Wrigley, age 11⁄2
Corn snake
Beech Street

My name is Wrigley, and I am a corn snake. I was adopted by my 9-year-old human while he was still in mourning over the tragic loss of Otis, his turtle. I love to be held, handled and played with. My human doesn’t mind feeding me the baby rodents that I require weekly. …

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My backyard trees seem to be a hub for nesting birds. Recently, while watching mama birds prepare their nests and then tend to their tiny chirping babies, and, eventually, watch their brood fly off, I couldn’t help but compare it to myself and other empty-nester moms.

This cycle in nature is not unlike our own, except we get a bit …

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Rick Norsigan is the current rock star of flea-market fanatics. Ten years ago, he bought 65 old negatives at a garage sale for $45 in Fresno, Calif.. They are now believed to be the work of Ansel Adams, worth $200 million.

Debbie Shepherd does not have tales of that magnitude, but she and other local treasure hunters have many stories …

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Leaving food allergies behind
Lace up your walking shoes and join thousands of other Houstonians Sept. 11 for the 5th Annual Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward a Cure event. The walk is sponsored by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Pictured at the 2009 walk are (back row, from left) Hayley Shelton, Madison Schrimsher, who served as …

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With a stronger and faster lineup entering the 2010 football season, the Bellaire Cardinals should be a much-improved program under second-year head coach Trey Herrmann.

“The thing about last year‘s three-win season was that I didn’t get the job until July, and then I still had to hire a staff,” said Herrmann. “Having a full season under our belt …

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Baseball’s got competition as America’s favorite pastime. The recent World Cup elevated many Americans’ mild interest in soccer to infatuation. And as soccer is played in more countries than any other sport, there are many opportunities for local soccer fans to play their sport overseas.

Little League baseball, softball or youth football players would be hard-pressed to find as many …

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It’s Diez y Seis de Septiembre (September 16) this month. The holiday celebrates Mexico’s call for independence from Spain in 1810 when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla issued the famous grito, or cry for action. As a national holiday for Mexicans, one that is observed by many Mexican-Americans, it’s a day of celebration and food. And, since it’s also …

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I never thought much about how my children thought of money until, one day, my 5-year-old son brought home a playmate who walked into our middle-class home, took one look around and proclaimed, “How can you live in such a dump?”

While I realize that there are a range of living styles, and that mine does not involve a dedicated …

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A fair to remember

The exhilaration I experience before a science-fair competition isn’t all that different from that of an athlete before the start of a race. The sight of my entry standing among thousands of other tri-fold posters is one that makes me both proud and excited.

While my passion for science fair may not be common, I love …

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Houston’s connections with Japan run deep. We have Houstonians studying in Japan, Houston-Japan marriages, Houstonian military personnel stationed in or on missions in Japan, and, of course, a whole Japanese-Houstonian community to draw from.

This month, because of the number of responses to our call for stories, we decided to do a little survey of our Japanese travelers and give …

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Oompa Loompas in Spain

I had the opportunity this summer to travel to Spain and learn about the Spanish language and culture through my participation in Learning Programs International (LPI), a study-abroad program open to U.S. high school students. I lived in Spain for 18 days with a wonderful family who spoke absolutely no English. Living in Spain was a …

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If you think the only way to know the scoop on college-campus living is by having your college kid accept your neighbor’s Facebook friend request, think again. The Buzz will have you covered. This month we are introducing our college bloggers from your neighborhoods. Their mission is to post weekly stories on our website – from Palo Alto, Calif., to …

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Leaving a trail of coffee grounds… Dena Linda knows all too well the ups and downs of living with diabetes. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 22 years ago and is determined to help find a cure in her lifetime. Her fundraising efforts and love for a great cup of java connected Dena to the cycling team of Team …

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