A Touch of Nature - 10/15/06
Here At Bluebird Cove
I've not only gotten to see two warblers this week, but was able to photograph them both. The Black-throated Blue Warbler you see here was a first sighting for me. I'd never seen one and this one spent almost a half hour on the deck petunia planters. I took almost 50 photos of it and ended up with the best 12 of the Black-throated Blue Warbler on the website. Click the double arrows to go from one photo to the next.
By the way, we now have our very own server so you will notice how much faster the photo gallery works. I love it! We are no longer sharing space with anybody to slow things down.
The Pine Warbler was in our Pyracantha bushes eating cottony scale. I posted an article on the Bluebird Cove blog entitled, "Nature's Balance - Japanese Beetles and Cottony Scale" that shows a photo of the warbler eating the scale. It's so exciting to see how nature balances itself out. The method of hanging bags out for Japanese Beetles has proven to attract more than it captures, so it's not being readily recommended by many extension offices or sites with suggestions on control.
I had a wonderful visit with Christina Tarman who was here for a week. We had a great time. View the photo album of Christina's visit. We had some garden time, hammock time (much too little), photos on the butterfly bench, we picked grapes, spent time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, played games, went to an apple harvest festival on top of the mountains, walked some trails and visited a couple historical sites.
We spent our last day at Crabtree Falls which is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. We determined we'd get to the top but having begun in mid-afternoon I was concerned that it would get dark before we got back down. I think we could've done it ... but we shall never know. We got different answers from the people coming down on how much further it was to go. The day was bright and sunny and gorgeous and the water was so forceful. The trees were turning colors as we climbed higher. The high mountain views became eye-level as we went up also. View the photo album of our time at Crabtree Falls.
Polar Bears Drowning in Arctic Thaw
Polar bears are drowning and receding Arctic glaciers have uncovered previously unknown islands in a drastic 2006 summer thaw widely blamed on global warming. Signs of wrenching changes are apparent around the Arctic region due to unusual warmth -- the summer minimum for ice is usually reached between mid-September and early October before the Arctic freeze extends its grip. Read the entire story online: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060915/sc_nm/enviroment_arctic_dc
(Do not add www to this address)
An Arctic schooner is going to be trapped in the Arctic for two years to investigate climate change and will be communicating via the internet. Read this story here: news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060928/sc_afp/russiafrancearctic
(Do not add www to this address)
How to Start a Fire With Sticks
Ever gone camping and forgot to bring the matches? Planning a Fall campout? Even if you take matches, why not take the challenge of starting a fire without matches. You can do it with sticks using the "bow drill" method. It would be a fun lesson for children too since they are so used to having everything instant these days. Here's a How-To Link.
New Bird Discovered in Andean Cloud Forest
A colorful new bird has been discovered in a previously unexplored Andean cloud forest. The bright yellow and red-crowned Yariguies brush-finch was named for the indigenous tribe that once inhabited the mountainous area where it was discovered. For conservationists, the discovery of the species came at a crucial time. The government has decided to set aside 500 acres of the pristine cloud forest where the bird lives to create a national park.
The sad part about this is for me to discover that generally to confirm a new species, the bird has to be killed. I didn't know that. This time they had two birds in captivity and one died, but the other was released back into the wild. It certainly makes the discovery rather sad for me. I think it's better to not have known about it. I'm sure there are lots of things out there that we haven't titled yet .... and that's okay with me if it means they can live. It just sounds better that way to me. See a photo of the bird and read more about this discovery.
Sunny Yellow Goldenrod
We have several varieties of goldenrod and the last one is in bloom. Soon they will all be drying seeds but even then they will be giving life to the birds that eat them. I was surprised to find that goldenrod was being sold at the garden center the last time I was there. That's exciting! People are finding out the benefits of this wonderful plant that has been falsely blamed for hayfever and Fall allergies. Many beneficial insects are attracted to this plant. Here's an article for backyard habitat called, "Autumn Beauties for the Garden."
This Week at Hilton Pond featured a segment on goldenrod recently. The photographs on his articles are worth the look in themselves, but the article, "A Glorious (But Gory) Goldenrod Patch" is delightful also, showing you the predators that lurk there. This photo from our garden shows a Goldenrod Spider on a Coneflower. This is one of the critters that lurks amongst goldenrod waiting for a meal to arrive. His article shows one that just caught a bee for lunch.
Musings
There is always music amongst the trees in the garden,
but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.
~Minnie Aumonier
Bamboo-Fiber Clothing
Bamboosa makes bamboo-fiber clothing and baby products that are naturally antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, odor-free and ultra-soft. Products are sweatshop-free and American-made. The styles are nice and the prices are reasonable. Check out the sales link.
Searching for Non-Toxic Paint?
When looking for nontoxic paint, you'll want to find a brand that is low in volatile organic compounds (VOC's), which are a class of chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and can cause a variety of health problems. If your local stores don't offer low-toxicity paints or won't order them for you, here are some options:
www.afmsafecoat.com
www.americanpridepaint.com
www.aurousa.org
www.bioshield.com
www.natureneutral.com
www.ecowise.com
www.ecohaus.com
www.medimports.net
www.realmilkpaint.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.
On The Previous Topic Of Groundhogs
We had contrasting opinions of this segment of my last issue as you will see from these emails I received:
#1 - "Donna, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your newsletter, A Touch of Nature. I absolutely loved this one and found the story about the groundhogs delightful. I also discovered Nature's Sunshine through you and I feel so much better! Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful, natural things in your life!" Lori
#2 - "Your article about groundhogs. I do not consider these animals cuties and neither would you if they lived in your yard and dug under your sheds and porch and destroyed your garden and plants. These animals are a pest and I hate them. They have even come on our deck and took the plastic off our chairs, I guess to help build thier nest. They are very difficult to get rid of and against the law to kill in Indiana and in the mean time they are continually multiplying. You can catch them in a cage and remove them and 2 days later either they are back or others have come. They may be cute to you as long as they are bothering someone else but see how cute you think they are when they invade your property." Kathy
These critters are not cuties to everybody as one of the subscribers pointed out. I can understand how cuteness wanes when your hard work is being rewarded only by damage from wildlife. We've got major problems in our own community with deer and squirrels and have had to make a lot of changes to the way we garden.
Not planting the things that they eat has taken a lot of time and labor with trial and error, and it has meant we can't have every plant we would like to grow. The choice had to be made whether we wanted to garden for wildlife or garden for us. We've found gardening for wildlife has brought more joy than we could ever have imagined and the loss of not being able to grow many things we wanted to turned out to be no loss at all compared to the entertainment that we get from the wildlife.
Here's an article that may give you some ideas on finding a balance:
Gardens and Wildlife: Making Everybody Happy
www.hsus.org/wildlife/urban_wildlife_our_wild_neighbors/gardens_and_wildlife_making_everybody_happy.html
For anybody else with groundhog problems, maybe this article will be of some assistance: Getting Groundhogs Out of Gardens
www.hsus.org/humane_living/living_in_harmony_with_animals/groundhogs_gardens.html
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 Corner - Resource site for cats, dogs, birds, horses, rabbits and reptiles.
Healthy Pet News - Complimentary professional email newsletter with great articles.
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.
Forward This Newsletter to a Friend
If you enjoy this newsletter, please let others know about it.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2006 Donna L. Watkins
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.
I've not only gotten to see two warblers this week, but was able to photograph them both. The Black-throated Blue Warbler you see here was a first sighting for me. I'd never seen one and this one spent almost a half hour on the deck petunia planters. I took almost 50 photos of it and ended up with the best 12 of the Black-throated Blue Warbler on the website. Click the double arrows to go from one photo to the next.By the way, we now have our very own server so you will notice how much faster the photo gallery works. I love it! We are no longer sharing space with anybody to slow things down.
The Pine Warbler was in our Pyracantha bushes eating cottony scale. I posted an article on the Bluebird Cove blog entitled, "Nature's Balance - Japanese Beetles and Cottony Scale" that shows a photo of the warbler eating the scale. It's so exciting to see how nature balances itself out. The method of hanging bags out for Japanese Beetles has proven to attract more than it captures, so it's not being readily recommended by many extension offices or sites with suggestions on control.
I had a wonderful visit with Christina Tarman who was here for a week. We had a great time. View the photo album of Christina's visit. We had some garden time, hammock time (much too little), photos on the butterfly bench, we picked grapes, spent time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, played games, went to an apple harvest festival on top of the mountains, walked some trails and visited a couple historical sites.We spent our last day at Crabtree Falls which is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. We determined we'd get to the top but having begun in mid-afternoon I was concerned that it would get dark before we got back down. I think we could've done it ... but we shall never know. We got different answers from the people coming down on how much further it was to go. The day was bright and sunny and gorgeous and the water was so forceful. The trees were turning colors as we climbed higher. The high mountain views became eye-level as we went up also. View the photo album of our time at Crabtree Falls.
Polar Bears Drowning in Arctic Thaw
Polar bears are drowning and receding Arctic glaciers have uncovered previously unknown islands in a drastic 2006 summer thaw widely blamed on global warming. Signs of wrenching changes are apparent around the Arctic region due to unusual warmth -- the summer minimum for ice is usually reached between mid-September and early October before the Arctic freeze extends its grip. Read the entire story online: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060915/sc_nm/enviroment_arctic_dc
(Do not add www to this address)
An Arctic schooner is going to be trapped in the Arctic for two years to investigate climate change and will be communicating via the internet. Read this story here: news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060928/sc_afp/russiafrancearctic
(Do not add www to this address)
How to Start a Fire With Sticks
Ever gone camping and forgot to bring the matches? Planning a Fall campout? Even if you take matches, why not take the challenge of starting a fire without matches. You can do it with sticks using the "bow drill" method. It would be a fun lesson for children too since they are so used to having everything instant these days. Here's a How-To Link.
New Bird Discovered in Andean Cloud Forest
A colorful new bird has been discovered in a previously unexplored Andean cloud forest. The bright yellow and red-crowned Yariguies brush-finch was named for the indigenous tribe that once inhabited the mountainous area where it was discovered. For conservationists, the discovery of the species came at a crucial time. The government has decided to set aside 500 acres of the pristine cloud forest where the bird lives to create a national park.
The sad part about this is for me to discover that generally to confirm a new species, the bird has to be killed. I didn't know that. This time they had two birds in captivity and one died, but the other was released back into the wild. It certainly makes the discovery rather sad for me. I think it's better to not have known about it. I'm sure there are lots of things out there that we haven't titled yet .... and that's okay with me if it means they can live. It just sounds better that way to me. See a photo of the bird and read more about this discovery.
Sunny Yellow Goldenrod
We have several varieties of goldenrod and the last one is in bloom. Soon they will all be drying seeds but even then they will be giving life to the birds that eat them. I was surprised to find that goldenrod was being sold at the garden center the last time I was there. That's exciting! People are finding out the benefits of this wonderful plant that has been falsely blamed for hayfever and Fall allergies. Many beneficial insects are attracted to this plant. Here's an article for backyard habitat called, "Autumn Beauties for the Garden."This Week at Hilton Pond featured a segment on goldenrod recently. The photographs on his articles are worth the look in themselves, but the article, "A Glorious (But Gory) Goldenrod Patch" is delightful also, showing you the predators that lurk there. This photo from our garden shows a Goldenrod Spider on a Coneflower. This is one of the critters that lurks amongst goldenrod waiting for a meal to arrive. His article shows one that just caught a bee for lunch.
Musings
There is always music amongst the trees in the garden,
but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.
~Minnie Aumonier
Bamboo-Fiber Clothing
Bamboosa makes bamboo-fiber clothing and baby products that are naturally antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, odor-free and ultra-soft. Products are sweatshop-free and American-made. The styles are nice and the prices are reasonable. Check out the sales link.
Searching for Non-Toxic Paint?
When looking for nontoxic paint, you'll want to find a brand that is low in volatile organic compounds (VOC's), which are a class of chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and can cause a variety of health problems. If your local stores don't offer low-toxicity paints or won't order them for you, here are some options:
www.afmsafecoat.com
www.americanpridepaint.com
www.aurousa.org
www.bioshield.com
www.natureneutral.com
www.ecowise.com
www.ecohaus.com
www.medimports.net
www.realmilkpaint.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.
On The Previous Topic Of Groundhogs
We had contrasting opinions of this segment of my last issue as you will see from these emails I received:
#1 - "Donna, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your newsletter, A Touch of Nature. I absolutely loved this one and found the story about the groundhogs delightful. I also discovered Nature's Sunshine through you and I feel so much better! Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful, natural things in your life!" Lori
#2 - "Your article about groundhogs. I do not consider these animals cuties and neither would you if they lived in your yard and dug under your sheds and porch and destroyed your garden and plants. These animals are a pest and I hate them. They have even come on our deck and took the plastic off our chairs, I guess to help build thier nest. They are very difficult to get rid of and against the law to kill in Indiana and in the mean time they are continually multiplying. You can catch them in a cage and remove them and 2 days later either they are back or others have come. They may be cute to you as long as they are bothering someone else but see how cute you think they are when they invade your property." Kathy
These critters are not cuties to everybody as one of the subscribers pointed out. I can understand how cuteness wanes when your hard work is being rewarded only by damage from wildlife. We've got major problems in our own community with deer and squirrels and have had to make a lot of changes to the way we garden.
Not planting the things that they eat has taken a lot of time and labor with trial and error, and it has meant we can't have every plant we would like to grow. The choice had to be made whether we wanted to garden for wildlife or garden for us. We've found gardening for wildlife has brought more joy than we could ever have imagined and the loss of not being able to grow many things we wanted to turned out to be no loss at all compared to the entertainment that we get from the wildlife.
Here's an article that may give you some ideas on finding a balance:
Gardens and Wildlife: Making Everybody Happy
www.hsus.org/wildlife/urban_wildlife_our_wild_neighbors/gardens_and_wildlife_making_everybody_happy.html
For anybody else with groundhog problems, maybe this article will be of some assistance: Getting Groundhogs Out of Gardens
www.hsus.org/humane_living/living_in_harmony_with_animals/groundhogs_gardens.html
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 Corner - Resource site for cats, dogs, birds, horses, rabbits and reptiles.
Healthy Pet News - Complimentary professional email newsletter with great articles.
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.
Forward This Newsletter to a Friend
If you enjoy this newsletter, please let others know about it.
Copyright and Reprint Information
© 2006 Donna L. Watkins
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.
posted by Donna at 5:04 PM
2 comments
