Global Warming

Picture courtesy of:
From: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | Date: 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press.
In 1985 a geological team discovered an ancient fossil forest. The trees were from the Eocene period about 45 million years ago.The large mummified stumps were discovered to be the Dawn Redwood (Metasequioa glyptostroboides) a tree now only found naturally in China.Scientists estimated the climate was sub-tropical somewhat like Florida today. On a nearby island they found the fossilized remains of alligators and rodents. The climate was much warmer 45 million years ago in the Arctic Archipelago and leads me to wonder? Have we caused the climate to change by our actions here on earth, are we in a warming cycle that occurs naturally, and why not call this Climate Change instead of the ominous Global Warming. What do you think about this issue? Is global warming a climate change that occurs naturally in the big picture of our earth's evolution. What do you think?

Advent Wreath and our special blessing- Tankene the Norwegian Forest kitten

Advent wreaths are easy to make and a great way to celebrate this spiritual season. Gather some evergreens or other native plants common in your area and shape them in a circle. Place the candles around the wreath, evenly distributed. There should be three purple and one rose. The first Sunday of Lent, light one of the purple candles.This is to symbolize prayer and penance and remind us to prepare for the coming of Christ. On the second Sunday, light another purple candle and reflect on the hope Christians find in Jesus. The third Sunday, light the rose candle and rejoice that our savoir's birth is near. I think of this as the candle symbolizing the joy we find in Christ. Another purple candle is lit on the last Sunday of Advent reminding us that Jesus is King. On Christmas Eve, a white candle is set in the center of the wreath to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world! Merry Christmas.
Our home is again filled with a special light with the new addition of Tankene Ice Mist- our new Norwegian Forest kitten. Mr.Chub already is his best friend and the Princess Sinatra is hissing less and less. More about him next post.

Native Plants

Have you ever planted native plants? Some good choices for the central coast of California are the Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), the Bush Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and the Scarlet Pimpernal (Anagallis arvenis). Pretty flowers and drought-tolerant: what a perfect addition to the garden. Another favorite of mine is the Ribes Speciosium! Let me know if you have others to add.

Native Plants

Living in the coastal mountains of Central California gives us the chance to incorporate native plants into our garden. Plants such as Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape) are great as barrier plants and for wildlife. They require little care and have lovely yellow blossoms in April. The blossoms turn into berries that are enjoyed by the birds. Sambucus nigra ( Blue Elderberry) grows wild in the mountains near creeks and also produces berries in the Fall. Our squirrels use the branches as a tree path as they jump from our Birch and Cherry trees to the Elderberry . The Blue Jays love to congregate in the Elderberry and mock the squirrels with their chorus of cawing.