Monday 22 May 2023

Canna had been Popular Garden Plants since Victorian era – Nature 75

Back to Victoria era (June 20, 1837 – January 22, 1901), Canna had been popular as garden plants.



Image 1- Yellow of Canna lily

The Canna plant also known as Canna Lily then separates to many European countries like Hungary, Italy, France and Germany.

As reported by Dennis Carey and Tony Avent (2010: Cannas, Cannas, Cannas – Canna Lilies for Your Garden) that Canna came to America through France was around 1840s.

Moreover, Canna Lilies appeared in many gardens across the United States of America was about 1890s. We may spots this plant in the city gardens nowadays. Is Canna Lily native to European countries?



Image 2- Two flowers of Canna plant

The plant with scientific name Canna indica come from South America countries, include Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.

We have two colors as you could see at images 1, 2 and 3. However, in the gardens, there are several other colors such as orange, yellow, darker red and brown.



Image 3- Canna plants at yard

Do you familiar with Canna Lilies?

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Saturday 20 May 2023

Flowers of Hidden Lily Ginger Plants – Nature 74

First time I saw the flower called as Hidden Lily Ginger at our neighborhood about few weeks ago. Colorful flowers.



Image 1- Blooming of Hidden Lily Ginger

The plant has several other common names, includes hidden ginger, queen lily, hidden lily, Siam tulip and pastel hidden.

The scientific name of plant is Curcuma petiolate which is native to Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Nowadays, we may buy the plants in many plant nurseries around our city, Baton Rouge, LA.

Some neighbors bought it from Home Depot and Walmart stores with reasonable prices.



Image 2- Pink of Hidden Lily flower

Based on my own observations at our neighborhood, the hidden lily flower’s colors are wonderful, could be pink, red, white, purple and yellow.

We just have images of red (with yellow), pink and pink to white as you can see at images 1, 2 and 3.



Image 3- Red flower of Hidden Lily

Do you familiar with Hidden Lily plants?

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Thursday 18 May 2023

Traditional book versus electronic book for children – Part 3 – Reading 13

We have talked about advantages and disadvantages of traditional book versus electronic book for children at previous two posts.



Image 1- Books at the bookstore

You may read previous post (Part 1 and part 2):

Many “buzy” parents to give a tablet or any screens for their children, even though they said that they are still monitoring their kids activities or what their kids reads on the screens.



Image 2- At the corner, Just illustration

Other parents give limit time for their kids to access, and facilitate them with traditional books.

Ms M. one of them, she always has time to read the traditional book for Cassie, and Cassie stick to her. Parent-child development.



Image 3- A tree, just illustration

Cassie loves to show whatever she have. She prefers traditional books because she like to show her baby dolls and books.

She can show, carry, and pretend to the book for any body. She doesn't understand that her tablet has many book in it.



Image 4- Books at a small library

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Tuesday 16 May 2023

A Baby Quail Stuck on the Patio – Nature 73

We consume quail eggs, both fresh and canned eggs sometimes. The quail eggs are sold in the grocery stores or several farmer markets in our city.



Image 1- A baby quail, just quiet.

We never seen a quail or a baby quail in the nature or in the farming sites. However, some neighbors have seen adults running around on the streets at our neighborhood.

Many our neighbors believed that the adult quails are not wild ones, but someone must be raising them as pets or even raising them for daily fresh eggs in the community.

Recently, we saw a baby quail on the patio, maybe the baby just wander off and lost to find their way back home.



Image 2- Look like a sick baby quail

Other possibilities that maybe, a Mom will come looking for it, or maybe something happened to Mom. We don’t know the real answers.

Since the baby looks confuse or maybe sick, it needs a rescue. We will call The Vet School or a foundation (Wings of Hope) in our city.



Image 3- A baby quail needs rescue.

Have you consumed quail eggs and seen the critters in the nature?

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Sunday 14 May 2023

The Mexican Hat Flowers in the City Garden – Part 1 – Nature 72

When we walk through one of our city gardens, we saw plants or flowers with “a strange shape.” What interesting of these flowers?



Image 1- A Mexican hat flower with green stalk

After searching with Google ID, the flower was identified as a Mexican hat flower. Some interesting appearances that we could observe its leafless stalk, and look like a “peak” of Mexican hat at glance.

The stalk colors could be green (mainly), brown or mix of colors. I believe the change of colors depend on its maturity.

The flower has scientific name Ratibida columnifera. In addition to the Mexican hat flower, its other common names are: long-headed coneflowers and prairie coneflowers.



Image 2- Flowers in the garden

Then, from internet searching, the native of this flower at least come from three different places:

- American Midwest
- North Mexico
- Madagascar



Image 3- Flowers with green stalks

# To be continued to part 2

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Friday 12 May 2023

The Red Shoulder Hawk at Neighborhood – Part 1 - Nature 71

We have seen different kinds of hawks at our neighborhood since several years ago, and 4 reports have been posted at this blog.



Image 1- Red shoulder hawk at neighborhood

You may read the 4 previous postings:



Image 2- Injured hawk, just illustration

Few days ago, in the morning, we spotted a beautiful bird on the way out of our neighborhood.

We spot the same bird again, we narrowed it down to a Raptor or bird of prey, let’s say a hawk.



Image 3- Adriatic lily, illustration only.

We need to find out the species of hawk. What do you think?

# To be continued to Part 2

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Thursday 11 May 2023

Using of Liquid Soap in American Households

We are using both liquid and bar soaps to wash our hands or other purposes with some reasons.



Image 01- The same brand of Liquid hand soap

First, we believe that liquid and bar soaps have equally effective to combat virus, bacteria and any other “dangerous” germs.

Second, in term of prices or affordable:

- bar soap is more affordable to clean our hand or body
- however, it is cheaper to use liquid soap to wash dishes.

In fact, the liquid soap is quite last longer to clean bowls and plates. The cleaning be easier and straightforward, no need to do multiple washes like using bar soaps.



Image 2- The bar soap at Walmart store

Trending of using liquid soaps is increasing year by year. As reported by Statista (2022) that number of people use liquid soap much more than who use bar soaps.



Image 03- People at the small market

The different number are following:

- about 273.23.71 million Americans used bar soap in 2020.
- about 301.87 million Americans used liquid hand soaps in 2020



Image 04- Two liquid hand soaps

Which ones do you love: liquid or bar soaps?

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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 ...