Photos and Text by Kelsey Walters The holidays are over, winter break has come to an end, and life is returning to normal after the excitement (and chaos) of the season. If you find yourself in a wintertime rut after all the hustle and bustle searching for something to do, I have just the thing. Unlike the rest of the country huddling inside away from … Continue reading Natural Wonder Meets Old Florida at Tallahassee Museum
It’s no secret that our family is composed of some hardcore animal lovers. We have a small wolf pack of dogs in our home, and Avery (and maybe me, too) wants to bring home just about any animal she meets. We spend our summers raising tadpoles, hatching butterfly cocoons and catching frogs and every bug under the Florida sun. We visit animal sanctuaries and experiences … Continue reading Rooting for Fall @ Rooterville Animal Sanctuary
Photos by Kelsey Walters Florida is widely known for its ideal climate. Not only do tourists and retirees flock to our state in masses, its perfect ly warm and sunny weather gives way to an enormous range of wildlife. It is also why so many ranches and nature facilities are centered in Florida. Besides our world-famous beaches, the interior of the state is lined with … Continue reading An Elephant You’ll Never Forget: Two Tails Ranch
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters When you picture a Floridian landscape, what do you think of? Perhaps sandy beaches, sprawling flatlands…maybe some wooded forests? Rolling hills and tumbling waterfalls probably didn’t come to mind, right? In Williston, just south of Gainesville, you’ll fi nd just that. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is a gardener ’s dream project over 100 years in the making. Cedar … Continue reading Chasing Waterfalls at Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters McKee Botanical Gardens – Vero Beach We’ve been very fortunate this past winter in Florida to have mild weather with just a few dips into the colder temperatures but no hard freezes. Because of this, crops and plants everywhere are thriving and even blooming a little earlier than normal. Thanks to our sunny days and comfortable temperatures, anything outside … Continue reading Botanically Speaking
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters With Florida’s discovery dating back to 1513 and thousands of years of Native American occupation before that, there’s no shortage of history to be found on our state’s lands. Where there’s history, there’s bound to be ghost stories. We’ve all heard tales of the supposed apparitions haunting the streets of historic places like St. Augustine and Ybor City, but … Continue reading Hunting for a Haunting: A DIY Ghost Tour of Amelia Island
Photos by Kelsey and Scott Walters Kanapaha Botanical Gardens – Gainesville, Florida Back in 1513 when explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon (yes, the same namesake of Ponce Inlet and De Leon Springs), stumbled across our southern state in his search for the elusive Fountain of Youth, he was overwhelmed with the land’ s budding tropical beauty. When he laid claim to the territory for Spain … Continue reading Summer in Bloom
Down a long dirt road, in the middle of nowhere in Melrose, lies an animal lover’s paradise. If you happened to be driving by, you would find a simple wooden fence with a “Tiger Crossing” sign attached and wonder what could possibly be behind those gates. I promise you it’s worth investigating. Single Vision Wildlife Sanctuary in Melrose, FL Single Vision, Inc. is a 274-acre … Continue reading Lions, Tigers and Bears…Oh, my!
Geocaching 101 I will never forget the first time I discovered geocaching. I was covering a story about a coastal clean up in Edgewater when I noticed a family of four scouring an area of George R. Kennedy Memorial Park like they had lost something they couldn’t live without. I watched the husband step up on a bench, reach up into the pavilion roof and … Continue reading Geocaching: A Perfect Social Distancing Activity
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park – FL’s First State Preserve All photos by Kelsey Walters If you’ve ever visited the Gainesville area, or even just driven through, you may have noticed a huge expanse of undeveloped land. Things to Do Outdoors in Florida The sleepy little town of Micanopy, located just south of Gainesville, is home to an array of antique stores and quaint cafes…as … Continue reading Home on the Range
