On Earth Day 2016 I Planted A California Friendly Garden Juniper Shrub - and Yes Every Day is Earth Day!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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Every Day is always, always Earth Day for me - but this year April 22nd I thought would be a good time in the spring to start working on my little container garden outside my apartment.

So I decided to add a new plant this year - and with the problems with the California Drought and the water restrictions - I wanted to get something that qualifies for a "California Friendly Garden" - and specifically has Low Water needs -- and I found it in a local Garden Nursery!! 

It is an "Old Gold Juniper" - it was right for me because I wanted something for a container garden - it is a shrub, so it can go in a large container in my apartment flower bed (versus a tree which might grow too tall) - and it is an Evergreen, which I love!!  On the plant tag, it says you can "Water once per week (in lieu of rain)" - which is perfect for our current water restrictions - and also for water conservation even when we do get out of the drought and water restrictions (if ever??)  I read about it several places online - apparently these shrubs have been known to live for 30 years - and they need little maintenance or pruning - my kind of long-term container garden plant!!

Here is my new, "Baby Old Gold Juniper" all planted!!

I'm Happy!!

And - my little apartment flower bed is doing quite well this Spring with the "El Nino" rains we got this Winter and Spring (more than I had ever seen since moving to the western side of the Antelope Valley) - we have Rose Bushes that must have been here for quite some years - last year they hardly bloomed at all - but this year with all the rain, they are blooming up a storm - ended up with some Rose Blooms leaning over into my 4 Year Old Rosemary plant (which winters very well here) - here are 2 photos:

1. Taken Early April 2016 - a Rose Bloom with 2 Buds leaning into the Rosemary Plant:

2. Taken today - with all 3 Roses in Full Bloom leaning into the Rosemary Plant

My Rosemary Plant is not just decorative - it is one of my herb plants that I harvest from on a regular basis for my salads - or other dishes I cook - as Rosemary is one of my absolute favorite spice herbs!!!  I have had one for years and years and years!!

And Rosemary is listed by Bewaterwise.com (Metropolitan Water District of Southern California)  at:

http://bewaterwise.com/pdf/50_Faves.pdf

in:

"Below is a list of the tried and true Favorite 50. They are every-bit-as-beautiful, not-nearly-as-thirsty options for a California Friendly® landscape."

And, Oh!  The Juniper I got is also listed on their website for a California Friendly Garden!!

http://www.bewaterwise.com/Gardensoft/plant_description.aspx?PlantID=6135

- which is not surprising as at that link for the Juniper, it says:  "Water: Low"

So, in my little environment around my apartment in the Antelope Valley - High Desert of Southern California, I think I did something rather good for this Earth Day - adding a beautiful plant that will live a long time - with low water needs for our California climate!!

BE SMART ABOUT PLASTICS - BE AWARE OF DIFFERENT TYPES & FIND WAYS TO NOT USE THEM -- AS WELL AS RECYCLE THEM

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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Being concerned about anything toxic affecting me medically, I have been being quite careful in a variety of things in my life.

One of the biggest areas to be concerned about is PLASTICS - because there still seems to be a lot that is either unknown or not fully researched or in research in the subject of PLASTICS - and what toxins they put in your foods, drinks or environment.

Being Smart About PLASTICS means keeping oneself informed.

This guide from pbs.org in PDF form is quite useful as far as the different types of plastics that you can find, especially as regards food packaging:

http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/pdf/StrangeDaysSmartPlasticsGuide.pdf

But you need to keep up somehow on what research is going on - I tend to check with certain organizations and individuals who I have quite a bit of trust in, because, unfortunately, there is false data in the world. Not being a chemist or other kind of scientist, I am not capable of evaluating the accuracy of research or testing - or evaluations by individuals. I try to get to the basic article written by the person doing the research or testing - or an article at least quoting them.

Most recently there is an article on the Internet about the possibility found in testing mineral water in PET plastic bottles (plastic #1) of an estrogen-mimicing chemical. This plastic has been previously considered to be safe and is also recyclable.

Here is the article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090312.BOTTLES12/TPStory/Environment

It quotes someone from the University where testing has shown "...consistent contamination of bottled water with a hormonally active substance leaching from PET, one of the world's most popular packaging materials." Another scientist who has done research on BPA's is quoted in the same article stating "...he worries about exposures to synthetic estrogens because they add to the natural female hormones already in people."

So, basically now I am worried.

It is kind of humorous - I have already been avoiding these PET bottles of water by using my own resusable water bottles (now stainless steel or glass ones) for environmental reasons -- it is better for the environment to not have to make and constantly recycle these bottles when you can reuse your own bottles. See my earlier post on "Breaking the Bottled Water Habit". Now, it appears that it may also be good to avoid them for health reasons, so I am going to continue avoiding them and more than before. I don't want to take the risks.

Reading and using the "By Number Guide to Plastics" may really be a good thing to do -- I recommend it both for health and environmental reasons.

There is so much PLASTIC out there in the food packaging business.

Based on what I have read including this article I read in 2005, http://deliciouslivingmag.com/greenliving/dl_article_1527/ , there are all kinds of reasons to avoid all kinds of plastics.

But I strongly urge everyone to especially watch out for the following:

1. Styrofoam cups for hot drinks like coffee and tea -- some restaurants still use them - they are made of styrene, which leaches into the hot drinks. It is plastic #6 and if you look on the bottom of the cup, it will have a triangle with a "6" in it. I am studiously avoiding such now.

2. Plastic bottles of what are considered healthy drinks, such as soy milk, I have seen in BPA plastic bottles. This plastic will have a triangle with a "7" on it. I found a bottle of Vitasoy soy milk in such a bottle. Not buying those any more.

Several Senators, including one of my own - California Senator Dianne Feinstein - are proposing a law banning BPA in all food and beverage containers. I read about it here: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/41215752.html .

It is also in the Recent Headlines as of Sunday, March 15, 2009 on Senator Dianne Feinstein's own website: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/

-- and here is the Press Release from her website: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=01832CD5-5056-8059-76DB-C984D14B7FCE

I hope all food manufacturers stop using Plastics 3, 6 and 7 right away.

Maybe they will eventually have to stop using Plastic 1, too.

I guess we will see.

In the meantime -- you can take steps yourself and use your own reusable bottles for drinks - waters and teas. Some places will let you use your own bottles to get water or cold teas -- or use your own hot cups to get hot coffee and hot tea. I know some that do in my life: the Cafe at the Palmdale Transportation Center and the Plaza Deli and Grill in the UCLA Westwood Medical Plaza -- when I have asked at both, they were very nice about it and said yes.

So, for your own health -- and the health of our planet and our environment, be smart about PLASTICS -- AND GET YOUR OWN REUSABLE BOTTLES, SUCH AS AT HERE:

http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/nubius.html

I got my stainless steel water bottle at Walgreens, but I don't know if they always have them!!

And don't forget recycling all the PLASTIC that you can!!


Ruth

MY SMALL TOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS SNOW - AND IT IS STICKING!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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My little town of a few thousand in the southeast portion of the Antelope Valley of Southern California, which is a High Desert, rarely gets snow - especially snow that "sticks". A few times over the 6 1/2 years since I moved here I have woken up to snow, but usually it is melted by around noon.

Not today!!

We have beautiful, beautiful snow -- and it is still snowing!!

I went out today to get something important, despite the snowing, and managed to get a ride home early. I wore boots, which was good, because my sidewalk and lawn in my yard had an accumulation of snow when I got home around noon and I actually made footprints in the snow!!

This is a first for me since I've lived in the Antelope Valley. The van I was in is properly equipped for driving safely in the snow at the time we were driving.

But the Antelope Valley is not really set up for this kind of weather and the public transportation system was in the process of shutting down until the weather "lets up" and it is safe for them to operate. We saw snow plows some on the streets and at a nearby gas station on the way home.

I come from the midwest - Chicago area to be exact - and I know how to deal with this weather.

Dressing properly was a good thing today!!

Actually, I am loving it, though I couldn't do some shopping I had planned. We need the precipitation in this part of the country to keep off a drought.

I have a bucket out there catching snow - when it melts, I am going to use the water/melted snow for watering plants instead of having it run down the sidewalk and driveway to who-knows-where.

I managed to get a few pictures so far.

My yard at 7 AM this morning.

My yard at around 1 PM today (deeper snow - it is piling up)!

A group of Old Growth trees in the back around 1 PM today.

Looking at the sky through one of the trees in my front yard around 1 PM.

This kind of weather is unusual in the valley of the High Desert here - and it is worth enjoying the benefits of different seasons.

YES, the snow is "sticking"!!!

I keep wondering how long it will last!!

Ruth

USE WATER FILTERS -- BREAK THE BOTTLED WATER HABIT

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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All of us are concerned about drinking water that is healthy for us.

Drinking water that has toxins and/or chemicals or parasites in it can cause us health problems.

For years, many have thought that the answer was bottled water -- either mountain spring water or distilled water, but this involves the manufacturing and shipment of millions or billions of plastic bottles. This manufacturing and shipping of these bottles, even if they are recycled repeatedly many times, results in carbon emitting activities,which is not good for our environment or us - AND THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES!!

A much better solution, which I find very workable, is to have a water filter on my kitchen sink faucet which filters out much more I believe that the bottled waters have filtered out -- and use a reusable water bottle whenever you go out.

My current reusable water bottle is a metal one with a screw-on top, which I have found works much better than any plastic bottle I have ever had, even the reusable plastic bottles. In the summer, when I had it in my rolling backpack, it kept quite cool and it holds enough of the filtered water so that I always had some when I was thirsty -- and with the screw-on top, it doesn't leak!!!!

And knowing what my own water filter at home filters out, I have the peace of mind knowing that it is quite healthy water.

You see, I have seen the charts published about the bottled waters and I am doubtful that some of them are even healthy -- and may be less healthy than some tap waters, so I always worry about what is really in that bottle of water on the store shelf.

Also, you can find bottles with filters built on them. There is a variety of them on the Internet if you search.

So, I have made the pledge to Break the Bottled Water Habit.

See the badge here on my blog.

Through the website, http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/water.php, you can get a lot of information about reusable water bottles, even some with their own filters -- and they have links to information about water filters for your home.

I would say that drinking healthy water is very important -- don't assume that bottled water is healthy -- get a water filter that you know filters out chemicals and toxins and use your own reusable water bottle -- for your own peace of mind!!!!


Ruth

CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL'S PROGRAM TO PROTECT AN ACRE OF TROPICAL FOREST - OR AS MANY ACRES AS YOU WANT -- AND HELP COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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Totally in alignment with what I want to see happen with forests on this planet -- Conservation International now has a program for donating to "Protect An Acre" of Tropical Forest:
http://www.conservation.org/act/get_involved/protect_forests/Pages/deforestation.aspx.

Right there on the page are links for the "Protect an Acre" program - and articles to "Learn About Climate Change" and "See The Solution".

So, all the relevant information is right from the above link.

Conservation International with their Biodiversity Hotspot concept is on it again!!

And there is more on their website -- there are 2 articles about areas in South America (which, by the way, is full of Globally Significant Biodiversity Hotspots [#4, 1, 7, 5, 6] and has a Major Tropical Wilderness Area - the Amazonia -- I know because I have the map from Conservation International!!):

Brazil's Kayapó: Powerful Allies in the Amazon : http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/brazil_kayapo_ally_in_amazon.aspx

Forests for Water in the Sacred Mountain (Peru):
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/forests_water_mountain_peru.aspx

I am afraid, folks, that we have an uphill battle on this planet - being informed and donating as much as you think you can is one way you can contribute to making this planet healthier and keeping it livable for all!!

Ruth

SPRINGTIME - AND MY LITTLE FRONT YARD GARDEN IS IN BLOOM!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
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Spring brought some pleasant surprises in my little front yard garden.


This year, I thoroughly pruned my miniature rose bush in my front yard - early in the year sometime when it was not frozen outside. We get freezing weather here in the Antelope Valley of Southern California, but very often during the winter days, especially when we have bright sun, it warms up. Well, the pruning really paid off -- I have the best show of miniature roses ever since I moved in - in 2001.


Here are 2 more pictures of the rose bush - showing the blooms closer up:











The other surprise was that the snapdragon plants I bought blooming last summer and potted and put in the front yard, did not die this winter -- and came back more spectacular than ever!! Snapdragons are actually annuals - not perennials - and I expected them to die off during the winter. All I can figure is that the pot never actually froze -- and the blooms are like a second period of blooming -- and are better than they were originaly!! I was watering the plants out front all winter long every so often, so they would not dry out -- a gardener from a local nursery told me to water the perennials all winter long and I included the snapdragon pot -- this also really paid off!!








Now my succulent plants are another matter!!







The Jade Plant off to the right in the back is an indoor/outdoor plant -- this past fall I got it inside in my living room early enough so none of the leaves froze off -- the previous year I didn't watch it carefully enough and we had had a frost and some of the leaves froze before I got inside -- it grew back then -- but this year I got it inside and also watered it all winter long. It kept growing a little bit all winter long -- when it got warm enough and the trees in the front yard had leafed out some to give the front yard some filtered light (rather than the harsh sunlight from the west in the afternoon), I put it out in the yard. It is doing really well!!


The other 2 succulent plants in front of the Jade Plant (I don't know their names) was given to me by a neighboring friend who moved to northern CA last summer. I placed them there -- and they don't freeze in the winter for whatever reason -- and I have been watering them ever since I was given them -- including during the winter -- they are really getting new growths and are really lovely!!


I also read up a little about keeping lawns green and growing in -- in this High Desert climate of the Antelope Valley, that can be a real problem. Even with a sprinkler system, we very often end up with brown spots. The landlord leaves it up to the individual tenants if they want to do any additional watering (I am careful to not do too much and use too much water as water conservation is so very important).


Since I am out there anyway watching my potted plants and I have a little round sprinkler head for my hose - it is something I can easily do. I read that watering them lightly and soaking the roots some in the growing season (early spring) -- the grass will really grow in -- and then watering them lightly on a regular basis in the mornings will help to keep it from drying out and turning brown.


I am not really that big on having the "perfect lawn" -- but I much prefer the live green grass than the dried up dead brown spots -- so all spring I have been doing a little bit of watering with my round sprinkler head in the mornings before the sun hits my front lawn. I started before the trees leafed out - and have kept it up since the trees did leaf out. The trees have really grown and offer a lot of shade for the yard and my apartment now.


The little bit of watering I have done has really paid off, too!! The grass has grown in all over my front yard with nary a brown spot -- and my beautiful dog Misty just loves rolling in the fresh green grass!!


Just thought I would share with you one of my joys of life!!


Next time, I will go into more of my plants -- and what herbs I have growing!! Hopefully, I'll have fresh herbs for salads and other cooking this year!!



Ruth