Friday, 31 March 2023

Can We Find Broccoli in the Wild? - Science 35

As reported by Cision PR Newswire (2022: Green Giant® Survey Reveals Broccoli As America's Favorite Vegetable in 2022) that 29 states chose broccoli as the favorite vegetable.



Image 1- A cooked Broccoli, healthy food

Then followed by “corn, carrots, potatoes and asparagus consecutively. The question: “Can We Find Broccoli in the Wild?” The answer is no. Why?

It is because human have developed this vegetable with breeding process through many years.

Human found the wild cabbage with scientific name Brassica oleracea. Unfortunately this cabbage produces:

- small flower buds every two years
- has no good taste and flavor.



Image 2- A bunch of Broccoli, sold in Walmart

Farmers manipulated environment to make wild cabbage reproduce several times in a year.



Image 3- The carnivore plant, illustration only

Luckily, farmers able to select the offspring based on their:

- big flower buds
- have very good taste and flavor.
- faster grow



Image 4- Broccoli as vegetable.

The plant is reproducing, and known as broccoli nowadays. Do you like broccoli tast and flavor?

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Wednesday, 29 March 2023

Spring Hummingbirds in Our Neighborhood – Nature 58

We posted the winter hummingbird in our areas previously: - The Rainbow Before Evening : The Winter Hummingbird at Our Community – Science 26



Image 1- A hummingbird approaching feeder

Now, Spring is coming. We start to see another season of hummingbirds visits our nearby places.

Many neighbors start to put their feeders since last February. Then, we just saw the hummingbirds were coming to feed on feeders around in the middle of March this year.

Unfortunately, the photos (please see Images 1 and 2) are not clear enough to identify species of birds. Even my Google ID can’t recognize whether the object is bird or not.



Image 2- Emerald snow, illustration only

Based on report from Baton Rouge Audubon Society (2023: Feeding Hummingbirds) that only one species of hummingbird in Gulf Coast area around February to March. As you might know, the Gulf Coast include our state, Louisiana.



Image 3- A hummingbird feed on the feeder

The species of hummingbird is Ruby throats (Archilochus colubris). The bird come from Mrxico and Central America for breeding and nesting in our regions.

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Tuesday, 28 March 2023

The Best Coffeehouse in My City, Baton Rouge – Part 1

We find many coffee shops in our town, Baton Rouge, LA. Sure, famous coffeehouse franchises such as Starbucks and Community Coffee (CC) are every where in the city.



Image 1- Brew Ha Ha, a coffee shop

Actually, Our areas have plenty local Coffeehouses as well, however the names could be unique and funny for who unfamiliar with:

- Brew Ha Ha
- Java Mama
- Coffee call
- River coffeehouse
- Garden district
- Coffee bean cafe



Image 2- A gate in the Garden, illustration

I have two favorite places with two different reasons to drink a cup of coffee. The places are:

- Coffee Call
- Starbucks at Barnes & Noble bookstore



Image 3- To Go coffee cup

Visiting the Starbucks with main reason that the shop locates in the book store, Barnes & Noble. Reading books, magazines or surfing internet accompanied by a cup of coffee. My favorite is cappuccino.



Image 4- Like family gathering Inside the Coffee Call

Then, what the reasons to come to the Coffee Call?

# To be continued to Part 2

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Sunday, 26 March 2023

Blooming of Yellow Jasmine in the Garden – Nature 57

We know several species of Jasmines grow very well in our city, Baton Rouge, LA, and they bloom around late Winter to Spring seasons.



Image 1- Yellow Jasmine flowers

Actually, there are plenty of Jasmine species, as suggested by Smoke (2023: Jasmine: The Scent of Romance, Intoxication, and New Orleans) that over 200 species of Jasmine live in the world.

As of our knowledge, at least there are 3 different species of Jasmine flowers live in our areas:

- Common Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
- Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
- Yellow Jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens)



Image 2- Yellow Jasmines are climbing

As you might know that Yellow Jasmine is said as native flower of South Caroline and be state flower. That why Yellow Jasmine also called as Carolina Jasmine.



Image 3- A good climber

The flowers are “good climber,” they could be seen along the fences, side the building, walls and entrance gates.



Image 4- Flowers are climbing the wall

How many species of Jasmines grow in your areas?

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Saturday, 25 March 2023

Social Status Effect on Physiology and Behaviors – Part 2 – Brain Plasticity 3

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Social Status Affects on Physiology and Behaviors – Part 1 – Brain Plasticity 3



Image 1- A cat, just illustration

Visually, the absent of higher social male will be replaced in minutes. The subordinate will look brighter and change behavior immediately as a new dominant male.

Only one dominant male in one specific area, apparently, the other males (subordinates) no change in terms of colors and behaviors.

Alcazar et al (2016) suggested that while establishing a territory, a cichlid male will escalate his aggression behaviors and efforts to court females at optimal numbers as possible.



Image 2- A bird, illustration

This aggression male tends to spend more times by attacking other subordinate males in the area. The aggressive behaviors were followed by increasing level of cortisol, estradiol, 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone physiologically.



Image 3- People gathering, illustration

Reference

Alcazar, RM., Becker, L., Hilliard, AT., Kent, KR and Fernald, RD. (2016, August 15). Two types of dominant male cichlid fish: behavioral and hormonal characteristics. Biol Open. 2016 Aug 15; 5(8): 1061–1071.



Image 4- Green yard, just for illustration

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Friday, 24 March 2023

Middle School Students Show their Paintings – Arts 13

We have talked about paintings of primary school students at previous posting:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Paintings of Elementary School’s Students - Art 9



Image 1- The painting of 8th grade student

The program is the same for both primary school and middle school students with steps that are:

- selected talent students be trained by professional artists in the summer.
- exhibition at public spaces or buildings.
- competition or contest

In case of middle schools, our state school board association proposes contest or competition of artwork for students at the city (East Baton Rouge) and state (Louisiana) levels every year.



Image 2- Painting by Sofia, a Middle School student

Two stages of competitions, the first stage is at the city level. The winner’s painting will be displayed at the conference.

Then, the winner will enter the state, Louisiana level competition.



Image 3- Painting by Dev I, a Middle School student.

Painting (Image 3) is an example the winner of our city level competition for middle school students.

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Tuesday, 21 March 2023

The Ghosts of Paris by Tara Moss – Part 2 – Reading 12

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Ghosts of Paris by Tara Moss – Part 1 – Reading 12



Image 1- A cover of the ghost of Paris

She strongly believed that her husband is impossible to back to Australia, even many folks when they came back from war, they prefer to live in the Australian bushes.

It is because her husband’s friends have damaged their psychology, mentally, and physiology by war.

Moreover, it was a challenging job for Billie Walker, then she and her assistant, Sam, departed for London and Paris. In Paris, her memories with her husband, Jake Rake, came up.



Image 2- Chapter one of book, illustration

Beside her priority job for her client, she also tried to find out any info about her husband who was missing in Poland during war.

During her duty, Billie Walker encountered with the difficult ball games, and not only her mind was ghosting her, but also some people who did not like her activities.

Tara Moss, the author, gives the readers great pictures of life after the war.



Image 3- Illustration of book cover

She ends this book with the wonderful work of talented private investigator, Billie Walker, who solved the questions with fantastic discoveries.

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Monday, 20 March 2023

Minnie Winnie RV of Homeless People in Our City

We are familiar with homeless people when we have a daily walking or jogging in the public park or city garden in recent days.



Image 1- A suspect homeless car

We believe some of them have their own car, and then parked in the public parking lots of the city park or city garden.

One of the “Minnie Winnie RVs” has been parked since several months ago. We have noticed the RV just moving from one corner to another corner for 2 or 3 days cycles (periods).

Based on report from a local newspaper, The Advocate (February, 2023) that city shelters have given services to a quite higher number of homeless people than usual during 2022.



Image 2- One of Minnie Winnie RV interiors from Google

Shelters don’t able to provide services for everyone. Hence, homeless must find their own way to survive.

Some lucky people even have RV as their temporary shelter.

By searching through Google, we found the new brand price of Minnie Winnie RV could reach more than US$ 100,000,-

I guess it is a luxury car.



Image 3- RV, photo was taken from back

The important point of this post that today rich people “possibly” be homeless by tomorrow.

Life could be “upside down” for many people at a certain time.



Image 4- The right side of RV

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Sunday, 19 March 2023

Bonsai Show in Our City – Part 2 - Nature 51

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Bonsai Show in Our City – Part 1 - Nature 51



Image 1- Bonsai called as “Willow Leaf Picus” on displayed

We noticed and recognized few types of bonsai. It seems they are local and some imported types of bonsai.

Several types of bonsai on display in the room are:

- Green Mound Juniper
- Willow Leaf Picus
- Chinese elm
- Bold Cypress, Bougenville, Fukien tea
- and Japanese black pine



Image 2- Members of society and guests have a look at several bonsai.

Yes, the show has bonsai auction, called as “silent auction.” People involved in the auction:

- members
- guests
- whoever interests with bonsai



Image 3- Bonsai of Bold Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

The prices may range from couple hundreds to couple thousands, depend very much on:

- bonsai types
- age of bonsai
- cost to take care of bonsai
- arts
- bargaining



Image 4- Green Mound Juniper

Do you love bonsai trees or have any favorite of bonsai types?

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Blooming of Supertunia - Nature 146

Supertunia flowers have quite longer blooming period in our areas. They could bloom from Spring to Fall seasons.  Image - Supertunia flowers...