Valerie Blaine
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How plants and animals handle the stress of winterDec 06, 2009 10:00 pm - One holiday down and several more to go. Are you stressed yet? Animals and plants face stress at this time of year, too. Unlike the psychological stress we bring upon ou...
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Don't let the soft coat fool you: Minks are formidable predatorsNov 15, 2009 10:00 pm - Coming up a rise on the Fox River trail, I spotted it. Or, it spotted me. A round little head with round little ears and a curious, if not cautious, stare. I stopped. ...
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The stories - real and imagined - behind the colors of fallOct 18, 2009 11:00 pm - There's blood, guts, and icy fingers. More gratuitous violence from the media? No, these stories are part of the colorful folklore surrounding the natural phenomenon of ...
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What is a weed? Naturalist explains how weeds are definedSep 20, 2009 11:00 pm - The reign of the Lawn King has been challenged and there is rumbling among the masses. Both lawn loyalists and turncoats alike fired comments and questions in the wake ...
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Let native plants take their natural place instead of suburban lawnSep 06, 2009 11:00 pm - Being au naturel can get you in trouble. At the very least it leads to hushed comments and disapproving stares. But my lawn is used to this. It went native about 11 yea...
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Sometimes, you literally have to get off the beaten pathAug 16, 2009 11:00 pm - A journey off the beaten path affords benefits for body, mind and soul. Getting somewhere is a national obsession. It doesn't matter where - somewhere, anywhere, everywh...
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Take some time to scan skies for all varieties of swallowsJul 26, 2009 11:00 pm - "Sharp little birds," the woman said, describing the objects she'd seen over the Fox River. I scanned the field guide in my brain to identify the birds sight unseen. Sh...
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What we can do to save the fuzzy little heroes of agricultureJun 28, 2009 11:00 pm - There are unsung heroes among us. They are easily recognized but often overlooked. If heard, they are avoided. If seen, they are often killed. And they are dying off by ...
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Birds of a feather don't always nest togetherJun 02, 2009 11:00 pm - She was the paragon of parenting. Indefatigably dedicated to child-rearing, she worked with selfless devotion to the care of her young. Hers is the story, however, of h...
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Treetop flowers a springtime love storyMay 10, 2009 11:00 pm - May is a month full of energy, urgency, and drama. Robins duke it out on our lawns, frogs sing passionately for love, and fish spawn with abandon. There's botanical dra...