“Mom, Dad … I’m all right,” said our son Alec. When a parent hears those words, you wait for the next sentence with trepidation. He launched into the second sentence that went like this: “But, I’m calling so that you don’t worry when you hear the news.”

Skunk defensive secretion is composed of seven major volatile components. These can be divided into two major groups of compounds, thiols and acetate derivatives of these thiols. Two of the thiols are responsible for the strongly repellent odor of the secretion, (E)-2-butene-1-thiol and 3-methyl-1-butanethiol. Had enough of a chemistry equation for the day? Read about Babbs and skunks and why “Oh-dee-skunk” parfume permeates about two miles of what was once fresh air around your nose.

It’s a sign of the times. A bill that allows Americans to have concealed carry in national parks and refuges slipped through Congress earlier this year as an amendment to the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights. National parks average one ranger per 100,000 visitors, so expecting rangers to protect visitors is asking the impossible. And, from […]

My husband and I attended the “Church of the Living Waters,” aka fishing in our favorite stream, this weekend. We attended not only the morning service, but stayed through the afternoon too. All in all, he caught two rock bass and I caught one too-smallmouth bass and a rock. Yep, I caught a rock and […]