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A TOUCH OF NATURE
August 1, 2002 Issue
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This newsletter is sponsored by The Herbs Place.com
Natural Health Solutions for Adults, Children and Pets!
Newsletters, Online Classes & *Herbal Medicine Chest*

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Read or search for specific topics of previous issues.

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DONNA'S COMMENTS
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I received a book that has been a delight to me. I used to be terrified of bugs [I grew up seeing women around me reacting that way], but when I moved to the woods and began to love all that was created for our pleasure, I began to question my fear of bugs. To make a long story short, I became fascinated with them. The variety of shapes, colors and sizes was astounding!

Back to the exciting book:
"Let's Go Buggy" is an excellent resource to have on hand for kids who love bugs, and for kids [and adults] who need to love bugs. You can find out where to see bugs in each state and on the web, and get amazing bug facts and tips. My first tip was how to make Mung Juice which attracts butterflies that don't come to flowers. I even discovered they have bug festivals!

There may be other similar bug books out there, but I guess I never thought to look. This one is so well written and organized, so I'm thankful it's the one that was chosen for me. If you'd like to see more about it, it's being sold at Barnes & Noble: "Let's Go Buggy!

Have a buggy week! Look closely at the beauty of the bugs around you! A bug's eye view is a fantastic perspective on the world.

Donna

P.S. You can now search for specific topics that have appeared in A Touch of Nature.
Choose 'A Touch of Nature' on the pull-down menu.

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CRITTER FACTS
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FINDING A BABY RABBIT

Cottontail rabbits nest from March through September and may have as many as four litters per year. The average litter contains 4-5 babies. Young rabbits disperse from the nest at 15-20 days old. By three weeks of age, they are on their own in the wild, no longer needing the care of the mother. If you find an injured rabbit (bleeding, broken bones, puncture wounds, etc.) take it to the nearest wildlife veterinarian.

If you find a fully furred rabbit with its eyes open and it's larger than a baseball and weighs more than 4 ounces or 100 grams, it is on it's own and does not need your help. If it does not fit that description, you should attempt to locate the nest (a shallow depression on the ground possibly lined with rabbit fur and/or grass) and put the rabbit back there. If construction forces you to move the nest, you can relocate it up to 20 feet away, reconstructing it with the mother's fur and the baby rabbits. Check back briefly once a day for a couple of days to be sure the babies have been found. Mother rabbits feed at dusk and dawn, but you are not likely to ever see the mother. If they appear thin and weak have wrinkled, baggy skin, and no visible milk lines on their bellies, contact a state licensed small mammal rehabilitator in the area immediately.

Rabbits may be temporarily moved for mowing if they are returned to the next before dusk. Do not attempt to mow near the nest with babies in it.

BARAMETRIC PRESSURE AND BIRD FRONTS

Doppler radar is no longer just a meteorologist's tool. For several years, biologists have been using the technology to study birds, bats, and insects aloft in the atmosphere. Now a Nature Convervancy researcher is using it to help conserve crucial habitats for imperiled songbirds. Read more....

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CHARACTER QUALITIES IN NATURE
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RESPONSIBILITY - Woodcock

The woodcock is used to eating its weight in food every 24 hours. A mother woodcock led her family along a parched surface of marshland. It was too dry for the probings of their fragile bills to find the food needed. Worms are one major source of nourishment, but the worms had burrowed deep to find the moist soil and were far beneath the surface.

It was time to demonstrate to her young how to fulfill the responsibility she had to get food for her young. The woodcock deliberately flattened out on the ground and spread out her wings. In this position, she beat the ground by rapidly flapping the wings against the earth. She stopped for a moment, listening intently before resuming her unusual effort.

In a short time the woodcock family was enjoying its long-awaited meal. Each young chick was busily finding worms along the parched surface in the very place where their earlier efforts had been fruitless. What made the difference?

Earthworms instinctively know that if they are deep within the ground when a hard rain falls, they will drown unless they can quickly get to the surface for air. Because of this danger, the body of the worm is very sensitive to the vibrations from the surface. When the woodcock rapidly flutters its wings from above, the beating sounds like raindrops to the worms and they burrow upward toward the surace. As the worms come within reach, the woodcock pierces the ground with its bill and pulls them out. The young woodcocks observed an important aspect of responsiblility by the example of their mother using all her energies to fulfill the needs of her young.

Source: Character Sketches, Vol. I, Institute in Basic Life Principles

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GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE- Restoring the Balance
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BACKYARD PLANT INVASION

They may look pretty, but invasive plants such as multiflora rose pose a serious ecological threat. Free from the natural restraints of their native realms, alien invaders establish themselves in new areas and eventually supplant native species, wrecking havoc on our environment and economy. Find out which five commonly found invasive plants may be in your own backyard, and learn what you can do to stop them.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Seasons are different in Southern California form other regions across the country. In this Mediterranean-like climate it rarely gets cold enough in winter for heavy coats and mittens, but is about right for golf or tennis.

Read more about this unique habitat area of the country:

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"GREEN" INFO- Making It a Way of Life!
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MAKING MOTH BAGS

Avoiding those toxic chemicals that are used for moth protection isn't hard. Moths are attracted to the odor of wool, cashmere, and other animal hair fibers.

Make moth bags:
Sew little pillowcases about 3" x 5", using porous fabric such as cheesecloth, muslin or linen. Tie the bags with a string, looped so you can hang it on a closet or hanger. Make the mixture with 1 oz. each of ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, and caraway seeds with 6 oz. of powdered orrisroot. Pour the mixture into the little bags and tuck into your sweater drawer or hang.

Source: Household hints book published by the Ladies of Monte Vista, CO, in 1927.

WHAT IS OZONE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Though much has been done to improve air quality across the country, high concentrations of ground-level ozone (smog) are still a cause for public concern. Unhealthy air due to ozone air pollution can exacerbate asthma and contribute to other respiratory illnesses. Read more...

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CREATION IN THE BIBLE
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The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies
are over all His works. All thy works shall praise thee,
O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee."
Psalms 145:9-10

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MUSINGS: POETRY & PROSE
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"So little do we realize
that the glory and the power
Of God who made the universe
lie hidden in a flower."
Helen Steiner Rice

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR PLANET
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VICTORY FOR COSTA RICA's COAST

We visited Costa Rica a few years ago and it was my all-time-favorite place I've been. We stayed in a jungle lodge and it was surely what part of Heaven looks like. It was incredible the amount of wildlife all around our little cabin. I determined right then that I would've made a great wife for Tarzan, but my husband was much too appealing to let go of, so I came back to the States with him. I'd never regret the choice :-)) So.....this news is good news for us.

Costa Rican environmentalists celebrated a decisive victory last month when their country's outgoing government rejected plans to open the lush Caribbean coast to offshore oil drilling. The decision by former Environment Minister Elizabeth Odio ensures the preservation of Talamanca's fragile coral reefs and marine life -- including rare Tucuxi dolphins and endangered sea turtles -- as well as the region's growing ecotourism industry. The ruling, supported by recently elected President Abel Pacheco, capped a two-year anti-drilling campaign led by community leaders and activists, with strong support from BioGems Defenders who sent more than 27,000 letters opposing the oil exploration plans of U.S.-based Harken Energy and MKJ Xplorations.

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DISCLAIMER:

The content, suggestions, and web links in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and not necessarily endorsed our sponsor "The Herbs Place.com" This is a personal publication by Donna Watkins. The ideas and information expressed in it have not been approved or authorized by anyone either explicitly or impliedly. In no event shall Donna Watkins or "The Herbs Place.com" be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of this information or its publication, including any action for infringement of copyright or defamation.