In a recent post for his Radiolab/NPR blog Krulwich Wonders, Robert Krulwich writes: "Life is short for small creatures, longer in big ones. So algae die sooner than oak trees; elephants live longer than mayflies, but you know that. Here's the surprise: There is a mathematical formula...

This year, Groundhog Day falls on a Saturday, which means you can either toast the spring-embracing skittishness of Punxsutawney Phil or drown your sorrows in smoked porter as you hunker down for six more weeks of winter. Either way, consider it a warmup for the Superbowl. February...

Wildlife differs ferociously from continent to continent, but birdwatchers from here to Melbourne have one creature in common: Strelitzia reginae. We've got a bird of paradise shrub in our yard that blooms twice a year, late fall through winter and late spring through summer. To keep...

Is it just us, or does the experience of sending flowers feel less like a Hallmark moment and more like buying a used car? We’ve often tried sending our moms $35 bouquets that ended up costing almost 60 bucks at checkout. That’s why we’re digging this...

"What's your favorite tree?"  Several trees come to mind including our own Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava), but I've had this banyan tree in my mind for almost three years since my 2010 business trip to the Westin Moana Surfrider in Waikiki Beach, Oahu. Planted as a...

One of our favorite things about living here is our proximity to the Self-Realization Fellowship’s meditation gardens. They’re located in Encinitas, aka the yoga capital of the U.S. and the "flower capital of the world." (According to the sign at the town limits.) These two forces...

You know that first tingle of the flu, when it’s cracking its knuckles and just limbering up to unleash the hurt? When all you want is an injection of Day-Glo vitamin C to the veins? (Whether or not it makes a significant difference?) Tangerine juice...