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A Touch Of Nature
April 1, 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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Hi Folks!

Our House Finches are doing well on the front porch with Mama on the nest and Papa singing her love songs from a nearby tree. Finches can sure chatter up a storm. It's been beautiful to hear them so close all day long.

We finally finished our pond in the back. Some do-it-yourself projects get a bit weary, but when it's all over, it's a good feeling. We still have to run the cord underground and connect it to the power source so we don't have to go outside to turn it on ... but somebody else will be doing that!

We've taken pictures from the time we began the project last year, so if you'd like to have a virtual visit, here's the link:  Our Pond Project

Knock on the deck door and I'll served iced herbal tea :-)

Happy Springtime!
Donna

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Critter Facts
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Finding Baby Opossums

Opossums breed two or three times each year, from February through September. The average litter contains six to nine babies. Opossums remain in the mother’s pouch until they are 2 months old. Between two and four months of age, they may ride on the mother’s back and are dependent on the mother for help in finding food and shelter. If you find a baby opossum:

Is the animal injured (bleeding, broken bones, wounds, deformity, etc.)?

If YES, contact your nearest wildlife veterinarian or rehabilitator.

If NO, opossums that are at least 8" long from tip of nose to the base of the tail (do not include the tail) and weigh more than 7.25 ounces or 200 grams are old enough to survive on their own in the wild and do not need human intervention. If the opossum does not meet these criteria, see below.

Is the opossum fully furred with its eyes opened?

If YES, but does not meet the size requirement for release, and is between two and three and a half months old and weighs 40-190 grams (1.5-7 ounces) contact a state licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately. Opossum babies are often found crawling around next to their dead mother and will not survive at this age without human care.

If NO, the baby needs immediate assistance. Contact a state licensed wildlife rehabilitator or wildlife veterinarian immediately. Babies separated from their mother at this stage have a slimmer chance of survival.

Information Provided By The Wildlife Center of Virginia

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Those Amazing Birds!
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Birds Attacking Windows

Many people become alarmed or annoyed when birds start attacking their windows in spring. The male cardinal pecking at your window is fighting what he perceives as an intruder and is simply defending his territory. He doesn't understand that it's his own reflection. Both males and females may do this, especially species that often nest close to houses, such as American Robins, Northern Cardinals, Chipping Sparrows, and Song Sparrows.

We and our neighbors have had bluebirds doing this. At our house the bird has chosen the window that our cats lay at in the morning. They have surely been entertained by it.

This territorial reaction may be so strong that the bird may exhaust itself, but it usually doesn't result in fatal injury. Window collisions are much more serious.

If you are concerned about the bird injuring itself, try covering the outside of the window with netting or fabric so the reflection is no longer visible. You can also try drawing soap streaks across the window to break up the reflection. This behavior is generally confined to spring time when birds are selecting and protecting their territory for mating and nesting.

For solutions to other bird challenges, visit the "All About Birds" site.

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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:

Relaxing Blend

50 drops mandarin
25 drops lavender
12 drops marjoram
5 drops sandalwood

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

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Gardening For Wildlife - Restoring the Balance
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Major Components of a Successful Butterfly Garden

1. Adult nectar sources - attract and nourish adult butterflies.

2. Larval host plants - attract ovipositing female butterflies, food source for developing larvae.

3. Shelter - vegetation that provides protection from temperature extremes, storms/rain, predators as well as locations for roosting/sleeping.

4. Water source with fountain - allows for easy and consistent access to water for drinking and thermoregulation.

Butterfly Garden Design

1. Provide a combination of adult nectar sources and larval host plants - attracts maximum variety of butterfly species; encourages butterflies to remain in your yard, reproduce and build populations instead of just passing through; allows gardener to appreciate all life history stages.

2. Incorporate native plants into the landscape whenever possible - most larval host plants are natives; adapted to region; produces a small but representative extension of the natural ecosystem; attracts other wildlife.

3. Create horizontal and vertical heterogeneity - choose plants that have different heights and growth habits; creates numerous microclimates which in turn appeal to a greater diversity of butterfly species; provides shelter; creates levels/strata of feeding opportunities).

4. Aim for a consistent host plant and floral venue throughout the growing season - choose plants that have different blooming times; ensures that garden remains attractive and productive as long as possible; provides food for butterflies during periods of low natural availability.

5. Provide a number of different flower colors - different butterfly species are attracted to different flower colors so include yellow, orange, white and blue flowers as well as reds, pinks, and purples.

6. Provide a mix of flower shapes - the feeding behavior and proboscis length of a butterfly dictate which flowers will be visited: long-tubed flowers, for example are typically more accessible to species with long probosces whereas many composites (daisy-like flowers) provide a fedding platform and easy nectar accessibility for smaller species.

7. Plant in shade as well as full sun - appeals to more butterfly species; many forest species prefer shadier locations.

8. Plant in groupings - aesthetically pleasing; provides masses of color; more apparent in landscape; allows larvae to locate additional food resources in event of shortage.

9. Choose appropriate plants for each location - understand each plan's basic water, light, and soil requirements; will perform and grow to its maximum potential.

Source: Compiled by Jaret C. Daniels
Find more information on plants for butterflies at the website.

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Shopping With Purpose
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Go Fish Retail Stores - Franchise

While we were in Charleston, SC, we visited a really unique shop. The business had begun to provide a way for people to earn a living wage and for us to get good craftsmanship products in exchange. They have unique clothing, jewelry and imports created by talented artisans.

You could have your very own Go Fish Clothing & Jewelry Store with a franchise. They offer marketing assistance and web promotion for your  store and they have the experience to make your business a success!

- DEAD LINK REMOVED - Read more about it.

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. :-)

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Muse On Nature
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"By permitting high rates of extinction to continue, we are limiting the potential growth of biological knowledge. In essense, the process is tantamount to book-burning; but it is even worse, in that it involves books yet to be deciphered and read."

-- James L. Buckley, 1981, Endangered Species Handbook

This quote was taken with permission from the www.extinctionmemorial.org site.

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"Green" Info - Making It a Way of Life!
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Opt-Out of Junk Mail

Much of the junk mail we get comes from mailing lists sold by credit card companies. They want you to charge more! You can get off of these mailing lists for a period of five years or permananently by visiting the website below.

How about all those phone calls? The Direct Marketing Association maintains phone and mailing lists also, so be sure to visit that link below too.

We did this about a year ago and it really works! It's amazing how little mail we get now and as far as phone calls. Maybe once a month .. and they are non-profits which I understand can't be blocked from calling.

Be sure to do each person in your family! That makes a difference.
Credit Card Companies
The Direct Marketing Association

 

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. 

 

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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Nature Organizations - Making a Difference!
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Forest Guardians

Forest Guardians is leading the fight to protect and restore the forests, rivers, grasslands, wildlife and wilderness of the Southwest, Southern Rockies and Southern Great Plains. We believe that the diversity of wildlife, plants and ecosystems, and our untrammeled wild spaces, hold the key to the rehabilitation of an impoverished region whose economy and culture are inextricably tied to a healthy land.   Forest Guardians

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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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If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward it on
to somebody you know. It's how we grow! Thanks!

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Copyright and Reprint Information
**************************** 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.