Fear Not
When and how do people develop a fear of snakes? Often these fears begin in childhood, whether experiencing one’s own frightening incidents or adopting a parent’s fear. We have even perused a children’s reptile book with pictures demonstrating snakes attacking an unwary adult or lurking…
Leave No Trace
When asked by Ranger Justin at White Tank Mountain Regional Park to lead a group of Girl Scouts on a hike recently, we readily agreed, recalling fondly the school fieldtrips we led at some refuges where we’ve volunteered over the past few years. The theme…
Volunteering during Pandemic
“My dad used to take me fishing and hiking, and I like to do that for my son, too,” a father told us the other day while we displayed and discussed snakes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park. His son stood nearby dressed smartly in…
Behind the Scenes
Behind the reptile exhibit at White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a “kitchen” of sorts that contains lettuce, red peppers, mealworms, insects, and other items to feed the rats and mice. All these rodents are, in turn, scheduled to be fed to the reptiles on…
Home Remodel
Searching for activities to occupy us while sequestered in our home during the pandemic, Chuck and I decided to remodel our kitchen. In reality, all that entailed for us was adding handles to the cabinets and drawers. For $30 and a little time, what a…
Social Distancing
Recently, we headed to northeastern Arizona in our new truck camper and spent a couple nights to escape the Phoenix oven and engage in a little “social distancing.” More than seeking cooler temperatures and reveling in nature, this was a shakedown cruise to test our…
Renewing After Fire
Fire season seems to be arriving early this year as crews battle several in the area. Just a few weeks ago, a fire started at White Tanks Mountain Regional Park and charred over 100 acres across one of our favorite trails in the Park. Collecting…