This year’s Bioblitz, an annual citizen science project where participants record their wildlife sightings in the iNaturalist app for cataloging by Conservation Florida, has been moved from Rock Springs Run State Reserve to your very own backyard! If you’d like to take part, just download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone. This app allows you […]

I recently mentioned on Facebook that I was in the Seminole State Forest, and a friend responded that they thought State Parks were closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. She was absolutely correct: State Parks are closed — BUT the State Forest is still open. It got me thinking, what is the difference between State […]

These are not pleasant times for a Florida adventurer. COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, has necessitated the closure of all Florida State Parks, many activity areas within our National Forests, and even some local county and city parks. While I understand the need for social distancing, I do believe it is important to get out of […]

Our website address is: https://myexquisiteflorida.com. We are Pam and Steve Jennelle, residents of Eustis, Florida. We want to share our joy in natural Florida and determined that this blog would be a good way to do that. Our main purpose is to help others enjoy Florida as we do. www.myexquisiteflorida.com website may contain links to […]

Pam Jennelle is a Florida Master Naturalist and recently retired from her day job as a Project Manager for CREATION Research at AdventHealth. Her work researching principles of health and wellness has led her to seek additional opportunities to spend time in nature, where she is best able to relax and recharge. She loves hiking, […]

Generally a trip outside helps me improve my state of mind. Yesterday, that did not happen. Please forgive me as I go way off-topic today. What I saw is sickening and try as I might, I can’t forget how it made me feel. If you are offended by profanity, just skip this entry because I’m […]

I really like bats, but what I know about them could fit in a thimble. A really tiny thimble. So, they eat insects, fly at night, and don’t really get tangled in our hair. . .that’s about what I knew before Steve and I listened to Sherry from the Florida Bat Conservancy share her knowledge […]

It’s a well-established fact that launching into Blackwater Creek and paddling from Lake Norris Road up to Lake Norris is one of my favorite paddles. We seldom see other people, it’s different every time we make the trip, and the change from the twisty creek into the open water of the lake is always exciting.  […]

Photo credit: “Bat Swarm” by alexvalentine is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0  Bat maternity season is almost here, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding the public to check their homes and other structures for bats and seal potential entry points. Are there cracks in your chimney or holes in your siding? Bats and other […]

Only once have I seen a bobcat in the wild. Very early in the morning on the south side of Lake Okeechobee, the bobcat was just moseying across a driveway on the far side of the road. It was an encounter just long enough to realize what I was seeing, and for the bobcat, I […]

Forgive me for being a lousy blogger this year, but I’ve been otherwise occupied. For many of us, 2020 has gotten off to a rocky start, but we’re not giving up our plans to have a full and exciting year of Sunshine State adventures. If you’re struggling, too, know that you’re not alone — together […]

Headquartered in Montana, Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) provides water education resources and organizes special water education events. Through an international network of local implementing partners, Project WET advocates for the role of water education to solve the world’s most pressing water issues.  Recently, I was part of a group trained to train teachers […]

Lyonia Preserve is a small piece of heaven, 360 acres of restored scrub habitat, tucked away in Deltona. The Preserve’s museum is right next to the the public library, and behind the museum is a small amphitheater. Steve and I arrived early for a class yesterday, and took a short walk around the corner on […]

Recently Steve and I attended the third in the IFAS series Living with Wildlife. The topic this time was the Florida panther. While reading to prepare for this presentation, I was happy to learn that the Florida Panther, Puma concolor coryi, which once numbered less than 3 dozen, is making a slow recovery. I didn’t […]