A historical society with pilot's help bought Neil Armstrong's boyhood home and will offer tours
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A former military pilot has stepped up to preserve Neil Armstrong's boyhood home in Ohio. Ken Schreiber was inspired by Armstrong's legacy as the first man to walk on the moon and decided to buy the house after learning it was for sale. He donated $400,000 to the local historical society. The sale was finalized Monday. The organization plans to restore the home to its 1940s appearance. The goal is to open it for public tours by 2030, marking Armstrong's 100th birthday. The house, a key part of Armstrong's early life, has never been open to the public. Schreiber hopes this effort will inspire future generations.
Bringing more beavers to watersheds is a powerful drought-fighting tool, experts say
GREEN RIVER, Wyo. (AP) — Jackson Ramsay's family ranch in southwest Wyoming is embracing beavers as nature's engineers. Conservation groups and government agencies are using “starter homes” made of wood and brush to encourage beavers to build dams. These dams slow water, create habitats, and help ecosystems become more resilient to climate change. Experts say this is crucial as the U.S. West becomes drier. Utah State University runs a beaver relocation program to move unwanted beavers to remote streams. While beaver populations have recovered, protection is still needed to preserve scarce water resources in the American West.
A fall planting guide for long-lived perennials like peonies, iris and false indigo
When plants die, we automatically assume we’re responsible. Sometimes, we are. But what we might not realize is that, like all living things, plants have a lifespan. Unlike annuals and biennials that die after one or two years, respectively, some perennials can persist beyond 50 years under the right conditions. Fall is a great time to plant them. Peonies are the super agers of the group, easily living 50-100 years after they take off. Some species, like bearded iris, hostas and daylilies, will require regular maintenance every three to five years to prevent crowding and rejuvenate the plants. Others, like false indigo, can live on undisturbed through all that nature throws at it.
Barcelona 'grandmas' dish out cooking wisdom. And find nourishment themselves
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — In Barcelona, a group called Grandmas Cooking Barcelona offers visitors a chance to cook and eat traditional Spanish food. The aim is to learn about food the way grandma might cook it. The group of about 20 older women and men hold workshops at civic centers, social service organizations and other locations in the city. The benefits run both ways. Founder Veronica Baena says that besides the culinary experience, Grandmas Cooking Barcelona helps give purpose to older people who might struggle with loneliness. At one recent workshop, a group of American exchange students learned how to make tortilla omelets, zucchini ribbons, potato salad and more.
University of Michigan runners blitz campus peony garden, preparing hundreds of plants for winter
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Members of the University of Michigan men’s and women’s cross country teams regularly run past the school’s prized peony garden as part of their training. And once each autumn, they stop and do something else: prune the peonies. The Wolverine runners volunteer to cut down and clear out the historic W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden. The annual cleanup prepares the nearly 800 historic peony plants for winter, so they can bloom spectacularly the following spring. The most recent effort took place Sunday afternoon. It is the brainchild of a longtime women’s cross country coach who has been running past the perennials since he was a Michigan student in the 1970s.
A rare family of barn owls moved into Manhattan's Upper West Side. New Yorkers are captivated
NEW YORK (AP) — Manhattan’s Upper West Side has been reveling in the company of its latest celebrities: A family of barn owls nested in a water tower atop a building near Central Park. An expert says this is the first documented instance of barn owls nesting in Manhattan in modern history. The owls have attracted nightly crowds of people in the street eager to get a glimpse of the elusive birds, including a nature photographers. Word of the owl family spread last week when an Upper West Side resident notified a local news outlet that she and her husband saw multiple owls at the water tower, located on West 75th Street close to Central Park West.
Good grief, Charlie Brown! Giant inflatable pumpkin takes pre-Halloween flight
CARY, N.C. (AP) — The Great Pumpkin made an early visit to Cary, North Carolina, this year. It happened as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias passed through. Officials still had a tornado warning in effect Sunday afternoon and a twister even touched down near Phillips Farms. Then the sun peeked out and the farm staff decided to inflate their two-story-high lawn ornament. Just then, the wind picked up and the giant jack-o'-lantern started to tumble. Videos of the Great Pumpkin escape went viral. Farm owner Michael Phillips says it's the best free advertising he's ever had.
Luna, a small dog missing for over a month in Yellowstone, is reunited with her owners
A small dog named Luna has been found after more than a month on the loose in Yellowstone National Park. Despite frequent sightings, the Jack Russell terrier evaded capture since early September amid mounting fears for her survival and the approach of winter weather. Volunteers were able to catch the dog Wednesday in a live trap baited with a T-shirt and pillowcase carrying her owner's scent. The California family that lost Luna believes a housekeeper accidentally let her out of a cabin they were staying in while they explored the park on Sept. 10. The search for Luna had rallied locals and tourists alike.
The building housing London's oldest restaurant has been donated to a conservation charity
LONDON (AP) — The building that houses London’s oldest restaurant has been donated to Europe’s biggest conservation charity. It's a move that will hopefully secure one of the U.K. capital’s go-to eateries for centuries to come. Rules was established in 1798 by Thomas Rule as an oyster bar when Europe was in turmoil in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Rules has survived the British Empire, the Blitz and even plans for a new road that would have seen it demolished. The four-decade owner of the building that houses Rules is J-P Mayhew who has made the selfless decision to donate 34-35 Maiden Lane in bustling Covent Garden in central London to the National Trust.
