Dioon (Gum) Palm Tree - Dioon spinulosum
Giant Dioon is technically a cycad of pre-historical origin, and the Dioon palm tree can grow up to 1 ฝ ft. in diameter with a Dioon trunk growing twelve feet tall. The bright waxy-green leaves of the Dioon are feather-like and pointed on the tips. The giant Dioon palm tree is a favorite container plant and will tolerate temperatures of 25 degrees F., without any significant effect or leaf change.
Bamboo Palm Tree, Reed Palm Tree - Chamaedorea erumpens, Chamaedorea seifrizii
The Bamboo Palm tree thrives indoors when grown in low light. The Bamboo Palm tree is a popular and successful plant for growing in homes, offices, malls and courtyards. The bamboo-like segments are spreading by underground shoots, resulting in this bamboo-like container palm tree being easy to grow and maintain. The plant care is simple, requiring simple watering. As a native grown palm tree from Mexico, the Bamboo Palm is found growing as an understory palm tree under taller palm trees.
Lady Palm Tree - Rhapsis excelsa
The Lady Palm tree historically dates back to the 1600's when Japanese and Chinese propagated the palm trees to be grown inside the Imperial residences. The Lady palm trees were imported by European monarchs and admired because of their qualities of long-life, easy maintenance and unique beauty and their attraction to be used as an ornamental plant. Lady Palm trees, Rhapsis excelsa, can grow twelve feet tall in clumps or clusters under low artificial light. Very few palm trees have the advantage of large indoor growing as does the Lady Palm tree, Rhapsis excelsa.
Ponytail (Bottle) Palm Trees - Beaucamea recurvata
Often called the Elephant Foot palm tree, the Ponytail (Bottle) palm tree, Beaucamea recurvata, grows a swollen base, shaped like a perfume bottle with a narrow neck that corresponds to the trunk capped with a canopy of (ponytail) leaves. Often grown as a low-light bonsai specimen, the Ponytail palm tree can grow for years and years and slowly grows-easily manageable. Ponytail palm trees are available in variegated forms but are difficult to maintain when compared to the green form of the Ponytail palm trees (Bottle), Beaucamea recurvata.
Queen palm trees, Syagrus romanzoffianum (Arecastrum romanzoffianum) (Queen Palm)
The Queen palm trees grow to 50 feet tall in zones 9-11 and is cold hardy in temperatures of 20* F. The Queen palm tree can be easily grown in large pots that add a tropical flair to pool and patios. In the deep south, Queen palm trees are landscaped for parking lots, airport entrances, commercial, and home landscapes. Queen palm trees grow fast and provide fast growing for shade and the tropical look. Queen palm trees, Syagrus romazoffianum (Queen Palm) are important container trees for screens used for outside restaurants and cafes.
Triangle (Madagascar-Triangle) palm tree, Dypsis decaryi. The triangle shape of the leaf bases makes the triangle palm trees from the island of Madagascar, a popular palm tree in the nursery trade. The Madagascar (Triangle) palm tree thrives in full sun and is cold hardy to below freezing temperatures. The Madagascar (Triangle) palm tree, Dypsis decaryi, will turn heads to attention when grown and planted at outside restaurants and cafes in containers.
Zamia (Coontie) Palm Tree - Zamia pumila
William Bartram, the famous American botanist and explorer discovered the Zamia Palm tree growing in Central Florida on an expedition in the year 1773. William Bartram wrote page 160 in his book Travels. "The Zamia pumila the Erythryna corallodendrum (Cardinal Spear), and the Cactus opuntia, grow there in great abundance in perfection. The first grows in pine forests, in tufts or clumps, a large conical strobile disclosing, its coral red fruit which appears singularly beautiful amidst the deep green fern-like pinnate leaves." William Bartram's description for Zamia (Coontie) palm trees, Zamia pumila is vivid and accurate even 233 years past. Zamia (Coontie) palm trees thrive as outside plants, Zones 9-11, also as containerized palm trees for that tropical look. Clumps of Zamia pumila can easily divide to form real plants or the seeds can be planted to grow new Zamia (Coontie) palm trees that are fast growing.
Zamia (Cardboard) palm tree - Zamia furfuracea
The cardboard palm tree is a clumping cycad that grows 3 feet tall in tight clusters that often reach a diameter of 6 feet. The fleshy base is full of water, giving drought protection. The cardboard palm tree, Zamia furfuracea, can be planted outside where temperatures do not go below freezing, and is especially popular to use as bedding plants at resorts such as the Cloister Hotel at Sea Island, Georgia. As a container plant, the cardboard palm tree grows well as specimen or accent plants.
Flowering Dogwood Trees: A Favorite Tree Of America
The State of Virginia has adapted the dogwood flowering tree as its State tree, and many cities in America have named themselves 'The Dogwood City.' Atlanta, Georgia holds a spring festival every April to coincide with the flowering of the of the dogwood trees in Atlanta, Georgia. The Dogwood Festival has continued for 70 years, successfully attracting visitors for events such as outdoor musical extravaganzas in Piedmont Park and the attraction of many artists to display and sell to those visitors who wish to buy pottery, sculpture, oil paintings, and photographs.
Flowering dogwood trees, Cornus florida, were discovered in the South by William Bartram in 1773; these trees were beautifully described in his exploratory book, Travels (page 399). Near Mobile, Alabama. Bartram encountered a grove of dogwood trees that aggressively covered an area 9 miles long. The dogwood trees were growing so thick that sunlight was practically excluded, and almost all other plant life was excluded except for an occasional white flowering Magnolia grandiflora. The land on which the white flowering dogwood tree grew was level soil that was loose with a humid black organic mould on the surface with dogwood roots growing into a stiff yellowish clay. The limbs of the flowering dogwood trees were interlocking and spread horizontally at a tree height of 12 feet. The vast interlocking limbs of the dogwood trees covered the entire area as a shade tree that cooled the camping area used by William Bartram. After exploring for another seventy miles, Bartram wrote "spacious groves of this fine flowering tree, which must, in the spring season, when covered with blossoms, present a most pleasing scene; when at the same time a variety of other sweet shrubs display their beauty.
The white flowering dogwood is a native tree to the forests of America and has been exported worldwide as a seedling dogwood and as a grafted white dogwood also flowering in pink and red. The pink flowering dogwood is available to buy as a seed grown tree, but the most desirable, stable, predictable pink dogwood trees are nursery grafted trees. Red flowering dogwood trees are not available as seedling trees, but as grafted cultivars, such as the Cherokee Chief, red flowering dogwood tree.
The dogwood tree, Cornus florida, is very adaptable in America, ranging from Massachusetts to Florida, and the tree is generally grown as an understory tree 12-15 feet tall, although some old specimens of 40 feet tall are recorded. The flowering dogwood tree is perfect for planting and growing in a small garden or in large parks and as big landscape specimen trees. Dogwood has the unusual quality of growing well when planted beneath pine trees, where only a few other shrubs such as redbud trees, azalea plants, and camellia shrubs can compete successfully, because of the dense root pine tree competition near the surface of the ground.
The flowering of dogwood trees begins in early spring and the flowering lasts 2 to 3 weeks. Oval berries of bright red are formed following the blooms and persist on the trees into fall and winter after leaves are shed, and until they are eaten by wildlife and birds. In the fall the dogwood trees are covered in brilliant red leaves that change to purple. The fallen dogwood leaves are very fragile and usually easily deteriorate without raking. Flowering dogwood trees will grow well underneath oak tree shade as well as under pine trees, but the dogwood tree remarkably will grow well in full sun. Dogwood trees are well adapted to stress and are very tolerant of dry weather. Dogwood trees are tolerant of cold weather, and thrive in USDA zones 5 through 9.
Every landscape gardener appreciates the spring blooms of the white flowering dogwood trees as a background companion tree for flowering redbud trees or in a combination of flowering azalea shrubs in colors of red, pink, purple, or white.
Dogwood trees can be propagated by growing from the seed or by rooting the cutting, but the best dogwood cultivars are grown from grafted trees. The Cloud Nine, flowering, white dogwood tree produces very large (hand-size) blooms, especially in the juvenile stage. The Weaver's Select, white, flowering dogwood tree is grafted and can produce a flower 6 inches wide.
The dogwood tree has been rumored to have been the wood from which the crucifixion cross of Jesus Christ was made in the year 33 AD. This rumor is ridiculous in several respects: first, there is not Biblical record of dogwood trees in the Scriptures of the Old Testament Bible or the New Testament. Most plant references in the Bible are very vague except for a few references to the date palm tree, olive tree, pomegranate trees, fig tree, and grape vines. The identity of those plants and trees is obvious, because of their fruits that are produced, but accurate plant identity could not be done easily until Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish physician, suggested rules on naming plants in the early 1700's.
There are many species of dogwood trees and shrubs, but it is unlikely that any of the Mideastern species of dogwood trees grew trunks large enough to shape into a crucifixion cross. The wood of the dogwood tree is so hard and dense that nails driven into the wood would split the wood. That tree definitely could not have been the North American dogwood tree, Cornus florida, since that tree did not grow in Israel at the time of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps the reason for the rumor is that the dogwood tree was the wood of the crucifixion cross is the fact that the four white bracts (flower) are shaped like a cross. This resemblance of a white cross-shaped flower occurs in innumerable species of flowers of trees and, of course, should not be given any weight of evidence of the dogwood tree wood being the substance of crucifixions by the Jewish High Priest and the Roman rulers.
Flowering dogwood trees, Cornus florida, were discovered in the South by William Bartram in 1773; these trees were beautifully described in his exploratory book, Travels (page 399). Near Mobile, Alabama. Bartram encountered a grove of dogwood trees that aggressively covered an area 9 miles long. The dogwood trees were growing so thick that sunlight was practically excluded, and almost all other plant life was excluded except for an occasional white flowering Magnolia grandiflora. The land on which the white flowering dogwood tree grew was level soil that was loose with a humid black organic mould on the surface with dogwood roots growing into a stiff yellowish clay. The limbs of the flowering dogwood trees were interlocking and spread horizontally at a tree height of 12 feet. The vast interlocking limbs of the dogwood trees covered the entire area as a shade tree that cooled the camping area used by William Bartram. After exploring for another seventy miles, Bartram wrote "spacious groves of this fine flowering tree, which must, in the spring season, when covered with blossoms, present a most pleasing scene; when at the same time a variety of other sweet shrubs display their beauty.
The white flowering dogwood is a native tree to the forests of America and has been exported worldwide as a seedling dogwood and as a grafted white dogwood also flowering in pink and red. The pink flowering dogwood is available to buy as a seed grown tree, but the most desirable, stable, predictable pink dogwood trees are nursery grafted trees. Red flowering dogwood trees are not available as seedling trees, but as grafted cultivars, such as the Cherokee Chief, red flowering dogwood tree.
The dogwood tree, Cornus florida, is very adaptable in America, ranging from Massachusetts to Florida, and the tree is generally grown as an understory tree 12-15 feet tall, although some old specimens of 40 feet tall are recorded. The flowering dogwood tree is perfect for planting and growing in a small garden or in large parks and as big landscape specimen trees. Dogwood has the unusual quality of growing well when planted beneath pine trees, where only a few other shrubs such as redbud trees, azalea plants, and camellia shrubs can compete successfully, because of the dense root pine tree competition near the surface of the ground.
The flowering of dogwood trees begins in early spring and the flowering lasts 2 to 3 weeks. Oval berries of bright red are formed following the blooms and persist on the trees into fall and winter after leaves are shed, and until they are eaten by wildlife and birds. In the fall the dogwood trees are covered in brilliant red leaves that change to purple. The fallen dogwood leaves are very fragile and usually easily deteriorate without raking. Flowering dogwood trees will grow well underneath oak tree shade as well as under pine trees, but the dogwood tree remarkably will grow well in full sun. Dogwood trees are well adapted to stress and are very tolerant of dry weather. Dogwood trees are tolerant of cold weather, and thrive in USDA zones 5 through 9.
Every landscape gardener appreciates the spring blooms of the white flowering dogwood trees as a background companion tree for flowering redbud trees or in a combination of flowering azalea shrubs in colors of red, pink, purple, or white.
Dogwood trees can be propagated by growing from the seed or by rooting the cutting, but the best dogwood cultivars are grown from grafted trees. The Cloud Nine, flowering, white dogwood tree produces very large (hand-size) blooms, especially in the juvenile stage. The Weaver's Select, white, flowering dogwood tree is grafted and can produce a flower 6 inches wide.
The dogwood tree has been rumored to have been the wood from which the crucifixion cross of Jesus Christ was made in the year 33 AD. This rumor is ridiculous in several respects: first, there is not Biblical record of dogwood trees in the Scriptures of the Old Testament Bible or the New Testament. Most plant references in the Bible are very vague except for a few references to the date palm tree, olive tree, pomegranate trees, fig tree, and grape vines. The identity of those plants and trees is obvious, because of their fruits that are produced, but accurate plant identity could not be done easily until Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish physician, suggested rules on naming plants in the early 1700's.
There are many species of dogwood trees and shrubs, but it is unlikely that any of the Mideastern species of dogwood trees grew trunks large enough to shape into a crucifixion cross. The wood of the dogwood tree is so hard and dense that nails driven into the wood would split the wood. That tree definitely could not have been the North American dogwood tree, Cornus florida, since that tree did not grow in Israel at the time of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps the reason for the rumor is that the dogwood tree was the wood of the crucifixion cross is the fact that the four white bracts (flower) are shaped like a cross. This resemblance of a white cross-shaped flower occurs in innumerable species of flowers of trees and, of course, should not be given any weight of evidence of the dogwood tree wood being the substance of crucifixions by the Jewish High Priest and the Roman rulers.
World Travel, Volunteering and the Journey to Raw Vegan
In this article, Happy Oasis shares on world travel, volunteering and her journey to raw vegan. Happy Oasis is a raw food inspiration, an author and the "Chief Visionary Officer" of the Raw Spirit Festival.
Kevin: Just kind of like a personal question from me, how do you manage to get from place to place if you are volunteering, how does it work out? Because I know there are a lot of people who want to volunteer, who want to travel. How have you done it? What's the secret?
Happy: That's a great question. Since I was 12, I was on a panel yesterday at the Vibrant Living Festival, at the age of 12 I became entrepreneur because I decided that I would wish for a pony and to pay for the pony, I started to teach riding lessons. I barely knew how to ride myself, but it's that entrepreneurial spirit that has landed me in dozens of various entrepreneurial activities. For example, I was up in the foothills of the Himalayas and I was boarding a train in India and I said to this man, "What are these in these crates?" He said, "Oh these are avocados." But he said it in a different language and I realized it was avocados. I said, "Can I buy all your crates?" He said, "Certainly." So I bought them all and I took them to Goa, which was the hippy market. I sold them for several times more than I had purchased them. Just little things like that helped as fundraisers. So that raised funds for me for few months then I could go on volunteering.
I taught English in Bangkok for about a year, total, and instead of teaching in schools, I went to the tallest buildings in Bangkok, when I was 19, and I went straight to the CEOs and taught the management staff.. They so appreciated it that they said instead of paying $5 an hour, which is what they would do at a school, that they would pay me for each person. So it ended up being a significant amount of money so I only had to work for an hour or two. Anybody can do these things. It's just having a slightly different perspective. Then that funded me for a year by doing that for many months. And then I also live at monasteries.
So the main way that I cut down on expenses is that, when I was 16, I received a scholarship to Tasmania, a full scholarship and I worked and traveled and studied and represented America at Hobart Matriculation College. And during my summers off, my weekends, I was a hiking guide, they call it a trekking guide. On one of our first treks, there was a woman who came to our camp in the middle of the night, we were singing around the fire. She approached and she had a big backpack on and she was from Germany and we said, "Come join us." I started interviewing her. I said, "Tell me about yourself." She said, "Well, I have been traveling for four years." I said, "Four years?" I was 16 years old. "How do you travel for four years?" She said, "Well, I was a bank teller," I think she said, "and I saved up some money for about three years, but this is what I did. I didn't drink." She said, "I don't drink alcohol. I don't buy ever buy any kind of drinks, even soda pop, juices. I only drink water at restaurants. Secondly, I am vegetarian." Thirdly, she doesn't go out dancing. She doesn't go to bars. She also doesn't rent movies. She goes to libraries instead of bookshops. So she had all these frugal habits that she taught me at the ripe age of 16 and so I adopted hose habits immediately. Not only that but she said she camps and she doesn't spend money on hotels. I started sleeping outside and realizing if I can bring a tent or sleep under the stars. She said to me, "What's the point of having a hotel where you are not enjoying it anyway because you are sleeping?" Those are some of the ways.
I ended up having this sort of monastic lifestyle of sleeping anywhere. I slept around, but not in that traditional way. [laughter] Then I would go to farmers markets and then I thought, what's the next step of frugality? I would like to pick my own fruit. So I picked fruit everywhere I went. I would ask farmers. I would ask orchardists, "Could I help you, relieve you of all this fruit? They were on the ground and in your trees?" And they would almost always say yes. And there's all these wild, edible plants. So I became an intuitive wild edible plant person. And then as far as window shopping, I had this rule that if I can't carry it on my back, I can't have it. So when I would window shop, I literally would just look at things and then realize the whole world belongs to all of us. All the riches in India and all the riches around the world are everybody's to enjoy to see, to look at, to perceive and then we walk on to the next adventure. Life has been a seasonal adventure for me. I spent many, many years living out of a backpack with minimal possessions.
Kevin: How does raw food fit into that for you? Do you do it for experience or how does raw food fit?
Happy: Well, the beauty of raw fruit in this lifestyle is that it's as easy as picking a piece of fruit from the tree. There is no wood stove. There is no camp stove. People go backpacking and I always had this advantage, I always had five less pounds than those people because I didn't have fuel for a wood stove or cooking stove. Then also the availability and the wild plants. So basically, I'm very comfortable just foraging. But the beauty of it, especially for this disposition and my constitution, is even though I was unusually physically strong for my age, size and gender, I had a weak immune system and I probably still do today if I would go back to the SAD diet, the Standard American Diet.
I was raised, like most of us, on hot dogs and Twinkies and Ho-Hos and PopTarts and Captain Crunch and Coca Cola for breakfast sometimes, basically no fresh fruit or vegetables, very, very rare. Our oranges came out of a can. Our spinach was brown, it came out of the can. I was a survivor. God bless our parents, that whole generation. Who knew? Nobody knew. Everybody was told that this was the way to live. So now a lot of people are coming out of that. So what that did to my immune system is it was a bit tragic. So I became a raw vegetarian after a long research, decades of investigation as to what was wrong with my system.
I discovered vegetarianism when I was a teenager and then became a vegan when I was about 30, so about 15 years ago. The way that happened is I was living in a Buddhist monastery in the jungles of Thailand and my dear friend, who is younger but so wise, she is a PhD now living in Singapore with some tribal people, she said to me that milk is unnatural for human diet and of course we had a great debate back and forth. That night, I went to sleep with the thought of milk is unnatural. How can that be? And I woke up in the middle of the night and I had somehow become attuned to a past life 50,000 years. I was living in a cave and I was sort of Neanderthal like, but post because Neanderthals were before then, and I was coming out on all four legs and I was hungry and maybe a little grumpy. I looked through the shrubbery and there was a wild cow, very much like the wild cows that still remain only in Africa today. I saw the cow and I thought, "Milk." So I started running after the cow, myself on four legs, the cow on four legs, and then I lunged for her teats. And I started milking her teats, and I realized my goodness, it's just like a woman, like from our species. And I woke up feeling very strange. And feeling that that is so unnatural. I've never had dairy products again.
And then that day I went to the health food store and I started seeing women with those machines. Like, as cows have the metal machines on their six breasts or whatever, I saw the checkout woman with this machine, in my minds eye. And I thought that is so bizarre, it is incredibly unnatural for one species to steal milk from the mother who's producing milk for her baby. It's not only unethical, but it is just, it's just bizarre. And so that kind of cured that aspect for me.
And then with cooked foods I would note that every time I lived with tribal people who tended to eat more fresh food and more wild foods that I never had health problems. And I always thought it's like that because I feel so loved and I feel so like safe in nature. But then I'd go back to the city and I'd go to a ashram and I'd feel loved or I'd feel safe but I would get sick. And at these ashrams they would serve a lot of cooked foods. And it would be vegetarian, but it was a debilitating vegetarian diet versus a wild edible diet, wild raw, more raw diet, in the hinterlands of these countries. And so then after yoyo-ing, as we tend to ping-pong for a while until we figure it out, I realized just stay with the raw vegan.
And then what happened is, just at the time when I was figuring it out, somebody gave me three books. Viktoras Kulvinskas' "Survival into the 21st Century," Gabriel Cousens' "Rainbow diet," and David Wolfe's "Nature's First Law." And I read those three books within the same month and I just, their arguments were so colorful, so hilarious, genius, and convincing, that I decided, "That's it I'm going to try the raw vegan."
Kevin: Just kind of like a personal question from me, how do you manage to get from place to place if you are volunteering, how does it work out? Because I know there are a lot of people who want to volunteer, who want to travel. How have you done it? What's the secret?
Happy: That's a great question. Since I was 12, I was on a panel yesterday at the Vibrant Living Festival, at the age of 12 I became entrepreneur because I decided that I would wish for a pony and to pay for the pony, I started to teach riding lessons. I barely knew how to ride myself, but it's that entrepreneurial spirit that has landed me in dozens of various entrepreneurial activities. For example, I was up in the foothills of the Himalayas and I was boarding a train in India and I said to this man, "What are these in these crates?" He said, "Oh these are avocados." But he said it in a different language and I realized it was avocados. I said, "Can I buy all your crates?" He said, "Certainly." So I bought them all and I took them to Goa, which was the hippy market. I sold them for several times more than I had purchased them. Just little things like that helped as fundraisers. So that raised funds for me for few months then I could go on volunteering.
I taught English in Bangkok for about a year, total, and instead of teaching in schools, I went to the tallest buildings in Bangkok, when I was 19, and I went straight to the CEOs and taught the management staff.. They so appreciated it that they said instead of paying $5 an hour, which is what they would do at a school, that they would pay me for each person. So it ended up being a significant amount of money so I only had to work for an hour or two. Anybody can do these things. It's just having a slightly different perspective. Then that funded me for a year by doing that for many months. And then I also live at monasteries.
So the main way that I cut down on expenses is that, when I was 16, I received a scholarship to Tasmania, a full scholarship and I worked and traveled and studied and represented America at Hobart Matriculation College. And during my summers off, my weekends, I was a hiking guide, they call it a trekking guide. On one of our first treks, there was a woman who came to our camp in the middle of the night, we were singing around the fire. She approached and she had a big backpack on and she was from Germany and we said, "Come join us." I started interviewing her. I said, "Tell me about yourself." She said, "Well, I have been traveling for four years." I said, "Four years?" I was 16 years old. "How do you travel for four years?" She said, "Well, I was a bank teller," I think she said, "and I saved up some money for about three years, but this is what I did. I didn't drink." She said, "I don't drink alcohol. I don't buy ever buy any kind of drinks, even soda pop, juices. I only drink water at restaurants. Secondly, I am vegetarian." Thirdly, she doesn't go out dancing. She doesn't go to bars. She also doesn't rent movies. She goes to libraries instead of bookshops. So she had all these frugal habits that she taught me at the ripe age of 16 and so I adopted hose habits immediately. Not only that but she said she camps and she doesn't spend money on hotels. I started sleeping outside and realizing if I can bring a tent or sleep under the stars. She said to me, "What's the point of having a hotel where you are not enjoying it anyway because you are sleeping?" Those are some of the ways.
I ended up having this sort of monastic lifestyle of sleeping anywhere. I slept around, but not in that traditional way. [laughter] Then I would go to farmers markets and then I thought, what's the next step of frugality? I would like to pick my own fruit. So I picked fruit everywhere I went. I would ask farmers. I would ask orchardists, "Could I help you, relieve you of all this fruit? They were on the ground and in your trees?" And they would almost always say yes. And there's all these wild, edible plants. So I became an intuitive wild edible plant person. And then as far as window shopping, I had this rule that if I can't carry it on my back, I can't have it. So when I would window shop, I literally would just look at things and then realize the whole world belongs to all of us. All the riches in India and all the riches around the world are everybody's to enjoy to see, to look at, to perceive and then we walk on to the next adventure. Life has been a seasonal adventure for me. I spent many, many years living out of a backpack with minimal possessions.
Kevin: How does raw food fit into that for you? Do you do it for experience or how does raw food fit?
Happy: Well, the beauty of raw fruit in this lifestyle is that it's as easy as picking a piece of fruit from the tree. There is no wood stove. There is no camp stove. People go backpacking and I always had this advantage, I always had five less pounds than those people because I didn't have fuel for a wood stove or cooking stove. Then also the availability and the wild plants. So basically, I'm very comfortable just foraging. But the beauty of it, especially for this disposition and my constitution, is even though I was unusually physically strong for my age, size and gender, I had a weak immune system and I probably still do today if I would go back to the SAD diet, the Standard American Diet.
I was raised, like most of us, on hot dogs and Twinkies and Ho-Hos and PopTarts and Captain Crunch and Coca Cola for breakfast sometimes, basically no fresh fruit or vegetables, very, very rare. Our oranges came out of a can. Our spinach was brown, it came out of the can. I was a survivor. God bless our parents, that whole generation. Who knew? Nobody knew. Everybody was told that this was the way to live. So now a lot of people are coming out of that. So what that did to my immune system is it was a bit tragic. So I became a raw vegetarian after a long research, decades of investigation as to what was wrong with my system.
I discovered vegetarianism when I was a teenager and then became a vegan when I was about 30, so about 15 years ago. The way that happened is I was living in a Buddhist monastery in the jungles of Thailand and my dear friend, who is younger but so wise, she is a PhD now living in Singapore with some tribal people, she said to me that milk is unnatural for human diet and of course we had a great debate back and forth. That night, I went to sleep with the thought of milk is unnatural. How can that be? And I woke up in the middle of the night and I had somehow become attuned to a past life 50,000 years. I was living in a cave and I was sort of Neanderthal like, but post because Neanderthals were before then, and I was coming out on all four legs and I was hungry and maybe a little grumpy. I looked through the shrubbery and there was a wild cow, very much like the wild cows that still remain only in Africa today. I saw the cow and I thought, "Milk." So I started running after the cow, myself on four legs, the cow on four legs, and then I lunged for her teats. And I started milking her teats, and I realized my goodness, it's just like a woman, like from our species. And I woke up feeling very strange. And feeling that that is so unnatural. I've never had dairy products again.
And then that day I went to the health food store and I started seeing women with those machines. Like, as cows have the metal machines on their six breasts or whatever, I saw the checkout woman with this machine, in my minds eye. And I thought that is so bizarre, it is incredibly unnatural for one species to steal milk from the mother who's producing milk for her baby. It's not only unethical, but it is just, it's just bizarre. And so that kind of cured that aspect for me.
And then with cooked foods I would note that every time I lived with tribal people who tended to eat more fresh food and more wild foods that I never had health problems. And I always thought it's like that because I feel so loved and I feel so like safe in nature. But then I'd go back to the city and I'd go to a ashram and I'd feel loved or I'd feel safe but I would get sick. And at these ashrams they would serve a lot of cooked foods. And it would be vegetarian, but it was a debilitating vegetarian diet versus a wild edible diet, wild raw, more raw diet, in the hinterlands of these countries. And so then after yoyo-ing, as we tend to ping-pong for a while until we figure it out, I realized just stay with the raw vegan.
And then what happened is, just at the time when I was figuring it out, somebody gave me three books. Viktoras Kulvinskas' "Survival into the 21st Century," Gabriel Cousens' "Rainbow diet," and David Wolfe's "Nature's First Law." And I read those three books within the same month and I just, their arguments were so colorful, so hilarious, genius, and convincing, that I decided, "That's it I'm going to try the raw vegan."
Kevin Gianni the host of Renegade Health Show - a fun and informative daily health show that is changing the perception of health across the world. His is an internationally known health advocate, author, and film consultant. He has helped thousands and thousands of people in over 21 countries though online health teleseminars about abundance, optimum health and longevity. He is also the creator and co-author of "The Busy Person's Fitness Solution."
A Common Disease That Affects The Evergreen Tree
The evergreen tree is a beauty upon the year round landscape. The evergreen tree is a symbol of strength as the evergreen retains its color and needles even through the harsh winter months. People have fallen in love with the durability but yet simplistic grace of the evergreen tree. Unfortunately, there are several common diseases that affect the evergreen tree.
Evergreen trees can be killed or harmed by pathogens which are a disease-causing organism. The most common disease that affects the evergreen tree is caused by a type of fungi. Fungi lack the chlorophyll and therefore take nourishment from species in the evergreen family by feeding on these types of trees. Other tree diseases are caused from viruses and bacteria. An evergreen tree can become affected by a pathogen, viruses or bacteria in a number of different ways.
One disease that affects the evergreen tree is called needle cast tree disease. This is a disease that causes the evergreen tree to shed its needles. The symptoms of this type of disease will first appear on the needle. Needle cast tree disease appears as yellow spots on the needles which eventually turn red to brown. The growth of a certain species of fungi will form the spots on the evergreen's needles. When this disease is left untreated the needles fall off. Before the needles are shed tiny black fruiting bodies will form on the needle's surface.
Another type of disease that can affect the health of an evergreen tree is needle blight tree disease. There is a group of needle blight tree diseases that include Dothistroma, Diplodia and brown spot. These diseases are known to attack evergreen trees at the twig tips or the needles. The infected needle will fall from the tree due to the disease. When the needle falls from the tree this creates a denude look. If the evergreen tree is plagued by repeated cycles of infection then this can result in the loss of the tree. There are ways to prevent and to control needle blight tree disease.
A third common disease that affects the evergreen tree is canker tree disease. This is a type of disease where a canker either kills or causes blistering in the tree bark or the trunk of the diseased evergreen tree. There are dozens of known types of fungi that can cause this disease.
The last disease that can affect the evergreen tree is known as root disease. This is a wood decay disease. The fungi get in through the lower part of the tree or directly penetrate the root system of the tree. This fungus is able to travel from one tree to another on soilborne and airborne spores. If this disease is left untreated the evergreen tree will sadly rot from the roots upward.
Each of these diseases which affect an evergreen tree can be prevented or controlled. An evergreen tree is a beautiful natural resource that should be well cared for to ensure a long lifespan of the evergreen tree.
Evergreen trees can be killed or harmed by pathogens which are a disease-causing organism. The most common disease that affects the evergreen tree is caused by a type of fungi. Fungi lack the chlorophyll and therefore take nourishment from species in the evergreen family by feeding on these types of trees. Other tree diseases are caused from viruses and bacteria. An evergreen tree can become affected by a pathogen, viruses or bacteria in a number of different ways.
One disease that affects the evergreen tree is called needle cast tree disease. This is a disease that causes the evergreen tree to shed its needles. The symptoms of this type of disease will first appear on the needle. Needle cast tree disease appears as yellow spots on the needles which eventually turn red to brown. The growth of a certain species of fungi will form the spots on the evergreen's needles. When this disease is left untreated the needles fall off. Before the needles are shed tiny black fruiting bodies will form on the needle's surface.
Another type of disease that can affect the health of an evergreen tree is needle blight tree disease. There is a group of needle blight tree diseases that include Dothistroma, Diplodia and brown spot. These diseases are known to attack evergreen trees at the twig tips or the needles. The infected needle will fall from the tree due to the disease. When the needle falls from the tree this creates a denude look. If the evergreen tree is plagued by repeated cycles of infection then this can result in the loss of the tree. There are ways to prevent and to control needle blight tree disease.
A third common disease that affects the evergreen tree is canker tree disease. This is a type of disease where a canker either kills or causes blistering in the tree bark or the trunk of the diseased evergreen tree. There are dozens of known types of fungi that can cause this disease.
The last disease that can affect the evergreen tree is known as root disease. This is a wood decay disease. The fungi get in through the lower part of the tree or directly penetrate the root system of the tree. This fungus is able to travel from one tree to another on soilborne and airborne spores. If this disease is left untreated the evergreen tree will sadly rot from the roots upward.
Each of these diseases which affect an evergreen tree can be prevented or controlled. An evergreen tree is a beautiful natural resource that should be well cared for to ensure a long lifespan of the evergreen tree.
An Exotic Travel Guide For Your Next Vacation
From time to time everybody needs to get away from it all, to forget about their day-to-day work and to recharge their physical and emotional batteries. And what could be more refreshing and alluring than engaging in some exotic travels and visiting the holiday destinations of your dreams? Here's an exotic travel guide for your next vacation and I am sure that no matter which destination you'll choose, you'll come back reenergized and revitalized, with a lot of unique memories.
If you have never traveled abroad, I'm sure that there are countless exotic travels that you would like to make. Choosing only one could be a tough decision, but fortunately now you can find on the Internet a lot of information about every possible destination in the world. This exotic travel guide will just help you to make an idea about what kind of vacation will suit you and your family. Maybe what you dream about is to relax in the hot sun all day long and to go swimming in blue, warm waters. Or maybe you are more interested in historical artifacts or the cultural aspect of a place. There are exotic travels for all kinds of persons and tastes; you just have to carefully choose them!
Maybe Caribbean travels are the most popular exotic travels ever, because when it comes to vacations that are all about having fun in the hot sun, nothing can compare to these islands. This is why they must be included in every exotic travel guide. Caribbean vacations have thousands of things to offer to every tourist: clear blue skies, crystal clear seas, lagoons, volcanic mountains, tropical forests, shallow beaches, palm trees, mangrove swamps, sand dunes, colorful coral reefs, huge rock formations, waterfalls. You may choose what most pleases you from this wide variety of landscapes: if you want to relax on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, I strongly recommend you to choose Aruba, but if you want to explore the rain forests, you will be completely satisfied with Puerto Rico. A Caribbean vacation can offer you the exotic travels of your lifetime: lovely beaches, exotic food, risky explorations, an unspoiled heaven full of joy and most pleasant surprises!
I must confess that the exotic travels of my dreams are the trips to Asia, the mother of countless myths, religions, cultures and stories. Destinations like Japan, China, Bangkok, Singapore or Thailand are recommended by every exotic travel guide, because of the unique experiences and memories they offer. Japan, the land of the rising sun, is the most hi-tech country of the world, but it is also famous for its beautiful villages, ancient shrines and romantic getaways. Bangkok and Singapore are incredibly beautiful places and if you are a fan of sightseeing, you will surely be thrilled to visit them. Thailand is one of the most appreciated destinations of the past few years, because it is a country of untamed jungles, elephants, buffalos, exotic trees, vines and bamboos, but you will also find there a lot of modern hotels and conveniences. If you prefer destinations which combine unique landscapes and interesting culture and history, China could be the right choice for you.
Last but not least, our exotic travel guide invites you to a trip to Greece, where you will find seacoasts and mountains, ancient architecture and great shopping opportunities, coexisting in an amazing mixture of ancient and modern culture. The traditional food is mouthwatering, the seashore offers fantastic views and the architecture is extraordinary. Places like Athens, Crete, Sparta, Rhodes or Corinth don't need any introduction and they should be included in every exotic travel guide.
If you have never traveled abroad, I'm sure that there are countless exotic travels that you would like to make. Choosing only one could be a tough decision, but fortunately now you can find on the Internet a lot of information about every possible destination in the world. This exotic travel guide will just help you to make an idea about what kind of vacation will suit you and your family. Maybe what you dream about is to relax in the hot sun all day long and to go swimming in blue, warm waters. Or maybe you are more interested in historical artifacts or the cultural aspect of a place. There are exotic travels for all kinds of persons and tastes; you just have to carefully choose them!
Maybe Caribbean travels are the most popular exotic travels ever, because when it comes to vacations that are all about having fun in the hot sun, nothing can compare to these islands. This is why they must be included in every exotic travel guide. Caribbean vacations have thousands of things to offer to every tourist: clear blue skies, crystal clear seas, lagoons, volcanic mountains, tropical forests, shallow beaches, palm trees, mangrove swamps, sand dunes, colorful coral reefs, huge rock formations, waterfalls. You may choose what most pleases you from this wide variety of landscapes: if you want to relax on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, I strongly recommend you to choose Aruba, but if you want to explore the rain forests, you will be completely satisfied with Puerto Rico. A Caribbean vacation can offer you the exotic travels of your lifetime: lovely beaches, exotic food, risky explorations, an unspoiled heaven full of joy and most pleasant surprises!
I must confess that the exotic travels of my dreams are the trips to Asia, the mother of countless myths, religions, cultures and stories. Destinations like Japan, China, Bangkok, Singapore or Thailand are recommended by every exotic travel guide, because of the unique experiences and memories they offer. Japan, the land of the rising sun, is the most hi-tech country of the world, but it is also famous for its beautiful villages, ancient shrines and romantic getaways. Bangkok and Singapore are incredibly beautiful places and if you are a fan of sightseeing, you will surely be thrilled to visit them. Thailand is one of the most appreciated destinations of the past few years, because it is a country of untamed jungles, elephants, buffalos, exotic trees, vines and bamboos, but you will also find there a lot of modern hotels and conveniences. If you prefer destinations which combine unique landscapes and interesting culture and history, China could be the right choice for you.
Last but not least, our exotic travel guide invites you to a trip to Greece, where you will find seacoasts and mountains, ancient architecture and great shopping opportunities, coexisting in an amazing mixture of ancient and modern culture. The traditional food is mouthwatering, the seashore offers fantastic views and the architecture is extraordinary. Places like Athens, Crete, Sparta, Rhodes or Corinth don't need any introduction and they should be included in every exotic travel guide.
Allergies, Asthma and City Trees
Allergies, Asthma and City Trees
Thomas Leo Ogren
Some urban tree species cause an inordinate amount of asthma and allergy problems, while other tree species cause little or no health problems. A large part of the problem is that the arborists and landscape professionals, who plant these trees, often don't know the difference.
The type of trees (and shrubs) used in modern city landscapes has changed dramatically in the past three decades. In the past, the majority of street trees used were perfect-flowered, insect-pollinated trees, such as the once so common American elm tree.
Today though, many of the most widely used city trees are wind-pollinated species. Most of these species are unisexually flowered (dioecious and/or monoecious) and further compounding the problem, thousands of popular cultivars sold today are touted to be "seedless," "low-maintenance," "pod-free" or "litter-free."
These fruitless, seedless trees are male plants, all male, and male trees produce prodigious amounts of allergenic pollen. Female trees produce NO pollen what so ever.
In dioecious-flowered trees such as most ash, willow and poplars, it is easy to propagate male only trees because they are separate-sexed. Monoecious trees, which in Nature always have both sexes (male and female flowers) on the same tree, also usually produce abundant pollen. It is possible to have all-male trees from the monoecious species. On many species the sexes will be born on separate branches, such as on a Honey Locust tree. If you take cuttings, or budwood, only from the branches with male flowers, then, you'll get an all-male tree. Lots of monoecious Acer spp. cultivars are male-only plants. In a somewhat different way, there are also numerous monoecious species where only the top or only the bottom will have either male or female flowers. For example, the bottom half of a mature Italian Cypress for example is all-male. Female
wood is found only at the top of the plant. Thus, scion wood taken from the bottom usually produces "seedless" plants.
The terms "dioecious," and "monoecious," are botanical terms, not horticultural terms. We could perhaps say that a manipulated, asexually propagated all-male cultivar, taken from a monoecious species, is now "dioecious," but this is not quite correct. A proper dioecious tree is one that in Nature is separate-sexed. These modern engineered trees are never found in Nature.
Interestingly, the first reference in print I ever found to this single sexing-out with monoecious street trees, was in a USDA booklet, from 1982, called "Genetic Improvement of Urban Street Trees."
How Bad Is Allergy Now?
In 1959 the official rate of allergy in the U.S. was between 2 to 5% of the public. By 1999 the official rate of allergy had increased to an incredible 38% of Americans. Asthma, which was once considered rare, is now the number one chronic childhood disease in the US.
Where are Allergies and Asthma the Worst?
The most common allergen of all is pollen and since there are so many more plants growing in the country than in the city, it would make sense then that there is more allergy and asthma in the countryside. Right? No, wrong! Allergies and asthma are far worse in the city than they are in the country.
Several things contribute to this:
1.Pavement makes a poor pollen trap. Pollen in the city often lands on pavement where wind can cause it to become airborne again. In naturally vegetated areas where there is much more vegetation, pollen often lands on and becomes stuck in grasses, shrubs and vines or in trees.
2.Cities have more air pollution, which weakens the immune system and lung function.
3.Stress, which is generally higher in cities, can contribute to both asthma and allergy development.
4.Increased carbon dioxide levels within cities causes pollen-forming plants to produce more pollen with each bloom cycle, and also often causes urban plants to bloom more often.
5.Pollen loads are actually far greater in cities because there is a sexual imbalance within the plant community. In the city there is a preponderance of male trees and shrubs, while in the rural areas there is almost always a complete balance of plant sexuality. The excess of male plants in the city results in an excess of pollen.
6.The very lack of female plant materials in the urban environment also is a prime factor in the epidemic of allergy and asthma. Female flowers carry an electrical negative (-) charge (the trees are grounded with their roots) and airborne pollen holds a positive (+) charge. The tree and the pollen are mutually attractive; thus a female plant becomes a very effective pollen trap for pollen of its own species. But with almost no female trees and shrubs in modern landscapes, most of the pollen remains airborne.
How to Improve Health and Air Quality through Tree Selection
Landscaping to reduce allergies, especially pollen allergies, is an idea that is coming into its own. In the past few years several books have been written on the subject and interest is growing rapidly.
With the addition of OPALS™, (Ogren Plant-Allergy Scale) arborists now have a means to design allergy-free plantings. This scale ranks all landscape plant materials on a simple 1 to 10 allergy basis. Trees that produce zero pollen, e.g., female cultivars, usually rank the best - number one. Trees that have abundant, highly allergenic pollen, especially those with very long bloom periods, are usually ranked the worst - in the 9-10 range. There are many trees and shrubs, however, that fall somewhere in between. Using a list of over 100 factors, OPALS™ numerically ranks each species and then further ranks the individual cultivars. There are often dramatic allergy differences even between two species in the same genus.
How Are Plants Allergy-Ranked?
OPALS™ was developed based on the following considerations: "What do plants that are well known to cause allergies have in common?" and "What do plants that are well known NOT to cause allergies have in common?" With these two questions it was possible to build two opposing sets of medical-botanical-allergy criteria. One set is positive and one set is negative. Examples of negative criteria: tiny flowers, excerted stamens, small (less than 25 microns in diameter) sized pollen grains, extended bloom period. Examples of positive criteria: complete flowered, sticky, heavy pollen grains, presence of nectaries, brief bloom period.
There are now over a hundred criteria used to develop OPALS™ rankings. Individual landscapers, city arborists, the USDA and the American Lung Association have already use the scale to make better landscaping decisions.
Based on the plant-allergy scale it is now possible to state, for example, that Acer rubrum - 'Red Sunset' maple, is ranked number one and causes no allergies. By comparison, 'Autumn Spire,' a male cultivar of red maple does cause allergies and is ranked number nine. Most Pine trees will rank at numbers 4 to 5 and will cause some allergy. Platanus species (sycamore) rank number eight, and cause quite a bit of allergy. A male Canary Island Palm, Phoenix canariensis, which is considered one of the worst at a ranking of 10, will produce an abundance of pollen that will cause severe allergic reactions to many living nearby.
Pollen dispersal rates have been measured since 1972 (Gilbert Raynor, NY meteorologist) and although many pollen grains travel far in the air, research shows that most often 99% of a tree's pollen falls out and sticks within fifty feet of the tree. This means that the closer one is to the pollinating tree the greater the exposure. Thus, the job for arborists is to plant trees that will not expose everyone near them to allergenic pollen.
So, How Do You Tell the Boys from the Girls?
It isn't always that obvious by looking at a tree (especially a young tree) as to whether or not it is a pollen-free female or a pollen-producing male. But since so many city trees are now asexually produced cultivars, the sex is predetermined. In the book Allergy-Free Gardening, which is the result of 15 years of research on this subject, several thousand trees were individually sexed and allergy-ranked. In some cities, pollen control ordinances are already on the books, although most of these could be improved an updated. Albuquerque, New Mexico is particular interesting, since it has attempted to curb allergies by prohibiting the sale and planting of any male cultivars.
As the public grows more knowledgeable about allergy-free landscapes, municipal arborists and landscape specialists will want to be ahead of the curve. They will want to show their clients that they are well-informed on the subject. In the future, instead of planting high allergy-trees, they will need to plan and plant 'healthy' urban landscapes.
References:
1.Lewis, Walter H., Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1976.
2.Jacobson, Arthur Lee, North American Landscape Trees, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California, 1996.
3.Koch, Christopher Von, Allergy, Die Woche, pg. 27, July 7, 2000, Hamburg, Germany.
4.Dworschak, Manfred, Der Spiegel, Feind am StraBenrad, Pp. 174, 175, Nr. 29, 2000.
5.Ogren, Thomas Leo, Turn Back the Pollen Clock, New Scientist, London, Pp. 46, 47, June 3rd, 2000.
Thomas Leo Ogren
Some urban tree species cause an inordinate amount of asthma and allergy problems, while other tree species cause little or no health problems. A large part of the problem is that the arborists and landscape professionals, who plant these trees, often don't know the difference.
The type of trees (and shrubs) used in modern city landscapes has changed dramatically in the past three decades. In the past, the majority of street trees used were perfect-flowered, insect-pollinated trees, such as the once so common American elm tree.
Today though, many of the most widely used city trees are wind-pollinated species. Most of these species are unisexually flowered (dioecious and/or monoecious) and further compounding the problem, thousands of popular cultivars sold today are touted to be "seedless," "low-maintenance," "pod-free" or "litter-free."
These fruitless, seedless trees are male plants, all male, and male trees produce prodigious amounts of allergenic pollen. Female trees produce NO pollen what so ever.
In dioecious-flowered trees such as most ash, willow and poplars, it is easy to propagate male only trees because they are separate-sexed. Monoecious trees, which in Nature always have both sexes (male and female flowers) on the same tree, also usually produce abundant pollen. It is possible to have all-male trees from the monoecious species. On many species the sexes will be born on separate branches, such as on a Honey Locust tree. If you take cuttings, or budwood, only from the branches with male flowers, then, you'll get an all-male tree. Lots of monoecious Acer spp. cultivars are male-only plants. In a somewhat different way, there are also numerous monoecious species where only the top or only the bottom will have either male or female flowers. For example, the bottom half of a mature Italian Cypress for example is all-male. Female
wood is found only at the top of the plant. Thus, scion wood taken from the bottom usually produces "seedless" plants.
The terms "dioecious," and "monoecious," are botanical terms, not horticultural terms. We could perhaps say that a manipulated, asexually propagated all-male cultivar, taken from a monoecious species, is now "dioecious," but this is not quite correct. A proper dioecious tree is one that in Nature is separate-sexed. These modern engineered trees are never found in Nature.
Interestingly, the first reference in print I ever found to this single sexing-out with monoecious street trees, was in a USDA booklet, from 1982, called "Genetic Improvement of Urban Street Trees."
How Bad Is Allergy Now?
In 1959 the official rate of allergy in the U.S. was between 2 to 5% of the public. By 1999 the official rate of allergy had increased to an incredible 38% of Americans. Asthma, which was once considered rare, is now the number one chronic childhood disease in the US.
Where are Allergies and Asthma the Worst?
The most common allergen of all is pollen and since there are so many more plants growing in the country than in the city, it would make sense then that there is more allergy and asthma in the countryside. Right? No, wrong! Allergies and asthma are far worse in the city than they are in the country.
Several things contribute to this:
1.Pavement makes a poor pollen trap. Pollen in the city often lands on pavement where wind can cause it to become airborne again. In naturally vegetated areas where there is much more vegetation, pollen often lands on and becomes stuck in grasses, shrubs and vines or in trees.
2.Cities have more air pollution, which weakens the immune system and lung function.
3.Stress, which is generally higher in cities, can contribute to both asthma and allergy development.
4.Increased carbon dioxide levels within cities causes pollen-forming plants to produce more pollen with each bloom cycle, and also often causes urban plants to bloom more often.
5.Pollen loads are actually far greater in cities because there is a sexual imbalance within the plant community. In the city there is a preponderance of male trees and shrubs, while in the rural areas there is almost always a complete balance of plant sexuality. The excess of male plants in the city results in an excess of pollen.
6.The very lack of female plant materials in the urban environment also is a prime factor in the epidemic of allergy and asthma. Female flowers carry an electrical negative (-) charge (the trees are grounded with their roots) and airborne pollen holds a positive (+) charge. The tree and the pollen are mutually attractive; thus a female plant becomes a very effective pollen trap for pollen of its own species. But with almost no female trees and shrubs in modern landscapes, most of the pollen remains airborne.
How to Improve Health and Air Quality through Tree Selection
Landscaping to reduce allergies, especially pollen allergies, is an idea that is coming into its own. In the past few years several books have been written on the subject and interest is growing rapidly.
With the addition of OPALS™, (Ogren Plant-Allergy Scale) arborists now have a means to design allergy-free plantings. This scale ranks all landscape plant materials on a simple 1 to 10 allergy basis. Trees that produce zero pollen, e.g., female cultivars, usually rank the best - number one. Trees that have abundant, highly allergenic pollen, especially those with very long bloom periods, are usually ranked the worst - in the 9-10 range. There are many trees and shrubs, however, that fall somewhere in between. Using a list of over 100 factors, OPALS™ numerically ranks each species and then further ranks the individual cultivars. There are often dramatic allergy differences even between two species in the same genus.
How Are Plants Allergy-Ranked?
OPALS™ was developed based on the following considerations: "What do plants that are well known to cause allergies have in common?" and "What do plants that are well known NOT to cause allergies have in common?" With these two questions it was possible to build two opposing sets of medical-botanical-allergy criteria. One set is positive and one set is negative. Examples of negative criteria: tiny flowers, excerted stamens, small (less than 25 microns in diameter) sized pollen grains, extended bloom period. Examples of positive criteria: complete flowered, sticky, heavy pollen grains, presence of nectaries, brief bloom period.
There are now over a hundred criteria used to develop OPALS™ rankings. Individual landscapers, city arborists, the USDA and the American Lung Association have already use the scale to make better landscaping decisions.
Based on the plant-allergy scale it is now possible to state, for example, that Acer rubrum - 'Red Sunset' maple, is ranked number one and causes no allergies. By comparison, 'Autumn Spire,' a male cultivar of red maple does cause allergies and is ranked number nine. Most Pine trees will rank at numbers 4 to 5 and will cause some allergy. Platanus species (sycamore) rank number eight, and cause quite a bit of allergy. A male Canary Island Palm, Phoenix canariensis, which is considered one of the worst at a ranking of 10, will produce an abundance of pollen that will cause severe allergic reactions to many living nearby.
Pollen dispersal rates have been measured since 1972 (Gilbert Raynor, NY meteorologist) and although many pollen grains travel far in the air, research shows that most often 99% of a tree's pollen falls out and sticks within fifty feet of the tree. This means that the closer one is to the pollinating tree the greater the exposure. Thus, the job for arborists is to plant trees that will not expose everyone near them to allergenic pollen.
So, How Do You Tell the Boys from the Girls?
It isn't always that obvious by looking at a tree (especially a young tree) as to whether or not it is a pollen-free female or a pollen-producing male. But since so many city trees are now asexually produced cultivars, the sex is predetermined. In the book Allergy-Free Gardening, which is the result of 15 years of research on this subject, several thousand trees were individually sexed and allergy-ranked. In some cities, pollen control ordinances are already on the books, although most of these could be improved an updated. Albuquerque, New Mexico is particular interesting, since it has attempted to curb allergies by prohibiting the sale and planting of any male cultivars.
As the public grows more knowledgeable about allergy-free landscapes, municipal arborists and landscape specialists will want to be ahead of the curve. They will want to show their clients that they are well-informed on the subject. In the future, instead of planting high allergy-trees, they will need to plan and plant 'healthy' urban landscapes.
References:
1.Lewis, Walter H., Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1976.
2.Jacobson, Arthur Lee, North American Landscape Trees, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California, 1996.
3.Koch, Christopher Von, Allergy, Die Woche, pg. 27, July 7, 2000, Hamburg, Germany.
4.Dworschak, Manfred, Der Spiegel, Feind am StraBenrad, Pp. 174, 175, Nr. 29, 2000.
5.Ogren, Thomas Leo, Turn Back the Pollen Clock, New Scientist, London, Pp. 46, 47, June 3rd, 2000.
Travel Guide Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad, also commonly known as City of Nizams is the capital of Andhra Pradesh, which is the fifth largest metropolitan city in India. Of course that is not surprising considering the fact that this city is unique and has a character of its own, which is quite evident when you look at the astonishing blend of ancient, beautifully crafted buildings standing next to equally enthralling state-of-the-art offices and sky scrapers. The IT sector has made such a huge impact on the otherwise historical and ancestral city that sometimes it is referred to as Cyberabad.Hyderabad was named after a queen, Hyder Mahal, so Hyderabad literally means the City of Hyder. Lying next to the city, divided by a man-made lake called Hussain Sagar Lake, is Hyderabad's co-sister city, Secunderabad.Places to Visit and Tourist AttractionsHyderabad, with all its glorious temples and gardens and buildings, may as well be called a tourists paradise. And that's what it is if you're looking for a place that not only has the tinge history and culture, but is set against the most picturesque and glorious backdrop, Hyderabad is the place to go. World Tours and ResortsIn the heart of Hyderabad is the Charminar. A monument that is almost synonymous with Hyderabad it is that famous. The best idea is to hire a tour guide while exploring this city, not only will you not get lost and get to savor all the famous attractions of the city, but you will also get a taste of the history behind the buildings and monuments.Next in line is the Golconda Fort, from where the famous Kohinoor diamond was extracted. One can very well imagine what it would be like to visit the place where one of the largest diamonds of the world came from. It's a heady feeling in itself. Standing tall right next to the fort is the Qutub Shahi tomb which is a combination of Indian and Persian architecture, a beautiful tomb. The Paigh tombs such as these are a beautiful example of delicate and finesse work of art on marble.Next on the list is Raymond's tomb, built in the memory of a French General which is a very rare honor. The Salar Jung museum is again, a rarity as it is a single man's collection of over 40,000 artifacts from all over the world.Of course tourist attractions aren't all about history and culture, nature also plays an important role in the beauty of a place and how it attracts other people. Hyderabad is famous for its gorgeous lakes, which the local people boast about and through various activities such as boating, Para gliding, water scooters etc, for tourists at a very normal price range. Along with such sports, you get to see other treasures of nature such as birds which migrate to the lake every year and are a sight to see. One of the lakes is Gandhipet Lake, also called Osman Sagar, which is about 46 square kilometers, surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation. The Hussain Sagar Lake is another one of Hyderabad's finest with different statues of celebrities here and there along with a breathtaking statue of Buddha, towering out of the water.The Shamirpet Lake is a beautiful sight with flocks of deer quenching their thirst in the pristine waters. They are friendly enough to have a bite to eat from your hands. If ancient, historical and yet beautiful monuments, as well as lakes of pristine blue waters weren't enough, Hyderabad is also known best for its evergreen and beautiful gardens and parks.Indira Park which is near Hussain Sagar Lake is a treat, as the cool breeze refreshes you no end. If you're in the mood for some music and need to relax, visit the Lumbini park to view charming musical fountains, that are the most beautiful and haunting fountains, fit to relax you and wash away any tiredness of the day. The Public gardens are somewhere where one can go to enjoy simple nature and visit the heritage buildings which are a symbol of cultural and political heritage to Hyderabad.In the Sanjeevaiah Park, plant lovers will be able to find some very rare species of roses. The sights and smells of which are most soothing and calming to the body and mind. These parks are the ideal places for tourists to relax after a long day of touring and sight seeing, somewhere the children can run around and play and indulge in activities while the elders sit around, sampling some of the delicacies of Hyderabad, enjoying the smells of roses, the greenery and the fountains.If all this is not enough, to treat the children, take them to the Nehru Zoological Park, which has a Lion park safari, to give the children a taste of danger and excitement. You get the chance too catch the King of the jungle, laze around in the sun and watch over their young.Your trip won't be completed if you don't try out some of the famous delicacies of Hyderabad; world renown for their spicy content, taste bud tantalizing deliciousness, the food is a must-try. The food is exotic and is a combination of Mughal cuisine and of course the traditional Hyderabadi style. Of course the food is predominantly vegetarian, as Hindus don't eat meat. People along the coast eat fish and prawns. Right treat for your taste buds.Hyderabad is indeed a tourists' paradise and it would be a shame and an opportunity missed if one visits India and skirts past this magnificent city. If not for the culture, go for the sheer enjoyment of saying I've been to Hyderabad and I enjoyed every culture-enriched, body-soothing taste bud-tantalizing minute of it
Get your Jaipur tours, cheap tour packages India that come under your budget and lots more about India holidays, South India travel, adventure and wildlife tour India along with air tickets India tickets at economic rates.
Tall Trees Of The South West
The south west region of Western Australia is one of the most beautiful locations in the southern hemisphere, with surfing beaches, diving reefs, limestone caves and ancient trees some of the natural attractions you will find here. It is a fantastic destination for your driving holiday, with plenty of day trips and attractions to keep you coming back time and again.
The Margaret River Wine Region is one of the most popular areas to begin your sightseeing. It is central to most of the towns dotting the coast and known for its superb wineries and world class surfing. With plenty of accommodation it is an ideal base to explore the stunning southern coastline located between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. You will need time to allow for photo stops, as it is a magnificent stretch of coast. There are myriads of bushwalking trails and national parks in the hinterland that make an ideal day trip.
Busselton is east of Margaret River and features one of the longest jettys in Australia. This is also a stones throw from one of the most incredible artificial reefs in the world. The Underwater Observatory is a well known attraction, perfect for those who would rather keep their feet on dry land. There are plenty of windows to enjoy the coral and marine underwater world at least eight metres below sea level. You won't want to leave this captivating seaside town.
Apart from the coastal towns, there is so much natural beauty heading inland from the coast. A great way to see it up close is via the famous Bibbulmun Track, winding from Perth to Albany. The entire walk stretches over 1000 kilometres, which is a lot of walking. You can enjoy different sections of the track up and down the coastline, and there are many campsites along the track giving you more time to enjoy the scenery and walking experience.
If you did attempt the entire walk you would end up in Albany, famous for its incredible diving expeditions visiting the HMAS Swan wreck. There is also a whale museum giving you a closer look at the history of this coastal town, and of course a number of whale watching trips available. It is easy to feel like you are the first person to visit this untamed coastline, with miles and miles of pristine water stretching out as far as you can see.
A few hundred kilometres south from Perth, and west of Albany, you will find Walpole, which really does need to be experienced for its raw beauty. It is the perfect spot for a weekend away in the wilderness with its forests, rivers and national parks creating the ultimate haven for nature lovers. There are also plenty of sporting activities for the more adventurous, such as sailing, white water rafting, canoeing and fishing along the rivers.
Walpole is known mostly for its giant tingle trees, home of the Valley of the Giants Tree Top walk. Some of these trees are over 400 years old, and are so large you could almost park a car inside them. You will love the peace and tranquillity here among the enormous tingle trees, with a suspended bridge forty metres high taking you to the tree tops for incredible views.
Once again, travel on to Pemberton and you will be blessed with more towering trees which captivate every visitor. The Gloucester Tree is one of the most popular, as it can be climbed up to sixty metres for those not afraid of heights. To top it off, this town has amazing wines, food, lakes and even a steam train to take you back in time. Big Brook Dam is a popular spot for a picnic with the Beedelup Falls worth the walk for the stunning views. Pemberton is a central town to visit the South West region with many well known attractions within an hours drive.
There is so much to see in this rich and diverse corner of Western Australia. Margaret River attracts thousands with its annual surfing competitions and wineries, and the national parks and forests in this area are so unique and untouched that they can never be forgotten. Time seems to stand still when you are faced with century old icons from the past. Wherever you journey, there will be plenty to talk about when you finally return home.
The Margaret River Wine Region is one of the most popular areas to begin your sightseeing. It is central to most of the towns dotting the coast and known for its superb wineries and world class surfing. With plenty of accommodation it is an ideal base to explore the stunning southern coastline located between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. You will need time to allow for photo stops, as it is a magnificent stretch of coast. There are myriads of bushwalking trails and national parks in the hinterland that make an ideal day trip.
Busselton is east of Margaret River and features one of the longest jettys in Australia. This is also a stones throw from one of the most incredible artificial reefs in the world. The Underwater Observatory is a well known attraction, perfect for those who would rather keep their feet on dry land. There are plenty of windows to enjoy the coral and marine underwater world at least eight metres below sea level. You won't want to leave this captivating seaside town.
Apart from the coastal towns, there is so much natural beauty heading inland from the coast. A great way to see it up close is via the famous Bibbulmun Track, winding from Perth to Albany. The entire walk stretches over 1000 kilometres, which is a lot of walking. You can enjoy different sections of the track up and down the coastline, and there are many campsites along the track giving you more time to enjoy the scenery and walking experience.
If you did attempt the entire walk you would end up in Albany, famous for its incredible diving expeditions visiting the HMAS Swan wreck. There is also a whale museum giving you a closer look at the history of this coastal town, and of course a number of whale watching trips available. It is easy to feel like you are the first person to visit this untamed coastline, with miles and miles of pristine water stretching out as far as you can see.
A few hundred kilometres south from Perth, and west of Albany, you will find Walpole, which really does need to be experienced for its raw beauty. It is the perfect spot for a weekend away in the wilderness with its forests, rivers and national parks creating the ultimate haven for nature lovers. There are also plenty of sporting activities for the more adventurous, such as sailing, white water rafting, canoeing and fishing along the rivers.
Walpole is known mostly for its giant tingle trees, home of the Valley of the Giants Tree Top walk. Some of these trees are over 400 years old, and are so large you could almost park a car inside them. You will love the peace and tranquillity here among the enormous tingle trees, with a suspended bridge forty metres high taking you to the tree tops for incredible views.
Once again, travel on to Pemberton and you will be blessed with more towering trees which captivate every visitor. The Gloucester Tree is one of the most popular, as it can be climbed up to sixty metres for those not afraid of heights. To top it off, this town has amazing wines, food, lakes and even a steam train to take you back in time. Big Brook Dam is a popular spot for a picnic with the Beedelup Falls worth the walk for the stunning views. Pemberton is a central town to visit the South West region with many well known attractions within an hours drive.
There is so much to see in this rich and diverse corner of Western Australia. Margaret River attracts thousands with its annual surfing competitions and wineries, and the national parks and forests in this area are so unique and untouched that they can never be forgotten. Time seems to stand still when you are faced with century old icons from the past. Wherever you journey, there will be plenty to talk about when you finally return home.
Air Travel Carbon Emissions Are Destroying The Environment
The UK government is aiming for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 but we will not be able to meet our goals on climate change without curbing the demand for air travel. At present the experts predicts that only 5.5% of the UK carbon emissions is due to air travel and that the government should concentrate on the other 94.5% as the UK air travel industry generates thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in revenue and these figures are set to increase as the airline industry wants to increase the number of passenger movements in UK airports from about 200m per year now to about 470m by 2030. If this happens then air travel will account for over 10 % of carbon emissions in the UK. It will be more than 10% if other polluting sectors such as car travel are reduced due to an increase in public transport use and cleaner fuels.
What can we do to prevent this growth in flying?
The government has said it wants aviation included in the next round of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. What is this? Well…
There is an emissions trading scheme in operation internationally but many people are not aware that this is perceived to be the cornerstone of the climate change policy in the EU and USA.
Firms are set quotas on how much carbon dioxide they can produce per year, if they produce more than this allowance, then they buy an allowance from another firm that has not reached its quota on how much it can produce in one year! Get it?
Emissions Trading is particularly suited to the emissions of greenhouse gases, the gases responsible for global warming, which have the same effect wherever they are emitted. The idea of the carbon-trading scheme was to raise the cost to firms of continuing to pollute while creating a market to give an incentive to become more environmentally efficient.
Another suggestion to curb travel is airlines paying higher taxes on short haul European flights to reflect emissions, even if this results in higher fares. The thinking is that taxation through passenger duty would be easier and quicker than focusing on the Emissions Trading Scheme but any proposed increase in taxation would need to be enough to slow down the growth and eventually decrease the number of short haul flights.
A decrease in flights would be bad for airports and airlines as they would see a decrease in airport generated profits and could lead to a number of job losses and competitiveness for the UK economy, but other sectors of the UK economy such as domestic tourism would benefit thus creating jobs and revenue for the tax man to get his greedy hands on.
Most of the wealthier nations in Europe are developing an air dependent culture and its clear that something needs to be done. Frequent flying for business and pleasure and second homes abroad is fuelling this growth in air travel. Other forms of public transport such as rail are getting more expensive making domestic flights within the UK more affordable and convenient. In the USA this tends not to be the case due to the distance between major cities.
Carbon offsetting helps you to offset the carbon dioxide that you use when flying by planting trees or installing solar panels and thereby removing your contribution to global climate change. You contribute to pollution by flying; you reduce the pollution by planting trees! You are carbon neutral!
What can we do to prevent this growth in flying?
The government has said it wants aviation included in the next round of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. What is this? Well…
There is an emissions trading scheme in operation internationally but many people are not aware that this is perceived to be the cornerstone of the climate change policy in the EU and USA.
Firms are set quotas on how much carbon dioxide they can produce per year, if they produce more than this allowance, then they buy an allowance from another firm that has not reached its quota on how much it can produce in one year! Get it?
Emissions Trading is particularly suited to the emissions of greenhouse gases, the gases responsible for global warming, which have the same effect wherever they are emitted. The idea of the carbon-trading scheme was to raise the cost to firms of continuing to pollute while creating a market to give an incentive to become more environmentally efficient.
Another suggestion to curb travel is airlines paying higher taxes on short haul European flights to reflect emissions, even if this results in higher fares. The thinking is that taxation through passenger duty would be easier and quicker than focusing on the Emissions Trading Scheme but any proposed increase in taxation would need to be enough to slow down the growth and eventually decrease the number of short haul flights.
A decrease in flights would be bad for airports and airlines as they would see a decrease in airport generated profits and could lead to a number of job losses and competitiveness for the UK economy, but other sectors of the UK economy such as domestic tourism would benefit thus creating jobs and revenue for the tax man to get his greedy hands on.
Most of the wealthier nations in Europe are developing an air dependent culture and its clear that something needs to be done. Frequent flying for business and pleasure and second homes abroad is fuelling this growth in air travel. Other forms of public transport such as rail are getting more expensive making domestic flights within the UK more affordable and convenient. In the USA this tends not to be the case due to the distance between major cities.
Carbon offsetting helps you to offset the carbon dioxide that you use when flying by planting trees or installing solar panels and thereby removing your contribution to global climate change. You contribute to pollution by flying; you reduce the pollution by planting trees! You are carbon neutral!
China vacations info - Xiangshan Moutain Park travel
This article is about the China vacations and you can find some useful information in it if you are planning your China vacations now. Xiangshan ( means Fragrant Hill in Chinese ) Mountain is also called "Jingyiyuan". It is located in the west of the Haidian District, Beijing, about 20 kilometers far away from the downtown of Beijing. It occupies 160 hektares. In the April and May of every year, there will be flower exhibitions holding in Xiangshan Mountain. You can see hundreds of beautiful flowers here if you visit Xiangshan Mountain during this period of time. The most famous thing of Xiangshan Mountain is the red autumn leaves. Every autumn, the whole Xiangshan Mountain is covered with red leaves of the Rhus glabra trees. These red autumn leaves look like fire, very beautiful. Thousands of people come to see them every day in autumn. These Rhus glabra trees are planted 200 years ago (during the Qing Dynasty of China). Now there are more than 94,000 glabra trees in Xiangshan Mountain. Generally, the best time to see the red autume leaves of Xiangshan Mountain is October and November and you can have a very good view at Banshanting, Yuhuashanzhuang or Langfengting. (info for your China vacations and travel) Why is this mountain called " Fragrant Hill " ?(1). The stalactites of the Fragrant Hill look like Chinese incense burners. Because of this, this mountain is called Fragrant Hill by the local people.(2). The flowers of the apricot trees in this mountain make it fragrant and lots of people start to call it the Fragrant Hill.(info for your China vacations and travel) Two main routes through the Xiangshan Mountain Park: One route goes through the north area, with Spectacles Lake (Yanjing Lake) and the bridge, Study of Reading Heart (Jianxin Zhai) and Bright Temple (Zhao Miao). Study of Reading Heart was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) and is a landscaped park inside Fragrant Hills Park. Bright Temple is a large Tibetan style lamasery complex built in 1780 as the residence for the sixth Panchen Lama during his visits to Emperor Qianlong. Buildings in the complex have partially been burned down. Among the surviving treasures are a majestic glazed-tiled archway in front of the complex, a terrace and a glazed-tiled pagoda. Bells hung on the eaves of the pagoda chime in breeze. The second route leads through the south area of the park. Main attractions along the route include Tranqulity Green Lake (Jingcui Lake), Shuangqing Villa, Fragrant Temple, and Incense Burner Peak. This route is more difficult because it leads across the highest peak, Incense Burner Peak. Admission fees: 10 rmb for the peak season (04/01 - 11/15), 5 rmb for the slack season (11/16 - 03/31).10 rmb for the Biyunsi Temple.(info for your China vacations and travel)30 rmb for the Rope way (none holiday or weekend), 50 rmb for holidays or weekends. ( price for kids is 10 rmb ) How to get here? The best option is to take the public transportation. The Line 733, 833, 714, 360, 318, 904, 331 city buses can take you to the Xiangshan Mountain. If you like the subway, you can take the Line 2 subway to the station named "Jishuitan", then transfer to the Line 331 city bus. Xiangshan Mountain is at the terminal of the Line 331 bus. You can take the Line 2 subway to the station named "Xizhimen" too. Then transfer to the Line 904 city bus. Date: 05/04/2009. Copyright belongs to Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM . You can find more information about china vacations, lhasa travel guide and travel tips from our web site.NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article's source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.
About the author: Shane Lee. Copyright belongs to China vacations info . Source of this article: China vacations, Xiangshan travel . More China tours and vacations attractions info (kung fu martial arts) at: kung fu - China vacations attractions.
Environmentally Tree Friendly Stone Work in River Oaks Landscape
Whenever we are working on a property distinguished by large, stately trees, we have to sometimes use very innovative landscaping strategies to protect tree roots. Structures built too closely to the trunks of trees require a certain amount of digging to be secured to the earth, and the sheer force of gravity will settle any structure of significant weight even further into the ground. To avoid damaging trees that may be hundreds of years old, we employee a variety of tree root protection strategies to ensure that tree roots are protected anytime we are laying stone work or foundation nearby.
A recent example of this occurred in River Oaks on a property where we were hired to perform a number of landscaping upgrades and new constructions. One of the new constructions that the homeowner requested we complete on this project was the creation of a new walkway that would encircle a portion of the front yard, cross over a primary walkway, and wind around the home to the back, where the swimming pool was located. This secondary walkway was a proposed new structure which would run underneath several very stately oak trees. To install it, we would need to utilize some very innovative and environmentally friendly stone work to ensure tree root protection.
The reason we have to be so careful is due to the way that tree roots grow. Roots fan out in all directions, and many of the larger ones run parallel to the surface of the earth, just underneath the ground. One of the things that stoneworkers must avoid at all costs is digging too deep into the ground with tools. Spades and other implements can cut a root deeply enough to kill it and severely injure, or even possibly kill, even the largest of trees. This represents a significant challenge to the landscaper, who typically digs down six inches, lays a concrete slab as a base, then sets the stones over this concrete and fixes them together with mortar. This simply could not be done on this project, because even if we had somehow avoided cutting into the tree roots, there would have been no way to protect them from the pressure of people walking over them and pressing a concrete slab directly down upon their surfaces. In order to fulfill our clients expectations, we would either have to landscape around the tree roots, or devise a strategy of securely laying stones far enough above the roots that they would be protected from the weight and pressure of human foot traffic.
After careful study of both the landscaping plan and the trees themselves, our designers came up with a plan that would protect tree roots and still create a very solid, sturdy walkway for people to travel on. First, we replaced standard digging implements with air and water tools known as an air space and hydrovac. These allowed us to remove a layer of dirt and water without destructive impact to the tree roots. Once we excavated to an appropriate depth, we laid down plastic rather than concrete, then custom cut each stone so precisely that the individual limestone blocks fit together seamlessly. To prevent them from slipping when people walked on them, we secured the edges of the flat blocks with just enough mortar to bind them together in much the same manner that glue would bind two pieces of wood.
This process both protected tree roots both during construction of the walkway and after completion of the walkway. There is no concrete slab pressing down on the tree roots, and the stones and surrounding earth absorb the weight of people traveling the walk way.
If you have been hesitating on moving forward on plans to renovate or recreate the landscape features surrounding your home because you are concerned about damage to your trees, please give us a call at (713) 827-2255 and schedule a free evaluation with one of our designers. We can explain in detail how we will protect tree roots and other indigenous vegetation while simultaneously adding an entirely new look to your property.
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share infomation about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about Landscaping and stone work in River Oaks or Landscape Design
A recent example of this occurred in River Oaks on a property where we were hired to perform a number of landscaping upgrades and new constructions. One of the new constructions that the homeowner requested we complete on this project was the creation of a new walkway that would encircle a portion of the front yard, cross over a primary walkway, and wind around the home to the back, where the swimming pool was located. This secondary walkway was a proposed new structure which would run underneath several very stately oak trees. To install it, we would need to utilize some very innovative and environmentally friendly stone work to ensure tree root protection.
The reason we have to be so careful is due to the way that tree roots grow. Roots fan out in all directions, and many of the larger ones run parallel to the surface of the earth, just underneath the ground. One of the things that stoneworkers must avoid at all costs is digging too deep into the ground with tools. Spades and other implements can cut a root deeply enough to kill it and severely injure, or even possibly kill, even the largest of trees. This represents a significant challenge to the landscaper, who typically digs down six inches, lays a concrete slab as a base, then sets the stones over this concrete and fixes them together with mortar. This simply could not be done on this project, because even if we had somehow avoided cutting into the tree roots, there would have been no way to protect them from the pressure of people walking over them and pressing a concrete slab directly down upon their surfaces. In order to fulfill our clients expectations, we would either have to landscape around the tree roots, or devise a strategy of securely laying stones far enough above the roots that they would be protected from the weight and pressure of human foot traffic.
After careful study of both the landscaping plan and the trees themselves, our designers came up with a plan that would protect tree roots and still create a very solid, sturdy walkway for people to travel on. First, we replaced standard digging implements with air and water tools known as an air space and hydrovac. These allowed us to remove a layer of dirt and water without destructive impact to the tree roots. Once we excavated to an appropriate depth, we laid down plastic rather than concrete, then custom cut each stone so precisely that the individual limestone blocks fit together seamlessly. To prevent them from slipping when people walked on them, we secured the edges of the flat blocks with just enough mortar to bind them together in much the same manner that glue would bind two pieces of wood.
This process both protected tree roots both during construction of the walkway and after completion of the walkway. There is no concrete slab pressing down on the tree roots, and the stones and surrounding earth absorb the weight of people traveling the walk way.
If you have been hesitating on moving forward on plans to renovate or recreate the landscape features surrounding your home because you are concerned about damage to your trees, please give us a call at (713) 827-2255 and schedule a free evaluation with one of our designers. We can explain in detail how we will protect tree roots and other indigenous vegetation while simultaneously adding an entirely new look to your property.
Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share infomation about that passion. At Exterior Worlds you can read more about Landscaping and stone work in River Oaks or Landscape Design
The Legend of the Dewadaru Tree
The Dewadaru tree is mostly found to the north of the island of Java, among the Sunda islands of Karimunjava, in the Java Sea, bearing the coordinates of Latitude 5ฐ 52' S, and Longitude 110ฐ 26' E. It has a human population of approximately 20,000 people. The Dewadaru tree had been sanctified by the local inhabitants of the island for countless generations as a result of a myth perpetuated by the elders of the society. In one of the local dialects, "daru" means "blessing from heaven," while "dewa," (derived from Sanskrit) is the Indonesian term for "god." "Dewadaru" is thus interpreted as the "gift of the gods," implying that this tree genus is a tangible symbolic gift from the gods/esses to the islanders. To the local inhabitants, the Dewadaru represents the wisdom of the gods in maintaining the harmony, stability, and peacefulness of Nature. The Dewadaru is believed to be the protective guardian of the living souls on the Karimunjava islands.
According to the legend, there was once a man living on the island of Java who was furious with his son for constant disobedience. The man, although he loved his son dearly, strove to inculcate in him a certain hard lesson. So one day he drove his son away from home with the warning that he was not to set foot on Java again.
Not willing to disobey his father again, he prepared himself for the journey. In sadness, the son left Mt. Muria where they dwelt and moved on to the open seas to the north. He sailed on a boat for many days through stormy weather and amidst huge waves, not really knowing his destination and perhaps with little will to survive. Then one day, his boat landed on the shores of a small, uninhabited island.
Meanwhile, from the peak of Mt. Muria in Java, the boy's father was secretly watching over his son clairvoyantly. But for some reason his vision was vague and unclear, and thus lost track of the whereabouts of the boy on that island. In the old Javanese language, the word "vague" is translated as kerimun. Thus the island became known as "Karimun-java."
The boy continued his journey inland bearing two wooden staffs as walking sticks to assist his journey. He retrieved these from the shore. These two short poles wounded him while his boat was capsized to shore by the sheer power of the waves. In the middle of the forest he poked the two staffs to the ground and started to rest from the tiresome journey. Miraculously, in that very instant the two staffs grew into magnificent trees. In awe of the incident, he named them "Dewadaru." In the present day, the place where he rested now stands the village of Nyamplungan.
Nowadays, although not too numerous, there is a substantial amount of Dewadaru trees growing on the islands-the descendants of the very first two. The remains of the original, fabulous Dewadaru trees may still be seen. The humps are there as if to substantiate the truth of the legend. The descendants of the magickal trees grow in hill-slopes of the islands and are not easily accessible.
In proximity to the once glorious trees is a grave that until now is still being sanctified by the locals. On certain nights-such as Jumat Kliwon (a Thursday night occurring once in 35 days) of the Javanese calendar, the grave would be visited by pilgrims desiring the blessings of the spiritual adept to whom the grave belongs. The adept was known as Sunan Nyamplungan from whence the village received its name.
For centuries, the Dewadaru tree or wood is believed by the inhabitants of Karimunjava to possess magickal powers. Tested through time, the wood is said to heal poisonous bites, and aches or illnesses in the abdominal region. Dewadaru wood is often carried as an amulet for personal protection against evil persons as well as a weapon against evil spirits. It is said that unlike other types of wood, the Dewadaru, even a small piece of it, sinks when placed in water.
Seventy-five kilometers away, as the crow flies, from the town of Jepara in Java, the Karimunjava islands has a scary myth related to the Dewadaru. There is supposed to be a warning by the regional spirits that the sacred Dewadaru wood or tree is not to be taken out of the islands without the concession of the spiritual guardians of the area. Whosoever violates this, even by taking a small piece of the wood, incurs the wrath of Nature and calamity befalls him or her not long after. The usual mishap is the sinking or the immobility of the vessel that the person travels on to journey back to the mainland. Sometimes it could be a fatal illness after the trip. Often the person dies a tragic death in a freak "accident." At first this myth was regarded as a superstition, but several instances of this have been recorded.
In regards to the sinking of unfortunate vessels transporting the wood, some observers have noted of unusual events beforehand. Signs and warnings are given from the invisible world. Tales of these spirit communications and unheeded warnings abound. One story in particular relates of an old woman appearing to the captain of a vessel warning that the boat or ship was carrying the sacred wood and that this was taken from the region without permission and the required ceremony. Before disappearing, she warned the captain to unload the illicitly gained item. The captain did not heed her request and as a result, the vessel that he commanded en route to the Java mainland sank to the watery depths. Before the ship sailed even the villagers of the island were given omens that the vessel was doomed. Many of them heard blasting sounds on the nearby Nyamplungan hill. Careful investigations revealed nothing that could have produced those noises. It is said that to this day these sounds still occur whenever a ship or a boat is destined to plunge into Davy Jones' locker. In 1981 a mishap was prevented from occurring. There was a ship on its way to Java from the Karimunjava islands. Somewhere in the middle of the sea its engine stalled and it became immobile. Moments later everyone on board, passengers and crew, panicked. Out of the calm sea, huge waves suddenly appeared, threatening to capsize the vessel. The captain realizing what was wrong in haste called upon the passengers to throw into the sea any Dewadaru wood that they were carrying. One person confessed that he had some of the wood in his possession. This was quickly cast into the sea with apologies to the spirit guardians of Karimunjava. Amazingly, minutes later the waves subsided.
There are always two sides to a coin. The above myth also has a different aspect: if by any chance the Dewadaru wood finds its way outside of the Karimunjava islands, the wood would double its potency and act as a powerful catalyst to awaken the dormant occult faculties within its possessor or user. The energy of the wood itself is a potent amulet against all forms of black magick and it also wards off negative entities, as mentioned previously. Dewadaru is also worn as protective amulets against the jettatore, the evil eye. From the metaphysical viewpoint, the dryads or spirits of the trees are especially empowered and their power or virtues are occultly inherent within the wood. The energy of the Dewadaru wood has a beneficent influence upon the psychosomatic system of man. The village shamans say that the Dewadaru is an exclusive gift to the people on the island, one reason why the spiritual guardians of the region do not permit the wood to be exported unless with special concession.
There are numerous strange stories related to the magickal Dewadaru tree or its wood. To the local inhabitants these are no longer a matter of belief but knowledge and conviction gained from day to day experience. Being sacred, the Dewadaru is used only for devotional and protective purposes. One hardly finds the villagers using this wood for the fashioning of furniture or as a building material; and only the courageous would use it in their spiritual activities. The trees are not too numerous on the islands nowadays and therefore they are forcefully preserved. The Dewadaru is esteemed highly for their traditional and cultural value, and regarded as the totem guardians of the island. Because the occult power of the Dewadaru is well known, many disrespectful outsiders plunder the wood seeking to possess and misuse the power within it for egoic purposes. But it is also believed that Sunan Nyamplungan, the guardian of the island, or his proxy, plays a role in protecting the place from pilferers. Some say that the Adept sometimes appear as a gigantic bat to those who carry-out their negative intentions.
In 1992, the faculty of biology of the University of Gajah Mada conducted some research on the Dewadaru and the report of their analysis states that this tree is quite rare and not easily propagated. There are two strains to be found in the Karimunjava islands: the first strain is Dewadaru Baccaurea Sumatrana from the Euphorbiaceae family. The second, Fagraea Elliptica from the Loganiaceae family.
The Dewadaru is supposed to be found solely in the Karimunjava islands. Although almost unheard of, there is at least one Dewadaru tree to be found in Java in the area of Mt. Kawi in the region of Malang, East Java. Strangely enough, those living in this area sanctify the leaves rather than the wood.
Mt. Kawi is well-known for its pilgrimage site for those seeking wealth. The tree grows nearby a grave of someone who was known as Eyang Jugo, a metaphysical practitioner of royal descent. It is said that those sitting underneath the Dewadaru tree and is fortunate enough to have a leave or two fall on their heads out of their own accord, then this is a sign that great financial blessings or wealth will be bestowed upon them. It is thus not surprising to find people sitting or even spending the night 'neath the shade of the tree hoping to catch a leaf-fall. People come from all over Java hoping to transform their fate with a simple sitting. However, even with strong winds, seldom does a leaf detach itself from the branches with the hope and expectation of the sitters. Many return to their normal lives in disappointment. At times those standing quite a distance from the tree are often blessed with a falling leaf, often blown by a non-existing wind. There are tales of those who disbelieved in the sacredness of the tree and mockingly place a leaf upon their own heads. The result was that on their way home from the mountain they encountered tragic mishaps.
The origin of the Dewadaru tree at this particular site of pilgrimage has a similar tale as the one of Karimunjava. Both were the result of the insertions of walking staffs into the grounds. According to the legend, Eyang Jugo once journeyed with a companion to his close friend R.M. Imam Soejono, who lived on Mt. Kawi. Along the way he rested in a shady area. It was there that he received intuitively from the spirit planes that his life was drawing to a close. He advised his travel companion that where he died, it was there that he was to be buried. Further along the way Eyang Jugo suddenly stabbed the ground with his staff and expired. The staff filled with the power of Eyang Jugo, suddenly grew into a tree. The Chinese people living in the precincts of Eyang Jugo's gravesite called the tree "Shian Toho," and this was translated into Javanese as "Dewadaru."
As mentioned above, the Dewadaru wood is often carried as an amulet. Those able to acquire a rosary fashioned from it for spiritual or devotional purposes is indeed fortunate, for it is rare that anyone is given the permission to secure this wood from the islands and to tap into its inherent magickal virtues.
Copyright ฉ 2006 Luxamore
Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
http://www.indotalisman.com/
http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/
According to the legend, there was once a man living on the island of Java who was furious with his son for constant disobedience. The man, although he loved his son dearly, strove to inculcate in him a certain hard lesson. So one day he drove his son away from home with the warning that he was not to set foot on Java again.
Not willing to disobey his father again, he prepared himself for the journey. In sadness, the son left Mt. Muria where they dwelt and moved on to the open seas to the north. He sailed on a boat for many days through stormy weather and amidst huge waves, not really knowing his destination and perhaps with little will to survive. Then one day, his boat landed on the shores of a small, uninhabited island.
Meanwhile, from the peak of Mt. Muria in Java, the boy's father was secretly watching over his son clairvoyantly. But for some reason his vision was vague and unclear, and thus lost track of the whereabouts of the boy on that island. In the old Javanese language, the word "vague" is translated as kerimun. Thus the island became known as "Karimun-java."
The boy continued his journey inland bearing two wooden staffs as walking sticks to assist his journey. He retrieved these from the shore. These two short poles wounded him while his boat was capsized to shore by the sheer power of the waves. In the middle of the forest he poked the two staffs to the ground and started to rest from the tiresome journey. Miraculously, in that very instant the two staffs grew into magnificent trees. In awe of the incident, he named them "Dewadaru." In the present day, the place where he rested now stands the village of Nyamplungan.
Nowadays, although not too numerous, there is a substantial amount of Dewadaru trees growing on the islands-the descendants of the very first two. The remains of the original, fabulous Dewadaru trees may still be seen. The humps are there as if to substantiate the truth of the legend. The descendants of the magickal trees grow in hill-slopes of the islands and are not easily accessible.
In proximity to the once glorious trees is a grave that until now is still being sanctified by the locals. On certain nights-such as Jumat Kliwon (a Thursday night occurring once in 35 days) of the Javanese calendar, the grave would be visited by pilgrims desiring the blessings of the spiritual adept to whom the grave belongs. The adept was known as Sunan Nyamplungan from whence the village received its name.
For centuries, the Dewadaru tree or wood is believed by the inhabitants of Karimunjava to possess magickal powers. Tested through time, the wood is said to heal poisonous bites, and aches or illnesses in the abdominal region. Dewadaru wood is often carried as an amulet for personal protection against evil persons as well as a weapon against evil spirits. It is said that unlike other types of wood, the Dewadaru, even a small piece of it, sinks when placed in water.
Seventy-five kilometers away, as the crow flies, from the town of Jepara in Java, the Karimunjava islands has a scary myth related to the Dewadaru. There is supposed to be a warning by the regional spirits that the sacred Dewadaru wood or tree is not to be taken out of the islands without the concession of the spiritual guardians of the area. Whosoever violates this, even by taking a small piece of the wood, incurs the wrath of Nature and calamity befalls him or her not long after. The usual mishap is the sinking or the immobility of the vessel that the person travels on to journey back to the mainland. Sometimes it could be a fatal illness after the trip. Often the person dies a tragic death in a freak "accident." At first this myth was regarded as a superstition, but several instances of this have been recorded.
In regards to the sinking of unfortunate vessels transporting the wood, some observers have noted of unusual events beforehand. Signs and warnings are given from the invisible world. Tales of these spirit communications and unheeded warnings abound. One story in particular relates of an old woman appearing to the captain of a vessel warning that the boat or ship was carrying the sacred wood and that this was taken from the region without permission and the required ceremony. Before disappearing, she warned the captain to unload the illicitly gained item. The captain did not heed her request and as a result, the vessel that he commanded en route to the Java mainland sank to the watery depths. Before the ship sailed even the villagers of the island were given omens that the vessel was doomed. Many of them heard blasting sounds on the nearby Nyamplungan hill. Careful investigations revealed nothing that could have produced those noises. It is said that to this day these sounds still occur whenever a ship or a boat is destined to plunge into Davy Jones' locker. In 1981 a mishap was prevented from occurring. There was a ship on its way to Java from the Karimunjava islands. Somewhere in the middle of the sea its engine stalled and it became immobile. Moments later everyone on board, passengers and crew, panicked. Out of the calm sea, huge waves suddenly appeared, threatening to capsize the vessel. The captain realizing what was wrong in haste called upon the passengers to throw into the sea any Dewadaru wood that they were carrying. One person confessed that he had some of the wood in his possession. This was quickly cast into the sea with apologies to the spirit guardians of Karimunjava. Amazingly, minutes later the waves subsided.
There are always two sides to a coin. The above myth also has a different aspect: if by any chance the Dewadaru wood finds its way outside of the Karimunjava islands, the wood would double its potency and act as a powerful catalyst to awaken the dormant occult faculties within its possessor or user. The energy of the wood itself is a potent amulet against all forms of black magick and it also wards off negative entities, as mentioned previously. Dewadaru is also worn as protective amulets against the jettatore, the evil eye. From the metaphysical viewpoint, the dryads or spirits of the trees are especially empowered and their power or virtues are occultly inherent within the wood. The energy of the Dewadaru wood has a beneficent influence upon the psychosomatic system of man. The village shamans say that the Dewadaru is an exclusive gift to the people on the island, one reason why the spiritual guardians of the region do not permit the wood to be exported unless with special concession.
There are numerous strange stories related to the magickal Dewadaru tree or its wood. To the local inhabitants these are no longer a matter of belief but knowledge and conviction gained from day to day experience. Being sacred, the Dewadaru is used only for devotional and protective purposes. One hardly finds the villagers using this wood for the fashioning of furniture or as a building material; and only the courageous would use it in their spiritual activities. The trees are not too numerous on the islands nowadays and therefore they are forcefully preserved. The Dewadaru is esteemed highly for their traditional and cultural value, and regarded as the totem guardians of the island. Because the occult power of the Dewadaru is well known, many disrespectful outsiders plunder the wood seeking to possess and misuse the power within it for egoic purposes. But it is also believed that Sunan Nyamplungan, the guardian of the island, or his proxy, plays a role in protecting the place from pilferers. Some say that the Adept sometimes appear as a gigantic bat to those who carry-out their negative intentions.
In 1992, the faculty of biology of the University of Gajah Mada conducted some research on the Dewadaru and the report of their analysis states that this tree is quite rare and not easily propagated. There are two strains to be found in the Karimunjava islands: the first strain is Dewadaru Baccaurea Sumatrana from the Euphorbiaceae family. The second, Fagraea Elliptica from the Loganiaceae family.
The Dewadaru is supposed to be found solely in the Karimunjava islands. Although almost unheard of, there is at least one Dewadaru tree to be found in Java in the area of Mt. Kawi in the region of Malang, East Java. Strangely enough, those living in this area sanctify the leaves rather than the wood.
Mt. Kawi is well-known for its pilgrimage site for those seeking wealth. The tree grows nearby a grave of someone who was known as Eyang Jugo, a metaphysical practitioner of royal descent. It is said that those sitting underneath the Dewadaru tree and is fortunate enough to have a leave or two fall on their heads out of their own accord, then this is a sign that great financial blessings or wealth will be bestowed upon them. It is thus not surprising to find people sitting or even spending the night 'neath the shade of the tree hoping to catch a leaf-fall. People come from all over Java hoping to transform their fate with a simple sitting. However, even with strong winds, seldom does a leaf detach itself from the branches with the hope and expectation of the sitters. Many return to their normal lives in disappointment. At times those standing quite a distance from the tree are often blessed with a falling leaf, often blown by a non-existing wind. There are tales of those who disbelieved in the sacredness of the tree and mockingly place a leaf upon their own heads. The result was that on their way home from the mountain they encountered tragic mishaps.
The origin of the Dewadaru tree at this particular site of pilgrimage has a similar tale as the one of Karimunjava. Both were the result of the insertions of walking staffs into the grounds. According to the legend, Eyang Jugo once journeyed with a companion to his close friend R.M. Imam Soejono, who lived on Mt. Kawi. Along the way he rested in a shady area. It was there that he received intuitively from the spirit planes that his life was drawing to a close. He advised his travel companion that where he died, it was there that he was to be buried. Further along the way Eyang Jugo suddenly stabbed the ground with his staff and expired. The staff filled with the power of Eyang Jugo, suddenly grew into a tree. The Chinese people living in the precincts of Eyang Jugo's gravesite called the tree "Shian Toho," and this was translated into Javanese as "Dewadaru."
As mentioned above, the Dewadaru wood is often carried as an amulet. Those able to acquire a rosary fashioned from it for spiritual or devotional purposes is indeed fortunate, for it is rare that anyone is given the permission to secure this wood from the islands and to tap into its inherent magickal virtues.
Copyright ฉ 2006 Luxamore
Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
http://www.indotalisman.com/
http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/
Taking "The Road Less Traveled"
Think back on all of the things you set out to do at the beginning of the year. Think back further to those things you promised to do by the time you reached thirty or forty or fifty. Any regrets? How many things on that list have you set out in full determination to do, but in the end, that devil on your shoulder warned you against starting, telling you that you're too old, too young, too out of shape, too afraid? Too often we listen to that nagging voice telling us that we "can't" or we "shouldn't." Too often, that voice leads to opportunities lost. Now think back on all the times you went with your gut feeling, not that voice in your ear. I would bet that nine times out of ten, despite the fear and the doubt, you came out feeling like you were on top. Pretty remarkable feeling, wouldn't you say?
It's so easy to succumb to the "voice of reason," we hear screaming inside. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the voice to heed. But I'm talking about dreams here, not those decisions that bring into question our duties or responsibilities. I'm talking about that personal something that you've always wanted to accomplish for yourself, but were too afraid. Those goals we set at the beginning of the year like running a marathon, losing 15 pounds, taking a trip solo, or conquering a phobia. When we have a dream or a goal, we mean well, don't we? We set out to do it. But something keeps us from it. There's that voice, that deafening voice that serves as an insurmountable barricade, and keeps us from taking that first step. It whispers, taunting us by saying that we're not good enough, not serious enough, not ambitious enough, not smart enough, and not brave enough. Ironic isn't it that all too often that voice echoes in the same timbre of our mother, our father, our husband or wife, even our children. Imagine your dream; it could be ambitious, something that will take years to accomplish, or even something small and personal to bring you a little happiness. The possibilities abound when you are able to ignore the voices, and take that first step forward. I did, and it completely altered my perspective on where I was headed in life.
My fianc้ and I just recently relocated from sunny Florida to the green and rolling horse farms of central Kentucky. We had both grown up in the Sunshine State and had little desire to leave until he was offered a scholarship to attend the University of Kentucky's School of Law. It was with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to friends and family, 100% humidity, and the tourist-filled streets. Once we arrived in Lexington, we found that there were more than hurricanes and humidity missing. People's accents were different, there was no Cuban food to be found in any of the ethnic food aisles, and jobs that had been abundant in the South were not as easily available up in the bluegrass.
It was after a month of job-hunting (as though it were my job), that I decided I needed to take myself on an outing. I had been cooped up in the apartment, sending resumes, sending thank you letters, desperate for human interaction and even more desperate for a job. The pressure and the disappointment were mounting. Yes, it was definitely time for an outing. I consulted my handy "Welcome to Kentucky" guide that the Kentucky Visitor's Bureau had graciously supplied me with, skeptical of what I might find. I searched for attractions in the area, and one caught my eye right away: The Raven Run Sanctuary. "A Sanctuary," I thought to myself, "Now there's just the thing I need." The description sounded promising, "a 470 acre nature sanctuary with over 10 miles of hiking trails."
I was intrigued. But something kept me from walking out the door just then. That voice, far in the back of my mind whispering "do you really thing this is a good idea?" I began to doubt myself. I picked up the phone and called a friend. Single and in her early twenties, it was practically effortless to get her to side with my wilder, adventure-seeking half. It only took a few minutes of conversation to convince me that I needed to change into a pair of shorts, a tank top and some good walking shoes, and head out the door. My more cautious side prompted me to grab a small backpack into which I threw a Swiss army knife, a sweater, and a bottle of water. I was dressed and out the door within ten minutes of having spoken to my friend.
The drive to the nature sanctuary was calming and pleasant. I rolled all of the windows down and turned the radio off, enjoying the sounds of tractors, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the feel of the blowing wind along the way. The sanctuary was about forty minutes from where I live in Lexington, and the further I drove, the more I was reminded of the film "Deliverance" and the unforgettable "You ain't from these parts, are ya'?" scene, complete with "Dueling Banjos" orchestrating my imagination. Again, the voice came back warning "this is foolish, anything could happen out here!" A slight bump in the road had me worried that my tire had gone flat, a wrong turn wondering if I might be shot at for having trespassed.
After having unknowingly driven past the entrance to the park twice, I was almost ready to give up, but I thought "what the hell, I've come this far!" I had finally made it to the parking lot, and to my horror, there was only one other car parked there. "Oh lord," the voice said, "you're going to be murdered or worse out here in the woods by yourself, and no one will find your body for weeks, or even months." I took some solace in knowing that at the very least I had told my friend where I was headed. Even my fianc้ had no idea of my intention to go hiking on a whim.
There was a sign that pointed to the "Nature Center." I figured there would be someone there whom I could ask about the safety of a young girl hiking on her own. I picked up an abandoned walking stick, and started down a cemented path that lead through a wood. It was quiet. I looked ahead, and saw nothing but the path. I looked behind, and saw the same. On either side were trees, and trees, and more trees. But I kept on, and eventually came to an opening where there sat a small house with a sign marking it as the Nature Center. A barn sat behind the house.
There was not a soul to be seen, although there were four cars parked near the small building. Employee's cars I guessed, although I did not see any employees. At the window there was a sign in sheet and a pile of maps with a rock laid on top to keep the wind from blowing them away. I glanced down the list. There had been six sets of visitors that day, all of which had already come and gone except for one couple. No one had come on their own I noticed, and most had remarked that this was not their first visit to the sanctuary. I carefully wrote in my name. I wanted to be sure that it was legible in case I was killed or bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear. I listed the make and model of my car, the number in my party (one), and stated this was my first visit to the park. "Maybe I should lie," I pondered, just in case some sick bastard chanced a look and decided to hunt down some ignorant city girl in the woods that day. I decided I'd take my chances. I opened my map, gripped my walking stick anxiously, and took my first steps down the path, starting my journey. It took me about a half hour of walking to get used to the idea that I would not be running in to other people.
There was a sign posted that said "Overlook." "That sounds nice," I thought, and headed in the direction it pointed toward. I came to a fork in the road, and consulted my handy, Xerox-copied map. Either path would lead me to the overlook, so which one to take? Robert Frost's "The Road Less Traveled" came to mind. Both looked pretty well defined, but feeling inspired, I took notice that the path to the right led into the woods, the other through a flowered field, and I made the decision that any reader of that poem would make, "and I took the road less traveled by." It led me deep into a forest. Not a sound could be heard save for the fall of leaves and my own labored breathing as I trekked up and down the hillside. Then came the echo of my fianc้'s voice in my head wisely stating "you should not be doing this by yourself." I kept on with some trepidation. And then I stopped dead in my tracks. A doe with her fawn were lunching on a bush. It was the closest I had ever been to nature. I stood quite still until my joints felt stiff and I became eager for a better look. My step forward alerted them to my presence and they dashed off, leaping further into the wilderness. I kept on. I was beginning to feel better about this, until I had a moment of dread recalling scenes from the "Blair Witch" film. What if the paths were changing continuously and I ended up lost forever? What if I was reading the map incorrectly? I took a deep breath, and with great effort, worked again to quiet these voices of the skeptical city girl.
After about an hour of hiking, I realized that I was walking quite near a Cliffside. Again fear. Fear of heights this time. I thought I could see water below, but was too nervous to bend over the side and take a better look. I decided just to keep on my path. It wasn't long until I reached the end. There were several large boulders in front of me, and I mustered up the courage and climbed from one down to another. I had not prepared myself for the spectacular view that surrounded me. It had all been worth it; all the fear, all the anxiety, all the doubt. I stood about thirty stories above a river, and across me and on all sides of me were cliff walls, cutting sharply into the grey-blue waters below. And for the first time since I had set out on this outing, on this search for sanctuary, I felt peace. And more than that, I felt accomplishment. I had conquered all of my urban fears to venture out into a breathtaking timeless moment, hidden away from everyone else at that particular point in time, feeling as though all of the trees and cliffs and the river below were available only to me. It was as though I had traveled through Alice's looking glass into another world, another time.
I don't recall how long I sat there, breathing in the fresh air, exhaling all of the tension I had carried with me from the start. The voice stopped then, and a new voice chimed in. "You did it," it said. "You weren't bitten by a snake; you weren't attacked by bears, or killed or raped by some mad man, or attacked by poison ivy." I felt like I could do anything just then. I had even braved sitting near the edge of the cliff to get a better look. And then I suddenly felt silly, realizing that I had spent all this time applying my knowledge and wariness of the asphalt jungle to this far less dangerous and far more inviting rural wilderness.
I started my hike back worry free and filled with vigor and pride and a sense of accomplishment. I thought back over all the pedicures and shopping sprees I had treated myself with. I thought back on the safe choices I had made that, in their own way were rewarding, but lacked any real challenge and therefore any reaffirming sense of "you can." I thought back and realized that this outing, this desperation for sanctuary turned adventure, was the best thing I had done for myself in years. And that has made all the difference.
The Road Less Traveled
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
Haley is a graduate from Florida State University's Department of Anthropology. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her fianc้, and spent most of her life in Florida. Interests are Latin American and Caribbean cultures, religion, symbol and ritual, issues concerned with self and social identity, and the arts (particularly opera, theatre, and especially musical theatre).
It's so easy to succumb to the "voice of reason," we hear screaming inside. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the voice to heed. But I'm talking about dreams here, not those decisions that bring into question our duties or responsibilities. I'm talking about that personal something that you've always wanted to accomplish for yourself, but were too afraid. Those goals we set at the beginning of the year like running a marathon, losing 15 pounds, taking a trip solo, or conquering a phobia. When we have a dream or a goal, we mean well, don't we? We set out to do it. But something keeps us from it. There's that voice, that deafening voice that serves as an insurmountable barricade, and keeps us from taking that first step. It whispers, taunting us by saying that we're not good enough, not serious enough, not ambitious enough, not smart enough, and not brave enough. Ironic isn't it that all too often that voice echoes in the same timbre of our mother, our father, our husband or wife, even our children. Imagine your dream; it could be ambitious, something that will take years to accomplish, or even something small and personal to bring you a little happiness. The possibilities abound when you are able to ignore the voices, and take that first step forward. I did, and it completely altered my perspective on where I was headed in life.
My fianc้ and I just recently relocated from sunny Florida to the green and rolling horse farms of central Kentucky. We had both grown up in the Sunshine State and had little desire to leave until he was offered a scholarship to attend the University of Kentucky's School of Law. It was with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to friends and family, 100% humidity, and the tourist-filled streets. Once we arrived in Lexington, we found that there were more than hurricanes and humidity missing. People's accents were different, there was no Cuban food to be found in any of the ethnic food aisles, and jobs that had been abundant in the South were not as easily available up in the bluegrass.
It was after a month of job-hunting (as though it were my job), that I decided I needed to take myself on an outing. I had been cooped up in the apartment, sending resumes, sending thank you letters, desperate for human interaction and even more desperate for a job. The pressure and the disappointment were mounting. Yes, it was definitely time for an outing. I consulted my handy "Welcome to Kentucky" guide that the Kentucky Visitor's Bureau had graciously supplied me with, skeptical of what I might find. I searched for attractions in the area, and one caught my eye right away: The Raven Run Sanctuary. "A Sanctuary," I thought to myself, "Now there's just the thing I need." The description sounded promising, "a 470 acre nature sanctuary with over 10 miles of hiking trails."
I was intrigued. But something kept me from walking out the door just then. That voice, far in the back of my mind whispering "do you really thing this is a good idea?" I began to doubt myself. I picked up the phone and called a friend. Single and in her early twenties, it was practically effortless to get her to side with my wilder, adventure-seeking half. It only took a few minutes of conversation to convince me that I needed to change into a pair of shorts, a tank top and some good walking shoes, and head out the door. My more cautious side prompted me to grab a small backpack into which I threw a Swiss army knife, a sweater, and a bottle of water. I was dressed and out the door within ten minutes of having spoken to my friend.
The drive to the nature sanctuary was calming and pleasant. I rolled all of the windows down and turned the radio off, enjoying the sounds of tractors, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the feel of the blowing wind along the way. The sanctuary was about forty minutes from where I live in Lexington, and the further I drove, the more I was reminded of the film "Deliverance" and the unforgettable "You ain't from these parts, are ya'?" scene, complete with "Dueling Banjos" orchestrating my imagination. Again, the voice came back warning "this is foolish, anything could happen out here!" A slight bump in the road had me worried that my tire had gone flat, a wrong turn wondering if I might be shot at for having trespassed.
After having unknowingly driven past the entrance to the park twice, I was almost ready to give up, but I thought "what the hell, I've come this far!" I had finally made it to the parking lot, and to my horror, there was only one other car parked there. "Oh lord," the voice said, "you're going to be murdered or worse out here in the woods by yourself, and no one will find your body for weeks, or even months." I took some solace in knowing that at the very least I had told my friend where I was headed. Even my fianc้ had no idea of my intention to go hiking on a whim.
There was a sign that pointed to the "Nature Center." I figured there would be someone there whom I could ask about the safety of a young girl hiking on her own. I picked up an abandoned walking stick, and started down a cemented path that lead through a wood. It was quiet. I looked ahead, and saw nothing but the path. I looked behind, and saw the same. On either side were trees, and trees, and more trees. But I kept on, and eventually came to an opening where there sat a small house with a sign marking it as the Nature Center. A barn sat behind the house.
There was not a soul to be seen, although there were four cars parked near the small building. Employee's cars I guessed, although I did not see any employees. At the window there was a sign in sheet and a pile of maps with a rock laid on top to keep the wind from blowing them away. I glanced down the list. There had been six sets of visitors that day, all of which had already come and gone except for one couple. No one had come on their own I noticed, and most had remarked that this was not their first visit to the sanctuary. I carefully wrote in my name. I wanted to be sure that it was legible in case I was killed or bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear. I listed the make and model of my car, the number in my party (one), and stated this was my first visit to the park. "Maybe I should lie," I pondered, just in case some sick bastard chanced a look and decided to hunt down some ignorant city girl in the woods that day. I decided I'd take my chances. I opened my map, gripped my walking stick anxiously, and took my first steps down the path, starting my journey. It took me about a half hour of walking to get used to the idea that I would not be running in to other people.
There was a sign posted that said "Overlook." "That sounds nice," I thought, and headed in the direction it pointed toward. I came to a fork in the road, and consulted my handy, Xerox-copied map. Either path would lead me to the overlook, so which one to take? Robert Frost's "The Road Less Traveled" came to mind. Both looked pretty well defined, but feeling inspired, I took notice that the path to the right led into the woods, the other through a flowered field, and I made the decision that any reader of that poem would make, "and I took the road less traveled by." It led me deep into a forest. Not a sound could be heard save for the fall of leaves and my own labored breathing as I trekked up and down the hillside. Then came the echo of my fianc้'s voice in my head wisely stating "you should not be doing this by yourself." I kept on with some trepidation. And then I stopped dead in my tracks. A doe with her fawn were lunching on a bush. It was the closest I had ever been to nature. I stood quite still until my joints felt stiff and I became eager for a better look. My step forward alerted them to my presence and they dashed off, leaping further into the wilderness. I kept on. I was beginning to feel better about this, until I had a moment of dread recalling scenes from the "Blair Witch" film. What if the paths were changing continuously and I ended up lost forever? What if I was reading the map incorrectly? I took a deep breath, and with great effort, worked again to quiet these voices of the skeptical city girl.
After about an hour of hiking, I realized that I was walking quite near a Cliffside. Again fear. Fear of heights this time. I thought I could see water below, but was too nervous to bend over the side and take a better look. I decided just to keep on my path. It wasn't long until I reached the end. There were several large boulders in front of me, and I mustered up the courage and climbed from one down to another. I had not prepared myself for the spectacular view that surrounded me. It had all been worth it; all the fear, all the anxiety, all the doubt. I stood about thirty stories above a river, and across me and on all sides of me were cliff walls, cutting sharply into the grey-blue waters below. And for the first time since I had set out on this outing, on this search for sanctuary, I felt peace. And more than that, I felt accomplishment. I had conquered all of my urban fears to venture out into a breathtaking timeless moment, hidden away from everyone else at that particular point in time, feeling as though all of the trees and cliffs and the river below were available only to me. It was as though I had traveled through Alice's looking glass into another world, another time.
I don't recall how long I sat there, breathing in the fresh air, exhaling all of the tension I had carried with me from the start. The voice stopped then, and a new voice chimed in. "You did it," it said. "You weren't bitten by a snake; you weren't attacked by bears, or killed or raped by some mad man, or attacked by poison ivy." I felt like I could do anything just then. I had even braved sitting near the edge of the cliff to get a better look. And then I suddenly felt silly, realizing that I had spent all this time applying my knowledge and wariness of the asphalt jungle to this far less dangerous and far more inviting rural wilderness.
I started my hike back worry free and filled with vigor and pride and a sense of accomplishment. I thought back over all the pedicures and shopping sprees I had treated myself with. I thought back on the safe choices I had made that, in their own way were rewarding, but lacked any real challenge and therefore any reaffirming sense of "you can." I thought back and realized that this outing, this desperation for sanctuary turned adventure, was the best thing I had done for myself in years. And that has made all the difference.
The Road Less Traveled
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
Haley is a graduate from Florida State University's Department of Anthropology. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her fianc้, and spent most of her life in Florida. Interests are Latin American and Caribbean cultures, religion, symbol and ritual, issues concerned with self and social identity, and the arts (particularly opera, theatre, and especially musical theatre).
Singapore Travel Guide - What to Do in Singapore
This is a report on what living in Singapore is like. It can also serve as a travel report for your next visit to Singapore. Singapore is a city in South East Asia and it is situated just underneath Malaysia and to the West of Indonesia. It is a very small island and presently has about 5millioninhabitants. It is very tropical and hot with temperatures always above 30C. It usually only rains about once a day for about half an hour but there are also periods (like now) when there is hardly and periods when there is more. The majority of the population are Chinese descendants that came to Singapore in the early 1800s to work in the newly established port. Most of them speak mandarin although everyone in Singapore is taught in English with mandarin and Malay also being taught. The other 3 population groups are the Malays, the Indians and the Caucasians. All these groups have a very different culture and practice a different religion but Singapore prides itself on its diversity and everyone here seems to get on well. Singapore is a very clean and safe place to live which is one of the reasons I like being here. All the streets are really clean and look beautiful and in many places they are surrounded by lush tree and plants.
So what can you do here as a tourist?
Explore the different cultures Singapore is the perfect place to go if you want to have a taste of Asia, but still like the luxury of a very clean city, people that speak English and fantastic shopping. Although it is a very modern city there are still places in Singapore where you can still experience the Asian culture.
Places to visit
Arab street: this is the traditional neighborhood of the Malay people. You can find the mosque here and some wonderful quaint streets with little shops.
Little India: As soon as you step foot in this part of town, most of the people on the streets are Indian as are the restaurants and shops and you really get a sense of being in India.
Chinatown: lovely antique shops, temples and many beautiful old shophouses makes this a fun place to explore.
Raffles Hotel: this place served as a place of tranquility for the Europeans in colonial times. Today it is a lovely place to explore the museum, browse through some shops, have a drink at the long bar or sit on the outside terrace.
Enjoy the nightlife
Although Singapore seems to have a reputation of being 'boring" the city is working hard to get rid of this image. The formula 1 race is now held here once a year and 2 casinos are being built. There are already many nice cafes and restaurants here. I just love to go outside in the evening with minimal clothes on when the temperature is so lovely and sit at one of the many terraces outside.
Places I like:
Clarke quay: if you think that Singapore is not a happening place then visit Clarke quay. A very bustling part of town with many trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs. One place I like there is the 1NiteStand comedy bar where they have excellent stand-up comedy and life bands.
Although I now prefer Clarke Quay this is still a fun and happening place where many expats and tourists hang out.
Dampsey Hill: this used to be where the former British army barracks were, but it has now been turned into a trendy area with upmarket restaurants and specialty shops.
Holland village: a fun and casual place to meet up for drinks, coffee or visit one of the many restaurants.
Raffles Hotel long bar: traditionally THE place to go for a Singapore sling.
Hawker centers: if you want to eat the Singaporean way try one of the many hawker center where you can eat very cheaply.
Enjoy beautiful nature walks
Few cities are as green and luscious as Singapore. There are many places to go for a stroll and discover new trees and plants. Here are some of my favourites:
Singapore botanical gardens: beautiful big park with wonderful gardens
Bukit Timah nature reserve: for those that want to be in the jungle and have a more challenging walk
McRitchie nature reserve: lots of lovely and peaceful walks here.From here you can also do theTree Top Walkwhich gives you a different perspective on the Singapore's trees.
The Singapore zoo is a beautiful nature walk all by itself. The zoo grounds are wonderfully lush and of course it's fun to encounter some amazing animals along the way.
Lots of activities for the kids
Singapore has a lot of interesting activities for children
Forest adventure: a fun and challenging course across trees and over water. Children love this!
Sentosa Island: too many activities here. Some examples are: The luge, butterfly garden, laser show, trapeze, underwater world, dolphins, images of Singapore museum, beach, airlifts, dinosaur walk, etc. If you are traveling with kids then this would be the best place to stay.
Zoo and Night Safari: I believe that Singapore's zoo is one of the best (if not the best) zoo in the world. Both zoo and night safari are fantastic so that will be a tough choice to make (or you can just do both)
Wet and Wild and Jurong Swimming complex: fun places for swimming, complete with lazy rivers and slides
Jacob Ballas children's garden in the botanical gardens: a lovely free playground for the kids with water, cubby houses, slides etc (and shade for the parents to sit and chat). The botanical gardens also have a lot of ducks and fish that children love to feed.
East Coast Park: this is a park next to the sea, although you should not expect to do a lot of swimming here. People come here for walking, rollerblading, cycling but there are also lots of activities like a fair, watersports, sailing, taiqi, fishing etc.
Go Shopping!
Singapore is famous for its shopping which is the people's favorite pass time. There are so many malls here that I don't think I will ever be able to visit them all. Check these ones out:
General shopping: The most famous shopping street in Singapore is Orchard Road. Ngee Ann City is the home of Takashimaya, a big Japanese superstore. You will find many of the major brands here, and also the great book store Kinokuniya.You can walk from Ngee Ann City to Wisma Atria where there is a great variety of shops. Paragon is opposite Ngee Ann city and has a good variety of shops also. Another favorite is Singapore's newest mall Vivo City which is close to Sentosa.
Sports: for sport shoes and lots of other sports articles go to Queensway shopping centre. But my personal favorite, as many of my local sport friends will know, is theThe Velocity Sports Mall at Novena square for some great deals on Adidas clothes.
Computers and electronics: Lots of variety of electronics and computers at Sim Lim Square. Another good one (less messy) is Funan DigitaLife mall. A good place for bargaining for electronics on Orchard Road is Lucky Plaza.
Singaporean: for Chinese products head to the Yue Hwa store. Arab street is good for baskets, textiles, mats and dry goods. In the Tekka Centre you can buy gold, (Muslim) food and clothes.
Children: The Forum shopping mall tends to be focused on children but it is very expensive.
Close to Singapore
One of the great things of living in Singapore is that it is so close to a lot of other interesting places and you can take advantage of that as a visitor too. Malaysia, Indonesia (Bali), Thailand and other interesting countries are only a few hours away. So if you would like to visit Singapore but still would like some relaxing days on a nice beach then you can combine it with a tropical beach in one of those countries. The closest to Singapore is Bintan Island which is a small Island in Indonesia. It's very easy to get there from Singapore with a 40 min trip by ferry.
Of course I've only scratched the surface on all the things you can do here. To know more you will need to buy a good guide book like Malaysia and Singapore (Eyewitness Travel Guides) To view this report with links or to see other travel reports be sure to visit my website.
So what can you do here as a tourist?
Explore the different cultures Singapore is the perfect place to go if you want to have a taste of Asia, but still like the luxury of a very clean city, people that speak English and fantastic shopping. Although it is a very modern city there are still places in Singapore where you can still experience the Asian culture.
Places to visit
Arab street: this is the traditional neighborhood of the Malay people. You can find the mosque here and some wonderful quaint streets with little shops.
Little India: As soon as you step foot in this part of town, most of the people on the streets are Indian as are the restaurants and shops and you really get a sense of being in India.
Chinatown: lovely antique shops, temples and many beautiful old shophouses makes this a fun place to explore.
Raffles Hotel: this place served as a place of tranquility for the Europeans in colonial times. Today it is a lovely place to explore the museum, browse through some shops, have a drink at the long bar or sit on the outside terrace.
Enjoy the nightlife
Although Singapore seems to have a reputation of being 'boring" the city is working hard to get rid of this image. The formula 1 race is now held here once a year and 2 casinos are being built. There are already many nice cafes and restaurants here. I just love to go outside in the evening with minimal clothes on when the temperature is so lovely and sit at one of the many terraces outside.
Places I like:
Clarke quay: if you think that Singapore is not a happening place then visit Clarke quay. A very bustling part of town with many trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs. One place I like there is the 1NiteStand comedy bar where they have excellent stand-up comedy and life bands.
Although I now prefer Clarke Quay this is still a fun and happening place where many expats and tourists hang out.
Dampsey Hill: this used to be where the former British army barracks were, but it has now been turned into a trendy area with upmarket restaurants and specialty shops.
Holland village: a fun and casual place to meet up for drinks, coffee or visit one of the many restaurants.
Raffles Hotel long bar: traditionally THE place to go for a Singapore sling.
Hawker centers: if you want to eat the Singaporean way try one of the many hawker center where you can eat very cheaply.
Enjoy beautiful nature walks
Few cities are as green and luscious as Singapore. There are many places to go for a stroll and discover new trees and plants. Here are some of my favourites:
Singapore botanical gardens: beautiful big park with wonderful gardens
Bukit Timah nature reserve: for those that want to be in the jungle and have a more challenging walk
McRitchie nature reserve: lots of lovely and peaceful walks here.From here you can also do theTree Top Walkwhich gives you a different perspective on the Singapore's trees.
The Singapore zoo is a beautiful nature walk all by itself. The zoo grounds are wonderfully lush and of course it's fun to encounter some amazing animals along the way.
Lots of activities for the kids
Singapore has a lot of interesting activities for children
Forest adventure: a fun and challenging course across trees and over water. Children love this!
Sentosa Island: too many activities here. Some examples are: The luge, butterfly garden, laser show, trapeze, underwater world, dolphins, images of Singapore museum, beach, airlifts, dinosaur walk, etc. If you are traveling with kids then this would be the best place to stay.
Zoo and Night Safari: I believe that Singapore's zoo is one of the best (if not the best) zoo in the world. Both zoo and night safari are fantastic so that will be a tough choice to make (or you can just do both)
Wet and Wild and Jurong Swimming complex: fun places for swimming, complete with lazy rivers and slides
Jacob Ballas children's garden in the botanical gardens: a lovely free playground for the kids with water, cubby houses, slides etc (and shade for the parents to sit and chat). The botanical gardens also have a lot of ducks and fish that children love to feed.
East Coast Park: this is a park next to the sea, although you should not expect to do a lot of swimming here. People come here for walking, rollerblading, cycling but there are also lots of activities like a fair, watersports, sailing, taiqi, fishing etc.
Go Shopping!
Singapore is famous for its shopping which is the people's favorite pass time. There are so many malls here that I don't think I will ever be able to visit them all. Check these ones out:
General shopping: The most famous shopping street in Singapore is Orchard Road. Ngee Ann City is the home of Takashimaya, a big Japanese superstore. You will find many of the major brands here, and also the great book store Kinokuniya.You can walk from Ngee Ann City to Wisma Atria where there is a great variety of shops. Paragon is opposite Ngee Ann city and has a good variety of shops also. Another favorite is Singapore's newest mall Vivo City which is close to Sentosa.
Sports: for sport shoes and lots of other sports articles go to Queensway shopping centre. But my personal favorite, as many of my local sport friends will know, is theThe Velocity Sports Mall at Novena square for some great deals on Adidas clothes.
Computers and electronics: Lots of variety of electronics and computers at Sim Lim Square. Another good one (less messy) is Funan DigitaLife mall. A good place for bargaining for electronics on Orchard Road is Lucky Plaza.
Singaporean: for Chinese products head to the Yue Hwa store. Arab street is good for baskets, textiles, mats and dry goods. In the Tekka Centre you can buy gold, (Muslim) food and clothes.
Children: The Forum shopping mall tends to be focused on children but it is very expensive.
Close to Singapore
One of the great things of living in Singapore is that it is so close to a lot of other interesting places and you can take advantage of that as a visitor too. Malaysia, Indonesia (Bali), Thailand and other interesting countries are only a few hours away. So if you would like to visit Singapore but still would like some relaxing days on a nice beach then you can combine it with a tropical beach in one of those countries. The closest to Singapore is Bintan Island which is a small Island in Indonesia. It's very easy to get there from Singapore with a 40 min trip by ferry.
Of course I've only scratched the surface on all the things you can do here. To know more you will need to buy a good guide book like Malaysia and Singapore (Eyewitness Travel Guides) To view this report with links or to see other travel reports be sure to visit my website.
Sylvia is a web consultant and web publisher. She blogs about all issues relating to leading your best life at http://bestlifeweb.com She also runs a web design strategy business and effective web design and promotion blog at http://escalawebstrategy.com
The History of Christmas Trees
Many historians and anthropologists agree that the history of christmas trees begins in post-primeval times, just as agricultural societies were developing across the globe. Christmas did not exist. It was simply, in one culture or another, a pagan celebration of the winter solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year which usually occurs on the 22nd or 23rd of December. The boughs of evergreen trees were brought indoors to protect inhabitants from the evil spirits that could cause starvation and illness.
Ancient peoples also scattered evergreen boughs over their floors, doors and around the windows. In fact, the tradition of hanging an evergreen garland comes from the tradition of hanging evergreens over the mantelpiece to keep witches, ghosts and spirits from traveling down the chimney and into the house.
Evergreen boughs were also used to keep away illness. Scents such as pine, juniper and balsam are still used by aromatherapists today to fend off illness and winter depression.
Even the ancient Egyptians were thought to play a role in the history of christmas trees. Of course there were no evergreen forests in ancient Egypt but during the solstice they filled their homes with palm rushes to protect themselves from evil and celebrate the return of their Sun God Ra.
European and Mediterranean cultures also have episodes in the long saga that is part of the history of christmas trees. On the solstice, known as Saturnalia, the Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs. This honored the God Saturn whose domain was agriculture. Further north, the Celtic Druids used evergreens on the darkest day of the year to symbolize eternal life. These trees were not decorated as we know them today. They were not much more decorative than the famous Charlie brown christmas tree. This is because the function of these evergreen boughs was more protective than celebratory.
By the 12th century indoor trees were brought inside. Nobody is sure why but originally Christmas trees were hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime. This was a popular custom in Central Europe. The upside down tree was seen as both as a symbol of Christianity and a pagan symbol. At that point Christianity was not wide spread and the tree may have been a nod to both pagan and Christian traditions.
It is widely believed that the history of the Christmas tree as we know it began in Germany in the sixteenth century. However few people realize that the tree was not brought inside and that in fact, the first decorated christmas tree was a pyramid made of wood. These German indoor pyramids were decorated with boughs and candles. Often jars of pickles were set on the steps. The pyramid shape was not a direct inspiration from ancient Egypt but rather, the triangular shape was thought to represent the three points of the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The person credited with adding lighted candles to a real tree is Martin Luther - a German Protestant reformer who lived in the mid 1600s. The legend is that he was inspired to do so by the sight of stars in the night sky peeking through the limbs of an evergreen while he was on a walk.
The next big development in the history of christmas trees was tinsel. Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time, tinsel was made of real silver and it tarnished easily thanks to the smoke from the christmas tree candles. Silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century when it was replaced by aluminum.
The history of christmas trees was non-existent in America until about the 1840s. They were sometimes displayed as curios in traveling sideshows. The christmas tree decorating ritual was considered sacrilegious for most of the 17th and 18th century. It was seen as a mockery of the sober celebration of the birth of Christ. In fact in 1659, people were fined for hanging decorations. This law continued until the 19th century when the tradition was brought more into common practice by German and Irish immigrants to the United States. The practice was also made more acceptable when Queen Victoria decided to make a right side up floor-to-ceiling xmas tree part of her d้cor in 1846.
One difference between European customs and American customs seemed to be that Europeans were more inclined to decorate their trees with food, cookies and candies (and even pickles!) whereas Americans were more into glitzy decorations. Also the European christmas trees tended to be shorter (three to four feet in height) while the Americans preferred their trees to be sky-high. Both cultures however enjoyed decorating their trees with garlands of popcorns and electric lights.
In the 1950s America saw the advent of the first artificial christmas trees. This event was celebrated by Charles M. Schulz famous fable about the Charlie brown Christmas tree. In this fable Charlie Brown is told by Linus, Lucy and Shroeder to go out and find the biggest flashiest aluminum tree to use as a decoration for their Christmas play. Instead Brown falls in love with the most pathetic tree ever and finds the true meaning of Christmas. You can buy a replica of this type of tree which is often called the "pathetic charlie brown christmas tree" online. True to the original cartoon, the tree boasts just one red Christmas ball ornament on a single bare limb.
The argument about which is better - a fake christmas tree or a real christmas tree still rages on today. The most recent development in the history of Christmas trees is the return of the upside down christmas tree, which is disapproved by the church just as it was in the sixteenth century. If history keeps repeating itself the next trend we will see in xmas trees is the ancient wooden pyramids that served as artificial trees in pagan times.
Ancient peoples also scattered evergreen boughs over their floors, doors and around the windows. In fact, the tradition of hanging an evergreen garland comes from the tradition of hanging evergreens over the mantelpiece to keep witches, ghosts and spirits from traveling down the chimney and into the house.
Evergreen boughs were also used to keep away illness. Scents such as pine, juniper and balsam are still used by aromatherapists today to fend off illness and winter depression.
Even the ancient Egyptians were thought to play a role in the history of christmas trees. Of course there were no evergreen forests in ancient Egypt but during the solstice they filled their homes with palm rushes to protect themselves from evil and celebrate the return of their Sun God Ra.
European and Mediterranean cultures also have episodes in the long saga that is part of the history of christmas trees. On the solstice, known as Saturnalia, the Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs. This honored the God Saturn whose domain was agriculture. Further north, the Celtic Druids used evergreens on the darkest day of the year to symbolize eternal life. These trees were not decorated as we know them today. They were not much more decorative than the famous Charlie brown christmas tree. This is because the function of these evergreen boughs was more protective than celebratory.
By the 12th century indoor trees were brought inside. Nobody is sure why but originally Christmas trees were hung upside-down from ceilings at Christmastime. This was a popular custom in Central Europe. The upside down tree was seen as both as a symbol of Christianity and a pagan symbol. At that point Christianity was not wide spread and the tree may have been a nod to both pagan and Christian traditions.
It is widely believed that the history of the Christmas tree as we know it began in Germany in the sixteenth century. However few people realize that the tree was not brought inside and that in fact, the first decorated christmas tree was a pyramid made of wood. These German indoor pyramids were decorated with boughs and candles. Often jars of pickles were set on the steps. The pyramid shape was not a direct inspiration from ancient Egypt but rather, the triangular shape was thought to represent the three points of the Holy Trinity - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The person credited with adding lighted candles to a real tree is Martin Luther - a German Protestant reformer who lived in the mid 1600s. The legend is that he was inspired to do so by the sight of stars in the night sky peeking through the limbs of an evergreen while he was on a walk.
The next big development in the history of christmas trees was tinsel. Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time, tinsel was made of real silver and it tarnished easily thanks to the smoke from the christmas tree candles. Silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century when it was replaced by aluminum.
The history of christmas trees was non-existent in America until about the 1840s. They were sometimes displayed as curios in traveling sideshows. The christmas tree decorating ritual was considered sacrilegious for most of the 17th and 18th century. It was seen as a mockery of the sober celebration of the birth of Christ. In fact in 1659, people were fined for hanging decorations. This law continued until the 19th century when the tradition was brought more into common practice by German and Irish immigrants to the United States. The practice was also made more acceptable when Queen Victoria decided to make a right side up floor-to-ceiling xmas tree part of her d้cor in 1846.
One difference between European customs and American customs seemed to be that Europeans were more inclined to decorate their trees with food, cookies and candies (and even pickles!) whereas Americans were more into glitzy decorations. Also the European christmas trees tended to be shorter (three to four feet in height) while the Americans preferred their trees to be sky-high. Both cultures however enjoyed decorating their trees with garlands of popcorns and electric lights.
In the 1950s America saw the advent of the first artificial christmas trees. This event was celebrated by Charles M. Schulz famous fable about the Charlie brown Christmas tree. In this fable Charlie Brown is told by Linus, Lucy and Shroeder to go out and find the biggest flashiest aluminum tree to use as a decoration for their Christmas play. Instead Brown falls in love with the most pathetic tree ever and finds the true meaning of Christmas. You can buy a replica of this type of tree which is often called the "pathetic charlie brown christmas tree" online. True to the original cartoon, the tree boasts just one red Christmas ball ornament on a single bare limb.
The argument about which is better - a fake christmas tree or a real christmas tree still rages on today. The most recent development in the history of Christmas trees is the return of the upside down christmas tree, which is disapproved by the church just as it was in the sixteenth century. If history keeps repeating itself the next trend we will see in xmas trees is the ancient wooden pyramids that served as artificial trees in pagan times.
Taking "The Road Less Traveled"
Think back on all of the things you set out to do at the
beginning of the year. Think back further to those things you
promised to do by the time you reached thirty or forty or fifty.
Any regrets? How many things on that list have you set out in
full determination to do, but in the end, that devil on your
shoulder warned you against starting, telling you that you're
too old, too young, too out of shape, too afraid? Too often we
listen to that nagging voice telling us that we "can't" or we
"shouldn't." Too often, that voice leads to opportunities lost.
Now think back on all the times you went with your gut feeling,
not that voice in your ear. I would bet that nine times out of
ten, despite the fear and the doubt, you came out feeling like
you were on top. Pretty remarkable feeling, wouldn't you say?
It's so easy to succumb to the "voice of reason," we hear
screaming inside. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the
voice to heed. But I'm talking about dreams here, not those
decisions that bring into question our duties or
responsibilities. I'm talking about that personal something that
you've always wanted to accomplish for yourself, but were too
afraid. Those goals we set at the beginning of the year like
running a marathon, losing 15 pounds, taking a trip solo, or
conquering a phobia. When we have a dream or a goal, we mean
well, don't we? We set out to do it. But something keeps us from
it. There's that voice, that deafening voice that serves as an
insurmountable barricade, and keeps us from taking that first
step. It whispers, taunting us by saying that we're not good
enough, not serious enough, not ambitious enough, not smart
enough, and not brave enough. Ironic isn't it that all too often
that voice echoes in the same timbre of our mother, our father,
our husband or wife, even our children. Imagine your dream; it
could be ambitious, something that will take years to
accomplish, or even something small and personal to bring you a
little happiness. The possibilities abound when you are able to
ignore the voices, and take that first step forward. I did, and
it completely altered my perspective on where I was headed in
life.
My fianc้ and I just recently relocated from sunny Florida to
the green and rolling horse farms of central Kentucky. We had
both grown up in the Sunshine State and had little desire to
leave until he was offered a scholarship to attend the
University of Kentucky's School of Law. It was with heavy hearts
that we said goodbye to friends and family, 100% humidity, and
the tourist-filled streets. Once we arrived in Lexington, we
found that there were more than hurricanes and humidity missing.
People's accents were different, there was no Cuban food to be
found in any of the ethnic food aisles, and jobs that had been
abundant in the South were not as easily available up in the
bluegrass.
It was after a month of job-hunting (as though it were my job),
that I decided I needed to take myself on an outing. I had been
cooped up in the apartment, sending resumes, sending thank you
letters, desperate for human interaction and even more desperate
for a job. The pressure and the disappointment were mounting.
Yes, it was definitely time for an outing. I consulted my handy
"Welcome to Kentucky" guide that the Kentucky Visitor's Bureau
had graciously supplied me with, skeptical of what I might find.
I searched for attractions in the area, and one caught my eye
right away: The Raven Run Sanctuary. "A Sanctuary," I thought to
myself, "Now there's just the thing I need." The
description sounded promising, "a 470 acre nature sanctuary with
over 10 miles of hiking trails."
I was intrigued. But something kept me from walking out the door
just then. That voice, far in the back of my mind whispering "do
you really thing this is a good idea?" I began to doubt myself.
I picked up the phone and called a friend. Single and in her
early twenties, it was practically effortless to get her to side
with my wilder, adventure-seeking half. It only took a few
minutes of conversation to convince me that I needed to change
into a pair of shorts, a tank top and some good walking shoes,
and head out the door. My more cautious side prompted me to grab
a small backpack into which I threw a Swiss army knife, a
sweater, and a bottle of water. I was dressed and out the door
within ten minutes of having spoken to my friend.
The drive to the nature sanctuary was calming and pleasant. I
rolled all of the windows down and turned the radio off,
enjoying the sounds of tractors, the smell of fresh cut grass,
and the feel of the blowing wind along the way. The sanctuary
was about forty minutes from where I live in Lexington, and the
further I drove, the more I was reminded of the film
"Deliverance" and the unforgettable "You ain't from these parts,
are ya'?" scene, complete with "Dueling Banjos" orchestrating my
imagination. Again, the voice came back warning "this is
foolish, anything could happen out here!" A slight bump in the
road had me worried that my tire had gone flat, a wrong turn
wondering if I might be shot at for having trespassed.
After having unknowingly driven past the entrance to the park
twice, I was almost ready to give up, but I thought "what the
hell, I've come this far!" I had finally made it to the parking
lot, and to my horror, there was only one other car parked
there. "Oh lord," the voice said, "you're going to be murdered
or worse out here in the woods by yourself, and no one will find
your body for weeks, or even months." I took some solace in
knowing that at the very least I had told my friend where I was
headed. Even my fianc้ had no idea of my intention to go hiking
on a whim.
There was a sign that pointed to the "Nature Center." I figured
there would be someone there whom I could ask about the safety
of a young girl hiking on her own. I picked up an abandoned
walking stick, and started down a cemented path that lead
through a wood. It was quiet. I looked ahead, and saw nothing
but the path. I looked behind, and saw the same. On either side
were trees, and trees, and more trees. But I kept on, and
eventually came to an opening where there sat a small house with
a sign marking it as the Nature Center. A barn sat behind the
house.
There was not a soul to be seen, although there were four cars
parked near the small building. Employee's cars I guessed,
although I did not see any employees. At the window there was a
sign in sheet and a pile of maps with a rock laid on top to keep
the wind from blowing them away. I glanced down the list. There
had been six sets of visitors that day, all of which had already
come and gone except for one couple. No one had come on their
own I noticed, and most had remarked that this was not their
first visit to the sanctuary. I carefully wrote in my name. I
wanted to be sure that it was legible in case I was killed or
bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear. I listed the make and
model of my car, the number in my party (one), and stated this
was my first visit to the park. "Maybe I should lie," I
pondered, just in case some sick bastard chanced a look and
decided to hunt down some ignorant city girl in the woods that
day. I decided I'd take my chances. I opened my map, gripped my
walking stick anxiously, and took my first steps down the path,
starting my journey. It took me about a half hour of walking to
get used to the idea that I would not be running in to other
people.
There was a sign posted that said "Overlook." "That sounds
nice," I thought, and headed in the direction it pointed toward.
I came to a fork in the road, and consulted my handy,
Xerox-copied map. Either path would lead me to the overlook, so
which one to take? Robert Frost's "The Road Less Traveled" came
to mind. Both looked pretty well defined, but feeling inspired,
I took notice that the path to the right led into the woods, the
other through a flowered field, and I made the decision that any
reader of that poem would make, "and I took the road less
traveled by." It led me deep into a forest. Not a sound could be
heard save for the fall of leaves and my own labored breathing
as I trekked up and down the hillside. Then came the echo of my
fiance's voice in my head wisely stating "you should not be
doing this by yourself." I kept on with some trepidation. And
then I stopped dead in my tracks. A doe with her fawn were
lunching on a bush. It was the closest I had ever been to
nature. I stood quite still until my joints felt stiff and I
became eager for a better look. My step forward alerted them to
my presence and they dashed off, leaping further into the
wilderness. I kept on. I was beginning to feel better about
this, until I had a moment of dread recalling scenes from the
"Blair Witch" film. What if the paths were changing continuously
and I ended up lost forever? What if I was reading the map
incorrectly? I took a deep breath, and with great effort, worked
again to quiet these voices of the skeptical city girl.
After about an hour of hiking, I realized that I was walking
quite near a Cliffside. Again fear. Fear of heights this time. I
thought I could see water below, but was too nervous to bend
over the side and take a better look. I decided just to keep on
my path. It wasn't long until I reached the end. There were
several large boulders in front of me, and I mustered up the
courage and climbed from one down to another. I had not prepared
myself for the spectacular view that surrounded me. It had all
been worth it; all the fear, all the anxiety, all the doubt. I
stood about thirty stories above a river, and across me and on
all sides of me were cliff walls, cutting sharply into the
grey-blue waters below. And for the first time since I had set
out on this outing, on this search for sanctuary, I felt peace.
And more than that, I felt accomplishment. I had conquered all
of my urban fears to venture out into a breathtaking timeless
moment, hidden away from everyone else at that particular point
in time, feeling as though all of the trees and cliffs and the
river below were available only to me. It was as though I had
traveled through Alice's looking glass into another world,
another time.
I don't recall how long I sat there, breathing in the fresh air,
exhaling all of the tension I had carried with me from the
start. The voice stopped then, and a new voice chimed in. "You
did it," it said. "You weren't bitten by a snake; you weren't
attacked by bears, or killed or raped by some mad man, or
attacked by poison ivy." I felt like I could do anything just
then. I had even braved sitting near the edge of the cliff to
get a better look. And then I suddenly felt silly, realizing
that I had spent all this time applying my knowledge and
wariness of the asphalt jungle to this far less dangerous and
far more inviting rural wilderness.
I started my hike back worry free and filled with vigor and
pride and a sense of accomplishment. I thought back over all the
pedicures and shopping sprees I had treated myself with. I
thought back on the safe choices I had made that, in their own
way were rewarding, but lacked any real challenge and therefore
any reaffirming sense of "you can." I thought back and realized
that this outing, this desperation for sanctuary turned
adventure, was the best thing I had done for myself in years.
And that has made all the difference.
The Road Less Traveled
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
beginning of the year. Think back further to those things you
promised to do by the time you reached thirty or forty or fifty.
Any regrets? How many things on that list have you set out in
full determination to do, but in the end, that devil on your
shoulder warned you against starting, telling you that you're
too old, too young, too out of shape, too afraid? Too often we
listen to that nagging voice telling us that we "can't" or we
"shouldn't." Too often, that voice leads to opportunities lost.
Now think back on all the times you went with your gut feeling,
not that voice in your ear. I would bet that nine times out of
ten, despite the fear and the doubt, you came out feeling like
you were on top. Pretty remarkable feeling, wouldn't you say?
It's so easy to succumb to the "voice of reason," we hear
screaming inside. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that is the
voice to heed. But I'm talking about dreams here, not those
decisions that bring into question our duties or
responsibilities. I'm talking about that personal something that
you've always wanted to accomplish for yourself, but were too
afraid. Those goals we set at the beginning of the year like
running a marathon, losing 15 pounds, taking a trip solo, or
conquering a phobia. When we have a dream or a goal, we mean
well, don't we? We set out to do it. But something keeps us from
it. There's that voice, that deafening voice that serves as an
insurmountable barricade, and keeps us from taking that first
step. It whispers, taunting us by saying that we're not good
enough, not serious enough, not ambitious enough, not smart
enough, and not brave enough. Ironic isn't it that all too often
that voice echoes in the same timbre of our mother, our father,
our husband or wife, even our children. Imagine your dream; it
could be ambitious, something that will take years to
accomplish, or even something small and personal to bring you a
little happiness. The possibilities abound when you are able to
ignore the voices, and take that first step forward. I did, and
it completely altered my perspective on where I was headed in
life.
My fianc้ and I just recently relocated from sunny Florida to
the green and rolling horse farms of central Kentucky. We had
both grown up in the Sunshine State and had little desire to
leave until he was offered a scholarship to attend the
University of Kentucky's School of Law. It was with heavy hearts
that we said goodbye to friends and family, 100% humidity, and
the tourist-filled streets. Once we arrived in Lexington, we
found that there were more than hurricanes and humidity missing.
People's accents were different, there was no Cuban food to be
found in any of the ethnic food aisles, and jobs that had been
abundant in the South were not as easily available up in the
bluegrass.
It was after a month of job-hunting (as though it were my job),
that I decided I needed to take myself on an outing. I had been
cooped up in the apartment, sending resumes, sending thank you
letters, desperate for human interaction and even more desperate
for a job. The pressure and the disappointment were mounting.
Yes, it was definitely time for an outing. I consulted my handy
"Welcome to Kentucky" guide that the Kentucky Visitor's Bureau
had graciously supplied me with, skeptical of what I might find.
I searched for attractions in the area, and one caught my eye
right away: The Raven Run Sanctuary. "A Sanctuary," I thought to
myself, "Now there's just the thing I need." The
description sounded promising, "a 470 acre nature sanctuary with
over 10 miles of hiking trails."
I was intrigued. But something kept me from walking out the door
just then. That voice, far in the back of my mind whispering "do
you really thing this is a good idea?" I began to doubt myself.
I picked up the phone and called a friend. Single and in her
early twenties, it was practically effortless to get her to side
with my wilder, adventure-seeking half. It only took a few
minutes of conversation to convince me that I needed to change
into a pair of shorts, a tank top and some good walking shoes,
and head out the door. My more cautious side prompted me to grab
a small backpack into which I threw a Swiss army knife, a
sweater, and a bottle of water. I was dressed and out the door
within ten minutes of having spoken to my friend.
The drive to the nature sanctuary was calming and pleasant. I
rolled all of the windows down and turned the radio off,
enjoying the sounds of tractors, the smell of fresh cut grass,
and the feel of the blowing wind along the way. The sanctuary
was about forty minutes from where I live in Lexington, and the
further I drove, the more I was reminded of the film
"Deliverance" and the unforgettable "You ain't from these parts,
are ya'?" scene, complete with "Dueling Banjos" orchestrating my
imagination. Again, the voice came back warning "this is
foolish, anything could happen out here!" A slight bump in the
road had me worried that my tire had gone flat, a wrong turn
wondering if I might be shot at for having trespassed.
After having unknowingly driven past the entrance to the park
twice, I was almost ready to give up, but I thought "what the
hell, I've come this far!" I had finally made it to the parking
lot, and to my horror, there was only one other car parked
there. "Oh lord," the voice said, "you're going to be murdered
or worse out here in the woods by yourself, and no one will find
your body for weeks, or even months." I took some solace in
knowing that at the very least I had told my friend where I was
headed. Even my fianc้ had no idea of my intention to go hiking
on a whim.
There was a sign that pointed to the "Nature Center." I figured
there would be someone there whom I could ask about the safety
of a young girl hiking on her own. I picked up an abandoned
walking stick, and started down a cemented path that lead
through a wood. It was quiet. I looked ahead, and saw nothing
but the path. I looked behind, and saw the same. On either side
were trees, and trees, and more trees. But I kept on, and
eventually came to an opening where there sat a small house with
a sign marking it as the Nature Center. A barn sat behind the
house.
There was not a soul to be seen, although there were four cars
parked near the small building. Employee's cars I guessed,
although I did not see any employees. At the window there was a
sign in sheet and a pile of maps with a rock laid on top to keep
the wind from blowing them away. I glanced down the list. There
had been six sets of visitors that day, all of which had already
come and gone except for one couple. No one had come on their
own I noticed, and most had remarked that this was not their
first visit to the sanctuary. I carefully wrote in my name. I
wanted to be sure that it was legible in case I was killed or
bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear. I listed the make and
model of my car, the number in my party (one), and stated this
was my first visit to the park. "Maybe I should lie," I
pondered, just in case some sick bastard chanced a look and
decided to hunt down some ignorant city girl in the woods that
day. I decided I'd take my chances. I opened my map, gripped my
walking stick anxiously, and took my first steps down the path,
starting my journey. It took me about a half hour of walking to
get used to the idea that I would not be running in to other
people.
There was a sign posted that said "Overlook." "That sounds
nice," I thought, and headed in the direction it pointed toward.
I came to a fork in the road, and consulted my handy,
Xerox-copied map. Either path would lead me to the overlook, so
which one to take? Robert Frost's "The Road Less Traveled" came
to mind. Both looked pretty well defined, but feeling inspired,
I took notice that the path to the right led into the woods, the
other through a flowered field, and I made the decision that any
reader of that poem would make, "and I took the road less
traveled by." It led me deep into a forest. Not a sound could be
heard save for the fall of leaves and my own labored breathing
as I trekked up and down the hillside. Then came the echo of my
fiance's voice in my head wisely stating "you should not be
doing this by yourself." I kept on with some trepidation. And
then I stopped dead in my tracks. A doe with her fawn were
lunching on a bush. It was the closest I had ever been to
nature. I stood quite still until my joints felt stiff and I
became eager for a better look. My step forward alerted them to
my presence and they dashed off, leaping further into the
wilderness. I kept on. I was beginning to feel better about
this, until I had a moment of dread recalling scenes from the
"Blair Witch" film. What if the paths were changing continuously
and I ended up lost forever? What if I was reading the map
incorrectly? I took a deep breath, and with great effort, worked
again to quiet these voices of the skeptical city girl.
After about an hour of hiking, I realized that I was walking
quite near a Cliffside. Again fear. Fear of heights this time. I
thought I could see water below, but was too nervous to bend
over the side and take a better look. I decided just to keep on
my path. It wasn't long until I reached the end. There were
several large boulders in front of me, and I mustered up the
courage and climbed from one down to another. I had not prepared
myself for the spectacular view that surrounded me. It had all
been worth it; all the fear, all the anxiety, all the doubt. I
stood about thirty stories above a river, and across me and on
all sides of me were cliff walls, cutting sharply into the
grey-blue waters below. And for the first time since I had set
out on this outing, on this search for sanctuary, I felt peace.
And more than that, I felt accomplishment. I had conquered all
of my urban fears to venture out into a breathtaking timeless
moment, hidden away from everyone else at that particular point
in time, feeling as though all of the trees and cliffs and the
river below were available only to me. It was as though I had
traveled through Alice's looking glass into another world,
another time.
I don't recall how long I sat there, breathing in the fresh air,
exhaling all of the tension I had carried with me from the
start. The voice stopped then, and a new voice chimed in. "You
did it," it said. "You weren't bitten by a snake; you weren't
attacked by bears, or killed or raped by some mad man, or
attacked by poison ivy." I felt like I could do anything just
then. I had even braved sitting near the edge of the cliff to
get a better look. And then I suddenly felt silly, realizing
that I had spent all this time applying my knowledge and
wariness of the asphalt jungle to this far less dangerous and
far more inviting rural wilderness.
I started my hike back worry free and filled with vigor and
pride and a sense of accomplishment. I thought back over all the
pedicures and shopping sprees I had treated myself with. I
thought back on the safe choices I had made that, in their own
way were rewarding, but lacked any real challenge and therefore
any reaffirming sense of "you can." I thought back and realized
that this outing, this desperation for sanctuary turned
adventure, was the best thing I had done for myself in years.
And that has made all the difference.
The Road Less Traveled
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)