View allAll Photos Tagged Rehydrate
A fine circuit of the White Peak's Manifold and Dove Valley, where we were treated to glimpses of sunshine, wild thyme and marjoram, white-throated dippers, a grey (or possibly yellow) wagtail.
It was our last big hike before we officially taper for an amble along the Scottish Borders. By the end of 20 miles we were tired and thirsty and yet again all the tables were reserved with hardly any of them in use.
We assumed squatters' rights while we enjoyed a pint of Farmers' Blonde, which is nice and hoppy and as good a way as any of rehydrating after a warm summer's day.
This Bryce Canyon National Park Service Search and Rescue truck and Ranger Truck were parked near the General Store. I strolled over for some photos before I realized a Ranger was in the truck
He explained that he was on COMMs because they could not get a direct signal between the SAR team that was in the Canyon and Headquarters. He explained that a middle-aged woman had some heat related issues. The SAR team had rehydrated her and were walking her out but it could take a while. I went back to my friend and his son who were eating at the General Store. I explained what the Ranger had told me. Then a family at the next table said that they overheard me and were very relieved bacause the woman was their mother and they hadn't heard anything for a couple of hours. The Ranger had been very precise in his speech and boy was I glad that I had been very precise in my speech.
We went on a camping and hiking trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Canyon_National_Park
IMG_0621
(heard on the radio)
Brussels sprouts - boil for at least 3 months until completely waterlogged, then use them to rehydrate old people at Christmas..
F&N Foods - 100Plus Active Non-Carbonated Isotonic Drink: What Every Active Body Needs. Non-Carbonated With Added B Vitamins. (L & R: Rehydrate And Re-Energise With Vitamins B3, B6 And B12.) (4th Gen: Dark Blue)
I have been asked to tell the story of Myles bloat/torsion event. Please know EVERY CASE CAN BE DIFFERENT!
We were vacationing at The Barkwells resort in NC. This was our second time there and both John and I, and the dogs love it! We arrived on Sunday and the event did not happen until Thursday evening. (most bloat episodes occur in late evening and manifest fully in the early hours middle of the night.)
First let me say, I have always been paranoid about bloat. John would get irritated with me…”It’s NOT bloat” he would say. When I would think one of the dogs was “off”
So it was always at the back of my mind.
We were vacationing with my niece and her golden Retriever puppy. She would want the dogs to go down to the 8 acres to run, and I would say…..”no they just ate, we have to wait.” One day, she said, “wow, this is labor intensive, timing everything, so they don’t exercise near mealtime!”
On Thurday day morning I fed them at about 9-10 am. They are raw dogs completely since January 2013. Prior to that I rotated Honest Kitchen Meals, Zignature no grain, limited ingredient kibble, and raw. While on the trip, I brought freeze dried raw (which I would hydrate) and Zignature kibble for convenience sake. I would give them ½ cup of kibble with 4 rehydrated raw nuggets a wet soupy mixture. *Raw fed dogs bloat less often, than kibble fed, but they CAN still bloat/torsion!
We took the dogs downstairs to exercise at about 2:00. they were chasing a tennis ball, running with other dogs, and were down by the lake for a short bit. Once we caught Myles and Lexi for that matter, trying to drink out of the lake and we told them no, and they stopped. We were out standing with our dogs and chatting with other dog owners. We then brought the dogs in after about an hour…..we were not looking at our watches for any of this, we were on vacation.
I went to the grocery store with my niece to pick up some items for dinner. As I was preparing dinner. About 6 pm, I asked John to make up the poodles food. He called me about 6:20 and said Myles doesn’t want to eat. RED FLAG. Myles ALWAYS wants to eat! I tried to even give him a piece of dry Freeze dried raw…a major treat! Nothing. I was worried from this point. He was walking dejectedly…..with his head kinda down. Then I saw him do something he did ONLY three times right in a row. He tried to vomit, unproductively. Lightbulb off in head=Bloat. We are going to the vet. Called the ER vet Barkwells had in their book. Nephew in law is looking on internet at same time. I am calling one vet, he is calling another, looking for closest one. Both vets said vet from Barkwells Book was closer. Told them we were on our way with possible bloat case.
After first Vet informed us their Xray machine was not working, (ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?) and the vet there tried to tell us, he wasn’t bloated and she was fairly certain it was not bloat. I asked her. “what is the one way you can tell me for sure he is NOT bloating?” An Xray. I told her to call WESTERN CAROLINA VET HOSPITAL and tell them we were on our way. Honestly, on the way to the car, John did question whether or not we needed to do this. I said YES. I will not rest until I know. He is NOT right. So now we had a appx 45 minute ride to the next ER vet.
With our 19 year old son Logan watching for cops, we SPED to WCVH. Myles was in the back seat with me, with his head on my lap. On the way, he suddenly jumped up and tried to crawl down my mouth, it seemed trying to get away for whatever was happening. (we think that is when he torsioned) He was very distressed. No cry of pain, but he was obviously not right. He then began to drool profusely. John called ahead to WCVH and said, we are on our way, no matter WHAT the vet from ABC Vet ER told you, this dog is in trouble, and we think it is bloat.
They were waiting outside for us, took him in, did an xray in MINUTES and the vet came out and said, “he did torsion”~ later we found out it was 270*. After signing all the papers, hearing all the potential outcomes and a LARGE swipe on our credit card, (make sure you let the C/C company know ahead of time you are out of town or they will block the transaction) he was in surgery.
Dr Owen come out later and said, he had just barely started a mild gastric distension at the start of surgery and because we got him at the start, it had a positive outcome with no organ damage. His pancreas had a start of some pink striping, (erythemia) but other than that, he looked good internally. (that is not usually not the case for torsion cases) His stomach was not discolored and is started moving right away when he untwisted it. Spleen. Kidneys and intestines all ok! Also unusual. A minute amount of food in his stomach when they rinsed it out……a very positive thing. (I don’t exercise near mealtime, ever) Looking at his labs, all stayed within the normal range, with a few at the very top of high normal. He also did a Gaxaplexy, tacking his stomach to the abdominal wall to hopefully prevent torsion (works well in most cases) although Bloat (Volvulus) can still occur.
Dr Owen said all in all he best Bloat/Torsion outcome in at least 2 years. And he has NEVER released a case in 24 hrs. EARLY DETECTION is the key…..and trust me, the cost of an xray is a lot less than what we swiped!
1.Myles was off his normal feed of the last 6 months.
2.Myles, being a rehome that was unsocialized the first 2 years of his life is a nervousish dog. Nervous dogs bloat more than well adjusted ones.
3.Myles was traveling. Many bloat cases occur when traveling.
4.Myles did not exercise and eat in close proximity.
5.Myles did not exhibit all the typical signs of GDV. Ie no signs of bloat.
Love and Hug your dog everyday, Honestly, it is what they live for.
FOV: 2.75" wide.
Uranyl nitrate and sodium chloride from a previous experiment was dissolved in water. Approx. 6mL of this solution was added to ~5mL of dry sodium metasilicate along with water in a small watch glass. This was rehydrated every few days for about two weeks as the sodium silicate would crystallize and then dissolve again. At the end of the two weeks it was dried under a small electric light bulb resulting in a clear glassy substance with a tinge of green color. On the surface formed large crystalline layer. Before the substance dried it was not very fluorescent. After drying and crystallizing, it became very fluorescent yellow-green under all UV wavelengths.
Because of the crystalline nature of the substance, I don't think I succeeded in creating hyalite opal which is amorphous and not crystalline.
Contains:
Pseudo "Hyalite" (FL Yellow-green >BL/UVabc)
Shown under UVc light.
Key:
WL = White light (halogen + LED)
FL = Fluoresces
PHOS = Phosphorescent
Blue = 450nm,
UVa = 368nm (LW), UVb = 311nm (MW), UVc = 254nm (SW)
'>' = "stimulated by:", '!' = "bright", '~' = "dim"
"Hyalite Opal"
19Nov2015
Much appreciation to Gordon Czop for the uranyl nitrate.
Series best viewed in Light Box mode using Right and Left arrows to navigate.
Photostream best viewed in Lightbox mode (in the dark).
18 Watt Triple Output UV lamp from Polman Minerals - Way Too Cool UV lamps
“What’s one of your favorite dishes to make?”
“I like my BBQ sauce, I like making soups. It’s changed over the years. It used to be a lot recipes with a lot of components. Now it’s about the purity of the ingredients and highlighting those ingredients. One dish I really like to make in the fall is you take parsnips, and celery root and you boil those. You make a mash outta those. Then you top it with buttery roasted cauliflower, butter roasted plantains, and some chopped shredded almonds, some rehydrated golden raisins. It’s really earthy and simple. That’s a really good one. It’s actually a really famous dish from Hatfield’s in LA. You see what I do is I make friends. When I have a hobby I make friends who can teach me things. I learned technique is very important in cooking. It’s probably the most important thing after the ingredients.”
“What’s next for Bottom’s Up Farms?”
“We’re working towards moving into a brick and mortar but for now Josephine is a great option. People get on their website and pre order food that they can come pick up. It makes it easy to engage with our customers and it’s a great way for the community to support each other. Then when people come by they can engage with their neighbors.”
(3/3)
Songs are good.
Songs rehydrate the soul.
They're the height of the culture created by Lilin.
30s exposure.
Find the basking turtles by viewing Large on Black :-)
Explored, Jun. 6th, 2010: Thanks y'all!
There's a famous "cowboy" song from 1934, actually written by Cole Porter, entitled, "Don't Fence Me In." Seems like a mighty appropriate song for this man's situation, doesn't it? Who wants to be cooped up all day in the hot sun, breathing in the exhaust from passing cars and trucks? Not me!
Getting a drink of water helps to rehydrate, but doesn't help with that "fenced in" feeling. It's as if Manhattan had its own ''Camp X-Ray,'' just like down in Guantanamo Bay!
---------------------
There is a very cool version of the song on YouTube, featuring Roy Rogers and his magnificent horse Trigger. It's a clip from the WWII-era film, "Hollywood Canteen." It's got some nice singing and some VERY fancy footwork!
m.youtube.com/watch?v=WLoYFvbR0XY
There are countless versions of the song by a wide variety of artists, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Willie Nelson, but also Clint Eastwood (He really knows how to sing!): m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=gVuPCJ7PphU ; and an unusual video of the song by David Byrne: m.youtube.com/#/watch?list=RDuuMvkNDuOuQ¶ms=OAI%2...
For fans of musical kitsch, check out this astonishing pairing of singers who were big stars in their home countries...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=tmh3v8TPyn4&itct=CBcQpDAYBCITCL... ;
Midtown West, Manhattan
New York City, USA
Title created for the group Six Word Story.
This image was created and uploaded by a kindle fire tablet.
When you shoot thousands of people up close on the street you're gonna see the same people again and again.
Every time I see Ashley she just lights up the street with a smile so bright I gotta stop it down a couple of notches on the exposure.
Ashley's got a good mojo vibe.
And a lot of jobs.
The girl works hard.
I ran into her at the convenience store when I remembered that the doctors in the emergency room told me that you can't just drink beer... and tequila doesn't rehydrate you.
so I wanted to grab a bottle of water.
I feel like I'm on a health kick or something... listening to the doctors and everything.
Drinkin' some water.
Walkin' a couple of miles at the five am every morning.
I hope your weekend rocked Ashley...
and I hope you had a great weekend too.
It's time to mellow out and pacify the man.
You have a great week and never let them take your soul.
Polarized light (crossed polarizers) micrograph of a cross section of a foliose lichen found on a dead tree. Specimen from the edge of the Dowagiac River (5/15). The bark is to the right and the dorsal surface to the left. Lichen is a combination of a fungus and an algae (or cyanobacteria). The algal constituent does not show optical activity, however, the fungal hyphae show what appears birefringent crystalline material likely calcium oxalate. A bright field image is at: www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/17599529683. The source specimen is shown in: www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/17758847712/ and www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/17573214550.
The following protocol is largely based on Chamberlain, "Methods in Plant Histology, 5th ed., 1905. Fixed 24 hours in aqueous chromic acid-acetic acid (3.7 g potassium dichromate/l + 10 ml glacial acetic acid/l). (The substation of potassium dichromate for chromic acid based on equivalent chromate conc. is reported to work as long as the pH is less than 3.4). Washed 24 hours in flowing water. Dehydrated in 10, 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in Xylene 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 10 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued 0.05 % lithium carbonate 3 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Erythrosin-B 2 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX. Lichen are reported to be difficult to adhere to the slide, however, white this protocol, I had no issues with the tissue coming off the slide.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope under crossed polarizers using an original magnification of 430X, using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
I recently backpacked over 200 miles, mostly cross country, from just south of Mt. Whitney and ended at Tuolumne Meadow. I started and ended by myself, but along the way I meet and hiked with many wonderful people for short periods of time.
Day 6
There were so many meteors last night, one of the best meteor showers I've seen in a while, and the best location to see them too.
I walked around the northern side of the lake this morning, while dawn was still a ways off, looking for a good location for morning photography of the lake and shear cliffs. I finally found an ok spot on the southeastern end, high enough up that I can over look the whole lake. It ain't the best spot but it'll have to do cause the first glow of morning warmth is beginning to grace the eastern face of Mt. Whitney. Behind me is an overhanging rock with plentiful Alpine Sheep Sorrel growing beneath it. Salad for breakfast! I haven't seen a single wild onion yet, which kinda sucks cause they are delicious, but it's only day 6 so I have many days left to find some. The fish are jumping like crazy, and I really want to go down to the shore and try and catch some to go with my salad but I also really want this photo. It would be nice to have Paul here to fish for breakfast.
After getting the shot I wanted I headed back to camp for a more substantial breakfast of rehydrated food. While packing up I saw a scene more stunning than the photo I waited for at the far end of the lake. I got my camera back out and got an awesome photo of the shear monolithic cliffs of Mt. Hitchcock rising into the sky whilst below the waters of the lake shown with their reflection.
After leaving my camping spot I headed back to the meadowlands and meandering creek above Guitar Lake. I noticed some small fish swimming in them so I thought I'd stop to try and catch some for second breakfast. ( I don't have a fishing pole, all I have is a hiking pole, some line and some flies. I put the fly in up stream and let the current carry it downstream and keep doing that. ) I got a few nibbles but no bites. While I was fishing a helicopter flew over Mt. Whitney, over the meadow, circled back, hovered over me for about 20 seconds and then headed towards the ranger station. After no luck with the fishing I headed west to the Pacific Crest Trail, and then north to Wallace Creek.
My plan was to make it to a small unnamed tarn beneath the northern face of Mt. Young, but I have been getting some bad chaffing on my right hip the last few days from my pack rubbing on it (and lack of a good belt) and by the time I reached the camping area at the Wallace Creek crossing on the PCT/JMT I just needed to stop because it was getting bad.
I did some laundry and washed myself in Wallace creek. Then I took a nap. When I woke up there where more people here. I started asking around if any one had an extra belt, ( I have been using 3 shoelaces braided together as a belt, and it doesn't hold my pants up as well as I thought it would, and that's the reason for the chaffing) I finally found someone with an extra belt.
I tried fishing again, and this time I caught one, but as I pulled it in the fish escaped. I tried for a while longer, I got some nibbles but no more bites, except from mosquitos, so I gave up on that for now.
After setting up my tent, I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with a group of through hikers until the mosquitos started getting bad, then we all got in our tents to escape them for the night. ( I saw clouds for the first time today, hopefully they keep building and in the next few days we get some rain and lightning! )
Day 7
This morning one of the through hikers from last night (Liam) offered me some extra food, and I gladly excepted. I got a big bag of ramen noodles, some packets of tuna, a few cans of chicken, and a few bars. We were both headed north on the PCT/JMT so we hiked together for a few miles, he was going to try to make Rae Lakes , about 22 miles away. My goal was Wright Lakes out on the Bighorn Plateau, about 5.5 miles.
Once we reached what looked like a good cross country route across the plateau we said goodbye and went our separate ways.
The Bighorn Plateau is vast, open and relatively flat, covered in rolling grasslands dotted with marshes, small lakes, and ringed with towering peaks. (Tawny Point, 12320 ft to my northwest, Mt. Tyndall, 14034 ft to the north, Mt. Versteeg, 13470 ft , to the northeast, Mt. Barnard, 13990 ft, to the east, and far off to the west beyond Kern Canyon and Kern Ridge rises The Great Western Divide and Kaweah Peaks Ridge which tops out at 13802 ft at the summit of Mt. Kaweah). The deer are numerous here too, this is the first significant wildlife I've seen on this journey.
I reached the largest of the Wright Lakes and dropped pack there. It was hot, and no shade except for a stand of pine trees a ways off to my east. I decided head over to the trees.
This is the first time while I have been backpacking solo that I have felt lonely and longed for human contact, which is weird because I love being out in places like this, miles away from people, so utterly alone, and now for the first time I want people. Don't get me wrong, I like backpacking with friends and other people because you have some else to share the experience with, but there are also times when I greatly enjoy going out into the wilderness alone.
I don't like the photo opportunities here and I want people, so I have decided to continue onto the bear box near the Tyndall Creek ranger station, there should be people there and hopefully better pictures. So I walked back to the PCT/JMT. I followed Wright Creek in, but I'm going straight across a large hill on the southern slope of Tawny Point to get out, that should cut off a few miles.
I finally reached the Tyndall Creek campground and people. I'm going to stay here tonight. This was the longest day since the 10 mile first day, 8.6 miles. I photograph sunset tonight with a cup of ramen and tuna soup in one hand and camera in the other.
I need another hand to swat at all the mosquitoes. I'm using my tent tonight.
Day 8
I got a late start today. I slept in too, I didn't get out of my sleeping bag until sun touch. (Sunrise is when the peaks glow pink in the alpine glow, or when the the sun rises above the horizon in a flat area, but in the mountains you might not see the sun until a few hours after it has risen because the mountains block it. So I'm making up a new term, "suntouch". Suntouch is when the sun finally rises high enough to crest the mountain peaks and the warmth of it's rays touch you and cast light upon you.)
By the time I finally got out of my sleeping bag and took down my tent everyone had already left, which was no big deal, I was feeling like my normal non-lonely self again.
I boiled water and rehydrated my breakfast while watching the chipmunks running around looking for food and protecting their territory. Breakfast this morning is Pad Thai, one of my favorites and highest calorie meals that I have with me. The best part is the 2 packets of peanut butter that it comes with. I spent the next few hours sitting quietly watching the chipmunks and enjoying the symphony of birds and the whispering wind in the pines.
Finally I forced myself to get up and continue on to the unnamed lake beneath Forester Pass. I was supposed to go to Lake South America today, but that was before I decided to changed my route. The hike today is all uphill, I started at around 11000 ft and the lake is at around 12340 ft.
Even though I started late I got to my destination with plenty of daylight to spare. There are no trees here, so no shade again, except for a large rock. I took a nice nap huddled in the small amount of shade the rock provided. The clouds have been building the last few days, and today they are enormous. We might get rain today, if not today, hopefully tomorrow.
I can see Forester Pass from here. The backpackers on the top of the pass are tiny little specks, just barely visible. I heard many shouts of joy and relief as they summited. Tomorrow that will be me up there on top of the highest pass on my route and on the PCT.
I am so tired of this trail mix, it's too sweet. The next trail mix I'm getting is going to be spicy!
As sunset drew nearer the temperature began to drop and the eastern slope of Junction Peak (13888 ft) glowed golden in the setting sun and a thin ribbon of light snaked it's way along the western facing cliffs of Diamond Mesa, of which the unnamed lake I am staying at is nestled below. As soon as the thin ribbon of light disappeared the moon rose above the Mesa. Had the timing of that been a little sooner it would have made a beautiful photo. I made tea, ate a cliff bar, layered up and crawled into my sleeping bag for a long cold night. There are no mosquitoes, so I will be sleeping under the star filled Sierra sky tonight. (the new belt has so far been helping and I haven't been getting chafing on my hip any more.)
We had two dive teams. When it was our groups time out of the water, we would get domething to eat, rehydrate, go to the bathroom and work on cameras. Maybe even take a nap!
My friend Brandon, would use his surface interval to think of ways to get shots that we wouldn't think of. That's him using his fisheye to get shots from the swimstep. No downtime.
Charleston, South Carolina, can be hot and humid in the summer, so we were drawn to the shade of Washington Square like desert travelers to an oasis.
After resting and rehydrating on a bench under a spreading oak, I felt refreshed enough to look more closely at my surroundings.
The old structure off to one side of the park turned out to be nothing less than a memorial to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard erected by the grateful citizens of Charleston in 1901, 36 years after the end of the Civil War and 8 years after Beauregard's death.
A vase of fresh flowers - white phlox - stood at its base.
The memorial has clearly seen better days. It is in need of a professional restoration.
The inscription reads:
P G T BEAUREGARD
GENERAL
COMMANDING CONFEDERATE FORCES
CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA
HELD THIS CITY AND HARBOUR
INVIOLATE
AGAINST COMBINED ATTACKS.
BY LAND AND WATER
1863, 1864, 1865.
THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED
IN HIS HONOUR
BY A GRATEFUL PEOPLE
1901
========================================================
According to a 2015 article in the online publication IBT,
"In 2000, South Carolina lawmakers passed 'The Heritage Act,' which protects all monuments, street names and buildings named for historical figures or events. The act, which was initially designed to protect the Confederate flag from being removed from Capitol grounds, required any changes to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the state House and state Senate."
In fact, the killings of worshipers in a Charleston church in 2015 led to the removal of the Confederate flag from the Capitol and the Capitol grounds, but IBT reports:
"The South Carolina House will not consider removing or changing [any other] public monuments celebrating the Confederacy, said Republican House Speaker Jay Lucas in a statement released on Thursday. Lucas' declaration came after the General Assembly voted last week to remove the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds."
www.ibtimes.com/south-carolina-confederate-controversy-mo...
To borrow one of WInston Churchill's famous lines, I do not think that the removal of the Confederate monuments in New Orleans is the beginning of the end or even the end of the beginning of our effort to come to terms with this part of our past.
========================================================
Wikipedia says:
P. G. T. Beauregard (born Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard; May 28, 1818 – February 20, 1893) was a Southern military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Today, he is commonly referred to as P. G. T. Beauregard, but he rarely used his first name as an adult. He signed correspondence as G. T. Beauregard.
Trained as a civil engineer at the United States Military Academy, Beauregard served with distinction as an engineer in the Mexican–American War. Following a brief appointment as superintendent at West Point in 1861, after the South seceded he resigned from the United States Army and became the first brigadier general in the Confederate States Army. He commanded the defenses of Charleston, South Carolina, at the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Three months later he won the First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas, Virginia.
Beauregard commanded armies in the Western Theater, including at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, and the Siege of Corinth in northern Mississippi. He returned to Charleston and defended it in 1863 from repeated naval and land attacks by Union forces. His greatest achievement was saving the important industrial city of Petersburg, Virginia, in June 1864, and thus the nearby Confederate capital of Richmond, from assaults by overwhelmingly superior Union Army forces.
His influence over Confederate strategy was lessened by his poor professional relationships with President Jefferson Davis and other senior generals and officials. In April 1865, Beauregard and his commander, General Joseph E. Johnston, convinced Davis and the remaining cabinet members that the war needed to end. Johnston surrendered most of the remaining armies of the Confederacy, including Beauregard and his men, to Major General William Tecumseh Sherman. Following his military career, Beauregard returned to Louisiana, where he served as a railroad executive, and became wealthy as a promoter of the Louisiana Lottery.
FOV: 6" wide.
This experiment demonstrates the shift in color from yellow-green to blue-green of minerals containing the uranyl ion in conjunction with carbonates.
Uranyl nitrate was combined with NaCl and recrystallized on the glass rod. Behind it is a specimen of meta-autunite from the Daybreak Mine in Spokane WA, USA. Meta-autunite is a uranyl phosphate mineral.
Uranyl nitrate solution (0.25M) was combined with a sodium carbonate solution (1.25M) and was used to rehydrate some DAP Plaster of Paris mix which was set in a square mold.
Initially (when still wet), there was no fluorescence but after the calcium sulfate re-hydrated (and the mix produced CO2? bubbles), the resulting plaster fluoresced a bright blue-green, typical of carbonate based uranyl minerals. Behind the plaster square is a specimen with a coating of andersonite from Yellow Cat Mesa in Grant County UT, USA. Andersonite is a hydrated sodium calcium uranyl carbonate.
See:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andersonite
rruff.info/uploads/CM31_167.pdf
Contains:
Andersonite (FL Blue-green >BL/UVabc)
Meta Autunite (FL Yellow-green >BL/UVabc)
Shown under blue LED light and photographed through Vuarnet #006 blue blocking sunglasses.
Key:
WL = White light (halogen + LED)
FL = Fluoresces
PHOS = Phosphorescent
Blue = 450nm,
UVa = 368nm (LW), UVb = 311nm (MW), UVc = 254nm (SW)
'>' = "stimulated by:", '!' = "bright", '~' = "dim"
Uranyl Based Fluorescence
6Nov2015
Much appreciation to Gordon Czop for the uranyl nitrate.
Series best viewed in Light Box mode using Right and Left arrows to navigate.
Photostream best viewed in Lightbox mode (in the dark).
18 Watt Triple Output UV lamp from Polman Minerals - Way Too Cool UV lamps
Nelumbo nucifera, also known as sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae.
Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.
Under favorable circumstances, the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. Therefore, the Chinese regard the plant as a symbol of longevity.
It has a very wide native distribution, ranging from central and northern India (at altitudes up to 1,400 m or 4,600 ft in the southern Himalayan), through northern Indochina and East Asia (north to the Amur region; the Russian populations have sometimes been referred to as "Nelumbo nucifera, also known as sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae.
Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas. Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond. While some sprout immediately and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out. During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.
Under favorable circumstances, the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. Therefore, the Chinese regard the plant as a symbol of longevity.
It has a very wide native distribution, ranging from central and northern India (at altitudes up to 1,400 m or 4,600 ft in the southern Himalayan), through northern Indochina and East Asia (north to the Amur region; the Russian populations have sometimes been referred to as "Nelumbo komarovii"), with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea. Today, the species also occurs in southern India, Sri Lanka, virtually all of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern and eastern Australia, but this is probably the result of human translocations. It has a very long history (c. 3,000 years) of being cultivated for its edible seeds and is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the national flower of India and Vietnam.
Names
Nelumbo nucifera is also known as Egyptian bean.
Classification
The lotus is often confused with the true water lilies of the genus Nymphaea, in particular N. caerulea, the "blue lotus." In fact, several older systems, such as the Bentham & Hooker system (which is widely used in the Indian subcontinent), refer to the lotus by its old synonym, Nymphaea nelumbo.
While all modern plant taxonomy systems agree that this species belongs in the genus Nelumbo, the systems disagree as to which family Nelumbo should be placed in or whether the genus should belong in its own unique family and order. According to the APG IV system, N. nucifera, N. lutea, and their extinct relatives belong in Proteales with the protea flowers due to genetic comparisons. Older systems, such as the Cronquist system, place N. nucifera and its relatives in the order Nymphaeles based on anatomical similarities. According to the APG IV classification, the closest relatives of Nelumbo include the sycamores (Platanaceae).
Botany
The lotus roots are planted in pond or river bottom soil, while the leaves float on the water's surface or are held well above it. The leaf stalks (petioles) can be up to 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) long, allowing the plant to grow in water to that depth, The peltate leaf blade or lamina can have a horizontal spread of 1 m (3 ft 3 in). The leaves may be as large as 80 cm (31 in) in diameter.
Flower
The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. They are showy and grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter, but fourteen inches (35 centimeters) has been frequently reported.
Some cultivated varieties have extraordinary numbers of petals. For example, the Chinese variety qian ban lian ("thousand petals lotus") can have between 3000 and 4000 petals in a single blossom and the Japanese variety ohmi myoren ("strange lotus") can have between 2000 and 5000 petals, the greatest number recorded for any species of plant.
Researchers report that the lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers within a narrow range, just as humans and other warm-blooded animals do. Roger S. Seymour and Paul Schultze-Motel, physiologists at the University of Adelaide in Australia, found that lotus flowers blooming in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens maintained a temperature of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), even when the air temperature dropped to 10 °C (50 °F). They suspect the flowers may be doing this to attract cold-blooded insect pollinators. Studies published in the journals Nature and Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences in 1996 and 1998 were important contributions in the field of thermoregulation in plants. Two other species known to be able to regulate their temperature include Symplocarpus foetidus and Philodendron selloum. The red tiger lotus is native to West Africa, including Nigeria and Cameroon, and thrives in slow-moving water.
Seed
A fertilized lotus flower bears fruit that contains a cluster of 10 to 30 seeds. Each seed is ovoid 1–2.5 cm wide by 1–1.5 cm long with a brownish coat.: 132 Lotus seeds can remain viable after long periods of dormancy. In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus, dated at roughly 1,300 years old ± 270 years, was successfully germinated.
The traditional sacred lotus is only distantly related to Nymphaea caerulea, but possesses similar chemistry. Both Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera contain the alkaloids nuciferine and aporphine.[citation needed]
The genome of the sacred lotus was sequenced in May 2013.
Cultivation
The sacred lotus grows in water up to 2.5 m (8 ft) deep. The minimum water depth is about 30 cm (12 in). In colder climates, having a deeper water level protects the tubers more effectively, and overall is helpful for better growth and flowering. The sacred lotus germinates at temperatures above 13 °C (55 °F). Most varieties are not naturally cold-hardy, but may readily adapt to living outdoors year-round in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 11 (with some growers having success in zones as low as 4 or 5); the higher the zone's number, the greater the adaptability of the plants. In the growing season, from April to September (in the northern hemisphere), the average daytime temperature needed is 23 to 27 °C (73 to 81 °F). In regions with low light levels in winter, the sacred lotus has a period of dormancy. The tubers are not cold-resistant, if removed from water, and exposed to the air; when kept underwater in soil, the energy-rich tubers can overwinter temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F). If the plants are taken out of the water for wintertime storage (mostly in exceptionally cold climates), the tubers and roots must be stored in a stable, frost-free location, such as a garage, preferably in a cardboard box or container filled completely with vermiculite or perlite. Care must be taken to fully insulate the tubers.
Planting
The sacred lotus requires a nutrient-rich and loamy soil. In the beginning of the summer period (from March until May in the northern hemisphere), a small part of rhizome with at least one eye is either planted in ponds or directly into a flooded field. There are several other propagation ways via seeds or buds. Furthermore, tissue culture is a promising propagation method for the future to produce high volumes of uniform, true-to-type, disease-free materials.
The first step of the cultivation is to plough the dry field. One round of manure is applied after ten days, before flooding the field. To support a quick initial growth, the water level is relatively low and increases when plants grow. Then a maximum of approximately 4,000 per hectare (1,600/acre) with grid spacing of 1.2 by 2 metres (3 ft 11 in × 6 ft 7 in) are used to plant directly into the mud 10–15 cm (3+7⁄8–5+7⁄8 in) below the soil surface.
Harvest
The stolon is ready to harvest two to three months after planting. It must be harvested before flowering. Harvesting the stolon is done by manual labor. For this step, the field is not drained. The stolon is pulled out of the water by pulling and shaking the young leaves in the shallow water.
The first leaves and flowers can be harvested three months after planting. Flowers can be picked every two days during summer and every three days during the colder season. Four months after planting, the production of flowers has its climax. The harvest of flowers is usually done by hand for three to four months.
Seeds and seed pods can be harvested when they turn black four to eight months after planting. After sun drying for two to three days, they are processed by mechanical tools to separate seed coats and embryos.
The rhizomes mature to a suitable stage for eating in approximately six to nine months. Early varieties are harvested in July until September and late varieties from October until March, after the ponds or fields are drained. The large, starch-rich rhizomes are easy to dig out of the drained soil. In small-scale production, they are harvested by hand using fork-like tools. In Japan and on bigger farms, manual labour harvesting is fully replaced by machines.
Varieties and cultivars
Lotus varieties have been classified according to their use into three types: rhizome lotus, seed lotus, and flower lotus. Varieties that show more than one of these characteristics are classified by the strongest feature. Regarding production area in China, rhizome lotus has the largest area with 200,000 ha (490,000 acres), followed by seed lotus with 20,000 ha (49,000 acres).
Rhizome lotus
Rhizome lotus cultivars produce a higher yield and higher quality rhizomes than seed or flower lotus cultivars. Furthermore, this group grows tall and produces few to no flowers.
Cultivars can be classified by harvest time or by the depth of rhizomes into these types:
Pre-mature (early) cultivars are harvested before the end of July, serotinous (late) cultivars from September on, and mid-serotinous or mid-matutinal cultivars are in between these harvest times. Using pre-mature cultivars, rhizomes can be harvested earlier and sold for a higher price.
Adlittoral, deep, and intermediate cultivars are distinguished according to the depth in which the rhizomes grow underground. Adlittoral cultivars range from 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) depth and are often premature. They develop faster due to higher temperatures in surface soil layers. When harvested in July, adlittorals have higher yields than deeper-growing cultivars, but not necessarily when harvested in September. Rhizomes of adlittoral cultivars are crisp and good for frying purposes. Deep cultivars grow more than 40 cm (16 in) deep. They are often serotinous and can harvest high yields. Their rhizomes are starch-rich.
The main popular Nelumbo nucifera cultivars in China are Elian 1, Elian 4, Elian 5, 9217, Xin 1, and 00–01. The average yield of these cultivars is 7.5–15 t/ha (3.3–6.7 tons/acre) of harvest in July and 30–45 t/ha (13–20 tons/acre) of harvest in September. In Australia, the cultivar grown for the fresh rhizome market in Guangdong and Japan, the common rhizome cultivars are Tenno and Bitchu.
Seed lotus
The characteristics of seed lotus cultivars are a large number of carpels and seed sets as well as large seeds with better nutritional properties. Roots of these varieties are thin, fibrous, and do not form good rhizomes. The main popular cultivars for seed production in China are Cunsanlian, Xianglian 1, Zilian 2, Jianlian, Ganlian 62, and Taikong 36. The average yield of these cultivars in China is 1.05–1.9 t/ha (0.5–0.8 tons/acre) of dry seeds and weight of thousand seeds between 1,020 and 1,800 g (36 and 63 oz). Green Jade and Vietnam-Red are recommended cultivars for seed production in Australia.
Flower lotus
Flower lotus cultivars are used exclusively for ornamental purpose, producing many flowers and the lowest plant height.
The seed production of flower lotus is typically poor regarding yield and quality. Flower types differ in the number of petals (single petals, double petals, or multi-petals) and their colours range from single colour in white, yellow, pink, and red to bi-colour, most often of white petals with pink tips or highlights.
The flowers are capable of producing ink used by artists such as Morrison Polkinghorne to produce abstract images of the landscapes of southern Asia.
One example of a flower lotus is Wanlian. Also known as bowl lotus, wanlians are any miniature cultivars of N. nucifera sized between 5 and 8 centimetres (2.0 and 3.1 in). Bowl lotuses come in various colours and numbers of petals, and they bloom longer than other species of lotus. But together with the rhizome, their seeds are often too small or too hard to be eatable.
The sacred lotus may be crossed with the yellow lotus to produce interspecific hybrids. A few varieties have been produced with differing appearances.
Farming
About 70% of lotus for human consumption is produced in China. In 2005, the cultivation area in China was estimated at 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres). A majority of lotus production takes place in managed farming systems in ponds or flooded fields like rice.
The most widely used system is crop rotation with rice and vegetables. This system is applicable if the propagule (small piece of rhizome) can be planted early in the year. The rhizomes are harvested in July, after which rice can be planted in the same field. Rice is then harvested in October. From November until March, the field stays either free or terricolous vegetables, such as cabbage or spinach, are planted. Alternatively, the vegetable can also be planted after the harvest of the lotus.
Another alternative way is not to harvest the lotus rhizome, although it is ripe. A terricolous vegetable is planted between the rhizomes into the drained field. The rhizomes are then harvested next March.
A third way is to plant lotus in ponds or fields and raise aquatic animals such as fish, shrimp, or crab in the same field. A more efficient use of the water for both, the aquatic animal and the lotus production has been identified with this planting pattern.
Rhizomes
Japanese: 蓮根, romanized: renkon, Korean: 연군 or 蓮根, romanized: yeongun, Hindi: कमल ककड़ी, romanized: kamal kakdi, Telugu: are consumed as a vegetable in Asian countries, extensively in China, Japan, and India, sold whole or in cut pieces, fresh, frozen, or canned. They are fried or cooked mostly in soups, soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar (with sugar, chili and garlic). Lotus rhizomes have a crunchy texture and are a classic dish at many banquets, where they are deep-fried, stir-fried, or stuffed with meats or preserved fruits. Salads with prawns, sesame oil or coriander leaves are also popular. Fresh lotus root slices are limited by a fast browning rate. Lotus root tea is consumed in Korea.
Lotus root is a popular vegetable in Sri Lanka, where it is often cooked in coconut milk gravy. In India, lotus root (also known as kamal kakdi in Hindi) is cooked as a dry curry or sabzi.
Japan is one of the primary users of the rhizomes, representing about 1% of all vegetables consumed. Japan grows its own lotus but still must import 18,000 tons of lotus rhizome each year, of which China provides 15,000 tons yearly.
Rhizomes contain high amounts of starch (31.2%) without characteristic taste or odor. The texture is comparable to a raw potato. The binding and disintegration properties of isolated Nelumbo starch have been compared with maize and potato starch; Nelumbo starch is shown to be superior as an adjuvant in the preparation of tablets. When dried, N. nucifera is also made into flour, another popular use of this vegetable.
Pips
Lotus pip tea is consumed in Korea.
Seeds
Fresh lotus seeds (simplified Chinese: 莲子; traditional Chinese: 蓮子; pinyin: liánzǐ; Cantonese Yale: lìhnjí) are nutritious but also vulnerable to microbial contamination, especially fungal infections. Therefore, mostly dry lotus seed-based products are found on the market. Traditional sun baking combined with charcoal processing dries the seeds but results in a loss of nutrients. Freeze-dried lotus seeds have a longer shelf life and maintain original nutrients, while no differences in flavour are found after rehydration compared to fresh lotus seeds.
Dry stored lotus seeds are sensitive to moisture and mold infestation; researchers continue to explore new ways to preserve fresh lotus seeds, such as radiation processing.
Lotus seeds can be processed into moon cake, lotus seed noodles and food in the forms of paste, fermented milk, rice wine, ice cream, popcorn (phool makhana), and others, with lotus seeds as the main raw material. Traditional Eastern medicine claims that fresh lotus seed wine has thirst-quenching, spleen-healing, and anti-diarrheal advantages after drinking, attributed to unspecified bioactive compounds. Lotus seed tea is consumed in Korea, and lotus embryo tea is consumed in China and Vietnam.
Stems
Young lotus stems are used as a salad ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine and as a vegetable ingredient for some soup and curry in Thailand, such as keang som sai bua (Thai: แกงส้มสายบัว, lotus stem sour soup) and keang kati sai bua (แกงกะทิสายบัว, lotus stem in coconut milk curry)
In northern and eastern regions of India, the stalk of the flower is used to prepare a soup, kamal gatte ki sabji (Hindi: कमल गट्टे की सब्जी) and an appetizer, kamal kakdi pakode (Hindi: कमल ककडी पकौडे). In South Indian states, the lotus stem is sliced, marinated with salt to dry, and the dried slices are fried and used as a side dish. In Kerala (Malayalam: "താമര") and Tamil Nadu, this end product is called thamara vathal.
In the Philippines, an indigenous variety called tukal is used as the main ingredient in dishes with coconut milk. The stems and petals can be bought in markets when in season.
Leaves
In China and Korea, lotus leaf tea (Korean: 연잎차, romanized: yeon'ip-cha) is made from the leaves of the lotus. It is also used as a wrap for steaming rice and sticky rice and other steamed dishes in Southeast Asian cuisine, such as lo mai gai in Chinese cuisine or kao hor bai bua (Thai: ข้าวห่อใบบัว), fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf in Thai cuisine.
Vietnamese also use lotus leaves to wrap green young rice, cốm, which is eaten in autumn. The leaves impart a unique scent to the soft, moist rice.
Flowers
In Korea, lotus flower tea (연꽃차 yeon'kkot-cha) is made from the dried petals of the white lotus.
The stamens can be dried and made into a fragrant herbal tea (Chinese: 蓮花 茶; pinyin: liánhuā cha; Cantonese Yale: lìhnfāa chah), or used to impart a scent to tea leaves (particularly in Vietnam). This Vietnamese lotus tea is called trà sen, chè sen, or chè ướp sen.
Risks
The petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g., Fasciolopsis buski): it is therefore recommended that they be cooked before eating.
Use in water treatment
Nelumbo nucifera shows high potential for usage in wastewater treatment removing polluting compounds and heavy metals. It is able to grow in variable water conditions and in low light intensity. Various studies show the successful use of N. nucifera to counteract water eutrophication. The leaves of the floating lotus reduce sunlight reaching the lower part of the water. This suppresses algae growth in N. nucifera aquatic systems and thus, the oxygen content is up to 20% higher than in other aquatic plant systems. Due to intense agricultural practices, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are major problems in aquatic systems. N. nucifera is able to assimilate a higher content of phosphorus than aquatic plants currently used for water remediation (such as water hyacinth). It also assimilates nitrogen ("denitrification") and creates a habitat for bacterial growth in the water body. Through rhizofiltration, heavy metals – including arsenic, copper, and cadmium – can be removed efficiently from the water. The results observed are impressive showing 96% of copper and 85% cadmium metals removed after a seven-day incubation period. The accumulation of heavy metals doesn't show morphological symptoms of metal toxicity; however, the rhizome quality for human consumption needs further study.
Storage and commercialization
Currently, most rhizomes are consumed fresh, and it is not common to store them due to their poor shelf life performance. This limits export possibilities for low-income production countries in Asia. Rhizomes quickly lose water, oxidation occurs and nutrient composition changes within a short time after harvest. Optimal storage temperatures range between 5 and 8 °C (41 and 46 °F). There are three different approaches to storing rhizomes. By stacking the rhizomes, they are storable and remain fresh for about three weeks. Special stacking with silver sand and soil results in five to six layers that prevent water loss, thus, the rhizome stays fresh for up to two months. However, the method is not suitable for commercialization but rather for home use. Hydrogen sulfide fumigation reduces enzymatic browning and therefore ensures rhizome quality. Dipping the rhizomes in a salt solution prevents oxidation and bacterial reproduction, which allows storage for up to five months and greater export ability. This treatment is related to the high cost and inefficient cleaning process before eating the rhizomes.
Use in bioengineering
Nelumbo nucifera contains some thermal-stable proteins that might be useful in protein bioengineering processes. The proteins are characterized by seed longevity used for cell protection and repair under stress. There are also several indications that compounds of N. nucifera are used in drug fabrication in human health research for multiple purposes. Lotus leaves possess hydrophobic characteristics, attributed to a waxy coat that prevents water from adhering to the surface. This attribute has influenced the conception of the "lotus effect" in biomimicry and engineering, guiding the design of materials that resist water and remain self-cleaning. Researchers at the National University of Singapore have utilized the water-repelling structure as inspiration for developing eAir, an aero-elastic sensor capable of detecting subtle pressure changes or other environmental stimuli.
Other uses
The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of watering cans, are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried flower arranging.
In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food, not frequently eaten (for example, as a wrapper for zongzi). Lotus leaves are also used to serve food in various cultures.
A unique fabric called lotus silk, from the lotus plant fibers, is produced only at Inle Lake, Myanmar, and in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This thread is used for weaving special robes for Buddha images called kya thingan (lotus robe).
Chemical composition
The flavonol miquelianin, as well as the alkaloids (+)-(1R)-coclaurine and (−)-(1S)-norcoclaurine, can be found in the leaves of N. nucifera. The plant also contains nuciferine, neferine, and many other benzylisoquinoline alkaloids with medicinal properties.
Health properties and nutrients
(December 2017)
Lotus root, cooked, no salt
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy278 kJ (66 kcal)
Carbohydrates
16.02 g
Sugars0.50 g
Dietary fiber3.1 g
Fat
0.07 g
Protein
1.58 g
VitaminsQuantity%DV†
Thiamine (B1)11%0.127 mg
Riboflavin (B2)1%0.01 mg
Niacin (B3)2%0.3 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)6%0.302 mg
Vitamin B617%0.218 mg
Folate (B9)2%8 μg
Choline5%25.4 mg
Vitamin C33%27.4 mg
MineralsQuantity%DV†
Calcium3%26 mg
Iron7%0.9 mg
Magnesium6%22 mg
Manganese10%0.22 mg
Phosphorus11%78 mg
Potassium12%363 mg
Sodium3%45 mg
Zinc3%0.33 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water81.42 g
Link to USDA Database entry
Units
μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
IU = International units
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
All parts of Nelumbo nucifera are edible, with the rhizome and seeds being the main consumption parts. Traditionally rhizomes, leaves, and seeds have been used as folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. In Chinese medicine, seeds are still used as lian zi xin (蓮子心).
Lotus rhizomes and seeds and their processing by-products are widely consumed in Asia, the Americas, and Oceania for high content of physiologically active substances. Especially in China, lotus seeds are popular with a cultural history going back about 3000 years. As early as the Han Dynasty, lotus seeds were already recorded as sweet, astringent, nourishing the heart and kidney in "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic". Nowadays there are 22 varieties for the four known Chinese lines, which are found particularly in Jianning (still called "the town of Jianlian lotus seeds in China") and Guangchang ("the town of white lotus seeds in China").
These days the perennial aquatic herb is gaining popularity because of its nutraceutical and historical importance It will be of economic value if the different parts of lotus can be developed as functional food. Because of its special role in human health and richness in nutrients and bioactive substances, the Chinese Ministry of Health approved the use of N. nucifera as both "food and medicine."
Rhizomes
The rhizomes are 60–14 cm (23.6–5.5 in) long, 0.5–2.5 cm (0.20–0.98 in) in diameter, yellowish white to yellowish brown, smooth, and with nodes and internodes.
Lotus root is a moderate-calorie root vegetable (100 g of root stem provides about 74 calories) and is composed of several vitamins, minerals, and nutrients: 83.80% water, 0.11% fat, 1.56% reducing sugar, 0.41% sucrose, 2.70% crude protein, 9.25% starch, 0.80% fiber, 0.10% ash and 0.06% calcium.[81] 100 g of root provides 44 mg of vitamin C or 73% of daily recommended values (RDA).
Lotus rhizome and its extracts have shown diuretic, psychopharmacological, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, antipyretic and antioxidant activities.
Seeds
Lotus seeds are mostly oval or spherical, with sizes varying according to varieties. They are generally 1.2–1.8 cm long, with diameters ranging from 0.8 to 1.4 cm and a weight of 1.1–1.4 g. After lotus seeds have been decorticated and peeled, they are edible and rich in nutrients and can be dried for storage. Their nutritional values can differ due to culture environments and varieties.
Not only do these seeds contain proteins of high quality and are rich in a variety of essential amino acids including high contents of albumin (42%) and globulin (27%), they also contain unsaturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus and other trace elements. They also provide water-soluble polysaccharides, alkaloids, flavonoids, superoxide dismutase, and other bioactive components.
Lotus seeds also contain particularly large amounts of vitamins, including VB1, VB2, VB6 and Vitamin E.
The functional components (polyphenols, protein, polysaccharides) in N. nucifera seeds can help combat high blood pressure, diabetes, and gallstones.
After lotus seed germination, crude protein and fat levels in the endosperm significantly increase. It is therefore an important method to enhance its nutritional quality.
Cultural and religious significance
An Indian lotus motif on a Hindu temple. Nelumbo nucifera is also the national flower of India.
Lotus symbol in Derafsh Kaviani, flag of the Sasanian Empire
Main article: Sacred lotus in religious art
Nelumbo nucifera is a lotus species with historical cultural and spiritual significance. It is a sacred flower in both Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the path to spiritual awakening and enlightenment. In Christianity, the lotus flower is often associated with the apostle Thomas and his coming to India. The lotus flower is also mentioned in the bible.
In Asian art, a lotus throne is a stylized lotus flower used as the seat or base for a figure. It is the normal pedestal for divine figures in Buddhist art and Hindu art and is often seen in Jain art. Originating in Indian art, it followed Indian religions to East Asia in particular. Lotus flowers are also often held by figures.
The Nelumbo nucifera, which is also called (Nilufar Abi in Persian), can be seen in many reliefs of the Achaemenid period (552 BC) such as the statue of Anahita in the Persepolis. The lotus flower was included in Kaveh the blacksmith's Derafsh and later as the flag of the Sasanian Empire Derafsh Kaviani. Today, it is the symbol of Iranians Solar Hijri calendar.
The lotus flower also holds cultural and religious significance in Ismaili Muslim and related South Asian traditions. For example, in South Asian Ismaili literature, the lotus is compared to the pure soul. A poem describes the lotus' beauty, describing how its delicate white petals remain pure and beautiful, despite its murky environment. Similarly, a pure soul is part of this world, yet is not of this world, much like the circumstances of the lotus. The poem further emphasizes the importance of true knowledge or gnosis, which is likened to the pure rainwater that allows the lotus to flourish. Ismaili belief holds that the true guide provides this true knowledge, without which the pure soul cannot survive. Just as the lotus flower would rather die than drink from a reeking swamp, the pure soul also seeks nourishment solely through true knowledge."), with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea. Today, the species also occurs in southern India, Sri Lanka, virtually all of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern and eastern Australia, but this is probably the result of human translocations. It has a very long history (c. 3,000 years) of being cultivated for its edible seeds and is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the national flower of India and Vietnam.
Names
Nelumbo nucifera is also known as Egyptian bean.
Classification
The lotus is often confused with the true water lilies of the genus Nymphaea, in particular N. caerulea, the "blue lotus." In fact, several older systems, such as the Bentham & Hooker system (which is widely used in the Indian subcontinent), refer to the lotus by its old synonym, Nymphaea nelumbo.
While all modern plant taxonomy systems agree that this species belongs in the genus Nelumbo, the systems disagree as to which family Nelumbo should be placed in or whether the genus should belong in its own unique family and order. According to the APG IV system, N. nucifera, N. lutea, and their extinct relatives belong in Proteales with the protea flowers due to genetic comparisons. Older systems, such as the Cronquist system, place N. nucifera and its relatives in the order Nymphaeles based on anatomical similarities. According to the APG IV classification, the closest relatives of Nelumbo include the sycamores (Platanaceae).
Botany
The lotus roots are planted in pond or river bottom soil, while the leaves float on the water's surface or are held well above it. The leaf stalks (petioles) can be up to 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) long, allowing the plant to grow in water to that depth, The peltate leaf blade or lamina can have a horizontal spread of 1 m (3 ft 3 in). The leaves may be as large as 80 cm (31 in) in diameter.
Flower
The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. They are showy and grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter, but fourteen inches (35 centimeters) has been frequently reported.
Some cultivated varieties have extraordinary numbers of petals. For example, the Chinese variety qian ban lian ("thousand petals lotus") can have between 3000 and 4000 petals in a single blossom and the Japanese variety ohmi myoren ("strange lotus") can have between 2000 and 5000 petals, the greatest number recorded for any species of plant.
Researchers report that the lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers within a narrow range, just as humans and other warm-blooded animals do. Roger S. Seymour and Paul Schultze-Motel, physiologists at the University of Adelaide in Australia, found that lotus flowers blooming in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens maintained a temperature of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), even when the air temperature dropped to 10 °C (50 °F). They suspect the flowers may be doing this to attract cold-blooded insect pollinators. Studies published in the journals Nature and Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences in 1996 and 1998 were important contributions in the field of thermoregulation in plants. Two other species known to be able to regulate their temperature include Symplocarpus foetidus and Philodendron selloum. The red tiger lotus is native to West Africa, including Nigeria and Cameroon, and thrives in slow-moving water.
Seed
A fertilized lotus flower bears fruit that contains a cluster of 10 to 30 seeds. Each seed is ovoid 1–2.5 cm wide by 1–1.5 cm long with a brownish coat.: 132 Lotus seeds can remain viable after long periods of dormancy. In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus, dated at roughly 1,300 years old ± 270 years, was successfully germinated.
The traditional sacred lotus is only distantly related to Nymphaea caerulea, but possesses similar chemistry. Both Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera contain the alkaloids nuciferine and aporphine.[citation needed]
The genome of the sacred lotus was sequenced in May 2013.
Cultivation
The sacred lotus grows in water up to 2.5 m (8 ft) deep. The minimum water depth is about 30 cm (12 in). In colder climates, having a deeper water level protects the tubers more effectively, and overall is helpful for better growth and flowering. The sacred lotus germinates at temperatures above 13 °C (55 °F). Most varieties are not naturally cold-hardy, but may readily adapt to living outdoors year-round in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 11 (with some growers having success in zones as low as 4 or 5); the higher the zone's number, the greater the adaptability of the plants. In the growing season, from April to September (in the northern hemisphere), the average daytime temperature needed is 23 to 27 °C (73 to 81 °F). In regions with low light levels in winter, the sacred lotus has a period of dormancy. The tubers are not cold-resistant, if removed from water, and exposed to the air; when kept underwater in soil, the energy-rich tubers can overwinter temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F). If the plants are taken out of the water for wintertime storage (mostly in exceptionally cold climates), the tubers and roots must be stored in a stable, frost-free location, such as a garage, preferably in a cardboard box or container filled completely with vermiculite or perlite. Care must be taken to fully insulate the tubers.
Planting
The sacred lotus requires a nutrient-rich and loamy soil. In the beginning of the summer period (from March until May in the northern hemisphere), a small part of rhizome with at least one eye is either planted in ponds or directly into a flooded field. There are several other propagation ways via seeds or buds. Furthermore, tissue culture is a promising propagation method for the future to produce high volumes of uniform, true-to-type, disease-free materials.
The first step of the cultivation is to plough the dry field. One round of manure is applied after ten days, before flooding the field. To support a quick initial growth, the water level is relatively low and increases when plants grow. Then a maximum of approximately 4,000 per hectare (1,600/acre) with grid spacing of 1.2 by 2 metres (3 ft 11 in × 6 ft 7 in) are used to plant directly into the mud 10–15 cm (3+7⁄8–5+7⁄8 in) below the soil surface.
Harvest
The stolon is ready to harvest two to three months after planting. It must be harvested before flowering. Harvesting the stolon is done by manual labor. For this step, the field is not drained. The stolon is pulled out of the water by pulling and shaking the young leaves in the shallow water.
The first leaves and flowers can be harvested three months after planting. Flowers can be picked every two days during summer and every three days during the colder season. Four months after planting, the production of flowers has its climax. The harvest of flowers is usually done by hand for three to four months.
Seeds and seed pods can be harvested when they turn black four to eight months after planting. After sun drying for two to three days, they are processed by mechanical tools to separate seed coats and embryos.
The rhizomes mature to a suitable stage for eating in approximately six to nine months. Early varieties are harvested in July until September and late varieties from October until March, after the ponds or fields are drained. The large, starch-rich rhizomes are easy to dig out of the drained soil. In small-scale production, they are harvested by hand using fork-like tools. In Japan and on bigger farms, manual labour harvesting is fully replaced by machines.
Varieties and cultivars
Lotus varieties have been classified according to their use into three types: rhizome lotus, seed lotus, and flower lotus. Varieties that show more than one of these characteristics are classified by the strongest feature. Regarding production area in China, rhizome lotus has the largest area with 200,000 ha (490,000 acres), followed by seed lotus with 20,000 ha (49,000 acres).
Rhizome lotus
Rhizome lotus cultivars produce a higher yield and higher quality rhizomes than seed or flower lotus cultivars. Furthermore, this group grows tall and produces few to no flowers.
Cultivars can be classified by harvest time or by the depth of rhizomes into these types:
Pre-mature (early) cultivars are harvested before the end of July, serotinous (late) cultivars from September on, and mid-serotinous or mid-matutinal cultivars are in between these harvest times. Using pre-mature cultivars, rhizomes can be harvested earlier and sold for a higher price.
Adlittoral, deep, and intermediate cultivars are distinguished according to the depth in which the rhizomes grow underground. Adlittoral cultivars range from 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) depth and are often premature. They develop faster due to higher temperatures in surface soil layers. When harvested in July, adlittorals have higher yields than deeper-growing cultivars, but not necessarily when harvested in September. Rhizomes of adlittoral cultivars are crisp and good for frying purposes. Deep cultivars grow more than 40 cm (16 in) deep. They are often serotinous and can harvest high yields. Their rhizomes are starch-rich.
The main popular Nelumbo nucifera cultivars in China are Elian 1, Elian 4, Elian 5, 9217, Xin 1, and 00–01. The average yield of these cultivars is 7.5–15 t/ha (3.3–6.7 tons/acre) of harvest in July and 30–45 t/ha (13–20 tons/acre) of harvest in September. In Australia, the cultivar grown for the fresh rhizome market in Guangdong and Japan, the common rhizome cultivars are Tenno and Bitchu.
Seed lotus
The characteristics of seed lotus cultivars are a large number of carpels and seed sets as well as large seeds with better nutritional properties. Roots of these varieties are thin, fibrous, and do not form good rhizomes. The main popular cultivars for seed production in China are Cunsanlian, Xianglian 1, Zilian 2, Jianlian, Ganlian 62, and Taikong 36. The average yield of these cultivars in China is 1.05–1.9 t/ha (0.5–0.8 tons/acre) of dry seeds and weight of thousand seeds between 1,020 and 1,800 g (36 and 63 oz). Green Jade and Vietnam-Red are recommended cultivars for seed production in Australia.
Flower lotus
Flower lotus cultivars are used exclusively for ornamental purpose, producing many flowers and the lowest plant height.
The seed production of flower lotus is typically poor regarding yield and quality. Flower types differ in the number of petals (single petals, double petals, or multi-petals) and their colours range from single colour in white, yellow, pink, and red to bi-colour, most often of white petals with pink tips or highlights.
The flowers are capable of producing ink used by artists such as Morrison Polkinghorne to produce abstract images of the landscapes of southern Asia.
One example of a flower lotus is Wanlian. Also known as bowl lotus, wanlians are any miniature cultivars of N. nucifera sized between 5 and 8 centimetres (2.0 and 3.1 in). Bowl lotuses come in various colours and numbers of petals, and they bloom longer than other species of lotus. But together with the rhizome, their seeds are often too small or too hard to be eatable.
The sacred lotus may be crossed with the yellow lotus to produce interspecific hybrids. A few varieties have been produced with differing appearances.
Farming
About 70% of lotus for human consumption is produced in China. In 2005, the cultivation area in China was estimated at 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres). A majority of lotus production takes place in managed farming systems in ponds or flooded fields like rice.
The most widely used system is crop rotation with rice and vegetables. This system is applicable if the propagule (small piece of rhizome) can be planted early in the year. The rhizomes are harvested in July, after which rice can be planted in the same field. Rice is then harvested in October. From November until March, the field stays either free or terricolous vegetables, such as cabbage or spinach, are planted. Alternatively, the vegetable can also be planted after the harvest of the lotus.
Another alternative way is not to harvest the lotus rhizome, although it is ripe. A terricolous vegetable is planted between the rhizomes into the drained field. The rhizomes are then harvested next March.
A third way is to plant lotus in ponds or fields and raise aquatic animals such as fish, shrimp, or crab in the same field. A more efficient use of the water for both, the aquatic animal and the lotus production has been identified with this planting pattern.
Rhizomes
Japanese: 蓮根, romanized: renkon, Korean: 연군 or 蓮根, romanized: yeongun, Hindi: कमल ककड़ी, romanized: kamal kakdi, Telugu: are consumed as a vegetable in Asian countries, extensively in China, Japan, and India, sold whole or in cut pieces, fresh, frozen, or canned. They are fried or cooked mostly in soups, soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar (with sugar, chili and garlic). Lotus rhizomes have a crunchy texture and are a classic dish at many banquets, where they are deep-fried, stir-fried, or stuffed with meats or preserved fruits. Salads with prawns, sesame oil or coriander leaves are also popular. Fresh lotus root slices are limited by a fast browning rate. Lotus root tea is consumed in Korea.
Lotus root is a popular vegetable in Sri Lanka, where it is often cooked in coconut milk gravy. In India, lotus root (also known as kamal kakdi in Hindi) is cooked as a dry curry or sabzi.
Japan is one of the primary users of the rhizomes, representing about 1% of all vegetables consumed. Japan grows its own lotus but still must import 18,000 tons of lotus rhizome each year, of which China provides 15,000 tons yearly.
Rhizomes contain high amounts of starch (31.2%) without characteristic taste or odor. The texture is comparable to a raw potato. The binding and disintegration properties of isolated Nelumbo starch have been compared with maize and potato starch; Nelumbo starch is shown to be superior as an adjuvant in the preparation of tablets. When dried, N. nucifera is also made into flour, another popular use of this vegetable.
Pips
Lotus pip tea is consumed in Korea.
Seeds
Fresh lotus seeds (simplified Chinese: 莲子; traditional Chinese: 蓮子; pinyin: liánzǐ; Cantonese Yale: lìhnjí) are nutritious but also vulnerable to microbial contamination, especially fungal infections. Therefore, mostly dry lotus seed-based products are found on the market. Traditional sun baking combined with charcoal processing dries the seeds but results in a loss of nutrients. Freeze-dried lotus seeds have a longer shelf life and maintain original nutrients, while no differences in flavour are found after rehydration compared to fresh lotus seeds.
Dry stored lotus seeds are sensitive to moisture and mold infestation; researchers continue to explore new ways to preserve fresh lotus seeds, such as radiation processing.
Lotus seeds can be processed into moon cake, lotus seed noodles and food in the forms of paste, fermented milk, rice wine, ice cream, popcorn (phool makhana), and others, with lotus seeds as the main raw material. Traditional Eastern medicine claims that fresh lotus seed wine has thirst-quenching, spleen-healing, and anti-diarrheal advantages after drinking, attributed to unspecified bioactive compounds. Lotus seed tea is consumed in Korea, and lotus embryo tea is consumed in China and Vietnam.
Stems
Young lotus stems are used as a salad ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine and as a vegetable ingredient for some soup and curry in Thailand, such as keang som sai bua (Thai: แกงส้มสายบัว, lotus stem sour soup) and keang kati sai bua (แกงกะทิสายบัว, lotus stem in coconut milk curry)
In northern and eastern regions of India, the stalk of the flower is used to prepare a soup, kamal gatte ki sabji (Hindi: कमल गट्टे की सब्जी) and an appetizer, kamal kakdi pakode (Hindi: कमल ककडी पकौडे). In South Indian states, the lotus stem is sliced, marinated with salt to dry, and the dried slices are fried and used as a side dish. In Kerala (Malayalam: "താമര") and Tamil Nadu, this end product is called thamara vathal.
In the Philippines, an indigenous variety called tukal is used as the main ingredient in dishes with coconut milk. The stems and petals can be bought in markets when in season.
Leaves
In China and Korea, lotus leaf tea (Korean: 연잎차, romanized: yeon'ip-cha) is made from the leaves of the lotus. It is also used as a wrap for steaming rice and sticky rice and other steamed dishes in Southeast Asian cuisine, such as lo mai gai in Chinese cuisine or kao hor bai bua (Thai: ข้าวห่อใบบัว), fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf in Thai cuisine.
Vietnamese also use lotus leaves to wrap green young rice, cốm, which is eaten in autumn. The leaves impart a unique scent to the soft, moist rice.
Flowers
In Korea, lotus flower tea (연꽃차 yeon'kkot-cha) is made from the dried petals of the white lotus.
The stamens can be dried and made into a fragrant herbal tea (Chinese: 蓮花 茶; pinyin: liánhuā cha; Cantonese Yale: lìhnfāa chah), or used to impart a scent to tea leaves (particularly in Vietnam). This Vietnamese lotus tea is called trà sen, chè sen, or chè ướp sen.
Risks
The petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g., Fasciolopsis buski): it is therefore recommended that they be cooked before eating.
Use in water treatment
Nelumbo nucifera shows high potential for usage in wastewater treatment removing polluting compounds and heavy metals. It is able to grow in variable water conditions and in low light intensity. Various studies show the successful use of N. nucifera to counteract water eutrophication. The leaves of the floating lotus reduce sunlight reaching the lower part of the water. This suppresses algae growth in N. nucifera aquatic systems and thus, the oxygen content is up to 20% higher than in other aquatic plant systems. Due to intense agricultural practices, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are major problems in aquatic systems. N. nucifera is able to assimilate a higher content of phosphorus than aquatic plants currently used for water remediation (such as water hyacinth). It also assimilates nitrogen ("denitrification") and creates a habitat for bacterial growth in the water body. Through rhizofiltration, heavy metals – including arsenic, copper, and cadmium – can be removed efficiently from the water. The results observed are impressive showing 96% of copper and 85% cadmium metals removed after a seven-day incubation period. The accumulation of heavy metals doesn't show morphological symptoms of metal toxicity; however, the rhizome quality for human consumption needs further study.
Storage and commercialization
Currently, most rhizomes are consumed fresh, and it is not common to store them due to their poor shelf life performance. This limits export possibilities for low-income production countries in Asia. Rhizomes quickly lose water, oxidation occurs and nutrient composition changes within a short time after harvest. Optimal storage temperatures range between 5 and 8 °C (41 and 46 °F). There are three different approaches to storing rhizomes. By stacking the rhizomes, they are storable and remain fresh for about three weeks. Special stacking with silver sand and soil results in five to six layers that prevent water loss, thus, the rhizome stays fresh for up to two months. However, the method is not suitable for commercialization but rather for home use. Hydrogen sulfide fumigation reduces enzymatic browning and therefore ensures rhizome quality. Dipping the rhizomes in a salt solution prevents oxidation and bacterial reproduction, which allows storage for up to five months and greater export ability. This treatment is related to the high cost and inefficient cleaning process before eating the rhizomes.
Use in bioengineering
Nelumbo nucifera contains some thermal-stable proteins that might be useful in protein bioengineering processes. The proteins are characterized by seed longevity used for cell protection and repair under stress. There are also several indications that compounds of N. nucifera are used in drug fabrication in human health research for multiple purposes. Lotus leaves possess hydrophobic characteristics, attributed to a waxy coat that prevents water from adhering to the surface. This attribute has influenced the conception of the "lotus effect" in biomimicry and engineering, guiding the design of materials that resist water and remain self-cleaning. Researchers at the National University of Singapore have utilized the water-repelling structure as inspiration for developing eAir, an aero-elastic sensor capable of detecting subtle pressure changes or other environmental stimuli.
Other uses
The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of watering cans, are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried flower arranging.
In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food, not frequently eaten (for example, as a wrapper for zongzi). Lotus leaves are also used to serve food in various cultures.
A unique fabric called lotus silk, from the lotus plant fibers, is produced only at Inle Lake, Myanmar, and in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This thread is used for weaving special robes for Buddha images called kya thingan (lotus robe).
Chemical composition
The flavonol miquelianin, as well as the alkaloids (+)-(1R)-coclaurine and (−)-(1S)-norcoclaurine, can be found in the leaves of N. nucifera. The plant also contains nuciferine, neferine, and many other benzylisoquinoline alkaloids with medicinal properties.
Health properties and nutrients
(December 2017)
Lotus root, cooked, no salt
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy278 kJ (66 kcal)
Carbohydrates
16.02 g
Sugars0.50 g
Dietary fiber3.1 g
Fat
0.07 g
Protein
1.58 g
VitaminsQuantity%DV†
Thiamine (B1)11%0.127 mg
Riboflavin (B2)1%0.01 mg
Niacin (B3)2%0.3 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)6%0.302 mg
Vitamin B617%0.218 mg
Folate (B9)2%8 μg
Choline5%25.4 mg
Vitamin C33%27.4 mg
MineralsQuantity%DV†
Calcium3%26 mg
Iron7%0.9 mg
Magnesium6%22 mg
Manganese10%0.22 mg
Phosphorus11%78 mg
Potassium12%363 mg
Sodium3%45 mg
Zinc3%0.33 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water81.42 g
Link to USDA Database entry
Units
μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
IU = International units
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
All parts of Nelumbo nucifera are edible, with the rhizome and seeds being the main consumption parts. Traditionally rhizomes, leaves, and seeds have been used as folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. In Chinese medicine, seeds are still used as lian zi xin (蓮子心).
Lotus rhizomes and seeds and their processing by-products are widely consumed in Asia, the Americas, and Oceania for high content of physiologically active substances. Especially in China, lotus seeds are popular with a cultural history going back about 3000 years. As early as the Han Dynasty, lotus seeds were already recorded as sweet, astringent, nourishing the heart and kidney in "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic". Nowadays there are 22 varieties for the four known Chinese lines, which are found particularly in Jianning (still called "the town of Jianlian lotus seeds in China") and Guangchang ("the town of white lotus seeds in China").
These days the perennial aquatic herb is gaining popularity because of its nutraceutical and historical importance It will be of economic value if the different parts of lotus can be developed as functional food. Because of its special role in human health and richness in nutrients and bioactive substances, the Chinese Ministry of Health approved the use of N. nucifera as both "food and medicine."
Rhizomes
The rhizomes are 60–14 cm (23.6–5.5 in) long, 0.5–2.5 cm (0.20–0.98 in) in diameter, yellowish white to yellowish brown, smooth, and with nodes and internodes.
Lotus root is a moderate-calorie root vegetable (100 g of root stem provides about 74 calories) and is composed of several vitamins, minerals, and nutrients: 83.80% water, 0.11% fat, 1.56% reducing sugar, 0.41% sucrose, 2.70% crude protein, 9.25% starch, 0.80% fiber, 0.10% ash and 0.06% calcium.[81] 100 g of root provides 44 mg of vitamin C or 73% of daily recommended values (RDA).
Lotus rhizome and its extracts have shown diuretic, psychopharmacological, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, antipyretic and antioxidant activities.
Seeds
Lotus seeds are mostly oval or spherical, with sizes varying according to varieties. They are generally 1.2–1.8 cm long, with diameters ranging from 0.8 to 1.4 cm and a weight of 1.1–1.4 g. After lotus seeds have been decorticated and peeled, they are edible and rich in nutrients and can be dried for storage. Their nutritional values can differ due to culture environments and varieties.
Not only do these seeds contain proteins of high quality and are rich in a variety of essential amino acids including high contents of albumin (42%) and globulin (27%), they also contain unsaturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus and other trace elements. They also provide water-soluble polysaccharides, alkaloids, flavonoids, superoxide dismutase, and other bioactive components.
Lotus seeds also contain particularly large amounts of vitamins, including VB1, VB2, VB6 and Vitamin E.
The functional components (polyphenols, protein, polysaccharides) in N. nucifera seeds can help combat high blood pressure, diabetes, and gallstones.
After lotus seed germination, crude protein and fat levels in the endosperm significantly increase. It is therefore an important method to enhance its nutritional quality.
Cultural and religious significance
An Indian lotus motif on a Hindu temple. Nelumbo nucifera is also the national flower of India.
Lotus symbol in Derafsh Kaviani, flag of the Sasanian Empire
Main article: Sacred lotus in religious art
Nelumbo nucifera is a lotus species with historical cultural and spiritual significance. It is a sacred flower in both Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the path to spiritual awakening and enlightenment. In Christianity, the lotus flower is often associated with the apostle Thomas and his coming to India. The lotus flower is also mentioned in the bible.
In Asian art, a lotus throne is a stylized lotus flower used as the seat or base for a figure. It is the normal pedestal for divine figures in Buddhist art and Hindu art and is often seen in Jain art. Originating in Indian art, it followed Indian religions to East Asia in particular. Lotus flowers are also often held by figures.
The Nelumbo nucifera, which is also called (Nilufar Abi in Persian), can be seen in many reliefs of the Achaemenid period (552 BC) such as the statue of Anahita in the Persepolis. The lotus flower was included in Kaveh the blacksmith's Derafsh and later as the flag of the Sasanian Empire Derafsh Kaviani. Today, it is the symbol of Iranians Solar Hijri calendar.
The lotus flower also holds cultural and religious significance in Ismaili Muslim and related South Asian traditions. For example, in South Asian Ismaili literature, the lotus is compared to the pure soul. A poem describes the lotus' beauty, describing how its delicate white petals remain pure and beautiful, despite its murky environment. Similarly, a pure soul is part of this world, yet is not of this world, much like the circumstances of the lotus. The poem further emphasizes the importance of true knowledge or gnosis, which is likened to the pure rainwater that allows the lotus to flourish. Ismaili belief holds that the true guide provides this true knowledge, without which the pure soul cannot survive. Just as the lotus flower would rather die than drink from a reeking swamp, the pure soul also seeks nourishment solely through true knowledge.
FOV: 3" wide.
Uranyl nitrate solution was used to hydrate 15mL of DAP Plaster of Paris mix. The result showed hardly any green uranyl fluorescence, what could be seen was yellowish green. The plaster was then rehydrated using a concentrated sodium carbonate solution. The water was evaporated and the mixture was then calcined at ~150 degC for 4 hours in an oven. It was then rehydrated using a sodium carbonate solution. The plaster mix bubbled for about a half hour releasing much CO2 gas. After drying a coating of yellowish crystals formed on the surface.
See:
rruff.info/uploads/CM31_167.pdf
Compare to:
www.mindat.org/photo-299521.html
Contains:
Pseudo Schrockingerite (FL Blue-green >BL/UVabc)
Shown under UVc light.
Key:
WL = White light (halogen + LED)
FL = Fluoresces
PHOS = Phosphorescent
Blue = 450nm,
UVa = 368nm (LW), UVb = 311nm (MW), UVc = 254nm (SW)
'>' = "stimulated by:", '!' = "bright", '~' = "dim"
Carbonated Pseudo Schrockingerite
14Nov2015
Much appreciation to Gordon Czop for the uranyl nitrate.
Series best viewed in Light Box mode using Right and Left arrows to navigate.
Photostream best viewed in Lightbox mode (in the dark).
18 Watt Triple Output UV lamp from Polman Minerals - Way Too Cool UV lamps
Shortly before midnight on a February evening Santa Clara County Firefighters responded to reports of a house fire on Presidio Drive in Cupertino.
Arriving units confronted with a well involved two story structure called for a second alarm response to handle the blaze.
This is the scene at Rehab, where fire crews are resting and rehydrating before going back to the fight. Fire Associates Fire Support Unit 1 has Rehab setup with CNT Hazmat 72 providing medical monitoring and air bottle refills.
For more images from this incident check out YourFireDepartment.org, Presido IC
This Bryce Canyon National Park Service Search and Rescue truck and Ranger Truck were parked near the General Store. I strolled over for some photos before I realized a Ranger was in the truck
He explained that he was on COMMs because they could not get a direct signal between the SAR team that was in the Canyon and Headquarters. He explained that a middle-aged woman had some heat related issues. The SAR team had rehydrated her and were walking her out but it could take a while. I went back to my friend and his son who were eating at the General Store. I explained what the Ranger had told me. Then a family at the next table said that they overheard me and were very relieved bacause the woman was their mother and they hadn't heard anything for a couple of hours. The Ranger had been very precise in his speech and boy was I glad that I had been very precise in my speech.
We went on a camping and hiking trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Canyon_National_Park
IMG_0622
This is a polarized light transverse section through the stem at the base of a leaf (dorsal side down) of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger. Under crossed polarizers, particularly the xylem, but also the cell walls of the stem show optical activity. This is the result of an ordered cellulose structure. A bright field image of this section is at: www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/17583825062. Specimen collected along the Dowagiac River, 25 May 2015.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in IPA at 35, 50, 70, 85, 91, 95, 99 %. Infiltrated with paraplast saturated xylene 48 hr followed by 3 Paraplast baths prior to embedding in Paraplast. Sectioned 7 um thick on a Spencer 820 microtome. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (2 hours in Safranin-O, 7-15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2 X in xylene 10 min each and mounted with DPEX.
Photographed under cross polarizers on a Spencer 42 petrographic microscope at original magnification of 100X using a Sony NEX-5N and a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
This is a bright field longitudinal section through the Liverwort Conocephalum sp. showing the epidermal tissue at one of the surface fissures. The Safranin-O has stained the chloroplasts in the cells below the epidermis red.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 24 hr. Dehydrated in IPA at 35, 50, 70, 85, 91, 95, 99 %. Infiltrated with paraplast saturated xylene 48 hr followed by 2 Paraplast baths prior to embedding in Paraplast. Sectioned 11 um thick on a Spencer 820 microtome. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (24 hours in Safranin-O, 15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed in bright field on a Spencer 42 petrographic microscope at original magnification of 200X using a Sony NEX-5N and a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Part 2
The shade felt cool on my skin as it blocked the intense rays of sun. Here beneath the trees on a bed of pine needles I dropped pack for a break. This spot would make an excellent campsite, if only there was flowing water nearby, but the only creek bed that cut it's way through this small valley was dry as a bone. These trees are Jeffery Pines and their bark smells like vanilla. Putting my pack back on I continued.
Since I descended to the trees I now had to ascend back out of the wooded area, but instead of climbing back up where I went down I climbed up a rocky outcropping in the direction I needed to go. After climbing up the rocks I left the trees and their cool shade behind allowing the heat of the sun to beat down in full force. Once at he top of that outcropping there was a small area of relatively level, grassy terrain followed by another rocky climb up. The progress was slow and in the heat my water was going quick. Reaching the top of the second rocky climb, I hoped to see an easy route up to the small tarn I was trying to reach, but all I saw were impassable granite cliffs glaring in the midday sun.
Here I stopped for a break and to examine the terrain and my map and plan my next move. The cliffs were to the north and spread out east to west. I can not go east and after that slow, hard climb up I don't want to double back. I can travel west along side the cliffs towards what looks like an easily passable corridor through them to the top near a small grouping of what look two to three hemlock trees. My map shows two creeks, one of them I have already found but it was dry, the second creek is in the direction of the corridor. So that is where I will go, hopefully it is flowing. I headed in the direction I choose, climbing down with the slope of the land over alternating patches of grass and slab. (photo)
I have a quarter of one water bottle left, I need to find more water soon, this heat is really sucking the moisture and energy out of me. I also have not eaten anything significant today except for a few almonds and I'm getting to the point where I'm going to need more food but I cant rehydrate a meal because I don't have enough water.
The land then sloped back up over slabs. When I reached the top of that climb the slabs faded into grass and the cluster of hemlock trees that I saw earlier greeted me with shade. Here I stopped, dropped my pack and crawled beneath their branches. While resting and relieving myself of the heat I heard the faintest trickle of water. Sitting up I looked around, a short distance away grew some willows and where ever the willows grow there is water nearby. Grabbing my water bottles and my sawyer pouch I walk over to investigate and sure enough, there, among the willows, flowed the second creek. I filled up all of my water containers, drank an entire sawyer pouch and refilled it, then I dunked my head into the cool, refreshing water. I Then returned to the stand of hemlocks and boiled some water to rehydrate my breakfast, although now it was more like lunch.
After eating I topped off my water bottles. The passable corridor I had spotted earlier was where the creek flowed down, but the willows grew too thick to allow me to easily follow it. There was another smaller corridor that was not visible until I reached this area that looked like a good route up, so that is what I will do. After making my way up that last stretch I finally reached the top and joined back up with the creek.
Hibiscus flowers also known as roselle are ideal for brewing hibiscus tea, a smooth, relaxing, naturally caffeine-free drink with a fragrant aroma and a tangy, cranberry-like flavor. Gaze into your teacup and you'll see rehydrated hibiscus flowers serenely floating in the deep magenta-colored tea. Hot hibiscus tea is soothing in the winter, while iced hibiscus tea delivers a cool kick in the summer. Hibiscus is the main ingredient of "Fruit Teas". Though it's not a fruit at all, it gives all those fruit teas their fruit taste, while the fruit actually do not manage to do just that, having mainly ornamental functions in such "tea". www.viconyteas.com/herbal-tea/roselle-hibiscus-flower.html
St Mary, Dedham, Essex
I had spent a long time cycling on narrow lonely lanes between sweetly remote churches, barely seeing another soul all day, and so when I headed from Langham Hall the short distance across the Colchester to Sudbury road into Dedham, it proved something of a shock. The square was rammed with coachloads of guided tours of camera-heavy tourists, many in loud checked shirts, being led into the church.
It wasn't the place's fault after all, and I hope I don't sound snobbish (well, not too snobbish) but I really couldn't face following them into the church. I'd been here before enough times, and in any case it isn't a church to make the heart race or soothe the troubled soul. And so I leaned my bike beside a memorial to three dead Victorian children and sat in the churchyard awhile, rehydrating and watching the cricket match taking place across the fence, before heading south to Ardleigh.
I was amazed at the range of colors and textures that I found after soaking a bag of mixed beans over night. Too bad they didn't hold all this character after I turned them into soup.
I uploaded a little larger version of this image than I normally do... press 'L' and enjoy.
Copyright - All Rights Reserved - Black Diamond Images
Family : Arecaceae
The long drought of July August, September and extending into October now has to 2nd October 2017 seen more than a dozen Bangalows growing at Raintrees Native and Rainforest Gardens at Diamond Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast simply give up on life. Many have survived worse droughts but for some reason this one has taken a much heavier toll on the species.
Most of those that have succumbed have been growing directly next to a larger specimen which has presumably had more capacity to extract moisture than the smaller adjacent palm.
In all cases the trunk of the palm atrophies, shrinks and squares off in profile as its cells constrict due to lack of water. Once this happens the weight of the otherwise green frons above becomes too great for the trunk to support and the pam head just drops over in the crownshaft. Affected palms may live on for a considerable time, even years like this if rain comes regularly enough to allow the trunk to rehydrate however the palm is doomed and a centre frond will not generally re-establish.
In the case of these specimens I'll take them down and probably not replace them.
If the long dry extends into late October 2017 and worse, into November then other palms could also suffer the same fate. Fingers crossed for at least some spring rains although if recent years are any guide we are likely to see the dry continue for a while yet.
NOTE - the creek is bone dry here. I took this image with the plan to take another comparative shot at some stage when the creek is full and flowing again. Lets hope it happens very very soon or more of these beautiful palms may die.
While I normally would not use filters in this case I edited the image in the IPhone 7s and used the RADIENT filter.
IDENTIFYING AUSTRALIAN RAINFOREST PLANTS,TREES & FUNGI - Flick Group --> DATABASE INDEX ---> Group TAGS
This bears explanation. These are soy curls being cooked up as taco filling. SC aren't an ersatz meat. They're an offshoot of tofu and can pretty much do as they damn well please. All that needs to be done is to rehydrate them. I don't even cook mine, usually.
Longitudinal cross section of an antheridial head on gametophyte stage of a moss (I think, I am still learning.) This is where the sperm cells are produced. Specimen from the edge of the Dowagiac River (5/2/15).
The following protocol is largely based on Chamberlain, "Methods in Plant Histology, 5th ed., 1905. Fixed 24 hours in aqueous chromic acid-acetic acid (3.7 g potassium dichromate/l + 10 ml glacial acetic acid/l). (The substation of potassium dichromate for chromic acid based on equivalent chromate conc. is reported to work as long as the pH is less than 3.4). Washed 24 hours in flowing water. Dehydrated in 10, 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in Xylene 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 10 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued 0.05 % lithium carbonate 30 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Eosin-Y 1 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
July 21 is National Tug of War Tournament Day. It looks like Chewbacca is rehydrating during one of his matches!
This shot is a follow up to one of my Boba Plays photos. It can be seen here.
Enjoy!
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It wasn't our initial plan to summit this stunning mountain. In fact, we only learned of it the day before we ventured out to it after finding out that the area around our first choice had been closed. What a lucky break for us! It was quite the adventure, with 12 km's of rough Forestry Service Road driven on our poor little vehicle, then 16.7 km's return distance walking and 1472 m's of total elevation gain. It was a very hot day, and it took 10 hours to complete, due to some steep scrambling, the time used to cross many snow patches, some precariously positioned, and the many stops to rehydrate.
Tips to avoid a hangover
Follow these tips to keep hangovers at bay:
Don't drink on an empty stomach. Before you go out, have a meal that includes carbohydrates (such as pasta or rice) or fats. The food will help slow down the body's absorption of alcohol.
Don't drink dark-coloured drinks if you've found that you're sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners (impurities), which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse.
Drink water or non-fizzy soft drinks in between each alcoholic drink. Carbonated (fizzy) drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system.
Drink a pint or so of water before you go to sleep. Keep a glass of water by the bed to sip if you wake up during the night.
---------------
The morning after
If you wake up the next morning feeling terrible, you probably didn't follow this advice. Although there are no real cures for hangovers, there are ways to ease the symptoms.
Treatment involves rehydrating the body so it can deal with the painful symptoms, though the best time to rehydrate is before going to sleep.
Over-the-counter painkillers can help with headaches and muscle cramps. Paracetamol-based remedies are usually preferable, as aspirin may further irritate the stomach and increase nausea and sickness.
Sugary foods may help you feel less trembly. In some cases, an antacid may be needed to settle your stomach first.
Bouillon soup, a thin vegetable-based broth, is a good source of vitamins and minerals, which can top up depleted resources. Its main advantage is it's easy for a fragile stomach to digest.
You can replace lost fluids by drinking bland liquids that are easy on the digestive system, such as water, soda water and isotonic drinks (available in most shops).
"Hair of the dog" – drinking more alcohol – does not help. Drinking in the morning is a risky habit, and you may simply be delaying the appearance of symptoms until the alcohol wears off again.
If you've had a heavy drinking episode, hangover or not, doctors advise that you wait at least 48 hours before drinking any more alcohol to give your body tissues time to recover.
Sometimes, of course, a hangover makes that advice easier to follow.
Caught this specimen (Philematium sp; 25mm long) in the savannah woodlands of northern Benin (West Africa, Wari Maro), some 15 years ago. Kept it dry for all those years and rehydrated it for a portrait session :D
Studio stack based on 131 images, taken with the mpe65mm at 5x (ISO100, 1/200sec, f5, paper diffused flash). ZereneStacker (Dmap & Pmax), LR for minor adjustments, image cropped from 7.2mm to 6mm high, now about 6x (FF).
The tissue making up the interior bulk of the gynoexium wall of this May Apple shows may clusters of crystalline material as evidenced by birefringence observed under crossed polarizers (bright yellow features). This is calcium oxalate. With a lambda wave plate, the isotropic material is purple. The specimen was stained with Hematoxylin resulting in the very dark nuclei. This is a longitudinal cross section of the gynoecium from a May Apple ( Podophyllum sp.) Specimen from the edge of the Dowagiac River (5/15).
The crystalline morphology of and distribution of the calcium oxalate varies with plant species. For example, in Wild Ginger, I have found it to consist of single crystals as opposed the polycrystalline aggregates here. In addition, in the Wild Ginger, it is found primarily in the cell placental wall, where as here it is in the bulk and not the wall.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in Xylene 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 10 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued 0.05 % lithium carbonate 3 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Erythrosin-B 2 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope with crossed polarizers and a Lambda wave plate using an original magnification of 430X, using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Dave, my driver, looks back down the train for signs that we might soon move into the loop to run round our train and commence our last round trip of the day. (We'd have to wait a while yet.)
GWR 'pannier' tank no. 6412. The notice on the cab side describes the bell codes used in conjunction with 'autocoach' (push-pull) operation. The bottles of water atop the tool locker on the right are for rehydrating hot crew members.
Chinnor station, Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway.
Sometimes it's better to let nature take its course. Sometimes you just can't stand by and watch a living thing suffer especially when they still have a chance at a normal life.
I came across this female Great Horned Owl early in my trip. She could be found perched in this particular tree or in her nest when she wasn't out hunting. She had two beautiful babies. One was in its nest. One had fallen onto the roof of a building below.
It had fallen just before 8am. By noon....I was starting to get really concerned. The day was heating up and the owlet was beginning to show signs of distress. It couldn't fly yet and it was perched on what looked like metal just about the roof tiles. It had limited shelter and I'm sure the metal was beginning to get really hot.
When babies fall from the nest, sometimes they get rescued too early by well-meaning people. The female will continue to take food to her young and look after it, but this little one was in a dangerous spot.
So, a call was placed to the local Wildlife Services and they advised us that they already knew about the situation and were monitoring it. They had been out once in the morning shortly after the baby fell but when they were told that the baby constantly had its beak open and eyes closed, they said they'd be out for another look.
They arrived very quickly and observed that the baby's health was going downhill. The decision was made to rescue him. So, he was caught and taken to their facility.
I made almost daily trips back to see Mom and the remaining baby and to find out what was happening with the rescue. He recovered fairly quickly once he was out of the heat and was rehydrated. They were thinking of getting a firetruck and putting him back in the nest but it was just too dangerous considering how much damage a pair of adult Great Horned Owls could do. So he was returned to a nearby tree that Mom roosted in during the day. He is doing well and Mom has been keeping busy and making sure he is being fed.
April 8th UPDATE: The little guy is eating well and flying now. Unfortunately the other baby flew into a tree during a storm and was injured. He required a splint for a broken wing. It's been on for 8 days now and will be on until approx. April 13th or 14th. They will then remove the splint, and he'll spend at least two days in their recovery unit. After that he will be tested in the Aviary to make sure he can fly before they make release plans for him. Hopefully Mom and the other baby will still be around when he's able to be returned.
I hate the thought of a wild animal being in captivity but considering the alternatives, it's the best place for him right now and I look forward to hearing when he's been released and can care for himself.
A Chicago cycle messenger takes a break to go through some paperwork, rehydrate and smoke a cigarette.
Two-year-old Abdul lies inert on the lap of his distraught mother, Aisha, shortly after arriving at the Gondoma Community Health Centre in Bo District, southern Sierra Leone.
Abdul had been sick for four days when his mother realised she should bring him to the clinic.
“He had diarrhoea and he kept getting weaker,” she says. “He lost his appetite and stopped playing. Whatever he ate, he threw up. I just didn’t know what to do. He is my only child.”
Around the world, the dehydration caused by severe diarrhoea kills more than 1.3 million children under five each year. But Abdul is lucky - Aisha brought him to the clinic just in time. A few minutes after this photo was taken, he was able to receive treatment to help him rehydrate, and begin the process of recovery.
To find out more, please see the full story at: www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/Features/2011/One-simple-jab-m...
Image © Doune Porter / GAVI
just to give you all a feel for what I had to endure for most of the night. I’m not sure if the sound of things hitting the outside of the tent is rain drops or sand and debris. If only the video could capture the cold too.
Part 2
Here at Vogelsang, a cold, ferocious wind blew non-stop for the duration of my short stay. The cabins where vacant and the temporary structures had been taken down for the winter. I took pictures of what there was for Mark. Then I headed over to the backpacker camp for lunch. It was difficult to get my stove lit in the howling wind, so I had to shelter it with my pack on one side and my body on the other. Once the water boiled I poured it into the meal pouch to rehydrate it. While I waited I had one of the homemade desserts Hannah had given me.
After lunch I decided to abandon Vogelsang for the lake of the same name that was not to far away (10324), in the hope of escaping the raging wind. I crossed over a creek littered with horseshoe prints along it's muddy banks and began the short climb up to reach the lake. I do not know what compels me to do this every once in a while, but just before reaching the lake, at the highest point on the trail where I could see Half Dome, I pulled out my cell phone, turned it on and checked to see if I had signal. The screen showed three bars so I tried to send a text to my mom to let her know where I was and that all was well. About a minute later I received an answer. We conversed through text message a few time then I decided to try a call and to my amazement the call went through. Except for the wind blowing into the speaker the signal was perfect. I talked to both my parents and got a weather report from my dad who told me to expect rain and snow tonight and tomorrow. Then I called mark and told him about Vogelsang, and I also called both my grandparents. After all the phone calls were made I walked the last little bit to the lake.
Here the wind had let up a bit. Since rain and snow was expected I decided to set up my tent. I found a good spot by a large rock outcropping with trees on the other side in case the wind picked back up, at least here I would have a little bit of protection from it. I also weighed my tent stakes down with large rocks that I piled on them. Then I searched the lake shore for any good compositions but nothing I saw I liked.
As the sun sank lower and the light grew warmer the wind picked up again. Any reflections in the lake vanished and sunset came and went without any photos being taken. The wind grew colder in the fading light causing me to seek shelter from it's icy breath in my tent.
For most of the night my tent shook violently in the gusting wind and a few times I feared that it was going to be blown over and a few times I felt I lift up underneath me.
Day 38
Part 1
Some time around what I guessed was midnight the furious wind subsided, and the cold intensified. My sleeping bag is rated for zero, but it is also about ten years old and has lost some warmth due to it's age and frequent use. Before getting into my sleeping bag I usually remove the days clothing so I don't bring dust, dirt, bugs and other things like poison oak oils (though out here that's not an issue) into it, and I change into thermals. Thermals are usually enough to keep me warm and comfortable while inside, but once the wind died and the temperature dropped and I began to shiver. The rampaging wind prevented me from sleeping, and once it stopped I was able to sleep a little bit before the cold woke me up again. I reluctantly put the rest of my clothes back on, but since I was not expecting temperatures to drop this much I didn't bring any cold weather gear, except gloves and a hoodie. Even with this extra layer on I shivered until sunrise.
He just rode a section of the incomparable Fremont Trail which crosses the Chewaucan River near Paisley, Oregon only to find, upon returning, his son Ian and my granddaughter Athena incarcerated (playing) in Kula's crate. That's my Toyota Tacoma next to Aaron's red truck. Maybe he'll have a Corona to rehydrate, you never know.
Matthias enjoys rehydrated blueberry cobbler for breakfast on the International Space Station. He posted these images to his social accounts on 23 November 2021 with the caption:
"Ein gutes Frühstück ist im Weltraum genauso wichtig wie auf der Erde. Es darf nur nicht wegfliegen / A good breakfast is as important in space as it is on #Earth. Just don’t let it float away #CosmicKiss Today = blueberry cobbler, rehydrated."
ID: 610F6880
Credit: ESA/NASA
Matthias enjoys rehydrated blueberry cobbler for breakfast on the International Space Station. He posted these images to his social accounts on 23 November 2021 with the caption:
"Ein gutes Frühstück ist im Weltraum genauso wichtig wie auf der Erde. Es darf nur nicht wegfliegen / A good breakfast is as important in space as it is on #Earth. Just don’t let it float away #CosmicKiss Today = blueberry cobbler, rehydrated."
ID: 610F6883
Credit: ESA/NASA
Chapter 1 at @LesDamesBC #LDSummerdine at @FairmontPacific's #ORUCuisine! A Magic Bean - Rehydrated Bean, Caviar, Gold Leaf, Crème Friache #ATaleOfPulses #Fairmont #PacRim #FairmontMoments #YearOfThePulse #instafood #eeeeeats #yvrfood #yvreats #omnomnom #vcbfood #fbcigers #dhvanfood #fuji #fujifilm #fujixt10 #myfujifilm
Lumen Print 1613 Hickory Nut Leaf. Ultrafine VC Elite RC 8x10 in. paper. Last years wind blown leaf that landed on my door step. Spring is here but there is still very few plants to use for lumen printing. I soaked this dried winter beaten leaf in a tray of water for a few hours. This flattened the badly curled leaf and made it more suitable for lumen printing. I blotted the excess water from the leaf and prepared the composition for lumen printing. This method of rehydrating leaves worked for several types of paper but the method was less successful with several other types of papers.