WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- There may still be snow on the ground, but spring is here and soon, a number of our native bee species will be active. As you look at your post-winter landscape, you may wonder where those early bees will find the forage that they need to survive.Forage resources for bees are slim in March and April, but some of our native trees and shrubs are important early ...

Will Shortz took an idea that wasn’t even his and ran with it. Now, 40 years later, the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament is returning to Stamford with more than 600 players and an array of new puzzles to test the nation’s top wordsmiths.Shortz, a Pleasantville resident and the editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle, has been the driving force behind the tournament ...

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- In cold climates, insects seem to disappear when temperatures plummet. So where do they go? Depending on the type of insect, there are different strategies for surviving the cold.While some insects migrate to a warmer climate, like Monarch Butterflies and a small percentage of dragonfly species, most of the insects in our landscapes stay put in the winter. ...

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- The wildlife activity, or lack of it, in our yards can tell us a lot about the ecological health of our landscapes. Take a look right now. Do you have an abundance of birds finding the late winter foods they need, like the persistent fruits of Eastern Redcedar, Winterberry, Northern Bayberry, etc?Have you spotted any returning migrating birds? What natural ...

The roots behind this week’s sale of the region’s most successful real estate firm, Houlihan Lawrence, traces back 129 years to New York City where William Lawrence ran a successful pharmaceutical business.Since then, Houlihan Lawrence’s reach extended to Bronxville, where Lawrence started his real estate investment company, Greenwich and the entire Hudson Valley in New York. It finally ...

A bold move by American business magnate Warren Buffett shook up the Hudson Valley real estate industry Tuesday when his company, HomeServices of America, Inc., acquired Houlihan Lawrence.Houlihan Lawrence serves Westchester, Fairfield, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties of New York and Connecticut with 1,300 sales associates operating in 30 sales offices. In 2016, Houlihan ...

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Not all birds overwinter in our region – many migrate South for the winter. The birds that do stay year-round can face stark conditions in cold weather. You can help them in your landscape, and in ways you may not have considered.First priority – WaterBefore you even contemplate putting out bird food in winter, make sure to have a clean, unfrozen source of ...

SOMERS, N.Y. -- Lin Crispinelli devotes significant time to charity work in Westchester County. The Somers resident and Houlihan Lawrence Realtor finds the work rewarding, but there are also times of profound sadness and heartache.Who: Lin Crispinelli, Houlihan Lawrence RealtorWhat: Hudson Gateway Realtors Foundation, President of Board of TrusteesAlso: With her husband, established the ...

Who: Tom Molito, Pound RidgeWhat: Auther of book about Yankees legend Mickey MantleLearn more: On the book's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/MickeyMantleInsideAndOutsideTheLines/WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Tom Molito’s book on Mickey Mantle offers a perspective different from all of the other volumes written about the Yankees’ legend. The Pound Ridge resident remembers Mantle ...

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Just about everyone is enchanted by the vibrant beauty of leaves in the fall as they change color to glowing yellow, crimson red or pumpkin orange. That beauty even inspires us to go on leaf-peeping road trips – we just can’t get our fill of leaves. That is, until leaves drop to the ground. Then our love affair with leaves comes to an unhappy end. Love ...