Octopus sink seen in the Florida Keys

Octopus sink seen in the Florida Keys

While making the drive through the Florida Keys (starting in Miami, with Key West as the end destination), day 2 of the trip found us getting hit with very hard rain, to the point where it was sometimes hard to see the road in front of us! As we were going through Islamorada, we saw … Read more

Heading south, eventual destination, Florida Keys

palm trees in Florida

I’ve long had an interest in the Florida Keys, the idea of a series of islands connected by a highway has intrigued me. I didn’t know much about the Florida Keys in advance of going, other than three basic concepts: 1, it’s where the Netflix drama “Bloodline” is set; 2, it’s where a former in-law’s … Read more

Thoughts of the Beacon NY head librarian

funny sign about dinosaurs not being able to read

I was on a day trip, exploring Beacon, NY, when I noticed this funny sign in the front window of the Beacon Library. It reads: “Dinosaurs Didn’t Read and now They’re Extinct. Coincidence?” A pretty funny idea from the local librarian to use some humor to get people inside their doors. The idea of a … Read more

Honey locust pods and faces in the street

honey locust pods

On my travels walking around Pittsburgh, I noticed some brown pods laying in the street, and while I’ve seen these things before, I didn’t know what they were called or what they were from. A little research tells me that they’re “honey locust pods.” The honey locust tree (scientific name “gleditsia triacanthos”), is a deciduous … Read more

A studious young man at Princeton

Adlai Stevenson Hardin Princeton

I was visiting Princeton, NJ and walking around campus when I noticed this bas-relief sculpture of a young man reading a book. He’s got a preppy look, with his collared shirt tucked under a sweater, khaki pants and penny loafers. This clean-cut young man is deep in thought as he reads a book. But who … Read more