Dahlia

       The Dahlia has been in Europe for over two hundred years. It came from Mexico to the Botanical Gardens in Madrid towards the end of the eighteenth century and was named by Abbe Cavanille in honour of Andreas Dahl, Swedish scientist come environmentalist. The first double flowered cultivars were called Show and Fancy types. The Show were self-coloured, ball like flowers, while the Fancy ones were multi-coloured.  During the mid 1800's, these show and fancy flowers attained cult status with gardeners, and several thousand different cultivars were recorded.  Other forms followed, in 1829 the first Anenome flowered dahlia appeared and then in 1850 the first Pompon were raised in Germany, and was named after the bobble on a French Sailor's hat.  The origin of the Cactus & Decorative type belongs to the arrival of “Juarrezii” according to the written records it was imported as a piece of tuber from Mexico in 1872 to Holland.  M.Van de Berg of Uttrecht who had received this so-called species (Actually a cultivar) from Mexico and released stock of the cultivar in 1874.  Subsequently “Juarrezii”, named after a President of Mexico, was introduced into the UK by W.Cullingford who would become Vice President of the NDS and distributed by H.Cannell.  After 1880. Collerettes are the last form of dahlia to have been raised, they have their origin in France and are due to sporting of dahlias at Jardin Botanique de Lyon at the end of the 19th century. 

    The initial named species imported into Europe were Dahlia pinnata, Dahlia rosea and Dahlia coccinea.  The first dahlias grown outside of Madrid were single (open-centred) & Multi-ray open centre flowered, but it was not long before the horticultural growers of the day discovered the Dahlia was a natural hybrid and when grown from seed, it readily changed its form and colour, so that today we have a range of Dahlia types that offer something to please everyone. Today, there are cultivars in the form of the waterlily, the paeony, the orchid, the chrysanthemum and the anemone, to say nothing of the main formations like the decorative (flat, broad petals), the cactus and semi-cactus types (rolled, pointed petals) and the ball forms (globular flowers) that have as their smallest relative the popular Pompon Dahlias that beguile so many gardeners. There is every colour and colour combination to choose from, except the elusive blue (which we are still seeking) which is covered by the wide range of violet and mauve cultivars. Sizes range from the smallest types, called Topmix or Lilliput Dahlias to the giants that have blooms over a foot in diameter carried on powerful stems. Today's hybridisers are still seeking the true blue dahlia, as well as one with a scent, and one that is frost hardy. 

Gobi Desert

   Gobi Desert is only the fifth largest in the world and is the most expansive arid region on the Asian continent. The desert spans two countries, covering parts of northern and northwestern China and up into southern Mongolia. A rain shadow desert, Gobi suffers from having most of its rain blocked by the Himalyas. However, this doesn't mean the region receives zero precipitation. In fact, the Gobi gets about 7 inches of rainfall each year. Gobi is a cold desert, thanks to its northern location and height (roughly 1520 meters above sea level at the area's highest points). As a result, sometimes frost and even snow can be seen capping Gobi's dunes. Temperatures can fall as far minus-40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. Summer is no picnic, either, with the heat occasionally rising to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The desert is also far less sandy than other deserts. Instead, the desert floor is mostly bare rock, due in most part to the high winds that whip across the plateau. Gobi may be the fifth largest desert on the planet, but the area actually contains five distinct ecological regions: The Eastern Gobi desert steppe, the Alashan Plateau semi-desert, The Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe, the Dzungarian Basin semi-desert, and the Tian Shan range.
   The Eastern Gobi desert steppe covers the easternmost region, encompassing 281,800 square kilometers. This region spans the area from the Inner Mongolian Plateau in China northward into Mongolia itself. There are many salt ponds and low-lying areas in the Eastern Gobi, as well as the Yin Mountains. The Alashan Plateau semi-desert sits to the west-southwest of the Eastern Gobi desert steppe. Most of this plateau is made up of desert basins and low-lying mountain ranges, including the Gobi Altai range, the Helan Mountains, and the Qilian Mountains. The Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe lies between the Khangai Mountains and the Gobi Altai range, north of the Alashan Plateau. The Dzungarian Basin semi-desert is situated between the Tian Shan range in the south and the Altai mountains to the north. The area extends from the southeastern corner of Mongolia into China, covering the northern part of Xinjiang province in China.
     The Tian Shan range acts as a border between the Dzungarian Basin and the Taklamakan Desert to the west. The Taklamakan is deemed separate from the Gobi because of its sandy basin surrounded by high mountain ranges. A lot of history has happened across Gobi's dunes, too. The desert is home to the first fossilized dinosaur egg ever found, as well as many other important fossil discoveries. It was part of the great Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history, during the 13th and 14th centuries. Gobi also contained a few important cities for traders to stop and rest while traveling the Silk Road from Europe to China. The Italian explorer Marco Polo encountered Gobi's fabled cities on his epic 24-year journey through Asia back to Venice, which he recounted in his book "The Travels of Marco Polo."
     The Gobi Desert continues to grow, and its rapid growth is alarming its neighbors. China is hardest hit, losing valuable grassland to the expanding desert. The Chinese government has announced plans to plant the Green Wall of China, a line of new forest intended to slow the desert's expansion. Even though its expansion threatens human habitation, the Gobi remains a distinctly beautiful area of the planet, with a rich history buried beneath its surface.

Amelia Island

    The island, located at the northeastern-most tip of the state, has been cast as an English plantation, international port, playground for the elite and the illicit, Civil War fortress, turn-of-the-century tourist mecca, the terminus of Florida’s first cross- state railroad and world headquarters for revolutionary shrimping. Crucial for shipping strongholds and global power plays, Amelia was prized as the deepest natural harbor in the South – Florida’s passageway to prosperity. One of America’s premier industrialists, Henry Flagler, provided the most pivotal point in the beguiling history of Amelia Island. His venture into Florida’s Southern frontier unintentionally suspended the island in a Victorian time capsule. Then considered Amelia’s misfortune, it is now known as its fortunate destiny to be an island locked in the charm and enchantment of the Victorian era. Christened for the royal daughter of England’s King George II, Amelia’s captivating beauty, climate and harbor have enticed a collection of characters from aristocrats and bluebloods to bootleggers and buccaneers.

      As early as 2,500 B.C. ancient Timucuan Indians praised the attributes of Amelia Island or “Nopoica.” The seeds of the island’s struggle were first planted in 1562 when Frenchman Jean Ribault stepped ashore on “Isle de Mai” (Island of May) and Europe began its coexistence with the Indians. Spanish rule followed with an intent to Christianize the natives of “Santa Maria” until Spain swapped Florida with England for Havana. British loyalists then diligently established plantations for the King and dubbed the island “Amelia.” Amelia, which now has a simple innocence, once simmered with depravity as smugglers and ruffians sought to seize the “prima donna” of Florida land. As the border town between Spanish Florida (regained in another land trade) and American territory, the island’s most colorful period began during Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807. With all U.S. ports closed to foreign shipping, the island’s Spanish harbor of Fernandina became the nation’s smuggling center for slaves, liquor and foreign luxuries. What is now known as Old Town attracted racketeers from all over the world. The bluff, now occupied by the mansion used in the movie Pippi Longstocking, was lined with bordellos. Eventually the “festering fleshpot” of Fernandina, survivor of three more flag usurpations, was forced to relinquish its illegal ways when it ceded to the United States in 1821. The present site of Fernandina Beach originated in the 1850s as visionary U.S, Senator David Yulee promised to make Fernandina Beach the spotlight of the Western world. He convinced the town to resettle a half-mile downriver to accommodate his dream – Florida’s first cross-state railroad. Yulee’s rail journeyed over swamps to connect with Cedar Key on the Gulf Today, an original 1899 railroad depot serves as the Visitor Center on the island.

     As the new railroad was paving the path for a golden era on Amelia, the Union army took control of a partially- finished fort on the island. The First New York Volunteer Engineers continued laying the brick, but by the war’s end no battles were fought and the massive structure was never completed. Now called Fort Clinch, located within Fort Clinch State Park, the “War of Aggression” is reenacted with uniformed, rifle-toting soldiers throughout the mess hall, infirmary, barracks and brig, the first weekend of each month. Park rangers are dressed in period costume throughout the year and answer questions as if the year was 1864.

      By 1875, thousands of Northerners voyaged to Fernandina on the Mallory Steamship Line from New York, creating the dawning of the Golden Age on Amelia. Hailed as “The Queen of Summer Resorts” by an 1896 edition of American Resorts magazine, the island’s breathtaking beaches and climate lured visitors to this new destination – Florida. Golden Age prosperity prompted the building boom of Fernandina Beach, attracting America’s entrepreneurial elite. It’s now preserved as the picturesque Centre Street, home of antique shops, boutiques and some of the area’s finest restaurants. The most colorful watering hole on Centre Street is Florida’s oldest tavern, The Palace Saloon (1878). Former haunt of the Vanderbilts, DuPonts and Carnegies, spirits are still served from its 40-foot mahogany bar graced by hand carved caryatids.

     The Silk Stocking District, a collection of grand, sherbet-hued Victorian mansions, arose along the side streets. Today, more than 50 blocks of the downtown with structures styled from Queen Anne and Chinese Chippendale to “Mississippi Steamboat” are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1890s, Florida entrepreneur Henry Flagler christened a railroad which drew wealthy tourists far south of Amelia Island. As a result, mass modernization bypassed the island, a disguised blessing that allowed Amelia to remain an authentic Victorian seaport village. In the early 20th century, Amelia Island became the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry as innovators replaced row boats and cast nets with power-driven seines and otter trawls. Today laden shrimp trawlers return to the downtown docks with the brilliant sunset as a backdrop. Nearly 80 percent of Florida’s intake of sweet Atlantic white shrimp is harvested in Amelia’s waters and the Burbank Trawl Makers (locals call it the Net House) is still the world’s largest producer of handmade shrimp nets.  You can still tour this net company today, and – every year – you can join the locals the first weekend of May in celebrating our shrimping heritage in the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival.

Dusty Miller

Although the dusty miller flower blooms in mid-summer, the small yellow blooms are small and not considered showy. Foliage of the dusty miller plant, however, is long lasting and drought resistant. As with most silvery, furry plants, growing dusty miller helps the garden remain attractive through the heat of the summer. It will also tolerate frost. The dusty miller plant is often grown as an annual and discarded after the first season; however, it is an herbaceous perennial and may return in gardening zones 8 to 10. Growing dusty miller can handle the heat, but is best planted where afternoon shade is available during the hottest months of summer. The dusty miller plant is adaptable to many soil types, thriving in acidic clay to sandy loam soils. Soil must be well draining to avoid root rot. Water regularly right after planting and withhold water once roots have developed and the plant is growing. Dusty miller care may involve a midsummer trim if the plant becomes leggy. The dusty miller flower may be removed to keep the plant compact. This specimen can grow as tall as 1 foot, but often remains shorter. Leave a few flowers to bloom in late summer if you wish the plant to self seed.

Word of the Day

Adumbrate:
     give hint or indication of something; disclose partially or guardedly; overshadow; shade

In The Woods

I walked alone in depths of Autumn woods;
The ruthless winds had left the maple bare;
The fern was withered, and the sweetbrier's breath
No longer gave its fragrance to the air.
 The barberry strung its coral beads no more;
The thistle-down on gauzy wings had flown;
And myriad leaves, on which the Summer wrote
Her blushing farewell, at my feet were strown.
A loneliness pervaded every spot;
A gloom of which my musing soul partook;
All Nature mourns, I said; November wild
Hath torn the fairest pages from her book.
But suddenly a wild bird overhead
Poured forth a strain so strangely clear and sweet,
It seemed to bring me back the skies of May,
And wake the sleeping violets at my feet.
Then long I pondered o'er the poet's words,
"The loss of beauty is not always loss,"
Till like the voice of love they soothed my pain,
And gave me strength to bear again my cross.
O murmuring heart! thy pleasures may decay,
Thy faith grow cold, thy golden dreams take wing;
Still in the realm of faded youth and joy,
Heaven kindly leaves some bird of hope to sing.

By Albert Laighton 

Starfruit

A unique tropical fruit that is gaining popularity in the United States. This fruit acquired its name from the five pointed star shape** when cut across the middle  (occasionally 4 or 6 ribbed fruit may occur).  The 3 to 5 inch long fruit has a paper-thin thin, translucent, waxy, yellow-orange to green skin with tart crisp flesh.  Star fruit range in taste from pleasantly tart and sour to slightly sweet with a complicated flavor combination that includes plums, pineapples, and lemons. The flesh is juicy and crunchy, and may be eaten skin, seeds and all or used as a garnish, in salads and in relishes and preserves. When used in cooking, green fruit are frequently used for their sourness. The juicy flesh is mostly water and does not hold up well when heated.

Although it is not now found in the wild, the star fruit is originally native to Sri Lanka and the Moluccas, and has been cultivated in Southeast Asia and Malaysia for almost 1,000 years. It is known many other names including: ‘belimbing’ or ‘belimbing manis’ (Indonesia), ‘mafueng’ (Thailand), ‘kamrakh’ (Indian) Chinese starfruit, star apple and Five angled fruit.  Today they are also grown throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, Florida and Hawaii because the fruit thrives on growing in a warm environment. 

Word of the Day

Misogynist:
   a person who hates, dislikes, mistrusts, or mistreats women.

Did you know?

September is national childhood cancer awareness month. Gold is the awareness month color. In the U.S., 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year; approximately 1/4 of them will not survive the disease. A diagnosis turns the lives of the entire family upside down. The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children, survivorship issues, and - importantly - to help raise funds for research and family support.

Rose

Rose is one of the best known and most favorite plants in the world. There are 100 different species of roses. Majority of them are native to Asia, while others originate from Europe, North America and Africa. Roses can be found throughout the world due to commercial breeding. Cultivation of roses started 500 years BC and resulted in creation of 13 000 varieties of roses. Wild roses can survive in various habitats, except those associated with extremely cold winters. Certain species of wild roses are faced with uncertain future (listed as endangered) because of the habitat loss. Each color of the rose symbolizes certain value. Red rose is a symbol of love, yellow of friendship, orange of enthusiasm, white of purity and pink of joy. Rose oil is important ingredient in the perfume industry. Extraction of minimal amount of this oil requires huge amount of roses (one gram of oil is produced from two thousand roses).

Word of the Day

Pluviophile:
   A lover of rain;someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Amaryllis

  Amaryllis is a bulbous plant which originated in South America's tropical regions. Amaryllis is easy to be brought to bloom and is a great beginner plant if you are just getting into gardening. Amaryllis can be planted from October until late April and will flower from late December until the end of June. The larger bulbs will produce more flowers. Unplanted bulbs should be stored in a place that is kept between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Tall stemmed, with trumpet-like blooms, the amaryllis symbolizes radiant beauty. However, Greek mythology has it that the flower got its start from a shy shepherdess, who pierced her heart and created a crimson flower.

    The word "amaryllis" comes from the Greek word "amaryssein," which means "to sparkle," referring to the bloom. Today, the amaryllis symbolizes pride, determination and radiant beauty--the kind that emanates from an inner source and flowers outward. Amaryllis has tall, thick stems and large, colorful flowers. Bloom colors includes red, pink, white, cream, orange and striped and variegated shades of several other colors.

History of 9/11 Attack

     On September 11, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767–United Airlines Flight 175–appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center and sliced into the south tower near the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and the streets below. America was under attack. The attackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. Reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist organization, they were allegedly acting in retaliation for America’s support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War and its continued military presence in the Middle East. Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for more than a year and had taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools. Others had slipped into the country in the months before September 11 and acted as the “muscle” in the operation.
     The 19 terrorists easily smuggled box-cutters and knives through security at three East Coast airports and boarded four flights bound for California, chosen because the planes were loaded with fuel for the long transcontinental journey. Soon after takeoff, the terrorists commandeered the four planes and took the controls, transforming ordinary commuter jets into guided missiles. As millions watched the events unfolding in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 circled over downtown Washington, D.C., and slammed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m. Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating inferno that led to the structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building. All told, 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in the Pentagon, along with all 64 people aboard the airliner. Less than 15 minutes after the terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York took a catastrophic turn for the worse when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The structural steel of the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour and a large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by the burning jet fuel.
       At 10:30 a.m., the other Trade Center tower collapsed. Close to 3,000 people died in the World Trade Center and its vicinity, including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their collapse survived. Almost 10,000 others were treated for injuries, many severe. Meanwhile, a fourth California-bound plane–United Flight 93–was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark International Airport in New Jersey. Because the plane had been delayed in taking off, passengers on board learned of events in New York and Washington via cell phone and Airfone calls to the ground. Knowing that the aircraft was not returning to an airport as the hijackers claimed, a group of passengers and flight attendants planned an insurrection. One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett Jr., told his wife over the phone that “I know we’re all going to die.
    There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger–Todd Beamer–was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.” The passengers fought the four hijackers and are suspected to have attacked the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at upwards of 500 miles per hour, crashing in a rural field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 45 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard. At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, who had spent the day being shuttled around the country because of security concerns, returned to the White House.
     At 9 p.m., he delivered a televised address from the Oval Office, declaring, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led international effort to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network based there, began on October 7. Within two months, U.S. forces had effectively removed the Taliban from operational power, but the war continued, as U.S. and coalition forces attempted to defeat a Taliban insurgency campaign based in neighboring Pakistan. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks, remained at large until May 2, 2011, when he was finally tracked down and killed by U.S. forces at a hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In June 2011, President Barack Obama announced the beginning of large-scale troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, with a final withdrawal of U.S. forces tentatively scheduled for 2014.

9/11 Attack

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.

The History of Aunt Jemima

     In 1890, a former slave named Nancy Green was hired to be the spokesperson for Aunt Jemima brand food products. Nancy Green was born into slavery in 1834 in Montgomery County, Kentucky. In 1889 the creators of Aunt Jemima, Charles Rutt and Charles Underwood, sold the company to R.T Davis, who soon found Nancy Green in Chicago. The previous owners had already agreed upon her ‘look’ of a bandana and apron. Davis combined the Aunt Jemima look with a catchy tune from the Vaudeville circuit to make the Aunt Jemima brand. Green’s identity was first uncovered at the Worlds’ Columbian Exposition in 1893. There were so many people interested in the Aunt Jemima exhibit, police were called for crowd control. Green served pancakes to thousands of people. People loved her warm personality and friendly demeanor, not to mention her cooking. Green was given an award for showmanship at the exposition. As a result of her dedication, Aunt Jemima received 50,000 orders for pancake mix. Not only did flour sales soar, but Green received a lifetime contract to serve as spokesperson.  She was a living legend of the brand until she died in a car accident in September 1923.
     After Green’s passing, the owner of Aunt Jemima, R.T. Davis, experienced financial issues and the brand was sold to Quaker Oats two years later. As for the image of Aunt Jemima, Nancy Green was followed by Anna Robinson, who’s image was changed to a painted portrait on the packaging of the mix. Next was Chicago blues singer and actress Edith Wilson. She was the first Aunt Jemima to appear in television commercials. After Wilson there was Ethel Ernestine Harper, a former school teacher and actress. The fourth Aunt Jemima was Rosie Hall who was an advertising employee at Quaker Oats until she discovered their need for a new Aunt Jemima. After she died, Hall’s grave was declared a historical landmark. Next, there was Aylene Lewis. She made her first appearance of Aunt Jemima in 1955 at the Aunt Jemima restaurant at Disneyland. The last woman known to appear as Aunt Jemima publicly was Ann Short Harrington. Harrington would make television appearances as the brand spokesperson in the New York area.

Babe Ruth

The original version of the “Baby Ruth” candy bar was actually called the “Kandy Kake” and was coincidentally renamed to “Baby Ruth” directly after Babe Ruth had become a national celebrity. The Curtiss Candy Company also tried to get Babe Ruth to endorse their product after its launch, which he refused to do. Not only that, but the Curtiss Candy Company was headquartered very close to Wrigley Stadium and, in 1932, they setup a giant lit advertising sign near the spot where Babe Ruth’s supposed “called shot” landed, advertising Baby Ruth candy bars, fully visible from Wrigley Stadium. This sign remained there for four years.

Dandelion

Dandelions are a perennial plant that grows best in full sun with moist soil. Once the plant is established, though, it can handle shade and water deprivation. The plant bears bright yellow, round flowers, and leaves that have a tooth-like shape. The plant's name comes from the French phrase dent de lion, or lion's tooth.
The roots of the dandelion can extend as far as 15 feet into the ground, though they are usually 6 to 18 inches deep. Any broken parts of the plant excrete a milky white substance. The flowers grow all year, without pollination, and once they ripen completely they turn into seeds that can fly away and grow new plants. Dandelions have many culinary uses. All parts of the plant can be eaten, including as part of salads, cooked or sauteed, even fried. Dried dandelions are used to make tea, and the flowers can be turned into wines. Dandelion flowers can also be used in decor, and the plant has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes. The dandelion is the only flower that represents the 3 celestial bodies of the sun, moon and stars. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moon and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.

Bear Grass

   Bear Grass looks like a grass, but really belongs to the lily family. It is about 4.5 feet tall. Its olive-colored, grass-like leaves grow from the base of the plant and are tough and wiry. The outside leaves clasp around the stem. The leaves have toothed margins, and grow about 35 inches long, getting shorter as they near the flowers, looking very much like a fan.
   The flowers of bear grass grow on a stalk that can be 6 feet tall with many small flowers. Each flower is creamy white, and saucer shaped, and has a sweet aroma. The lowest flowers bloom first, creating a tight knot of buds at the top. The entire flower looks a little like fluffy, upside down ice cream cone. Bear grass tends to flower in 5 to 7 year cycles. After the fruit sets, the plant dies. It reproduces by seed, and by sending out offshoots from its rhizomes.
   Bear grass is found in open forests and meadows at sub alpine and low alpine elevations in the western United States. It is commonly found under alpine larch (Larix lyallii) and whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) stands on cold, rocky sites at upper timberlines.
   Bear grass is a fire-resistant species that is the first plant to grow after a fire. Beargrass, and many other native plants, need periodic burns to produce strong, new growth. After a fire beargrass sprouts from its rhizomes which lie just under the surface. Light fires of short duration are best. Intense fires which linger in the same place for a long time will kill the rhizomes under the ground, and prevent the beargrass from growing back.
   Native Americans in Oregon, Washington state, and British Columbia have traditionally made beautiful baskets with the stems and roots of beargrass. When the leaves are dried in the sun in preparation for making baskets, they turn a creamy white. Combined with other materials of different colors, beautiful designs were woven into the baskets. Hats and other practical objects were also made of beargrass.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower, a plant with rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The sunflower's Latin scientific name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the Greek word for flower.

The sunflower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources used to produce polyunsaturated oil. Shelled sunflower seeds have a mild nutty taste and firm, but tender texture.

Carmel, California

Years after the founding of Carmel Mission in 1771, the dream of Carmel as a village-by-the-sea was realized only slowly at the beginning of the 20th century. The natural beauty of the land and the sea had been there for centuries when the founders began to create this amazing community. They had a love for the outdoors, an appreciation for nature, and a great respect for the serene beauty of the land they were developing. They took extraordinary steps to protect, preserve and enhance what continues to make Carmel such a magical place.

When and how did Halloween got to America?

Halloween arrived in America in the mid-19th century with waves of Irish immigrants seeking to escape the potato famine. Customs, such as wearing a mask or costume to fool marauding spirits, begging for sweets and lighting special protective lanterns, turned into costumes, trick-or-treating and carved, candle-lit pumpkins.`

Islamorada, Florida

   First sighted by Spanish adventurers on May 15th 1513, the Florida Keys were named Los Martires (The Martyrs) - a name which was to prove prophetic over the next few centuries. A Spanish treasure fleet was wrecked on the reefs of Islamorada during a hurricane in 1733. Subsequently, a wrecking industry thrived in the area from the late 1700s to the 1870s during which period Key West became the wealthiest city in the United States. The "wreckers" were paid a proportion of the value of the goods they salvaged from vessels unlucky enough to be wrecked on the reefs. Rumors abound that in many cases luck had nothing to do with it. Indians destroyed a wreckers village at Indian Key (just off Islamadora) in 1840, and killed 6 people. This tiny island of 11 acres, the first seat of Dade County, consisted of about 40 houses, a general store, a bar, post-office and warehouse, and the Tropical Hotel with ballroom and, so they say, bowling alleys. Prior to the 1700s Indian Key had been a Spanish trading post.
   In the mid to late 1800s the first settlers arrived from the Bahamas. In the 1850s the Russell family, with their eight children, settled in Matecumbe on 160 acres. In the 1870s the Pinder family laid claim to a plot two miles south of the Russell's. They were followed by others, including the Parkers. The Pinders, after whom one of our houses is named, opened the first canning factory for that delicacy which would soon become reknowned worldwide - pineapples. The farmers also raised limes, melons and vegetables.
In those days, real estate prices weren't what they are now. Lignmvitae Key, named for the hardwood tree lignumvitae, was purchased in 1881 for the princely sum of $170.32 - it was acquired by the State of Florida in 1970.
    Henry M. Flagler began building a railroad to Key West in 1903. He filled swamps, bridged waterways, conquered jungles and then did it all again after destruction by hurricanes. Flagler rode his train to Key West in 1912. Prior to Flagler's remarkable achievment, all transportation to the Keys was by water. The railway brought daytrippers and fishing enthusiasts, and the locals adapted to the needs of these early adventurers. In 1928, the first road opened, and the Keys began to truly flourish. Much of the area is preserved in State Parks including Indian Key, Lignum Vitae Key and the San Pedro Underwater Park, one of the 1733 galleons.