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A bud on this rhododendron began to open in late September. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

There’s no doubt about it. It was a very dry summer. On average, we normally get three to four inches of rain each month. It rains once every three days. However, this past April, May, July, August and September, our prime growing months, have had substantially less rain than average. For example, April’s average rain is over four inches. This past April it was under two inches. August’s average is over four inches, but this past August saw just about an inch and a half of rain. Only June saw more rain than average. It’s been one of the driest years on record.

It’s also been a very mild autumn. “No Coat November,” as one meteorologist referred to it, gave way to a balmy December. As of this writing, mid December has broken two record highs. The weekend of Dec. 12 and 13 saw two 68 degree days, breaking the previous record highs.

Plants are definitely confused. A gardening friend of mine noticed that one of the buds on her rhododendron plants had actually bloomed. And her pussy willows are blooming as well. I’ve heard people comment that they saw their crocuses coming up. Another’s irises are up. My own tomato plants set fruit in November and my roses just finished blooming. It’s December and my geraniums are still blooming. Plants that were pruned in early autumn are putting out new green growth. And just Monday, I saw a cherry tree in bloom.

This cherry tree in Selden was in full bloom on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo by Ellen Barcel
This cherry tree in Selden was in full bloom on Monday, Dec. 14. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Why aren’t all of our plants growing? Some need more daylight, which we don’t have right now. Some need a period of real cold, like daffodils and other spring bulbs, and we just haven’t had that. And some just need the warmth, which we have had. What does all this mean to the home gardener?

• You may be able to leave root crops in the ground longer than normal, if there is no sign of a hard freeze. Watch the weather forecasts for a warning.

• If it continues to remain warm and dry, you may need to water some of your plants, especially evergreens, even though it is December. Remember, they’re still alive and, yes, they need water. Watch the weather for when you can finally put that hose away.

• Don’t expect spring flowering plants that have bloomed early — this autumn — to bloom again next spring (which is their regular time). Witch hazel usually blooms in late winter or very early spring. If yours has come out already, that’s it until the next year. That cherry tree I saw won’t put out more flowers again in spring.

• Plants that have sprouted tender green leaves this fall, may very easily have those branches die back once the really cold weather gets here. Don’t be concerned. Just prune back any dead branches in the spring.

• If your crocus have come out, they will probably survive winter’s cold. They frequently come out and bloom when there is snow on the ground, but don’t be surprised if they don’t make it.

• Mulch your tender plants in case the reports that suggest a mild and wet winter are not correct. After the last two snowy winters, most of us won’t mind mild weather, and considering how dry it’s been, rain would be welcome. Plants going into winter after a drought have a more difficult time surviving the cold.

One way to deal with occasional summer droughts and either very hot or very cool weather is to grow native plants that are more adapted to Long Island’s weather swings. Native trees, for example, generally have taproots that go deep into the soil, where it is moist, to get water in times of drought.

Native plants are also more adapted to swings in temperature. This doesn’t mean that in times of extremes all your plants will survive, but native plants have a much better change.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Long Island Bulldog Rescue founder Laurette Richin sits with Josie, the group’s mascot. Photo by Giselle Barkley

By Rita J. Egan

This past Monday, Beth Stern & Friends hosted the Bash for the Bulldogs at the Rosenthal Pavilion at New York University’s Kimmel Center. The event filled with food, music and raffles benefited the Long Island Bulldog Rescue located in Stony Brook.

The LIBR is the result of the love that Executive Director Laurette Richin has for the English bulldogs known for their stocky builds and wrinkled faces. Richin always wanted to learn more about the breed and, after divorcing her husband in the 90s, she decided to work with the dogs. She joined the Long Island Bulldog Club, but she said she soon realized she didn’t have what it takes to breed them. She explained that sometimes puppies could be lost during birth due to being delivered through C-sections.

Laurette Richin is all smiles with Josie, an American Bulldog. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Laurette Richin is all smiles with Josie, an American Bulldog. Photo by Giselle Barkley

When a member of the club asked her to stop by the Little Shelter Animal Rescue to check on a bulldog, it was the beginning of a new venture for Richin. She was told the dog that was brought in was very old, but as she looked at his teeth, she realized it was a puppy that was atrophied due to being in a crate all the time.

Richin said after she called the club representative to confirm that the dog was indeed a bulldog, she pulled out of the Little Shelter parking lot and couldn’t stop thinking of the puppy. She pulled back in and went right back into the shelter and took the dog home and nursed him back to health.

“I got hooked. It’s interesting, because you get to see something that is broken and needs you, and you fix them up, and they respond so beautifully. Then you find them a decent home,” Richin said.

That first rescue occurred 16 years ago in 1999, and while the group originally helped about 13 bulldogs in the local area during the first year, during the last decade and a half Richin along with LIBR volunteers have saved thousands of bulldogs and now serve nine states in the Northeast. Most of the dogs tend to be from Long Island and the five boroughs and almost 400 were saved in the last year alone. 

The increase need of rescues is due to the growth of the bulldogs’ popularity over the years. The executive director said when she started in 1999, they ranked 46 nationwide in American Kennel Club registrations and now rank number 5 nationwide and 4 in large cities.

Richin said the dogs, which can cost upward to $3,000, are mild mannered and love attention. She said many apartment dwellers buy the dogs because they don’t need to run around regularly. However, because they require a good amount of attention, bulldogs aren’t ideal for those who are away from home for long hours. Richin added that the dogs also need special food to help avoid skin issues that can develop due to the way they have been bred.

The bulldogs that are rescued stay in foster homes before being adopted. Richin, who has two bulldogs of her own and one foster at any given time, which now is Josie the group’s mascot, said currently they have 32 dogs in foster homes waiting to be adopted. The executive director said the homes are a better setting than shelters to prepare dogs for their future families.

“It’s a much better way to get the dog into an environment where you actually know what their issues are, and you get to know them. If you have a dog in a shelter situation, you’re never going to know that the doorbell makes them crazy or that they like to eat couches. That’s stuff we find out in foster homes,” the executive director said.

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One-year-old Mia is waiting to be adopted. This little girl was rescued from a home in Queens where she was neglected and rarely went outside, even going to the bathroom solely on bathroom pads. Mia had an ingrown tail, which caused a horrible infection. While doctors have surgically corrected the tail, she remains in the hospital due to a torn cruciate ligament.


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Wrinkles recently had a bit of a scare when he ate corn on the cob. His snack caused an obstruction, which his family could not afford to pay for; however, LIBR was contacted, and Wrinkles was brought to a local vet to remove the blockage. He is now in a foster home waiting for his forever home, preferably one with no young children since he has the potential to swallow small toys. 

When it comes to placing the dogs, Richin said there isn’t a problem finding potential owners. For almost 400 dogs in the Northeast in a year, she can receive approximately 12,000 applications. She pointed out that not every home is suitable for the dogs, however. Before placing a dog, things to consider are if the particular bulldog is well suited for a home that may have children, especially young ones, or other dogs or cats, as each dog is different. 

Richin said the group’s website and Facebook page have been valuable tools when it comes to finding new families, foster homes and volunteers, and the Facebook page especially has been helpful in sharing the dogs’ stories with the public.

A post that stands out for Richin is one where members driving in Lancaster, Pa., saw a bulldog tied to a pole along the highway with a big pink cardboard sign that said: “Free to a good home. Blind in one eye, can’t have puppies.” In an hour and a half, the executive director said a volunteer was there to rescue the dog. “Social media is extremely useful with this kind of organization,” she said.

The group has also used its Facebook page to educate bulldog lovers about the risks of buying a dog from a pet store or puppy mill. Recently, when a store-bought puppy developed pneumonia from a bug she caught at the establishment, LIBR shared the story on social media. The post encouraged others who had problems with pet stores, including the one the puppy came from, to share their experiences. The pet store paid for the veterinarian bill, which included the dog spending 18 days in oxygen. Unfortunately, the puppy died, leaving her owners heartbroken.

After another post, reporting how much veterinarian care would cost for one bulldog, a member commented he would match all donations. Richin was overwhelmed by the $4,000 check the man sent saying he was happy to do it because LIBR had helped him a few months earlier.

The organization also conducts programs at schools, fairs and shelter adoption events to help potential owners make informed decisions when it comes to buying or adopting a bulldog. The executive director said volunteers are also available to help bulldog owners with information regarding veterinarians, the proper food and care. For every bulldog they rescue there are three owners who need help caring for their pets, according to Richin. She said when volunteers help owners it’s primarily for the dog’s well-being, and they are nonjudgmental of the people.

Richin said she and volunteers understand that owners may encounter challenges and said they shouldn’t be hesitant to ask for help. “People feel lost. They have this initial loving feeling for the puppy, and then they’re like, well, what do I do now.”

LIBR is always looking for foster homes as well as volunteers not only to help with rescues but also with office work and publicity. For more information on how you can adopt or assist with rescues, fostering or even sponsoring a bulldog, visit www.longislandbulldogrescue.org or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LongIslandBulldogRescue.

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By Elof Carlson

Science explores the unknown. I love the history of science because it reveals how science has changed our way of seeing the universe. It rejects the supernatural as an explanation. This has led to the formation of the major fields of science — physics, astronomy, geology, chemistry and biology.

Combinations of these fields are used to explore other fields like oceanography, meteorology or paleontology. Those sciences require data gathering, associations, experimentation and the invention of instruments to obtain data not detectable with our own senses.

Telescopes, microscopes, centrifuges, cyclotrons, cameras, chromatography, space probes, computers, electronic sensors and hundreds of other devices are used in different fields of science to give us information about other planets, stars and galaxies. These tools allow it to smash atoms, sequence DNA or work out how an organism shifts from a fertilized egg to a crying newborn. 

There is another lesson I learned from studying the history of science. We don’t know as much as we think we do. Almost all of modern science from the origin of starlight to the cellular composition of our bodies was unknown before the existence of the right tools and level of understanding of how things worked.

A college science textbook is complete only for the generation of students reading it. It becomes outdated within five years and new texts are required. The new material comes from new tools introduced, new experiments revealing unexpected outcomes and chance findings from sifting through data.

In my own field I would identify as a major unknown the composition and functions of the cytoplasm of the cell. This is the material in which the cell nucleus and membrane-bound organelles are located (the mitochondria, Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes are examples). But the “glop” around them is a gel of sorts and has some cytoskeletal components. What is not known are the component molecules and the structural arrangement of the molecules in the cell cytoplasm that makes it unique to the species. 

You cannot put a fertilized mouse cell nucleus in an enucleated egg of a fish or toad or rabbit. That inability may be a consequence of the products of nuclear genes stored in the cytoplasm that are essential for turning genes on or off after fertilization. Lots of experiments will have to be done to see what’s going on.

That is the challenge of science.  Each new generation of students looks at things in fresh or original ways. The old way of describing and interpreting things gives way.  Sometimes it is rapid, such as the field of molecular biology after the discovery of nucleic acids as the hereditary material. 

Often it is slow.  The discovery of new organs or tissues in the human body is relatively slow.  About once every 20 years or so, I read an article that a new tendon or region of the brain, or some new function of a gland, has been discovered.

No new continents on Earth have been discovered since the polar regions were explored in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Our technology for photographing Earth makes such a finding virtually impossible. We can predict what we can infer from the known knowledge of our fields, but we cannot predict what is totally unknown to us.

Some seek refuge in such areas of the unknown because they hope to tuck their supernatural beliefs into reality, but it is not reality until that area is fleshed out with data, functions and a comprehension of how things work and can be tested for their predictions and claims.

Elof Axel Carlson is a distinguished teaching professor emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stony Brook University.

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SCCC Biology Professor Peter Smith demonstrates the Anatomage Table. Photo by Victoria Pendzik, SCCC

It’s the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system in the world, according to its manufacturer, and Suffolk County Community College’s Selden campus is the only college in New York State to have one. Welcome to teaching and learning in the 21st century.

The Anatomage virtual dissection table is being adopted at leading medical schools and institutions to allow lifelike and never-before-available interaction and visualization of the human body and its systems.

The table — about the size of a hospital bed, with a touchscreen surface — uses three-dimensional imagery from digitally scanned specimens to allow students to perform a lifesize, virtual dissection via touchscreen interface. The table can render limitless views of the human body in flawless detail.

Students can zoom in on or rotate different structures and virtually remove individual organs, according to SCCC Professor of Biology Dr. Peter Smith.

“The table is a remarkable technological tool that provides students with a 360-degree view of anatomical structures and their relationship to one another,” said Smith.

“We can look at the body through three dimensional visualization and all of the body’s structures can be annotated. This is what teaching anatomy in the 21st century is all about,” he added.

“The Anatomage Table is a true 21st century teaching tool. It permits Biology students not only to study Human anatomy, but it is a good addition to general biology classes that include animal anatomy. It includes, in its programming, the possibility of virtual dissection of cats and dogs. The table will help to reduce the use of preserved specimens, a more humane and sustainable approach to the study of vertebrate anatomy,” said Suffolk County Community College Biology Department Chair Dr. Rosa Gambier.

The technology allows students to visualize skeletal tissues, muscles, organs and soft tissue, and further customize the interaction by virtually slicing, layering and segmenting the anatomy. The selections can be rotated or flipped to accommodate any viewpoint.

Work with an actual cadaver requires many chemicals, there needs to be a facility to house them (SCCC was the only community college in New York with a cadaver lab), there is a great deal of regulation in working with cadavers, and there are recurring costs associated with them.

With the Anatomage Table, countless students have the ability to work with a body, enlarge or rotate systems and bisect and remove parts.

“The table,” explained Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Shaun L. McKay, “while advanced, is also a natural extension of what students are familiar with because it functions much like a tablet computer. We are extremely proud to bring this new tool to our college and to our students while fulfilling our mission of incorporating innovative teaching and learning strategies into our classrooms.”

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A butterfly bush. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Butterfly bush vs. butterfly weed — what’s the difference? Is one better than the other? Is one invasive? How exactly do these plants support butterflies? These are all interesting questions.

As you plan your garden for next year, you may want to consider plants that attract butterflies. When you see names like butterfly bush and butterfly weed, they seem like the logical choices. But, that’s not necessarily the case. Besides, there are many other plants that also attract butterflies. By the way, butterflies do not eat; they only drink fluids. That means they drink water and the nectar of flowers. It’s the larvae that eat the leaves.

Let’s start with the butterfly bush —Buddleja davidii (also spelled Buddleia). This is a woody deciduous shrub with lilac-colored flowers, but there are some cultivars with dark purple, white and pink flowers. And, yes, there’s even a yellow cultivar — B. davidii ‘Honeycomb.’ The butterfly bush blooms in late July and August with flowers that resemble lilac flowers, which is why it is sometimes called the summer lilac.

Interestingly, there are now reblooming true lilacs that produce flowers not only in spring but in August as well, so you will see both blooming in mid to late summer. A native of Asia, the butterfly bush is viewed by some as invasive in this area, but it is not on Suffolk County’s Do Not Sell List. It can grow to five feet tall and spread easily as wide, but there are dwarf varieties. It does best, producing the most flowers, in full sun.

The nectar of the flowers is a source of nutrition for butterflies, hence its name. Removing the dead flowers helps to encourage the development of more flowers and more butterflies. The plant is hardy in U.S. Dept. of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 to 9.

Now on to the butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). This is a herbaceous perennial with bright orange flowers, although cultivars include ‘Ice Ballet,’ which has white flowers, and ‘Cinderella,’ which is a rose color.

A species of milkweed, the butterfly weed is a native of eastern North America. It blooms from summer to early fall.  Yes, it attracts butterflies who drink its nectar, but more than that, butterfly weed also serves as food for the larvae of the monarch butterfly. Because it supports both stages of the butterfly’s life, it really helps the environment, especially at a time when the monarch butterfly numbers have been dwindling, due in part to a smaller natural environment. It requires full sun and prefers a dry, sandy soil. So it will easily grow in Long Island’s soil.

If you see butterfly weed growing wild, don’t cut the flowers. Let them go to seed so that they can reseed and propagate this native plant.

There are many other plants that will attract butterflies to the garden including asters, coneflowers, lilac, mint, pansies, sage, phlox, lupine, lavender, day lily and hollyhock. The ones, like the butterfly weed, that support more than one stage in the butterfly’s life cycle, really help.

There are two butterfly exhibits in Suffolk County. The Sweetbriar Nature Preserve in Smithtown has a butterfly exhibit in the warm weather. Call 631-979-6344 for further information. Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead has a year-round indoor exhibit. Call 631-208-9200. Heritage Park in Mount Sinai has a butterfly garden. Call 631-509-0882 for more information.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli, SMM

It is hard to believe that another holiday season is upon us. Our neighborhoods are decorated with lights, bows and wreaths. There’s a different spirit in the air despite the national and international landscape of fear, hate, terror and violence.

People really seem to make an effort to reach out especially to those in need during this time of year. Countless high schools, middle schools and elementary schools are sponsoring cake sales, toy drives and other creative initiatives to raise money for the poor and needy.

I am continually amazed at people’s compassion and generosity. Our local young people are dynamic and amazing. Recently a student from the Knox School reached out and said they wanted to do something special for the homeless.

A woman from Sound Beach shared a compelling story about a new pizzeria — a local woman wanted to buy two pizzas for a needy family and asked if the owner would match that. He did that and something more. He posted a coupon on his bulletin board for a free drink and slice of pizza for anyone who might need it; thanks to social media dozens of people were buying a soda and a slice for a needy person.

Allegedly a person who was down on his luck and very hungry took a free slice of pizza and a drink. His luck changed and he is now fully employed and came back to that pizzeria and posted a coupon for free slice and drink and a big note saying thank you for feeding me when I was down and out!

In Miller Place the Teachers Association did something very courageous with the support of their superintendent and school board. They sponsored a walk around their football field, with the slogan “Don’t Start, Be Smart.” They raised a few thousand dollars on that sunny fall afternoon and gave the proceeds to a local residential rehab. They sponsored this walk after one of their bright young alumni overdosed on heroin. He was an honors senior at the State University of Stony Brook.

During this holiday season there are hopeful signs that people do care and want to make a positive difference in the world. However, we still have to do so much more.

Too many vibrant bright young people are falling between the cracks. The heroin epidemic is out of control. The level of denial is still infectious. It is easy to blame the homeless who have no fixed address and/or no voice; they are the victims too!

What is deeply frightening is that a growing number of our young well-educated young people are having their heroin dropped off at their homes. Local drug dealers are now showing up at 12-step meetings all over and selling potentially lethal drugs to people in early recovery who are struggling to take it one day at a time. It is becoming a vicious nightmare.

We need to create a coalition of caring citizens that represents families, schools, churches, synagogues and mosques across the county. We need to stand together and challenge our government bureaucracy that has become deaf and blind to this epidemic and demand more beds for detoxification and long-term residential treatment.

During this season of hope let us light a candle  for all those who have lost their fight to live and remember those who are struggling to live one day at a time, those who are battling addiction and those with serious mental health issues. Let us not shun them but welcome them with open arms and compassionate hearts.

Fr. Pizzarelli is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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From left, Valerie Sanks and Linda Scalcione with the many blankets donated this year. Photo from Scalcione

By Ernestine Franco

Everyone likes to curl up with a warm blanket as temperatures drop. So do the dogs and cats that live at the various animal shelters around Long Island. One Rocky Point woman is helping shelter animals keep warm one blanket at a time.

A few years ago Valerie Sanks and her son Matt decided to collect blankets that would be donated to the shelters for the animals.  During the holiday season in 2013 they collected 150 blankets.

In 2014 Sanks placed a post on her Facebook page requesting donations of blankets. By Dec. 17 of that year, her house was overtaken by 610 blankets, 600 cat-nip toys, and many boxes of dog biscuits and cat treats.

This year her goal is to collect 1,080 blankets and 2,000 cat toys as well as treats for all the animals that will be spending this holiday in one of the many shelters across Long Island. Throughout the year Sanks volunteers at the Brookhaven, Riverhead and Southhold shelters. The blankets and toys that she collects will be distributed to these shelters.

Linda Scalcione, a friend of Sanks and a Rocky Point resident, said that Valerie and her son “visit, help train and walk the dogs at the different shelters. Valerie goes above and beyond your average volunteer. She wants the dogs and cats that spend time at the shelters to be comfortable and for them to feel loved.”

If you would like to help Sanks reach her goal of helping shelter animals spend a warm holiday, friend her on Facebook or send donations to P.O. Box 262, Rocky Point, NY 11778. You can also send any blankets or donations to any of the three shelters: Brookhaven at 631-451-6950, Riverhead at 631-369-6189 and Southold at 631-765-1811. They all know Valerie Sanks.

Of course, if instead of donating a blanket, you want to provide a home for one of the animals, that would be great with Sanks. After all, all she wants is “for all the animals to one day have their fur-ever homes!”

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By Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel

When I was growing up, Hanukkah was literally a “festival of many lights!” As the oldest of six children, my parents gave each one of us our own chanukiyah. (Note: A menorah is any multibranched candelabra. A chanukiyah is a menorah specifically designated for Hanukkah. It has nine candle holders: one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, plus one for the “shammash” — the helper candle that is used to light the other candles.)

Every morning during Hanukkah, each of us would carefully choose which color candles we were going to light that night. My mother placed a table in front of one of our living room windows with all of the chanukiyot (plural form of chanukiyah) circled strategically around. The mitzvah — the commandment — of Hanukkah is to publicize the miracle. Hence the directive to light the candles in a window. My siblings and I loved watching all those candles burn and glow!

I have a collection of many beautiful and unique chanukiyot now. But the one I still use every year on Hanukkah is the one I used growing up, the one I inherited from my mother. It is not beautiful, but it takes me back to my childhood, it reminds me of my mother and helps make me feel as if she is part of my Hanukkah celebration, even though she is no longer alive. That feeling helps the flame of my candles glow even more brightly.

It is no accident that Hanukkah, our festival of lights, occurs during December. These are some of the darkest days/nights of the year: We are approaching the winter solstice. Once again, Hanukkah reminds us that during the darkest time of the year, we human beings have the power to kindle lights against the darkness. We have the power to brighten the lives of others.

For those who celebrate Hanukkah, let me suggest that we can make the flames of our own Hanukkah candles burn even more brightly by dedicating at least one of the nights of our own Hanukkah celebration to a family tzedakah (social justice/charity) project instead of giving gifts to each other. The word tzedakah comes from the root tzedek — which means “justice” and “righteousness.” We don’t simply give tzedakah because it makes us feel good, but rather out of our sense of responsibility to God and to taking care of others in the world around us.

There are a number of different provisions for tzedakah outlined in the Jewish tradition. They all center around one basic principle: No matter what form our tzedakah takes, we must make sure that we never compromise anyone’s dignity, honor or self-respect. In fact, the highest form of tzedakah is when we can help someone to help themselves, so that they will no longer be dependent upon the help of others.

This year, may the light of the Hanukkah candles ignite the spark of justice, passion for human rights and freedom for all.

Chag Urim Sameach! May you have a Happy Festival of Lights!

Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel is the Rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.

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A wind chime would make great holiday gifts for the gardener in your life. Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

Well, the holidays will be here before you know it. Is there a gardener on your list who’s giving you a hard time? What do you get him or her that you haven’t given already? Of course, there are always gift certificates to your favorite nursery, new gardening shoes or a new tool. Gardening books and subscriptions to gardening magazines are nice, but are you looking for something unique? Different? Here are some ideas that you may not have thought of.

If your gardener has blueberries or other plants that birds love to dine on, consider a crop cage. The ones that I’ve seen range from $60 to $100. The cages are large enough that the gardener can actually walk into them — they even have doors. Made from steel and nylon netting, they protect from not only birds but deer, rabbits and other wildlife.

Smaller varieties, called popups, are lower, just 42 inches high and provide the same protection for smaller plants.  Both varieties are green, so they blend in with the rest of the garden but get the job done. These smaller varieties range from about $25 to $70 depending on size. Even smaller varieties of plant protection are just a foot high for even smaller plants like strawberries and lettuce. They cost about $20 each. Another really nice present if you’re gardener is doing battle with Bambi and friends is any one of the various deer repellents available.

Garden decorations are also available. Depending on the taste of your gardener, you could go classical (like Greek statues, sundials, bird baths or bird houses) or whimsical garden art, like statues of birds, colorful glass bottle trees, glass orbs or even glass flowers. One of my favorites is a set of three “flowers” made from old water spigots, painted in bright colors. Another is a flower made from knives, forks and spoons. Stop by your local arts and crafts fairs that flourish in December for a whole variety of garden art.

Being more practical, consider a new composter. I’ve seen one that is a tumbler, basically a barrel on a stand. There’s a side door that allows you to add material to be composted. There’s also a crank on the side that allows the gardener to turn the barrel easily, even every day. This makes the chore of turn over the compost pile really easy. It also speeds up the composting process. Some of these composters boast compost in just eight to 10 weeks. I’ve even seen one brand that has two separate chambers — one for almost ready compost and the second for a new batch you’re just starting.

For the mycologist (an expert in fungi), or just a mushroom lover, consider a mushroom growing kit. Grow the common button or even portobello mushrooms. The grower decides just how big or small their mushrooms are by how long they let them grow. A terrarium or unusual planter keeps greenery growing in the house.

For the lover of butterflies, consider a butterfly house to go along with the beautiful plants that attract them.

If you decide on a new potting bench, make sure you take some measurements first so that it will fit in the appropriate area. If the bench needs some sort of finishing, include a can of paint, stain, etc. and some brushes, perhaps with a promise to help come spring.

And, if your gardener comes in the house complaining of aches and pains from “overdoing” it in the yard, a new heating pad might make you an angel to them.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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By Dr. Matthew Kearns

Nothing makes a better gift for the family than a little bundle of barking fur. The expectation is that this is not only the perfect surprise, but also a relationship and responsibility builder for your children. How do we choose a puppy that is friendly and safe?

As with human development, a puppy’s temperament (personality) is determined by both genetics and environment. Purebred dogs will generally have different temperaments: retrieving, herding, hunting/guarding, etc, and come in different sizes. The type of dog chosen should match with your family’s activity levels, number and age of children, etc.

If you have younger children it is good to choose a breed that is big enough to not be injured by your child, but not too big as to knock your child into next Tuesday as the puppy develops into an adult dog. Also take into account that certain breeds may be very good with you and your children but may see your children’s friends as unwanted intruders. This not only becomes dangerous to guests, but also a potential financial liability for you.

Good breeders will match their dogs to appropriate families but poor breeding (puppy mills) can be dangerous. When purchasing a puppy from a breeder, the puppy is usually somewhere between 8-10 weeks old. This is a key time for the puppy to bond with your family (including younger family members) and quickly consider everyone part of their new “pack.”

Adopting from a shelter or rescue group is a noble but uncertain endeavor. The actual genetics is somewhat of a guessing game, and many of these puppies have traveled great distances with other dogs under stressful circumstances. When first introduced these puppies may appear calm (even timid) but it can take many days to weeks for their true personality to emerge. That does not mean that every dog from a shelter has a “Jekyll and Hyde” personality. However, make sure that the shelter or rescue has a clear (and timely) return policy if things aren’t working out.

Your own family dynamic plays a role. Children younger than school age can pose a problem. Toddlers are curious, but also are grabby and impulsive. What seems harmless (pulling at hair, stealing toys/food) could become a potentially dangerous point of conflict. This is very true as the puppy matures into a young adult dog.

What was once tolerable a few months ago as a puppy is now taken as an act of aggression or challenge. Therefore, many experts that recommend only adopting adult dogs with a proven temperament from a shelter if you have children or children under school age (6-7 years). An added benefit of an adult dog is that many times they are already housebroken (especially if spayed or neutered) and far less destructive than a puppy.

I hope this information is helpful in choosing the right dog for your home this holiday season. I want to wish all of the readers of this column both a safe and joyous holiday season and happy 2016. I also want to thank both Heidi Sutton, editor of the Arts and Lifestyles section, as well as all the staff of the Times Beacon Record and affiliates for another great year.

Dr. Kearns has been in practice for 16 years.

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