Our yard tends to be shabbier than most of our neighbors’, even now that we use a regular mowing service. Dandelions proliferate, and crabgrass competes with the clover. However, for the most part, it seems to be healthy, if not too closely managed. The crabapple and sand cherry trees, and the lilacs, butterfly and bridal […]
Category Archives: trees
Reporter Justine McDaniel talks about air pollution: “A rising number of Americans — nearly 2 in 5 — has been living with unhealthy levels of air pollution, while the United States experienced a record number of days between 2020 and 2022 with very unhealthy or hazardous air, according to a new report … More than […]
If you get too excited, “Just take a slow deep breath,” they say. The sense of cool, clean air entering our lungs has a calming effect on anyyone. But what if the air we breathe is neither cool … nor clean? The BBC’s Melissa Hogenboom reports, “Emerging studies show that air pollution is linked to […]
I have seen a number of articles lately about converting our grassy lawns to insect-friendly gardens replete with flowering shrubs and exotic ground covers. I like the idea, but have struggled with how to implement it. I like having a lawn that opens up the lot and highlights the beds around the outside and facilitates […]
Somedays I really feel my age. It may be triggered by one of my many aches and pains or just from watching some young folks do something that I used to enjoy doing. Now days, I’m more of an observer than a participant in sports or athletic endeavors, but I like to think I’ve earned […]
“If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” ~ President Harry Truman Climate change doomsayers predict inevitable catastrophe due to massive flooding, horrific hurricanes and tornadoes, and years-long droughts. Some of that will occur in some places, but the one climate change prediction most likely to become reality is global warming. Luckily […]
The cooler autumn weather allows us to turn off the window AC in our bedroom and keep the windows open, instead. Things chill down overnight, causing us to keep blankets handy and encouraging snuggling beneath them. The dog and cats also appreciate the opportunity to snuggle up. Our second-floor bedroom faces the alley, but we […]
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” ~ Unknown My small town enjoys tree-lined older neighborhoods that are pleasant to walk through and front porches that are nice to sit on. The combination of shade trees and other vegetation keeps the local climate comfortable, even if […]
It’s uncomfortably hot … everywhere. According to meteorologist and journalist Bob Henson, “… the Climate Reanalyzer website shows that July 3, 2023, was the warmest single day on record — only to be toppled by July 4, tied on July 5, and broken again on July 6 … these were the warmest globally averaged days in centuries, […]
They are scattered around town in vacant lots or overgrown, undeveloped tracts: The characteristic white box, about three feet square and maybe somewhat taller, is spotted where there’s plenty of sage or other floral shrubs. I never know whose hives they are, but most seem to be well tended. A couple of times over the […]
Writes of Nature 