Wild Florida: The Monarch Butterfly

The familiar Monarch Butterfly is one of the most common butterflies in Florida.

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Monarch

A Shameless Plug

All of my diaries here are draft chapters for a number of books that I am working on. One of these is now available at Amazon. So if you are cooped up inside and need something to read, take a virtual trip to Florida with me.

Wild Florida: Wildlife, Plants, and Natural Wonders from the Sunshine State

(Amazon Kindle and Print)

Within its 60,000 square miles, Florida is a natural wonder. It has the only subtropical zones in the continental United States, its shoreline has the only tropical coral reefs, and it has a number of mammals, birds and reptiles that are found nowhere else. This book describes Wild Florida, from its deep geological history to its varied ecological zones to its unique wildlife, ranging from Alligators to Manatees to Air Plants. Illustrated.

 

 

 

Icons of Aviation History: The Polikarpov I-16

Designed inside a prison labor camp, the Soviet I-16 was the first “modern” fighter, with mono-wings, enclosed cockpit, and retractable landing gear.

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Polikarpov I-16 at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia

NASA’s Orion Spacecraft

The US hasn’t had the ability to launch humans into space since the last Shuttle mission in 2011. But in the near future NASA plans to be flying the new Orion spaceship, to the Moon and beyond.

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Engineering model of the Orion, on display at the Kennedy Space Center

A History of Children’s Museums

In 1899, a new kind of museum opened in Brooklyn, aimed at children and based on hands-on interaction. But the concept of the “children’s museum” did not really take off until the 1970s.

Connecticut Science Center

The History of Mardi Gras

Although New Orleans has the largest and best-known Mardi Gras celebration in the US, the holiday revelry actually has its roots in Mobile AL.

A dragon float on display at the Mobile Carnival Museum.