GAPS Interview

This is perhaps the most important health information I have ever seen. I have studied a lot in this area as I have had health challenges all my life, and also because I have a long time interest in helping others with health issues. Aside from what this promises from a personal health perspective, I see a great business opportunity here. There is only one certified GAPS practicioner in Arizona, and she is in Flagstaff. Every city and town in America and beyond should have its practicioners as well as its feremnters. They should be as common as your local butcher, or produce seller.

Ficus Bonsai

The mother of one of our former residents likes to bring by used clothing and stuff for the house. A couple of months ago, she brought me a bonsai pot. Someone had given it to her, but the tree had died. She knows I like plants, so she thought I might do better. I long wanted to try bonsai, but have never got around to it. I took this as my cue that it was time. I was able to get this ginseng ficus for $15.00 at a local nursery. They repotted it for free. Ficus is the fig tree family.

Spring Garden

These are photos of our little spring garden. In the foreground of the top picture are Navajo squash from Native Seed Search. They are a local company preserving seed of plants adapted to our desert. Years ago, I grew some Hopi squash from the same company. You could almost watch them grow. They spread out 40' in every direction. The Hubbard-like squash was so big that I couldn't cut it with a knife. I had to use a hacksaw. These ones are just getting started. The second photo shows foreground veggies grown from seeds of Landreth Seeds in Pennsylvania. They are over 200 years old and sold seed to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. They are preserving heirloom varieties. We need to support small companies like this so that we keep a diversity of seed supplies. I don't like to see Monsanto manopolizing the industry. I have two varieties of lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach, collards and 2 kinds of winter squash in this plot. I used the PVC frame to hold bird netting over the garden. The garden is right next to our chicken pen, and the sparrows are attracted to their grain. Then they would like to get into the garden.

Ganesha Symbolism

Raven posted this on facebook.

A Musical Savant

This will amaze and move you.

Car Jacking

Kindsight

Hidden Image

Love and Life

Political Commentary

No Bad Day

Christmas Humor

Redneck Christmas Lights

Lateral

Cuckoo Clock

The other night I was invited out for a night with the 'girls.' I told my husband that I would be home by midnight, 'I promise!' Well, the hours passed and the margaritas went down way too easily. Around 3 a..m., a bit loaded, I headed for home. Just as I got in the door, the cuckoo clock in the hallway started up And cuckooed 3 times. Quickly, realizing my husband would probably wake up, I cuckooed another 9 times. I was really proud of myself for coming up with such a quick-witted solution, in order to escape a possible conflict with him. (Even when totally smashed.... 3 cuckoos plus 9 cuckoos totals = 12 cuckoos MIDNIGHT!) The next morning my husband asked me what time I got in, I told him 'MIDNIGHT'... He didn't seem pissed off in the least. Whew, I got away with that one! Then he said 'We need a new cuckoo Clock.' When I asked him why, he said, 'Well, last night our clock cuckooed three times, then said 'oh shit.' Cuckooed 4 more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another three times, giggled, cuckooed twice more, and then tripped over the coffee table and farted.

Monsanto Against Seed Growers

This is a link to an article about a growers law suit against Monsanto. http://www.growswitch.com/blog/2011/07/270000-organic-farmers-sue-monsanto/

Temporary Construction

I am giving you a link to an article on temporary construction. It could be a solution to some of our needs today. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/its-time-to-rethink-temporary/

Hempcrete Construction

Hemp Constuction

Strong Mind

Monsanto and GMO's

By Dr. Mercola Monsanto, the world leader in genetically modified (GM) crops and seeds, has been named the worst company of 2011 by Natural Society -- for "threatening both human health and the environment." I couldn't agree more. I have long designated Monsanto the most dangerous corporation on the planet, and clearly this is a growing sentiment … According to Forbes: "Monsanto is so despised by environmentalists that Google's first suggested search term for the St. Louis company is 'Monsanto evil.' Readers... voted Monsanto the world's most evil corporation in a January poll, giving the corporation a whopping 51 percent of the vote." What's Wrong With Monsanto? You may be wondering what Monsanto -- the world's largest seed company whose net income for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 totaled $126 million (up from $9 million in 2011) --- has done to have earned such ire. The list is long, easily enough for a novel, but to sum it up, biotech giant Monsanto has created some of the most dangerous products on the planet, including Agent Orange, dioxin, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH)… and genetically modified seeds. The latter is one of the most pressing concerns because GM crops are now a mainstay of American agriculture. Ninety percent or more of all US-grown corn, soybeans, canola, and sugar beets are genetically modified versions, which means that virtually all processed food items contain at least one or more genetically modified ingredients. GM foods are, from what I perceive, one of the most significant threats that we have against the very sustainability of the human race. Why? In a nutshell, these toxins are being linked to a growing repertoire of assaults against human health and the environment -- and they are already migrating into fetal blood, which means future generations are now at risk. Monsanto is Destroying the Food System Via Their GMO Crops Virtually all of the claims of benefit of GM crops – increased yields, more food production, controlled pests and weeds, reductions in chemical use in agriculture, drought-tolerant seeds – have not materialized. The Global Citizens' Report on the State of GMOs states: •Contrary to the claim of feeding the world, genetic engineering has not increased the yield of a single crop. •Herbicide tolerant (Roundup Ready) crops were supposed to control weeds and Bt crops were intended to control pests. Instead of controlling weeds and pests, GE crops have led to the emergence of super weeds and super pests … Herbicide resistant crops such as Roundup Ready cotton can create the risk of herbicide resistant "superweeds" by transferring the herbicide resistance to weeds. •Despite claims that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will lower the levels of chemicals (pesticides and herbicides) used, quite the opposite has occurred, with 1.6 billion pounds of glyphosate (the active in ingredient in Roundup) being applied to American soil in 2007 alone. This is of great concern both because of the negative impacts of these chemicals on ecosystems and humans, and because there is the danger that increased chemical use will cause pests and weeds to develop resistance, requiring even more chemicals in order to manage them. •Monsanto has been claiming that through genetic engineering it can breed crops for drought tolerance and other climate-resilient traits. This is a false promise. •Among the false claims made by Monsanto and the Biotechnology industry is that GE foods are safe. However, there are enough independent studies to show that GE foods can cause severe health damage. Thanks to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's non-selective, broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, that is sprayed on massive acreages of GM Roundup Ready soybeans, cotton, and corn grown in the United States each and every year, super weeds are growing at an alarming rate. It's estimated that more than 130 types of weeds spanning 40 U.S. states are now herbicide-resistant, and the superweeds are showing no signs of stopping. In fact, the situation is getting progressively worse. Extremely hardy Roundup-resistant weeds are already boosting costs and cutting crop yields for U.S. farmers. And with world food stores already strained, diminished crop production is a serious problem. In addition, the creation of these superweeds is leading farmers to douse their fields with ever increasing amounts of herbicides in a desperate attempt to stop their spread. Along with the environmental devastation, research published in 2010 showed that glyphosate causes birth defects in frogs and chicken embryos at far lower levels than used in agricultural and garden applications. And numerous animal studies suggest reproductive problems are a common side effect of glyphosate exposure and the consumption of genetically engineered Roundup Ready crops. Quite shockingly, the amount of glyphosate residue you can be exposed to through food is remarkably high, and is very close to the maximum residue limit (MRL) legally allowed According to GMO expert Jeffrey Smith, there is so much glyphosate in GM soybeans, when they were introduced, Europe had to increase their allowable residue levels by 200-fold! For more information, please listen to this informative interview with Dr. Don Huber, an expert in an area of science that relates to the toxicity of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Download Interview Transcript

Evolution?

Advice from a Tree

Landreth Seeds

Help Save Heirloom Seeds and Keep Monsanto Out of Your Garden Monsanto is literally trying to take over agriculture. To this end, they are buying out seed companies. You can help save one that's pledged to organic non-GM seeds. by Heidi Stevenson 3 September 2011 The oldest American seed company needs your help. They sell nothing but heirloom organic seeds. There isn't a single genetically modified variety in stock. Landreth has been a gardener's mainstay for well over 200 years. But they're about to go under because of a corporate bank's insistance that a loan be paid in full by the end of the month. Monsanto is taking over seed companies, and now owns 40% of the seed business. If their goal is to broaden seed varieties, they have a strange way of demonstrating it. It's growing more and more difficult to find organic seeds, and Monsanto's business methods have shown their desire to force out all seed varieties that aren't genetically modified, requiring ongoing payments to them. You can help prevent this dark future by purchasing one of Landreth's gorgeous, locally published and printed, catalogs. It could become a collectible item—and if enough are sold by the end of this month, will pay off Landreth's loans, freeing it to continue as a bright spot in gardening and a hope for the future of agriculture. See more about it here. D Landreth Seed Company is part of America's history and stands for the best that America has to offer. They provide real employment, not just McJobs. They care about the future, not just profits. They are creative and they do business with American companies. Read on to learn more—or jump to here for more info on purchasing a catalog. Landreth Accomplishments D. Landreth Seed Company has been linked with the history of the United States. Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson shopped there for their seed needs. In 1882, Scientific American wrote: Landreth & Sons have done more to improve the taste for fine vegetables than any other parties in the Union, and from the manner in which the firm goes steadily forward, yearly increasing the shipments by tons upon tons, their future will be still more remarkable success than their past and present. Some of America's most creative plant breeding has occurred under the Landreth label. In their latest issue, the journal, Gastronomica, credits them with being "incubators for new types of food plants, the basic stuff of our culinary palette". It says that Landreth was responsible for some of the most important food plants to have been developed in the US. Landreth developed Bloomsdale Spinach, Landreth Stringless Bush Beans, which are an important ceremonial bean among the Pueblos of New Mexico, the Jackson Wonder Lima, the Bonny West Tomato, and Green Glaze Collards. Landreth also improved and maintained the old standard Beefsteak Tomato. Amazingly, that was the basis of the Campbell Soup Company's success. And one of my favorites, the yellow tomato was first perfected by Landreth Seed in 1820. Landreth also collected and propagated seeds from around the world. They obtained the Osage Orange, also known as horse apple, seed from the Lewis and Clark expedition, and they helped promote its use as a windbreak in hedgerows. Landreth Seeds helped support the Commodore Perry expedition to Japan by preparing thousands of pounds of seeds for the trip. On Perry's return, Landreth received the first Japanese plants ever imported into the US. From the early part of the 20th century, D. Landreth Seed Company drifted. It was bought and sold a couple of times. Finally, in 2003, Peter and Barbara Melera bought the company. Their intention has been to return the company to health, provide good jobs for a few people, do business locally, and sell only organic non-GM seeds. They have signed The Safe Seed Pledge, a serious promise that states: Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks, as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthy people and communities. The Importance of Supporting Landreth Monsanto is literally trying to take over agriculture. To this end, they are buying out seed companies. They now own 40% of all seed business. If Landreth goes under, then we'll all be poorer and closer to a complete Monsanto monopoly over our food. And Landreth represents even more than an independent seed company. They also stand for organic and non-genetically modified seeds. If you've any doubt about the importance, then read, Monsanto Corn Crop Failures Prove You Can't Fool Mother Nature. The fight to leave genetic structures to nature is a fight for our own future existence. The Landreth Catalog On Facebook, Barb Melera describes their situation: We set about to restore this Company because it is the most historically important American small business in existence. It is the only American company, still operating daily, that existed when this country became a nation. Its founders were honorable men who helped establish and guide the agricultural and horticultural industries of this country in the 1700s, the 1800s and the 1900s. Landreth exemplifies American business and the ethics and integrity that built this nation. On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, the Company's accounts were frozen by a garnishment order initiated by a Baltimore law firm. If this garnishment order is not satisfied within the next 30 days, Landreth will cease to exist and a part of America's history will be lost forever. I need to sell 1 million 2012 catalogs to satisfy this garnishment and the cascade of other indebtedness which this order has now initiated. If you want to help save this piece of America, if you love gardening and heirloom seeds, if you care about righting the injustices of a legal system badly in need of repair, then please help Landreth. Please purchase a Landreth catalog, and if you can afford it, purchase several for your friends. Please send this link to everyone you know, www.landrethseeds.com. One million catalogs is a big number, but with the internet it is achievable. Please help us to save Landreth. The catalog costs only $5.00, and this is its normal price. Landreth considered producing it cheaply by having it printed overseas. But, they opted to do the right thing. Here's how they describe it on their website: We could have this catalogue printed overseas, and the printing costs would be 1/4th the costs of printing the catalogue in the United States, but we are not going to take American business overseas. The catalogue is designed by a small, Baltimore-based and family-owned business, Victor DiPace Associates and it is printed by a family-owned local printing company. Producing this catalogue is far more expensive than it is for most companies who are outsourcing their printing requirements overseas. We charge for our catalogue to help with some, but not all, of the costs to produce and mail. Each catalogue that you purchase from Landreth is helping to keep an American employed and therefore making this country stronger.

Founding Fathers

There is some interesting information here.

How to Tie Your Shoes

Don't laugh. You probably don't do it right! This was posted on TED.