Thursday 28 September 2023

Spicy Food and Alzheimer's Disease – Part 1 - Alzheimer's 14

Chili pepper is used the most for flavoring in many cuisine in the worldwide. It is about three quarters (75%) of population in this word using any kind of chili.


Image 1- Spicy food.

This substance will add flavor, heat and even complicity to foods. Chili peppers might be applied in a variety of ways. In the market, chili peppers could be fresh, dried and powdered.

Surprisingly, there are more than 200 chemical compounds in the pepper, including capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the component that has responsible for “spicy” taste. This is a chemical irritant which attached to a receptor on our tongue. The more capsaicin compound in the chili, so the chili will be spicier.


Image 2- Chilies in the market

Beside to give extra flavors, there are many studies about benefit capsaicin of the chili peppers:


- relieve abdominal pain or gastrointestinal pain.
- increase saliva, reduce bloating, reduce cold, and weight loss
- relieve joint pain and effective agent as anticancer.


Monday 25 September 2023

The Five-spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar - Nature 94

We observed a big caterpillar in one of our tomatoes plants this morning. The caterpillar eats a lot of the tomato plant’s leaves.


Image 1- A big caterpillar on tomato's leaves

The caterpillar is a quite big, the length size might be 3 inches or 7.6 cm. The color is green with stripes, and a black horn on the tail.

Based on the GoogleID, this caterpillar belongs to the five-spotted hawkmoth caterpillar or also called as a tomato hornworm.

It is said that the caterpillar is commonly seen in the garden. In addition to tomatoes. It loves peppers and potatoes leaves.

Unfortunately, this caterpillar might be a plant pest. It is because it could consume great number of leaves.


Image 2- A green stripes caterpillar

In case of tomatoes, the five-spotted hawkmoth caterpillars can also destroy tomato fruit by boring into the fruit.




Image 3- The caterpillar consumed a lot.

When getting larger and larger at last stage devolvement, the caterpillar could eat an entire tomato plant within minutes.


Image 4- A caterpillar is moving under tomato branches.

Have you ever seen this kind of caterpillar?

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Wednesday 20 September 2023

Are Buff Orpington Chickens Excellent Pets? - Nature 93

 We posted a rooster on the run at our neighborhood:


Image 1- A Buff Orpington hen

Many people have a Buff Orpington as a pet with some reasons, among them are its gentle temperament, low maintenance breeding and well survive in the variety of weather conditions.

Other reasons include:
1) Produce a quite number of eggs. The hen could produce up to 200 brown eggs per year. So, good choice for eggs in addition to the pet.

2) Beautiful chicken. It is good to add the bird to our backyard.  The Buff Orpington makes yard more beautiful.
they can add a touch of beauty to your backyard.


Image 2- A Buff Orpington loves to play.

We need to provide the hen with a coop and plenty of space to forage and roam. The Buff Orpington breeding needs high quality diet which contain high calcium and protein. 


Image 3- Chickens, just illustration

Do you know about the Buff Orpington breeding?

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Saturday 16 September 2023

The Patty Pan Squash Seasons - Food 43

The Patty Pan Squash includes in the family of Cucurbitaceae. Some of well known this family members are melons, zucchini and cucumbers.


Image 1- First patty pan squash of the season.

This vegetable has a round shape with scalloped edges, hence it is also called as a scallop squash.

We may see the colors of Patty pan squash could be white, green, yellow, orange and stripes in the commercial market.

In our areas, Baton Rouge, the Patty pan squash is a summer vegetable which has the best time to harvest from July to September, and even until October.

We love to buy the Patty pan squash in the nearby farmers markets during late August to early September, since the price pretty much lower.


Image 2- the Patty pan squash plant.

As you know that the Patty pan squash plant has a slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture. It is a delicious vegetable, can be enjoyed in many different ways.


Image 3- The patty pan squash, sold in Walmart

Do you like the patty pan squash?

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Saturday 9 September 2023

The Eastern Box Turtle Visited Our Yard - Nature 92

The name come from the habitat where turtle live, yes, habitat of this turtle is the eastern of United States, include our state Louisiana.


Image 1- The Eastern Box Turtle on the grass

The size of the turtle was about 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) in length. The carapace has brown color with markings. 

The scientific name of this critter is Terrapene carolina which is a terrestrial turtle. The Eastern box turtle may be found in habitats such as woodlands, meadows and forests (little forest).

We saw them have visited our yard several times. We gave them fruits, vegetables and fresh water. Actually, in nature, the Eastern Box turtles consume these foods in addition to worms and insects. 


Image 2- The antique car, just for illustration.

Just to let you know, it is illegal to remove or capture the wild Eastern box turtle in our state, Louisiana. However, we may buy them as a pet from certified breeding or legal pet shops.


Image 3- The turtle moving away.

Is it legal to capture terrestrial wild turtle in your areas?

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Wednesday 6 September 2023

The Wildflower at the Corner - Nature 91

We have the tomatoes plants, and we saw a kind of wildflowers grow between them. Suddenly, the flowers blooming during the hot summer.


Image 1- The red wildflower, blooming

GoogleID has identified this wildflower as a Common zinnia, a scientific name for the flower is Zinnia elegans.

Yes, our neighborhoods have zinnia (The Rainbow Before Evening : Zinnia Flowers Grow Well in the Neighborhood – Nature 80), but we never planted this kind of zinnia.   

We believed that zinnia seed carried by wild birds, animals (raccoons or squirrels) or blown by the wind from nearby neighborhood, then voluntarily grown in the small garden. It is possible that zinnia will grow at other part of the yards.


Image 2 - Two wild zinnias in the garden

Actually, Zinnia elegans is one of the popular ornamental plant grown for its colorful flowers (red, yellow, orange, pink, purple and white). Blooming from summer to fall seasons.



Image 3 - Three wild zinnias in the garden.

Do you know about common zinnia?

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Saturday 2 September 2023

A Rooster on the Run - Nature 90

 We saw a beautiful rooster at the corner of our area this morning. Actually, he was moving from one spot to another.



Image 1- A roster at the roadside.

Just to let you know that our city, Baton Rouge allows for raising chickens, but depending on property sizes.

In case of properties smaller than an acre (4,047 square meters), we are allowed to have up to 3 hens only, and roosters are prohibited at all.

It is because roosters make noise quite loud, they are very vocal, especially in the early morning. 

The roosters may crow as early as 4.00 am, so who lives in a close-knit neighborhood will complain.


Image 2- Flowering, just for illustration.

If we have more than one acre land, we may ask a permit from city to have more hens and a rooster. Some people said that raising roosters may be a rewarding experience.


Image 3 - A rooster at the same spot

Have you experienced raising chickens?

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The Squirrel with two-toned fur - Nature 132

We have two previous postings about squirrels:  a little squirrel in her nest and four weeks old baby squirrel.  Image 01 - A squirrel with ...