Archive for ◊ April, 2010 ◊

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching.  I hope that you will take the opportunity to remember your mother on Mother’s Day for all that she has done.

This year it is observed on May 9th.  I would like to offer some recognition to mothers and state some facts about how Mother’s Day was started.

Mother’s Day is celebrated to express our appreciation for our mothers.  Although it falls on a different day each year, it is always on the second Sunday of May.
Research shows that the Greeks were the first to celebrate Mother’s Day. With the spread of Christianity throughout Europe it became a celebration to honor the “Mother Church”.  Then England in the 1600’s started celebrating “Mothering Sunday” on the fourth Sunday of lent to honor mothers in England.

In 1872 the United States, through the devotion of Julia Ward Howe began celebrating a day honoring peace and motherhood.  The idea did not catch on until 1907 with a campaign by Anna Jarvis for national Mother’s Day.  Unlike the endeavors by Julia Ward Howe this was now celebrated in almost every state.  In 1914 there was a Presidential Proclamation by Woodrow Wilson stating that the second Sunday in May would be celebrated as Mother’s Day.

Originally Mother’s Day was spent going to church and writing letters expressing sentiments to mothers. Throughout the years this has evolved to include cards, presents, flowers and dinner.  Mother’s Day now ranks as the second highest gift-giving holiday in the United States.  Many restaurants have their busiest day on Mother’s Day.  Many cards and e-cards are sent. In addition it is the busiest day for long distance calls.  Sons and daughters take this opportunity to call and express their love and gratitude to their mothers.

On this day other countries, such as Denmark, Belgium, Australia, Turkey, Italy and Finland, also celebrate Mother’s Day.  Other countries honor their mothers but do so on different dates.

A quote by Anna Jarvis, “Mother’s Day is in honor of the best Mother who ever lived – the Mother of your Heart.”

Mothers (and mothers-in-law) have various meanings to us all and are the basics of many jokes.  No matter how good, bad, loving or not so attentive you think of your mother we do owe much to our mothers for bringing us into this world.  We would not be who we are without our mothers.

Think of all a mother does.  She sits by your bedside when you are sick.  She is always there to listen to your problems, share in your excitement, teach you good manners, keeps your clothes clean and ready to wear.  The list goes on and on. I was a single mother and I know personally there were many days there were not enough hours in the day to get all I had to do accomplished.  My two daughters were the glue that held my life together.  I was truly honored to be their mother.

I would like to share a story I came across many years ago.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

“The Meanest Mother”

I had the meanest mother in the whole world.  While other kids ate
candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others
had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich.  As you can
guess, my supper was different than the other kids’ also.
But at least, I wasn’t alone in my sufferings.  My sister and two
brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times.   You’d
think we were on a chain gang.  She had to know who our friends were and
where we were going.  She insisted if we said we’d be gone an hour, that
we be gone one hour or less–not one hour and one minute. I am nearly
ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us.  Not once, but each
time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased.  That poor belt was
used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy’s pants.  Can you
imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed?  Now
you can begin to see how mean she really was.
We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath.  The other kids always
wore their clothes for days.  We reached the height of insults because
she made our clothes herself, just to save money.  Why, oh why, did we
have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends?
The worst is yet to come.  We had to be in bed by nine each night
and up at eight the next morning.  We couldn’t sleep till noon like our
friends.  So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break
the child-labor law.  She made us work.  We had to wash dishes, make
beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things.  I believe she laid
awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, even if it killed us and it nearly did.
By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life
became even more unbearable.  None of this tooting the horn of a car for
us to come running.  She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates
and friends come to the door to get us.  If I spent the night with a
girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really
there.  I never had the chance to elope to Mexico.  That is if I’d had a
boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were
dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused
to let me date until the age of 15 and 16.  Fifteen, that is, if you
dated only to go to a school function.  And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn’t improve a bit.  We could not lie
in bed, “sick” like our friends did, and miss school.  If our friends
had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home
from school.  Our marks in school had to be up to par.  Our friends’
report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for
failing.  My mother being as different as she was, would settle for
nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put
to shame.  We were graduated from high school.   With our mother behind
us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the
pleasure of being a drop-out.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother.  Out of four
children, a couple of us attained some higher education.  None of us
have ever been arrested, divorced or beaten his mate.   Each of my
brothers served his time in the service of this country.  And whom do we
have to blame for the terrible way we turned out?  You’re right, our
mean mother.  Look at the things we missed.  We never got to march in a
protest parade,  nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a
million and one other things that our friends did.
She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.
Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three
children.  I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my
children call me mean.
Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest   mother in
the whole world.

written by Bobbie Pingaro (1967)

In remembering my mother (she passed away in 1997) I do not remember someone who expressed great love or concern.  Nonetheless, I remember her as my mother and thank her for all she did for me.   Do not look at the negative things you remember or think of your mother or your growing up years.  Take those things and turn them into positive aspects in your life. You can still embrace your mother with love.   It is your choice how you want to deal with those memories.  Because of my mother I have become the person I am. I value the importance of loving my children and grandchildren and finding beauty, excitement and blessings in every day of my life.

I hope that you will take the opportunity to reach out to your mother on Mother’s Day.  There will, unfortunately, come a day when she will not feel your touch, nor will you feel her touch.  Be sure to remember your mother on Mother’s Day!

I wish a very happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere.  Thanks for all you do!

Judy Conway

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In writing articles we are encouraged to write on subjects we are passionate about.  As I sit here  with my right eye half swollen shut, I am VERY passionate about poison ivy.  I would like to start this article by quoting the saying, “Leaves of three, let them be.” My goal is to provide you with information on the things you should know about poison ivy.

Here is a picture of poison ivy climbing a tree to help you identify the plant that can cause you a great deal of pain and money.  Poison ivy also be a free standing plant.

Poison Ivy on a Tree

In my entire 64 years I have never been allergic to poison ivy.  That was until about two years ago.  I was using the weed whacker in my back yard.  I was wearing shorts and upon cutting through numerous poison ivy plants and flinging these pieces of plant up and down my body.Let me tell you I ended up being covered in a severe  poison ivy rash.  I never traveled far from my spray bottle of alcohol.  It took several trips to the doctor, a shot and then a two week regimen on steroids before I began to find comfort.

For this reason, I am extremely careful trimming around this area in my yard.  I was working at eliminating new growth the other day when the end of one of the vines hit me in the face under my eye.  I had gloves on, long pants and a long sleeved shirt and was still attacked by this obtrusive plant.  I instantly came in the house and took off the gloves and put those in the trash, put my clothes in the washing machine and began washing my face and body with cool water. The are various schools of thought on washing to rid the skin area of the urushiol oil that causes the rash.  Some advocate the use of soap and water, while others say the soap just spreads the oil on your skin.

I really thought I had been successful until the next morning when I got up and saw a bright read blotch under my eye.  Before long the blisters appeared.  I am including below some facts on the rash:

The poison ivy rash typically starts one or two days after exposure, though the delay between contact and its onset can be longer, up to several days. This may lead to confusion over where the exposure took place. The first signs of the rash are curved lines of red, itchy bumps or blisters. These continue to appear for many days, depending on how much resin touched the skin at a given point. This makes it seem as though the rash is “spreading,” although the fluid in blisters is just part of the allergic reaction and contains no chemicals or bacteria. It also makes it appear that there may still be poison ivy in clothes and/or on pets. Although this is theoretically possible, repeated washing of these often produces no improvement.

I am thankful that I escaped with only the one area being affected.  Not being able to totally see out of one eye is the biggest inconvenience as I work on the computer.  It was good to read that poison ivy is not contagious, neither from one person to someone else nor from one part of the body to another.

I would like to insert a word of caution here.  Even though you do not make contact with the poison plant yourself, the oil can get on your dog or cat’s fur and they can bring you the gift of this lovely rash without your even knowing it.

The best precaution you can take against this is to be certain you do not have this plant in your yard.  There are a few products that are good at eliminating the plant from your yard all together.  Make sure you read the label to see if it will destroy any of your other plants.  I used the spray a couple of years ago and I eliminated all of my blackberry bushes!

Glyphosate-  The product is sold under the trade names of Roundup, Roundup concentrate and Kleenup. It is applied to the foliage of poison ivy but is trans-located throughout the plant, including the roots. Glyphosate has no soil activity. It will kill or injure all plants contacted by the spray, including grasses. Applications near the foliage of desirable ornamentals should be made with extreme caution. Glyphosate should not be applied when rain is expected within six hours of application because its effectiveness will be reduced. After treatment, the vegetation should not be disturbed for several days. Remember, dead poison ivy still contains poisonous oils and should be handled with care if the soil in a treated area is to be worked. When glyphosate is the active ingredient listed on the label it is identified as Isopropylamine salt of glyphosate.

Amitrole -  Amitrole is sold under the trade names of Amitrol-T, and Weedazol. It is applied to the foliage and is translocated throughout the plant. It is nonselective, therefore it will kill or injure any plants to which it is applied. It also remains active in the soil for several weeks after application, therefore it is important not to use it near other desirable plants. The soil activity also prevents the planting of new vegetation for several weeks.

It should not be used in areas where food crops will be raised or animals grazed. When amitrole is the active ingredient listed on the label, it is identified as 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole.

2,4-D -  This product is sold under many trade names and is often mixed with 2,4-DP to improve its effectiveness on woody plants. Weed-B-Gon Jet Weeder is a 2,4-D product for use around the house that can be purchased at most lawn and garden centers. It is not the most effective treatment for controlling poison ivy, but it does not kill grass.

I am taking Benadryl and a triple strength antibiotic ointment with pain reliever.  Here are some other suggestions for treatment of the rash:

Once it begins, the rash will usually clear on its own by 14-21 days. Treatment is directed at controlling the itching. Oral antihistamines (like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help the itch somewhat, but often they do no more than make people drowsy. Cortisone creams, whether over-the=counter or by prescription, are only helpful if applied right away, before blisters appear, or much later, when the blisters have dried up. Compresses with cool water or Burow’s solution (available without prescription) can help dry the ooze faster.

When the rash is severe, such as when it affects the face or causes extensive blistering, oral steroids (for example, prednisone) can help produce rapid improvement. This course of therapy should be maintained, often in decreasing doses, for 10-14 days or even longer in some cases, to prevent having the rash rebound and become severe again. Patients who are given a six-day pack of cortisone pills often get worse again when they complete it, because the dose was too low and administered for too short a time.

Here are some cases where you may be best to consult your physician. Far more powerful agents are available by prescription for the rash and itching of poison ivy.

Facial or genital involvement. The skin in these areas is easily damaged and scarred, and swelling from rhus dermatitis can be dramatic.

Involvement of large areas of skin. Ten percent of the body’s surface, or about the size of the entire front abdomen.  This is too large of an area to self-treat.

Signs of infection. These include pain and tenderness, growing redness around the rash, or pus. Clear or slightly yellow transparent fluid is common from poison ivy blisters and is not a sign of infection.  Be cautious if you find yourself scratching the rash as dirt and bacteria can be under your nails and cause infection.

Extreme itching. Itching which disturbs sleep or normal daily activities despite using OTC treatments should be treated by a physician.

I hope that you will find this information on poison ivy helpful.  Ideally, I hope that you will never have to use it.  The internet holds a plethora of information on this topic.

Happy gardening and I wish you a summer that is poison ivy rash free!

Judy Conwway

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Creating a raised planting area may be the answer to your drainage problems. If your current planting goals involve sufficient water drainage, I am sure you are aware of how frustrating it is to have a yard that has soil that just won’t cooperate. A few plants can deal with the surplus water that occurs from existing in an area that doesn’t drain appropriately. In some cases, it might just prompt them to bloom more lushly. On the other hand, other plants don’t cope as well, and it will make them to die a ghastly, bloated death. You should always find out about the drainage necessary for every plant you purchase, and ensure that it will be appropriate for any of the areas you are considering planting it in.

In order to test how much water your chosen patch of soil will hold on to, dig a hole around ten inches deep. Fill it with water, and check back in a day when all the water had left. Fill it back up once more. If the 2nd hole full of water hasn’t drained off in 10 hours, your soil has a low saturation point. This means that when water soaks into it, it will stick around for a long time before dissipating. This is unacceptable for almost any plant, and you are going to have to do something to fix this situation if you want your plants to last.

The typical way for improving drainage in your plot is to build a raised bed. This entails making a border for a small bed, and adding sufficient soil and compost to it to boost it above the rest of the yard by at least 5 inches. You’ll be very surprised at how much your water drainage will be enhanced by this small modification. If you’re setting out to build a raised bed, your potential area is either on grass or on dirt. For each of these cases, you should build it to some extent differently.

If you desire to start a raised garden in a non grassy spot, you won’t have much difficulty. Just acquire some sort of border to retain the dirt you will be adding. I’ve found that there is not anything that works quite as good as a few two by fours. After you’ve formed the wall, you must put in the right amount soil and steer manure. Depending on amount of time you plan to wait before planting, you will possibly want to regulate the ratio to allow for any wasting away that may occur.

If you’re setting out to set up a raised bed where sod already exists, you will have a tad more difficult time. You will want to cut the sod around the perimeter of the garden, and flip it over. This may sound uncomplicated, but you will require something with a very sharp edge to trim the edges of the sod and get under it. Once you have turned it all upside down, it best to add a layer of straw to discourage the grass from growing back up. After the layer of straw, simply add all the soil and steer manure that a ordinary garden would require.

Planting your plants in your new spot shouldn’t present many problems. It is essentially the same procedure as your normal planting session. Make certain that the roots don’t extend too far into the first ground level. The whole point of setting up the raised bed is to keep the roots out of the soil which saturates easily. Having very long roots that extend that far totally destroys the project.

Once you have plants in your new bed, you’ll see an almost direct improvement. The added soil facilitates better root growth. Simultaneously, evaporation is prevented and decomposition is halted. All of these things added together makes for an ideal environment for almost any plant to grow in. So don’t be intimidated by the thought of adjusting the very topography of your yard. It is an uncomplicated task as I’m sure you’ve come to realize, and the long term results are gratifying to say the least.

Happy planting in your new raised planting area. I wish you prosperous crops or beautiful blossoms, whatever the case may be!

Judy Conway

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Camera #1 – Live Bald Eagle Nest Cam, Santa Catalina Island, Ca
Live Videos by Ustream

Camera #2 – West End Bald Eagle nest on Santa Catalina Island, California. What a view!
Live video by Ustream

Live Eagle Nest Duke Farms, Hillsborough NJ
Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Lately, I have gotten involved in the world of watching birds through the amazing work and efforts of people installing video cams in various locations allowing me, and many others to drop by and watch the amazing action of Mother Nature in progress. From the building of a nest, or moving into a prefabricated owl house, to mating, and getting the “dwellings” ready to welcome the family, right through to the hatching of the eggs and watching the growth of the little ones …. It has been a really enjoyable experience.

It is truly amazing to see the amount of people who sit in front of their computers watching these birds, especially the viewers of Molly the Barn Owl (my previous post). I work at home online and keep a window running in the background so I can keep up to date on the latest happenings.

I must admit I recently starting watching the Eagles on Santa Catalina Island, CA. I love to see and hear the ocean in the background. The two baby eaglets have hatched and mom and dad are doing an awesome job! The eagles are great as both mom and dad contribute to the work of the little ones. The dad, #81, Justice flies off to bring back fish. Nothing like fresh Sushi! Mom, #82, Liberty welcomes the food and they both feed the babies. (The eagles have identifying numbers on their wings. Liberty is marked on both sides – #82) Justice even takes turns sitting on the nest and keeping the babies warm. I love to listen to them calling to each other when one is off on a flight.

Then there is another bald eagle nest at Duke’s Farm in Hillsborough, NJ. This is a totally different atmosphere from Santa Catalina, CA. These are fun to watch. This is quite an elaborate nest. Today, as I am writing this post, it is a tad bit windy and the nest is swaying.

There are many other animal web cams you can watch on http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com. You will find anything from Bald Eagles, to Molly the World Famous Barn Owl, a new Cardinal nest, to a very comical Grey Squirrel and African animals. This is a great site.

This is truly a great experience for adults, adults that are house bound or bed ridden, and children to see these activities first hand. Although Molly eating her tantalizing meals of mice, rats and rabbits can sometimes make me a little nauseous, this is truly a great education.

With regard to education, Carlos Royal the owner of Molly’s Owl House, is a very gifted speaker and comes on often with updates. He even has a widespread audience with school classrooms and homeschoolers. He holds an information update and then a question and answer session with these groups. What a blessing Carlos is, and I want to thank him personally for all he does to contribute to broadening our knowledge on barn owls. Molly, McGee(daddy owl) and the four little owlets (Max, Pattison, Austin and Wesley) are very fortunate to have found Carlos’ owl house.

I have included the web cam feed for the Bald Eagles above. I hope that you enjoy watching all of these birds as much as I do.
If you are not already a bird watcher, I think you will become one soon!

Judy Conway

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