2 results for author: Sue Vande Hei


Winter Salt Week January 27, 2025

  Using excess salt harms plants and animals, pollutes our water, damages buildings, and corrodes vehicles, roads and bridges. Once you put salt down, it doesn’t go away. Instead, it travels into our lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands, putting aquatic life at risk and endangering our freshwater resources. Salt also alters the composition of soil, slows plant growth, and weakens the concrete, brick and stone that make up our homes, garages, bridges, and roads. There is a way to cut down on salt use and keep our roads, parking lots and driveways safe: Use only what you need — and that’s less than you might think! Shovel: C...

Where Have all the Monarchs Gone?

I just enjoy sitting on my patio, surrounded by the beautiful native plants that grow all along the patio.  It is a wonder to me to watch the bees, moths and butterflies along with the birds that visit the plants.  If I am quiet enough and don’t move, it is very common to have a goldfinch or other birds that are hungry and want to eat, fly and land on a stalk from the flower that is no more than 6 feet away from me.  The birds will stay there as long as I don’t make any quick motions, or my dog doesn’t disturb them.  There is nothing better than to see all this life around me.  It renews in me a sense of being.     I planted Indian ...