With summer underway, home gardeners have started to look forward to finishing the planting season and harvesting in the fall.

WINCHESTER – Chief, a 3-year-old bengal and domestic short hair mix, is up for adoption.

Relief from the dog days of summer is as close as the nearest spring-fed stream. With just a facemask, a snorkel, and an old pair of sneakers, you can observe aquatic life on its own terms — underwater. Snorkeling is a great way to introduce children to the cool side of nature.

FRONT ROYAL -- Thor, a 2-year-domestic short hair, is up for adoption.

EDINBURG – These hot, humid and sunny summer days can cause pets to overheat.

EDINBURG -- Clue, a 3-year-old domestic medium hair and torbie mix, is available for adoption.

Kids love dinosaurs. I did more than 55 years ago, and so did many of my friends. We collected and played with hard plastic toy models with long, hard-to-pronounce and spell names imprinted on them. Names like Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Plesiosaurus.

Linda and our grandson, Garek, burst into the apartment a few weeks ago excitedly out of breath. “We’ve got a nest with two white eggs to identify,” she said.

WINCHESTER – Housemates Sterling and Sebastian are up for adoption.

WINCHESTER – Cayenne, a 3-year-old domestic short hair, is up for adoption.

Cool sea breezes... Breaking waves playing tag with shorebirds on sandy beaches… Laughing gulls braying like hyenas… Sandy feet… These are a few of the images that dominate memories from long ago summer vacations at the Jersey shore.

Belle Grove Plantation has begun another year of archaeological research.

FRONT ROYAL — Jindo, a 7-year-old Korean jindo mix, is available for adoption.

About a month ago, I described an active nest box in my grandson’s backyard. A pair of tufted titmice had built a nest and incubated and hatched five eggs. I promised an update on the nest’s fate; all five young titmice fledged successfully. That’s the definition of “nest success.”

FRONT ROYAL – When taking care of a dog, one of the most important tasks is to make sure your pets have their nails clipped.

EDINBURG — Carrot Top, a 12-week-old domestic short hair, is up for adoption.

This weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer. That means little league games, swimming pools, and maybe some beach time.

WOODSTOCK — Summer is a convenient time for many to take their usual workout routines outside or begin a new exercise plan.

The Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners Association will host the 16th annual GardenFest from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Belle Grove Plantation.

The nesting season for birds shifts into high gear in May. Geography, weather and each species’ biology affect the precise timing of the nesting season, but one constant is the role of the incredible egg.

STRASBURG – Sunday marks the 150th anniversary of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, and past and present members are looking back on the church’s history.

MIDDLETOWN – Belle Grove is in the midst of unlocking a musical mystery.

WINCHESTER – Tevia, a 4-year-old domestic short hair, is available for adoption.

MIDDLETOWN — Belle Grove Plantation is home to history and various little critters, including bats.

MIDDLETOWN — The Belle Grove Plantation is known for its manor house tours and various events throughout the year, but one of the plantation’s great secrets is located behind the manor house.

Left: Kenidee Woodell, 6, left, and her sister Kerington Starcher, 3, dance to music from the Lon Z Baker band, of Winchester, at Saturday’s Family Fun Day event in Front Royal. Right: Amanda Fox, of Front Royal, shares some shaved ice with her St. Bernard puppy Petunia at the 4th annual Fam…

 Amanda Fox, of Front Royal, shares some shaved ice with her St. Bernard puppy Petunia. She was attending Saturday's 4th annual Family Fun Day at the Main Street gazebo in downtown Front Royal.

FRONT ROYAL – Grace, a 4-year-old domestic short hair, is available for adoption.

Every spring, Strasburg resident Robbie Parks heads up to the mountains to hunt for morel mushrooms.

EDINBURG — Fudd, a 3-year-old domestic short hair, is up for adoption.

STRASBURG – The Strasburg Museum will unveil its restored Miller Family Bible exhibit when the museum opens up in May.

WINCHESTER – Merle, a 4-year-old domestic short hair, is available for adoption.

Quicksburg resident Philip Bigler has recently released a new book on the history of one of the most unique monuments in the United States - the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

STRASBURG — Adora Payne, who was Priscilla Terry's elementary school teacher at Sunset Hill Elementary School, an African-American school that operated in Strasburg until integration in 1964, left a strong impression on her — so strong that the two kept in contact until Payne's death.

WINCHESTER – Diesel, a 14-year-old American Staffordshire terrier, is available for adoption.

FRONT ROYAL – Casper, a 6-year-old border collie mix, is available for adoption.

EDINBURG – Ryder, a 2-year-old basenji mix, is available for adoption.

Since 1978, the Front Royal Congregational Community Action Project has served Warren County by providing food, clothing, and limited emergency financial assistance.

WINCHESTER — Jindo, a 7-year-old Korean jindo mix, is available for adoption.

Outdoor recreation and photography were the topics of a talk recently at Lord Fairfax Community College.

Spring signals a time for people to do some landscaping work around the house, including pruning trees and bushes.

As spring approaches, fruit tree growers will need to be on the lookout for different types of tree-killing bacteria.

FRONT ROYAL — Sugar, a 2-year-old domestic short hair, is available for adoption.

EDINBURG – Rosalee and Olive, 3-year-old pitbull sisters, are available for adoption.

WINCHESTER – Marley, an 8-year-old male hound mix, is available for adoption.