One of the pleasures of living in Florida is the variety of birds who dwell or visit the Sunshine State. In my suburban neighborhood, I can see all kinds of birds, from backyard species like crows or jays to birds of prey. Most interesting to me are wading birds like the anhinga, cormorant, egrets, herons, white ibis, and the magnificent wood stork (our only native stork). Imported species like Egyptian geese, Muscovy ducks, parrots and peacocks also inhabit our hometowns, though not without controversy.

Bobby Blair’s “Hiding Inside the Baseline” is the compelling, must-read story about a young boy from a poor family — incredibly supportive mother, alcoholic father — who begins working towards becoming one of the top tennis prospects in the country.

When a radicalized US Army veteran mowed down 15 people in New Orleans, Donald Trump wasted no time pointing his finger, blaming immigrants and a non-existent “open border” for the tragedy:

I met this guy, and we have been hooking up for a while.

During last night’s walk with Sebastian, two young adult males rode by on bicycles, one yelling to the other, “You’re a f*cking man. Suck it up!”

In life, we often face moments that define us — moments of deep struggle, unexpected triumph, and transformation.