My Amaryllis are Blooming!

Lately I've had little time to garden. Fortunately amaryllis need little care. I trim the spent blooms and water when I get around to it. They are the perfect Spring Blooming Perennial Flower.

Placement of Bluebird Boxes

When it comes to houses, “one size fits all” doesn’t work any
better for birds than it does for people. When you look through books and catalogs you will see that there are birdhouses of all shapes and sizes. Some have perches and some without. They can
be made from wood, recycled paper and plastic containers, gourds, pottery, metal, and even concrete.

There are more than two dozen North American birds that routinely nest in bird houses. The type of birdhouse and the location will determine what type of bird, if any, will make use of your birdhouse.

The Eastern Bluebird is my favorite bird. They place their nest in a birdhouse or an abandoned woodpecker hole anywhere from 3 to 20 feet off the ground. They compete with house sparrows and starlings for the best nesting sites. Placing the birdhouse on a fence post or tree stump between 4 and 5 feet high will discourage the house sparrows and make it easier for you to
monitor. A smaller hole, an inch and a half in diameter will discourage the starlings. Discourage the nest raiders by using a metal pole or mounting a predator guard.

A well placed bluebird box will attract a mated pair. It may take a year or two but once they
settle in they will be back year after year.

Welcome Sign and Bluebirds

Spring is right around the corner (here in South Carolina it has already arrived.) And right on the heels of the warmer weather are the birds. If you left your Birdhouses out all winter you need to make sure they are ready for occupancy. Some birds will take an old nest and reinforce it, but like people, most birds don’t want to move into a mess. When I look for a new home, it doesn’t have to be new but it better be clean.

I cleaned out my Bluebird Boxes last fall, but I’m keeping a close eye on them. The sparrows are back in town and they’ll move in in a heartbeat. Until the Bluebirds arrive I’ll be evicting the squatters.

I refuse to rent my houses out to Sparrows.

The Bluebirds will be arriving in a couple of weeks. Once they do I’ll be flipping the Vacancy
sign over.

They are awesome tenants. (Now if I could get them to pay the rent…)

South Carolina Shorebirds

The South Carolina shores are home to a wide variety of birds. The sea gulls follow the shrimp boats as they troll the waters, and can be seen along the shores searching for crustaceans washed up with the tide. While the sea gulls are a common site along the shore they are not considered shorebirds.

Shorebirds are waders. Most have small bodies with long, thin legs for wading. They inhabit the coastal waters, wetlands, interior grasslands and the arctic tundra.

Shorebirds belong to the avian order Charadriiformes. Within the order there are numerous families and species.

Most have small bodies with long, thin legs for wading. They have three unwebbed toes that point forward with a hind toe that is reduced or absent.

They inhabit the coastal waters, wetlands, interior grasslands and the arctic tundra.

The coast of South Carolina is 187 miles in length but when you add the islands, bays, and estuaries, the total shoreline measures over 3,000 miles. It is home for many beautiful and fascinating birds.

Shorebirds begin nesting in early April. Endangered birds such as the American oystercatcher and the least tern build their nests on beachfronts, in mounds of shells, or in the marsh, well above the high-tide line.

Most shorebirds are migratory birds. They will travel thousands of miles between their nesting grounds and their wintering grounds. The shores of South Carolina are a frequent rest stop for migrating shorebirds.

The number of shorebirds has declined over the years. Loss of suitable nesting habitat appears to be the leading cause. There is also an increase in the number of egg stealing predators. If disturbed by humans, a shorebird will abandon its nest.

Learn How to Say No

Who needs sleep? Well, I do and that's part of the problem. If I didn't need to sleep I could write hundreds of articles, volunteer at the library, bake cookies for my Bible study group, plan lessons that rock, call parents every time their child sneezes, (that's code for acting up in class)
maintain a clean house, and still have time to relax with a good book. But I need to sleep. I like to be busy but when busy crosses over to crazy I lose control, and quality and productivity suffers.

I love to write. It started out as a dare but soon evolved into a passion. I would gladly sit and write all day. I even considered giving up my career andfollowing my bliss. It was temping but
it would take years to get my online writing to the point where it could replace my paycheck. I had to find a way to do both. The key was to learn how to set priorities and learn how to say no.

Finding a balance between one’s passions and one’s responsibilities is not easy. Setting priorities is the first step, learning how to say no is the second. Children usually learn to say no by the age two. "NO!" is the hallmark of the terrible twos.

The transition from "no" to agreeable children and then people pleasing adults is encouraged, even lauded. We learn to say yes or at the very least soften the no with excuses and explanations. Even with legitimate excuses we are often fraught with guilt.

Is saying no a selfish act?

Sometimes, but there comes a time when saying no is the right thing to do. I will always be an agreeable adult. There will be times when I want to say no but will end up saying yes. That's not going to change. When a new teacher comes to me for help with their grade book or wants help
building an interactive lesson, I'm not going to say no. It's a part of my job and sharing my expertise is important.

Again, it’s a matter of setting priorities. The dust bunnies under the bed will grow into tigers before I get around to vacuuming, and I no longer attend three writinggroups a month. Reading four books a week is a thing of the past. I’ll read one and listen to another while cleaning or cooking.

Do you say yes when you want to say no, grumble at the lack of time to do what you really want to do? Give it some thought. Saying no is not that hard. It just takes practice.

How to Write a Book Review

A Book Review is not a retelling or synopsis of the story. The author has already told the story. He does not want or need a reviewer to do it again. The book review should include what type of book it is, a brief description of the story, its purpose, and an analysis. It is a reaction paper. What was the author's goal and how well did he succeed?

When I sit down to Write a Book Review, there are several questions I keep in mind. I rarely answer all of them in a single book review, but they give me a framework to build upon.

What type of book it is? Mystery? Suspense? Si-fi?

Who was the main character?

What was the story about?

Were the characters believable? Did they have depth or were they one dimensional?

Did you like the book? Did it fulfill your expectations?

Would you recommend the book?

Who would you not recommend the book to?

While you need to tell the readers what the book was about, a book review does not retell the story. Nothing is more frustrating than to read a review that gives away the ending.

Stick to genres that you normally read. If you normally read romance or suspense and look at fantasy with suspicion, don't pick up a fantasy book to review. It’s not fair to the author or the readers of fantasy fiction.

Evaluate the book, not the author. If you are reviewing the latest book released by your favorite author and the book is not up to par with past books, be honest. You're not doing the author any favors by gushing over a mediocre book. When led to believe the book is phenomenal and it’s not, the disappointment is keen. Some readers will hesitate before picking up another book written by that author.

When I started writing online, I stopped writing reviews for the local paper. Today I post my reviews on one of my blogs, RedGage or build a lens about the book on Squidoo.. I only have so much time to read. Instead of reading a book an editor told me to read, I can read what I want. As a consequence, most of my book reviews are positive. If the book doesn't catch my interest in the first chapter, I quit reading it. I can't write a review on a book I haven't read.

The Color Green

The vegetation that covers much of our planet is green due to chlorophyll. The chlorophyll in the plants traps the sunlight and retaining the red and blue wavelengths while reflecting the green.

Green is a symbol of spring and the renewal of life. After a long, cold winter the gardens and the landscape comes to life in every hue of green imaginable. If we recycle and care about the nature around us, we're living green.

It is also a soothing color. Hospital rooms are often painted green for its calming effect on patients and their anxious visitors.

In the Middle Ages, brides often wore green on their wedding day as a symbol of fertility.

Green is a cool, refreshing color.

Emeralds are one of the most prized of the precious gemstones.

But there is another side of green.

There is the green-eyed monster named envy. It can rear its ugly head and wreak havoc in the blink of an eye.

And then there is money, the ever popular greenbacks. Nothing will bring the green-eyed monster to the surface faster than that.

Water: Essential to Life

Water is a fundamental part of our lives. It is easy to forget how completely we depend on it. The average adult body is 55-75% water. Every day we lose water through the simple act of breathing. We perspire and we use water as a means of expelling waste products from the body. For our bodies to function properly we need to replenish the water we lose. For the average male that’s about three quarts of water a day. As a general rule women don’t need as much. Two to two and a half quarts of water is usually sufficient.

For most people the thought of drinking two and a half quarts of water a day is daunting, but we can usually get enough water through the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. While it may be “enough,” adding a glass or two of water to your daily diet is a good idea. Water aids in the digestion and absorption of food, helps regulate body temperature and blood circulation, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and cushions joints from shock and damage.

Dieting? Water is a natural appetite suppressant and it helps metabolize fat. Even when not dieting, most people prefer to not gain weight. Research shows that low water intake can increase the amount of fat deposits. The primary function of the liver is to metabolize fat but without enough water, the kidneys cannot function properly. Some of their workload is pushed onto the liver. Rather than metabolizing the fat, it’s stored. The weight creeps on, one pound at a time.

Young Adult Fiction: I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

The concept behind the story, I am Number Four is great, nine alien children and their cepans (guardian/teachers) have fled their annihilated home world of Lorien to seek refuge on Earth. Once their ship landed the children and their cepans scattered. They were being hunted by a malevolent extraterrestrial race from a dying planet. Their only hope was to hide until the children grew into their legacies. Their legacies would give them the strength and the ability to fight back. As added protection the elders of Lorien placed a charm on the children. As long as they stayed separated, they could only be killed in order. As the book opens, three of the nine children have already been tracked down and killed. This is Number Four’s story. He is a teenager now and is slowly coming into his legacies, but the Mogadorians are on his tail. A fight is inevitable. Will he survive?

I read several reviews before I sat down to write this. The biggest complaint was the lack of depth in the characters. Yes, the characters were a bit two dimensional, but the pace made up for it. What I had a problem with was the amount of damage ensued by the battles. The humans thought it was terrorists. Sorry, but we lowly humans are not that naïve. An epic battle in small-town USA would have caught our attention.

I am Number Four was published in 2010 and supposedly written by a 4,000 year-old elder named Pittacus Lore. The second book in the series, The Power of Six was released last year. I have read both books and am looking forward to the next.

February’s Birthstone: Amethyst

If gazing into the sparkling purple depths of an Amethyst suffuses you with a sense of powerful wellbeing, this is only to be expected. The ancient Greeks believed that the gemstone held many powers, among them protection against intoxication. In fact, the word Amethyst comes from the Greek word “amethystos,” meaning sober. In ancient Greece, the gemstone was associated with the god of wine, and it was a common practice to serve this beverage from Amethyst goblets in the belief that this would prevent overindulgence.

Even today, Amethyst is considered a stabilizing force for those struggling to overcome addictive behaviors. February’s purple birthstone has been found among the possessions of royalty throughout the ages. The intense violet hue of Amethyst appealed to early monarchs, perhaps because they often wore this color. Purple dye was scarce and expensive at one time, and so it was reserved for garments of kings and queens.

Amethyst has been found in ruins dating as far back as the ninth century, adorning crowns, scepters, jewelry, and breastplates worn in battle. A large Amethyst is among the closely guarded gemstones in the British Crown Jewels.

Tangerines: A Mix of Tart and Sweet

Tart, sweet and portable, these mouthwatering fruits make great pic-me-ups for breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snacks, or midnight snacks. A single delicious tangerine supplies 2 grams of fiber as well as 45 percent of the RDA of vitamin C.

Toss a few tangerines in your bag to snack on while you are on the go, bake wedges atop fish marinated in orange juice and soy sauce, or stir-fry sections with lean beef, water chestnuts and green pepper strips.

Another reason to load up on tangerines is that they contain powerful plant chemicals called flavonoids that have been shown to lower the risk of breast cancer.

Tangerines are at their peak of flavor from now until April. Pick up some today.

The Color Red

When I think of The Color Red, many different thoughts come to mind for it is the most contradictory colors on the spectrum. It can signify danger or life. It can be good luck as well as bad. In India red is the sacred color of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty. In China a ruby represents longevity. The red planet Mars is named after the Roman god of war. Early physicians wore red robes to signify their healing profession, and doors were decorated with a red cross to signify the presence of the bubonic plague.

The early Christian church used red for directions in prayer books as to the conduct of church services and to show feast days on the ecclesiastical calendar, so a red-letter day became a lucky day.

In the Middle Ages bright colors were rare since they were tedious and difficult to produce. Hence red became the exclusive preserve for kings, judges, the nobility and the pope and his cardinals. In 1464 Pope Paul II introduced “Cardinal Purple,” which was not purple at all, but a red dye made from the kermes insect.

To the Romans, the red flag was a symbol for battle. In Russia, red means beautiful. The Bolsheviks used a red flag as their symbol when they overthrew the tsar in 1917. That’s how the red flag became the symbol for communism.

In In the English War of the Roses, red was the color of the House of Lancaster, which defeated the House of York, symbolized by the color white.

The “Redshirts” were the soldiers of the Italian leader Garibaldi, who unified modern Italy in the nineteenth century.

Using Illustrator CS3

When I started drawing again my son gave me the program Illustrator CS3. As I spend so much time on the computer, he thought I would enjoy drawing on the computer as well. The program excited me. There are so many neat things you can do with it. Maybe you can, but I spent more time trying how to figure out how to do something than actually creating anything. I would get frustrated and abandon the program for months at a time, but I kept coming back to it.

I read the manual that came with the program. I bought books guaranteed to make you an expert. I watched the videos released by the company. I was running out of options when I stumbled across a series of videos made by Rick Rice on YouTube. He has published over 70 different tutorials. For a longtime user of Illustrator the lessons are probably too simplistic, but for a beginner like me they’re perfect.

Seduced by Moonlight, by Laurell K Hamilton

I just finished reading Seduced by Moonlight. It is the third book in Laurell K. Hamilton’s Meredith Gentry series. The series was recommended to me by a friend. She knew I liked reading fantasy fiction. I was skeptical when I picked up the first book, A Kiss of Shadows. I started reading Hamilton’s Anita Blake series several years ago, but never finished the series. A little violence and a little sex can add spice to a story, but it will not carry a book if the plot is weak.

I read A Kiss of Shadows and enjoyed it enough to go on to the second book. It wasn’t as good as the first, but I liked the theme behind the story and wanted to see where it would go. I downloaded Seduced by Moonlight and kept reading.

When a story bogs down with too much sex or violence I’ll skip a few pages and get back to the story, but with Seduced by Moonlight I found I was skipping more pages than reading. The plot was almost nonexistent. It was page after page of sex and violence. I finished the book but I will not be reading the next one in the series. I love a good fantasy fiction and I enjoy reading romance, but sex and violence for the sake of sex and violence is too close to my definition of porn.