I drove up to Orlando yesterday to attend the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators conference. These are my people and the reason Florida ended up on my itinerary. Since my presentation isn't very photogenic, let's talk about vehicles! I turned down the upgrade to a Charger (for Orlando), but happily took the Lincoln SUV (for … Continue reading 2-7-19 →

I am blessed beyond words by the welcoming family and friends who make this crazy year possible. My aunt and uncle gave me a private end of the condo and keys to the car. They respected my need for work, sleep, and solo ventures. At the same time they included me in their routines and … Continue reading 2-6-19 →

It's time to say goodbye to the Gulf Coast (at least for now) - goodbye to its magical shell-strewn beaches and spectacular western exposure. I read for a while in the late-day warmth and gathered bags of shells and fragments that will find a home in Montana. And I had a front row view of … Continue reading 2-5-19 →

I've paddled across lakes and bays, along open rivers and overgrown channels - and once through the surf on the Outer Banks. I'm grateful to add this adventure on the Gulf today, and so glad I made the effort to get on the water! Three hours took me on loops through mangrove forests, across quiet … Continue reading 2-4-19 →

I based my national park tour out of Fort Lauderdale, home of my longtime friend Ralph. He went with me to Biscayne Bay and also made sure I experienced South Beach (at night! with the lights!), downtown Miami, and the Fort Lauderdale cruise terminal on departure day. Knowing me as he does, he also made … Continue reading 2-3-19 →

My Florida national park tour continued at Biscayne Bay, a pristine natural area at the southern tip of the coastal crescent that includes Miami. I finally got on a kayak (!) to spend a couple hours crossing the shallow bay, paddling up mangrove-lined creeks, and exploring the shores of tiny islands. Perfect! On the way … Continue reading 2-2-19 →

The Everglades. Where to start? I started in Everglades City. Blackish, brackish water. Mangrove forests. Acres of sawgrass. Islands made of trees and of shells. Dolphins danced behind my boat on a two-hour tour of 10,000 Islands (well, maybe four of them). Alligators lolled at my feet (well, maybe four feet away) on a walk … Continue reading 2-1-19 →

East of Naples are two inland communities that couldn't be more different.  There's Ave Maria, a Stepford-like and freakishly quiet planned community that is also home to Ave Maria University - both personal projects of the guy who started Domino's Pizza. Then there's Immokalee, with its migrant settlements and picking sheds and the Produce Center … Continue reading 1-31-19 →

With Barefoot Beach less than 5 minutes away, I felt the pull to work outside, "weather or not." I continued to study up about online teacher learning (recall this book was last seen on a sunny plaza in Mesilla, New Mexico). I'm also slowly working through Edward Abby - reading a book about the desert … Continue reading 1-30-19 →

Today's forecast was the sunny standout in a gloomy week - so I ventured out to Sanibel and Captiva, two of the most beautiful islands in the Gulf. A 4-mile loop through the J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge revealed osprey, pelicans, egrets, and a surrealistic roseate spoonbill in flight. To my delight, the beaches are … Continue reading 1-29-19 →

During today's few hours of sunshine, Ray and Dorothy took me to the Naples Botanical Garden. All gardens are good, but this one was especially vivid! A wide spectrum of tropical green served as background for bursts of color from every corner of the palette. Butterflies, water features, and delicate glass art contributed to the … Continue reading 1-28-19 →

Dark skies, wind-whipped palms, driving rain. I brought winter to Florida! What to do on a soggy Sunday? MegaBaptistchurch. Pei Wei lunch. And a store simply titled "The Best of Everything" followed by the Flamingo Island Flea Market. For many, this is the essence of south Florida - worship, eat, shop! I spent about $60 … Continue reading 1-27-19 →

Off to Florida! I"m spending ten days on the Gulf coast (Bonita Springs) linked to a math education conference in Orlando. I woke up at 4:30 a.m., navigated the usual Denver airport chaos and a long flight, and arrived mid-afternoon. The flowers hint that I'm really in Florida, but the weather suggests otherwise. I brought … Continue reading 1-26-19 →

Google hangout meetings. Powerpoint slides. Work email. Finances. Repacking for Florida. None of these are as photogenic as my nephews! Rocky - my first great-nephew - is purely adorable, well over 6 weeks old, and eagerly awaiting his cousin's arrival in May. Earlier this month, Ryley and Jadyn crushed the Disney marathon and half-marathon, respectively. … Continue reading 1-25-19 →

It's winter in Colorado! Sister Jacquie and I trekked to our breakfast date in chilly temps and a few inches of fresh white. Later in the day her husband Doug joined us to meet nephew Luke and his wife Kenzie at the enormous new Gaylord Rockies resort. Everything is big here - the ski lodge … Continue reading 1-24-19 →

Yesterday was a perfect (if brief) Santa Fe experience! I went straight to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum to drink in her lush paintings, pithy quotes, and love of the austere NM landscape. I enjoyed enchiladas on the historic plaza at La Fonda's indoor courtyard. And I splurged on a mini-suite at my favorite Hotel Santa … Continue reading 1-23-19 →

North today to Santa Fe, just short of a winter storm slamming the NM-CO border. For a while I followed frontage roads, getting up close and personal with New Mexico's agricultural side. Near Radium Springs, pistachio and pecan orchards crowded both sides of the road. Closer to Hatch, acres of dried chiles reached eastward to … Continue reading 1-22-19 →

Packing, cleaning, wrapping up, and reloading the Xterra - it's time to move on. Feeling ready but oddly nostalgic, I found myself sitting quietly in the sunlit living room, saying goodbye to the hacienda and to Las Cruces. Goodbye to the sharp profile of naked mountains against brilliant skies. Goodbye to this landscape where water … Continue reading 1-21-19 →

Today was technically spent on aftermath of the infamous "bear spray incident." But we won't dwell on that. Instead, here are more images from yesterday's New Mexico mountain loop tour. Capitan is home to the museum and burial site of the original Smokey Bear, near where he was rescued from a mountain fire as a … Continue reading 1-20-19 →

Today's cloudless sky prompted a 10-hour road trip into the Sierra Blanca mountains. I climbed U.S. 70 out of Las Cruces, over a steep ridge, and across a broad valley past White Sands Missile Range (site of the first atomic bomb test), White Sands National Monument (gated in the government shutdown), and Holloman AFB to … Continue reading 1-19-19 →