Making Ripples
Owls: Mystery of the Night
By Amanda Bancroft And for most creatures, owls are something to take seriously. Owls are carnivores and have a diverse diet of rodents, mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and insects. They
The Buzz About Bees
By Amanda Bancroft According to the UC Berkeley Backyard Bee Lab, we all should want bees in our backyards! But why, if bees can potentially sting us? “Without bees, there
Climate Change Consensus: Fact or Belief?
I don’t believe in climate change. That’s because science, unlike religion, does not require faith in something with a lack of hard evidence. Nobody can “believe” in science, but we
Go Fly a DIY Kite!
By Amanda Bancroft March 22 marked the 24th anniversary of an event dear to Mary Poppin’s heart: “Art with an Altitude” Kite Festival at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. This was
Natural State Naturalists
There’s a big difference between loving the earth and knowing what critter just landed on your shoulder for a hug. Let’s say that you’re out in nature, enjoying a beautiful
Spring Salads
By Amanda Bancroft Eating local foods in the springtime, as with any season, depends not only on what can be grown in our local region but also on the weather
Five People Making Ripples
Meet Pauline Thiessen, Karyn Zaremba, Chamisa Wheeler, Judith Ann Griffith and Don Matt, five everyday local heroes making a difference with their lifestyle and careers in Northwest Arkansas. Do you
Walipinis: Grow Food Underground
By Amanda Bancroft A walipini is an underground greenhouse that lets you grow food year-round. The name “walipini” comes from the Aymara Native American language and means “a place of
Winter Birding in Arkansas
By Amanda Bancroft “In 2013, participants in 111 countries counted about 33.5 million birds, documenting 4,258 species — more than one-third of the world’s bird species!” From February 14-17, you
The Science of Natural Cold Remedies
By Amanda Bancroft According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, there is no strong scientific evidence that natural remedies are effective against a cold or flu. They
