Growing food in my own backyard

One of my greatest joys is weeding my herb garden. Not only does a weed-free garden look spectacular, but it smells so nice while I'm doing it. Pulling quack grass from around a mound of lemon thyme or clover that has found its way next to a sage bush brings sweet fragrant rewards. The same is true with the unwanted invaders near the lavender, dill, and rosemary.

Growing my own herbs and other edibles is a longtime passion of mine. But it isn't just because bringing food from the backyard to the kitchen table or opening a jar of canned tomatoes in the dead of winter is so satisfying. It is also because I am becoming increasingly concerned about the cost of the food we buy at the grocery store.

The cost is not just the price, but the potential health risks. What we think is natural food may have been altered via technology.

I am becoming increasingly concerned about the impact that large corporations, unregulated imports, and loose standards in our own country are having on the food we eat. No one should die or become ill from eating food they thought was nutritious.

From what my non-scientifically-trained mind can glean from what is occurring today, there could be an inherent danger, if not immediately, but in the long term, from eating genetically modified food. I am not convinced that large bio tech companies responsible for changing the basic structure of the food we think we are eating is the right thing to do—at least not without adequate controls and testing. I doubt these huge corporate entities give a rip about my health.

Learn more about genetically modified (GM) foods from Jeffrey Smith, the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods. Smith is the Executive Director of  Institute for Responsible Technology

The answer may be in a growing trend—locally-grown food. Not only is it nice to know where our food comes from, but it may be essential to our health and well being.

The advantages of locally-grown food, especially when it comes from our own backyards are numerous, not only to ourselves and to our families, but to the well being of mankind.

It all comes back to my garden. The more I learn about how things are done beyond the reaches of my own backyard, the more I am drawn to that little patch of food growing there.

Gulf Coast disaster worsens every day

The Gulf disaster is more frightening every day as the situation seems to become more complex than first thought.

While fear is one of the predominant emotions invoked by the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, there is plenty of room for anger as well.

I have always and will continue to be angry that greed trumps common sense. The question of the hour has to be, is it safe to drill into the earth's 
crust at depths far below the ocean's surface in our quest for black gold?

I can scarcely believe that there are still calls for off-shore deep-water drilling for oil, especially by the same people that are being harmed the most and crying the loudest by what might prove to be the largest environmental disaster to face modern man.

Important decisions should be made by intelligent people rather than wealthy people with something to gain.  Worshipping the almighty dollar has violated the rights of individuals, countries, and perhaps all of humanity. I hope it is not too late to learn from our mistakes.

Even if the oil leak were plugged today, irreparable damage has been done to ecosystems beneath the sea. These are ecosystems that we have not even fully explored. Some species will likely be eradicated before man can fully understand them. All species are important to the overall survival of all of us. I am not a scientist, and yet it is clear that the situation in the Gulf is dire.

Food for thought—check out the following: http://www.viewzone2.com/oilnuke.html

Image thanks to: Kenneth Cratty / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

World record steer dies

My husband John and I are sad to say we lost a neighbor this weekend.

Lurch, the local "Guinness World Records" African Watusi steer who gained world acclaim in 2003 because of the size of his enormous horns, succumbed to cancer Saturday. Lurch was 14 years old.

At the time of his induction into the record book, Lurch's horns measured a circumference of 95.25 cm. or 37.5 inches--the world's largest. And they were still growing.

Born in 1995, Lurch came to live at Rocky Ridge Refuge in Gassville, Arkansas when he was only five weeks old. He shared 15 acres that Wolf inherited from her father, with a number of other animals, under the care of refuge creator, Janis Wolf who relies on donations and volunteers for the care and feeding of all her animals.

Lurch made the national television spotlight when he and his friends were highlighted on the Ellen DeGeneres show a couple years ago. Donations helped build a new barn and feed for the animals.

Wolf, who holds a masters degree in  human rehabilitation and experience as a veterinary technician, is the sole caregiver to as many animals as happen to turn up at her place. She has devoted everything she has to her animals which, include a water buffalo, zebra, llamas, sheep, goats, countless dogs, cats, baby deer, raccoons, and all other kinds of critters. She has animals who have gone blind, become crippled, or just don't have a home. There are plenty of dogs and cats to be adopted as well.

Wolf has lost a special friend with the loss of Lurch.

Watch a video tribute to him at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z46M6Fcik4E

Aghast at Grey's Anatomy final episode

I understand what the producers of Grey's Anatomy were trying to do during their season finale May 19, but their good intentions were over-shadowed by what some might consider over-the-line offensive.

That said, the actors deserve high praise for their work. The portrayal of their characters was stellar because it was so believable. We responded to the terror they were living through. They were believable and credible, and nearly all should win Emmys for their performances.

The story itself was a very good one, which done properly could have been historic in the annals of dramatic television. But it wasn't. Instead it relied on over-the-top graphic violence. I feel a little betrayed by that. Are good ratings reliant upon violence over substance?

While evoking emotional responses in the viewers was probably their goal, producers may have gotten more than they bargained for.

I for one, and I can only speak for myself, watch television shows like Grey's Anatomy, as a respite from reality. A little reality is good because it makes a show believable. But in my mind, Grey's Anatomy's final episode took this way too far. To me, the show was a little too real, mirroring the fears that already exist in our society. An emotionally-damaged man going berserk on his wife's doctors is a far too possible and frightening scenario. It is neither something I want to think about nor something I want to see in my weekly television viewing lineup.

If I wanted to see pints of blood oozing from victims of gunshot wounds, smeared all over the floor, furniture, and clothing, I'd watch the 6 o'clock news. But even they don't show the act of shooting a likable little nurse in the head at point-blank range while she bleeds out on the floor. I watch TV to escape that the knowledge that such violence occurs in streets all across the country. I choose to avoid that kind of violence in the movie theater.

Furthermore, the last thing I wanted to see was the death and injury of characters I've invested years in getting to know that I've admittedly grown fond of. After all, isn't it the intention of a television drama to produce believable and lovable characters? Grey's Anatomy accomplished that. But then to slaughter them before our eyes caused undue personal distress in what was an otherwise great show.

Was all that graphic violence really necessary to carry out the plot? I don't think so. Case-in-point: one of the best scenes was when the shooter was taken out either by the S.W.A.T. team or his own hand, off-camera. We knew what happened. It was odd that he was the only character we didn't see shot, since his death was the one we could have easily coped with. Our sense of justice would have been satisfied since he caused all the carnage to the characters we care about.

Another thing that was totally wrong with this final episode was that at the moment of the highest drama, there was yet another cut away to a commercial. The plethora of ads during this show seemed excessive and appeared at awkward times--more so than usual.

I will at least give credit that the show did end on an emotional high note, bringing couples together who had drifted apart. After the horror they and we witnessed, it was refreshing to see couples who had lost their way, reunite.That was believable.

I will still watch Grey's Anatomy, and I look forward to next season. But, due to the insensibility thrust upon the viewing audience, don't be surprised if there are some who just don't go back.

Are you like me? sick of stupid email "jokes"

I have received one too many stupid emails. This morning, I decided I'd had enough. I responded to the sender and all the others who have forwarded it.

This particular email was supposed to be a partisan joke.

"When your friends can't explain why they voted for Democrats, give them this list. They can then pick a reason." It listed the top-10 reasons that frankly, were more annoying than funny.

The email was not only sent to me, a registered Democrat, but it was sent to many others whose names and email addresses were shown on the header.

This is a big no-no in my book. I don't want my name and/or email address to be a part of any list that includes the likes of Rush Limbaugh. In addition, listing multiple recipients in an email shows computer geeks like myself, that the sender is at the very least, an unsophisticated computer user who is not just technically-challenged but probably believes forwarding jokes is a major function of a computer. I personally have much better things to do with my computer.

It is presumptuous to assume that some of us have nothing better to do than to read jokes. Many of the recipients who received and forwarded this email originated from their place of business. So much for workplace productivity.

It is galling when someone who doesn't know me at all assumes they understand my sense of humor and political affiliation.

Sick of stupid jokes cluttering my inbox, I decided to respond to this one with the following:

If this email is intended to be funny, it isn't. It is offensive and typical of a political system out of control.

To answer the question—No, I vote for the candidate. If he is a Democrat, it is probably because I share the philosophy that all people should be treated equally. Some, who cannot fend for themselves should be cared for, especially in a country as rich as ours. That does not mean we should live in a welfare state or that we should encourage or tolerate lazy and undesireable behavior. Able-bodied people should work because work is good for the body, mind, and soul. Government should not run our lives. More government is not better. More laws are not better.

I often vote Democrat because I believe the democratic philosophy is more akin to how I believe. It seems that Republicans these days will stop at nothing, including sending stupid emails like this one, to denigrate those with whom they disagree. That does not mean I agree with someone just because he is a Democrat. Generally, I support people who are strive to do the job well, not the one who holds and abuses it.

I believe members of both parties take their "party" too seriously. I consider myself a Democrat, but have voted for Republicans and Independents. This year, I will likely vote for some Green candidates.

The only time that partisanship should matter is during a campaign when members of a party can band together for the purpose of simple unity. Once elected, an official should cease being partisan. In the context of his job as a member of a larger body, he should consider the larger picture. While he should represent his constituents, he must be mindful of those outside his jurisdiction and the consequences of his actions overall.

Current practices are all wrong. The goal should not be 'just to get re-elected.' Real compromise among those who share a different philosophy, but similar goals—good governance—should dictate behavior at all levels of government.

It is wrong to blindly bash members of another political party, blindly follow and parrot talk radio personalities, and/or self-made celebrities. I do not believe in public displays of religion. I believe in the science of evolution rather than in hocus-pocus creationism. I believe man has harmed the environment that sustains him. I do not believe I am better than anybody or that anybody is better than me. I believe things should be done because of inspiration, not greed. I could go on but by now you must get the picture...

      Please remove me from your email list. I disagree with you.

Herbs, herbs, herbs

This is my new and improved herb garden. The picture was taken a few weeks ago and already the plants are beginning to fill in the empty spaces.

Normally, I love the unkempt look, but there is something really nice about a new, neat, tidy, new garden. It is all about hope for the future.

This garden used to contain huge plants; lavender, oregano, sage, and rosemary, but winter took its toll. Not only that, but I didn't do much pruning, so the lavender and rosemary were like small trees. My husband John, who has been a gardening trouper of late, dug them out and replaced them. The new rosemary is so small, it is hardly visible. Its growth with all the luscious rain we have received this Spring, however, is measurable. I will be diligent with my pruning this year.

I love gardening because it is such a learning experience. This is the second revision of my first-ever herb garden. It has been great fun to watch the plants grow and to use them in cooking.

This garden now contains chives, garlic, lemon balm, basil, oregano, cilantro, dill, rosemary and thyme. Since the picture, I've added flat-leaf parsley. In the perennial garden, I've added lemon-thyme, lemon-mint, and lavender. My hope is that the herbs will take over the entire yard.

Now if only we could find an herb that eats chiggers, I'd be a really happy Ozark gardener.

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year

Today is my favorite day of the year -- Earth Day.

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain shower that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

Twenty years ago on this day, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day twenty years ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could be recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished in the past 20 years. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment. Thankfully, the pendulum has swung back again.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people realize the connections.