Learn which plant species are invasive and how to get rid of them with the help of naturalist, Kelly Ussia. Certain plants do not belong on the Floridian earth and in their being here, they stifle the growth of native plants. Before you rip up every weed in your garden, however, come to this event and become educated on what is good and what is not.
Learn which plant species are invasive and how to get rid of them with the help of naturalist, Kelly Ussia. Certain plants do not belong on the Floridian earth and in their being here, they stifle the growth of native plants. Before you rip up every weed in your garden, however, come to this event and become educated on what is good and what is not.
Do you have a nice camera and always leave it on auto? Do you wish you could capture the amazing beauty of the nature around you? Then this Basics in Nature Photography is for you. Join local photographer Nicholle Goodnight for a hands-on class to sharpen your photography skills. Participants will need to bring their own camera equipment and be at least 12 years in age. This program is free, but you must RSVP on Eventbrite to participate. For more info, contact Kelly Ussia at kussia@sjcfl.us or 904-209-0335.
www.sjcfl.us/CountyNaturalist/index
Introducing a new level of collaboration between Ripple Effect Ecotours and Marineland Dolphin Adventure. On September 26th a unique combination of kayak and walking tours will introduce visitors to the complete “Dolphin Conservation Experience”. The day will start at Marineland Dolphin Adventure, where guests will be immersed in the history and legacy of conservation at this amazing facility. After a dinner break, guests will be delighted with a 2 hour kayak tour venturing into the Marineland Matanzas Basin where Ripple Effect Ecotours expert guides will focus on the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin natural habitat. We hope you will take part in this exciting new “Dolphin Conservation Experience” and help spread the Marineland Ripple Effect!
Cost for this event is $55/person, and requires advanced reservation. Visitors can view our entire tour calendar online and register for this and other events at www.rippleeffectecotours.com or by phone at (904) 347-1565.
This month the full moon falls on a Saturday, and you know what that means – it’s Date Night! Grab your sweetie, your mom, and your bff, and join us for this once a month experience! The Earth and Moon are ready to change the tide as you paddle with a Certified Ripple Effect Guide. Swirls of color paint the night as we take you into the natural mystery of the estuary. Wildlife will surprise you around every bend as birds dive and soar, and the salt marsh unveils its beauty. Reservations are required, so visit us on the web at www.rippleeffectecotours.com and/or call (904) 347-1565
All costs include the finest kayaking equipment and guided service at $55 for adults.
No matter their level, bring your children to the library to draw with an instructor and other children. This event is geared around the interactive drawing of nature. Journaling is timeless and it is rewarding to have your children’s progress kept forever in journals and notebooks. This event is free and registering is not necessary! Don’t miss out!
http://www.sjcfl.us/CountyNaturalist/index.aspx
Grab a paddle and don’t miss this once a month opportunity to watch the sun set over the Matanzas Basin, while the moon rises to reveal her fabulous full shining light!
The Earth and Moon are ready to change the tide as you paddle in a “glowing” firefly kayak with a Certified Ripple Effect Guide. Swirls of color paint the night as we take you on an excursion into the natural mystery of the estuary. Your senses will come alive as the moonlight twinkles against the darkening water. Encounter wildlife heading out for their nightly hunts, wading birds settling in for the night, fish jumping, and night-sounds aplenty on this one-of-a- kind ecoadventure.
No kayaking experience is necessary and the tour is suitable for ages 10 and up. The cost is $55 for adults and $45 ages 15 and under. This cost includes all top-of-the-line kayaking equipment, full instruction, guide service, and even complimentary passes to Marineland Dolphin Adventures!
Reservations are required so please book online at www.rippleeffectecotours.com or call 904-347-1565.
Join the St. Johns County Audubon a Birding 101 field trip at Fort Mose. Fort Mose has a lovely boardwalk where woodstorks, egrets and herons can be found, as well as a nice meadow for finding songbirds. This event is especially geared toward beginning birders, but all are more than welcome.
Meet at the parking lot at 9:00 am for a lovely morning outing.
We will have extra pairs of binoculars for those who need them.
Join the St. Johns County Audubon Society for its monthly meeting where Dr. Kenneth Meyer of the Avian Research and Conservation Institute (ARCI), based in Gainesville, Florida, will return to discuss his fascinating work on Swallow-tailed Kites and other species.
Since its formation in 1997, the ARCI has focused on applied ecological studies of rare and imperiled birds in the United States and Latin America. It gathers the scientific data that makes conservation happen!
An Artist Talk, First Friday February 1st, at 6pm is an opportunity to hear Sydney explain her motivation behind the magnificent cloud paintings she is recognized for.
To stand in front of one of Sydney’s paintings, the viewer is connected back to every moment he/she has been awed by the sky above. Her inspiration becomes ours, to contemplate and appreciate anew. Sydney McKenna’s Florida landscape paintings express the state’s atmosphere in a unique and poignant way. Especially sensitive to the subtle color shifts that occur in the vaporous skies of the South, these original oil paintings are created in the classic technique of the Old World; using thin layers of oil paint to build up a subtle luminosity, unifying classical style with contemporary themes.
Sydney explains her fascination this way, “Over the years of painting clouds I have grown to see quite a bit of symbolism in the water cycle. The fact that it can transform itself, rise into the heavens and move around the world through the skies, is somewhat miraculous; as if the clouds are the ‘spirit form’ of water. They have come to remind me of the spark of life; a lifting of the physical, into the spiritual…. I was recently intrigued by an article describing life systems in cloud formations. This thought makes me aware that the world we experience is really a collision of a multitude of worlds.”
Sydney began her painting career in the Sarasota area in the mid- eighties as a mostly self-taught watercolor artist and gained quick success, winning awards and exhibiting in Sarasota Art Galleries. After obtaining a degree in Visual Arts from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and making the switch to oil painting in 1996, she attended a semester of graduate studies in fine art at Cortona, Italy through the University of Georgia. Sydney then returned to the United States, where she relocated to St. Augustine and operated the Sydney McKenna Gallery from 1997 to 2013, and is one of the original founding members of Butterfield Gallery. She sees St. Augustine as the perfect combination of her two favorite locales: European architecture combined with the lush Florida environment.
Sydney McKenna’s paintings are widely held in both corporate and private collections, have been featured on many magazine covers, and have awards and recognitions to numerous to mention. She has grown to become one of St. Augustine’s premier artists.