Hello, I am new here

[islandboy]

Debp,
Just wanted to let you know I finally got my first issue of Pennsylvania Pursuits magazine. It is really interesting, but alas the pictures thou beautiful make me homesick for the countryside. Oh, one day I shall get up there again. Anyways thanks again for tipping me off about the magazine. That was really nice of ya.   

[Debp]

Found an interesting article in the newspaper today, it seems they have deemed it necessary to study dragonflies. Scientists in SW Florida, at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, in Lee County, are trying to determine what factors cause dragonflies to feed when and where on the Sanibel island. So they have marked off six  15-meter sections along both sides of the Sanibel-Captiva Road, and while one researcher looks for roadkill dragonfly's, another researcher counts the dragonfly's that fly into and out of each quadrant. They also record air temperature, wind, speed, light intensity, and dominant vegetation. Finally they use a insect aspirator and vacuum a 1 square -meter of roadside grass to suck up insects for identification and density. The researchers say that if we show that certain roadsides are more likely to put dragonflies at risk, we can indicate to Floridians and departments of transportation how they can manage roadsides to reduce roadkilled dragonflies. To support the dragonfly larvae, you need healthy aquatic environment. (Aquatic means wet lands which means mosquitoes breeding grounds as well).     Another way our tax dollars are hard at work.   
Interesting to note is that Lee County has 27 dragonfly species and eight damselfly species. Dragonflies and Damselflies belong to the order Odonata, which means "toothed ones." Dragonfly's are really fast, they fly 30 miles an hour. Motor vehicles splatter insects all the time so why worry about dragonflies???  Good question.  Their answer. If you have healthy populations of dragonflies means you have healthy aquatic and terrestrial habitats. 
Which in laymens terms means if you have lots of dragonflies, you have a healthy mosquito population, as that is what dragonflies eat.

The above got me chuckling!  It is interesting that there are so many dragonfly species, though!  Oh, glad you liked the PA magazine!

Ok, so you guys won't think I am making up the live roach jewelry....here it is:  (Should get you all laughing, good for your health!!) 

Gross Roach Jewelry
Filed in archive Trends by tammy on March 25, 2007

You've probably seen this featured already on shows like America's Next Top Model or more recently CSI: NY. Yup, it's pretty much what it looks like - a roach with crystals attached to its head. Supposedly, according to this article, it doesn't hurt the roach:

Head designer of Black Chandelier Jared Gold is famous for taking an ironic twist on fashion. His latest fashion craze, the Roach Brooch, uses a proprietary by-hand process to gently bejewel live Madagascar hissing cockroaches with Austrian Swarovski crystal (placed on top of the non-feeling part of the head), which are then accessorized with a leash set and sold ready to wear.

Okay, as a native Floridian, it's not like I am a roach activist. I've killed my share and then some, but, I still can't help but feel like this is just not a nice thing to do. If you are going to hurt a roach, then smash it and be done with it. Don't glue sparkles on its head and attach a leash to the poor thing.

Am I alone in thinking that, not only is this just tasteless, it's mean? The web site for Black Chandelier claims these are pets:

Product information:

If you are fan of the show "America's Next Top Model" then you may already be familiar with the giant Madagascar hissing cockroach brooch. This piece of jewelry is made from a living Madagascar hissing cockroach that is decorated with Austrian Swarovski crystals. This is one of the few pieces of jewelry that you will own that you will also be able to treat like a pet.

To care for your giant Madagascar hissing cockroach broach you will need to make sure that you provide it with the right type of housing and food. Your cockroach brooch will need a dark terrarium with soil and leaf litter as its home, and you will need to feed it fresh bananas and provide it with a damp cotton ball or paper towel to provide it with the right amount of water to survive. If you provide your living cockroach jewelry with the proper accommodations then it should live for about a year. However, most vendors that offer this product will not guarantee that it will live this long.

The giant Madagascar hissing cockroach broaches are unique accessories, however, you may be wondering when you will be able to wear this piece of insect jewelry. Well there are several occasions that you can wear this item. First they make an elegant addition to a Halloween costume. Besides Halloween this item can also be worn to posh dinner parties, friendly get-together's, as well as special events. Your confidence and style sense is what will allow you to get away with wearing this item as a fashion accessory.

[islandboy]

Thanks for sharing that interesting information about  hissing cockroach jewelry. I wonder how many people who have worn this gross jewelry, have had their clothes ruined by well meaning friends swatting the roaches attemping to kill the insects. I do not like roaches.
I am speechless. This sounds like a movie-star fad.

As for the dragonflies, I enjoy seeing them and I was interested in the fact of having the 27 different species in our area. They listed the names of all of them and I will list a few: Smokey rubyspot, Blue-ringed dancer, Purple bluet, those are damselflies. The dragonflies are Common green-darner, Twilight darner, Halloween pennant, Great pondhawk, Blue dasher, Red-mantled saddlebags.
Often wondered who gets to name all these insects and how do they come up with such strange and fascinating names???

[Debp]

Thanks for sharing that interesting information about  hissing cockroach jewelry. I wonder how many people who have worn this gross jewelry, have had their clothes ruined my well meaning friends swatting the roaches at temping to kill the insects. I do not like roaches.
I am speechless. This sounds like a movie-star fad.

As for the dragonflies, I enjoy seeing them and I was interested in the fact of having the 27 different species in our area. They listed the names of all of them and I will list a few: Smokey rubyspot, Blue-ringed dancer, Purple bluet, those are damselflies. The dragonflies are Common green-darner, Twilight darner, Halloween pennant, Great pondhawk, Blue dasher, Red-mantled saddlebags.
Often wondered who gets to name all these insects and how do they come up with such strange and fascinating names???

The roach jewelry article had photos of "stars" wearing them!  Ugh....I think it would not only be creepy, but it would spoil my appetite, if I saw someone at a party wearing one! 

Yes, those are some interesting names for the Dragon Flies.

I have an appointment now so have to go.  Talk to you all later.

[islandboy]

No more boring stories about dragonflies.
In our yard clean-up we found out there are several fruit trees on the property that have grown up under and in all the brush over the last few years. We have six guava trees and four loquat trees. And two wild orange trees , that will produce sour oranges unless we graft on some sweet orange branches. At least I think that is how that works. Hum..., I will have to do some research on that one. Anyways it was a pleasent surprise to find them among all the burdock weeds, beauty berry plants, vines and thorns, etc.. brush. Thinking about guava jelly. We have lots of banana trees and found some that we need to relocate into areas with full sun. My elderberry plants are not doing as well as hoped, but my mango trees are really growing fast. Hoping one day I go out and find fruit on them. We have an avocado tree that is loaded with fruit, but the squirrels usually knock them all off before they have time to get ripe. And our two tangelo trees have some fruit on as well. Unless we get a hurricane or strong wind storm, we will have lots of fruit soon.
I enjoy the beauty and grace in the plants that grow beautifully well in sun and rain, works of art by the Masters hand. We are so blessed by the plants and flowers, trees and wildlife, that abound on this planet. Each day is a special gift to us all that take time to see.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sounds like you have a great orchard going there. On the oranges try cross pollinating with a sweet orange. You'll get a fairly sweet orange with the hardiness of the wild sour one.

[islandboy]

Thanks for the advice on the orange trees. I ask a friend who knows the proper way to graft onto branches to see if he can get some hardy sweet orange stock to graft on my trees.
I have been popping in and out these last few days visiting other forums. The set-up here is one of the best I have come across mostly in the spell-check department. Some forums have old spell checkers or home-made ones that are confusing to use and don't always get the job done. I'll get off my soap box now.   
I posted this elsewhere the other day, but it stuck me as being so true and to the point I thought I would add it here as well.

Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone, Other friends may fail me---He is still my own; Though His hand may lead me over dreary ways, Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise.

[nChrist]

Anywhere with Jesus I am not alone, Other friends may fail me---He is still my own; Though His hand may lead me over dreary ways, Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise.

Amen Islandboy!

I give thanks that we are never alone, and HE will never forsake us. In fact, HE is here with us now.

Love In Christ,
Tom

 

[Debp]

Islandboy, I got my latest issue of Pennsylvania Pursuits.  Just want to let you know there are usually more, bigger and better photos in it.  I guess because this issue was having articles on food and drink, there weren't so many beautiful scenic photos.  The next issue should be much better!!  Oh, your orchard sounds great!!

Question to all:  I just found out Four O Clock flower bushes are poisonous....does that mean you shouldn't plant them too near to a fruit tree?  I know I've heard you shouldn't plant Oleander near to fruit trees. 

[islandboy]

I didn't know there was a problem with planting poisonous things close to fruit trees, so thanks for the heads up on that one. I just know you don't want to eat them or use their branches to roast hotdogs and other food.
As for the magazine I even enjoyed the ad pictures, but will look forward to next issue.   

[Debp]

I didn't know there was a problem with planting poisonous things close to fruit trees, so thanks for the heads up on that one.

I'm not really sure about this....just heard about the Oleander one time.  Does anyone else know about this?  Is it safe to plant a poisonous bush or flower bush near to fruit trees?  I gave some Four O Clock seeds to someone and then found out they are poisonous....so that's why I'm asking.

[islandboy]

Okay guys this is a embarrassing confession, a non-intentional one that was brought to my attention by my better-half. When I first joined the forum I filled out the form, filled in the required stuff and figured I would someday get around to filling in the parts that at the time did not seem important. However, now is the time. As I stated some posts back my user name came from a pair of owls that live near here and one who makes a habit of visiting me when I am out in the yard. It in it's self implies something although, in reality it does not. Generally, when I read the posts, I am  paying more attention to who wrote it and not to whom it is addressed. So when my better-half visited this site to read the political jokes, and then skimmed over my introduction page and etc.., it was announced to me loud and clear they think you are me. WHAT?            I declared and started looking back over my posts and yours and discovered that this was indeed true. So, fellow Christians, I beg you to forgive me for this oversite of which today I am writing about and I will go into my profile and fix as soon as this is posted. I am sorry for this and hadn't noticed the error  of my ways, until now.      Thunder has indeed roared in this house and in my ears long enough and so with humbleness I have filled in the blank.
The End.

[Soldier4Christ]

lol  ...   I think that I understand   ...  sister  ...  and I don't see a problem with it. You are still you. 

 

[islandboy]

Thank you for understanding, Pastor Roger.  It was the post about the working on the boat that caused the thunder. There was no intent to mislead.  All the friendship and fellowship I share on this forum is very important to me.   

[Debp]

Thank you for understanding, Pastor Roger.  It was the post about the working on the boat that caused the thunder. There was no intent to mislead.  All the friendship and fellowship I share on this forum is very important to me.   

Oh, so Islandboy, you are a woman!!  Sure had us fooled.