Saturday 7 January 2023

How often Should we Consume Blueberries? - Part 1 – Food 35

We have talked about how important to eat blueberries:

- The Rainbow : Blueberry is One of Fruits Rich in Antioxidants – Food 13



Image 1- Blueberries in the bowl, ready to be consumed

Actually, there are a lot of berries species in the world. By internet searching, we found no less than 400 different kinds of berries either farming or wild ones.

In term of colors, the berries could be:

- black
- purple
- white
- yellow
- red



Image 2- Just another berry, wild berries at yard

Blueberry is one of my favorite fruits in the berries “group.” I don’t know why I love this type of berry.



Image 3- A cookbook, Illustration only.

Sure, I consume others. Some my favorite berries include:

- strawberry
- blackberry
- raspberry



Image 4- Cranberry, another suggested berries to eat

Ruairi Robertson (published in healthline, August 19, 2020) suggest to consume at least 8 kinds of berries.

We may wonder: Why should we eat many kinds of berries?

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

Thursday 5 January 2023

Green Parakeet in Our State – Nature 46

The Green parakeet or the Monk parrot was not the USA native bird. The birds came from South American areas.



Image 1- A Green parakeet at the corner

They are imported to the USA around 1950’s, then distributed across America. We may spot Monk parrots in the garden or parks in almost states.

The record has shown that a green parakeet was seen the first time in our state, Louisiana around 1960’s.

They are breeding in the wild successfully. The wild area was around the city of New Orleans, then spread to nearby cities.



Image 2- A shy little Monk parrot



Image 3- A little green parakeet at neighborhood

We just saw the green parakeet at the corner of one of our neighbor houses. However, we don’t know whether the bird is a wild or a pet one.

At the first, the parakeet looks sleepy, then when we approach, the bird flew away. Hope, she found a good shelter.

# Previous postings:

Monday 2 January 2023

The Pulmonary Hypertension Type – Part 1 - Cardiovascular 4

We talked about hypertension at previous post, and we know hypertension may lead to several serious diseases.



Image 1- The cartoon from “medcomic..com” 
shows the illustration about pulmonary hypertension.

The two previous posts of hypertension:

From above two articles, we understand two types of hypertension, they are “pulmonary artery (pulmonary hypertension) and in aorta (arterial/systemic hypertension).”



Image 2- Foggy in the morning, illustration



Image 3- Fresh fruit, illustration

Pulmonary hypertension is less common. This kind of hypertension is caused by high blood pressure in the lung.

The blood vessel in the lung become stiff, narrow, damage, so that the right side of the heart (the part of heart that pump blood to the lung) hardly to pump the blood into lung. This problem is often misunderstood disease.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the most common causes the pulmonary hypertension.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

Saturday 31 December 2022

Paintings Exhibition of Local Artists – Art 10

We talked about paintings exhibition from talent students at elementary schools, Baton Rouge at previous post.


Image 1- A dancing woman

You may read the previous post about student’s paintings:

We just saw the painting exhibition from “real artists”, amateur and professional artists of our city, Baton Rouge.

The exhibition was organized by art organization in our city, Baton Rouge called as “Art Guild.”



Image 2- A painting of nature

Actually, the art organization arranges two types of exhibitions:

- nonjury exhibition for all level artists (from beginners to professionals)
- national jury exhibition for recognized artists in the city or state



Image 3- Pots and a cup

Uniquely, in the “non-jury exhibition,” we as visitors are asked to vote for the best painting. Then, the top two winners will get rewards from organization.

What kinds of painting exhibitions are there in your areas or places?

# Previous postings:

Thursday 29 December 2022

White Hominy Pearls Tossed with Coconut Shreds – Part 2 – Food 32

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- White Hominy Pearls Tossed with Coconut Shreds – Part 1 – Food 32



Image 1- A Mexican style of Canned hominy

This weekend, I just stay home, love in my “small bubble,” then enjoy reading several books and doing little cooking at kitchen.

I cook my own snack. I would like to share with you my special sweet snack recipe. It can be a snack or an appetizer.

Do you Wonder what is it?

It is white hominy pearls covered with coconut shreds. A kind of a sweet food from white maize or known as field corn too.



Image 2- White flowers, illustration only

The taste of hominy is heavenly, I believe. Sometimes, I cook chicken soups with adding of hominy or posoles.



Image 3- Popcorn, just illustration

Many times, I make hominy porridge with sweet condensed milk and or coconut milk. I also like to add hominy in my salads.

# To be continued to Part 3

## Previous postings:

Tuesday 27 December 2022

Kumquat is a Little Orange in the Neighborhood – Food 34

We talked about sweet Tangerine at our yard at previous post:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Sweet Tangerine at Backyard – Food 26



Image 1- Plenty of Kumquat fruit

There is fruit belong to one of our neighbors, a little orange called Kumquat. Oval or around shape with diameter about 1 inch (2.5 cm).

Kumquat came from China and grow very well in the USA. Main states which produce this fruit are:

- Florida
- California
- Alabama
- and Louisiana



Image 2- A Kumquat tree and its fruit

Kumquat has four main species, they are Hong Kong Kumquat, Nagami, Marumi and Meiwa. Unfortunately, I don’t know which one belongs to my neighbor.

General speaking that both Kumquat and Tangerine are sweet. Then, what are different between our Tangerine and a neighbor’s Kumquat?



Image 3- Kumquat, sold in Walmart grocery

Here they are:

- to eat Tangerine, we must peel its skin, then we consume the flesh of fruit
- no need to peel the skin, because sugar concentrates mainly in the skin. We eat whole fruit of Kumquats.

Do you know Kumquat oranges? Have you ever consumed them?

# Previous postings:

Sunday 25 December 2022

Temperature Drop to Minus but No Snow – Science 31

Temperature is quite strange in our area, swing too huge, from plus C 28* (F 83*) last week to C -7* (F 19) degree in the last few days.



Image 1- Last snow in our area, 2017

Back to last year, we saw our bird drinking water was frozen in our backyard, but no snow fell down at all.

Yes, there was reported of snow in our state, Louisiana but our city, Baton Rouge got winter storm and frozen temperature only.

I don’t think that was snow. Our city was pouring with sleet and freezing rain. Winter storm caused blackout in our neighborhood in 2021.



Image 2- Frozen during last year winter, 2021

As far as I remember that a reasonable “thick” snow fall happened five years ago or in 2017.



Image 3- “Thick snow” in 2017

Based on record, our city experienced snow fall in the following years (just several recent years): in 2017, 2010 and in 2008.

The reason no snow even though temperature below zero degree Celsius is that there is less moisture in the air to form snowfalls

In fact, snow tend to form when temperature between C 0* (zero) to C +2* degrees.

How about in your areas?

# Previous postings:

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 ...