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Submitted by Cindyc on March 11, 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Over the years, a number of felines have lowered their standards enough to share their lives with me, and my life was richer for the experience. I wouldn’t call myself a “cat lady,” but I am definitely a cat fan.

Before you dog lovers start hating me, you should know that even more dogs have been part of my family, along with rabbits, horses, goats, snakes, hamsters and assorted poultry.

Keep cats indoors for their safety and to protect songbirds and other wildlife. (Submitted photo)

Submitted by Cindyc on March 11, 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University social scientist is leading a project to promote healthy lifestyles in a state not usually known for its wholesome habits.

Ginger Cross, an assistant research professor in the MSU Social Science Research Center, is promoting the “WannaBee Healthy?” campaign, sponsored by a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health.

Adults enjoy a friendly game of water volleyball as they aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. (MSU Extension Service file photo/Kevin Hudson)

Submitted by Cindyc on March 11, 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Spring-cleaning is bad news for dust, mildew and spiders, which may explain why the majority of American adults plan to get out the mops and buckets this season.

A good house cleaning involves washing windows and window dressing, moving furniture to reach dust and grime that accumulates, and airing out rooms and closets that are kept closed. It is an important step in preventing houses from becoming home to spiders, such as the venomous brown recluse.

Submitted by Cindyc on March 10, 2016

WAYNESBORO, Miss. -- Almost 10 years after graduating from college with the plan of opening her own child care center, LaTonya Hill’s dream will come true.

Hill’s new center on Hudson Lane will serve 35 children in toddler and pre-K classrooms.

LaTonya Hill stands outside Tonya’s Learning Center, her new licensed child care center in Waynesboro, Mississippi on Feb. 18, 2016.

Submitted by singer on March 10, 2016

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum recently received the Garden Excellence Award from the American Public Gardens Association.

The prestigious award is presented to one public garden each year based on its commitment to supporting and demonstrating best horticultural practices. Past recipients of the award include the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Longwood Gardens, Chicago Botanic Garden and Missouri Botanical Garden.

This Rhododendron canescens, commonly known as pink honeysuckle azalea, grows along the trail leading to the Pinecote Pavilion at the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune. It is one of the hundreds of plant species growing at the public garden which recently received the Garden Excellence Award from the American Public Gardens Association. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Pat Drackett)

Submitted by singer on March 8, 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Aspirin can knock out minor aches and pains, but what if it also could play a role in cancer prevention?

That is the question a group of veterinarians at Mississippi State University are trying to answer. Drs. Kari Lunsford and Camilo Bulla are two members of the team who have spent about five years trying to understand the link between blood platelets and the spread of certain types of cancer. Their research focuses on canine cancer patients at the MSU Animal Health Center.

Drs. Peres Ramos Badial, left, and Camillo Bulla, researches in the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, study how platelets alter cancer cells and help them metastasize. (Photo by MSU College of Veterinary Medicine/Tom Thompson)

Submitted by singer on March 7, 2016

MADISON, Miss. -- Jaclyn Anderson admits her strong suit is not math or science, but that did not stop her from providing a robotics class for children at the Rebecca Baine Rigby Library in Madison.

“I really wanted to have this program for the kids,” said Anderson, youth services director with the Madison County Library System. “We had done a very basic class two summers ago, but it wasn’t a hands-on class because we didn’t have any robots or computers or computer software. We just showed them how to build a circuit.”

Khadeeja Baig enters information into the computer that will program her robot to turn in a circle as children’s librarian Becky Bowen looks on. Baig is one of 15 children enrolled in the second session of a six-week robotics course at the Rebecca Baine Rigby Library in Madison. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Susan Collins-Smith)

Submitted by singer on March 7, 2016

As I walked around my landscape this weekend, I was really impressed with how my three winter staples -- pansies, violas and Telstar dianthuses -- are enjoying the lengthening days and a little bit of warmer weather.

They are blooming like crazy, almost in response to what I’ve been thinking: It’s time to start planning and planting the warm-season annuals.

Supertunias are big, bold and free-flowering plants ideal for summer blooms. They come in a variety of colors, including this Picasso in Pink Supertunia. (Photo by MSU Extension/Gary Bachman)
Supertunia flower edges are lime green and tend to blend into the foliage, allowing the artistically painted flowers to stand out. This Picasso in Burgundy will be available this year. (Photo by MSU Extension/Gary Bachman)
The Picasso Supertunias have variegated foliage and two-tone flowers. This Picasso in Blue is a new addition to the Supertunia line. (Photo by MSU Extension/Gary Bachman)

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