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A TOUCH OF NATURE
November 1, 2003 Issue
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The Herbs Place - *Natural Health Solutions* for People & Pets!

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SEARCH previous issues and MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION

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DONNA'S COMMENTS
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Loving wildlife as I do and all creatures and critters has made me a vegetarian for over 20 years. This month of the year my heart goes out to turkeys :-) If you'd like a vegetarian option for the upcoming holidays, check out the recipes here:

TURKEY-FREE THANKSGIVING MENU/RECIPES

Great menu and recipes on site for your vegetarian Thanksgiving plans. Make your own alternatives to turkey for Thanksgiving or find a list of items available in stores for purchase.

Maybe you'd like to provide for a turkey for the spirit of the holidays. Here's some information on doing that:

ADOPT A TURKEY AT OR FROM FARM SANCTUARY

Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey Project offers two ways for people to adopt turkeys this Thanksgiving holiday:

1. Sponsor "adopt" a turkey who lives at Farm Sanctuary's New York or California shelters for farm animals. For a one-time $15 adoption fee, adopters receive a color photograph of their turkey, an adoption certificate and a year's subscription to Farm Sanctuary's quarterly newsletter. The adoption fee provides funds for feed, bedding and veterinary care for the turkeys. Please call 1-888-SPONSOR or click here to adopt a turkey who lives at Farm Sanctuary.

2. Home adopt and provide a safe, permanent, and loving home for two or more turkeys. Home adopters must be vegetarian or vegan, and committed to providing lifelong care for their turkey friends. Individuals interested in home adoptions must complete an adoption application. Approved adopters will be placed on a schedule to have their turkey companions personally delivered by Farm Sanctuary staff on the Turkey Express. Get more info here.

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CRITTER FACTS
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FACT OR FICTION?
Are you "Hungry As A Bear?"

In the fall when salmon first arrive in the streams and grizzlies are most hungry, a large male can eat up to 90 pounds of fish in a single day. A hungry polar bear may be able to eat 100 pounds of meat in a day.

M IS FOR MAJESTIC
A National Parks Alphabet Book

Mighty mountains, wild rivers, fiery volcanoes, huge glaciers, vast forests, tropical islands - all part of our National Parks, belonging to you and me.

This magnificent ABC book showcases each of America's National Parks from Acadia and American Samoa to Yosemite and Zion. Quick rhymes introduce the parks to young children, while the detailed side-bars will engage older readers with an endless cache of national park facts.

California travel writer David Domeniconi masterfully includes each of the more than 50 National Parks in this A-Z pictorial. Illustrator Pam Carroll's keen attention to detail makes this title one for everyone across the land to read and enjoy.

Search online for best pricing. ISBN# 1-58536-138-0, published July 2003

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THOSE AMAZING BIRDS!
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DOVE

After filling its crop [enlarged gullet] with food, it flies off to roost in a tree or sunny spot on the ground, waiting for the food to each the rest of the alimentary tract and finally the stomach. It may preen while the food digests. This gives them the advantage of not having to eat as often as most birds since the crop holds 4-5 times the volume the stomach does. These birds will sometimes be found nesting into October.

FEEDING PREFERENCES OF WILD BIRDS AT FEEDERS

Here are the scientific facts on - DEAD LINK REMOVED - what birds prefer what foods, written by Aelred Geis, Ph.D., of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dr. Geis's findings have been cited in almost every major book on bird feeding written in the last ten years, including the Ortho Series on Attracting Wild Birds, and the Audubon Society publications.

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GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE- Restoring the Balance
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WINTERIZING YOUR BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT SITE

Looking for a way to help wildlife during the winter season? Check out this site where you can click on your area to get tips based on where you live. Winter is a time when wildlife need the most help.

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NATURE'S BOUNTY FOR US
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Nature offers essential oils with potent properties that can be used in many areas around the home. For health, bath, beauty, and household cleaning supplies. Here's our featured recipe for this issue:

BINGE-EATING

Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang - In the bath add 10 drops of each oil. Soak. The euphoric effects of the oils will elevate your mood, making you feel good about yourself.

Read more about the benefits of these oils, find other recipes, and purchase oils.

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" GREEN" INFO- Making It a Way of Life!
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16 EASY STEPS TO A GREENER HOME

Do you consider yourself a conservation-minded consumer? If so, you may be surprised to learn that, despite your best intentions, your household routines could be inadvertently contributing to some of the planet's worst environmental problems. Learn how to lessen your family's impact on the environment with tips from this article.

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MUSINGS: POETRY & PROSE
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" To me the question of the environment is more ominous than that of
peace and war. We will have regional conflicts and use of force, but
world conflicts I do not believe will happen any longer.
But the environment, that is a creeping danger. I'm more worried about
global warming than I am about any major military conflict."
Hans Blix, head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and
Inspection Commission - March 12, 2003

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR PLANET
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GARDEN A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE
The Evening Chronicle
 
For some people a garden is a labor of love, and this is certainly true for William Wood of Blyth. The 80-year-old former boiler-maker has lived in the seaside town all of his life, and has spent the last 44 years cultivating his large garden at his self-built house.

" I love my garden and I'm in it all day. Especially in this nice weather we are having" says William. The garden is practically a private nature reserve with six ponds, bird tables, green houses and flowers chosen to attract butterflies.

" I love the wildlife, and I feed the birds every day. The doves that come love my sultanas and I have a pair of magpies which come all the time." One of the most striking features of the garden is the way William can adapt it to the season. In the summer it has a colorful cottage style, "to attract the butterflies" he says, while spring sees the garden full of daffodils, tulips, snowdrops and crocuses.

And while most gardeners put their feet up during the winter months, William turns the garden into a winter wonderland with small lights dotted through the trees.

The six ponds found at the top of the garden are all connected by a waterfall system which has grown over the years.

Originally there was only one pond with fish but William was so pleased when the fish bred that he decided to build another pond to accommodate them. Gradually, two ponds became six ponds as more and more fish filled them. The carp, golden orfs and shebunkins swim amongst the tadpoles, frogs and toads that enjoy the rich foliage of William's garden.

William has also devoted a lot of time to building bridges, wishing wells, a summerhouse, and other features, adding character to the garden." Every year I alter something in the garden. I'm a workaholic!" I love to do all this even though I'm diabetic, and I had a hip replacement three years ago."

William is also a swimming instructor and spends time cutting his friends' lawns.

" I just like to help people whenever I can. I'm a great believer in the saying `better to give than receive'."  It's a wonder that he ever finds time to look after his crop of vegetables and berries, found in the two greenhouses. " I've had some really good potatoes and strawberries this summer, and
everything is coming through well."

Article from:  http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk

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Herbs Place.com" This is a personal publication by Donna Watkins. The ideas
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