A Touch of Nature - 12/15/06

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Here At Bluebird Cove

We named our acre here in this community Bluebird Cove because, when we arrived in November 2000, there were a lot of bluebirds to be seen. Having lived in deep woods in Alabama where we came from, we rarely saw a bluebird since their favored habitat is open meadows. Here we have enough clearing around the house and the trees are thinned out enough for them to visit and even nest on our property.

They are most magnificent after all the leaves have fallen since seeing the streaks of blue here and there as they fly about is such a delight amidst a gray and brown woodland. They really make our deck and feeders colorful.

At this time of year, the males dominate. They don't have to "kiss up" on any missy to nest and make more bluebirds, so they take their "first in line" status to enjoy the freeze-dried mealworms, dried fruits and suet they like so much. Not all males have equal status though. The ones that were born this year generally stay around with the family through winter and even to help out with raising the next generation their parents generate. When we see several males on the deck rail, we can tell which one is the Papa of the family. He gets a bit bossy.

We've been having lovely weather here in Central Virginia - high 50's and mid-60's this week. I treasure each day that I can open up the doors and windows for a bit of fresh air in the house, but the warmer weather just makes me miss the flowers so much more. It won't be long till I see daffodils. Until then .... I will enjoy today!

Have a blessed and peaceful Christmas!
Donna

About Bats

In my last issue I mentioned bat houses. One of our subscribers was kind enough to email me and fill me in on some juicy and very helpful details about bats and their housing. He has given me permission to share it with you:

"Little Brown Bats will only roost in a tree if it has a lot of exposure to the sun, which means mainly dead trees with exfoliating bark. Both Little and Big Brown Bats will not roost in bat houses mounted on trees in the shade. I am a member of Bat Conservation International's (BCI) North American Bat House Research Project and have had successful bat houses now for 6 years. Unfortunately there are a lot of pictures out there which mistakenly show bat houses mounted on trees. In Europe this will work because they have different species over there. Here in the USA, the most common bats we have inhabiting bat houses are Little and Big Brown Bats and Mexican Free-tailed Bats in the south. They all require significant exposure to the sun for warmth. This is especially important for mothers while they are raising their young.

I have been corresponding with John Schaust, Head Naturalist with Wild Birds Unlimited about changing their pamphlet which shows a bat house mounted on a tree. They have since changed their online pamplet to show a bat house mounted on a pole in full sun. They will be distributing new pamplets to all their stores this spring.

Another tip: Bats will inhabit houses mounted on a building quicker than those on a pole because they always explore roof lines looking for places to get in. They love attics because the large amount of space, when heated during the day, stays warm throughout the night.

There is a really good forum on bat houses which I highly recomend: www.batnic.org. This forum, along with BCI's bat house researcher archives are two of the best sources of info on bat houses I've found on the net. The neat thing about building a bat house is that you can build a nice one for almost nothing out of one or two old pallets.

This past summer I had 4 maternity colonies of bats in my bat houses, 2 each of Little Brown and Big Brown, totaling around 200 bats. I experiment each year and learn a little bit more each year and I am really excited about next year!" Terry Lobdell

Thank you so much, Terry, for sharing your knowledge and findings with us.

Amazon Natives Use Google Earth, GPS to Protect Rainforest Home

Deep in the remote jungles of South America, Amazon Indians are using Google Earth and Global Positioning mapping to protect their fast-dwindling home. Indians log on to Google Earth and study images, inch by inch, looking to see where illegal gold mines are popping up.

Read the entire story here: news.mongabay.com/2006/1114-google_earth-act.html

Seas Census Reveals Unknown Forms of Life

Peering deep into the sea, scientists are finding creatures more mysterious than many could have imagined. An underwater peak in the Coral Sea was home to a type of shrimp thought to have gone extinct 50 million years ago. One of the highlights of the 2006 research occurred off the coast of New Jersey, where they discovered 20 million fish swarming in a school the size of Manhattan.

Read more of the wonderful discoveries in this article at CNN.com: www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/12/10/marine.census.ap/index.html

Thanks to my neighbor, Ken Bushell, for sending me this encouraging news article. Ken's an artist with fantastic landscape paintings. You can have a look for yourself at his website:
home.earthlink.net/~kwbushell/id13.html

Decorating a Tree for Wildlife

Winter is a tough time of year for many wildlife. They have less food and fewer daylight hours to look. Why not make it easier for the wildlife in your backyard?

Here's an article with suggestions offered to make Christmas a delight for the birds in your neighborhood: www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/winterdecorating.cfm

Did You Know?

* Parthenogenesis is the term used to describe the process by which certain animals are able to reproduce themselves in successive female generations without intervention of a male of the species. At least one species of lizard is known to do so and aphids also. More info:
www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0837738.html

* Mongooses were brought to Hawaii to kill rats. This plan failed because the rats are nocturnal while the mongoose hunts during the day.

* Many naturalists have concluded that a peanut diet is harmful to squirrels. It seems to result in weakening of eyesight and a thinning of the animals pelt. More info:
www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_009b.html

* A pelican consumes about 33-1/3 percent of its body weight in a single meal.

Kids Need Nature For Health and Mental Function

A 2005 report by Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit group that focuses on U.S. health care issues, revealed that kids' average weekly electronic-media exposure is 44 hours, more time than most parents spend on full-time jobs.

Sixty-six percent of young people have TV's in their rooms. Half of all youths live in homes where TV's are on most or all of the time, whether anyone is watching or not.

Last year, the University of California-Los Angeles Center on Everyday Lives of Families reported that during thew week, parents and children are in constant motion - racing between school, games, shopping, work - and that American kids spend virtually no time in their own yards.

Psychologists have found that time spent with nature protects the emotional well-being of children and can reduce symptoms of ADD. One study found that sixth graders enrolled in environment-based programs improved math and science scores 27%.

A New Zealand study found that kids who watched the least TV, especially between 5 and 11 years old, had the highest probability of graduating from college by the age of 26, regardless of IQ or socioeconomic status.

Environmental psychologists report that exposure to nature around the home, or simply a room with a view of a natural landscape, helps protect the psychological well-being of children. Children with disabilities gain enhanced body image and positive behavior changes through direct interaction with nature.

At the University of Illinois, researchers have discovered that children as young as 5 showed a significant reduction in the symptoms of ADD when they engaged with nature.

National Wildlife Federation recommends that children participate in at least one "green hour" every day - an hour spent outdoors in unstructured play. Here are some ideas:

Go on a nature walk
Put up a bird feeder to watch from a often used room
Set up a tent in the backyard and sleep out
Go on a bug hunt -- but leave the bugs where they live
Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat yard - get more info at: www.nwf.org/backyard/

Get more "green hour" info here: greenhour.blogspot.com/

Natural Herbs, Supplements and Essential Oils

Natural herbs and supplements bring the powerful world of nature into your body for health and healing. We've been using herbal remedies since the late 70's and have been so blessed by them.

It's been our full-time business since 1982. We'd appreciate you shopping with us.

Herbs and Supplements by Health Topic

Nature's Sunshine 100% Pure Essential Oils

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. Read more about Sunshine Concentrate.

Recycle Sneakers and Athletic Shoes

Nike, Inc., sponsers the Reuse-A-Shoe program which takes in used sneakers (all brands), grinds up selected parts, then remanufactures them into athletic equipment, such as playground padding gymnastic mats, and running tracks. The equipment is donated to worthy causes.

Call 800-352-6453 for drop-off locations and a Reuse-A-Shoe Program description or look online here:
www.nike.com/nikebiz/nikebiz.jhtml?page=27&cat=reuseashoe

Pets Are Part of Our Nature at Home and We Love Animals

Free Samples of Pet Food, Supplements and Treats - These formulas are developed by Dr. Jane Bicks, a highly respected and nationally recognized holistic veterinarian and author.

Pet Success Stories Using Nature's Remedies - Read how pet owners have used herbs.

Nature's Heartworm Program - Yes, there are successful herbal programs.

Healthy Pet News - Complimentary professional email newsletter with great articles.

Healthy Pet Corner - Resource site for cats, dogs, birds, horses, rabbits and reptiles.

Getting Involved - Sustainable Forest Management

A coalition of environmental groups runs the "Don't Buy SFI" campaign, which demands that the timber industry stop labeling its own products under the "Sustainable Forestry Initiative." The groups regard this program as greenwashing and an attempt to compete with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Label.

Visit the website to email the SFI's board chair and to join a program tracking SFI marketing in retail stores: www.dontbuysfi.com

If you're remodeling or building a home, look for wood bearing the FSC logo to guarantee your lumber comes from a sustainably managed forest. Check out this website to find a certified wood retailer in your area: www.certifiedwood.org

Where Are All The Hotlinks?

We have stopped making blue hotlinks on our off-site referrals because we are spending a large amount of time each month having to take them off when they become dead. They must be removed one at a time and with 14 publications a month going out, it is quite laborsome with 7 years of archives.

The Frugal Life - Living Well With What You Already Have
Living more simply is a great way to effect change in your own personal environment and it helps the planet. The Frugal Life website has lots of ideas on getting back to basics. They also provide a free newsletter twice-monthly and a forum where you can ask questions or search for information. Visit The Frugal Life site.

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Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2006 Donna L. Watkins

All photographs are the property of the editor, Donna L. Watkins. This newsletter may be forwarded in its entirety by email but may not be placed on any website without written permission.

Legal Disclaimer
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.