BOULDER – If you are thinking of getting your pet clipped for relief from the summer heat, save the fur. You can be part of a gigantic plan headed up by the Camp Bow Wow outlets across the country, which are collecting all types of fur and even human hair to stuff into nylon stockings and be fastened together to form something called a boom. These booms will be floated out into the Gulf of Mexico to help mop up the oil spill.

BOULDER – This spring has been a real roller coaster. The frost-free date of Mothers Day was a farce, reminding me of the old timers’ date of May 15. We all know no month is really safe from snow in Colorado but at least we can count on some consistency after May 15.

LONGMONT – There are some things you can always expect practicing wildlife rehab in Colorado. The baby squirrels always arrive in early spring, followed by the barrage of baby birds and baby raccoons that hurry in after. But wildlife rehabilitation isn’t all about the cute and fuzzy; it’s also about being prepared for the unexpected.

BOULDER – Spring may finally be arriving on the Front Range. This has been a great winter for gardens with an almost constant covering of snow and little wind helping the plants and trees maintain dormancy and protection for the majority of the winter. Things are starting to peek through the ground in southern and western sections of my garden.

Redstone Review photographer and columnist Richard A. Joyce received a first-place award in Society of Professional Journalists competition for his photo of a bald eagle fishing at Lake Pueblo.

LONGMONT – Many of you may remember Prima, the orphaned red fox kit who arrived at Greenwood in early February. At that point, we were desperate for another kit to help teach Prima the essential social skills necessary to mature into a healthy adult.