tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77372938775598999832024-03-13T12:52:15.129-04:00Beautiful World and A Novice NaturalistIt is about gardening, environment, climate, self-sustainability, growing one's food, organic, novice gardener in our beautiful world. KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-74574759311005751812021-03-11T19:02:00.000-05:002021-03-11T19:02:10.370-05:00A Fresh Start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7PFTGXlRSKlR9HFveybfQdMjdyzEgD8uNtL6g0XhHoBE_TsLoDC_x88fqdAOtM9OoUaOPmSHgp__BziuBSpckGZpYfKWmJTwudeF5KXarf0G6aZdFUdO-wXgH0jtc59yRXjWb9QSWLE/s595/freshstart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7PFTGXlRSKlR9HFveybfQdMjdyzEgD8uNtL6g0XhHoBE_TsLoDC_x88fqdAOtM9OoUaOPmSHgp__BziuBSpckGZpYfKWmJTwudeF5KXarf0G6aZdFUdO-wXgH0jtc59yRXjWb9QSWLE/s320/freshstart.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Another year has passed since I wrote my last post. The year has been hard not only me but on the whole world due to COVID. It was also the year when I lost my other four-legged son Matt on April 13, 2020.<div><br /></div><div>As we took COVID seriously, we literally became (and more or less still is) a prisoner within the house. Anxiety, loneliness being cut off from other family members and friends, and depression were the common theme of 2020. Life is not sustainable in that way. So, we and especially me starting a fresh start in 2021. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gardening pushes depression away; writing brings in excitement and hope as I dream and plan about the garden. I hope to capture all those ideas here in my small corner of the blog-world. </div><div><br /></div><div>My daughter is now three-years-old, and has started understanding and enjoying the concepts of gardening, growing and outdoor space. She is also unlike any children who loves eating vegetables and especially if they are fresh and raw. She would try to pick up anything green and nibble (and that can be dangerous since plants can be poisonous). She also loves ladybugs, birds, flowers, bees and butterflies. So, our ultimate garden will be a child-friendly yard with lots of fresh produce and flowers and herbs to attract her favorite creatures to the garden. </div><div><br /></div><div>The garden has gone into complete neglect in the last three years since I got busy into taking care of a child, and handling all the death and depression. So, in the last three days I have taken the baby-steps: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>seeded about 22 coriander seeds indoor under the grow light</li><li>seeded about 40 broccoli seeds and put it outside to make them cold-hardy and strong</li><li>scattered lots of coriander seeds outside in some big flat containers, ideal for growing coriander/cilantro. Winter has not yet left and so the outdoor seeds will take longer to germinate. </li><li>Cleaned up one of the beds; all the run-away strawberry plants from the bed has got re-planted in proper containers. </li><li>Planted the seeds of some store-bought organic pepper that we love</li><li>Ordered 25 sweet potato slips from Fedco, and </li><li>ordered lots and lots of tomato, eggplants and hot pepper plants from chile.com. I love this place as they are local and grow everything by themselves. It is a good way to help local economy. </li></ul></div><div><div>I hope to slowly convert the front and backyard into one of those showy home-gardens shown on British TVs. </div><div><br />
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-305841614934472152020-03-25T17:15:00.000-04:002020-03-25T17:20:29.433-04:00What a sad and eventful year and it is still continuing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been more than a year since I last wrote a post. And, within that time so many things happened to drastically change my life and outlook.
<br><br>On March 10, 2019 my first son, my beloved <a href="https://world-and-novice-naturalist.blogspot.com/2019/01/casper-and-tim-maher.html">Casper</a> passed away. Casper died due to the wrong diagnosis of the first veterinarian to whom I was taking him. Casper's death has really affected Matt, another of my pet-doggy-son. He has grown so old within a year; his face has become much whiter. He has developed arthritis and drags his back legs behind. So, I need to medicate him and that makes him good. But, the medicine has other side effects; he doesn't see or hear properly. He can no longer walk long distance or stand for a while or climb up and down the stairs. I am also seeing a small tumor being developed in his mouth. I am now wondering if he will survive the next one year.
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<br><br>On March 14, 2019, we did the last rite for Casper. We cremated him. It was a beautiful ceremony at a beautiful place. They really did everything so nicely that it seemed like Casper was just sleeping. I did not get much time to mourn Casper before my father got admitted to ICU on March 20, 2019. I needed to rush to his side. He was on ventilation and was almost passing away. He recovered slightly and the doctors put him on tracheostomy tubes. He had Parkinson Disease and dementia. He was completely bedridden now with tracheostomy tubes through which he breath and he was also fed through some nasal tube; he was on catheter; he looked like a skeleton lying on the bed with all sorts of tubes going into him. It was awful to look at him. And, he was not here (in the USA) and thus I couldn't do much as medical laws, rules, techniques, everything is really backdated in the country where he decided to live. He suffered all those tortures and passed away on December 28, 2019.
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The year 2019 was the year of death, not only the death of my beloved dog and my dearest father, but also of four colleagues, two close uncles and others. It was also the year when I lost my much-loved full-time job. I am a researcher and professor but my university decided to do restructure and thus it laid off more than 60% of all full-time faculties. Amidst all these sad and desperate time, I am glad that my partner and child are healthy and hearty and Matt is still here. My favorite garden with all its companions is also here. And, I hope it continues that way though 2020 is turning out to be worse as 2019 with Covid-19.
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I am yet to overcome all the tragedies of 2019 and the coronavirus is not helping so far. But, spring is in the air. I hope my garden and this garden blog will all the required peace that I need.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-14483881368650206062019-01-18T13:34:00.001-05:002019-12-12T17:19:14.116-05:00Casper and Tim Maher<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog is about gardening. But, today I am not going to talk about gardening but a wonderful creation. As you might remember from my others posts, I have two dogs. They are (or were) literally the stewards of my garden. They never destroyed any plants or any of the garden beds; they obediently followed all the rules about avoiding which parts of the garden. However, through barking and chasing they kept all the birds, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks away.<br />
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As my barren, no-tree, only-grass, chemical-infused (that's how the garden was when we bought our house) evolved through the last decade, so did the stewards. They grew old. The chasing gave away to nimble trot. Constant alert and watchfulness gave away to snoozing in the warmth of sun. You dare not come near my house growling turned to raspy and feeble barking. I saw them grow old and matured, and was getting comfortable with the idea of snoozing with them in front of the fire-place for many more moons to come. But man (woman in this case) proposes, God disposes.<br />
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The white one is Casper. On October 26, 2018, he started sneezing badly. They were loud sneezes, the force of which was making him fall over and get his head bumped on the floor. He then started bleeding from his nose. After much ups and down, fail diagnosis, bad veterinarians bent on just stealing money and not diagnosing, we found good vets. The final diagnosis is Cancer. Now, we are waiting for the result which will tell us what sort of cancer, how much time we have with him, any chance of cure or not. In the meantime, though, his health is deteriorating. He has lost almost all his muscles, he is now a skeleton with skin and fur. Now and then he refuses to eat. He is just a very strong dog with a stronger will, and that's what pushing him ahead, we think. He has already been hospitalized four times, and every time he bounced back so nicely that even the doctors were surprised.<br />
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I am just hoping such surprises and miracles continue. I am not yet ready to see him cross the rainbow-bridge. We recently had a baby, and life was so rosy and blissful. But after sunny days come the dark, cloudy days, I guess.<br />
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While all these are going on, I decided to have a portrait of Casper done. I know an awesome local artist. So, I requested him to create a portrait of Casper in oil-painting. I gave him a photo, and he created a Genuine Gem.<br />
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This is the picture of the oil-painting, and seriously the picture is not doing justice to the painting. The picture is all grainy and hazy. But, the real-painting is simply mesmerizing. We didn't realize that it was going to be so lively and life-like. Hubby and I simply cannot take our eyes away from the painting. The other evening I entered the room deep in thought; I caught the painting through the corner of my eyes and mused for a fraction of second what was casper doing on top of the door frame; how did he climb up there? Then I realized it was the painting.<br />
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The painting is so realistically done that it seems like real, living and breathing Casper staring out of it. The painting captured each and every spots and shades on his fur. Not a single strand of his fur missing. The posture is perfectly captured. His emotions and personalities are vividly coming out of the painting.<br />
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Now I am wondering whether the painting will give me solace or more heartache when Casper will be no longer with us. I will think Casper alive, sitting and staring at me; I will reach out to touch his soft fur only to realize that it is a painting.<br />
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Tim Maher is the artist who painted it. I wonder how long it took him to paint such a masterpiece, at least to our eyes since we know Casper in real life and thus can compare the painting to him. Yes, it costed some money; many might say why not blow up the photo to the size of the painting? But what is money compared to the love, dedication, thought and hard-work that the painter poured into the painting? Perhaps that is why the painting has come out so life-like as it got imbued with the magic and breath of the painter.<br />
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Thus, I dedicate this post to painter Mr. Tim Maher of New Jersey.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-3667169538645246062018-12-27T10:04:00.001-05:002019-01-20T22:57:07.519-05:00End of the Year 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been since ten months that I am away from this blog. It is because I now have a baby, well she has already grown to an eighteen month old toddler. It was easier to do some blogging when she was really young but I am finding that babies really become much more demanding as they grow up :-). My blogging and other free time flew out of the window as soon as she crossed one year of age.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO8Irl6IWfKM53SYBRuMxpEvm8H-ydTxFy8rCqGvmROL-_LQfQNJi2o8qz5mKneTX29esK_EK1pHieFV82zVFUvMrpHjCoc8M0KBciZebshFEZjLCGM_P5kaIVLg9VFqam_XdnSPVqmg/s1600/IMG_20181025_180246843_LL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO8Irl6IWfKM53SYBRuMxpEvm8H-ydTxFy8rCqGvmROL-_LQfQNJi2o8qz5mKneTX29esK_EK1pHieFV82zVFUvMrpHjCoc8M0KBciZebshFEZjLCGM_P5kaIVLg9VFqam_XdnSPVqmg/s320/IMG_20181025_180246843_LL.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she is busy inspecting the porch Christmas tree<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRluXzXUlApYsQ85UjiD2vKSrFYb9ZURHrypsZtVrxpBpBr-aVzeBLOrQr_D4uBv5BeL1nI9qB6V6ZgH139BDxxlpWa5qmHFqs6fn2Tc9F8MCswggrEQPlb1BAdqyxbItn9KJQFqCMS70/s1600/IMG-20181223-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="818" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRluXzXUlApYsQ85UjiD2vKSrFYb9ZURHrypsZtVrxpBpBr-aVzeBLOrQr_D4uBv5BeL1nI9qB6V6ZgH139BDxxlpWa5qmHFqs6fn2Tc9F8MCswggrEQPlb1BAdqyxbItn9KJQFqCMS70/s320/IMG-20181223-WA0002.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she, with her father, is accepting gift from Santa </td></tr>
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It has been a disastrous year in terms of gardening. I did not get any time to go out to the garden as I was busy with my full-time work, household work and motherhood work. Also, it was one of the wettest year in the history of NJ. Until September, the state received <a href="https://www.app.com/story/weather/2018/10/11/nj-weather-rain-precipitation-snow/1533340002/">32 percent above normal rain.</a><br />
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So, our garden grew so wild that in October we needed to call out landscaping company and shell out twenty-five hundred dollar to just clear out all the overgrown plants, weeds and mowing the knee-high grass.<br />
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But, I have lots of plans for the year 2019. She will be a two year old lady in June, and I am hoping that she will develop interest in nature and gardening, and that will help me in gardening What do you think? What does your experience say -- will I be able to devote lots of time in gardening with a toddler and at the same time have my full time and other jobs?<br />
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Some of the plans are already under way. Our garden is very uneven and slopy, with ups and downs. So, we already built a leveled patio. We also built a beautiful raised bed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKH0ThjJskEjLDgU-zWGvBX1cdOqBZd9FqVSKOCMfgfRRm7KACGJcUXboMxzOVDrzFAvwDUEdXVzN7ewE-bE0mosz2e3FeblATnTpN33PxNsVZicYPHFVp-n34MEoyXRQ1fDJEvK7k2M/s1600/IMG_20181203_121051212_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKH0ThjJskEjLDgU-zWGvBX1cdOqBZd9FqVSKOCMfgfRRm7KACGJcUXboMxzOVDrzFAvwDUEdXVzN7ewE-bE0mosz2e3FeblATnTpN33PxNsVZicYPHFVp-n34MEoyXRQ1fDJEvK7k2M/s200/IMG_20181203_121051212_HDR.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what the area looked before </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3YU1DuKKq1eFeSQUvN5gMeTkM_4fIoKJZADehE9qc9D8nOqVOw8Ld8RYjEcg0gOnLlAq94yBiCsRvfqerw-Xsu99EXv54qeW1sNt86P8qCn0Y3yvkyG2ylBJOA0tuJmIO041y2o29gY/s1600/IMG_20181223_134021727_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3YU1DuKKq1eFeSQUvN5gMeTkM_4fIoKJZADehE9qc9D8nOqVOw8Ld8RYjEcg0gOnLlAq94yBiCsRvfqerw-Xsu99EXv54qeW1sNt86P8qCn0Y3yvkyG2ylBJOA0tuJmIO041y2o29gY/s200/IMG_20181223_134021727_HDR.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how the area looks now with a brand-new patio</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzjdpF_ibdEprJY25FNUKT713jhCmXjvyaB_-nLOee3sAt6mJDbykuZUzRgwhtHth87TrS2E7F6_ZB2bh1QDhHC_nH8BVJn2r61vtYMpv83g7a42bLvaHuoKSQa45ZJFhy7urydeNE0o/s1600/IMG_20181203_121112032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzjdpF_ibdEprJY25FNUKT713jhCmXjvyaB_-nLOee3sAt6mJDbykuZUzRgwhtHth87TrS2E7F6_ZB2bh1QDhHC_nH8BVJn2r61vtYMpv83g7a42bLvaHuoKSQa45ZJFhy7urydeNE0o/s200/IMG_20181203_121112032.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how the side area looked like</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0JZfCQdJXKHJHi737pxvIQl9hJ8jCjLiQpt0rZkw6H6Oc0GoBbeHu0xE-wG7Hm5-XbvK8y9RO5TpYAOK-H4QaUL7I07OCSgSoOE7oFuRdhATxhuu36MhFz10Rr93QtXyJQ-u1NaI1lg/s1600/IMG_20181223_133958229_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0JZfCQdJXKHJHi737pxvIQl9hJ8jCjLiQpt0rZkw6H6Oc0GoBbeHu0xE-wG7Hm5-XbvK8y9RO5TpYAOK-H4QaUL7I07OCSgSoOE7oFuRdhATxhuu36MhFz10Rr93QtXyJQ-u1NaI1lg/s200/IMG_20181223_133958229_HDR.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A portion of the side area now has this beautiful raised bed</td></tr>
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Still lots of work left -- more raised beds on other sides, arbor for grapes, cleaning of leaves and pruning. I have some trees by the side and front of the new patio. Since the patio is made of bricks, I am thinking of creating some kind of structure around the base of the tree, a brick circle with stones as mulch, as shown in the picture below:<br />
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Much of our lawn got stripped off in the process of building all these structures. So, instead of laying down a lawn, I am going to plant in creeping thyme, sage and oregano and lay down a path in between.<br />
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A big play area for the toddler was also created. On it will go tree-house and swings and playing sets for the toddler. By its side will be grown kid's flower garden and kid's vegetable garden.<br />
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We truly have an ever-evolving garden. Since we moved into this house in 2009, our garden has gone from bare green lawn to wilderness area, from tiny raised bed and vegetable garden to big raised beds and fruits, herbs, flowers and vegetable garden, from really used and nice self-built greenhouse (which even produced during winter but got destroyed during hurricane Sandy) to a broken greenhouse. Now, it is slowly turning into a matured, family-friendly but also at the same wilderness-friendly garden.<br />
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So, to all of my garden friends, I wish all of you Happy Gardening in 2019 and to all of us, many, many years of good health and happy gardening. May the New Year of 2019 brings lots of good vibes and harmony and peace in both your life and your garden. A Very Happy New Year to all of you.<br />
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-11097922286647194762018-02-08T09:03:00.000-05:002018-02-08T09:03:19.876-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">An epic battle has started; the battle between spring and winter. As spring peeks from around the corner, winter jumps back into the arena with mighty force.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVXpw-En2LFOyV_IUMN7_Nb3auSlRDYsIMYiaX672hgv2MCTa8dLGsA1fyIj3mcyXvGKzqYqv5u75YKn473wl7IojKGW2fi_9eHH_STgXBBH_xFEAC3RPWD4Zwyz2hU1FYoYPqNX_QBc/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVXpw-En2LFOyV_IUMN7_Nb3auSlRDYsIMYiaX672hgv2MCTa8dLGsA1fyIj3mcyXvGKzqYqv5u75YKn473wl7IojKGW2fi_9eHH_STgXBBH_xFEAC3RPWD4Zwyz2hU1FYoYPqNX_QBc/s640/DSC_0004.JPG" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A bright blue spring sky with temperature in fifties.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On such spring days, I see the squirrels clambering up and down the trees, licking, sucking and tugging at the bark. Do they eat bark? Or are they eating something that's there on the bark? Anyone knows?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Strong gusty wind and blankets of white snows are the weapons she employs first, followed by icy rain and sleets.
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A Caroline Wren (or just a wren) enjoying the winter. It is a gorgeous bird with a upright, pointy tail, round body and sharp beak. It loves suet, and prefers it over black sunflower seed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What Mother Earth takes thousands of years to create, feisty Winter creates the Stalactites by the sides of houses, on tree trunks in a matter of minute.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIe8Kmdafx0eP9nsIFuTiejxqQEkcnz2TL6TCBCfO338KNdnzqdbkOiCZP6N0clHcpgL0mrXtPsz4CUEFfWmiIo6QTGczJ3Ah8GQl4I6BBEt_pRzymBBqGmZbctb6l0F3iwzCt7hsj78/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIe8Kmdafx0eP9nsIFuTiejxqQEkcnz2TL6TCBCfO338KNdnzqdbkOiCZP6N0clHcpgL0mrXtPsz4CUEFfWmiIo6QTGczJ3Ah8GQl4I6BBEt_pRzymBBqGmZbctb6l0F3iwzCt7hsj78/s640/DSC_0013.JPG" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The sparkling diamonds are actually smaller sized stalactites on the branches. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy_Eov8SoCnNEX9oLt-n_xVL94TUW6hNwpzkW_aSRRZaWI8HCn0pIG01n7KOVFGNSX0GO13k58RbwrZ7HdG5KlajbhACf2k4mYJB_if0bv1Ia-lQkS0eeo2Rw3QBOqYK96SbYmBR-bEE/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy_Eov8SoCnNEX9oLt-n_xVL94TUW6hNwpzkW_aSRRZaWI8HCn0pIG01n7KOVFGNSX0GO13k58RbwrZ7HdG5KlajbhACf2k4mYJB_if0bv1Ia-lQkS0eeo2Rw3QBOqYK96SbYmBR-bEE/s640/DSC_0015.JPG" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More Stalactites by the side of the house. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spring loses; winter wins, and the birds gather around feeders to survive the winter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">European Sterlings on the suet-feeder. Many people are opposed to feeding these birds as they are not native. I cannot control who comes to my feeders, and I do not mind these birds. It was not their fault that they got introduced into this country. They also need to eat and survive. But, when this flock comes to a feeder, they finish everything within a matter of minutes.
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>, and <a href="http://bettysnzblog.blogspot.com/">My Views of NZ</a>.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-79095507218713563682018-01-22T15:27:00.000-05:002018-01-22T15:27:02.083-05:00Is Spring Around The Corner?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The weather has become mellow, in the past one week, with temperature rising above 40 or 50 degree Fahrenheit in the morning. All the snows have melted, and green grasses peeking out from here and there. Squirrels are chasing across each other up and down the trees. I see them do that every spring. I guess that is how they find their mates. Birds are singing out loudly. And, I have started planting in seeds or ordering out plants. That's what happening in the nook of my world.
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Here is a red-bellied woodpecker pecking out food that I leave around: <br><br>
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>, and <a href="http://bettysnzblog.blogspot.com/">My Views of NZ</a>.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-49493862265348752942018-01-19T12:03:00.002-05:002018-01-19T12:03:44.756-05:00Weekend Journal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am participating in <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/weekend-journal-page-jan-5/">Weekend Journal of Art </a> hosted by <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St. Germain's</a>.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefpTQ6LPVmnb9zrjPWMVWq34uxC87Avl4rMEpBveo4vMn5gX_v3fNN8BatFXtJdM3bkMVjZv0ZP_38FZ6olEFTNeZ3s2A6ghktO9hgTic_XgGcKwyCV1j85ETY4sjXHcwiXg6tyHtNlg/s1600/IMG_20180119_112158551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefpTQ6LPVmnb9zrjPWMVWq34uxC87Avl4rMEpBveo4vMn5gX_v3fNN8BatFXtJdM3bkMVjZv0ZP_38FZ6olEFTNeZ3s2A6ghktO9hgTic_XgGcKwyCV1j85ETY4sjXHcwiXg6tyHtNlg/s640/IMG_20180119_112158551.jpg" width="480" height="640" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>
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This was a picture drawn and painted by me when I was very young. Thus, you see what I call "youngish" or "childish" theme -- village, church, school, house, etc. I think children/younger people start by drawing such familiar things/concepts, and thus I call them such.
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Sorry about the reflection of our book-shelf into the picture. Though lights were off but still the reflection came. Now, I could have taken down the picture, and take it somewhere to photograph. But, I have injured my wrist and thus avoiding any extra work as much as possible.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-9027908843848274722018-01-08T14:58:00.001-05:002018-01-08T14:58:05.001-05:00An Unusual Vegetable Plant And A Big Thank You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Do you know of an animal that is indestructible? Neither space, nor radiation, atomic blast, high pressure or temperature as low as minus 325 degree Fahrenheit can kill it? If you don't know about it, then learn about such an animal -- Tardigrades -- <a href="https://www.livescience.com/57985-tardigrade-facts.html"> here</a>. I think I have a similar plant which is nutritious, beneficial and can be thus eaten. It's almost indestructible unless of course one burns it down or put it outside in freezing temperature. It is called <i><strong><font color="red">Longevity Spinach</font></strong></i>, Gynura Procumbens.
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<strong><font color="red">House Plant</font></strong>: The plant has reddish stem, and big dark-green oval leaves. It can be grown in a small pot (and of course in a big pot or in ground). It can be grown as a tree (with hard-stem), or as a vine (if you let it grow and don't chop it off), and as a shrub (if you trim it and also grow side-shoots). It can also be grown in a hanging-basket. As the leaves mature, the underside of the leaves become rich burgundy in color. Thus, it can be grown as just a house-plant if you don't want to eat it. It can be grown in both sun and real-shade. In fact, the leaves taste better if grown in shade.
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<strong><font color="red">Food</font></strong>: It's name give out its real importance -- it is an extremely beneficial plant for our health. The plant is originally from China and South-east Asia. It can also be found in certain regions of Africa. Natural doctors (folk-medicine) in both Asia and Africa have long used this plant as cure against many diseases. It has high anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-carcinogenic properties, and contains many beneficial alkaloid and steroids. Modern medicine has found it to lower blood-pressure, blood-cholesterol, blood-fat and blood-sugar.
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<strong><font color="red">How to eat it</font></strong>: It can be eaten both raw and cooked. It has a very nice fragrance but of course one needs to like that fragrance (much like how some people like the fragrance of Cilantro; others hate it and like that of Parsley). I chop off the leaves and tender stems in manageable pieces and saute them with garlic and salt (just like 1-2 minutes on low-medium heat) and eat. One can put fish or meat in the saute; or put the leaves in soup/stew.
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<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnX6k8Yplx0fklYPTNkO3Pn58J3Jm3EF_MKh5k3iZCGptKi2vzYi9XckLA4ssC_7SLwwDKdSIiL7f6W_CMlMOtWcnHutcPGh3YMd7rsUfjxsLQz5oW1CeJXZGQhYpseLjOUr5lJwIMNw/s1600/IMG_20171218_080511913.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnX6k8Yplx0fklYPTNkO3Pn58J3Jm3EF_MKh5k3iZCGptKi2vzYi9XckLA4ssC_7SLwwDKdSIiL7f6W_CMlMOtWcnHutcPGh3YMd7rsUfjxsLQz5oW1CeJXZGQhYpseLjOUr5lJwIMNw/s320/IMG_20171218_080511913.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiit_-mUuoOMyzTar4Xg8Ybvjdqq2P1EHi4Pi-4WB7T2ZFdsyXVajSPk0anNjYW3P8jeSwfFn1Fr4RRSk1AZKz5QudKM1ulJ2hyphenhyphenVqti25EDYFRQ7pQaY9xOw-m_hDkTYv-pHS7V2imfw2Y/s1600/IMG_20171218_081221516.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiit_-mUuoOMyzTar4Xg8Ybvjdqq2P1EHi4Pi-4WB7T2ZFdsyXVajSPk0anNjYW3P8jeSwfFn1Fr4RRSk1AZKz5QudKM1ulJ2hyphenhyphenVqti25EDYFRQ7pQaY9xOw-m_hDkTYv-pHS7V2imfw2Y/s320/IMG_20171218_081221516.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQcQiazuafPqt-ZvwySpKTa9zloQ9b287bvWK9aiGvs5AflZeHSUVjDHlMhY88iuTHRbn8MctqedA1syjXSMPTiC0IcMaUi7GMOJUkM1dxin2mlJs9ZPIyKlzkw3GaawE5k_H0v8QFlQ/s1600/IMG_20171218_081416188.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQcQiazuafPqt-ZvwySpKTa9zloQ9b287bvWK9aiGvs5AflZeHSUVjDHlMhY88iuTHRbn8MctqedA1syjXSMPTiC0IcMaUi7GMOJUkM1dxin2mlJs9ZPIyKlzkw3GaawE5k_H0v8QFlQ/s320/IMG_20171218_081416188.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></td>
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<strong><font color="red">Propagate</font></strong>: To prepare the dish, I cut down branches as shown in the picture above. Those stems that are not tender, I put them either in soil directly or in water. And, voila! after about ten days, they start growing roots and leaves. Here I have put them in water (as I am experimenting) but most of them time, I do not put them in water. Just put them in soil; they do not need any rooting hormone or anything. They will just grow and become another tree/vine/plant/shrub, depending on how you are trimming them. That's why I called it AN INDESTRUCTIBLE PLANT.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpjJJY_tSkWIaRZY_FFKbj75E3etLdZ0KftJYLtRv3aKw3cP3X52FFzfddMVY73I1KLyOg2E-nJscrCa45JlHmuXrdb-L9lqEyk6m3sg5fZ4lRyHMD8AgRl3EUMh6r-lcshwB8YwFUvw/s1600/IMG_20180105_103946363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpjJJY_tSkWIaRZY_FFKbj75E3etLdZ0KftJYLtRv3aKw3cP3X52FFzfddMVY73I1KLyOg2E-nJscrCa45JlHmuXrdb-L9lqEyk6m3sg5fZ4lRyHMD8AgRl3EUMh6r-lcshwB8YwFUvw/s400/IMG_20180105_103946363.jpg" width="300" height="400" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfDW-_4I7e4vKOCuxonOupWb6MHMul9IbaNm_zoy3pHrbygSD5MbHukYJ4LxSfzmB4vR_UvTX75zQGtMsDBD5C857dcITJz2phmPjQtjeOfjTWaptcyU9HB_b2wmosymYPKWw1ta2ZCI/s1600/IMG_20180105_103957200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfDW-_4I7e4vKOCuxonOupWb6MHMul9IbaNm_zoy3pHrbygSD5MbHukYJ4LxSfzmB4vR_UvTX75zQGtMsDBD5C857dcITJz2phmPjQtjeOfjTWaptcyU9HB_b2wmosymYPKWw1ta2ZCI/s400/IMG_20180105_103957200.jpg" width="300" height="400" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>
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A <strong><font color="red">BIG THANK YOU</font></strong> to all of you who wished good luck for my fur-baby. He literally gave us a heart-attack with extreme drooling and complete loss of balance. We thought he had a stroke; or brain tumor, which we were not aware of, suddenly ruptured, and we would lose him. But, luckily (may he live for another twenty more years, fingers-crossed, wood touched) it was just vestibular infection or in layman tongue -- middle ear infection. He is on medication and recovering.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJJNznL0gkoOZ2PPxlNEbJ76a73qq70f19DC91FQlAVXWnncUCV1n1Xt9JVS9VI9mO-5faku4AxZzBjsSEYKKWZCo943ngXOjfPseYerwMnKOhNfpZRFngZ_pcAgNntGG-XAfkTxUfto/s1600/IMG_20171221_122604013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJJNznL0gkoOZ2PPxlNEbJ76a73qq70f19DC91FQlAVXWnncUCV1n1Xt9JVS9VI9mO-5faku4AxZzBjsSEYKKWZCo943ngXOjfPseYerwMnKOhNfpZRFngZ_pcAgNntGG-XAfkTxUfto/s640/IMG_20171221_122604013.jpg" width="480" height="640" data-original-width="1200" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-2143860876550562152017-12-25T19:01:00.002-05:002017-12-25T19:01:40.411-05:00Merry Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Very Happy New Year. I woke up to a white Christmas, my favorite. But, my four-legged baby has been having some emergencies since Friday, and thus it has not been a good Christmas for me. Here are some white Christmas scenes and sky from our backyard.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHOZujlpTSvlOhlz3BWNu_XBtlSumyiSup4cIfiWbUkVGaE2Vha6FQBOsNfxm9mm8Cgoc4hGMb8_GvqEcttHn__h8hwm6abzIMA9vRxutRGYohiJx-YyDP91vJ-7laC_dCO2o4Z0syBk/s1600/Dec25_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHOZujlpTSvlOhlz3BWNu_XBtlSumyiSup4cIfiWbUkVGaE2Vha6FQBOsNfxm9mm8Cgoc4hGMb8_GvqEcttHn__h8hwm6abzIMA9vRxutRGYohiJx-YyDP91vJ-7laC_dCO2o4Z0syBk/s640/Dec25_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow..snow..everywhere</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAjGFGDkJVtJbSGrWJuzFAwbcrGWepc7lJaVWNBz8V5jO4zmyXTu23lFCA1673UubERFH5daqV0hRBvaW57DzmwSwfMBOFcpgW_Lsk07aDuhllABoWa_scajAeRDG0yIvupHIMzGzNps/s1600/Dec25_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAjGFGDkJVtJbSGrWJuzFAwbcrGWepc7lJaVWNBz8V5jO4zmyXTu23lFCA1673UubERFH5daqV0hRBvaW57DzmwSwfMBOFcpgW_Lsk07aDuhllABoWa_scajAeRDG0yIvupHIMzGzNps/s640/Dec25_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Cold Morning</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCe5KFJ8jQERyNESbSMtwL_nHwmx2hhli01cx7CfCO2Jcq5HpvVLpTpr9WaACXGufxtgPq5eTl7CCD0I1MX6Gn4Rw38IpA75suNRSkvThHs_w4WH1saVkG3UzcuMahkspK1k76JhiH8U/s1600/Dec25_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCe5KFJ8jQERyNESbSMtwL_nHwmx2hhli01cx7CfCO2Jcq5HpvVLpTpr9WaACXGufxtgPq5eTl7CCD0I1MX6Gn4Rw38IpA75suNRSkvThHs_w4WH1saVkG3UzcuMahkspK1k76JhiH8U/s640/Dec25_4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun is rising on the morning of December 25, 2017</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcqDFcsmMCChWyJr4cAJi-5DBgATdBTlFd7zJEwiycZAvt4ebNCnhjgGqXaCPg5cm7q-RKweMW-usnvRjrnTrvikZZxeAEN-f8nM4iNBUUgVjBkD7LOU0Pqr43Kzq8sH7Y-_s8sBEhoM/s1600/Dec25_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcqDFcsmMCChWyJr4cAJi-5DBgATdBTlFd7zJEwiycZAvt4ebNCnhjgGqXaCPg5cm7q-RKweMW-usnvRjrnTrvikZZxeAEN-f8nM4iNBUUgVjBkD7LOU0Pqr43Kzq8sH7Y-_s8sBEhoM/s640/Dec25_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, it has risen some more</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedfjOG022EduFDCOe89OPmjs_uIBKmjqEyitu3Ubqne76Q0LxP_7V_p54RyrVFNb9cJ48iQrskrkjvWunWVoMGdzRqGcfSuHiUIWE5qWB0j7ngiSLpEy4HSiL_M6lk-iw2EIp8THWbjw/s1600/Feliz.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="626" height="633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedfjOG022EduFDCOe89OPmjs_uIBKmjqEyitu3Ubqne76Q0LxP_7V_p54RyrVFNb9cJ48iQrskrkjvWunWVoMGdzRqGcfSuHiUIWE5qWB0j7ngiSLpEy4HSiL_M6lk-iw2EIp8THWbjw/s640/Feliz.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Minion came to my garden to wish you all Feliz Navidad :-)</td></tr>
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-35175052005129543482017-12-18T23:38:00.003-05:002017-12-18T23:38:33.894-05:00The Year of the Bird <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
National Audobon Society along with National Geographic, Cornell's Lab of Ornithology and others have declared 2018 "The Year of the Bird" to mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. You can find more about the treaty <a href="https://www.fws.gov/birds/policies-and-regulations/laws-legislations/migratory-bird-treaty-act.php"> here</a>. You can sign up for the centennial celebration <a href="https://www.blogger.com/birdyourworld.org"> here</a>.
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Every year more than 50 billion birds migrate from one place to another all over the world. During this worldwide phenomena, they face many problems -- they are shot dead for food, plumes, feather and trophy hunting; their food and water sources are dwindling due to habitat loss; electrocuted by properly constructed electric lines; collide into skyscrapers or other such taller structures; get affected by EM radiation by TV, Radio and Cellphone towers (as birds depend on the magnetic fields for migration) -- and many other such hazards. However, the biggest threat is loss of food and water. For example, 80% of the US yards (whether home or office) have non-native plants, and such plants cannot provide any food for the migratory birds. You can find the native plants for your yard (based on your zip-code) <a href="https://www.audubon.org/native-plants"> here</a>.
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I tried and found out that there are seventy-three native trees, evergreens, grasses and plants that I can have in my garden. Out of those 73, I already have twenty-eight of them. My garden is small, and thus I will not be able to plant any of the trees :-(. Some of my native plants in my garden, and some of my friends who visit my garden are as shown below:
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgY4L7LvkzgY0Mt5U5NbOFtD-_l0JYR6bir2yUqEnGW6d5OH_o1IKLHcTELNU66o0M70IfacI7uXRpxYSF9ViG8uKDGJ_0hfciVK_tCiKh7MA31e-NlgDmG6aThe2kLvOV1-fYYJqHAHg/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgY4L7LvkzgY0Mt5U5NbOFtD-_l0JYR6bir2yUqEnGW6d5OH_o1IKLHcTELNU66o0M70IfacI7uXRpxYSF9ViG8uKDGJ_0hfciVK_tCiKh7MA31e-NlgDmG6aThe2kLvOV1-fYYJqHAHg/s640/DSC_0089.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe-Pye Weed (native) along with Hollyhock and Tansy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqpn_RHjYfC205NBjJApqwWW551SUcEsBa3Eqom9F8u_9HCg0tX6vtlJ0M7ObaSUOgZCa1y3pe2g6W8_13nAiB3qU-zuAg8nOa4DwjqsSvRpeeaaTfnj6GdhbPhPl_gBL_VFSAuMTkgA/s1600/DSC_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqpn_RHjYfC205NBjJApqwWW551SUcEsBa3Eqom9F8u_9HCg0tX6vtlJ0M7ObaSUOgZCa1y3pe2g6W8_13nAiB3qU-zuAg8nOa4DwjqsSvRpeeaaTfnj6GdhbPhPl_gBL_VFSAuMTkgA/s640/DSC_0090.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rudbeckia (native)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia8Twcaznt32efPusPZ7syK1oCpPUsjaq08lXtqctDG1EGXX_GcZTJd6oaNY-hzQ7aDx51UqToRyeRtNbcBfUzK5pNtfRg6ii29Sh_IiPRfxHtIwYI9xjKhICLejSbroMwNCZPcVX-YQ/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgia8Twcaznt32efPusPZ7syK1oCpPUsjaq08lXtqctDG1EGXX_GcZTJd6oaNY-hzQ7aDx51UqToRyeRtNbcBfUzK5pNtfRg6ii29Sh_IiPRfxHtIwYI9xjKhICLejSbroMwNCZPcVX-YQ/s640/DSC_0092.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milkweed (native) with Monarch</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVRPmYBdWKlDZa9GzQ1wwpBi2qlQU4SyyeRn88LSdob9mOzikHk7I-alb16-KQKuWcEq5exRswPfOIfKyzLoq0HcTXkH9X-6aPAiilB6_HZc9PC7j9i6NdyopW87Q8PAhjTfPghouJ_Y/s1600/DSC_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVRPmYBdWKlDZa9GzQ1wwpBi2qlQU4SyyeRn88LSdob9mOzikHk7I-alb16-KQKuWcEq5exRswPfOIfKyzLoq0HcTXkH9X-6aPAiilB6_HZc9PC7j9i6NdyopW87Q8PAhjTfPghouJ_Y/s640/DSC_0103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coneflower (native) with Swallowtail</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEico4Au7qYtaBy3Tc2ApS3SOWV_QxEAmUQltjJrLwP3x3zKgeM47Ib3tGUYUcT49z3WtNsDWDqFW-KmyiHgBtzM2HW08XOxhUJYkLwEjdsc-EUWQpiHq4ScV1IQ4rtKAT48335MEtmkZSU/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEico4Au7qYtaBy3Tc2ApS3SOWV_QxEAmUQltjJrLwP3x3zKgeM47Ib3tGUYUcT49z3WtNsDWDqFW-KmyiHgBtzM2HW08XOxhUJYkLwEjdsc-EUWQpiHq4ScV1IQ4rtKAT48335MEtmkZSU/s640/DSC_0107.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native Sunflower</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhbZG04kwLHUfa9yXa7CHp5x0F0X9V4-1XqVrDWCfZUr_AsY_Pxq53O-o74sOhTQRR7mkIICXaWZEIb0xTVDvd-vs2hyut5dHCTg0tnresHxvI8Ro2WyCOpidPIqACXE08I0G1Z3xOS4/s1600/DSC_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhbZG04kwLHUfa9yXa7CHp5x0F0X9V4-1XqVrDWCfZUr_AsY_Pxq53O-o74sOhTQRR7mkIICXaWZEIb0xTVDvd-vs2hyut5dHCTg0tnresHxvI8Ro2WyCOpidPIqACXE08I0G1Z3xOS4/s640/DSC_0108.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coneflower (native)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKl_lXQqWxj8Cv5gj-l1cuKHhVuwHvjIqAvKJonKS8OeJ_sZwcdWAsmE3L9gLx3MYnLchMTjnlIRwVQtNpJs6Ik-S2XQ9DDLoXltpzmNVwv2vhMRygTZDz7DSsse0Bz9PFm-JRtgoJDk/s1600/DSC_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKl_lXQqWxj8Cv5gj-l1cuKHhVuwHvjIqAvKJonKS8OeJ_sZwcdWAsmE3L9gLx3MYnLchMTjnlIRwVQtNpJs6Ik-S2XQ9DDLoXltpzmNVwv2vhMRygTZDz7DSsse0Bz9PFm-JRtgoJDk/s640/DSC_0110.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native Sunflower with Grayfeather (native)</td></tr>
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<tr><td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1CpnbrJLnYF_yABe0DJSe8L1zCzMBiU4opFJOQ8ePYyNHUAIYVQc6GPMWMn_RIKPXRg-yGxfP139S-EEyfH5C-FBjeuxi_3FaehsbO6opt4rTHF86pPADvidPaznCw0HSwB8w1Y2Ew4/s1600/DSC_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1CpnbrJLnYF_yABe0DJSe8L1zCzMBiU4opFJOQ8ePYyNHUAIYVQc6GPMWMn_RIKPXRg-yGxfP139S-EEyfH5C-FBjeuxi_3FaehsbO6opt4rTHF86pPADvidPaznCw0HSwB8w1Y2Ew4/s320/DSC_0035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipmunk</td></tr>
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</td>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHf4hyphenhyphenJTXxmhpUR1pBXlS6loL5LeJMm9uucuDpy9p52tNilMT6PbTQ3LlJG5VjGmUGXsWN5ruD-4eXF7HGGXDI0BgDqFTxDmLLxUkkR6I8DHFS6dSeuyxeYOPlDP7r_yTVH2TAtRLxuA/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHf4hyphenhyphenJTXxmhpUR1pBXlS6loL5LeJMm9uucuDpy9p52tNilMT6PbTQ3LlJG5VjGmUGXsWN5ruD-4eXF7HGGXDI0BgDqFTxDmLLxUkkR6I8DHFS6dSeuyxeYOPlDP7r_yTVH2TAtRLxuA/s320/DSC_0059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finch or Sparrow</td></tr>
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</td>
<td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61H-KlKRpJ6SDf2xJVc3zZLQBvf2j8fOVzDGnp6hgNY-UTsxHhOUfNXpZAHV3QLlJA60xlXchKQIjXeJLOanHmhAzRx37eQsYs7mraGSkJgxaMEJfJbWb_Sq6hqFFZVRi9oZaLTXknTc/s1600/hummingbird.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="884" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61H-KlKRpJ6SDf2xJVc3zZLQBvf2j8fOVzDGnp6hgNY-UTsxHhOUfNXpZAHV3QLlJA60xlXchKQIjXeJLOanHmhAzRx37eQsYs7mraGSkJgxaMEJfJbWb_Sq6hqFFZVRi9oZaLTXknTc/s320/hummingbird.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hummingbird!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXBSbT3tVFOTVPWMru70gYptEvPGINGoetl-OaWbK_dSQRWzUJgu2A1bmNQsBGdmSqD1e0AUiDGxgNBPH9SD7Dv7X_A5E0UMnbQ51udXmx9EBEisQJzKWAgFMfPpRi5NWbFGZcPJoQRA/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXBSbT3tVFOTVPWMru70gYptEvPGINGoetl-OaWbK_dSQRWzUJgu2A1bmNQsBGdmSqD1e0AUiDGxgNBPH9SD7Dv7X_A5E0UMnbQ51udXmx9EBEisQJzKWAgFMfPpRi5NWbFGZcPJoQRA/s320/DSC_0042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Cardinal doing peek-a-boo</td></tr>
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</td>
<td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0R3ew-6utUWmgmYmusFVMOxUAZWkG11f2jyABoxgdlc2RDghH2dW2QOizF8d-gkern3TptL7Vrc8ZfuSuFyv-hExgjZT6O879E90PjPloxMSx9oHKv9zvqRBCas-JUBrG_RVb9N-oCQ/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0R3ew-6utUWmgmYmusFVMOxUAZWkG11f2jyABoxgdlc2RDghH2dW2QOizF8d-gkern3TptL7Vrc8ZfuSuFyv-hExgjZT6O879E90PjPloxMSx9oHKv9zvqRBCas-JUBrG_RVb9N-oCQ/s320/DSC_0056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Cardinal</td></tr>
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<td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxeF96R72yze7KENVU5H60GS8ORiWnlbjN0yfa-MhPqmvTFW2iJyHnV3ABNGiqpi7F7Ic2Jgg9MmtdFTLwjadYECjqT3G7j7GRKEK8k6OQsgI5MMbs6SHaSVxsZitScvyQiV1o6Xdo0A/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxeF96R72yze7KENVU5H60GS8ORiWnlbjN0yfa-MhPqmvTFW2iJyHnV3ABNGiqpi7F7Ic2Jgg9MmtdFTLwjadYECjqT3G7j7GRKEK8k6OQsgI5MMbs6SHaSVxsZitScvyQiV1o6Xdo0A/s320/DSC_0057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickadee</td></tr>
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</td>
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Here is a list of native plants that one can plant in a North-East American garden. This is just a small selection as most of the native trees are excluded. Only plants which one can easily find, and which can be easily grown in a home-garden are included: Allegheny Service-Berry (Amelanchier laevis), Alternate-Leaf Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), American Hazelnut (Corylus americana), American Mountain-Ash (Sorbus americana), American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), American Witch-Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Anise-Scented Goldenrod (Solidago odora), Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), Black-Eyed-Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Canadian Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), Canadian Lily (Lilium canadense), Canadian Service-Berry (Amelanchier canadensis), Cardinal-Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana), Coastal-Plain Trumpetweed (Eutrochium dubium), Cock-Spur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Common Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Dense Gayfeather (Liatris spicata), Downy Service-Berry (Amelanchier arborea), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Eastern Red-Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Eastern Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus), Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), Farewell-Summer (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum), Frost Grape (Vitis vulpina), Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa), Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis), Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), Hard-Leaf Flat-Top-Goldenrod (Solidago rigida), Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), King's-Cureall (Oenothera biennis), Late Purple American-Aster (Symphyotrichum patens), Little False Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Nanny-Berry (Viburnum lentago), Narrow-Leaf Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium), New England American-Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida), Oswego-Tea (Monarda fistulosa), Pink Azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides), Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida), Possumhaw (Viburnum nudum), Pussy Willow (Salix discolor), Red Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), Red Elder (Sambucus racemosa), Red Spruce (Picea rubens), Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens), Short-Leaf Pine (Pinus echinata), Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), Smooth Arrow-Wood (Viburnum recognitum), Smooth Blue American-Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve), Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), Southern Arrow-Wood (Viburnum dentatum), Spotted Crane's-Bill (Geranium maculatum), Spotted Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens capensis), Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Trumpet-Creeper (Campsis radicans), Trumpetweed (Eutrochium fistulosum), Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Virginia-Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum), Woodland, Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus), Wreath Goldenrod (Solidago caesia), Wrinkle-Leaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-71624261442143026752017-12-17T12:36:00.000-05:002017-12-17T12:36:02.091-05:00Kabul's Peaceful Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I want a garden like <a href="http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171214-kabuls-peaceful-garden-refuges"> this</a>. Do you know many of our common garden flowers and vegetables like Roses, Onion, Garlic, Poppy, various nuts, etc, originally came from Central Asian countries like Afghanistan.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-56778305331306117362017-12-11T14:39:00.002-05:002017-12-11T14:39:30.199-05:00First snow of the year of 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It snowed on Saturday, December 9, and it was the first snow of the season. It came heavy, and snowed from around ten-thirty in the morning till about eleven in the night. Nothing is so pretty as the landscape covered by snow; nothing is as quite as a still winter morning; nothing is as enjoyable as seeing the snow fall, sitting with a hot drink and reflecting.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe3P7FzFfbw96LCVrveYsgk099zD8ad4ozwDZmN67XbUcckIcn-kj117OkLYp2Kj01rS5ox71FPnPQiQfesdYnOd5LTeNiUCpy9aCP5VFBJC8gJpOCXtkFnWIHBJwm6nN0i6KLSVmhk8/s1600/IMG_20171209_163320376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe3P7FzFfbw96LCVrveYsgk099zD8ad4ozwDZmN67XbUcckIcn-kj117OkLYp2Kj01rS5ox71FPnPQiQfesdYnOd5LTeNiUCpy9aCP5VFBJC8gJpOCXtkFnWIHBJwm6nN0i6KLSVmhk8/s640/IMG_20171209_163320376.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Whole Backyard -- not a soul to see</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_KB988IdZuf88nAQIJDjIp1JKILniMaD4I7jz1HB8bck5gl6t-l30727Vl0dKIRckUCSMvfH0_JPJ-_Wv6OWrbHKRXNrax0dtioCeOGcsbSlXNDswmkBHbmxAD_TgPQ-rRldPDb5JNw/s1600/IMG_20171209_163332825+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_KB988IdZuf88nAQIJDjIp1JKILniMaD4I7jz1HB8bck5gl6t-l30727Vl0dKIRckUCSMvfH0_JPJ-_Wv6OWrbHKRXNrax0dtioCeOGcsbSlXNDswmkBHbmxAD_TgPQ-rRldPDb5JNw/s640/IMG_20171209_163332825+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One side of the backyard -- everything calm before the storm Benji</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBFUUhkoAysTgYGwnEhSwPza_EJISk8UGTjZKalyVxLcYe6OVgUSBYV_3EyBKcH_N9dd_5A_H9Mr5oz_ExLbGrnOj2RR5O9c3WaEiDkVWk-JgnTUX0xn0bFCTKlJTi4VmVwtM2gyzqLM/s1600/IMG_20171209_163339934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBFUUhkoAysTgYGwnEhSwPza_EJISk8UGTjZKalyVxLcYe6OVgUSBYV_3EyBKcH_N9dd_5A_H9Mr5oz_ExLbGrnOj2RR5O9c3WaEiDkVWk-JgnTUX0xn0bFCTKlJTi4VmVwtM2gyzqLM/s640/IMG_20171209_163339934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another side of the backyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsaXwygffUNBhvIxh5WNjfPnR0Kma-J7rntp8BAVRlYM2u34e9SxH7JJQt6o2Scq11DEXnHTgpPRDDpAkeNGptbipZdqg4OcW2E2jU7Y8cJnelEIu2PXv90zQ7IchxsFuc9SSssxuusE/s1600/IMG_20171209_163401766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsaXwygffUNBhvIxh5WNjfPnR0Kma-J7rntp8BAVRlYM2u34e9SxH7JJQt6o2Scq11DEXnHTgpPRDDpAkeNGptbipZdqg4OcW2E2jU7Y8cJnelEIu2PXv90zQ7IchxsFuc9SSssxuusE/s640/IMG_20171209_163401766.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backyard -- trees huddling together for warmth :-)?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildZrXLe02Zse5spAqk_-G0NR6K5rgawS01p6m8EnMOOJIsRb5bbybC9CsFeUl3FFdwJ1Kxv22YcI3YQ2CynN2WIb1eq0fj9tYeFpZwy9ygh0eZOjBpJkyJidVq03_sBlBgE1MTkdeGfA/s1600/IMG_20171209_165031021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildZrXLe02Zse5spAqk_-G0NR6K5rgawS01p6m8EnMOOJIsRb5bbybC9CsFeUl3FFdwJ1Kxv22YcI3YQ2CynN2WIb1eq0fj9tYeFpZwy9ygh0eZOjBpJkyJidVq03_sBlBgE1MTkdeGfA/s640/IMG_20171209_165031021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhododendron ice-cream cone, anyone?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkVBRXTkDWgdsLOMU7iVausyjm08tQJKxBYlSWE9-C3N3whbOWc6BENpmkjBoANdS7lgmhLdsCCDVvuCkcSPDa4cYmd0UZ5dDg-bHXdrIKsG79I7UDge51LHFeK7QOtFgt-riECS_TXw/s1600/IMG_20171209_165101496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkVBRXTkDWgdsLOMU7iVausyjm08tQJKxBYlSWE9-C3N3whbOWc6BENpmkjBoANdS7lgmhLdsCCDVvuCkcSPDa4cYmd0UZ5dDg-bHXdrIKsG79I7UDge51LHFeK7QOtFgt-riECS_TXw/s640/IMG_20171209_165101496.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front-yard. Where is everyone? </td></tr>
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I am linking with St. Germain's <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/all-seasons-the-good-of-december/">All Season</a> meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-68552967648157437642017-12-08T11:01:00.000-05:002017-12-08T11:01:28.024-05:00Weekend Journal Page on Art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/the-weekend-journal-page/">St.Germain</a> is holding a weekend journal page on Art. I can tell that she is a great artist by looking at her writings, photos, art-work, etc on her blog. I love anything beautiful, artistic, creative be that be a painting, literature, graphic-design, poem, garden-design, culinary-presentation, dress, nature, whatever.
<br><br>I am an amateur artist, and love painting especially using oil and acrylic. That's why I undertook the project of painting rooms in our house, and enjoyed it thoroughly though it's such a back-breaking job. Being a novice, I am really apprehensive about participating. But, giving it a try since that might force me to visit other artists' blogs and enjoy their work. <br><br>
Here is a sunflower that I painted using acryclic. I then put it inside a cheap frame bought from Wal-Mart. It now adorns the top of our kitchen cabinets along with some vases and one of my other painting (the left-side one). <br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAelhESF2M87cy4oigvNpFn_-FQYoI0E5MkWbP9aS-9rCStPBwsht0KaHCq_3d9xeTofJNHqYBZmNu3xAmtJdQPTEornXfUvAG9nOiB6-XCYVsiBMAsCa0HIbN2pqSVIkXYrrVP9t5mQ/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAelhESF2M87cy4oigvNpFn_-FQYoI0E5MkWbP9aS-9rCStPBwsht0KaHCq_3d9xeTofJNHqYBZmNu3xAmtJdQPTEornXfUvAG9nOiB6-XCYVsiBMAsCa0HIbN2pqSVIkXYrrVP9t5mQ/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" width="266" height="400" data-original-width="1063" data-original-height="1600" /></a></div>
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-10755466724623022862017-12-05T12:22:00.001-05:002017-12-05T13:34:09.766-05:00No Escape<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I cannot escape them no matter what sorts of bird-feeders I put up. There are lots of them in my neighborhood. They are cute and adorable but when they hog the feeders, birds cannot come near. According to one statistics, fifty percent of birds die during severe cold in the UK. I do not know about the USA statistics, but birds in our garden do need all the food that they can find to maintain their body temperature and survive. Here are some links -- <a href="https://www.birdwatchireland.ie/News/Harshwinterweathercanspelldoomforourgarden/tabid/492/Default.aspx">Bird-Watcher Ireland</a> and <a href="http://www.audubon.org/how-do-birds-cope-cold-winter">How Birds Cope in Winter by Audobon Society</a>. So, I try to provide all sorts of feeders and hung in various parts of the garden. But, these tiny mammals are too clever.
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This is what is happening in my garden now: <br><br>
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They come, eat to their content and leave the feeders to the birds. So, that's one good thing that they do not occupy the feeders for a long time. Also, they spread around lots of food as they eat, and that in turn helps all the birds that will feed only from ground, for example doves and juncos. The only feeder that is squirrel-proof is the one that I bought from Audobon. It has a cage outside; the openings are small -- perfect for birds' beaks; it also has a mechanism that the openings close down under weight of squirrels. And, here is a picture of that feeder. The only drawback is that it cannot hold that much seeds. You need to fill it up every two days.
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<br><br>I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-22307420653518533882017-11-29T15:51:00.001-05:002017-11-29T15:51:41.441-05:00Who Is Invading My Garden? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Someone is coming to my garden, and destroying the fence and bird-feeder poles. I live in one of those dark-brown (almost blackish) areas of the map (below). So, no wonder bears come to our garden though it is quite an urban area (population more than 10,000; NYC skyline can be seen from here on a bright day, and NYC is about 20-25 minutes, thus 20-25 miles, away). But previously they used to climb the garden fence, but now they are ripping them off as shown in the second picture.
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What do you think? Done by bears? Or something else? Raccoons, coyotes, foxes, will not have that much strength to rip apart solid wooden fences like that, I think. If bears, then why are they not climbing the small fence which they used to do? Is it a baby bear who does not know? Or it is a mother bear with cubs and the cubs are breaking apart the fences?
<br><br>I hung my bird-feeders on iron-poles. Now, these poles are really strong. We will not be able to bend them unless we are like superhuman. But note how they are completely bent and destroyed. So, that's again arousing my suspicion if it is a bear since these poles are not that tall (say 4 -- 5 feet). A bear can easily stand on its hind legs and eat from the feeders as shown in the picture below. This picture was taken during the summer of 2016. <br><br>
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I have to now think how to provide food for my feather friends. For the time being, I am giving them suet, and hanging the suet basket in our upper deck. Hopefully, a bear will not come there. <br><br>
This is end of November. Bears should be hibernating now. So, I did some online search. Apparently bears in NJ DO NOT HIBERNATE; they GO INTO TORPOR!! Hibernation means metabolism rates slow down, the animal does not have to eat, drink or defecate, and it goes into deep slumber and thus not aware of its surroundings. Torpor means metabolism rate goes down; animals do not have to eat, drink or defecate (and even if it has to, it will do so in small amount), and it sleeps but very much aware of its surroundings. Thus, we might be trekking in wilderness, during winter, thinking there are no bears; but the bears are in torpor, become very much aware of our presence and thus move out of our way. Only Mother Bears who are going to give birth or who has little babies get into dens during winter. Otherwise, they sleep/torpor among tall grasses/bush/wild-areas/meadows/fallen trees, during winter, in NJ. Though it is the largest land mammal in NJ, but it is very much scared of humans, dogs and other loud, banging noises. Bear population is steadily increasing in NJ. It being one of the most densely populated states of the USA, bears and humans practically coexist side by side. Sadly, many of them are hunted down, during summer, to keep their population at a steady level. I absolutely hate this and so much against it. Are we going to hunt down humans because our population is rising? So, who gives us the right to do so to another species? I am hoping that with a Democratic Governor (for non-American visitors to my blog, Democrats are usually pro-animal/nature/climate/environment; Republicans are usually completely against all of those) elected in NJ, bear-hunting will be stopped.
<br><br>I think this year bears have not even gone into torpor. With temperature in fifties during day time, whole nature is confused. Thus, I saw a Dandellion blooming today (seeing it for the first time a Dandellion blooming at the end of November). Climate Change is very real.
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<br><br>I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-28838480104681297372017-11-22T12:54:00.001-05:002017-11-22T12:55:15.681-05:00Story of My Life in 2017 and Root Vegetables (Yacon)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When did I write last for this blog? I do not even remember. Was it in 2016? 2017 passed by so fast that I can almost tell what I did for each day as the last eleven months seemed like just the last eleven minutes. This was a crazy year for me. I had to apply for a promotion to Associate Professor, and which involved writing essays and letters, collecting documents, and acquiring reference letters. I got the promotion but could not enjoy it much as my father has developed dementia, it seems. He already had Parkinson. Now the disease is deteriorating to dementia. So, we are thinking of bringing him to live with us. Our house didn't have any full-bathroom in the first floor. Since he will not be able to climb stairs, so we have remodeled our house, built a full-bathroom and the remodeling is still going on. I had so many plans for the garden this year but nothing happened as we are spending our time, money and energy on remodeling our house. I also received a grant from the university for a research, and from August till November 13, I was busy with that as our work got accepted for presentation and publication. Thus, lots of work. And, we also did other things for which lots of paper work needed to be done. I will write about those later if they become successful. And on top of all these there are also teaching, mentoring, advising, committee work, family work and all sorts of other things. But slowly everything is winding down, and thus I found some time to go into the garden and pick up whatever the garden produced. I didn't do anything for the garden -- no weeding, no watering, no planting -- but my dear garden still produced. So, today I will talk about a kind of root vegetable that I grow -- Yacon.
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I grow quite a few root vegetables -- potato, sweet potato, taro, yacon, ginger, turmeric, garlic and onion (though I am not sure if garlic and onion are considered root vegetables or not) along with beet, turnip and radish (which I grow them not all the time but now and then). Here are some sweet potato and taro that I harvested this year.
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Yacon is a root vegetable much like potato or Jerusalem Artichoke. It is from the Andes (Peru). It is very crunchy and has a sweeter taste (the taste is a cross between pear, pineapple, Jerusalem Artichoke, Guava). The plant, can easily grow as tall as eight to ten feet, and produces sunflower like small flowers. The plant behaves very much like a Jerusalem Artichoke plant (I have talked about JA <a href="http://world-and-novice-naturalist.blogspot.com/2013/09/miracle-jerusalem-artichoke.html"> here </a>). However, Jerusalem Artichoke can survive snow and below freezing temperature. It in fact needs cold to become sweeter. Yacon will die as soon the temperature freezes. You then need to harvest it. Here is the picture of the dead plant that I harvested. It might not be clear in the picture but perhaps you can understand how tall it can grow:
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There is a certain procedure in harvesting Yacon. Yacon is a perennial plant. It has a mother-crown and then all the storage tubers that grow from it. We can only eat the storage tubers (I am not sure if the mother crown is edible or not), and then need to plant the mother-crown for next year's harvest. The mother-crown looks reddish in color. The edible storage tubers are chrome/pale yellow/white in color as shown in the pictures below.
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I harvest the tubers. Then, I take a pot, put some soil in it; put the mother-crown in it, and cover it up with soil. I leave the pot in basement. When spring comes, I put out the mother-crown in a raised bed in the garden. It initially grows slowly; then suddenly it starts growing fast with huge (like really huge) big leaves and a thick stalk. Nothing bothers this plant. All it needs is some sunshine. Online says that it needs lots of compost. I have not experienced that yet (may be my garden soil is rich?). The tubers are full of inulin, the compound that fights against diabetes. Thus, it can be eaten by people, unlike potato, suffering from diabetes. It can be eaten raw, or fried, boiled, or baked. The only drawback of this vegetable is that it does not last long, once harvested. So, you need to cook it very fast or it will rot within 2-3 days.
<br><br> Here are some flowers of 2017:
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<tr><table><td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_xfy-pjrlN_PQoq1VAeOtkfYPvnx6RFhBabyVX4PAp7kALTDe7JTS-kDOG4aTjaz-2tRgpw31o1EN0TPEWOQYeumBRjv_RlVz5rchIeRZBQtdDAXJYk1ZUYaVh3wRv4XRlS-zL55uB0/s1600/IMG_20170507_095807276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_xfy-pjrlN_PQoq1VAeOtkfYPvnx6RFhBabyVX4PAp7kALTDe7JTS-kDOG4aTjaz-2tRgpw31o1EN0TPEWOQYeumBRjv_RlVz5rchIeRZBQtdDAXJYk1ZUYaVh3wRv4XRlS-zL55uB0/s320/IMG_20170507_095807276.jpg" width="320" height="180" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="900" /></a></div></td>
<td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHV79SqJ-Eqqg0v0Le3XPCzgaMEHMvRJIxq98dDCK5UvPRyVrRovOkaqI3p9_UADyMFB0Vwdl32VgTXQwSwViKea-LINXm-x7_IPEogVcrrR2XuQ68TKmNCfj21avNwztWLhdt3eRlMA/s1600/IMG_20170501_091620558_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHV79SqJ-Eqqg0v0Le3XPCzgaMEHMvRJIxq98dDCK5UvPRyVrRovOkaqI3p9_UADyMFB0Vwdl32VgTXQwSwViKea-LINXm-x7_IPEogVcrrR2XuQ68TKmNCfj21avNwztWLhdt3eRlMA/s320/IMG_20170501_091620558_HDR.jpg" width="320" height="180" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="900" /></a></div></td>
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I did not give anything to the garden this year; but she gave me in abundance.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-32023653147729049692017-05-09T23:50:00.000-04:002017-05-10T09:33:25.528-04:00Ferns And More Ferns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have been away from the blog-world for a long time. So, I should first apologize to my regular readers. Life is a bit crazy this year as my university is having lots of changes. Being a full-time professor with all sorts of scholarship, research and teaching duties, I hardly find time. But, time is becoming a more valuable commodity to me now as I have to become part of various committees overlooking all these changes. But today I promised myself to take a break from all these work and attend the monthly meeting of our local garden-club. Anybody living in New Jersey should check out Rockaway Valley Garden Club. It's a fantastic club with great programs and truly wonderful people who are so knowledgeable about plants, gardens and gardening. <br><br>
In today's meeting, the talk was on <em>Ferns And Their Shady Friends</em> by <strong>Marc Zukovich</strong>. He is the professor of Horticulture in Morris County College, and also the owner of <em>Sterling Horticultural Services</em>. I love ferns as they are considered one of the oldest living organisms, that is they have been on the earth for more than 300 million years. They are considered some of the very first complex living organisms to have evolved on earth. They are true living fossils. Only if they could talk, how much we were going to learn about the evolution of our dear planet. It is estimated that there are about 11,000 fern species, found in every nook and cranny in the world including Arctic. I am not sure if they are found in Antarctica, anyone knows? <br><br>
I have quite a few ferns in my garden. They grow along with other shade-loving plants like Heuchera, Foam-flower, Mist-flower, Brunnera, Larkspur, Hostas, Hellebor and some more. Shade-gardening is one of my passions. Here are some pictures of my ferns. My ferns are all babies, only one to two years old. So, they have not matured yet. <br><br>
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<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxD9TFhD32fgfaO52OmloFoMexOC38Kf-cFYf524B61TO87oB9draYLGQanY2IsnQqyWlPbjaB_JvV7Vf4Btt72Lqo5HBzofqcS4p-i5kzkKMdqWLzSbEq3oLTgE8hVaB5BY2efVOjyQk/s1600/IMG_20170509_181025468.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxD9TFhD32fgfaO52OmloFoMexOC38Kf-cFYf524B61TO87oB9draYLGQanY2IsnQqyWlPbjaB_JvV7Vf4Btt72Lqo5HBzofqcS4p-i5kzkKMdqWLzSbEq3oLTgE8hVaB5BY2efVOjyQk/s320/IMG_20170509_181025468.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2ly2BU9JqyeLTpymWvm7nGdBHnVSsN7_B1pOnCRWDX41zO_0yiWWEDX-fVcG1JkjrjuS-n3P4X2tU5XBSnFAhi8N2o0t6A6vIFldI4EddhunyD5RTiUnKmUbV1OJXlD0m4bWXY5qvG4/s1600/IMG_20170509_181231821.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2ly2BU9JqyeLTpymWvm7nGdBHnVSsN7_B1pOnCRWDX41zO_0yiWWEDX-fVcG1JkjrjuS-n3P4X2tU5XBSnFAhi8N2o0t6A6vIFldI4EddhunyD5RTiUnKmUbV1OJXlD0m4bWXY5qvG4/s320/IMG_20170509_181231821.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqhHQn3sQJEyg3Qzifm-YQpG1Z08WuiJZlwUKNM_josRy6GBeqJ8HK2keLPJwTcKxJzhgLjA4P-Q6UvaiMvyixm0csIUNS_UFyohdHtTKC3cIOuvh6xN46u527diV9eAfUe15mTY8ZUg/s1600/IMG_20170509_181155086.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqhHQn3sQJEyg3Qzifm-YQpG1Z08WuiJZlwUKNM_josRy6GBeqJ8HK2keLPJwTcKxJzhgLjA4P-Q6UvaiMvyixm0csIUNS_UFyohdHtTKC3cIOuvh6xN46u527diV9eAfUe15mTY8ZUg/s320/IMG_20170509_181155086.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></td>
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The pictures are those of, left to right, Japanese Painted Fern, Cinnamon Fern, Unknown Fern, Christmas Fern. It is said that Cinnamon Fern grows only along stream-banks or in bogs. I don't have either of them. I am growing them in raised bed in a soil that is full of organic matter. They are growing fine. Ferns should always be grown in damp soil. The soil should not be moist or wet but damp to the touch. And, you can achieve that by using soil that is full of organic matter like compost and leaf-mold. <br><br>
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<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8-83aLqCTIaNR7GQQ9OP71hLHsaR6wB1ZhEtQ2cL5qxxPZ8EwjyCK1b90V04htjP5TzVo3XVwmXkE_zHuMgprqsbR_-ft9APkuJutB-2tVBP7pAqwmKdgcH-BpWsAlVXkFhyphenhyphen2s8poiE/s1600/IMG_20170509_181100891.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8-83aLqCTIaNR7GQQ9OP71hLHsaR6wB1ZhEtQ2cL5qxxPZ8EwjyCK1b90V04htjP5TzVo3XVwmXkE_zHuMgprqsbR_-ft9APkuJutB-2tVBP7pAqwmKdgcH-BpWsAlVXkFhyphenhyphen2s8poiE/s320/IMG_20170509_181100891.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobJDNmOp5v14Fk0t0aC06N8zmz5NzuHKyAFo-8-2iZvuJvQlaRCPdoU_3c-i9AE2hUZOhOdnQsCtlAetYHxOPZ7fFJzWGGgRUDDUPr02ObGfmxzZQKET50tQo3hXSoQDUgt9yA2Eq_J8/s1600/IMG_20170509_181241034.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobJDNmOp5v14Fk0t0aC06N8zmz5NzuHKyAFo-8-2iZvuJvQlaRCPdoU_3c-i9AE2hUZOhOdnQsCtlAetYHxOPZ7fFJzWGGgRUDDUPr02ObGfmxzZQKET50tQo3hXSoQDUgt9yA2Eq_J8/s320/IMG_20170509_181241034.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn0OC9mIaCTotUVJgrMoXrTgAlNvjXP8ebKv4qNmBWqK70NtnpZtXnKIKgMW_aTKNzK7kmloIfA19aXxJolRcg7oPGnIZHRwS6TgnXG-lIktLWBTQRGNqz99YGCzNAB_wyQXoz9Zdkpg/s1600/IMG_20170509_181141823.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn0OC9mIaCTotUVJgrMoXrTgAlNvjXP8ebKv4qNmBWqK70NtnpZtXnKIKgMW_aTKNzK7kmloIfA19aXxJolRcg7oPGnIZHRwS6TgnXG-lIktLWBTQRGNqz99YGCzNAB_wyQXoz9Zdkpg/s320/IMG_20170509_181141823.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTzh7ho-CBaHq_Iw0L9y_DIQaOe1JoQG0STuvujvoFjoAS1ydxfETRSwX37VHPfAMD7CDE3FmOpKVUQXGAa904p2TmG0U1fq5ylP-27mB5E-lQ4AihInzM0TdxhVzG9vEtmMWKxIyRLU/s1600/IMG_20170509_181312488.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTzh7ho-CBaHq_Iw0L9y_DIQaOe1JoQG0STuvujvoFjoAS1ydxfETRSwX37VHPfAMD7CDE3FmOpKVUQXGAa904p2TmG0U1fq5ylP-27mB5E-lQ4AihInzM0TdxhVzG9vEtmMWKxIyRLU/s320/IMG_20170509_181312488.jpg" width="180" height="320" /></a></td>
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The pictures from left to right are: Lady in Red. As this fern matures, it stems should become bright red, and that's why it has such a name. Dixie Wood Fern, Autumn Fern and the last one is either a baby Ostrich-Glade Fern or Maidenhair Fern. Autumn Fern, as the name suggests, has autumn-colored Orangish fronds. I also have a very sad looking indoor Boston Fern. Boston Fern is a non-hardy fern. Ferns can be either hardy or non-hardy. Among the 11,000 Fern-species, only about hundred or so are found in cooler climates of Asia, Europe and America. The rest are all found in tropical or sub-tropical climates. <br><br>
Here are some interesting facts that I learned in today's meeting:
<li>Many ferns can be grown in full-sun if the soil is kept moist.</li>
<li>Ferns do not like fertilizers; they prefer rich, humus soil and organic matter.</li>
<li>If a fern start dying, then it rarely bounce back. </li>
<li>As cooler weather sets in, the fronds of your ferns dry up and become dry and dead. However, do not take them out before winter. Leave them as it is as they provide protection to the roots below. Clean them up only in Spring. </li>
<li> There is an American Fern Society</li>
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Here are some ferns for color: Adiantum Hispidulum, Athyrium Brandford Beauty, Athyrium Ghost, Athyrium Niponicum Pictum, Athyrium Otophorum, Blechnum Chilense, Blechnum Novae-Zelandiae, Blechnum Penna-Marina, Dryopteris Erythrosora, Dryopteris Lepidopoda, Dryopteris Wallichiana, Osmundo Regalis Purpurascens, Woodwardia Orientalis, Woodwardia Unigemmata, Woodwardia Virginica. I got the list from a hand-out given by Professor Zukovich. <br><br>
Ferns with a clumping habit: Adiantum Aleuticum, Adiantum Pedatum, Athyrium Otophorum, Dryopteris Affinis, Dryopteris Australis, Dryopteris Complexa, Dryopteris Erythrosora, Dryopteris Filix-Mas, Dryopteris Intermedia, Polystichum Munitum, Polystichum Polyblepharum, Polystichum Setiferum. The list is obtained from the hand-out. <br><br>
Spreading Groundcover Ferns: Adiantum Venustum, Blechnum Chilense, Blechnum Penna-Marina, Dennstaedtia Punctilobula, Gymnocarpium Disjunctum, Gymnocarpium Dryopteris, Matteuccia Struthiopteris, Onoclea Sensibilis, Phegopteris Decursive-Pinnata, Thelypteris Kunthii, Woodwardia Areolata. The list is obtained from the hand-out. <br><br>
So, it seems I have a long list of ferns to buy. Those who do only edible-garden, you can also grow fern -- Ostrich Fern -- as the fiddleheads of Ostrich Fern are edible. Between January to May (sometimes even a little later), you can find them being sold in places like Whole Foods. So, do you grow fern? What sorts of fern do you grow?
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Before I end, here is a fascinating article about a fern, that's so small that many of them can fit on your fingernail, responsible for saving our planet and about an extraordinary woman <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-scientists-uncovered-arctic-clues-to-a-past-where-a-tiny-fern-changed-the-planet/">Azolla</a>. I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-88719608730295704272016-12-19T00:33:00.003-05:002016-12-19T00:33:55.929-05:00Some of the winter birds -- putting up a show for me. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Winter came forcefully on Saturday. Rain, sleet, ice, squall, blizzard, everything was happening together. One moment it was squall; with heavy wind it turned into blizzard. Then, ice-balls were raining down. Squirrels did not come out of their nests but birds were. I have always noticed this -- in heavy rain or in bad weather, squirrels or other mammals do not come out until the weather subsides a little. But birds come out. Why? Their wings are much more delicate which can easily get battered in dire weather; but rain or snow, sun or cloud, birds are out flapping their wings and chirping. <br><br>
Saturday was no exception. As it was snowing heavily outside, I was standing by the window and taking pictures of some of the winter birds that visit the bird-feeders. I have about four or five bird-feeders and a suet-feeder. I always try to keep them filled up as I do not know how all the birds survive here in this winter with so few native plants around. Wild birds eat seeds and berries during winter as most of the insect population has either died down or gone into hibernation deep into some holes which most birds cannot penetrate. But with more and more native trees being cut down in the suburban USA and replaced with non-native ornamental trees or plants which do not provide any berries or seeds, birds find it hard to find food. As the winter goes by, food become more scarce as the remaining food gets covered with snow. That is why February is the bird-feeding month in the US as it is the peak month in winter when everything is hidden under snow, temperature is freezing, water is frozen and that's when most birds die due to lack of food. <br><br>
I provide black-sunflower seed and suet for my birds. I should also get some thistle which juncos and finches prefer. Suets are mostly favored by any kind of wood-peckers. I get all sorts of birds -- sparrows, finches, juncos, doves, cardinals, chickadees, titmice, jays, nuthatch, wood-peckers (red-bellied and downy) and starling. Squirrels also come to the feeders. I do not chase them away as they also need food during these winter months. Birds and squirrels share the feeders together and all survive. With so many birds and squirrels, I should be getting raptors in my yard. Luckily I am yet to see them in my yard though I see them flying high in the sky. I know they also need food but please no murder and blood-shed in my yard. Here are pictures of some of the birds that I could capture on Saturday. They dart in and out too fast; or move around too fast to capture properly. Also, the window and the screen were not helping as most of the pictures have come out hazy. <br><br>
This is a blue-jay. Do you know jays belong to the crow-family!? Crows and Jays belong to the "Corvidae" family. Who would say they are related!? Like their cousin crows, jays are also highly intelligent birds. You can also train them to get food from your hand if you have the patience and time to stand still, everyday at the same time, with food. This year I had the rare luck of having a jay-family raise their brood in front of my eyes. I will write about it later in another post. <br><br>
We can learn a beautiful lesson from jays -- as soon as a jay finds a source of food, it start giving out loud calls so that other jays might find that source of food. Just imagine us humans announcing the source of food, resources, wealth to all and sharing them with all. <br><br>
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This is a sparrow hanging upside-down from a suet-feeder. From sparrows, we should learn how to work together in a flock. Sparrows are not native birds of the US. But wherever they have been introduced, they have become hugely successful for their flocking habit which helps them with protection and food-sharing. <br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTiTK1nUXPdPKA5XgC5GTrIkpepLM5O_rAdkVQbaFsSLdPFBp1T006LJdOR3vauRD_rIlQi93BsPzi-gRzw0YRIB7vf6dSa-EWdN-oITAXRmALsWSwiTJzf_5d-jpVaSPDY4iQvc4hyQ/s1600/Sparrow1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTiTK1nUXPdPKA5XgC5GTrIkpepLM5O_rAdkVQbaFsSLdPFBp1T006LJdOR3vauRD_rIlQi93BsPzi-gRzw0YRIB7vf6dSa-EWdN-oITAXRmALsWSwiTJzf_5d-jpVaSPDY4iQvc4hyQ/s640/Sparrow1.jpg" width="640" height="342" /></a></div>
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This is a Tufted Titmouse, one of my favorite birds. They have such huge circular eyes and such cute mohawks on their tiny heads that one has to fall in love with them. They are considered song-bird species of the eastern deciduous forest of the US. They dart back and forth between the feeder and a tree-branch. They will take a seed, fly to the branch, whack the seed open with their beak, eat and then again fly back to the feeder. <br><br>
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This is a nut-hatch with habits very similar to wood-peckers. During spring and summer, one can find them poking onto the tree-trunks to eat insects. And, it is one of the few bird-species in the world, that can climb down a tree (or climb down anything). In this picture also, you see it hanging upside-down on the bird-feeder. <br><br>
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This is a chickadee, another exceptionally cute bird with a tiny body and a round-head. This is a bird which has no fear of humans, I think. They will come and sit right next to you as you fill in the feeder or work in the garden. A very restless bird which cannot sit still for a second. Where does its little body get so much energy? It also behaves like tufted titmouse, flying between feeder and trees with one seed at a time. AND IF YOU START PROVIDING A BIRD-FEEDER, THEN PLEASE CONTINUE DOING SO BECAUSE CHICKADEES BUILD NESTS AND REAR THEIR BABIES WITHIN A ONE-HUNDRED-FIFTY FEET RADIUS OF A FOOD-SOURCE. That is, these birds build their nests very close to a food source. If that food-source happens to be your bird-feeder and if you suddenly stop feeding them (especially in winter), then they might even face death. <br><br>
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A female downy-woodpecker waiting for its turn at the suet. I see much order, respect and cooperation among the birds in the feeder. They seldom fight. Each wait for its turn. They are not greedy, do not hoard and occupy the feeder -- they come, eat to their fill and then leave. <br><br>
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This is an European Sterling. They move around in great flock and can finish everything in a bird within matter of seconds. Also, when they are at the feeders, smaller birds like titmice, chickadee, nuthatch, finch or sparrow cannot approach the feeder. Again, I do not have to chase them away so that the smaller birds can feed. As they descend in a large-group and starts eating, squirrels notice the food-source. So, they come. As soon as squirrels come, these birds fly away. And when squirrels on the feeders, all the smaller birds come and eat from the other side of the feeder. <br><br>
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I spread some seeds on the ground as well for ground-eating birds like dove or juncos. <br><br>
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This is a mourning-dove, another of my favorite bird. It is one of the most hunted species in the USA. Why would anyone want to hunt such a beautiful-looking bird which does not create any kind of destruction or anything? All it wants to do is sing out lamenting songs in spring. I know you will say that it's killed for food. It seems like all we humans can do are elect stupid leaders, eat anything and everything and destroy world for our needs and greed. <br><br>
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I think this is a house-sparrow (sometimes also called garden-sparrows). There are couple of different types of sparrows one can find in the eastern USA. House-sparrow is the most common among them. <br><br>
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The next two pictures are that of Cardinals. The first one is a female Cardinal. The bright red one is the male cardinal and is the state bird of New Jersey. Though they are of medium size but these are dominating and quarrelsome birds. No two cardinals will sit in the same-feeder; they also do not allow any other birds in their vicinity. But they are superbly gorgeous birds, and especially the bright-red male-cardinals are sight to behold in bright white snow. <br><br>
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And this is the rarest phenomena that I am seeing in my yard for the first time -- an American Robin still hanging out. American Robins do not stay in New Jersey and migrate south during winter. Rarely, one or two birds stay behind. I think it is one of those rare birds. I hope it soon migrates and as otherwise it will die without any insects or berries for food. <br><br>
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<br><br>I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-13319968471660979342016-12-06T12:19:00.000-05:002016-12-06T12:25:14.472-05:00How To Get Out of Winter Blues -- Tips For My Fellow Gardeners<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I usually get winter blues, every year, as the gardening period comes to an end. This year is no exception. What is it in gardening that makes us happy? Is it because we are surrounded by green and genetically we are more accustomed to green (than any other color because of our forest/grassland dwelling ancestry)? Or is it because we are surrounded by sound, color, movement and beauty -- the buzzing of bees, chirping of birds; the fleeting color of butterflies; the swaying of grasses in the breeze; the vibrant displays of flowers? Or is it because we have so much work in the garden -- inspecting, mulching, pruning, deadheading, climbing, crawling, kneeling, standing -- that we do not get the time to be depressed?
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If you think deeply, you realize that gardening should be a very depressing chore for all the various reasons:
<li>It is hard-work; dragging all the heavy pots, mulches, compost across the garden is not a fun job.</li>
<li>Trees and perennials take time to reach maturity. Gardening needs patience. It does not give us instant gratification. As you put the plant in the ground and imagine how it will look in ten years time, other thoughts peeks from around the corner; "how will my life be after ten years?" "will I still be alive?" "will the people that I love be still around?" These are not joyful thoughts.</li>
<li>You become a mass-murderer of weeds; you are a serial-killer of seedlings of unwanted plants; you squeeze the life out of garden-destroying bugs without blinking you eyes. You are indeed a psychopath. You can never be happy.</li>
<li>You do not kill weeds and unwanted bugs; you refuse to take life. Well! your garden will never be like the ones shown on TV or in magazines. You can only long and day-dream for such gardens. How extraordinarily sad!!</li>
<li>You fall in love with a plant and then look at the price-tag......</li>
<li>Some of your favorite flowers bloom only for few hours; or a day. Their ephemeral beauty, their short stay remind you that our stay on this earth is also for a fleeting moment. You do not know where you have come from; you do not know where you will go at the end of your life; nothing is permanent in your life. We are just but temporary residents, doing some temporary activities. What's the use of anything, of gardening?</li>
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Despite all such melancholy thoughts, gardening always lifts me up. I become like the butterfly, fluttering across the garden, to drink-in all that it has to offer.
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I wait in anticipation for the plants to germinate, the seeds to arrive, and wild-lives playing hide-and-seek in my weed-ridden garden.
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To enjoy more of gardening I started doing, for the last two years, indoor-gardening. All of us can do this if we have either a basement or attic or some place somewhere in the house. It can even be a garage as long as the temperature is not freezing cold.
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I have it in our basement. Our basement is furnished (for my non-American friends, a furnished basement means it is like a proper room; it is not a damp, dark place where things are just dumped) and thus heated. If you want the plants to remain green and even bear fruits and flowers, then the temperature of the place should be like above 55 F (13 C). Thus, it is like a green-house but inside the house.
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvQmhZzFiffuxor00N2ZQST2kVEZWw5EKS6jo6Xk5DOFMIgVBrSoFV8rJr24C3FJe4IArNNoBTx5nxuncKQVIETGx5aguo6OpT32GnM5GYtjL1k3hLSXQX88mxB1du0mLTmBglp0C9W8/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvQmhZzFiffuxor00N2ZQST2kVEZWw5EKS6jo6Xk5DOFMIgVBrSoFV8rJr24C3FJe4IArNNoBTx5nxuncKQVIETGx5aguo6OpT32GnM5GYtjL1k3hLSXQX88mxB1du0mLTmBglp0C9W8/s400/13.jpg" width="300" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZk_cmWcxoaDYJrACd4CuuwPDPhU95QX0lbn0oR3abobmnRONeRJFe6vhfPx_2vf272cynCM1MdLoV3l03mfRZMVR1LGCLzp6N1bI0-oYhyphenhypheneJfDVbat_92O0ZRh3KcRZDzrIDicihpzw/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZk_cmWcxoaDYJrACd4CuuwPDPhU95QX0lbn0oR3abobmnRONeRJFe6vhfPx_2vf272cynCM1MdLoV3l03mfRZMVR1LGCLzp6N1bI0-oYhyphenhypheneJfDVbat_92O0ZRh3KcRZDzrIDicihpzw/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0pkSEBNt5Yl9xVGtKJvbkhflniNMgSTD__6Wtj-vE49qIh3dD1Kc7o02Zp0eD0Z-axremF9qxJ_D3pjMBIrROLWuZqx0_6V2UrlkH2RySGUoyA2TrL0uwzOR5NJ_tLfvGxrn4zC-hfQ/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0pkSEBNt5Yl9xVGtKJvbkhflniNMgSTD__6Wtj-vE49qIh3dD1Kc7o02Zp0eD0Z-axremF9qxJ_D3pjMBIrROLWuZqx0_6V2UrlkH2RySGUoyA2TrL0uwzOR5NJ_tLfvGxrn4zC-hfQ/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td>
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We built the whole system with less than hundred dollar. We searched around Home-Depot, Restores and Lowes (they are home-improvement supply superstores here in the US), and found this industrial-strength steel racks for about $30 (I don't know why they were so cheap; or perhaps we were lucky). You need such racks to bear the weight of all the pots and soil. You can also use plastic racks but again they have to be of industrial strength to carry all the loads. We set up the racks; bought some grow lights (from walmart, $4 each) and light-fixtures (for about couple of dollars from Restores); fitted the fixtures with bulbs. Hung those up through the racks, and voila! we have established our indoor green-house.
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I know! I know! I hear you all...how can I commit such crime against environment by keeping those lights on for about 8 hours every day? I can do so because they consume very less electricity. If I leave all the grow-lights on for twenty-four hours, then at the end of the month it will consume electricity worth less than ten dollar. So, it should tell you how little it consumes and I do not leave them on for more than eight hours.
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I water them only once a week along with some water-soluble sea-weed. I do not give them a thorough soak but enough to keep the soil moist. They are inside and thus do not have any of the outdoor elements like wind, sun, to dry them up. Too much water can kill them. I can harvest from them if I want to but I mostly for my enjoyment. Come Spring I put them in the ground so that they start fruiting again. I have bulbs, tubers, peppers, various herbs, tea-plant, curry-leaf plant, ginger and turmeric plants, tomatoes and other greens there. I also have other plants -- lemon, lime, bay-leaf, herbs, aloe, papaya, guava, longevity-spinach and other house-plants -- in front of every window in the house. Our house is a mini-forest during winter. Do you have any plants inside your house during winter?
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-87782904865854687622016-11-23T13:58:00.001-05:002016-11-23T23:20:48.651-05:00The First Day of Snow in 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We had our first snow on this past Saturday night (November 19). The rain turned into snow though the temperature was about thirty-seven degree Fahrenheit. It was a very strange weather phenomena.
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I rushed out to bring the potted tender perennials plants indoor.
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But it was not necessary. All the plants, even the heat-loving eggplants and pepper-plants, survived the snow. Apparently, plants can handle some snow and frost as long as the grounds do not freeze up and their stems/trunks do not freeze up and rot. <br><br>
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Winter is definitely in the year. Another year is ending. For most people, the year ends and begin with the new year eve. For me, the year ends and begin with growing season. Though the sky is bright with soft-cotton clouds;
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQWg7a00-Lqh05K6b_uOeLVtNL3Xtr3z1Pw1jMFXjDLGQ_Xs36NYM7k0kpm4xMUSf7OUz_9tk0hT5C0P5pHip9BHoi9pgAbuAGTXiJMQVJkKecMeqbZ-tFyN-5u2qQelXO_G4uwx7UUc/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQWg7a00-Lqh05K6b_uOeLVtNL3Xtr3z1Pw1jMFXjDLGQ_Xs36NYM7k0kpm4xMUSf7OUz_9tk0hT5C0P5pHip9BHoi9pgAbuAGTXiJMQVJkKecMeqbZ-tFyN-5u2qQelXO_G4uwx7UUc/s400/IMG_1714.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the trees have shed their leaves</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">However, the majestic oak, here, is still holding on to the leaves</td></tr>
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grass is still green and much green can be seen among the plants but the growing period has essentially come to an end (unless of course one has a heated or some other kind of green-house). So, for me another year has ended. The new year will start sometime in April.
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnCC74DMhaHTZg08OWEGjI7lxF6l9b_XckBe_j0ZX58ojoaxkGiOfCkxz7r3oaZL7L0L6YK9fuazro5WM8nRNyXly2hWEYIhYeR7JtfQObheAhA1zFdxsfV1On_qB8oYr6GywoloNifk/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnCC74DMhaHTZg08OWEGjI7lxF6l9b_XckBe_j0ZX58ojoaxkGiOfCkxz7r3oaZL7L0L6YK9fuazro5WM8nRNyXly2hWEYIhYeR7JtfQObheAhA1zFdxsfV1On_qB8oYr6GywoloNifk/s320/IMG_1724.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfQACbIeONACkWue7xX3chYcrD5jnQNjcH9Y9YrlxPDZiibjUf5ChHPal-ELPE1cm60HrNj6Qwby1EdjivZ1ijAhXMxTpEXn67M-TYhJDaIdzMZUJGpCYlquU9VhaQraww_fm-Sjr74Y/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfQACbIeONACkWue7xX3chYcrD5jnQNjcH9Y9YrlxPDZiibjUf5ChHPal-ELPE1cm60HrNj6Qwby1EdjivZ1ijAhXMxTpEXn67M-TYhJDaIdzMZUJGpCYlquU9VhaQraww_fm-Sjr74Y/s320/IMG_1723.JPG" width="240" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-iLljqt6A17CqR3b0q5sXcNBj-sqeXNw9uCCJy20D07P5jpLcsoGauOfMHgefnyCWOUPeHr0UIO4ntRC932ge7rqmfC_z4G-K4qHPohS_8Q3sP7iGjdYCuR4TgzUR-wtR8V3g6IjB1w/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-iLljqt6A17CqR3b0q5sXcNBj-sqeXNw9uCCJy20D07P5jpLcsoGauOfMHgefnyCWOUPeHr0UIO4ntRC932ge7rqmfC_z4G-K4qHPohS_8Q3sP7iGjdYCuR4TgzUR-wtR8V3g6IjB1w/s320/IMG_1726.JPG" width="240" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpl8dNzbZQgJSvF4yzzO8xe9r1cUe-am9HM9obsEEfRSUQZDsPh3XNatbi1soNgzFmVd75OXGL2n50gJNobZGsONSR5RuNUQF7YsjKJN9ySuJQ660g9OIgZOVshogrXqvYBu0lPIEV4Y/s1600/PepperPlants.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpl8dNzbZQgJSvF4yzzO8xe9r1cUe-am9HM9obsEEfRSUQZDsPh3XNatbi1soNgzFmVd75OXGL2n50gJNobZGsONSR5RuNUQF7YsjKJN9ySuJQ660g9OIgZOVshogrXqvYBu0lPIEV4Y/s320/PepperPlants.jpg" width="240" /></a></td>
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It's usually the time to look back into the past-year to take stock of what has succeeded in the garden; what failed. I usually do not dwell on such lessons. A plant or a garden can fail for too many variables -- climate, micro-climate, soil, too much rain, too little rain, too high temperature, too low temperature. I usually look to the coming year. I have already ordered newer flowering plants and varieties of vegetable and flower seeds. I need to order live-plants. I plan to trim some trees, cut down dead trees, expand the pool and create more raised-beds, and grow more flower. I hope to connect the front and back-garden through a corridor of flowers for my pollinator friends. That is why it is good idea to have plants in garden that can keep on flowering till the onset of "true" winter when ground freezes up, temperature is always below freezing and the atmosphere is laden with snow. Until the true winter sets in, native bees are out hunting as soon the sun is up and shining.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saffron growing here. Saffron bloom in November and then again in April. I have to put up that protection-cover so that the bulbs are not eaten up squirrels and chipmunks. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA4Hu0SkVbJJh8GLlYLpeWCHR5mqc4gtwmS5M4SXxRB8mlKvCAEP6caBGMtlhoMctHVOWqCVzuY0K2k4uxDrccyvKul0a5JV1DCq8ZHQm_iJadlX8D_FN_pwYKyybOQGsGKoRlJW1pqE/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlA4Hu0SkVbJJh8GLlYLpeWCHR5mqc4gtwmS5M4SXxRB8mlKvCAEP6caBGMtlhoMctHVOWqCVzuY0K2k4uxDrccyvKul0a5JV1DCq8ZHQm_iJadlX8D_FN_pwYKyybOQGsGKoRlJW1pqE/s400/IMG_1717.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the roses have gone into sleep for the year; but this plant decided to throw a last-minute show. Only this lonely rose bloomed in the last few days when it snowed and temperature has really dropped. </td></tr>
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Beside planning, I am enjoying the various color of fall in my garden,<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn-QbOh7bYTDQiGWO3PCkFvaP4JWTe-jZtZmw7Vg-OsByGvEjlENmbpNZ628pXsSFncwih4XiGZdKArtlvp4c3VRGVPkeCJKCoxvtoVxXihk_uf27nU0xCgv10bZGxk-qztmSDv-3nyU/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwn-QbOh7bYTDQiGWO3PCkFvaP4JWTe-jZtZmw7Vg-OsByGvEjlENmbpNZ628pXsSFncwih4XiGZdKArtlvp4c3VRGVPkeCJKCoxvtoVxXihk_uf27nU0xCgv10bZGxk-qztmSDv-3nyU/s320/IMG_1715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKbHy3JgNbBe7HHCmwg5fh9YV5Bhr-swcm3c6rIeyylWE7AbliRadx7lboH1RMta0GUgS7j7YkIiuxQwrbwIFyzv-K3iuyLwAY1Vn1aQ9je8pMRMQ979Mj8c_7fwGa11vBqFIu8r86Iw/s1600/Asparagus.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKbHy3JgNbBe7HHCmwg5fh9YV5Bhr-swcm3c6rIeyylWE7AbliRadx7lboH1RMta0GUgS7j7YkIiuxQwrbwIFyzv-K3iuyLwAY1Vn1aQ9je8pMRMQ979Mj8c_7fwGa11vBqFIu8r86Iw/s320/Asparagus.jpg" width="240" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxnTxY4XaTbeInb_s4H34ILlx7ypcIHA3z1WENhtw0-uWMaGpYiurF6vtaHwOk7-w2VlJwu1yIdlpnoEhSLZge-PU3GMkV-Avj8Zgtpd-7astQuUVkIRsxUXxRcIJxVnoKvDZ_9hhKjk/s1600/Beet.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxnTxY4XaTbeInb_s4H34ILlx7ypcIHA3z1WENhtw0-uWMaGpYiurF6vtaHwOk7-w2VlJwu1yIdlpnoEhSLZge-PU3GMkV-Avj8Zgtpd-7astQuUVkIRsxUXxRcIJxVnoKvDZ_9hhKjk/s320/Beet.jpg" width="240" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy1itkKeH4udnvZ3AIVKJ4EOy4eb66hZp9Yqc4_b4YVckRrLJ8QutpaoR09SPwP4xBUBSOJ-1uvNwJcOXUIOrclkCrN0njIuKWLLaNp5ZsMqyYxoEX_Px1WUQnGsU0YbLk62so4Ohm2o/s1600/IMG_1716.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy1itkKeH4udnvZ3AIVKJ4EOy4eb66hZp9Yqc4_b4YVckRrLJ8QutpaoR09SPwP4xBUBSOJ-1uvNwJcOXUIOrclkCrN0njIuKWLLaNp5ZsMqyYxoEX_Px1WUQnGsU0YbLk62so4Ohm2o/s320/IMG_1716.JPG" width="240" /></a></td>
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and the architectural-structure left behind by the dead plants and seeds<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ2oVnSUkIf8eqdSXaoOou_r0LxBYjyiyy_-FbKoWDlUnnZKjowbG2ugXwXWeCEVy7ELfE3JIhlgQHMlzLshxB64PCKnArQm-AosyRa720jpOzI9e-ORWXSKD3UJbwYI31EeOmKBhPw4/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJ2oVnSUkIf8eqdSXaoOou_r0LxBYjyiyy_-FbKoWDlUnnZKjowbG2ugXwXWeCEVy7ELfE3JIhlgQHMlzLshxB64PCKnArQm-AosyRa720jpOzI9e-ORWXSKD3UJbwYI31EeOmKBhPw4/s400/IMG_1720.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zwTNhcbn0g27LBzSeuYxfEUOLiYE4IWYTDMdGtvsmoSA4DVDH20xJT1GKhA-srdc5vTuJdGUw68yYfFYp_W1RHGzDaEjw58y3EHe7A5aqC8RDlkP3q3LnqsgESlVyCcI5hDV9slEGo0/s1600/IMG_1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zwTNhcbn0g27LBzSeuYxfEUOLiYE4IWYTDMdGtvsmoSA4DVDH20xJT1GKhA-srdc5vTuJdGUw68yYfFYp_W1RHGzDaEjw58y3EHe7A5aqC8RDlkP3q3LnqsgESlVyCcI5hDV9slEGo0/s400/IMG_1718.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="http://myworldthrumycameralens.blogspot.co.nz/">Photographing NZ</a> and <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-8495917128408321722016-11-15T10:59:00.002-05:002016-11-15T11:00:10.318-05:00The Beautiful Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been away from the blog for a long time as I needed to rush overseas, due to family emergencies, on August 12. I was away from my garden, during the peak growing, blooming and harvesting season, for about a month. By the time I came back in the middle of September, temperature was becoming cooler and the vegetable garden was slowing down. But, the fall flowers were in full bloom; the bees and the wasps were hurriedly slurping up the nectar before the cold harshness of the winter kicked in.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSrEMF7InqTT5r40MyxloOiy4XXiQjp1FLEwC-937PmljIz55lDXTun7YcZtTwUkxsfqJi8o6NgzJGhwuaqHKuAtRPVJWcESoTYqWgKVvSt0VpjYqVccTofk5TP3rSgBJyl9-X1t6H0E/s1600/IMG_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSrEMF7InqTT5r40MyxloOiy4XXiQjp1FLEwC-937PmljIz55lDXTun7YcZtTwUkxsfqJi8o6NgzJGhwuaqHKuAtRPVJWcESoTYqWgKVvSt0VpjYqVccTofk5TP3rSgBJyl9-X1t6H0E/s640/IMG_1628.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower of Okra (also known as ladies-finger). </td></tr>
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Okras are very easy to grow but they need a long time to mature and produce substantial harvest. If you live in a colder region (zone 6) like I do, then you should start growing this plant from around December. Soak the seeds for at least 8 hours in warm water. Then, after you plant the seeds, leave the seed-tray in a warm place. Okras like full sun and heat, and produces the best flower (in my opinion) in the vegetable-world. The plant is tall (can even grow about 8 feet or so), strong and sturdy. I have never tried this but I think it can be very good support for beans and peas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykfgrTVuVy9-FCk1JBHHDht9PFdy13_pOQqSL8rsdE3MYWwTl74PQMsmZCjwhQUWg0ikSaBRaWyNAljuR8-JH77MY-9sDTYUKlgpEH2RDPsPyTAwLB9Lv0nTYVy-kwQ5_vfT-0JZGsMo/s1600/IMG_1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykfgrTVuVy9-FCk1JBHHDht9PFdy13_pOQqSL8rsdE3MYWwTl74PQMsmZCjwhQUWg0ikSaBRaWyNAljuR8-JH77MY-9sDTYUKlgpEH2RDPsPyTAwLB9Lv0nTYVy-kwQ5_vfT-0JZGsMo/s640/IMG_1627.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dahlias</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuTvlQ4ctQXpAk8iYcuDSjZoEZZyVNDu8k0Vb4RWMukyl2rWEkp2oykirQhs7heHGSEWyvoq73DcS2LLi_q6mBSkHP53_ICfTZxyWiRIaUx9iNfK2-SwdfNnZb7R90j3-iulcZUyGyMY/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuTvlQ4ctQXpAk8iYcuDSjZoEZZyVNDu8k0Vb4RWMukyl2rWEkp2oykirQhs7heHGSEWyvoq73DcS2LLi_q6mBSkHP53_ICfTZxyWiRIaUx9iNfK2-SwdfNnZb7R90j3-iulcZUyGyMY/s640/IMG_1626.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Glory</td></tr>
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Morning Glories have no help in the garden, as pollinators do not visit them, other than being such beautiful, intricate and interesting flowers. The blooms close as soon as they are bathed in sun-light. But a word of caution -- these plants can become invasive as they produce lots of seeds; the seeds can fall everywhere and survive the harshest winter, and emerge the next-year. I like these trailing flowering plants and just let the seeds drop wherever they want. So far, they have not become that invasive in my garden.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZn08XPPYRS49VtibBjFTWyv7zUTvwZQuml25gQVUCnFjDUOEPb17IyJSVxo7SnMvE5JnAn4KFiweVtbeEFcQRuFy0uNPg0hyXYVP1P9sE7RCR6aTiT6ndwuv5HA6JDPpQXEPAonbNoQ/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZn08XPPYRS49VtibBjFTWyv7zUTvwZQuml25gQVUCnFjDUOEPb17IyJSVxo7SnMvE5JnAn4KFiweVtbeEFcQRuFy0uNPg0hyXYVP1P9sE7RCR6aTiT6ndwuv5HA6JDPpQXEPAonbNoQ/s640/IMG_1630.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old-world Calendula</td></tr>
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One can make Calendula lotion and oil from these flowers. Pick up the freshest flowers and spread them out on a flat dry surface but away from the sun. So, let them air-dry (but don't dry them in sun or in oven). Then, put the dried flowers in oil (whatever oil you like -- olive, coconut, almond -- and whatever oil suits your skin). Leave the flower-infused oil in a dark cupboard. After a month or so, you can start using the oil directly (you can take out the dried flowers if you want; or leave them in the oil); or you can make lotion, balm, etc by using bee-wax.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIDbDAedFvp4l_Doa_KPfv6z-ts39D1UzqRsaS8JaySPpOAv7urzGiVWgaqMXsh2yC_TYplcdHWlCJybeJjtLGGt6OjbFE00g97ty3a4QTGxYEcbEbisQ3nlRBuVSumfmzJjP09rW3_Q/s1600/IMG_1634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbIDbDAedFvp4l_Doa_KPfv6z-ts39D1UzqRsaS8JaySPpOAv7urzGiVWgaqMXsh2yC_TYplcdHWlCJybeJjtLGGt6OjbFE00g97ty3a4QTGxYEcbEbisQ3nlRBuVSumfmzJjP09rW3_Q/s640/IMG_1634.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old-fashioned Marigold with such lovely smell. </td></tr>
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I love Merigold flowers, the original ones with good fragrance; not all the various hybrids that are produced nowadays. Pollinators also love these old-ones, and not the newer-varieties. They are so easy to grow. Take the seeds and sprinkle them on the ground; forget about them. They survive the winter in the ground; then they spring up next-year producing so many flowers; they bloom constantly from spring until it starts snowing. Once you have one of these old-fashioned plants, you do not need to buy any more. They produce so much seeds, you can spread them all across your garden and thus have them every year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nK1vLe8vPpqH6z97TnDBlc1oy8m9v9SjFjAxBQirLqePsr7_W_nvg794UFDfBtkHyo1ssvzio4ltLfkeQ7Lizj6Pgfv29KuYAHafUt65LmxfZYQew7ZloZn1sUIxV1LdYFeueUuwyzc/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nK1vLe8vPpqH6z97TnDBlc1oy8m9v9SjFjAxBQirLqePsr7_W_nvg794UFDfBtkHyo1ssvzio4ltLfkeQ7Lizj6Pgfv29KuYAHafUt65LmxfZYQew7ZloZn1sUIxV1LdYFeueUuwyzc/s640/IMG_1639.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some kind of Gaillardia</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T0trb3B6QzGEEb_NGRI_35dRK37F1x3gwZT6zOCh_goZVQfMJhshtDfisxCptoghR7BXhLmK_juzGRkQWfcfcrwFq5HiTooCXPane4-OxrvAyioufAij8_rl8JfEGkqtSrCeoKSGFzw/s1600/IMG_1638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T0trb3B6QzGEEb_NGRI_35dRK37F1x3gwZT6zOCh_goZVQfMJhshtDfisxCptoghR7BXhLmK_juzGRkQWfcfcrwFq5HiTooCXPane4-OxrvAyioufAij8_rl8JfEGkqtSrCeoKSGFzw/s640/IMG_1638.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aster September-Ruby</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16PpMgS4hDKcu5sF6cbxwBGBjjJ1luCHg1ANmy31Bh8VNPnln5IUr9bM0WV4yUM4ypfrg1Yz0MTmpZu5T5upt4GkVdjbW_H3tA0fLdeKc6l5e5XRI6XDifLR22mqoaorHfFO5m3Pnu8E/s1600/IMG_1635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16PpMgS4hDKcu5sF6cbxwBGBjjJ1luCHg1ANmy31Bh8VNPnln5IUr9bM0WV4yUM4ypfrg1Yz0MTmpZu5T5upt4GkVdjbW_H3tA0fLdeKc6l5e5XRI6XDifLR22mqoaorHfFO5m3Pnu8E/s640/IMG_1635.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheffield Pink Mum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh8SeG3pBS0YeFbMvZpHX-iKwy5Rq2QWaUIfBm3OBNtosBff235bhVKQSVtwzFMFmviAvbZh0r5B6CA4Pb2d5ktJoVFcxxwPxHOjkft3zvyI2UelIWN0UJ2vZtDMIIaVFcZ2kLLBmFmo/s1600/IMG_1633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh8SeG3pBS0YeFbMvZpHX-iKwy5Rq2QWaUIfBm3OBNtosBff235bhVKQSVtwzFMFmviAvbZh0r5B6CA4Pb2d5ktJoVFcxxwPxHOjkft3zvyI2UelIWN0UJ2vZtDMIIaVFcZ2kLLBmFmo/s640/IMG_1633.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native wood-aster, a magnet for pollinators as shown in the next picture</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9u9oNlElYJhTgev0V58pHrRphBdbBF42hZn99eJ68dWrWLQEbCGGpqNUta2M6cOg9U3W0k_gvfPSkr7qyn1GP_nER0GlVPl7s_jK-kbBf6vn3WC86Htrd8kk4R0R_zcVqGD952Ytjxg/s1600/IMG_1625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9u9oNlElYJhTgev0V58pHrRphBdbBF42hZn99eJ68dWrWLQEbCGGpqNUta2M6cOg9U3W0k_gvfPSkr7qyn1GP_nER0GlVPl7s_jK-kbBf6vn3WC86Htrd8kk4R0R_zcVqGD952Ytjxg/s640/IMG_1625.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9FsbI4Wk4aQJ_Vtat11RFs-b1SLJhca6tZWq1oTQ50mlH18YDrKi5iWXd2aFqETv7W5kmHseKLlYIyJvM9X6BRrrFPGo2_4XxXrrV869eii2KHZ-VKd-Ri5j1zsRVkhc9aJcvxXLhHA/s1600/IMG_1621.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9FsbI4Wk4aQJ_Vtat11RFs-b1SLJhca6tZWq1oTQ50mlH18YDrKi5iWXd2aFqETv7W5kmHseKLlYIyJvM9X6BRrrFPGo2_4XxXrrV869eii2KHZ-VKd-Ri5j1zsRVkhc9aJcvxXLhHA/s320/IMG_1621.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BZz8AyHTs1oexji9asrX3kAzNEKiH7GlHqJ4ULluqv6jTJ3qlBKb6itTHhqjdS3Um7MqBYCeLZrbvG9pbkyjLmIdustBt4ydeB9TpSdCcdHmvIDvE0SM_jPHmMWSUaIfsU5R4RoE4q8/s1600/20161019_103523.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BZz8AyHTs1oexji9asrX3kAzNEKiH7GlHqJ4ULluqv6jTJ3qlBKb6itTHhqjdS3Um7MqBYCeLZrbvG9pbkyjLmIdustBt4ydeB9TpSdCcdHmvIDvE0SM_jPHmMWSUaIfsU5R4RoE4q8/s320/20161019_103523.jpg" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e19Xi7NGsyRGDR95RGHMtAjXYFSJZEdXbOBQMajk8G2L6rw1EU4-8phqLyxdaqTolRjV9B4yJ-AYSxPQ_ILYQ5a7GFx4hu0upQCsSVSrsjqW3Suq8mqgfy1u6oFl358ououXqbxC6Wg/s1600/20161019_103610.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e19Xi7NGsyRGDR95RGHMtAjXYFSJZEdXbOBQMajk8G2L6rw1EU4-8phqLyxdaqTolRjV9B4yJ-AYSxPQ_ILYQ5a7GFx4hu0upQCsSVSrsjqW3Suq8mqgfy1u6oFl358ououXqbxC6Wg/s320/20161019_103610.jpg" width="320" /></a></td>
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</tbody></table>
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Boneset or native Eupatorium Perfoliatum, another magnet for pollinators. Please click on the images to view the pollinators. I find this interesting -- pollinators, in large numbers, always visit all these wild native flowers than they do the hybrids. These wild Wood-Asters or Bonesets are the true wild native versions of the showy-asters (like September-Ruby or Sheffield-Pink) or Eupatorium (like Chocolate Joe-Pye-Weed), respectively. I wonder why? Do the natives have more pollen and nectar? Or are the pollinators know the natives better?<br />
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It's middle of November and lots of work need to be done in the garden before the winter sets in. So, back to office, home and garden work.<br />
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>and <a href="http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2015/12/information-on-todays-flowers.html">Today's Flowers</a> meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-33480081879655064182016-08-07T13:28:00.000-04:002016-08-07T17:05:07.491-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>and <a href="http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2015/12/information-on-todays-flowers.html">Today's Flowers</a> meme.
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Look what I found on my parsley plants :-D. These are the caterpillars of Black Swallowtail Butterfly, a really gorgeous butterfly that is found in all over the North America. It is apparently the state butterfly of New Jersey. It constantly flies around in my garden but I never get the chance to take a picture as they are too restless a butterfly; all the time flittering around. A picture of the butterfly is in the top part of my blog -- it's that black butterfly with beautiful designs on its wings. It's the fifth picture in the series, right next to the tomato-cucumber picture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2vLENoJFlRSgRQ_87O1blLOSGD5NekdPrYfb9Jq2Lb5IKcpJ5_rQxhqXnJYGBxVJCGHU6sICV7FzEvIeIL1Ufs50nbaBrMzcfsnyo_T5BG39PnPqeKP5PI-zTz3rVsmQ-LB9x0TuQkw/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2vLENoJFlRSgRQ_87O1blLOSGD5NekdPrYfb9Jq2Lb5IKcpJ5_rQxhqXnJYGBxVJCGHU6sICV7FzEvIeIL1Ufs50nbaBrMzcfsnyo_T5BG39PnPqeKP5PI-zTz3rVsmQ-LB9x0TuQkw/s640/IMG_1140.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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This is called the first instar of the Swallowtail catterpillar. This apparently looks like bird-poop and thus the birds leave them alone<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_9Fx3cL7ISq_I5qN_uH9YVDA9oMqbtoB7z59QQ9HLOxvz6ROmaNanW1DoDP6hKQWzpOv_AjBulAmXoIa9dPb5rDelIgY8FFZ7yNpVwVZJLzOM8QZaPpqdOzF4QsHHd9JALFetPDO45E/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_9Fx3cL7ISq_I5qN_uH9YVDA9oMqbtoB7z59QQ9HLOxvz6ROmaNanW1DoDP6hKQWzpOv_AjBulAmXoIa9dPb5rDelIgY8FFZ7yNpVwVZJLzOM8QZaPpqdOzF4QsHHd9JALFetPDO45E/s640/IMG_1146.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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From the first instar, they become these chubby neon-green caterpillars with black lines and orange-spots<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf8s22UB-As7t9i5lodLpfsYHSjgQX8D6NG2MeLshZVTyWrcZ241_npOhBLpbgvSOZbSj6H3mUFuOzMQuLdMiWf1T3OcfnBsHUHHkHr-1-QZg0PwZ86bR6kfaqvAKFKLF7mOh7k3dtE8/s1600/IMG_1149.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf8s22UB-As7t9i5lodLpfsYHSjgQX8D6NG2MeLshZVTyWrcZ241_npOhBLpbgvSOZbSj6H3mUFuOzMQuLdMiWf1T3OcfnBsHUHHkHr-1-QZg0PwZ86bR6kfaqvAKFKLF7mOh7k3dtE8/s640/IMG_1149.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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When the caterpillar is disturbed, it protrudes out these orange V-shaped Ostemetrium. It's some kind of protection tools for the caterpillar. When feel threatened the ostemetrium puts out some kind of offensive odor. I tickled it, and it put out the ostemetrium. I didn't get any odor. I guess the predators find the smell offensive.<br />
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After these photo-shoots, I went out to the garden. I'm growing lots of hot pepper this year along with some sweet and milder ones. So, this is a small harvest of various types of pepper, lemon-cucumber (a very prolific plant), ground-cherries, beans and some greens:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3rwPMcg9I1KRWbHexOYjNOtR22WCBRMQS_po7xtzZJAR7PH-GBp24IiIWKSBCTJiqMbQ0_r5e02OiWlH38E5sSUtu4Ffbvgw-0CEoZkqEbIEt-RURYnEEz4HdcHgqQmdb7ha4Znhs5s/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3rwPMcg9I1KRWbHexOYjNOtR22WCBRMQS_po7xtzZJAR7PH-GBp24IiIWKSBCTJiqMbQ0_r5e02OiWlH38E5sSUtu4Ffbvgw-0CEoZkqEbIEt-RURYnEEz4HdcHgqQmdb7ha4Znhs5s/s640/IMG_1141.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpILPKm5ALrEFpM7ZaQAXv_JUGZ5RhJfzOu9zHRS30zYvg8u9FSWUwPnnDft5TFT-yoGkeUXphLapJArEB7OTZlKZIcfpbBEwT7ilscV4gCHR31-iLgtpz6_VGbJlOjqKC6QHcMp7bSE/s1600/IMG_1138.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpILPKm5ALrEFpM7ZaQAXv_JUGZ5RhJfzOu9zHRS30zYvg8u9FSWUwPnnDft5TFT-yoGkeUXphLapJArEB7OTZlKZIcfpbBEwT7ilscV4gCHR31-iLgtpz6_VGbJlOjqKC6QHcMp7bSE/s640/IMG_1138.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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This is Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper. It is apparently one of the hottest pepper on earth; it is 400 times hotter than the hottest Tabasco sauce. And, I'm growing this :-) because I'm crazy :-P<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7V50HE5i5a-gkzLITGuKWJ4clPzcOnexuT6sdSP6QqqhN3Y6BPWjcB6VlP7AOihdBvVIaSV4abBWF5nUo4sFnRnVCswWsQBo4Vch47CG4URNft18AGPhuPr6i0JKI2t1bYbJ8lJPoGk/s1600/IMG_1136.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7V50HE5i5a-gkzLITGuKWJ4clPzcOnexuT6sdSP6QqqhN3Y6BPWjcB6VlP7AOihdBvVIaSV4abBWF5nUo4sFnRnVCswWsQBo4Vch47CG4URNft18AGPhuPr6i0JKI2t1bYbJ8lJPoGk/s640/IMG_1136.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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Small bees and wasps on sunflower. Do you know that the size of a sunflower is related to the size of space it gets to grow? I didn't know that. Being a lover of sunflower, I started growing them in every possible space I could find, and found out this truth: given bigger space, the sunflower will have the optimal bloom size. But, if it gets smaller space, the blooms become smaller.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpz4Iz2pBLrVVhxHq8mTe9Gr3ZMhpNftg1Bfzf0g8Zh07ztYhYckVd4C-RCt7uJ1huToQxzLFyWbT-6k753Fqrq_6fvEXO_o_ab4ZlwbMcdKioZvO6wBSi_7v3-9kF8cXFCYAAuHYDYc/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpz4Iz2pBLrVVhxHq8mTe9Gr3ZMhpNftg1Bfzf0g8Zh07ztYhYckVd4C-RCt7uJ1huToQxzLFyWbT-6k753Fqrq_6fvEXO_o_ab4ZlwbMcdKioZvO6wBSi_7v3-9kF8cXFCYAAuHYDYc/s640/IMG_1133.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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Honey-bee and aphids (the yellow ones) on Swamp Milkweed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNraInK7iQhgePUWSiB8q44aJF-R1dT1rctxCFbBHWy9fAdFkIJYysPFbweyfsCmN_fjg7K1gVDOtEgYfhe9Ap7NUDQKAx9iza8figvls8WJbUiZJTrAgoz57I3etWGViXMLznoGsIQI/s1600/IMG_1129.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNraInK7iQhgePUWSiB8q44aJF-R1dT1rctxCFbBHWy9fAdFkIJYysPFbweyfsCmN_fjg7K1gVDOtEgYfhe9Ap7NUDQKAx9iza8figvls8WJbUiZJTrAgoz57I3etWGViXMLznoGsIQI/s640/IMG_1129.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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Do you think bees sleep? Or they become too heavy to fly after a good dinner? Now and then, I find bees clinging still (as if they are sleeping) on flowers; they will remain like that throughout the night and will fly away the next morning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvc3-8VcOIy1puG9Hkjior8EuipiIXL8t3bBA45jO1YF2W9JM6nxcpXCwnn9Gee0yNWiCxgYfJCMxY_kSiT3jlCbx7RYwf3YMGQ3ViENKFB5RcU8FwgBTE9I0Ie-9Xh4QqZK30z0hyphenhyphenqj8/s1600/IMG_1128.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvc3-8VcOIy1puG9Hkjior8EuipiIXL8t3bBA45jO1YF2W9JM6nxcpXCwnn9Gee0yNWiCxgYfJCMxY_kSiT3jlCbx7RYwf3YMGQ3ViENKFB5RcU8FwgBTE9I0Ie-9Xh4QqZK30z0hyphenhyphenqj8/s640/IMG_1128.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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Bumble-bee sipping nectar from flowers. </div>
KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-16174352628014816132016-07-31T02:39:00.005-04:002016-07-31T11:08:31.477-04:00Creatures In My Garden -- Part 2 -- Videos and Photos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I continue with the theme creatures in my garden. In the first <a href="http://world-and-novice-naturalist.blogspot.com/2016/07/creatures-in-my-garden-part-1.html"> post</a>, I posted pictures of the creatures. In this post, I tried to capture their actions in videos. I am not a great video maker; my hands shake too much; also, I don't do any video editing. On top of that all the videos are taken from inside the windows as the creatures will run away if I go out to shoot their actions. So sorry for the poor video qualities.<br />
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As I mentioned in my previous post, bears started coming to our yard to feed on the bird-food. So, I had to stop providing birds with food for the last one month. I resumed this week, and who was the first one to come to the feeder? Well, you have to watch the video to get the answer :-) (yep, this is my trick to make you watch my videos).
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One has to admire the tenacity and hardworking of the chipmunks. They climb the fences, trees up into the patio; scurry down the length of the patio and jump into the bird-feeder. They then stuff their mouth with sunflower seeds, and rush to their homes doing all the acrobatics of climbing and running and dodging all the birds, squirrels and our dogs. They continue this throughout the day. The number of trips they make from their homes to the bird-feeders and back can easily add up to the distance around the world (okay that's my theory).<br />
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I think the squirrel mistook itself as a chipmunk. It sat in the bird-feeder, exactly like the chipmunk, to have its lunch. It was quite a precarious perch for the squirrel as the feeder is about 6 or 7 feet up from the ground. And the ground is nothing but bricks. So, if it falls, it can be quite hurtful.<br />
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Then another squirrel whom I will call Dr. Squirrel Einstein realize that there is another bird-feeder from which one can obtain food much easily. Then, finally the birds came. Birds usually do not come to a feeder that is occupied by squirrels. If they come, they sit nearby and wait for squirrels to leave. Birds do not mind chipmunks. But this time, the birds took a long time to come. The birds occupied one of the feeders.<br />
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Many people claim that creatures can wreck havoc on gardens as they can destroy flowers, fruits and vegetables. They do eat berries and fruits. But they do not destroy the garden as many people claim. Rather, I find them useful to the garden as they fertilize the garden and eat all the unwanted and destructive bugs.<br />
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And, now here is the culprit -- THE BEAR -- for who I have to remove the bird feeders. If you watch the video, you will notice that it did not exhibit any sign of fear. We were in the patio. It was down in the garden. It saw us; stared at us and then leisurely rambled around the garden, taking all its time and without being scared of us, before it left the yard. That means this bear is not scared of humans and that's a dangerous thing. If it ever comes across a human and attack, the bear will be then shot dead by police. So, for its safety I stopped providing bird-food. Now though I provide the food, but I bring it in for the night. And, I hope it will not return during the day-time as it did in the video.<br />
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Now some photos:<br />
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The bird in the last two pictures could be that of a common Grackle or a Brewer's Blackbird. Brewer's Blackbird are not supposed to be present here in the North-East. But at the same time, this bird is not of the size of a common Grackle. So, I'm confused about what it is. I have contacted the Cornell Ornithology Lab to find about its identity.<br />
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>and <a href="http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2015/12/information-on-todays-flowers.html">Today's Flowers</a> meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-61610223768017400022016-07-31T02:39:00.002-04:002016-07-31T11:08:21.545-04:00Creatures In My Garden -- Part 2 -- Just Some Videos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I continue with the theme creatures in my garden. In the first <a href="http://world-and-novice-naturalist.blogspot.com/2016/07/creatures-in-my-garden-part-1.html"> post</a>, I posted pictures of the creatures. In this post, I tried to capture their actions in videos. I am not a great video maker; my hands shake too much; also, I don't do any video editing. On top of that all the videos are taken from inside the windows as the creatures will run away if I go out to shoot their actions. So sorry for the poor video qualities.<br />
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As I mentioned in my previous post, bears started coming to our yard to feed on the bird-food. So, I had to stop providing birds with food for the last one month. I resumed this week, and who was the first one to come to the feeder? Well, you have to watch the video to get the answer :-) (yep, this is my trick to make you watch my videos).
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One has to admire the tenacity and hardworking of the chipmunks. They climb the fences, trees up into the patio; scurry down the length of the patio and jump into the bird-feeder. They then stuff their mouth with sunflower seeds, and rush to their homes doing all the acrobatics of climbing and running and dodging all the birds, squirrels and our dogs. They continue this throughout the day. The number of trips they make from their homes to the bird-feeders and back can easily add up to the distance around the world (okay that's my theory).<br />
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I think the squirrel mistook itself as a chipmunk. It sat in the bird-feeder, exactly like the chipmunk, to have its lunch. It was quite a precarious perch for the squirrel as the feeder is about 6 or 7 feet up from the ground. And the ground is nothing but bricks. So, if it falls, it can be quite hurtful.<br />
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Then another squirrel whom I will call Dr. Squirrel Einstein realize that there is another bird-feeder from which one can obtain food much easily. Then, finally the birds came. Birds usually do not come to a feeder that is occupied by squirrels. If they come, they sit nearby and wait for squirrels to leave. Birds do not mind chipmunks. But this time, the birds took a long time to come. The birds occupied one of the feeders.<br />
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Many people claim that creatures can wreck havoc on gardens as they can destroy flowers, fruits and vegetables. They do eat berries and fruits. But they do not destroy the garden as many people claim. Rather, I find them useful to the garden as they fertilize the garden and eat all the unwanted and destructive bugs.<br />
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And, now here is the culprit -- THE BEAR -- for who I have to remove the bird feeders. If you watch the video, you will notice that it did not exhibit any sign of fear. We were in the patio. It was down in the garden. It saw us; stared at us and then leisurely rambled around the garden, taking all its time and without being scared of us, before it left the yard. That means this bear is not scared of humans and that's a dangerous thing. If it ever comes across a human and attack, the bear will be then shot dead by police. So, for its safety I stopped providing bird-food. Now though I provide the food, but I bring it in for the night. And, I hope it will not return during the day-time as it did in the video.<br />
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="https://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/">Eileen</a>, <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>and <a href="http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2015/12/information-on-todays-flowers.html">Today's Flowers</a> meme.
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KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7737293877559899983.post-30179471534096032382016-07-22T07:51:00.000-04:002016-07-22T07:51:57.665-04:00Creatures In My Garden -- Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When we first moved into this house, about seven years ago, there were hardly any interesting birds or other creatures. A groundhog used to come to eat all the pears that have fallen down from the tree. Squirrels are omnipresent in the USA and thus our house was no exception. I could hear the twittering and the singing of the birds. Honey bees would buzz around only when the rhododendrons were in bloom; and that usually happened in very early spring. There were lack of creatures because like most typical houses here, this house had some evergreen trees; some spring-bulbs and then green carpets of lawns everywhere. But, painstakingly over the years I have transformed and still transforming that garden into a wild-life oasis. <br />
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I have planted lots of native flowering plants; some non-native flowering plants; spring and summer bulbs; perennial herbs; fruits and nuts trees. I also plant annual herbs and vegetables. Each tiny (less than a foot in height and about 2 inch across) perennial plants have grown to their full capacity; they are tall and wide and fat and healthy. Each of them has taken up every inch of the garden space that was provided to them. They are crawling and climbing and some of them standing tall and erect. Such thick bushes and ground-covers have created pockets and places where various species -- birds, mammals, reptiles and insects -- take shelter or cover for safety. <br />
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Our garden has indeed become a magnet for wild-lives. It has become a bit too much, I guess, as neighbors say that now and then they see black bears passing through our yards. That's why I have stopped providing foods to birds as the food also attracts bears. Bears, deers, groundhogs, chipmunks, raccoons, birds, squirrels, rats, mouse, snakes, frogs, salamanders, stray cats and all sorts of insects are constantly visiting the garden. And, that also has created quite a danger. Luckily, I have not come face to face with any bear but I'm getting stung by bees or wasps that I can't recognize. <br />
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I walk around the garden to capture their pictures but they are too fast (or I guess camera-shy) as they fly/run/dart away as soon as I approach them. So, here are some that I could get. I feel happy to be able to provide sanctuary in this earth where habitat-destruction and ever dwindling of nature and forests have become a common place. I am not a charismatic person or a born orator that I can arouse the passion in others and lead them against climate, environment and nature destruction. So, I'm trying to do my small part in my small ways. And, it also helps me feeling a bit smug and/or snobbish as my neighbors hung all those hummingbird-feeders; none visit the feeders and neighbors ask if I've seen any humming-bird. Of course, I have -- they come, sip nectar, take rest on branches of my trees and then fly away :-). <br />
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Hummingbird: Ah! there I see some interesting flowers</div>
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Hummingbird: Let me have a drink </div>
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Insect: Do you know me? </div>
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Photographer: Sorry, I don't know you. Who are you? </div>
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: I see some nice cone-flowers. Let me land</div>
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: Yipeee...I've landed</div>
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: Ah! sweet nectar....sweeeettt....</div>
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Photographer: Are you a yellow-jacket wasp? It seems like you are some kind of wasps but my knowledge is so poor about you guys. </div>
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Photographer: C'mon, don't roll your eyes. Cucumbers are creatures also; okay, a different type. But do you know that plants are the number of abused living things in this world? </div>
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Chipmunk: Dear visitors, do you see the big green evergreen bush on the right? I live underneath it. It's such a lovely home</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFySHPjEKnW5ccrcpDN9g5f5u9OSducrBSZNUw3vBt2eJpqT_6-UTDzMFI3KAG4JAjSIVN_6kOlSObymKkhZdip3TBIezjOKT7Uc64Kr2AagybAB93zNp1KvdhQQa0Aj_cbLVC0ypmTpU/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFySHPjEKnW5ccrcpDN9g5f5u9OSducrBSZNUw3vBt2eJpqT_6-UTDzMFI3KAG4JAjSIVN_6kOlSObymKkhZdip3TBIezjOKT7Uc64Kr2AagybAB93zNp1KvdhQQa0Aj_cbLVC0ypmTpU/s640/DSC_0001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mother Deer: Hmm...my eye-sights are not that good but I have very good smell and hearing. And, I think I can smell something, some strange two-legged creature with a big black thing in her hand</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnorSyzUh69QLWXeLrVFNVk9Ud4av6rnZN8vzbwC4EJWLh9d4hY30wEpLAMnVUGLZn7aQr1_DAdx2757Z0E606IKW3z8W34B-8oT18aRHOL9EtgoQ-MZSVa2lXKPa42LiP6e_aajtMscU/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnorSyzUh69QLWXeLrVFNVk9Ud4av6rnZN8vzbwC4EJWLh9d4hY30wEpLAMnVUGLZn7aQr1_DAdx2757Z0E606IKW3z8W34B-8oT18aRHOL9EtgoQ-MZSVa2lXKPa42LiP6e_aajtMscU/s640/DSC_0002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Baby-Deer: Duh! who just want to always tag behind mom and follow her? Let me venture out a bit further and check out all those other things. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYQ7VxEH2L8ZD2VKHoghJPwkWNW5HQzTbPCi3HOcXlfyRfLn4g6Npg1H0o7JRP-9qqU-VLqybzJIAEePcUlqqdiNvlvc4ssba4J1x6f3nZlTYiMHKRXqn0LbqTyVE1OtOF-MjxT7OFPw/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYQ7VxEH2L8ZD2VKHoghJPwkWNW5HQzTbPCi3HOcXlfyRfLn4g6Npg1H0o7JRP-9qqU-VLqybzJIAEePcUlqqdiNvlvc4ssba4J1x6f3nZlTYiMHKRXqn0LbqTyVE1OtOF-MjxT7OFPw/s640/DSC_0013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photographer: Are you a honey-bee or a hover-bee? Whoever you are, you are very welcome here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_sJKsebUwC6Z4qslY7pOstBGCsfe9jPOM2pZ_rKjDqsXtMse5aYlpbfCD9_OTMbzd6FN1HkjOHZaCJJi3Pc3byOn0TdZPnP_NW99V82MkIcFILCC0QtE5wjJOlmlh3zx26Dg_mSCfvA/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_sJKsebUwC6Z4qslY7pOstBGCsfe9jPOM2pZ_rKjDqsXtMse5aYlpbfCD9_OTMbzd6FN1HkjOHZaCJJi3Pc3byOn0TdZPnP_NW99V82MkIcFILCC0QtE5wjJOlmlh3zx26Dg_mSCfvA/s640/DSC_0020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photographer: Okay, I know people don't like you. You are not a native species and you usually destroy the Brassica family vegetables. But, I don't mind, dear cabbage-butterfly and you have not destroyed any of my cabbages yet though there are so many of you all the time fluttering around in the air. It's beautiful to see your aerial dance. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbNsx1ynuqT8xGP_v-GZxJZFUX0PmVhRl7-lj8N3-iuacZbSH95AdTIWyG358K0Kp65Sk2V5g5A9NDsvDyC7BkbuzcFkNkGOwZKNOVN3mZ6lq9jw-0aYT8nWA_uD6lS7JD4PIIatqfk0/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbNsx1ynuqT8xGP_v-GZxJZFUX0PmVhRl7-lj8N3-iuacZbSH95AdTIWyG358K0Kp65Sk2V5g5A9NDsvDyC7BkbuzcFkNkGOwZKNOVN3mZ6lq9jw-0aYT8nWA_uD6lS7JD4PIIatqfk0/s320/DSC_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU24OFIRdZwESAgA6AftdhJvLJf1OktLRQC_VzzhD8VHlXY9GZdelhfqkz3w6RYbSs15ZDyIMH-VVKnG5u8WjqUB7ZEZG7BX5k51_DCNV4sxf8NM8F01a-HGFkPMpcSBpd7r5FiITboo/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU24OFIRdZwESAgA6AftdhJvLJf1OktLRQC_VzzhD8VHlXY9GZdelhfqkz3w6RYbSs15ZDyIMH-VVKnG5u8WjqUB7ZEZG7BX5k51_DCNV4sxf8NM8F01a-HGFkPMpcSBpd7r5FiITboo/s320/DSC_0025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIbaBtSYC8CQ3f5f8dALC0q0IkHGCPbzPhzyIRAppXIROoX6jOCh2LyWMRiUQHmLv8Wa7sDHuzb8ubnN_I0UMq_GwtPAEjaxYG1jPqDOfKHFgpXD4VdiK8BGaq_150Lhx5XfdYayDkCA/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIbaBtSYC8CQ3f5f8dALC0q0IkHGCPbzPhzyIRAppXIROoX6jOCh2LyWMRiUQHmLv8Wa7sDHuzb8ubnN_I0UMq_GwtPAEjaxYG1jPqDOfKHFgpXD4VdiK8BGaq_150Lhx5XfdYayDkCA/s320/DSC_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0t422IK0C0B8l_ikN5qoWrWjU9MpSvTflncwEzE1LI4QMtA_8EjlYtq4p3OomVbXXlmzqDdcYS0hKlT1qCrkPhmwz6daGSoaLVrqPYkXF2Hm0wLE-KFUjt_IhjxlapUPMtcVjSO_OYs/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0t422IK0C0B8l_ikN5qoWrWjU9MpSvTflncwEzE1LI4QMtA_8EjlYtq4p3OomVbXXlmzqDdcYS0hKlT1qCrkPhmwz6daGSoaLVrqPYkXF2Hm0wLE-KFUjt_IhjxlapUPMtcVjSO_OYs/s320/DSC_0027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloe1I3OrCTJLfIkGr0xs8TkojacsL9aF-aE5qiLnemL02o2xk6_KJDlY3I5_PIYnk5_Vsc5sC3nc68-lyCOq3-dhYgkmnUuSP4P74nmHgK09MIKtlhI0dsG3WjimieAN4qg8jSUMRwvA/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloe1I3OrCTJLfIkGr0xs8TkojacsL9aF-aE5qiLnemL02o2xk6_KJDlY3I5_PIYnk5_Vsc5sC3nc68-lyCOq3-dhYgkmnUuSP4P74nmHgK09MIKtlhI0dsG3WjimieAN4qg8jSUMRwvA/s320/DSC_0028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HnhR_Rgf8HW_lasrjB477oBF_Jhb5wVr1KkgHG5353RPLGziWxzjsXo58YZRbSlB0z_lrNM1ok_erExpqA69InfBcD2Z05qF9nrpp6xn5t6I9fRuwDNJj8Nri3Ggm50KOPycV0yfo68/s1600/DSC_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HnhR_Rgf8HW_lasrjB477oBF_Jhb5wVr1KkgHG5353RPLGziWxzjsXo58YZRbSlB0z_lrNM1ok_erExpqA69InfBcD2Z05qF9nrpp6xn5t6I9fRuwDNJj8Nri3Ggm50KOPycV0yfo68/s320/DSC_0029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td>
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Photographer: Hmm...Is this a carpenter-bee? Or a fly? Apparently many flies mimic the bees and wasps and only an expert can distinguish with naked eyes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniiusXOwXhq_ZjZS787B_GDDxAoa1lNEEIJMvyTOugP7V3VNaKYV_At6j3rGXnkL-Hm-jeiqGYQJ0k-h0JYfP3nvCX6qQq9BKFQ6A9dYqNM0yMtHrSl5HAa-nlUqmZ57pOAj1D3rlmt8/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniiusXOwXhq_ZjZS787B_GDDxAoa1lNEEIJMvyTOugP7V3VNaKYV_At6j3rGXnkL-Hm-jeiqGYQJ0k-h0JYfP3nvCX6qQq9BKFQ6A9dYqNM0yMtHrSl5HAa-nlUqmZ57pOAj1D3rlmt8/s640/IMG_1083.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Can You See ME :)? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxchrgwyqWAqcGaITNS1X3m3l5z0snVqBSOAI7SXlIwpVIs8lxJV7TdvIjEsu3uitXqdDBYFqFyAi8b4PE6O4dApyC3iVl6pZgHe_xGxv15KiJ0ecaA6Qd3BXLhekeEkuI4g45pzCvd0/s1600/IMG_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxchrgwyqWAqcGaITNS1X3m3l5z0snVqBSOAI7SXlIwpVIs8lxJV7TdvIjEsu3uitXqdDBYFqFyAi8b4PE6O4dApyC3iVl6pZgHe_xGxv15KiJ0ecaA6Qd3BXLhekeEkuI4g45pzCvd0/s640/IMG_1084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I am big about 2 inches or more in length and scary</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqERAaCQuvlJjTwc4pGceIhGnHaA-Gna5VLrYGWf-kYL69l6NG0ZR5z64HxyGIZQcu1KOU91_NHPDe4IG48IlurwNwAks46Tk0-NWUl76hzq10-bj4XE0oJcZsQ3Sd1-IrqjglraCKjw4/s1600/IMG_1085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqERAaCQuvlJjTwc4pGceIhGnHaA-Gna5VLrYGWf-kYL69l6NG0ZR5z64HxyGIZQcu1KOU91_NHPDe4IG48IlurwNwAks46Tk0-NWUl76hzq10-bj4XE0oJcZsQ3Sd1-IrqjglraCKjw4/s640/IMG_1085.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm not exactly sure who I'm. I think I am the Great Golden Digger Wasp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggf8uyhXl6FErFZ-jTStyAFv84rgPbkKg1bIX6kcLlwu-ULf5IOoI68OTP9NWHV5j3Bjnt3kr3NNXqhECGKFjvaCr5Ngu4aiYp6ZLat8czfpNg7lkO1j-VQQfJuaO6xwC-fAGpnhLB6IU/s1600/IMG_1087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggf8uyhXl6FErFZ-jTStyAFv84rgPbkKg1bIX6kcLlwu-ULf5IOoI68OTP9NWHV5j3Bjnt3kr3NNXqhECGKFjvaCr5Ngu4aiYp6ZLat8czfpNg7lkO1j-VQQfJuaO6xwC-fAGpnhLB6IU/s640/IMG_1087.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But don't be scared of me. See, even this gentle butterfly is not afraid of me. Howdy Amigo!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5RKw25XDJkxhY_TfM2mxnQ-Jlkd5JF7hKL4PckzYC-7cSNAvR9HyBwpdApTN2CJ8VTRGTGbt4TjDs4ysCSxxR3_k4grk0-ha6xuHyNPNlmLMW_lnZx2kZyCMD4cIjk3II1r59RIivJE/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX5RKw25XDJkxhY_TfM2mxnQ-Jlkd5JF7hKL4PckzYC-7cSNAvR9HyBwpdApTN2CJ8VTRGTGbt4TjDs4ysCSxxR3_k4grk0-ha6xuHyNPNlmLMW_lnZx2kZyCMD4cIjk3II1r59RIivJE/s640/IMG_1090.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hey! how does my butt look? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DhmnP0tTmPQyjIh2N1w6bTo0whSK5Dszj5PjtN_6I6brFOtdyY4qEY_ERZKSECP7XL2qJ5Vgl5-ANt3h6glyNPAWoXAOgRp5U2uvPILmPPOt9V7B7fqm9i1e54HsUTr89Lrd1F8Kmco/s1600/IMG_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DhmnP0tTmPQyjIh2N1w6bTo0whSK5Dszj5PjtN_6I6brFOtdyY4qEY_ERZKSECP7XL2qJ5Vgl5-ANt3h6glyNPAWoXAOgRp5U2uvPILmPPOt9V7B7fqm9i1e54HsUTr89Lrd1F8Kmco/s640/IMG_1092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think I'm some kind of bees</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8EmJxxS8xxYQrAqFb85PhThruTgjKHAP5StmySA2ANxMpQYxFdkk412Ep_fqPbCQQtWxpm46iY1WXL3EHPVkfiU_2JcWvF3ur-3L0-utlKCKUtST9HQg9R6EONYzjs2bB6PvlEzKYB4/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8EmJxxS8xxYQrAqFb85PhThruTgjKHAP5StmySA2ANxMpQYxFdkk412Ep_fqPbCQQtWxpm46iY1WXL3EHPVkfiU_2JcWvF3ur-3L0-utlKCKUtST9HQg9R6EONYzjs2bB6PvlEzKYB4/s640/IMG_1097.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photographer: Sorry about a hazy picture. This is either a Monarch or a Viceroy. They look similar from side. They can only be differentiated if they spread out their wings. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5X2-yhbUhCJkxLO3z3jH2784vMn7ktLJPh_rIc9Ce-IU4z9vwkFgepe6kucIsPVnk277yeGAEVQl6PxUli0y7ryooHJf1OagBV0813UxpXdKhybrah8oLjfcsV2DdqQ0lGzif4JUfrc/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5X2-yhbUhCJkxLO3z3jH2784vMn7ktLJPh_rIc9Ce-IU4z9vwkFgepe6kucIsPVnk277yeGAEVQl6PxUli0y7ryooHJf1OagBV0813UxpXdKhybrah8oLjfcsV2DdqQ0lGzif4JUfrc/s640/IMG_1094.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm a teeny-weeny cutie-pie. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvEBquCcO66VwSzVPEZlqHEac5dKKbbb4q51MahktBk9xclHQ_glwDuX9PE7Hnre-g0AV4t7riMRlktqmyojbCx-1BsRyaXt9IfLSxP81n6f37brFBcTNc0qfyH2dMv0xVIAAKTd6yiA/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvEBquCcO66VwSzVPEZlqHEac5dKKbbb4q51MahktBk9xclHQ_glwDuX9PE7Hnre-g0AV4t7riMRlktqmyojbCx-1BsRyaXt9IfLSxP81n6f37brFBcTNc0qfyH2dMv0xVIAAKTd6yiA/s640/DSC_0017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dude! how may photos of mine will you take? Will you ever stop?? I mean seriously...<rolling-eyes></rolling-eyes></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WDZeLcmzrYhcqlmxf9y87KKdQJmW_xllDYGpwIngURTNMChAckPELk84QU2VXtnTaIsFz4_1dApGXXjaMY6RYbkZUurfnNWE4Tz9GddMolFs7AXpLcaWuG5128rEzrmyBs_Yqd8dTcY/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WDZeLcmzrYhcqlmxf9y87KKdQJmW_xllDYGpwIngURTNMChAckPELk84QU2VXtnTaIsFz4_1dApGXXjaMY6RYbkZUurfnNWE4Tz9GddMolFs7AXpLcaWuG5128rEzrmyBs_Yqd8dTcY/s640/IMG_1102.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photographer: Are you a yellow-jacket wasp that's drinking water from our pond? You then seem to be quite docile as I'm constantly breathing down your neck to take pictures and you don't seem to mind. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1_B7Anf9UaQgT3XOJwCtWpzB1NjZHMZJbGKzgOzkFv-dtz0X47ljNxEAgWlxcX8MZGYM6IfQnOn-xnJlhiQ1fBDj5o5xhDhkee4102eAmv2rgaYd8bnFTsi7bVA6huvi4NAG8DR0y_Q/s1600/2016-06-12+09.40.39.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1_B7Anf9UaQgT3XOJwCtWpzB1NjZHMZJbGKzgOzkFv-dtz0X47ljNxEAgWlxcX8MZGYM6IfQnOn-xnJlhiQ1fBDj5o5xhDhkee4102eAmv2rgaYd8bnFTsi7bVA6huvi4NAG8DR0y_Q/s320/2016-06-12+09.40.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIcLRFyGqFl6WGYlfVw5noNWf9BFOe-u3c5mFPTkkMnlhQ5YFUaRRdu4bg70v5AR75j9tmGrtBwTtD0dGoVQyMOgHRWmlGifgsHJVAAJwrynetD3MAIdQ0ZFJIPBFIv2aoa1eIfzBpVs/s1600/2016-06-12+09.42.57.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIcLRFyGqFl6WGYlfVw5noNWf9BFOe-u3c5mFPTkkMnlhQ5YFUaRRdu4bg70v5AR75j9tmGrtBwTtD0dGoVQyMOgHRWmlGifgsHJVAAJwrynetD3MAIdQ0ZFJIPBFIv2aoa1eIfzBpVs/s320/2016-06-12+09.42.57.jpg" width="320" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xVN6mafX7MZKh0EczvSiXt4Ys3znfeFkAUi7ta2xT9IXrLad5ZWtXpps1EzPpFQjYGecpgWScqOMmST3BkCUCXx7xuLTICiliMxfFrpJalBk814LNR2Vqow02IZlKwKUNA5k3HHeiXU/s1600/2016-06-12+10.14.21.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xVN6mafX7MZKh0EczvSiXt4Ys3znfeFkAUi7ta2xT9IXrLad5ZWtXpps1EzPpFQjYGecpgWScqOMmST3BkCUCXx7xuLTICiliMxfFrpJalBk814LNR2Vqow02IZlKwKUNA5k3HHeiXU/s320/2016-06-12+10.14.21.png" width="320" /></a></td>
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Photographer: Bear in our backyard. Sorry for the hazy and not so distinct pictures as I didn't dare approach it and was trying to take the pictures quite fast :-). In the first picture, it's standing tall and eating sunflower seeds from the bird-feeders.<br />
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Observing and watching these wild lives is my meditation. I surely do forget everything as I see the birds and wasps drinking from our artificially-made small pond; butterflies fluttering; bees and wasps hovering over flowers; bumble-bees buzzing from one flower to the next, and chipmunks darting from safe place to another. The peace and calm it brings is thousand times more powerful and effective than doing yoga or sitting in a room and practicing meditation. And how much nectar does a tiny flower has? I see bees, wasps, hummingbirds all visiting the same flower again and again!?<br />
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Now, I need your help. Anyone know who might be living here (the picture below)? It's a pot with some papers stashed into it. I see the creature every summer -- they always live in the nook and crannies like this -- stashed papers, leaf debris. Their color is exactly that of yellow-jacket -- bright yellow with those stripes. But their bodies are not of wasps. Rather much like bees -- thick and fat and hairy. It also hovers on top of flowers. But I don't think I've ever seen them sipping nectar. Rather they seem to bump into (or attack) other bees. They are very protective of their homes and will sting you and attack you. And their stings are extremely painful; itchy and the area will get swollen. They are always so fast, darting in and out that it's impossible to capture them in pictures. So, if anyone has any idea, do let me know. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUA_hyphenhyphen6CWBoFAvNpztMveS8vem8LXNdcm10Nw3Z05eN2quHz_ILhwlwTyslex8D1dRh-6PDxUlFOOODwcyytSLTq_t0AC7C7jBP61zXMwXEQTdvpPYmdg_OBnEjqs54FZNsvGYIrH-Tg/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUA_hyphenhyphen6CWBoFAvNpztMveS8vem8LXNdcm10Nw3Z05eN2quHz_ILhwlwTyslex8D1dRh-6PDxUlFOOODwcyytSLTq_t0AC7C7jBP61zXMwXEQTdvpPYmdg_OBnEjqs54FZNsvGYIrH-Tg/s640/DSC_0051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm joining in the memes hosted by <a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/">Rambling Woods</a>, <a href="https://jeshstgermain.com/">St Germain's </a>and <a href="http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2015/12/information-on-todays-flowers.html">Today's Flowers</a> meme.</div>
KLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06737654325235566310noreply@blogger.com23