When you travel to east of Indonesia, you'll likely see them. Great natural born diver. They're able to dive for hours with bare lung. The goggles are handmade of wooden frame and clear glass.

ZAZ Zaporozhets was a series of rear-wheel-drive superminis (city cars in their first generation) designed and built from 1958 at the ZAZ factory in Soviet Ukraine. Different models of the Zaporozhets, all of which had an air-cooled engine in the rear, were produced until 1994. Since the late 1980s, the final series, ZAZ-968M, was replaced by the cardinally different ZAZ-1102 Tavria hatchback, which featured a front-wheel drive and a more powerful water-cooled engine.

The name Zaporozhets translates into a Cossack of the Zaporizhian Sich or а man from Zaporozhye (now Zaporizhzhia) or the Zaporozhye Oblast (now Zaporizhzhia Oblast).

Zaporozhets is still well known in many former Soviet states. Like the Volkswagen Beetle or East Germany's Trabant, the Zaporozhets was destined to become a "people's car" of the Soviet Union, and as such it was the most affordable vehicle of its era. At the same time, it was rather sturdy and known for its excellent performance on poor roads. Another important advantage of the Zaporozhets was its ease of repair.

The car's appearance gave birth to several nicknames that became well known across the Soviet Union: horbatyi ("hunchback", owing to ZAZ-965's insect-like form; although ZAZ factory workers never used this nickname), malysh (English: Kiddy), maanteemuhk (Estonian: Roadbump), ushastyi ("big-eared", due to ZAZ-966 and ZAZ-968's round air intakes on each side of the car to cool the rear-mounted engine), zapor ("constipation"), mylnitsa ("soap-box", for ZAZ-968M, lacking "ears" and producing a more box-like appearance).

Numerous special versions of the Zaporozhets were produced, equipped with additional sets of controls that allowed operating the car with a limited set of limbs, and were given for free or with considerable discounts to disabled people, especially war veterans - similar to SMZ-series microcars. These mobility cars would at times take up to 25% of ZAZ factory output.

The ZAZ-965A was an improvement on the ZAZ-965 and was produced from November 1962 to May 1969. In total, 322,106 units of the ZAZ-965 were produced. It was powered by a MeMZ-965 rear-mounted, air-cooled OHV 887 cc (54.1 cu in) V4 engine, partially of aluminium design, producing 27 PS (20 kW). From November 1966 some cars were fitted with the slightly more powerful 30 PS (22 kW) MeMZ-965A engine. The ZAZ-965's modest engine output has given ground to an urban joke that it was used as a starter motor in Soviet tanks.

As Soviet drivers were expected to do much of the servicing themselves, and mechanics trained in the servicing of consumer automobiles were in short supply, the engine's 90° V4 layout proved more practical, especially in harsh winter conditions. The rearwards centre of gravity of the engine also provided superior traction on steep slopes, though this advantage, which was also continued in later models, came at the expense of the car's infamous lack of cornering stability.

The ZAZ-965A also had its versions for disabled people (ZAZ-965B, AB, AR), as well as a more luxurious export variant, the ZAZ-965AE Yalta.

Despite the low prestige of those cars, they have shown an unbeaten accessibility and popularity among the people of the Soviet Union, becoming the "car for pensioners and intellectuals". They were the cheapest Soviet-made cars. Quite a large number of them were produced in variants for disabled people, with modified steering.

Between November 1966 and May 1969 the ZAZ-965A and its successor, the ZAZ966, were produced concurrently.

When production of the ZAZ-965 ended, 322,116 had been built.

The ZAZ-965 also inspired the 1962 prototype NAMI 086, named Sputnik (Fellow Traveller), with a 15 PS (11 kW) 500 cc (31 cu in) vee-twin (half an MeMZ-965), electromagnetic clutch and four-speed transmission. Fitted with a four-wheel independent suspension and weighing just 520 kg (1,150 lb), and intended for use by disabled people, it was never built.

The ZAZ KD of 1969 was also based on the ZAZ-965, fitted with a glassfibre body, giving it a weight of only 500 kg and a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) using just 30 PS (22 kW). It was never produced in quantity, either.

pew pew pew

Bailey has been having "litter box issues" AGAIN! ( both ways, with spraying, and pooping as well)

He has been investigated for this issue and it was deemed psychological. I have had to stop his CLOMICALM med. as the person who will be living here with them when I am on vacation, can't tell jake apart from Bailey. They both hide from her as well. I will restart it in 3 weeks upon my return from vacation. We had "poop and spraying" issues last night and again today.

He does have separation anxiety and got a glimpse of the suitcase. That may have set him off. For the poop issues outside the box, he has occasional constipation and the Vet thinks he associates pain with the box at times. He also has what humans may deem OCD qualities. He obsessively opens all the cupboards, as he goes by them with his paw. He is also on Biocalm a liquid Pheromone treatment that is mixed in his food.

I have even put SCAT spray cans around his "favorite" places but then he just changes them. His place of choice lately has been my bedroom, hanging or standing items, such as my laundry hamper. He even sprayed on my camera battery charger container and cord. I think it is now ruined.

Well thanks for letting me vent. I feel badly and helpless for Bailey as he must be feeling terrible anxiety.

Jake does NONE of this. So hard to believe they are brothers. Such completely different personalities. Like people I guess.

Please------>View On Black

Dagga is the South African terminology for cannabis. This however is not cannabis but a beautiful wild flower (Leonotis leonorus) which flowers at this time of year and is native to Southern Africa. It is known for its medicinal and mild psychoactive properties. It attracts birds, mainly sunbirds, as well as various insects such as butterflies - and as you can see many little flying insects. Its medicinal uses include fevers, headaches, dysentery, flu, chest infections, epilepsy, constipation, delayed menstruation, intestinal worms, spider bites, scorpion stings, hypertension and snakebites. One experimental animal study suggests that "the aqueous leaf extract of Leonotis leonurus possesses antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties; thus lending pharmacological credence to folk usage of the herb in the management and/or control of painful, arthritic, and other inflammatory conditions, as well as for adult-onset, type-2 diabetes mellitus in some communities of South Africa."

Information taken from Wikipedia.

I do thank all of you for your kind wishes yesterday, I had a wonderful day. At present I am loaded with work which is lovely but time-consuming so I may not be around as much as I like. On the other hand I will try to sneak a peak whenever I can.

The fruit, which looks like a plum, with a greenish tart pulp and a recognizable aroma - this is blackthorn. What is it good for and can it be dangerous to your health?

If we have never seen a blackthorn or tried its fruit, we are familiar with the plant from childhood. In "Uncle Remus Tales" by Joel Harris, Brother Rabbit shows us an example of reverse psychology and asks Brother Fox not to throw him into a blackthorn bush. He falls for the bait of the big-eared manipulator and throws him. That's what Rabbit needs - he hides among the sharp thorns and laughs mockingly. But today we will talk not about fairy tales or manipulators, but about the blackthorn itself. After all, it certainly deserves it.

So, blackthorn is a bush or a small tree with thorny branches, it blooms beautifully and is often used for decorative purposes. In autumn, it is covered with round fruits with a black-blue waxy coating on the skin and green pulp, in which the stone sits tightly. The taste is tart, sourish, and in order for the taste to “open up”, it is better to leave the fruits on the branches until frost. Blackthorn grows in Asia Minor, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, the European part of Russia, the Caucasus and Western Siberia.

Raw blackthorn is rarely eaten. But it is quite suitable for jams, compotes, liqueurs and pastilles. It can also be added to pie filling and used in sauces.

Blackthorn contains a lot of vitamins B, C, E, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus and calcium. The fruits also contain organic acids, tannins, fiber (including pectin), flavonoids, catechins and antioxidants.

First of all, blackthorn is famous for its benefits for the gastrointestinal tract - it stimulates digestion, improves intestinal peristalsis, fights constipation and helps reduce gas formation.

Also, due to the high content of vitamin C, blackthorn is useful for the immune system. In addition to supporting the body's defenses, vitamin C helps to better absorb iron, strengthen blood vessels and stimulate collagen production. B vitamins are necessary for many processes in the body, but they play the greatest role in the functioning of the nervous system. Potassium and magnesium contained in blackthorn have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, working to prevent atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. Potassium also helps to remove excess fluid, relieve swelling and reduce blood pressure.

It has been proven that eating blackthorn helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood, normalize the functioning of the kidneys and liver, and blackthorn fruits also have an antibacterial effect. In folk medicine, not only the fruits are used, but also the leaves and even flowers of blackthorn. All benefits and no harm? Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

Blackthorn is contraindicated for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. If you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or just a tendency to diarrhea, you shouldn't eat it. And a healthy person shouldn't get carried away either - due to the abundance of fiber, it will be very easy to get diarrhea.

Blackthorn fruits contain a lot of acids that can damage tooth enamel. Because of the acids, people with inflammatory gum diseases should not eat blackthorn either. In addition, blackthorn can cause allergic reactions. And also, when eating fresh blackthorn, do not try to eat the seeds - they contain the poisonous glycoside amygdalin. It can cause severe poisoning.

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Терн: чем полезен и кому нельзя.

Плоды, внешне напоминающие сливу, с зеленоватой терпкой мякотью и узнаваемым ароматом - это терн. Чем он полезен и может ли быть опасен для здоровья?

Если мы никогда не видели терновник и не пробовали плодов, с растением мы заочно знакомы с детства. В «Сказках дядюшки Римуса» Джоэля Харриса Братец Кролик показывает нам пример обратной психологии и просит Братца Лиса не бросать его в терновый куст. Тот попадается на удочку ушастого манипулятора и бросает. Кролику того и надо — прячется среди острых колючек и издевательски хохочет. Но речь сегодня пойдет не о сказках и не о манипуляторах, а о самом терне. Ведь он этого, бесспорно, достоин.

Итак, терн представляет собой кустарник или небольшое дерево с колючими ветками, цветет красиво и часто используется в декоративных целях. Осенью покрывается округлыми плодами с черно-синим восковым налетом на кожуре и зеленой мякотью, в которой плотно сидит косточка. Вкус терпкий, кисловатый, а чтобы вкус «раскрылся» плоды лучше оставить на ветках до заморозков. Растет терновник в Малой Азии, Западной Европе, Средиземноморье, европейской части России, на Кавказе и в Западной Сибири.

Сырым терн едят редко. А вот на варенья, компоты, настойки и пастилу он вполне годится. Также его можно добавлять в начинку для пирогов и использовать в соусах.

В терне много витаминов группы В, С, Е, калия, магния, натрия, фосфора и кальция. Также плоды содержат органические кислоты, дубильные вещества, клетчатку (в том числе пектин), флавоноиды, кахетины и антиоксиданты.

В первую очередь терн славится своей пользой для желудочно-кишечного тракта — он стимулирует пищеварение, улучшает перистальтику кишечника, борется с запорами и помогает снизить газообразование.

Также за счет высокого содержания витамина С терн полезен для иммунитета. Кроме поддержки защитных свойств организма, витамин С помогает лучшему усвоению железа, укреплению сосудов и стимуляции выработки коллагена. Витамины группы В необходимы для многих процессов в организме, но наибольшую роль они играют в работе нервной системы. Содержащиеся в терне калий и магний благотворно влияют на работу сердечно-сосудистой системы, работая на профилактику атеросклероза, инфарктов и инсультов. Калий также способствует выводу лишней жидкости, снятию отеков и снижению давления.

Доказано, что употребление терна помогает уменьшению холестерина в крови, нормализации работы почек и печени, а еще плоды терна обладают антибактериальным действием. В народной медицине используют не только плоды, но и листья и даже цветки терна. Сплошная польза и ноль вреда? К сожалению, все не так просто.

Терн противопоказан людям, страдающим заболеваниями ЖКТ. При язве желудка или двенадцатиперстной кишки, гастрите, панкреатите, колите, синдроме раздраженного кишечника и просто склонности к диарее есть его не стоит. Да и здоровому человеку не стоит увлекаться — из-за обилия клетчатки получить понос будет очень просто.

В плодах терна много кислот, которые могут повредить зубную эмаль. Из-за кислот не стоит есть терн и людям с воспалительными заболеваниями десен. Кроме того, терн может вызывать аллергические реакции. А еще, поедая свежий терн, не покушайтесь на косточки — в них содержится ядовитый гликозид амигдалин. Он способен вызвать тяжелое отравление.

I made an oriental plum sauce last night with these wild plums. Garlic, ginger, cayenne.... yum!

Health Benefits From Plums

Plums have a low glycemic index, making them a good choice for those with blood sugar problems. Plums contain special phytonutrients called chloregenic acid and neochlorogenic acid, which are powerful antioxidants. These compounds are capable of assisting in the prevention of damage to the beneficial fats that protect brain cells and that make up cell membranes. Plums are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, B vitamins, boron, and two pigments called lutein and zeaxanthin, which are particualry helpful for protecting vision and preventing macular degeneration of the eyes, which can lead to blindness. Plums are also a better economic value than blueberries. One relatively inexpensive plum has about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of more costly blueberries and offers many of the similar health benefits. There are loads of health benefits from eating a single raw plum once a day.

Plums contain enzymes that help your body absorb more iron, which increases circulation and gives you more energy. Plums will also help to cleanse your blood of damaging free radicals, keeping your blood pressure from climbing too high, and protecting your arteries. People who eat a plum every single day are less likely to develop heart disease than people who only eat plums once in a while. The vitamin C content of plums helps your joints and lungs. Several studies have concluded that prunes, because of their boron and polyphenol content, have a beneficial effect on bone mineral density. The high fiber and sorbitol content of plums and prunes, in particular, make them perfect for softening the stool and promoting bowel movements. One word of caution, plums contain oxalates. If you have a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, you might want to consider to eat plums sparingly.

Studies have shown that plums can help:

* Relieve Constipation

* Reduce Vision Problems

* Protect Joints

* Prevent Osteoporosis

* Improve Lung Function

* Improve Blood Quality

* Prevent Infections

* Promote Healthy Cholesterol Levels

Until next time, don't forget to grow and eat your plums!

EXPLORED! Rank #444, August 29, 2009

This is photoshopped and strictly for fun. I do not want to be responsible for anyone soiling their pants because they refuse to use the park facilities. For some unfortunate reason this thought came to me and I decided to follow through with it. I want to be clear about this. At no time have I ever seen a bear using the park rest rooms. But if it did happen, I think it might be a sure cure for constipation.

I hope you all have a great holiday season!

Durian Fruit Of Southeast Asia Durian Fruit is known through-out all of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other Southeast Asian Countries, as the “King of Fruits!” It is one of the most beneficial fruits there is in all of Asia. The Durian Fruit is believed to help relieve constipation, bloating, […]

exploretraveler.com/durian-fruit-of-southeast-asia/

Custard apples contain anti-oxidants like Vitamin C, which helps to fight free radicals in our body. It is also high in potassium and magnesium that protects our heart from cardiac disease.

Not only that, it also controls our blood pressure. Custard apples contain Vitamin A, which keeps your skin and hair healthy. This fruit is also known to be great for eyes, and cures indigestion problems. It's important to include this fruit in your diet, as the copper content helps to cure constipation, and helps to treat diarrhoea and dysentery.

As they are high in magnesium, they equalise the water balance in our body, which helps in removing acids from the joints and reduces the symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis. If you feel tired and weak more often than usual, then have this fruit in your daily diet, as the potassium present in it will help to fight muscle weakness.

It is also good for people suffering from anemia, as it this fruit is high in calorie. And if you want to put on some weight, include this in your daily diet chart. Custard apple contains natural sugar, and hence make great nutritious snacks and even desserts.

Source~ The Times of India.

Our sweet daughter-in-law Lucy recently died of ovarian cancer at only 34 years old. Over 300 people turned up at her funeral to show respect to an ordinary loving, caring girl and over £2000 was donated to the UK charity 'Ovarian Cancer Action' (update - around £7000 has been raised in her memory at this time) Lucy’s illness was consistently mis-diagnosed as constipation, bloating, or latterly as a water infection by her family doctors’ practice. This was despite Lucy pointing out on more than one occasion that her mother had died of ovarian cancer only twelve years previous to this. Lucy’s condition was eventually detected after our son had taken her directly to the hospital accident and emergency department. Here they actually took the time to physically examine a young lady who was in pain and a simple blood test detected her condition. A similar degree of medical ignorance of text-book ovarian cancer symptoms, led to one of our friends being similarly mis-diagnosed too late for treatment, about a year previous to Lucy. I don’t mean to be alarmist, but I urge any of you who may have reason to suspect a genetic disposition to any cancer, not to be fobbed-off by a ‘trust us, we doctors know better than you' attitude. If you have any doubts at all, then please check on ovarian cancer, or other cancer symptoms on the internet and seek further medical advice. www.everywomanshouldremember.co.uk/

Dys

Moa nahele, Flat-stemmed whiskfern

Psilotaceae (Whiskfern family)

Indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island)

Photo: Hawaiʻiloa Ridge Trail, Oʻahu

The Hawaiian name Moa nahele literally means "forest chicken." Moa is chicken, referring to a chickens' comb, and reference to the fronds. Nahele is forest.

It is less common than Psilotum nudus in the islands, but still easy to find in the right environment.

Early Hawaiian children would play a simple game of moa nahele (lit., chicken vegetation). Plants in Hawaiian Culture explains how this game was played: “Two children sat or stood facing one another, each holding a branched stem of moa. These they interlocked and then slowly pulled apart until the branches of one broke. The other child, without broken branches, was the winner and announced his victory by crowing like a rooster (moa).” One of the names ʻoʻō moa in fact means "cock's crow."

Moa was also used in lei making by early Hawaiians.

Moa (Psilotum spp.) was used for kūkae paʻa (constipation) in newborn babies and elderly men and women. It was also mixed with other plants to treat akepau (tuberculosis, consumption), and various respiratory conditions. Additionally, extracts from moa were used as laxatives. The yellow spores were used for diarrhea in infants and used like talcum powder to prevent chafing from loincloths.

Etymology

The generic name is from the Greek psilos, naked or smooth, alluding to the smooth aerial stems without leaves.

The specific epithet complanatum is from the Latin complanatus, flattened, in reference to flattened stems of this species.

nativeplants.hawaii.edu

"No Man Loves a Tired Nervous Woman! Nor does a woman love a pepless man. How to get friends (page 9). How to hold your husband's love (page 12)."

Are you tired, nervous, or--ahem!--pepless? If so, then you would surely benefit from reading this small 1930s advertising booklet. It extols the virtues of Vinol, a patent medicine that contained ingredients such as cod liver oil and beef peptones, plus alcohol (as much as 15 percent).

Do you suffer from other unpleasant afflictions instead? Then you merely need to flip over this reversible booklet (similar to an upside-down book or a tête-bêche binding) to read about the wonders of Adlerika (see the cover on the other side below).

My weekend won't be complete if I don't go out and shoot something. While my wife was busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, I sneaked out capturing the morning scene in the nearby area.

Thought of calling a neighbor Apai to join me, but on second thought, I knew he wouldn't wake up that early on weekend. Then Azrul came across my mind but I quickly canceled him off knowing he has to spend time "entertaining" his constipation every morning.

After a couple of minutes drive, I settled at the gateway in the back entrance of our housing estate in Saujana Utama (SU) that leads to Puncak Alam and Shah Alam.

The early morning sun hidden behind the houses on the slope was very kind to light up the sky for me – just nice for my capture.

After a few shots, I then packed up and head home. The whole affair took me about 15 minutes or so, even my wife hardly noticed I went missing in those short minutes. If the trend is such, my wife is not aware of my missing, next time I'll try to have a short date with a girl and come back in flash pretending nothing happened. Wahahaha!!!

_______________________________________________________________________________

I would like to make special mention here on my neighbors from SU with flickr accounts that I know of. They are:-

1. Dr Zul

2. Apai

3. Jemay

4. Dbins

5. Azrul

6. Lan Rambai

7. Lanz

8. Kudin

Moa or Upright whiskfern

Psilotaceae (Whiskfern family)

Indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (All the main islands and Midway Atoll)

Photo: Honolulu, Oʻahu

Medicinally, moa (Psilotum spp.) was used by the early Hawaiians for kūkae paʻa (constipation) in newborn babies and elderly men and women. It was also mixed with other plants to treat akepau (tuberculosis, consumption), and various respiratory conditions. Additionally, extracts from moa were used as laxatives. The spores were used for diarrhea in infants and used like talcum powder to prevent chafing from loincloths called malo.

Moa was also used in lei making by early Hawaiians.

Early Hawaiian children would play a simple game of moa nahele (lit., chicken vegetation). "Plants in Hawaiian Culture" explains how this game was played: “Two children sat or stood facing one another, each holding a branched stem of moa. These they interlocked and then slowly pulled apart until the branches of one broke. The other child, without broken branches, was the winner and announced his victory by crowing like a rooster (moa).” One of the names ʻoʻō moa in fact means "cock's crow."

Etymology

The generic name is from the Greek psilos, naked or smooth, alluding to the smooth aerial stems without leaves.

The specific epithet is from the Latin nudus, bare or naked, in reference to the naked nature of the stems.

nativeplants.hawaii.edu

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Species information

Scientific name:

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson

Common name:

elephant yam, elephant foot yam, whitespot giant arum, stink lily, telinga potato (English); suram, jimmikand (India); buk (Thailand); suweg, walur, eles (Indonesia)

Conservation status:

Not considered to be threatened.

Habitat:

Secondary forest or highly disturbed areas.

Key Uses:

Food, fodder, medicine.

Known hazards:

Tubers of wild plants are highly acrid and can irritate the mouth and throat on ingestion due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals.

About this species

Elephant yam is a striking aroid with a flower spike crowned with a bulbous maroon knob and encircled by a fleshy maroon and green-blotched bract. The solitary leaf, which emerges after the flowering parts, resembles a small tree.

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius has been in cultivation throughout tropical Asia for centuries. The tubers are the third most important carbohydrate source after rice and maize in Indonesia. They are also consumed widely in India and Sri Lanka, although elsewhere they are seen as a famine crop, to be used when more popular staples, such as rice, are in short supply.

Elephant yam belongs to the same genus as the crowd-pulling titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum). It should not be confused with Dioscorea species, which are also known by the common name yam, but belong to a different plant family (Dioscoreaceae). In particular it should not be confused with elephant’s foot yam (Dioscorea elephantipes) from South Africa.

Medicinal Uses

Elephant yam has medicinal properties and is used in many Ayurvedic (traditional Hindu) preparations. The tubers are considered to have pain-killing, anti-inflammatory, anti-flatulence, digestive, aphrodisiac, rejuvenating and tonic properties. They are traditionally used in the treatment of a wide range of conditions including parasitic worms, inflammation, coughs, flatulence, constipation, anaemia, haemorrhoids and fatigue.

( www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/amorphophal... )

(Explore #374: Oct 08, 2008)

From high up in the Similkameen Mountains, near Tulameen, BC, Canada

The rose hip and rose haw, is the pomaceous fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but might be dark purple-to-black in some species.

Rose hips of some species, especially Rosa canina (Dog Rose) and R. majalis, have been used as a source of Vitamin C. Rose hips are commonly used as an herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus and as an oil. They can also be used to make jam, jelly, marmalade and wine. Rose hip soup, "nyponsoppa," is especially popular in Sweden. Rhodomel, a type of mead, is made with rose hips.

[edit] Health benefits

Particularly high in Vitamin C, with about 1700–2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, one of the richest plant sources.[1]

Rose hips contain vitamins A, D and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoids.

Rose hip powder is a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis.[2]

Rose hips from the dog rose have antioxidant values that far exceed other berries such as blueberries

As an herbal remedy, rose hips are attributed with the ability to prevent urinary bladder infections, and assist in treating dizziness and headaches[citation needed]. Rose hips are also commonly used externally in oil form to restore firmness to skin by nourishing and astringing tissue.[citation needed]

Brewed into a decoction, can also be used to treat constipation.[citation needed]

Rose hips contain a lot of iron, so some women brew rose hip tea during menstruation to make up for the iron that they lose with menses.[citation needed]

Usage

Rose hips are used for the creation of herbal tea, jam, jelly, syrup, beverages, pies, bread and marmalade, amongst others. [...]

The fine hairs found inside rose hips can be used as itching powder. [...]

[edit] By indigenous people

Rose hips were used in many food preparations by the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Rose hips are used for colds and influenza. The Latin binomial for this herb is Rosa laevigata.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosehip

folkloric:

Saluyot being rich in vitamins and minerals generally promotes good health and well-being.

It is said to prevent wrinkles and promote youthful looking skin. treat inflammation and pain such as arthritis , headache, stomach ache and others. being rich in fiber helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol build-up, diabetes and prevents heart disease.

Saluyot leaves are rich in fiber and its slimy consistency when cooked is used to treat various digestive problems such as diarrhea, stomach ache, dysentery, constipation and ulcers.

It is also claimed that together with other herbs it can cure cancer.

source: medicalhealthguide

Are you a weak woman whose blood could be redder? Talk to your doctor about Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery. Side effects include nausea, indigestion, hysteria, social banishment, witchcraft accusations, being burned at the stake, death,....

In all seriousness, you can google this archaic medicine and find links to bottles with the following info:

Bottle embossed on sides ("R.V. Pierce, M.D." and "Buffalo, N.Y.") and back ("Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery"). Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery (or GMD) was one of Pierce's earliest products. This product was called a "vegetable alternative" tonic and was also one of the longest-lasting lines of Pierce's Proprietaries (the company that was formed sometime after the death of the senior Dr. Pierce and continued selling these items well into the 1970s). This product was to be used to help cleanse the body and blood and to "tone the system." A later booklet about the product stated the ingredients of GMD were bloodroot (sanguinaria canadensis), Oregon grape root (berberis aquifolium), stone root (collinsonia canadensis), Queen's root (stillingia sylvatica), sacred bark (rhamnus purshiana), and cherrybark (prunus virginiana).

OR...

For the cure of all severe, chronic or lingering coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis, weak lungs, bleeding from lungs, public speaker's sore throat, hoarseness and suppression or loss of voice. A remedy for torpor of liver (generally termed "liver complaint" or "biliousness") and for habitual constipation of the bowels. For loss of appetite, indigestion and dyspepsia, and for general nervous disability or prostration, in either sex. An alterative, or blood purifier; valuable in all forms of scrofulous and other blood diseases. For skin diseases, eruptions, pimples, rashes and blotches, boils, ulcers, sores, and swellings, arising from impure blood.

This barn advertisement can be seen from the Jackson Highway (formerly U.S. Route 99) a bit south of the town of Toledo, Washington.

Dedicated to everyone who has Crohn's

This is my favourite picture of the Year so far. (April 8th, 2018)

Had an idea, went for it.

For my father.

"Suffering in the now for the excesses of the then. A political statement." - Jason Boisvert

"Au bout du rouleau" - Hugo Caron

"Thoughts and Prayers."

"Just make another controversial photo. ... I don't care, the theme doesn't matter, just get people talking about the title or something"

Michael Leans to Rock -

Indisputably, timberland is the greatest place to find magical bits and pieces. Examining in extreme an oddity I found on a leafy platter… hmm, there are three individual desserts at least from the same factory. I twiddle my thumbs idly, trying to look away from the sweet galore staring at me. “Leave us all alone,” the jiggling jellies screamed in unison. “We won’t melt in the hot weather.” What can I say? Temptation can gouge your palms more than sharp nails. Their pleas fueled my weakness until I can no longer stand. Hastily I reached out with left hand... the first spoon of mango pudding glided smooth like tofu into my tummy. Ooohhh, the pleasure they provide send me straight to paradise. The second ladle of banana custard with high-fiber prunes, my constipation in build up is loose. The third mouthful of banana cream with sliced peaches, their flavor so rich my sweet tooth grew into wisdom tooth. In a flash, every single one is gone. As soon as the madness of impulse subsides, self-reproach kicked in. Yes, I‘ve done some stupid act but no, wolfing down little egg cups of insect origin it isn’t an inhuman thing. Twenty five minutes too late, somebody in front took my pie away. That empty capsule I couldn’t get my hands on filled me with immense curiosity. What flavor was it? The remorse of slowness stains like mud on shoes and materialized behind as footprints following wherever I go.

© All Rights Reserved - Black Diamond Images

More images of Morpeth HERE

Restoration of this sign by an Australian group of artisans associated with The Letterheads organization commenced on the weekend of the 29th and 30th of April 2000 When a ......... "couple of dozen talented tradespeople descended on an old corrugated iron barn in the Hunter Valley, near the small historical township of Morpeth New South Wales.

This site was owned by Mr Ray Mudd who at 74 years of age assured 'the group that' the structure hadn't seen a coat of paint in his lifetime. Mr Mudd was an enthusiastic participant in this sign restoration project from the very first mention of it...as were the local heritage committee of Morpeth."

More on the Letterheads Restoration Project HERE

www.letterville.com

Some History of Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills.

"Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills have their genesis in William Henry Comstock's father, Edwin P. Comstock, who founded a drug company in New York City in 1833.

The Indian Root Pills were first formulated and manufactured in 1854 by Andrew B. Moore, who was then operating under the name A.B. Moore in Buffalo, New York. Rights to the pills were then transferred through a number of different business partnerships under the control of Moore, Andrew J. White, Baldwin L. Judson, George Wells Comstock and his nephew, William Henry Comstock.

Dr. Morse's Indian Root Pills 'became' one of the most successful and enduring products to be manufactured and marketed in North America as part of the lucrative patent medicine industry, which thrived during most of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its manufacturer claimed the pills contained herbal ingredients that would help "cleanse the blood," as "impurity of the blood" was believed to be the cause of all disease. WIKIPEDIA

Stories suggesting that the origin of the medications formula lay in native American folklore were first disseminated as early as the late 1850's, but in fact were entirely fabrication. There never was a Dr. Morse. The originator of these pills was Andrew B. Moore.

Prescription of Dr Morse's Root Pills continued until at least the 1940's but mostly declined soon after World War 1.

The Root Pills were "recommended as a cure for biliousness, dyspepsia, constipation, sick headache, scofula, kidney disease, liver complaint, jaundice, piles, dysentery, colds, boils, malarial fever, flatulence, foul breath, eczema, gravel, worms, female complaints, rheumatism, neuralgia, la grippe, palpitation, and nervousness..."

Originally the formula was of course a closely guarded secret but by the 1930's it was revealed to be a concoction of "Aloes, Mandrake, Gambage, Jalap and Cayenne Pepper." REFERENCE

In 1885 the first Dr Morse's Root Pills advertisement appeared in Australia. It was in the form of a hand painted sign able to be viewed along the Melbourne to Ballarat railway journey.

midcoaststories.com/2020/07/dr-morses-Indian-root-pills/

Black Diamond Images - TOP 500 Images Album

is the miracle fruit...!

professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

This is interesting.

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking.. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal..

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack..

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

There's a lot happening here!

An echidna can't outrun anyone who wants to eat it. Those spines help. But it's a simple thing to tip one over and attack its soft underbelly. Echidnas have a superpower! Look at those hind claws. Surely they've been put on back-to-front? Yeah, nah. That superpower is the ability to dig straight down faster than anyone else with those exceptional claws. Now the spikes make sense.

Remember my brilliant Sabhran? His gait was exquisite. His perfection knew no bounds. He had a brother, in silhouette a fair match. Yet being just a smidgen shorter in the back he might lazily adopt a gait which would suggest constipation!

The echidna is a quadruped too. When you see one moving the gait is rolling, ungainly. Look here for the clues. The right forelimb and hindlimb are both extended to the rear; those of the left are synchronised to the front. Like Sabhran's bro' the echidna paces instead of trotting.

Zoom in! The external anatomy of the ear is more obvious in profile. There's tick clearly visible. Zoom in deeper and you'll see another two deeper within the ear.

...except for the free food the queen provided the poorest quarters in the city, she would also once a year gifts of gold and food to the one that was singled out as the poorest citizen within the town and its outskirts...

This recipient would be new every year since they got so much gold that they could support themselves for years...

For singling out of this person the queen had assembled a small board consisting of Her, Prince Albert, the town mage and also every city guilds chairman as well as some official minority groups leaders such as from the middle-esterling refugee population living in the capital...

Every year would start the same, the Wizard would say that he was the poorest citizen, anyhow as he argued, compared to the cost of running experiments that his budget would go on a big negative value every year, after this queen would grant him some gold to keep quiet for the rest of the meeting...

...then Prince Albert would complain about that his consumption of alcohol made him have large tabs on every pub and then stated that if he would pay every tavern what he owed them he would be on a minus so huge that even the states entire annual budget couldn´t stuff his holes in the budget, then the queen would given him a gold coin and he would excuse himself and vanish with the speed of drunk-light!!!

Then the meeting could start for real... this year an old miner living in an abandoned mine close to town was the one the board agreed on was the poorest person and should be granted the award, but the members of the board warned the queen, that he was a nutter, so she would better bring a whole army to keep safe...

The queen settled for three soldiers and Puffy iff her favorite dog...

...later that day a horse-drawn chart loaded with food and gold arrived to the abandoned mine...

the queen jumped off her horse, there was no one to be seen, when she peeked inside the main building, there was just a big abyss of a hole, she called down the hole:

- Is there anyone home, it is you majesty Queen Esmeralda, with a surprise...

then it just echoed for ever and ever, then she heard a faint voice:

- I will just be a jiffy, I am here digging, will be up quite soon...

...after a while a dirty old bearded man climbed the walls of the abyss like a mountain goat... very agile despite his ancient age...

- Hello Madam, I am...

oh what is my name now again?

yes nap, nappy, Napoleon, yes that is my name, Napoleon and some number I can´t remember!

Who are you my fair lady?

- Hi, Napoleon I am Esmeralda also with a number, Actually Esmeralda the first...

- Yes, first, one, one that is my number and one more number that is higher than the first, yes one plus three, I am four, no wait I am 1 and three that is 13, oh wait I am, oh I forgot what my first name was...

- Napoleon, the queen replied!

- Yes that is the guy, Napoleon number 13, who are you?

- I am ruling queen of t his queendom, eh I mean kingdom!

Step outside I have a small surprise for you!

- No you can´t be ruling this kingdom, because I am King, from here to the land of the forestmen, the barbarian, the middle-asterling emirates, I own it all...

- Oh (*giggle*)! You Majesty would you please step outside and look at the surprise I have brought you...

- ok, ok, ah it is daylight my poor eyes... oh I see now, your brought your King and Emperor three men and two horse to help me dig, I am very pleased my loyal subject... You will be rewarded later, or now, I will award the title: Earl of the eastern wall of my hole between 30 feet and 45 feet...

- Eh Well, your Majesty actually my gift isn´t my henchmen or beast of burden but what we have brought you on the chart over there, one chest of gold, a box of food, a chicken and a sack of cereal seeds...

- My subject, are you trying to make mockery out of me? I have gold, I am the richest man in the world, down my hole I have lumps of gold so huge that a dragon couldn´t lift a grain of them... you really disappoint me citizen, I hope the crate with food is fresh earthworms? since that is the only thing I eat, all other food just gives me constipation or was it the other way around, anyhow I eat only fresh squiggly earthworms...

- Eh, Well you majesty, no I have failed you, I have brought you nothing of value and as a self-punishment for the shame I have brought up on my self, will leave you to your work and retreat to my "prison-like" palace and no longer bother you your majesty...

I am so sorry!

- Well Subject citizen, I Napoleon the 14th forgive you, no need for you to punish your self, but, now leave me alone and get your stuff out of my property... Now I have more important things to do than to squabble and gossip with puny subject...

- Yes your majesty...!

the queen slowly backed away while bowing and kneeling respectfully, she picked up Spotty iff and she and her men mounted a rode away to the farm next door and gave the random family the gifts perhaps they were not the poorest but they surely needed the gifts more than Napoleon!

“The beauty of a living thing is not the atoms that go into it, but the way those atoms are put together.”

Carl Sagan, Cosmos

Macro Mondays - theme: “Defining Beauty”

Common chicory (Cichorium intybus), is a bushy perennial herbaceous plant with blue, lavender, or occasionally white flowers. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or for roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also grown as a forage crop for livestock. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where it has become naturalized.

Chicory (especially the flower) was used as a treatment in Germany, and is recorded in many books as an ancient German treatment for everyday ailments. It is variously used as a tonic and as a treatment for gallstones, gastro-enteritis, sinus problems and cuts and bruises. (Howard M. 1987). Chicory contains inulin, which may help humans with weight loss, constipation, improving bowel function, and general health. In rats, it may increase calcium absorption and bone mineral density.

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Cykoria podróżnik (Cichorium intybus) – gatunek rośliny należący do rodziny astrowatych. Znany też jako podróżnik błękitny. Rodzimy obszar jego występowania to znaczna część Europy, Azji oraz Algieria i Tunezja w Afryce Północnej, ale rozprzestrzenił się szeroko i obecnie występuje na wszystkich kontynentach z wyjątkiem Antarktydy. Jest także uprawiany w Azji, Europie, Australazji, Afryce i Ameryce Północnej. W polskiej florze jest rośliną pospolicie występującą na całym obszarze. Cykoria podróżnik to roślina lecznicza, korzeń łagodnie pobudza wytwarzanie soku żołądkowego, żółci oraz ma działanie moczopędne. Jest stosowany w wielu mieszankach ziołowych do leczenia zaburzeń trawienia i przy ogólnym osłabieniu. Młode listki cykorii można wiosną dodawać do sałatek, ze względu na zawartość witamin C, B i mikroelementów.

This orange is on a tree in front of my house in Tucson, Arizona.

From Wikipedia:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_orange

Seville orange (or bigarade) is a widely known, particularly tart orange which is now grown throughout the Mediterranean region. It has a thick, dimpled skin, and is prized for making marmalade, being higher in pectin than the sweet orange, and therefore giving a better set and a higher yield. It is also used in compotes and for orange-flavored liqueurs.

Once a year, oranges of this variety are collected from trees in Seville and shipped to Britain to be used in marmalade. However, the fruit is rarely consumed locally in Andalusia

I can no longer eat anything made with Seville oranges:

Bitter orange may have serious drug interactions with drugs such as statins in a similar way to grapefruit.

I am not longer on statins, so I can eat tart citrus fruit and berries, such as cranberries. Yea!!

_____________________________.

Seen on www.ask.com

Q:

When are Seville oranges in season?

A:Seville oranges have a very brief winter season from December to February.

Seville oranges are a variety of sour oranges that are most commonly used for orange marmalade.

Seville oranges taste sour, tart and sometimes bitter. When the bitter flavor of Seville oranges is combined with sugar, the predominant flavor is oranges with a sharp, tangy taste. The bitterness of the Seville oranges eliminates the over-sweetness of most fruit preserves and contributes to an intensity of flavor in the marmalade. Seville oranges can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen.

Seville orange plants are used more as a rootstock for other types of citrus than for cultivating its own fruits.

_____________________________________

Seasons/Availability

Seville oranges have a brief winter season.

Current Facts

The Seville orange, botanically classified as Citrus aurantium, is a sour orange variety commonly used for its oil extract. The Seville orange, also commonly known as bitter orange or sour orange has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat nausea, indigestion and constipation. The crushed fruit and macerated leaves will lather when mixed with water and is used as a soap substitute in the Pacific Islands. The Seville orange peel, when dried and concentrated, contains a chemical similar to ephedra and has been used in many modern weight-loss products.

Description/Taste

Although the Seville orange smells like a true orange, it does not have many other obvious award winning virtues. Its rough, thick and bumpy deep orange colored peel clings tightly to its pale orange translucent flesh, making it hard to peel. It is sour, tart, sometimes bitter and laden with seeds. It has two primary attributes: the peel contains fragrant essential oils and its flesh, when ripe is extremely juicy. The most common usage for the Seville orange is for the production of marmalade where it can use its peel and juice to its advantage; any sour and bitter flavors can be developed and enriched into elements of depth.

Applications

Seville oranges are most commonly used for orange marmalade. Use the zest and juice in flavored sugars or salts, syrups, cocktails, vinaigrette or marinades. Pair with fennel, bitter greens, chicories, olives, other citrus, fresh herbs, aged cheeses, seafood, rice, and Spanish spices. Seville oranges will keep, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.

Geography/History

Sour oranges are native to China. Trade routes brought them to Africa and the Mediterranean in the 10th Century. Cultivation of sour orange varieties led to the Seville orange of Seville, Spain in the 12th Century, where it would accrue its name. The Seville orange was the only orange variety in Europe for the next 500 years. It was also one of the first citrus varieties brought to the New World where it was naturalized in the Caribbean, South, Central and North America. When sweet oranges were introduced to America, sour orange trees would begin to shift their role as edible fruit to rootstock. Cross pollination of the sour and sweet orange trees also proved to create bitter fruits in sweet orange varieties which forced farmers to reduce production of sour orange trees.

Recipe Ideas

Recipes that include Seville Oranges. One is easiest, three is harder.

Dressing for Dinner Seville Orange Cupcakes with Seville Buttercream Icing

Simply RecipesSeville Orangeade

The Cottage SmallholderGilbert’s Seville Orange Gin

The British LarderRaw Salad of Fennel, Seville Orange, Chicory and Kohlrabi

HerbivoraciousPaella Cakes with Manchego and Candied Seville Orange Peel

The Cottage SmallholderEasy Seville Orange Marmalade

Eat Locally, Blog Globally Lavender Jelly with Orange-pith Pectin

Everybody Likes Sandwiches Bitter Orange Ice Cream

The British LarderRaw Salad of Fennel, Seville Orange, Chicory and Kohlrabi

The British Larder Seville Orange and Vanilla Bean Marmalade

Hide the other 2...

Arctic Garden StudioVin d’Orange

Hunter Angler Gardener CookCretan Olives with Seville Oranges

Recently Spotted

People have spotted Seville Oranges using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.

Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.

IMG_7681 - Version 2

I know I live in my own little world but after all the woes I've had to suffer over the last few days something brought a smile back to my face. Behind me are some flowers which I bought as my little post-op 'Cancer Garden' to tend and enjoy whilst I did my chemo. That was 2017 and the pots here I left out in winter died but I still have one flowering away as I take it inside. At the same time I had my concrete pond repaired so I could keep some fish again. Most of the first eight just died but I had more success with the next six. But I was a little perplexed as having eight goldfish swimming around all day and night with nothing else on their minds apart from food and sex I was hoping for some little ones too but nothing. But this-afternoon when I looked in the pond there was a tiny fish darting around and too quick for the hungry mouths. I have to say I'm delighted for any fool can go to the pet shop and buy some more but it's much more satisfying to have my own especially as it replaces one of the eight that the heron killed through the netting last Autumn. No I haven't had a single baby fish or as they should be called fry since the 1990's so it is quite an occasion. Maybe my luck is changing the next thing I've got to get sorted is the post-tumble constipation lol.

Moa nahele, Flat-stemmed whiskfern

Psilotaceae (Whiskfern family)

Indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island)

Photo: Hawaiʻiloa Ridge Trail, Oʻahu

The Hawaiian name Moa nahele literally means "forest chicken." Moa is chicken, referring to a chickens' comb, and reference to the fronds. Nahele is forest.

It is less common than Psilotum nudus in the islands, but still easy to find in the right environment.

Early Hawaiian children would play a simple game of moa nahele (lit., chicken vegetation). Plants in Hawaiian Culture explains how this game was played: “Two children sat or stood facing one another, each holding a branched stem of moa. These they interlocked and then slowly pulled apart until the branches of one broke. The other child, without broken branches, was the winner and announced his victory by crowing like a rooster (moa).” One of the names ʻoʻō moa in fact means "cock's crow."

Moa was also used in lei making by early Hawaiians.

Moa (Psilotum spp.) was used for kūkae paʻa (constipation) in newborn babies and elderly men and women. It was also mixed with other plants to treat akepau (tuberculosis, consumption), and various respiratory conditions. Additionally, extracts from moa were used as laxatives. The yellow spores (seen in photo) were used for diarrhea in infants and used like talcum powder to prevent chafing from loincloths.

Etymology

The generic name is from the Greek psilos, naked or smooth, alluding to the smooth aerial stems without leaves.

The specific epithet complanatum is from the Latin complanatus, flattened, in reference to flattened stems of this species.

nativeplants.hawaii.edu

The oil produced from star anise contains thymol, terpineol and anethole, which is used for treating coughs and flu. Anise also helps improve digestion, alleviate cramps and reduce nausea. Consuming star anise tea after meals helps treat digestive ailments such as bloating, gas, indigestion and constipation.

Drinking one glass of water infused with the crushed seeds of star anise at night can increase one's sex drive!

Chmurka has tumor.

I am shocked, I feel nauseaus, I can't believe it, I...

On Friday I sensed something in Chmurka's tummy... I didn't know what it was, it was growing bigger. Yesterday something happened, and Chmurka had all the sympotms of constipation. Today I took her to the vet to heal it.

And then it turned out she has tumor.

Right in her stomach.

Like a small stone...

She will have surgery on Wednesday, noon.

The chances are 50 / 50.

It all depends what actually is inside her.

Chmurka is

the biggest love of my life

the most amazing hamster

the most wonderful person.

I can't live without her.

She is very tired now...

She was given injections, lots of water, glucose, painkillers, other medicine...

She was totally paralysed at the vet. She had to stay there for many hours.

She is sleeeping now...

Please please please pray for Her...

DSC09660

Dandelions are demonised as one of the most pernicious weeds, but hold back on the mowing and you’ll find a whole range of garden wildlife depends on them for food, writes Kate Bradbury.

Wildlife: while in flower for most of the year, the dandelion’s peak flowering time is from late March to May, when many bees and other pollinators emerge from hibernation. Each flower in fact consists of up to 100 florets, each one packed with nectar and pollen. This early, easily available source of food is a lifesaver for pollinators in spring.

Bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees all visit dandelions for food, along with hoverflies, beetles, and butterflies such as the peacock and holly blue. Goldfinches and house sparrows eat the seed. Yet most of us gardeners miss out on the spectacle of watching wildlife feast on our dandelions, because we wage such a war against them as weeds.

The young leaves are edible and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, the roots can be ground into a (quite tasty) coffee substitute, and the flowers can be made into wine (just leave some for the wildlife). Historically, its sap was said to cure warts, while a tea made using its leaves was supposed to help calm stomach aches. Herbalists apparently still use dandelions to treat skin conditions, asthma, low blood pressure, poor circulation, ulcers, constipation, colds and hot flushes.

Trust Me On This.

When a portly gentleman with a white beard tells you Santa is real, you believe him.

Stencil graffiti; this is about the sharpest one I could find. Taken next to the old Hotel America (Sonesta, Summit, Clarion) on Constitution Plaza, Hartford, Connecticut. After more than fifteen years of vacancy, the old hotel is under new management and undergoing refurbishment as dwellings (that's my Christmas present this year, I'm sick of looking at it). The building will be fifty years old this year.

The happiest holidays to all my Flickr friends!

I find this wild flower very attractive. Maybe I was a bee in a former life because bees like chickory, too! Next slides, please!

Webmd.com has this to say about this 'weed':

Chicory is a plant. Its seeds, roots, and dried, above-ground parts are used to make medicine.

In foods, chicory leaves are often eaten like celery, and the roots and leaf buds are boiled and eaten. Chicory is also used as a cooking spice and to flavor foods and beverages. Some coffee mixes include ground chicory to enhance the richness of the coffee.

How does it work?

Chicory root has a mild laxative effect, increases bile from the gallbladder, and decreases swelling. Chicory is a rich source of beta-carotene.

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I think he's got constipation! He's been acting strange for two days, walking slow with his back hunched, hiding under the bed all day long and only comes out for wet food or to go outside. He pooped a tiny bit today, but is still acting strange and goes back under the bed as soon as he comes inside. Going to vet tmrw to see what is wrong with the boy -____-

Giant Crocodile Lily, Euryale Ferox. The plant foxnut belongs to the family Nymphaeaceae. It is popularly known as “Makhana” in India. It grows in water and is found in India, Korea, Japan and Russia.

Fox nut plant does not have stem. It has large round leaves and produces bright purple flowers. The whole plant is covered with small thorns (kantaka) .The leaves of fox nut plant have green upper surface and purple shaded lower surface. This plant produces fruits which are about the size of a small orange. Each fruit contains 8-10 seeds which are of pea size.It is highly nutritious food that has been used as a snack all over and also used in different recipes especially in Indian cuisines. It can be had in the roasted or fried form. It can be stored for a longer time if kept in air tight containers. Chinese use it as a part of medicines as it has various medicinal properties too. They use to strengthen spleen and kidneys.

Fox nut and its beneficial attributes:

Fox Nuts are considered superior to dry fruits such as almonds, walnut, cashew nut and coconut in terms o sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content

It is high on anti oxidant and thus acts an anti-aging food, helping in preventing white hair, wrinkles, premature ageing etc.

It is high in fiber and so helps to avoid constipation. They help the body to flush out the waste and thus prevent the accumulation of toxins

It is also an aphrodisiac, thus helping in fertility issues like premature ejaculation, increasing the quality of semen and also helps women in overcoming infertility.

These nuts are low on saturated fats and Sodium and high on Magnesium, Potassium and helps in controlling high blood pressure and diabetes too.

It helps in controlling palpitation and insomnia as it has calming properties

It helps in reliving arthritis- numbness and pain in joints

As it is has astringent properties it also helps cure diarrhea and have better appetite.

It strengthens the body and reduces burning sensation and quenches thirst.

These nuts are a type of seed that could be included in the daily cereals or soup to maintain good health. Since it has good amount of protein it is considered apt snack for vegetarians. But, because it is neutral in taste, usually no one prefers to eat it raw.

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Yuba last night at Naomi's rental house in Yubari. Recently, Yuba had a bought of bloody coughing which resulted in a trip to the vet. The vet wasn't concerned and thinks it may be related to constipation (the body is just a very complex hydraulic system) and gave Yuba more laxative and some medicine to heal the bleeding. Yuba really doesn't like taking medicine and it appears he and Naomi struggled a bit because you can see some dried medicine on his fur.

Of greater concern is Yuba's heart. Right now, it's fine but at his age, and more importantly weight, the vet was concerned he may develop heart disease. She recommended Yuba take some medicine to help prevent that. She also recommended Yuba loose weight. His weight a few years ago was 11kg and is now down to 8.5kg (and he lost 100g over the past month). At his age (he's over 15 now), we take his health very seriously and so will start him on his heart medicine.

© David K. Edwards

Folkloric

· Entire fresh leaves are used externally for headache.

· Cooked with milk, leaves are used as poultices for certain kinds of ulcers.

· Seeds are purgative; also used as antirheumatic.

· Root-bark is purgative; also used for skin diseases and burns.

· Rheumatic arthritis, paralysis; epilepsy; distention of the uterus, prolapsus ani: drink dried root decoction or poultice Bai-hui pt (GV-20) with pounded seed or leaf material.

· Difficult partus, non-lowering of the fetus (during delivery): poultice Yungchuan Pt (K-1 pt) with pounded fresh leaves.

· Lymph node TB; facial paralysis: poultice with pounded seeds (seed coat removed). If the paralytic side is on the left side of the face, apply poultice on the left.

· Wound caused by piercing with pointed objects (nails, bamboo slats, bullet wound): use pounded fresh seed and apply as poultice.

· To increase the woman's secretion of milk, leaves are pounded and applied over the breast as poultice.

· Decoction of leaves reported to act as lactagogue and emmenagogue when administered internally.

· Skin ulcers: Boil pounded leaves and use as wash.

· Bark of castor plant also sued as dressing for ulcers and sores.

· Seed oil is laxative and vermicide; also used as ear drops to hardened cerumen. Also used for warts.

· For hemorrhoids, seeds are roasted, pounded, and applied to affected area. The oil is suitable for piles and anal fissures.

· Dosage: dried roots 15 to 30 gms in decoction.

· Seed paste applied to wounds and itch for 4-5 days.

· In Rhodesia, natives use the bark for dressing wounds and sores.

· Zulus use a paste of the root for toothaches; also, an infusion of leaves, applied orally or as an enema, for stomachaches.

· Leaf poultice used for boils.

· In French Guinea leaves are boiled and used as febrifuge.

· In Ayurveda, the leaf, root and seed oil used for inflammation and liver disorders.

· In China, crushed seeds used more frequently than the oil; a paste is applied to relieve scrofulous sores.

· Transvaal Sutos known to apply the powdered, roasted seeds to sores and boils in children.

· In Makran, oil used as ointment for sores.

· In Central Nigeria, seed variety is a popular contraceptive agent among the Rukaba women.

· Pulp is rubbed into the temples in headaches, into the palms of hands in palsy, into the urethra in stricture, and rubbed to the soles of feet of parturient women to hasten the birth of the child or to facilitate the expulsion of the placenta.

· Seeds are chewed in scrofula.

· Pulp is used for a variety of skin affections, dog bites, or whenever a lubricant is needed.

· Castor oil used as a mild purgative, adaptable to infants and young children. It is considered one of the most reliable cathartic for relief of obstinate constipation.

- Used as emmenagogue and galatagogue. Castor oil massaged over the breast after childbirth increases the flow of milk. (30)

- Warmed leaves coated with oil applied over the abdomen to relieve flatulence in children. Infusion of leaves used for stomachache. Fresh leaf juice used as emetic in narcotic poisoning; also considered useful in jaundice. Pounded leaves used for caries; also, applied over guinea-worm sores to extract the worm. Root decoction used for lumbago; paste used for toothache. (26)

- In Sindh ethnobotany: (1) given in hot milk to induce labor pains (2) applied intravaginally for opening the uterus mouth at the time of delivery (3) used for expulsion of plasma membrane after delivery, and (4) castor beans are used to decrease the postpartum size of the abdomen. (29)

Others

• As far back as 4000 BC, its slow burning seed oil was used to fuel lamps.

• Tañgan-tañgan is the source of the castor oil of commerce.

• Although best known for its medicinal properties for its use as a purgative, only a comparatively small amount of used for medicinal purposes. Its chief use is as lubricant for internal combustion engines, particularly aero-engines, for which it is suitable because of its high viscosity, retained at high temperatures, while non-solidifying at low temperatures.

• Castor oil is insoluble in light petroleum and other mineral oils. It can be used for making compound lubricating oil.

• Cosmetics: The seed oil of RC and its primary constituent, ricinoleic acid are used in the manufacture of skin-conditioning agents, as emulsion stabilizers and surfactants in cosmetics. In lipstick, castor oil is used at 81% concentration.

• Castor oil is also used in making "cognac oil," in a dressing for leather, in "fat-liqouring" in the leather industry, in the manufacture of artificial leather, cutting oils, linoleum, and as wool oil.

• Also used in retouching-varnishes and in the negative varnishes of photography.

• Castor oil is classified by the FDA as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) and effective as a stimulant laxative.

• Contraceptive: Used in making contraceptive jellies and creams. Also, used with a pinch of alum for contraception. In women, one castor seed a month after the menstrual cycle reported to prevent conception for that month. (30)

• Cake left after the castor oil is extracted from the kernels of castor seeds is used as fertilizer. In addition to its use as manure, it is also employed as fuel, for caulking timber, destroying white ants (termites) and other pests.

source: stuart xchange

It's spring. Things are blooming all over. I'm spending lots of time with my macro lens... and trying to find ways to capture petals and stems and leaves and whatnot... without having it look... you know... ordinary. It's a real challenge.

Meantime, I've discovered Ray Metzker. Holy macaroni. I had heard of him, but had never sat down with a whole bigass book of his photos before. Holy macaroni. I was literally bouncing in my chair, what I saw was so exciting.

He has lots to say, too. One of my favourite bits:

"Previsualization can lead to constipation very quickly."

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Spinach 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc — Updated on February 14, 2023

Nutrients

Vitamins & minerals

Plant compounds

Benefits

Downsides

Bottom line

Eating spinach may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a leafy green vegetable that originated in Persia.

It belongs to the amaranth family and is related to beets and quinoa. What’s more, it’s considered very healthy, as it’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants.

There are many ways to prepare spinach. You can buy it canned or fresh and eat it cooked or raw. It’s delicious either on its own or in other dishes.

This article explains everything you need to know about spinach and its health benefits.

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Nutrition facts

The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw spinach are (1Trusted Source):

Calories: 23

Water: 91%

Protein: 2.9 grams

Carbs: 3.6 grams

Sugar: 0.4 grams

Fiber: 2.2 grams

Fat: 0.4 grams

Carbs

Most of the carbs in spinach consist of fiber, which is incredibly healthy.

Spinach also contains small amounts of sugar, mostly in the form of glucose and fructose (1Trusted Source).

Fiber

Spinach is high in insoluble fiber, which may boost your health in several ways (2Trusted Source).

It adds bulk to stool as food passes through your digestive system. This may help prevent constipation.

SUMMARY

Spinach is low in carbs but high in insoluble fiber. This type of fiber may benefit your digestion.

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Vitamins and minerals

Spinach is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including (3):

Vitamin A. Spinach is high in carotenoids, which your body can turn into vitamin A.

Vitamin C. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that promotes skin health and immune function.

Vitamin K1. This vitamin is essential for blood clotting. Notably, one spinach leaf contains over half of your daily needs.

Folic acid. Also known as folate or vitamin B9, this compound is vital for pregnant women and essential for normal cellular function and tissue growth.

Iron. Spinach is an excellent source of this essential mineral. Iron helps create hemoglobin, which brings oxygen to your body’s tissues.

Calcium. This mineral is essential for bone health and a crucial signaling molecule for your nervous system, heart, and muscles.

Spinach also contains several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E.

SUMMARY

Spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable. It packs high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.

Plant compounds

Spinach contains several important plant compounds, including (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source):

Lutein. This compound is linked to improved eye health.

Kaempferol. This antioxidant may decrease your risk of cancer and chronic diseases.

Nitrates. Spinach contains high amounts of nitrates, which may promote heart health.

Quercetin. This antioxidant may ward off infection and inflammation. Spinach is one of the richest dietary sources of quercetin.

Zeaxanthin. Like lutein, zeaxanthin can also improve eye health.

SUMMARY

Spinach boasts many plant compounds that can improve health, such as lutein, kaempferol, nitrates, quercetin, and zeaxanthin.