So….I was out running an errand this afternoon, about an hour before sunset. It’s been so cold that 45 degrees felt like Spring and with the sun shining, the day kind of had that feel to it. As I head back, I have to stop up a slope to get on the main road. As I approached, I looked up and saw the most awesome sight–this tiny patch of a rainbow in the clouds! I sat there in wonder at it…I don’t recall ever seeing such a sight ever.
And no camera.
But, never fear, someone else has seen one, too, and posted on this blog. The one I saw was more dramatic, in that it was right in front of me. It was like someone took a paint brush to the cloud.
Okay, people, stop your whining about how c-c-c-c-cold it is and the snow…
So…I thought I’d list the benefits of Winter:
–The snow is ESSENTIAL for us not to have a drought. A biology teacher once said that we needed at least two feet of snow each winter to avoid having a drought. With the climate change weird weather, I would up that to three feet of snow. Right now, we’ve almost gotten that, so we’re looking pretty good for next summer.
–The freezing weather kills a lot of bugs.
–Playing in the snow is fun. The beauty is phenomenal.
–After a winter is through, we can appreciate Spring and warmer weather. Would we appreciate it as much if we didn’t have the colder weather?
–Winter isn’t for sissies. Like the butterfly struggling out of its cocoon, the struggle makes one stronger.
–The winter allows the plants to “sleep” and rest. The snow protects the roots from the severe cold. I dislike the “bad” part of this post, because it is always from a human’s perspective, instead of all of nature. The broken branches or dead trees serve as homes to creatures, or as a base for other living plants that use the decaying matter as food.
Here’s a neat video with an amazing dead tree hosting several plants:
And here is a video on life beginning again after a devastating wildfire.
Related to the trees, I found this video on saving acorn seeds for planting:
(As a side note~ I just have to say that I’m digging the hairy arms. I don’t know how it all got started, but men shaving their arms and chests bare is a turn off. )
Also related to winter, I came across this ecotraction substitute to winter salting on roads. Great idea. I heard that they were using beet juice now in salt mixtures for the roads, and at first I thought that was better than the destructive effects of salt, but then I thought…they’re using food when people are hungry…yeah, can’t support that. Beets are especially good for their detoxing effects.
First, the legal stuff: Statements posted on this blog are for information only, and should NOT be taken as medical advice. If you need medical advice, you should seek it from those who are licensed to give medical advice. You are responsible for any decisions you make, or actions you take (or do not take).
(It is sooo stupid that I have to say that when I have had more harm done by licensed medical professionals than by non-professionals. Pshaw.)
Okay—I was doing research on herbs used to rid the body of xenoestrogens, and came across several helpful sites. (xenoestrogens are plastics/chemicals that match the body’s estrogen receptors, taking the place of the real hormones).
One of the sites mentioned the connection between xenoestrogens and breast lumps. I had tried this product, Estrosense, many years ago, but stopped taking it because of an adverse reaction. I was unaware of that I was full of mercury at the time, and since turmeric is sulfuric, it made me miserable….being that I was sulfur dominant from the mercury.
I tried it again the last two months, and had a successful go of it this time around.
And guys, if you think this is *just* a woman’s concern…think again. Signs are out there that these stupid fake hormones are affecting men, as well. So ixnay on the hormones-only-affect-women-bit.
More here on the connection to breast cancer and xenoestrogens.
Here’s a good blog on what to do to avoid them. I think it is always better to avoid them in the first place rather than trying to remove them afterwards.
While doing that research, I came across a blood purifer using plants, called Kroeger blood toner. I researched the ingredients, one by one, and found a fairly helpful site on herbs here. It just never gets old discovering all the neat stuff that plants can do for us. Like I’ve said a zillion times before–we’ll discover that all the stuff we called “weeds” were the cure for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc….
Milkweed being one of those undervalued plants….as shown by the site. Now we see the damage that herbicides are doing through the chain of nature…first the milkweed, then the butterflies:
A major cause is farming with Roundup, a herbicide that kills virtually all plants except crops that are genetically modified to survive it. As a result, millions of acres of native plants, especially milkweed, an important source of nectar for many species, and vital for monarch butterfly larvae, have been wiped out.
Gah, I remember when we saw milkweed *everywhere* we went. Now you’re lucky if you see a few plants scattered here and there. Same with burdock. Our dog rarely came home without burrs on him (this was back in the day when you let your dogs run loose.)
Nope…now we need manicured lawns with nary a weed on them. Got to be perfect.
I used to allow a small (24 x 24) patch of my lawn go to weed…much to the irritation of my neighbors who thought of me as the local hippie of the neighborhood. It.just.was.not.done. It was like I was letting the whole neighborhood go to hell. And the thing was–my little overgrown patch was off the road behind a line of private evergreens. Only two neighbors could actually see the *jungle* (said with a grin).
Anyway….I’m all for allowing more manicured space go back to its natural habitat.
There’s a certain peace, tranquility, and restfulness when nature is allowed to be…nature. There’s nothing like bending over to admire a plant when a butterfly comes floating by and lands on a plant near you….as if to say hello…
…and *thanks* for not messing with my nourishment and my home…
Diane Ravitch has a blog up with a link to Mother Jones article on the hypocrisy of Bill (and Melinda) Gates. It’s a really great read on how slick Billy operates.
“While they comprise less than 10 percent of the nation’s land area, they support 75 percent of our migratory birds, nearly 80 percent of fish and shellfish, and almost half of our threatened and endangered species. We can’t sustain native wildlife for future generations without protecting and restoring the coastal wetlands that support them,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.
~~~~~
A commenter from Florida says 60% of their wetlands have been lost.
A depressing aspect is that some would like to attach a monetary value to the wetlands. In my view, there isn’t any way to adequately do such a thing. It’s priceless. When it’s gone, we are too. And when I say “we” I mean every living thing–the fish, the birds, the no-see-ums…all those things that are connected.
And this article doesn’t even take into account the pollution of plastic, mercury, and other toxins to the remaining wetlands.
…our “kidneys” are failing because of our neglect and lack of proactive life changes. It’s so haaard to make adjustments. /snarky and whiny, for sure.
Petula Dvorak has this up on the Native Americans and this holiday we celebrate.
The Native Americans I talked to said they’ve all heard of someone who doesn’t celebrate the holiday the way it’s presented in food magazines and Hallmark television specials. But all the people I talked to said they hold on to the original message that the Wampanoag had that day — a harvest feast to give thanks.
“Thanksgiving is like every day for us. Giving thanks is a big part of the native cultures. So the basic message of the holiday, that’s still part of who we are,” said Ben Norman, 32, a member of the Pamunkey tribe in Virginia.
~~~~~~~~~
And that’s what it means to me, too—being thankful for every day and every meal and all that is provided for us.
The Native Americans recognize that all is connected. What we do over *here* affects something over *there*. We cannot take and take and take without there being repercussions. The traditional Native Americans humbly acknowledge that with taking only what they need.
The Europeans described America as a wilderness. The Native Americans knew better and carefully managed the great ecosystem–you could drink from any river or stream….the fish were plentiful because they weren’t overfished and they didn’t contain mercury and other toxins…you could breathe…
They were portrayed as heathens that needed “saving” by missionaries. Instead of trying to understand their spirituality, the Europeans sought to force their religion upon them. Native Americans don’t have Churches where one goes to pray once a week and then forget everything that is taught…rather, they see spirituality in everything they do—everything is connected to the Creator.
I just wanted to acknowledge their culture and all that was lost.
One million signatures for freeing Tillikum, the Orca stolen from his family at the age of two and held captive ever since….so that Sea World and others could make $$$ off of him and other orcas. Orcas are members of the dolphin family– are very intelligent and family oriented. Dolphins in captivity have been known to drown themselves. It appears that Tillikum isn’t far from that—staying motionless for hours in the tank.
Keeping up with the First Nations protests in Canada–
A judge has ruled that indigenous protestors are not to interfere with fracking by SWN….even though it is on Mi’kmaq land.
There are other ways to silence free speech and protests.
A video here on the damage already being done just by exploration. He describes the water from the broken aquifer as having an oily consistency. I hope that he has taken samples of the water for testing. And that he goes back in the Spring to access the damage to the Earth, plants, and wildlife.
From the piece:
Water Flowing from Shotholes or Testholes
Requirements when water comes to surface or flows from shotholes or testholes
1(1)If water is released from an aquifer or stratum while drilling a shothole or testhole and comes to the surface or flows from the shothole or testhole, the permittee shall, without undue delay, notify the Minister and ensure that all drilling on the flowing hole is discontinued, that no explosive charge is loaded into the shothole and that the flow of water is confined to the aquifer or original stratum in accordance with section 2 of this Schedule or in a manner proposed by the permittee and approved by the Minister.
1(2)If water is released from an aquifer or stratum and comes to the surface or flows from a shothole or testhole following the drilling of the testhole or the drilling or detonation of the shothole, the permittee shall, without undue delay, notify the Minister and ensure that the flow of water is confined to the aquifer or original stratum in accordance with section 2 of this Schedule or in a manner proposed by the permittee and approved by the Minister.
1(3)If a shothole is flowing before an explosive charge is detonated, the permittee shall ensure that the charge is detonated.
1(4)Without undue delay, the geophysical licensee shall submit to the Minister a report, on a form provided by the Minister, with respect to each flowing shothole or testhole
(a)after the flow of water has been confined to the aquifer or original stratum under subsections (1) and
(2), or (b)after reasonable attempts have been made to confine the flow of water to the aquifer or original stratum under subsections (1) and (2).
1(5)If, after reasonable attempts have been made, the flow of water from a shothole or testhole cannot be confined in accordance with section 2 of this Schedule, the geophysical licensee shall, as soon as possible, submit to the Minister for his or her approval a plan for the control and management of the flow of water.
1(6)If water flows from a shothole or testhole when drilling operations are in progress, the permittee shall ensure that the process referred to in subsection 2(2) of this Schedule is complied with when any subsequent shotholes or testholes in the sequence are drilled.”
~~~~~~~~~
Anonymous has this posted on the Warriors being held in solitary confinement.
Parents being arrested for protecting their children’s water….for protecting the future.
Finally, Idle No More has this up for anyone wishing to help the Elsipogtog.
I saw recently where James Taylor was supposed to sing the Star Spangled Banner, and started singing “America, the Beautiful”…God Bless him. I want to put a vote in for America, the Beautiful for our national anthem. The Star Spangled Banner sings of war and bombs but America the Beautiful sings of the beauty of our country, the abundance, and the brotherhood (as yet to be realized, but a worthy goal).
A beautiful, crisp morning as the sun rises….now moved across the horizon for the winter sleep…
I saw six deer this morning. Sometimes they will stop and just observe me, but mostly they just run off, with white tails bobbing up…it never ceases to amaze me how they can be standing still in front of a four foot tall fence and leap over it with such athletic grace. They like apples, by the way. A momma deer and baby were seen nibbling apples one morning while they hung from the tree. You’ll see a half-eaten apple on the ground and know that it was lunch for a deer.
I went out the other morning, and the birds were singing as if it were a Spring day. It caught me off guard….this is Fall, right…? :p
There were cardinals singing, Blue Jays sounding the warning, and another bird I couldn’t identify singing its little heart out. Funny.
I’ve seen a bird that is mostly grayish black that at first I thought was a junco, but it’s tail looked like a sparrow’s and it was too big to be a junco.
The hummingbirds have long since sought warmer climates. I miss their antics. They spend more energy fighting over the food, when there is plenty there, rather than conserving the energy they used fighting so they wouldn’t need so much food….I know there is a lesson for mankind in there, somewhere….
You remember the hornet’s nest I mentioned? Something happened to it–we had about three days of rain (no chemtrails to interfere), and then we had really windy days….so it may have been the combination that caused the nest to lose its outer wrap (for want of a better word). It literally had torn off the wrap down to the honeycomb-like inner chambers. I guess birds could have gotten to it, too, but I’ve never seen that. Not that I’ve seen that many hornets’ nest….in my youth, when I lived around the woods, but not since moving to the city.
Here’s an informative blog on hornet’s nests. I learned something today–I saw the honeycombs of the torn hornet’s nest but I did not realize they actually made honey! It makes perfect sense, though, because they need something for the pupae. However, I wanted to double check this, and another site said they did not make honey.
Continuing the search, I found this:
I also learned that the Maya believe hornets/wasps learn the hut owner’s scent and leave them alone….but may go after visitors. Interesting. Hornets generally do leave people alone….unless they mess with them. There was one story of my childhood where one of the neighborhood kids thought it would be funny to poke a hornet’s nest. Um-hmm….you can guess what happened…hornets mad as hell swarmed him. They had to get a hose to get them off. Yep, he never did that again…
I found this interesting blog on hornet nest destruction. Apparently, bears will tackle anything. This site is pretty interesting with discussions on biodiversity. Someone posted a video on biodiversity but it advocates eco-tourism, and setting aside small tracts of land for preservation. I think both of these ideas send the wrong message. Tourism is tourism and the more people that trample the ground, disturbing the wildlife, the more stress they bring to resources and the life forms there–not to mention more pollution by using motorized vehicles. I shake my head at folks who drive up in SUV’s to the parks….the irony seems lost on them on the damage their vehicles cause by consuming gas and polluting with exhaust, which are destroying the nature that they seek.
And the setting aside tracts of land is a noble idea–but in my view, it absolves the rest of the occupants of the land their responsibility to take care of the land they’re on. In other words, it’s like they’re saying “we have this land over here that is being preserved, therefore, you can pollute the hell out of the other land that isn’t in the preserve.” It’s still missing the HUGE point that we cannot separate the land by lines….as much as we have been brainwashed into thinking that it is possible to do just that.
Water runoff polluted with pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified forms, mercury, etc., will migrate from the unprotected land to the protected land. Toxic air will flow over the protected land. There is no way to keep a tract of land pristine while the land surrounding it is poisoned. Just like we see with the nuclear accident in Japan–what happens in one area affects another that has nothing to do with it. We have to see that everything we do affects another–to take care.
Another link someone posted is something near and dear to my heart–natural water filtration a la natural swimming pools. Pretty cool, eh? Last one in is a rotten egg! 🙂
Also, there is a thread on endangered invertebrates. Interesting read.
Eagle 
You must be logged in to post a comment.