and then I can’t resist and participate. After the difficulties of 2020, I was curious to see what 2021 might hold for me. I swept over the letters with my eye looking for words hidden within. I was […]
Beauty in Unusual Places
With social distancing, I’ve been spending more time observing at my house. Maybe it’s the isolation, but I’m finding beauty in unusual places. Because of the drought this summer (no monsoon rains in 2020), my grass dried up and the outdoor-living tortoises ate more plants than usual since they had no grass to graze on. […]
Happy New Year!
Drawn to the Amazing Singing Wind Bookshop
Bookshop Photo by Erika Clary Writing a book is often the easiest part of “the book business.” Unfortunately, due to the hours lost to writing, the author then has to market her work, even, in our times, if she is traditionally published. As scary as it is to go to bookstores and ask the manager […]
To Illustrate or Not? Yes–Absolutely!
In the above illustration from Don’t Make Me Rattle! the reader can see the heat-sensing ability of rattlesnakes. I’ve been at odds with some of the ideas of traditional publishers lately. First is the preference to avoid rhyming in picture books. Personally, I feel picture books should always rhyme. I don’t think Dr. Suess would […]
Happy Holidays to You!
John Bendon’s Works of Art Are Also Important Scientific Records
In my work as a citizen-scientist helping on iguana conservation projects, I had the privilege of meeting the very talented artist, John Bendon, of the United Kingdom. You don’t have to take my word for his talent – some of his drawings are included in this post. A few years ago, I purchased a couple […]
Interested in Becoming a Citizen-Scientist?
Recently, I posted on my social media about a citizen-scientist opportunity that you could do from the comfort of your home. This project was through Zooniverse. For an iguana study, people were needed to look at photos and count the iguanas they could see. The scientists took the photos and cut them into little pieces. […]
Nature is the Best Holiday Decorator
I usually travel during the December holidays, so I don’t do much holiday decorating. A garland and a lighted ball is sufficient for me. This year, due to the pandemic, I’m staying home and I’ve been trying to decide if and how I’ll decorate. I don’t really need decorations to feel the holiday spirit. This […]
Humans Have Always Moved Animals–Let’s Do So for the Right Reasons
At a recent conservation meeting in the Caribbean regarding iguanas, there was discussion about establishing additional colonies on islands, so that the lizards would be protected from human-caused threats. The selected islands included their historical homes and new, safe places. Of course, moving animals is nothing new. Mankind has been moving and introducing animals to […]
The Mystery of the Cleaning-fiend Tortoises
Above image is of Cantata, an African Spurred or Spur-thighed Tortoises (Geochelone sulcata) and a member of my family Is this a species thing? I have several species of tortoises roaming about my house. Tortoises are not potty-trained, so every now and then I have to mop to clean the floor. After sweeping and spraying […]
You’ll Never Guess What the Latest Pet Is!
With social distancing and domicile isolation, people are turning to animals for companionship. Dog adoptions have increased and even I bought a second horse. However, new family members haven’t been limited to limited to the usual animals, like dogs, cats, birds, or fish. The newest fad pet is a SNAIL. These mollusks are showing up […]
You Know You’re From Arizona When…
November 30th is National Mousse Day
Mousse is an interesting word. It looks like “mouse,” a rodent, but is pronounced “moose,” like the largest member of the deer family. When I think of mousse, I think of a light, pudding-like dessert, especially if it’s chocolate. A mousse is a soft food made with air bubbles to give it a light, creamy […]
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 […]
Writings Tips for Creating Realistic Settings
We live in a very visual world. Our entertainment is mostly visual: TV, movies, videos and, of course, our cell phones. Above Photo courtesy of Hans Benn of Pixabay. When you write a story, however, you must create the setting for the reader through words alone. This can be challenging. For instance, the setting for […]
November 20th is National Absurdity Day
On November 20th, absurdity is celebrated by being whacky, for example. It strikes me as absurd that on November 19th, we celebrate carbonated beverages with caffeine day. One day later we can expand and include other absurdities. Some might think it is absurd to write a book. Some days, writers think so, too! Or go […]
November 19th is National Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day
When I saw that November 19 was National Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day, I immediately thought of my favorite soda, Mountain Dew. I prefer the light citric crispness of Diet Mountain Dew. I was attracted to the name, slang for moonshine, and its bright green color, of course. The color reminds me of green iguanas. […]
Did You Know Reptiles Have Sleepovers?
Did you know reptiles have sleep-overs, too? While mammals hibernate in cold weather, reptiles brumate. I’m not just talking about different species cohabitating, or sharing dens, during brumation. No, I’m talking about reptiles sleeping over when they are inside a dwelling–even those that have entire houses to roam and numerous corners to sleep in. Take […]
Remembering My Friend and Editor, Nora Miller
I’ve had some success with my books. It all began when I was encouraged by boat-mates to publish my Curtis Curly-tail Lizard story. My graphic artist friend agreed to do the illustrations, although as he said, “I know nothing about lizards.” I had a story text and I had illustrations. How would I get those […]
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. […]
I’ve Been Blown Away!
Image courtesy of David Mark of Pixabay In my book Curtis Curly-tail is Blown Away, I described Curtis and his iguana friends being caught in a hurricane. I’ve had personal experience in hurricanes from living along the Gulf Coast. My first week at Florida State University was delayed by a hurricane. I had to go […]
What Would You Write?
A friend sent me Tom Gauld’s cartoon about an autumn walk’s inspiration. The poet thinks, “I’ll write a poem about the melancholy beauty of leaves falling in the autumn sun.” The detective novelist thinks, “I’ll write a story about the autumn winds revealing a headless corpse hidden in a pile of leaves.” I’m a member […]
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 […]
Ever Set a Pumpkin on Fire? In Your Kitchen?
My reptiles like hard squash, so I cook pumpkin, butternut and acorn squash until they are soft and squishy. The easiest way to cook them is whole in the microwave. I don’t bother to cut off the stem. I rinse off the outside, plop it in, and cook until it is soft. I was cooking […]
Umm . . . Ever Wanted to Lick a Toad’s Back?
Toad image courtesy of ockienot88 from Pixabay Are you familiar with the word entheogen? I wasn’t either until I heard it mentioned in a talk about the Sonoran Desert toad, also known as the Colorado River toad, Incilius alvarius. You may have heard of this toad without knowing much else: It’s the toad made famous […]
Sweet Iguana Dreams, My Friends
Every night I say “Sweet Iguana Dreams” to my iguana family members. Some people would think that is a silly thing to say, since iguanas are said not to dream. But I think they do. Iguanas are diurnal, active during the day and they sleep at night. In fact, they can sleep very soundly. I’ve […]
