Its World Crocodile Day

Crocodile resting on a riverbank, highlighting the species for World Crocodile Day and its role in wetland ecosystems.


World Crocodile Day

It’s World Crocodile Day, coming right on the heels of World Turtle Day — another reminder that some of Earth’s oldest creatures are fighting for their future.

Crocodiles are incredible animals. They’ve been around since the age of the dinosaurs, surviving the mass extinction that wiped out nearly everything else. A meteor couldn’t take them out… but humans are giving it a pretty good try through habitat destruction, pollution, and hunting.

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter himself, understood them better than most. He once said, “Crocodiles are easy. They try to kill and eat you. People are harder. Sometimes they pretend to be your friend first.” He wasn’t wrong.

 

Crocodile Facts

  • Crocodiles can be found in nearly every corner of the world — North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia.
  • The Florida Everglades is the only place on Earth where crocodiles and alligators live together.
  • You can tell them apart by their snouts: alligators have broad, rounded snouts, while crocodiles have narrow, pointed ones.
  • Crocodiles tend to be larger. The saltwater crocodile can exceed 20 feet and weigh over 2,000 pounds.
  • Alligators are usually smaller. The American alligator typically reaches 10–15 feet and weighs 500–1,000 pounds.
  • Crocodiles can live in both freshwater and saltwater.
  • There are 15 species worldwide, including Australia’s famous “salties” and the Nile crocodile — found, of course, in the Nile River.

Crocodiles are living dinosaurs, apex predators perfectly adapted to their environments. They deserve the same chance at survival as every other creature sharing this planet.

It’s up to us to protect their habitats, reduce pollution, and ensure these ancient reptiles continue to thrive for generations to come.

Crocodiles survived the dinosaurs’ extinction. They shouldn’t have to survive us!

 

Meet Carter: The Five‑Year‑Old Chef Who Stole My Heart (and My Popover Loyalty)

Kid chef Carter in a dinosaur apron at the kitchen counter, happily declaring ‘Yummy, yummy, yummy’ during one of his cooking videos.

 

A Tiny Chef With Big Talent

I’ve made a wonderful discovery! If you like cooking, children, and British accents, have I got a treat for you. You know those kids’ baking shows where the contestants are 10 or 12 and already more skilled than most adults? Well, move over, junior chefs — I’ve fallen head‑over‑heels for a little five‑year‑old who could give the Pillsbury Doughboy a run for his money.

His name is Carter, and you have to watch his cooking videos.

Confidence, Charm, and “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy”

This tiny chef has confidence, presence, and technique that seem impossible for someone who still probably needs help tying his shoes. His signature phrase — delivered in the sweetest little British accent — is “Yummy, yummy, yummy.” And trust me, when he says it, you believe him.

He’s basically the Gordon Ramsay of the toddler set, minus the yelling. He narrates his steps like a pro, glances off‑camera to his dad for the occasional assist, and announces things like, “My Dad’s going to place this tray in the oven now,” as a pair of adult hands swoops in. It’s adorable and impressive all at once.

The Sizzle Heard ’Round the Kitchen

One of my favorite moments was when his dad poured batter into the hot tins and Carter leaned in with pure wonder and said something like:

“Ooooh, listen to that sizzle!”

It was such a small moment, but it captured everything that makes him so delightful — the curiosity, the excitement, the joy of discovery. You can’t watch him without smiling.

A Lesson in Yorkshire Pudding (From a Five‑Year‑Old!)

Believe it or not, I even learned something from him.

As you may know from previous posts, popovers are my thing. In the U.S., popover recipes often say “for popovers or Yorkshire pudding,” and I always assumed they were basically the same. Well, Little Carter set me straight. The difference isn’t the batter — it’s the pan.

In the U.S., popover pans are deep and cylindrical.
In the UK, a Yorkshire pudding tin is shallow and wide — more like a flattened muffin tin.

Carter showed how you pour the batter into smoking hot fat (his dad handled that part — safety first!) and the heat makes the batter sputter and climb the sides, forming that classic bowl shape. Same batter, different pan, totally different result.

Why You Need to Watch Him

I honestly don’t have the right words to fully describe this little chef. I’m amazed by his skill, his knowledge, and his on‑camera charm. You don’t have to like cooking shows to get a kick out of him — he’s pure joy in a tiny apron.

Do yourself a favor and check him out on Facebook.
Cooking With Carter.
You’ll be smiling before the video even ends.


 

World Sea Turtle Day

Honoring the Ancient Guardians of the Sea

Sea turtles have been gliding through Earth’s oceans for more than 100 million years — long before humans, long before the continents looked the way they do today. These ancient mariners include seven species: green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and the Olive ridley. The mighty leatherback holds the title of the largest of them all.

Sadly, nearly every species now faces danger. Hawksbills and Kemp’s ridleys sit at the edge of extinction as marine debris, habitat destruction, and poaching continue to threaten their survival.

The Honu, Sacred Turtles of Hawaii

snuba at Turtletown 2020

In Hawaii, people honor sea turtles as sacred beings. Five species live in Hawaiian waters: the green sea turtle (honu), the hawksbill (Honuʻea or ʻea) , the leatherback, the loggerhead, and the Olive Ridley.

Sea turtles are gentle giants, drifting with the currents and living quietly for 50–100 years — unless humans interfere. Their favorite meal is jellyfish, but our plastic addiction has turned the ocean into a minefield. Floating plastic bags look like jellyfish, and when a turtle swallows one, it fills their stomach and blocks real food. The result is slow, heartbreaking starvation.

On World Sea Turtle Day, let’s honor these ancient travelers by protecting the oceans they call home. Reduce plastic use, keep beaches clean, and give sea turtles the space and respect they deserve. The seas belong to them too — and they’ve been here far longer than we have.


 

Images of Our Natural World

Capturing the Wonder of our Natural World

Yesterday was Nature Photography Day, a celebration for anyone who loves the outdoors and the art of capturing it. Whether your passion is wildlife, landscapes, or the quiet little moments in between, it’s a day to honor the beauty of our natural world.

The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) established the day in 2009 to encourage people to enjoy, appreciate, and photograph nature in all its forms.

I began nature photography as my hobby a number of years ago. Here are some of my earlier efforts.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed being out there taking them.

White‑tailed deer with velvet antlers standing in lush green meadow, nature photography

White Tail Deer (South Dakota)

Grand Canyon (Arizona)

Prickly Pear Cactus (Arizona)

Great Blue Heron (Massachusetts)

Painted Desert (Arizona)

Water Lily (Massachusetts)

Queechee Gorge (Vermont)

Moonrise (Florida)

Trumpeter Swan (Massachusetts)

Looking back at these early photos reminds me why I fell in love with nature photography in the first place. Thanks for taking this little trip down memory lane with me.

Bagpipes, Kilts, and a World Cup Win: The Tartan Army Arrives

Boston, the World Cup, and a Surprise Scottish InvasionPlayers from Scotland and Haiti battle for possession in midair during their World Cup match.

A few days ago, I posted an essay on Boston sports and our wonderfully chaotic mix of teams and traditions in Wicked Good Reasons to Love Living in Boston.
>I somehow managed to leave out two things: our Scottish heritage and Boston’s long, stubborn relationship with soccer — or as the rest of the world calls it, football.

Ask any soccer fan and they’ll tell you American football is the upstart, the imitation, the knockoff.
The real thing — and yes, that’s Coca‑Cola’s line — belongs to the rest of the world.

Well, the “real thing” arrived in Boston (okay, Foxborough) on Saturday, June 13, when Scotland beat Haiti 1–0 at Gillette Stadium in their first World Cup match on U.S. soil.

Soccer in Boston: Older Than You Think

Soccer didn’t just show up for the World Cup.
>It’s been here since the 1800s, brought over by Scottish immigrants who played in mill towns, factory yards, and open fields long before anyone thought to build a stadium.

Fast‑forward to 1996:
Robert Kraft — already owner of the Patriots — became the founding investor of the New England Revolution, one of MLS’s ten original clubs. The Revs had a rocky start (including the dubious honor of being the first MLS team to lose to an amateur club), but New England fans stuck with them. Even in the lean years, crowds of 15,000+ proved that soccer wasn’t going anywhere.

June 13: The Cheers Heard ’Round the World

So when the World Cup finally landed at Gillette, Boston showed up — but the Scots showed up louder.

The Tartan Army, Scotland’s legendary fanbase, marched in wearing kilts, waving flags, and playing bagpipes like they were soundtracking their own parade. Young, old, men, women — all proudly tartaned up for the match and for Scottish Heritage Night.

Their cheers didn’t just echo around Foxborough.
>They felt like they traveled the globe — a modern twist on “the shot heard ’round the world,” but this time it was the cheers.

Welcome Back, Soccer

Boston already has Red Sox Nation and Patriots Nation, but on this weekend, the city gained something new:
a joyful, plaid‑covered, bagpipe‑powered visiting nation — the Tartan Army.

And honestly?
They fit right in.

Scottish Update

Boston has officially been adopted by Scotland. Bagpipes on the T, the wave at Fenway, Sweet Caroline sung like it’s a national anthem — and everywhere you look, pure joy. I’m soaking up every second of it.