November 1, 2015
By Donna L. Watkins
“He that plants trees loves others beside himself.” – Thomas Fuller
Hello Dear Friends!
In Pennsylvania there is a great diversity of deciduous trees that provide longer and more varied Autumn displays of color than anywhere else in the world, due to the ideal longitude and latitude and varied topographies that offer a blaze of color everywhere you turn. That's what I've read. The rich reds of Red Maple, Black Gum and Sumac and the golden yellows and burnt oranges of Hickory, Sycamore, Birch and Poplar trees present a vibrant scenery as far as the eye can see when you're driving along the highways.
In my early 20's I moved from Pennsylvania to Mobile, Alabama and after that to Atlanta, Georgia. Met a guy there that swept me off my feet, married and moved to Oklahoma where he was from. Oh, the longing for the trees of the south and northeast. Central Oklahoma looked so barren to me. After "four years of duty" as I say, we moved back to Georgia for a couple of years and then to two town in Alabama for a total of 17-1/2 years. I missed the Fall colors and we had been tired of the extreme heat and humidity of Alabama, so we headed for Central Virginia where we could see some Fall colors again.
However, we quickly discovered that it was much too cold for either of us, but we had invested quite a lot of time and energy into building a "Backyard Wildlife Habitat" and attracted so much wildlife that we couldn't imagine leaving it all behind. So here we are ... November 7th will be 15 years of living with cold weather and no leaves on the trees for six months of the year. I call myself Goldilocks because it was too hot in Alabama and too cold in Virginia. We'd like to live in between where it's "just right." [grin]
Sweet Treat Recipe - Whole Wheat Carob Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
Speaking of just right ... these cookies are wonderfully delicious! Had to share the recipe with you! You might double the recipe if you're baking for more than one.
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| Recipe For YOU From ME |
1 c. old fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. honey
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. cinnamon
1 large egg
1 c. carob chips
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine flour, oats and soda. In mixer beat together butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and cinnamon, scraping sides if necessary to combine. Gradually add flour mixture. Reduce speed and stir in carob chunks. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto an oiled or parchment paper baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Tidbit - 530 Lbs. Lost Without Diet Plan - Weighing 700 pounds, Nancy Makin had lost hope. After 12 years of weight gain, Makin had spiraled into despair. The more food she ate, the more shame she felt, and nothing could stop the cycle. Then one day her sister gave her a computer. Inspired by the friends she'd made online and no longer judged by how she looked, Makin finally took control of the situation.
Makin said the psychological transformation was so complete that she lost all that weight without diet pills, exercise or even a diet. She just stopped gorging. "I achieved this on my own, in a natural way, with no surgical procedures having been performed. No particular 'diet' plan was followed; no pills, potions or ab-crunching exercises played a part in my recovery," she wrote in a congratulatory letter to herself. Read the entire article.
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| View Enlarged Image Tiny White Micrathena (Micrathena mitrata) Spider View More Spider Photos |
It's part of the Orb Weaver Family of spiders, being barely 1/4 inch long. It has an irregular, flat shield with black markings on white, at the top of its abdomen, also having two short spines. This spider spins a very dense web, especially when you consider its size. They can often be seen at eye level along woodland trails.
Tidbit - Medical - Have you seen "The Operating Room of the Future" that has been developed in Israel? A friend in Massachusetts sent me the info last year and I'd forgotten about it until another friend sent me a link again. It's an amazing technology that would provide non-invasive procedures for what we now call surgery which cuts on the body. Procedures are done as an outpatient visit with patient being able to go back to work. There are locations for specific procedures. Uterine fibroids seems to be the most common.
Locally we have the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville having acquired their equipment in 2009 where a team of experts provides treatment for uterine fibroids and conducts research focusing on using MRgFUS to treat brain, breast, prostate, bone and liver tumors and conditions such as epilepsy, stroke, chronic pain, Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. It's been around awhile, so you may have heard of it, but wanted to provide the info for those who haven't. Read Article or View Video. There are 9 states listed that have locations for uterine fibroids.
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| A House in the Woods |
The forest-like communities mix tree-like units with actual trees in a forest. Identical to trees OAS1S units are made of wood and leaves, they collect sun and water, and provide oxygen and food. The constructions are prefabricated of recycled wood, organic insulation, green walls and triple glazing. Totally off the grid and 100% self-sufficient with energy. They bring competitive middle-class housing for people who demand high-quality and green living. Check it out.
Tidbit - Family Life - How well would you do if you were asked to describe your spouse's face to a police sketch artist? It's tougher than you think. At the start of this 4-minute video, 6 couples were separated so they could describe the man or woman in their life with only memory as a reference point. Participants seemed unabashed in describing their counterparts and in the end they come together and get to see each other's portrayal of the other. It made me wonder if I could do that well even though I live and work with my husband. Sometimes we really don't look at people ... even those who are nearest and dearest to each other. View the video.
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| View Enlarged Image White-throated Sparrow View More Photos of White-throated Sparrows |
Have no idea really what they were fussy or chasing each other for, but I assumed they were not from the same province of their preferred breeding spot in Canada. It's interesting how some species will have certain personalities that are more agreeable.
But since then things have settled down and they all appear to be friendly since there's plenty of food out there for them. They are busy ones scratching under the bushes and in the leaves for a seed.
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| View Enlarged Image Baby Canada Goose These Boots Were Made For Walking View More Canada Goose Photos |
Some populations are not going South as they had been due to weather changes and availability of waste grain in Fall and Winter. This bird was nearly extinct in the early 1900's. Programs to reintroduce them have been so successful that in many urban and suburban areas, they are considered a problem. The oldest known wild Canada Goose was 30 years 4 months old, so they can have quite a lengthy lifespan.
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| View Enlarged Image Ruby-crowned Kinglet at Suet View More Ruby-crowned Kinglet Photos |
They breed mostly in the spruce-fir forests in northwestern U.S. and Canada, but also live in mixed woods and in isolated trees in meadows. They lay a very large clutch of eggs (up to 12 in a single nest). The entire clutch of eggs can weigh as much as the female herself. The male stays with her until the chicks fledge and there's only one brood per year. They love bugs and many of the bad ones, so we're glad to see them passing through around aphid time when they gobble them up along with cottony scale from our Pyracantha bushes in Spring.
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| View Enlarged Image Overlook at New River Gorge Visitor Center Fayetteville, WV View New River Gorge Area & Birding & Nature Festival Gallery |
There are few things stronger than rock. The right kind of solid rock can withstand great pressure and serve as a foundation or building block for great buildings and structures. In this photo you see an overlook platform built on "solid rock" for the foundation. Jesus told us to consider the things He says as a foundation of solid rock.
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| Donna on Screened Porch |
Donna
P.S. Anything in here that might help somebody you know?
Here's a link to the online version of this newsletter.
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http://www.thenatureinus.com/2015/11/the-nature-in-us-newsletter-11115.html
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