Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! Mark Barrow joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Gator! , available now.  Links We Mentioned Urban Legend of the Mini-Lights Mark's Substack: Wild History Alligator and Alligator Alcatraz Mark's Places To Gator-Watch Safely Myakka River State Park (drive to the bridge) Payne's Prairie State Preserve State Park   Support the show Question or c...

Send us your Florida questions! Inspired by the cooler weather — well, cooler for Florida! — Rick and Cathy talk about Florida's passionate college football scene.  Links We Mentioned Servant of the Bones by Anne Rice Coalition of Immokalee Workers Fearsome Creatures of Florida University of Tampa football (historic) Rick and Cathy's Top Five Favorite Florida Sports Things Tom Petty play...

Send us your Florida questions! Steve Barlow, a former US Fish and Wildlife Services wildlife biologist pilot and co-host Palm and Pine podcast, joins the podcast to talk about one of the least-known Florida critters. Links We Mentioned Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen Florida salt marsh vole Florida bonneted bat Podcast about fossils near Suwannee Steve-Approved Bat House Want a bat house Steve buil...

Send us your Florida questions! Ryan Worthington grew up in Florida's State Parks and loves Florida's wild spaces. And he's the subject of an FWC investigation — but no one will tell him why. Links We Mentioned Craig Pittman's reporting on the secret investigation   Ryan Worthington on Instagram Ryan's Top Five Things To Do in and Near Green Cove Springs Ocala National For...

Send us your Florida questions! Jen Bannan, author of Tamiami Trail: Miami Stories , joins the podcast to talk about her book, Miami, and the Taimiami Trail. Links We Mentioned Jen Bannan's website Monroe Station Buy  Tamiami Trail: Miami Stories Support the podcast! Five Things To Do in Miami that are Less "Miami" Everglades National Park The Pit BBQ Vizcaya La Carreta Calle Ocho C...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy talk about what it costs to live in paradise, whether they'd do it all over again, and what Florida's "brand" is. Links We Mentioned Scott Maxwell's column in the Orlando Sentinel (note: this link is behind a paywall) Nine Nations of North America   Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com...

Send us your Florida questions! Doctor Tom Hoctor joins the podcast to talk about the Florida Wildlife Corridor's origins, how money flows to conservation lands, and how people can learn more. Then they talk Florida birds and birding. Links We Mentioned Florida Wildlife Corridor Florida Ecological Greenways Network Florida Forever Center for Landscape and Conservation Planning Hub for the map...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy meet fans and talk roadside Florida attractions at FloridaRAMA, one of the most interesting pro-natural-Florida, immersive art experience in Florida. (About that episode art: Do not ever feed a monkey. Do not ever pet a monkey. Do not ever attempt to interact in any way with any monkey.)  Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@florida...

Send us your Florida questions! Links We Mentioned Palm Harbor Museum Wall Springs County Park Palm Harbor Library Detour Charters Presnell's RV Hurricanes.gov Mike's Weather Page Stephanie Stuckey Okahumpka Service Plaza   Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter , and keep up with Cathy's trave...

Send us your Florida questions! Angela Sayre brings crabs to the podcast! She's with Crustacean Plantation and wants to encourage people to "leave the shell — take the memory when you visit the Florida Keys (or any coastal community). Links We Mentioned Crustacean Plantation An example of a "broken home" for a hermit crab Cynthia Barnett's Sound of the Sea Jonathan Livings...

Send us your Florida questions! Cozy mystery author Lucy Burdette joins the podcast to talk about her Key West Food Critic Mysteries, her favorite places in Key West, and yes, how she figures out how and where to kill people.  Don't forget — Orange Blossom podcast members have their members-only t-shirt, created by Rick and printed by Yaint Local in production. We need your size! Links We Men...

Send us your Florida questions! While Cathy's camping lagoon-side in Brevard County, she and Rick talk about what they love about the Indian River Lagoon area and things to do while you're in town. Links We Mentioned Indian River Lagoon Did Ponce de León land in Melbourne instead of St. Augustine? Ponce de León and other myths Columbus' voyage map Florida Historical Society Kayak wi...

Send us your Florida questions! Stephen Cabebe, of Fit for the Magic , joins the podcast to talk about how to enjoy Florida's natural spaces without withering in the heat — even in the summer months. Stephen's Top Five Disney-Adjacent Things To Do Paddle the canals in Winter Park ( Dinky Dock ) West Orange Trail (And Cathy's travel article about Oakland Nature Preserve along the tra...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy talk about Florida mystery writers. Curl up with your next summer read after listening! Links We Mentioned Race of the Gazelles Striptease (also a book; this links to info about the film) Carl Hiaasen (website has links to Striptease , Tourist Season , Squeeze Me , and Stormy Weather ) Cathy's 2017 interview with Carl Hiaasen Randy Wayne White (w...

Send us your Florida questions! Chadd Charland fills in for Rick and talks about how Nassau County was able to stop AI data centers — and what every community can do to stop them! Cathy talks about why eliminating single-use plastics makes a difference and why July is the month to try it in your home, office, or school. Links We Mentioned Nassau County's temporary moratorium on AI data center...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick and Cathy showcase the state of journalism in Florida and talk about hyperlocal papers.  Five of our Favorite Hyperlocal Weekly Newspapers The Community Paper (Orlando area) The Gabber Newspaper (Gulfport and South Pinellas) Winter Park Voice (Winter Park) West Volusia Beacon (West Volusia) The Herald (Gadsden County) Keys Weekly (Florida Keys) Links We Mention...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida poet Heather Sellers joins the podcast to talk about why alligators are the best, her latest poetry book about Florida, Women in Tampa Talking About Alligators , and things she thinks everyone should do in Tampa. Links We Mentioned Eureka Springs Heather Sellers Hike Hillsborough Hillsborough Hiking Spree Buy Heather's book ! Former guest Mark Barrow&ap...

Send us your Florida questions! Lisa Moore, president of Save Crystal River, joins the podcast to talk about their efforts with the Kings Bay Restoration Project. Kings Bay is the second largest spring system in Florida. Links We Mentioned SaveCrystalRiver.com [a 501c(3) organization ] Three Sisters Mertailors Lisa's Three Things Must-Do Things in Crystal River Bird watching Manatee tours Sca...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida artist Blair Petersen Updike joins the podcast to talk about why she created the Florida Gallery, Florida art, and what she thinks everyone should do in Polk County. Links We Mentioned Wild Space Gallery at the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Benjamin Dimmitt An Unflinching Look: Elegy for a Landscape Blair Petersen Updike website and Instagram George S...

Send us your Florida questions! Mark Mustian, author of Boy With Wings and founder of Word of South, talks about his book, the wildly popular Word of South festival, and what it means to be different. Mark's Top Five Things To Do in Tallahassee Go to Cascades Park Sausage Dog at Bradley's   Blue Tavern for music Bike trails at Piney Z Buy a book and eat pie at Midtown Reader Links We Men...

Send us your Florida questions! Rick talks about his new book, Shaping a Sense of Place .  Links We Mentioned: Shaping a Sense of Place  by Rick Kilby. Florida artist Joy Postle. More about Joy. Florida artist Sam Stoltz. Little Red Riding Hood mosaic mural in Winter Park. Why Mid-Century Modern matters in Florida. Hannibal Square in Winter Park. The Rhea Marsh and Dorothy Lockhart Smith Research...

Send us your Florida questions! Kristin Hemphill, the Creative Director for FloridaRAMA, an immersive Florida art experience with a conservation focus, joins the podcast to talk about the art, the artists, and why the experience focuses on Florida. Links We Mentioned FloridaRAMA Florida Wildlife Corridor Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subscribe to...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida State Representative (District 60) Lindsay Cross joins the podcast to talk about Florida Forever, environmental challenges in Florida, and what she's doing to help make Florida a paradise for everyone instead of an elite few. Links We Mentioned Lindsay Cross Chadd Charland filled in for Rick Kilby on this episode, he is running for State House in Distri...

Send us your Florida questions! Florida lesbian author Kristen Arnett joins the podcast to talk about her favorite lizard, what led her to set her debt novel in a taxidermy shop, and other special Florida experiences.  Links We Mentioned Mostly Dead Things With Teeth Stop Me If You've Heard This One KristenArnettWriter.com   Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspect...

Send us your Florida questions! Dawn Shirreffs, with the Environmental Defense Fund, talks about Florida's Coastal Resilience Bill. The bill protects Terra Ceia, the Skyway Fishing Pier, and the Santa Fe, among others. Links We Mentioned Environmental Defense Fund Coastal Resiliency Bill Protect Florida's Future Florida's Climate Future Why mangroves matter Mangroves   FloridasClima...