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The Herbal Medicine Chest - Pocket-Size First Aid

Buy one each of Peppermint Oil, Tei Fu Oil, & Tea Tree Oil and you have an herbal medicine chest for over 40 health issues such as Acid Indigestion, Athlete's Foot, Joint Pain, Tendonitis, Bites/Stings, Bruises/Sprains, Canker/Cold Sores, Congestion, Earache, Headache, Motion Sickness, Muscle Pain/Spasm, Stuffy Nose, Sunburn, Toothache and more.

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A Touch Of Nature
March 15, 2005 Issue

This newsletter is provided free twice a month. Your email address is not shared or sold.

Search nature topics from previous issues - Use pull-down search menu above.

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What's Happening Here at Bluebird Cove
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Last Fall we put up three baskets in corners of the eaves of the house hoping birds would build some roosting nests in there for the winter. Nobody obliged.

However, the one on the front porch corner that we can view from the dining room window has a finch nest in it. Only saw the female once in it and I think it's a House Finch. Last year we had Purple Finches nesting on the front porch in the Christmas wreath I made and hung up on a wind chime bracket after the holidays.

It is always fun to have a close-up view of the whole process and especially if we can catch the moment of fledging (when they fly the coop :-) Observing the natural world creates a joy and wonder about life that compares with no other.

It's fun to share information with others too, so I signed up for the House Finch Nest Survey that is mentioned below. It may help Cornell find out more about why the eye disease is killing off so many finches and now getting into other bird species as well.

Hope you can find something to watch as Spring approaches!

Hugs to all!
Donna

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Critter Facts
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Moose, Ticks and Magpies

In the war between moose and ticks, the moose is not faring well. For many years, zoologist Dr. Bill Samuel has studied the relationship between moose and the parasitic winter tick and recently presented his research to a meeting of the Canadian Society of Zoologists at the University of Lethbridge.

While deer, elk, horses and even cattle are attacked by winter ticks, it's the moose that has yet to evolve defensive strategies against the pesky ticks. By winter's end, a badly infested moose may be carrying up to 100,000 ticks and may have had to replace up to 70% of its blood.

No wonder moose get so itchy they literally rub off all their hair trying to rid themselves of the ticks. Hence the term, "ghost moose."

Magpies in February, March and April, just about when they are nesting and starting to rear their young, in April and May, they actually switch over to this food supply. And the moose are very happy to let them land on their back and feed on them. It's not uncommon to see several magpies feeding on winter ticks on moose, sometimes on deer, in late winter. And the moose just sit there and let them do this.

Read more about this research and interesting relationship between the Magpies and the Moose.

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Those Amazing Birds!
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Tips for a Healthy Bird Bath
from Bird Watcher's Digest

Don't situate bird baths under feeders or perches, where droppings can fall into them.

Rinse and scrub birdbaths daily in summer, or whenever they become fouled with bird droppings.

Once a month, scrub out. Add a cup of vinegar to hot, soapy water and soak feeder and baths and scrub houses, rinse thoroughly and refill.

 

Participate in the House Finch Nest Survey

The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology began work last year on its latest citizen-science study, the House Finch Nest Survey (HOFINS). The program is designed to monitor how breeding affects House Finch eye disease.

Cornell is asking for the help of citizen scientists in observing nesting House Finches, and identifying and monitoring nesting dates, numbers of eggs or young, and numbers of nests that produce fledglings.

By monitoring House Finch nests, participants will help determine how many juvenile House Finches susceptible to disease are produced in different parts of the continent.

- DEAD LINK REMOVED - To get involved, visit this website or call 800-843-2473 (outside the U.S., call 607-254-2473).

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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 ways around the home. For health, bath, beauty, and household cleaning supplies. Here's our featured recipe for this issue:

Study Aid

5 drops rosemary
1 drop peppermint

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

 

Herbal and Supplement Solutions by Health Topic

Do you need to build a body system for better health and wellness? Herbs work! They've been used by people all around the world for thousands of years. We've been using Nature's remedies since 1979 and found them to be so much help in gaining and maintaining health. This catalog lists natural solutions by health topic.

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Pets Are Part of Our Nature
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Pet Success Stories Using Nature's Remedies

Free Natural Pet Email Newsletter

Healthy Pet Corner for Birds, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Rabbits & Reptiles

Flint River Ranch - Oven-Baked Dog and Cat Foods and Treats

Healthy Pet Net - Natural Pet Supplements, Treats, Foods

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Gardening For Wildlife - Restoring the Balance
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Pine Trees Know About Easter

You may have seen this story passing through, but I think it's an incredible example of how nature is tied in to so much of our lives.

Pine trees start their new growth in the weeks before Easter -- if you look at the tops of the pine trees two weeks before, you will see the yellow shoots. As the days get closer to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form a cross. By the time Easter Sunday comes around, you will see that most of the pine trees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest shoots.

Here's a great picture of this.

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Shopping With Purpose
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Please Note: We receive no compensation for promoting these businesses, other than the delight of sharing alternative shopping experiences for those who would like to make a difference while shopping. :-)

Clif Bars - Good Food

At Clif Bar Inc., they're committed to people's health and the environment wanting to make sure the way they do business helps sustain the natural resources and communities that we depend on.

They're working to reduce their ecological footprint in everything, from the field to the final product. Their efforts include:

* using organic ingredients
* adopting green business practices
* joining the fight against global warming
* supporting Partners in Sustainability

Find out more about Clif Bar and find out where you can buy them.

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"Green" Info - Making It a Way of Life!
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American Schools Embrace Three More ‘Rs’ — Reduce, Recycle And Reuse

Summer’s ending and school’s recommencing — and along with the sound of bells ringing comes the simultaneous groan of kids nationwide. But this year, more American students than ever will return from vacation to a new backdrop, a green schoolhouse.

Yep, the little red school-house of yesteryear is getting a redo, making way for a 21st-century incarnation. Of this country’s 100,000 private and public schools, approximately one a day are now registering for LEED certification

Read The Entire Article

Detoxify Your Soaps and Cleaning Supplies With Sunshine Concentrate!

This environmentally-friendly cleaning and washing concentrate is nothing less than wonderful. We've used it for 15 years for laundry, hand soap, pet baths, soaking produce, dishwasher, cleaning, and a multitude of other uses. This product has saved us money and health. No more "itch" of chemical soaps.  Sunshine Concentrate

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Muse On Nature
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"Wilderness is .... circular, unpredictable, moving and changing. Nature weaves around itself an unending breath of life .... That which is truly wild spills over the edges - onto our kitchen floors, into our love lives, through the sidewalk cracks, and in the form of dandelions and emotional outbursts.

One way to return to a lifestyle that is more organic and harmonious with the whole of nature is to get outside more often ... to let the unpredictability of wildness touch the soulful longings within yourself.

Wilderness is innate to who we are. You do not have to go far to find wildness, only as far as your own beating heart and the joy you find in life."

--- Cass Adams, The Soul Unearthed

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Good News in Nature
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Farmer Paints Pigeons to Ward Off Predators

Amsterdam (Reuters) - A Dutch farmer has painted pigeons pink and green to ward off hungry birds of prey and it seems to have worked.

"I'm crazy about the birds. Naturally, birds of prey are going to eat pigeons, but preferably not here," the farmer told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.

He began painting the birds with environmentally friendly, water-based paint a year ago.

"The colors make the pigeons seem unsuitable as prey. The birds of prey simply don't recognize them anymore," he said.

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The Frugal Life - Learning to Live With What You Already Have
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Living more simply is a great way to effect change in your own personal environment. It helps the planet also. The Frugal Life website has lots of ideas on getting back to basics. They also have a free newsletter emailed twice a month.

Written to encourage families wanting to stretch their dollars, it includes articles or tidbits on topics such as: finance, decorating, gardening, and household tips from subscribers and questions from the website forum.

Sign up for their free email newsletter.

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to somebody you know. It's how we grow! Thanks!

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Copyright and Reprint Information
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The content, suggestions, and web links in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and not necessarily endorsed by our sponsor "The Herbs Place.com." This is a personal publication by Donna L. 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 L. 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. This newsletter may be forwarded without any alterations without seeking permission.