Valerie Blaine
-
Shedding light on the importance of darkness to natureDec 17, 2018 5:00 am - "Boy, it's dark!" I mutter at 4:30 p.m. when I leave the nature center. My husband winks as he reminds me that this happens every December and that I say exactly the sam...
-
Love the outdoors? Sign up to become a Kane County Certified NaturalistNov 19, 2018 5:00 am - Nature is good for you. There's a growing body of research showing that a daily dose of nature improves physical and mental health. If you're like me, you want to know a...
-
Wasps become a little more noticeable in the fallOct 15, 2018 6:00 am - Last summer, I was on a mission to photograph native bees as part of a statewide monitoring program. After tramping around prairies with my camera, I'd download the phot...
-
Get to know your suburban spidersSep 17, 2018 6:00 am - It's hard to believe, but there are just a few more days of summer left. The days are getting shorter and there's a notable a shift in the natural world. While I find i...
-
Wasps are beautiful but deadly in the bug worldAug 19, 2018 11:00 pm - As summer winds down, the kids are back in school and our summer reading lists are exhausted. How about a story of beauty, intrigue, and deceit to spice things up? You ...
-
Ouch! Why nettles sting, and how you can put them to good useJul 16, 2018 6:00 am - Have you ever encountered stinging nettles in the woods? If yes, then you'll feel my pain. If not, take heed. When battling invasive plants in my woods with a weed whack...
-
A primer on pollinators, and why we should protect themJun 14, 2018 11:00 pm - What would shortcake be without strawberries? A BLT without tomatoes? A margarita without tequila? Halloween without pumpkins? This is what our world would be like witho...
-
The fleeting pleasures of spring wildflowersMay 17, 2018 11:00 pm - The fleeting pleasures of spring ephemerals
-
Plenty of animals are on the list of local endangered speciesApr 16, 2018 6:00 am - The Endangered Species Act is 45 years old this year. The past four decades have been a roller-coaster ride for lots of animals and plants. As we approach Earth Day 2018...
-
How you should listen to nature's spring musicMar 15, 2018 11:00 pm - It's the music of March. "Listen!" I said to the group gathered around the maple tree during our Maple Sugaring Days at Creek Bend Nature Center. I cupped my ears, signa...