[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] To stay in touch with the rest of the world while on the road, I depend on my little netbook … More Vanlife: Internet, and Staying in Touch

Ah, what a nice relaxing place. The Botanical Garden is next to the Zoo but is not part of it. Since it is run as a city park, it is free. Although it’s not really the best time of year to be visiting a botanical garden, the landscaping was lovely and I had a great … More Botanical Gardens

The Birmingham Zoo isn’t all that big, but is very nice with a good collection. They are currently expanding and reworking some areas, so alas there were a few displays that were closed off. But I had a good time here. Some photos. ​The zoo ​Very nice landscaping ​It was pretty warm out, so the … More Birmingham Zoo

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a long history with creation “scientists”. Creationism is a fundamentalist Christian political movement that asserts both the literal historical and scientific truth of the Bible and also asserts that the USA should be a “Christian nation” ruled by strict Bible-based law (as they interpret it). Quite simply, … More Kentucky’s “Creation Museum”

Birmingham is an easy city for newbies like me to find our way around in: it’s set up in a grid with all the streets running one way and all the avenues running the other way. As always when I arrive in a new city, I spent the day getting a bus pass, setting up a … More Greetings From Birmingham AL

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Without a doubt, the most difficult task in all of vandwelling is keeping cool in areas where the weather is … More Vanlife: Insulation and Hot Weather

This another very nice park in Cincinnati OH, with walking trails, a nature center, playground and disc golf course. Some photos from a day at the park. ​The Nature Center ​One of the trails ​A view of the nearby Ohio River ​Velvet Mite ​Goldfinch ​Turkey Vulture ​Cardinal at one of the fountains ​Spider on her … More Woodland Mound Park

In 1843, astronomer Ormsby Mitchell of Cincinnati College (now the University of Cincinnati) laid out plans for a new telescope and observatory in Cincinnati. After a benefactor donated four acres of land on Mt Ida, near present-day Eden Park, Mitchell raised a total of $7,000 from private citizens and obtained an 11-inch refracting telescope from … More Cincinnati Observatory

This is a very nice greenhouse/conservatory next to Eden Park. The collection spans the globe. Some photos. ​One of the Conservatory greenhouses ​Inside the conservatory ​One of the gardeners at work ​Goldfishies ​Vanuatu Fan Palm, from South Pacific ​Kangaroo Vine, from Australia ​Golden Trumpet, from Brazil ​Rams Horn Croton, from India ​Chinese Evergreen, from the … More Krohn Conservatory

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Fortunately, modern technology has invented a device that uses energy to pump the heat out of an enclosed area and … More Vanlife: Ice Fans and Swamp Coolers