Articles written by Karen Bledsoe - Page 2

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About me - Karen Bledsoe

Dr. Karen E. Bledsoe teaches biology at Western Oregon University, where she specializes in science education for adult learners. A lifetime gardener, she naturally gravitated toward botany in college, and earned a master's degree in botany from Oregon State

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Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health How to get your cat to take his medication: 1 of 13
Every day in our household it's a new and exciting episode of, "Get the pill into the cat without getting mauled!" Licorice, our two-year-old neutered kitty boy, is a big bundle of love outside, but a mean son-of-a-gun inside, which is one reason he gets a daily pill for his overly-aggressive territorial tendencies. He's als... More..
Sciences > Botany How to become a botanist: 1 of 12
Long before I reached my college years, I already had a powerful interest in Natural History. By fourth grade I was dabbling with science experiments, and by fifth grade I was paging through field manuals to identify plants, birds, and rocks that I found on our acreage. Family camping and fishing excursions, museum trips, an... More..
Health & Fitness > First Aid How to supply a first aid kit for travel: 1 of 12
Whether you're loading the kids into the car for a long road trip, or packing your suitcase before you fly off to a conference, it's wise to supply yourself with a basic first aid kit. Cuts, bug bites, motion sickness, and headaches can strike at any time. It's no fun to be in your hotel room in a strange city at midnight nu... More..
Home & Garden > Vegetables & Herbs How to grow tomatoes: 2 of 21
The tastiest tomatoes of all aren't found in the grocery store. The Brandywine and the Cherokee Purple, the Mortgage Lifter and the Ananas Noir, the Principe Borghese and the Tiffen Mennonite, all the wonderful heirloom varieties and the new hybrids are only found in a few specialty markets and thousands of backyard gardens.... More..
Health & Fitness > First Aid How to prepare for camping first aid: 1 of 10
Oh, joy, you're off on a camping trip! You've packed your tent and your sleeping bag, your food and clean water, your camp stove and your Dutch oven - but did you "pack" your first aid training and a good first aid kit? Camping is great fun, but it also exposes you hazards you don't normally encounter in everyday life: fire,... More..
Education > College Study Tips How to get the most from your college professor: 1 of 9
Your first year at college - what a daunting experience! You've been told it's not like high school, but now you're beginning to understand exactly what that means. No ringing bells to signal the start and end of class, no taking roll every period, and no one to remind you to read the book and keep up with your studies. Now ... More..
Education > Adult Education Adult education 101: 3 of 25
"Martha" (not her real name) swings by my office with a cheerful smile to ask how I'm doing, though it's been months since she was last in one of my biology classes. "How about you?" I ask, knowing that with her husband working in another state, teenage kids at home, and a long commute to the university campus, she has her h... More..
Sciences > Chemistry Chemistry science projects for elementary school students: 1 of 8
Chemistry experiments are a great way to turn elementary students on to science. Kids love to explore by mixing things together, but this can be dangerous in chemistry. Some mixtures are toxic or even explosive! The following experiments are fun, safe, and inexpensive. Kids can mess around with these without harm so long as ... More..
Health & Fitness > First Aid How to obtain first aid certification: 1 of 8
First aid certification requires only a reasonable fee and weekend of your time. They reward, however, is priceless. First aid training is essential for meeting emergencies and treating injuries before medical help can arrive. If you know exactly what to do in a medical emergency, you just might save a life. First aid certif... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health How to help feral cats: 2 of 14
First it was Mama Kitty, and her litter of two newborns that I found in a brush pile in the back yard. Then came Big Tom, the probable father of the kittens, and Little White Paws, another female. Then Bruiser, the big black-and-white stray who earned his name by beating up on neighborhood cats. Then Toast, a shy little tort... More..