Freeing Hummingbirds Trapped in Your Garage

For some reason, birds, particularly hummingbirds, buzz inside a lot of garages. They fly up inside the rafters and will not come back down and fly out of the garage. For hummingbirds, who require eating every fifteen minutes or so, that’s a problem. So why don’t they fly back out of the garage?

If you have a hummingbird feeder, hang them low to the ground (preferably on a long string) in plain view in front of the open door. This could help to draw out the hungry bird down to where it can see back out into the real world and freedom. Hummingbirds are easiest to lure because they’re very attracted to anything red. That’s why they feed on red pink, and purple flowers. Put as much different red things as you can find on the ground just inside and outside the open garage door with things like red cloth, red flowers, red paper, etc. Then back off so you don’t frighten the bird and keep it up in the rafters. There was a case of the hummingbird trapped from high inside the steeple area of a huge church. Spreading a red tablecloth on the floor lured it down and out through the open doors.

On uncommon occasions, trapped songbirds are capable of working things out for themselves with a little help from their friends, who are sometime chirping in a tree just outside the garage door. But if all else fail, you may have to throw a bath towel over the bird, catch it, and release it yourself.



Wild creatures that live in the city have to develop a whole new set of behaviors to help them cope with the man made surroundings. Birds that instinctively fly up and away to get out of trouble have to modify that escape reaction and learn to fly down and out via doors and win­dows when they get cornered in buildings. It’s happening, albeit slowly, then again Mother Nature has a mind of her own and never was one to move quick or make snap decisions.

© 4/19/2011 Athena Goodlight on Quazen

Tips on Finding Treatment for Cat Ringworm

 

Ringworm is among the common skin diseases affects the health of many cats. This skin disease is not made by worms, but by a type of fungus.  Ringworm sores on the cat's skin are circular, which probable caused people to formerly believe that a worm curled under the skin, was causing this disease, when in reality, no worms are involved. If you suspect that your pet cat is infected with ringworm, consult with a vet to have your cat diagnosed properly.  Ringworm causes the fur to shed and may cause irritating itch.

Four species of fungi are culprits to cat ringworm or dermatophytosis. These organisms have adapted well to a cat’s body; therefore roughly 20% of cats have ringworm yet would not exhibit any external manifestations of the disease. Ringworm typically thrives in dead skin, nails, and hair of a living creature, utilizing the keratin in the tissues as nourishment.

The development of ringworm in cats is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. According to some studies, certain cat breeds are more prone to ringworm than other breeds.  Ringworm quickly spreads among cats; therefore, mating cats encounter this problem, too.

Cat ringworm, may be treated in several ways. First, anti-fungal medications may be given to help clear up the fungi thriving on the cat's body. Some medications may have side effects, so be sure that you only buy the medications upon the prescription of the veterinarian to ensure that you are giving only what is safer for your cat. There are anti-fungal shampoo baths that also work.  If available, go for the organic and natural pet products.  These anti fungal baths must be given on a regular basis, but it's not such a big deal if your cat won't mind the water. Other pets you have must be treated as well to stop the ringworm from spreading.  There are pet vaccines available that can fight ringworm.  Cats with very thick coats or long fur may need to be get really good clipping from the pet groomer to clear up the infected area.

Take note that ringworm can also infect humans, especially children.  Therefore, if your pet cat has ringworm, or if you think this is the case, consult your vet immediately.  You need to know what specific course of action to take to deal with your cat's ringworm as well as to stop the fungi from infecting other animals and family members.

The Charm of Roses and Rose Gardens

Roses are always popular.  In whatever country you go, in any part of the world, a rose carries a universal charm in any culture. The complexities of this lovely flower continue to beguile many people for centuries. Rose varieties can be classified into various types and so are rose gardens.

Many rose gardens have the genus Rosa rose species.  The main attraction of these breed of roses is its capacity to grow into large sizes.  They come in varying hues of white, pink, or red.

Old European Garden Roses are the hybrid types that were in vogue before the Rosa chinesis variety became the leading choice during 18th century. But the good old garden rose, remains popular to this day.  It is perfect especially for new rose gardens.  It can endure extreme cold weather and are resistant to a lot of rose diseases, blooms beautifully and gives off a heady fragrance.

Many modern day roses are cross bred from the tea rose variety. Many rose gardens incorporate these flowers with a selection of shrub rose breeds. These are popular for their pretty appearance, long-lasting quality, and tolerance of almost all types of rose diseases.

If you are among the more adventurous rose enthusiasts, you may wish to commission a botanist to create a hybrid rose with your own distinct rose character. It will definitely cost you a quite an amount unless you are a close relative or a best friend of the botanist or horticulturist, but it will be surely be worth the extra cost. Classified in various type and forms, a rose in any form continues to the most favored flower of all.

 

The First Birthday Party: For Baby and for Adults

All over the world birthdays are celebrated in many different ways, often grand if possible. People spend large amounts of money and time to plan and hold these special parties that last for a couple of hours.

When a new bundle of joy arrives we usually spend the first year so fussy that it seems just right to celebrate that special day with a big festivity with family and friends.

Since a baby’s first birthday is a huge milestone in life, it is typically celebrated among friends and family particularly those people who saw the mother grow and give birth, then saw how the baby grew throughout the first year. Now they have a reason to gather to celebrate again.

And since babies don’t remember their first birthday, it really makes the occasion more important for the parents.

One essential thing that the birthday babies do is to celebrate with their own piece of cake, or even their own little cake.

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Usually they are left to do what they want with it and sometimes with a little encouragement, the baby digs in and enjoys the cake and icing on his or her hands and face as a first birthday treat.  Everyone understands that they will make a mess and, of course pictures will be taken, which is all part of the fun.
Similar to all birthdays, presents are given to the birthday baby. Most often, toys and clothes are given because they spend their initial years outgrowing almost everything they have.
Since nearly all first birthday parties are so overwhelming, babies tend to doze off, after some crying or baby tantrum spurts, in the middle of the celebration leaving the parents, family and friends to enjoy the rest of the party with food and goodies.  More often than not, this is the best part of the event for the adults.

Image via Wikipedia

 

Most Popular Types of Apples

In the past, there have been just a few kinds of apple trees which you could buy. But nowadays, thanks to the marvels of genetic engineering, if you prefer to buy an apple tree you're able to choose between many several types of apples and flavors. Here is an outline of five different popular kinds of apples that you may consider for your first apple tree.

 The Fuji apple, first introduced in Japan, has been available since 1962. The Fuji apple bears yellow-green skin having red streaks down the side. The inside is delectable and sweet. It's white, crisp, crunchy, and very flavorsome. It turns ripe by mid-September, but tastes the best if it's left to completely mature till October or November. These apples would start maturating early and grow abundantly. They're good for cross-pollinating other apples. The Fuji tree can stand wet, dry, or poor soil, but the fruit character will most probably reflect the quality of the soil.

Gala apples are a terrific tasting import coming from New Zealand. The Gala apple comes with yellow skin with a slight speck of red, and it is medium in size. The insides are yellow, firm, crisp, very juicy and smells great. When they're fresh they are among the best tasting apples you are able to grow. They grow easily, and the trees bear fruit heavily. They turn ripe in late July. They're usually not utilized for cooking, only because Fuji is a better option. The trees can mature in wet, dry, and poor soil too.

The delightful Braeburn apples' color changes from gold with red streaks to almost entirely red. It was first popularized some time in the latter part of 1940's. It also came from New Zealand together with the Fuji, and is nowadays the best selling apple in Germany. The insides are white, aromatic, firm, crisp and juicy. They are sweet, but also a bit tart. The size varies from medium to large. They were brought in to the United States about 1980, and met with great exuberance. They're some of the most popular apples in the world. They typically don't become brown very quickly after being cut. They turn ripe along October or November.  

As red as its name exclaims, the Red Delicious apple is quite tall and large. Their yellow insides are crisp, juicy, sweet, and delicious. They're grown around the country, and are excellent to put in salads. They're typically recognized by their distinguishable heart shape. They were introduced in 1874 in Peru, Iowa. They turn ripe in mid to late September. They're usually great when they're fresh off the tree.

Golden Delicious apples have excellent, juicy flavor. Their insides are crisp, firm, white, and sweet. They are great for cooking because they keep their great taste and shape. The skin is thin and soft. They are best for salads. They vary in size from medium to large. They're shaped just like the red delicious apple. A lot of people enjoy them, though they bruise kinda easily. They turn ripe in late September. It's good for several purposes, and they last a long time when not handled roughly.

Facts About the Mission Style Architecture of California

In 1810 New Spain announced its independence and turned into the Republic of Mexico, and in 1834 the missions were secularized. They fell under rapid decay, and with the arrival of Americans from the East during the gold rush and with the population explosion, they were nearly forgotten. A lot of myths and legends have romanticized this brief period in Western history, which was certainly more drudgery than romantic delight, and yet these short-lived mission buildings and their gardens have maintained a heavy influence which goes on to this day. Some of the designs of Western agriculture set by the missions prosper in modern-day California. The first vineyards were planted by the padres to give sacramental wine, and the first citrus plantations were cultivated to supply oranges and lemons to cure' scurvy-ridden sailors who docked at California harbors after spending months at sea.

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When America started to search for indigenous styles of architecture at the end of the 19th century, the East Coast turned to the colonial past for some inspiration. In the West, the collapsing missions seemed to indicate a native style. In 1894, architect Arthur B. Benton, designer of the Mission Inn in Riverside, and historian Charles Fletcher Lummis established the California Landmarks Club to repair the mission buildings, and to prompt the growing population of its Mexican roots. The Mission Style, utilizing altogether the well-known design components of the old buildings, was formulated between 1891 and 1915. City halls, schools, railroad terminals and museums were built up using arches, pergolas, tile roofs and patios. Irving Gill was the master of this period, though he never replicated the style or its decorative motifs. He enjoyed the missions and the old ranch houses and he accommodated the basic elements he admired. He wrote, "The contour, coloring and history of a country influences its architecture. California is influenced, and rightly so, by the Spanish missions as well as by the rich colorings and form of the low hills and wide valleys. The missions are a part of its history and should be preserved, and in their long, low lines, graceful arcades, tile roofs, bell towers, arched doorways and walled gardens we find a most expressive medium of retaining tradition, history and romance. In coloring and general form, they are exactly suited to the romantic requirements of the country."

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Churrigueresque: Spanish Baroque Style of Architecture in the Americas

In seventeenth century Italy, the Baroque style of architecture, interior design and furniture used the Graeco-Roman lexicon in boldly sculptured and theatrical statements. Facades fell back and projected into space, and the elaborated rhythms produced by rippling curves and counter-curves brought about a sense of exciting movement. These Baroque art forms, especially as they were adopted and adapted by Spain, Mexico and South America, were re-adapted and integrated into the Mediterranean revival styles in the 1920s in California and the West.

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Spanish Colonial Revival style for the Panama–California Exposition (1915) via Wikipedia

Since Spain physically dominated so much of the Western world for centuries, its design has imparted an indelible effect on the Americas. The design it brought in to the West in the 15th century was a mixture of Christian and Moorish ingredients. The Moors came to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century imparting their own art forms, and before they were booted out after the battle of Granada in 1492 they had built up significant structures in many parts of Spain. Disallowed by the Koran to use natural forms or the human figure for ornament, they drew on their considerable skill as mathematicians to produce abstract patterns in elaborately interlaced straight and arched lines for the decoration of plaster, wood and tile. They used vivid colors, gold and silver in minor and complex patterns. Their motifs included stars, crescents, crosses, hexagons, octagons, pine cones and cockleshells. They polished the art of wood carving for doors and wooden ceilings. They tremendously amplified the use of ceramics and architectural tile. A lot of their rooms had quarry tile floors emphasized by small bits of colored glaze tile, with brightly colored and patterned tile wainscoting. Fountains, niches and domes, window frames and doors, the risers on stairs were adorned with the beautiful and long-lasting tiles. Borrowed by the Spanish, merged into their own designs, these tiles have been part of the American heritage.

image via Wikipedia

The quick, cruel and absolute subjugation of the Americas as Spain searched land and treasures is part of American history. The Spanish people discovered the gold and silver they were looking for and permanently settled in South and Central America and Mexico to colonize. They sent large amounts of silver back to Spain where its presence impacted the architectural style. Silversmiths were able to make objects of such beauty and artistry that their intricate and fragile designs were replicated for use as architectural decoration in a style called Plateresque. Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque architectural styles merged, and so under the influence of the Italian Renaissance with its stress on classical purity, there was a decrease in the use of ornament in Spain on the 16th and 17th centuries. By the late 17th and on the 18th centuries, the Spanish love of grandeur reasserted itself in a magnified version of Baroque and Rococo styles known as Churrigueresque. This bold, rich vogue was taken to the New World by the colonizing Spaniards. The colonial edifices were vigorous versions of those in Spain, with frontages and towers heavily beset with sculptural ornament. They had enwrapped courtyards having gardens and fountains, poly-chromed woodwork, gilded wrought iron grills and Moorish patterns on tiles and carvings. Mexico already had absorbed a baffling variety of cultures, all of which had at the least some impact on the future growth of Western design. The abstract, geometric design of the Mayans and Incas mixed with those of the Moors. East-West trade routes were well-established and mercantilism with the Orient was robust. Acapulco was the chief port. Soon Oriental influences were added up to the rich cultural mix as porcelains, textiles and lacquered screens were set down from ships and repacked on burros to be sent off to Veracruz for the long trip to Spain. A lot of these objects became part of colonial homes or churches. Others got their way to Indian villages, where their shapes and patterns were mixed with the native designs. Noteworthy examples of Orientalizing are seen in modern-day Mexican crafts in ceramics, tinware, and especially the unusual painted and carved gourds of Olinala in Oaxaca. From Spain, Flanders and England arrived furniture and other objects. The most common ones had flowing lines, ample proportions, a few with scallop shell motifs, and others with bulging vase shaped turnings. These turned to be a part of the ever growing repertoire of design that finally found its way north to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

References:
Building facades: Faces, Figures, and Ornamental Detail by Ernest E. Burden
The Mexican Americans by Alma M. García
America’s Historic Villages & Restorations by Irvin Haas

Facts Behind the Construction of Spanish Colonial Architecture in America

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It was in the sunset years of the Spanish empire that the California missions were founded in the latter part of the 18th century. California was a far-off outpost, a dusty barren land of low interest beyond a couple of good harbors, but the religious padres granted the task of colonizing were zealous to convert the few Indians who lived there.

Father Junipero Serra, utilizing Mexico City as his base, was entrusted with the overwhelming duty of establishing a chain of 21 missions, approximately one day's march apart, by the California coast. He and his followers weren't educated architects or engineers, yet they were able to produce self-sufficient communities composed of complexes of edifices and excellent water supply systems.

Though some of the missions might have been built up from the plans of architects and having some skilled craftsman, like the one at Santa Barbara, most were built from the drafts of the padres and with amateur labor. Their designs shone the memories of Churrigueresque churches and homes the padres had seen and experienced in Spain and Mexico. They built their missions using thick walls and courtyards, bell towers and hand-crafted tile roofs. Most of them had terraces and covered arcades. A few of them had decorative openings, a feature presented by the Moors, and some had an espadana, a decorative false front, a tricky artistic style used in Spain to make the facade appear more imposing.

The mission walls were created from sun dried mud which disintegrated in the rain, so it was essential to have wide eaves and roofed corridors to protect them in the rain. The walls had to be 4 to 5 feet thick to be self supporting, producing deep, striking entrances and interesting window recesses. The walls were plastered with lime stucco, offering a pleasing color contrast with the dark, geometrically cut up doors and the beaming terra cotta color of tile floors and roofs. The padres did not have the experience, training, materials and craftsmen to accomplish the splendid, extremely decorated look of the buildings they attempted to recreate. They possessed only the products of the earth around them to utilize for their missions, the labor of the Native Americans, and their very own hands, and yet the compounding of honest design, massive scale and native materials gave rise to a group of buildings with tremendous and lasting appeal.

The padres promoted decoration, and some of the churches were blazing with brightly colored designs carried from the embroidery patterns of religious clothes brought from Spain, examples from manuscripts and books in the mission libraries, native baskets and weavings.

References:

Early American Architecture by Hugh Morrison

The old Mission Churches and Historic Houses of California by Rexford Newcomb

The Missions of California by Melba Levick, Stanley Young

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Fridge and Pantry Essentials That Every Smart Cook Needs

Whipping up delicious wholesome meals is easy when you start with a stocked fridge, pantry and freezer. Thanks to modern advances of packaging and one-stop, it is easy to have the necessities on hand.

THE FRIDGE


Refrigerator bread dough – You can always make bread sticks, pizza, or potpie if you have dough available.

Washed and bagged vegetables are extra convenient because they’re pre-washed.

Cheeses are great as quick snacks or a savory additions to potatoes or salad.
 
Salad dressings
These can also be used in marinades.

Fruit preserves can be used to glaze roasted meats or swirl into puddings and cheesecakes.

THE PANTRY

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Canned broths are essential to thin sauces and baste roasts. 

Couscous and pilaf mixes are not only good as side dishes, they also make instant stuffing, too.

Prepared sauces can easily substitute for homemade versions.

Cake and muffin mixes when modified with a just a few additions, can be a base mix for many of your own tempting creations.

Granola and flake cereals can be used to top casseroles or streusels.

Nuts add flavor, texture and nutrition when sprinkled or added into pie crusts, streusel toppings, and bread dough.

Instant soup packets can be used to perk up meat loaf, potatoes, or a rice dish.

THE FREEZER


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Individual frozen vegetables are very handy whenever you need them.  Easy-to-keep frozen vegetables retain all the nutrients of their fresh counterparts.

Mixed frozen vegetables make stir frying extra easy.

Frozen puffed pastry can create an impressive dessert, elegant appetizer or potpie if you have this staple on hand.

Frozen fruits are good to be readily available to add to pies and cobblers.