R = Rachel Carson

Marine biologist, conservationist, writer and editor, Rachel Carson pioneered in government service during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Her service to science and the environment has lasting impact into the 21^st century.

Rachel Carson was the daughter of a successful insurance salesman. Her childhood was spent exploring the 65 acre family farm and reading Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson. She attended college in the 1920s changing her major from English to Biology.

Her pioneering scientific work focused attention on pesticides and the negative and cumulative impact on the environment. Her work directly brought about the ban on DDT.

She served as the editor of the Fish and Wildlife Service publications and supervised the writing staff by 1945. She wrote articles for Reader’s digest and the New York Times as well as penning  the bestseller ‘Under the Sea Wind’ and ‘Silent Spring’.

Her work inspired others to found the Environmental Protection Agency. Her research and writing has continued to find its way into current publications including the Scientist of the Food and Drug Administration, and giving the base information for the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.

More about Rachel Carson: http://www.rachelcarson.org/

Fleur-de-lis

Fleur-de-lis is French for lily.

This enduring symbol has had many uses through the centuries. Of course, the most recognizable is the French monarchy who used the symbol within their heraldry. The heraldry helped families with their claims for the throne. French scholars date the use of the fleur to the 12^th century, first used by Louis VI.

However, scholars date the use of the fleur-de-lis back to Charlemagne as a religious symbol. The Catholic Church acknowledges use of the fleur-de-lis as a symbol of the Trinity with the three petals representing the all-in-one nature of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.

Medieval art work of religious icons often used symbols to identify the various patron saints depicted for the illiterate public. The fleur-de-lis in the hand or at the feet of a woman identified her as the Virgin Mary.

The petals of the lily became a representation of the traits: faith, wisdom and chivalry which represented divine favor. The relation to chivalry led the contemporary organization, the Boys Scouts to adopt the symbol as their own.

Today the remnants of the reach and power French monarchy is found included in familial coat-of-arms of their descendants. Descendants share their heritage by flying the fleur-de-list around the world in the English coat-of-arms, the flag of Quebec, the fleur-de-lis of Florence, flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and flag of New Orleans among others.

For more information about the fleur-de-lis go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_heraldry

A Good Omen: Ladybug

When a good omen visits, it’s nice to tell nature or the world thank you for sending the message of balance this day.

Ladybugs are good omens. Since the Middle Ages, ladybugs have been connected with saving crops from being overrun by other insects.

Depending on your local history, Ladybugs may be responsible for predicting how much money you’ll have, how many children you’ll have, a cure for tooth aches or improvement of your overall health. But no matter where you live, it’s considered bad luck to kill a ladybug.

Some of the amazing fact about ladybugs includes: Ladybugs are beetles. There are at least 400 different kinds of ladybugs in North America and nearly 5,000 different varieties around the world.

Without the ladybug we’d be overrun with aphids. Aphids are a favorite food of the ladybug. Contrary-wise, Ladybugs are not a favorite food to any predator. They release a chemical so they don’t taste very good.

Ladybug, Ladybug, fly away home
Your house is on fire,
Your children are gone.

Getty's Garden

The Getty’s kitchen garden exhibits the best of a cloister garden or a pre-refrigeration household. Herbs were used as flavoring for cooking, medicines, preservatives for food storage and aromatics. The variety of herbs in the garden include:

Peppermint ~ Mentha varieties brew splendid teas, cook into candies, cakes and other dishes. This herb grows well in the sunny beach location.

Lavender ~ Lavendula officinalis from the Latin “lavare” means to wash. Using lavender in the wash or placed in clothing during storage not only kept the moths away but gave the fabric a pleasant aroma. Lavender serves as a multi-use herb, good for food, drink, aroma, cleaning, medicine and crafts. It grows in abundance in the Malibu climate.

Chamomile ~ Matricaria chamomilla has a mild sedative action but is primarily known as a disgestive. Mother Rabbit gives Chamomile tea to Peter after he overindulges in Mr. MacGregor’s garden.

Sage ~ Salvia officinalis means to save or preserve in Latin. Sage originates from the Mediterranean and is added regularly in meat dishes.

Thyme ~ Thymus vulgaris, another Mediterrenean plant fills the Getty's boxes with flowers and brings the bees to the garden. This filler plant grows in the spaces and crevices of most herb gardens.

Basil ~ Ocimum basilicum, a popular herb in Italy, comes from India. The savory herb compliments tomato dishes and Pesto.

Life is a Garden

There are days, weeks, even months that seem to revolve around a common theme. Is it intentional? The thoughtful person will wonder, is this a natural occurring or outside of self theme or is this an issue that needs to be addressed within. In the end the journey is what we perceive, therefore, it may just matter that the issue is addressed.

Contemplation in a busy world is something to be designed and obtained as often as possible. Contemplation provides the time to see the forest for the trees. If it is only the blossom that is focused upon, much of life will pass by without the notice, care and nurturing it requires. Without nurturing the whole, the blossom will whither on the vine and the beauty that could comfort and uplift will be lost for future generations. In time, the old ones will say, there was a blossom, it looked like this… and the children having never seen a blossom won’t believe them.

In the Great United States of America of the past, opportunity was available for people who worked hard. Quality work was rewarded. People were fed, clothed. The economy of the Great United States was built in the shape of a diamond, with the greatest number of honest, hard working Americans the following life style:

A typical American family had one parent working and the other parent at home to care for the family (which really is a full time job).

The family had a home, 2 cars, cupboards full, clothes for everyone, shoes that fit, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, investment, savings, 2 weeks + vacation paid, 40 hour work week, time for recreation, money to pay for services such as: gardening, pool service, plumbers, contractors for additions, handymen for maintenance. The kids enjoyed extra classes, music lessons and more.

In our upside down world today, most families are in varying stages of stress, and financial ruin. Two parents working three jobs, and a myriad of tasks left undone because there is little time and less money.

Basic essentials are disregarded because the hard working American has to choose between bad situation or bad situation.

For one family the choice was between health insurance for the family and tires, an essential part of a car, the car that carries the family from place to place.

The mom was saying how she couldn’t imagine life without health insurance and therefore the dad had taken a job for less money that offered health insurance to the family. In the meantime, someone noticed that the tires on this family’s the car were bald. They couldn’t afford new tires or even used tires.

Guess they’ll be covered for injuries when the tire blows out on the highway.

They could make other choices, what would you choose:

Should they not put gas in the car?

Should they not buy groceries?

Should they not pay their utility bills?

Should they not pay the house payment?

There is no other money. They squeeze out what they can with coupons, buying on sale. They kids wear cast-offs, they shop at resale stores. They are average Americans.

Why are these the choices for most American in the 21st Century? Choices of what would have been considered substandard in the 1950s. Is there no one of influence who knows America’s great history? Is there no one of influence who understands how an economy works?

If the average citizen doesn’t have enough for a decent standard of living, you’ll find banks going under, businesses closing, sales down, health care crisis, homelessness, hunger, substandard work to match substandard wages, filth in the street, foreclosure of homes, stock-market losses, surge in prison population, alcoholism, drug addiction, bridges and streets in disrepair, freedom lost for security measures… oh… we’re already there. Isn’t it time for someone of influence to speak the truth and make the change?

When the Owner looks out from his place, he scans the views of his garden to see what his wealth, knowledge and work has created. The owner hired a Master Gardener, who hires Gardeners, who train apprentices. The lowly apprentice works hard to learn from the Gardeners, they are paid as they train with the promise of better work and living wages.

The Gardener works hard to train the apprentice who eases the laborious tasks. The gardener is responsible to the Master and responsible for the apprentice. There are many levels of gardeners who specialize in particular plants. Then there is the Master Gardener who being in the honor place of providing for the owner the garden of their desire and the responsibility of all the gardeners and apprentice. Each individual being fairly compensated for their efforts by working hard, working well and produces a quality product with little or no waste. They recognize their responsibility at home with their family and at work. The economy of the world is the economy of the garden. All work together for harmony. The harmony produces the bounty. The owner reaps the benefits of the garden but also has the greatest responsibility to see that all have good work, good food and a good life.

The greatest lessons can be learned in the garden. If you wish it to grow, you will nurture it. If not you’ll end up with weeds, rocks and sand.