YOUNG VOICES: Parents should let nature determine child's gender

Preconception sex selection is an interesting topic that yields various opinions. Being able to determine the gender or biology of a child based on an erroneous preconceived notion changes the birth spectrum.

How to Manage Your Seasonal Allergies

Unfortunately, beautiful flowers and warm weather can also mean itchy, watery eyes, sneezing fits and nasal congestion.

Please prune the shrubs, deer

Although unconcerned with promoting plant health or aesthetics, in at least one situation deer can actually help us prune well.

Please prune the shrubs, deer

Although unconcerned with promoting plant health or aesthetics, in at least one situation deer can actually help us prune well.

Think you've got a big tree? Check the register.

In a Washington, D.C. office, the American Forests organization keeps the National Register of Big Trees.

Owners say ferrets are pets, officials say pest

The difference between owning a ferret in Hawaii and one in Pennsylvania can be up to three years in jail and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Annual bird counts give scientists climate clues

Where are the wild turkeys? Why were no black rails found? What about fox sparrows and the 13 other species that are commonly counted on the preserve? Where have they gone?

Patents and trademarks: My plants broke the law

To be offered patent protection, a seed variety must not have been sold in the U.S. for longer than a year, or elsewhere for longer than four years. The variety must also reproduce reliably and be distinct.

Florida is a vacation paradise for dogs

With miles of sandy beaches, endless winter sunshine and a laid-back vibe, there's no reason to leave your four-legged friend behind when you vacation in Florida.

Hobart Board of Works approves bartering of equipment; gives deadline to resident

HOBART | Two city salt spreaders that were not sold at an auction will be traded in exchange for services not cash, the Board of Works agreed.

Holiday gifts for pets following high-tech trend

A holiday present for Fido or Fluffy used to be an extra table scrap or a new squeeze toy. But as with gifts for their human counterparts, pet presents are becoming increasingly high-tech.

Grafted veggies are next season's celebrity seeds

In many of the seed catalogs arriving soon in mailboxes, the headliners will be grafted vegetables, in which one or more different varieties grow from a single rootstock. Tomatoes seem to be the grafted transplants most frequently offered, providing greater disease tolerance, bigger harvests…

This New Year, resolve to get more sleep

In 2013, why not focus on one health change you'll enjoy sticking to: getting more sleep.

Bee venom facials create a buzz

The latest buzz in the beauty world is a literal one: bee venom facials. Also known as apitherapy, bee venom is said by purveyors and devotees to have anti-aging properties.

Growing animal rescue group is work of teen actor

The person behind one of the country's fastest-growing animal rescues can't even vote yet. And neither can most of the people leading its 10 chapters across the nation.

Probiotics: The good bacteria gains in popularity

We don't often think of bacteria as a good thing, especially in our bodies. Antibacterial soaps fill drugstore shelves, and antibiotics treat countless diseases. But now, a new kind of "good" bacteria is taking up shelf space in the same stores as hand sanitizers.

Winter workout tips

Just because the season has changed, it doesn't mean that you have to give up on your workout routine.

Ponder before picking: Don't let that false morel be your last mouthful

For foodies and naturalists alike, foraging for wild mushrooms offers a flavorful foray into the wilderness. But there's danger as well.

Decoding Cat Behavior

Cats are known as mysterious creatures. While some of the things they do can be puzzling at times, you don't have to be a super sleuth to decode your pet's behaviors.