Cantaloupe Grows Well in America

Ripe cantaloupe

I thought the fruit is a Japanese melon variety, but after searching through google, the cantaloupe is from Europe origin. The fact is surprising me.

Fruit was brought to Italy from Armenia. Papal county namely Cantalupo, close to Rome planted this fruits about 200 years ago. French then gave name of Cantaloupe.

In addition to cantaloupe, some Americans also call the fruit as rockmelon, muskmelon, sweet melon and muskmelon.

America produced 13.4 million cwt cantaloupe per year. Production mainly in the states of Arizona, Texas and California.

Cantaloupe sold in a grocery store

American loves to consume melons, include Cantaloupe. A single American consumes 27 pounds melon per year. One of the highest in the world.

We always buy this fruit, especially during late spring to summer seasons. Sweet and fresh.

Slices in a plate

It is said cantaloupe include as a super food due to its nutrient contents. It riches in vitamin A and C.

Cantaloupe also said as “beauty fruit,” because its extracted could be used to prevent wrinkle, to slow down skin aging and improve skin elasticity.

What do you think about cantaloupe?

What was Relationship between Christian Art and Classical Rome?

Basilica, just for illustration, credit to Romewise

Christianity has strong relationships with the Roman empire at early stage of developments, and even beyond. 

At the first century, slow but sure, Christian faith to be adapted by Romans world; many Romans converted to Christianity. 

In terms of art, Romans then bring their own art heritage to their new faith; Christian. Roman’s artistic (motif, form and architecture) was applied with new meaning to a new faith and to a new god. 

One of Basilica plan, credit to Amundson (2016)

Christian had adopted classical Rome architectures after becoming legal faith in 313 CE. Christian built the early churches by mimicking the basilica (please see above Figure). 

As mentioned by writer873 (2012) that basilica is used as a court of law or for public assemblies, and even as marketplaces in ancient Rome. 

Thus, basilica is evolved as a symbol of authority in Roman empire to be symbol of worship in early Christians.

Other unique things in early Christianity that they borrowed many artistic motifs from the Romans, some of them are philosopher figure; shepherd figure and festive meal motif. 

Christ and his apostles are depicted as a philosopher figure with characterized by a teacher wearing a toga and holding a scroll. 

Then, Christians adopted the shepherd figure to portray Christ; a young man with a sheep on his shoulders. In respect to the festive meal motif, Christians adopted the theme for celebration symbol.

References

Amundson, JA. 2016. ARC 231: image collection for Jewish & Early Christian. Retrieved from http://jhenniferamundson.net/arc-231-2/arc-231-image-collection/arc-231-image-collection-for-jewish-early-christian/

Writer873. 2012. Basilicas of the Roman Forum. Retrieved from http://www.ancient.eu/article/24/

Single Price Stores: Everything One Dollar

Health and beauty hair products

Capitalists not only about “efficiency” to reduce price, but also about finding market segment and off course profit margin.

Due to economic crisis in 2008, US government provides lower tax to small business. Number of stores which sell one dollar item increases dramatically across America.

In addition to cheap products, the retails give jobs to community as well.

If you never visit America, some stores selling one dollar products are following:

- 99 cents only stores

- Daiso

- Dollar Tree

- Dollar General

- Real Deals

- Family Dollar

- Fed’s

- K dollar

Bows and gift wrapper

What items the stores sell? Almost everything of daily need. From party supplies to toys, from stationery to craft supplies.

You may have a question: how stores could offer cheap products? The answer that store just gains on slim profit margin than any other similar stores.

Items sold are surplus over stock from network companies. Items are often produced from overseas such as Mexico, Haiti or China.

Baby relate things

I will not buy all items I need in the dollar stores, but, yes for some items. They are categorized as:

# Beauty products:

- I always buy perfume

## Stationery

- My pens, pencil and papers come from one dollar stores

### Accessories

- I buy brushes, mirror, comb and any relate accessories from this kind of stores

#### Kitchen tool and supplies

- plates (paper, ceramic, plastic), cups (ceramic, glasses and plastic), bake wares and any kitchen tools.

Hair Accessories

I avoid to buy products such as shampoo, hair dyeing, supplement food, canned and processing foods.

The reasons, first, due to quality and not well known brand. The second is due to that I could find bargain price in other grocery stores, sometimes.

Do You Want to Buy a Reasonable Cheap House?

A simple house with price US$ 4,900, credit to Amazon

Housing prices are increasing in the last several years in the USA, then, modular, prefab or factory houses are booming to fill the gap.

The price is reasonable, you even could buy through online. Many online stores sell these kinds of houses. One of them is Amazon.

The price as low as US$ 4,900 (Euro 4,400) to as expensive as US$ 40,000 (Euro 36,000). But the most favorites are less than US$ 10,000 (Euro 8,900).

Houses with price US$ 7,250 (Euro 6,500) are sold out.

House with price of US$ 7,250, credit to Amazon

Size for US$ 4900 house is 113 square feet, while size for US$ 7250 house is 172 square feet. Yes, very small size but better than nothing or than homeless on the street.

However, there are houses with size large enough. The price is above US$ 10 thousand, and size is more than 292 square feet.

In addition to permanent house, this 292 square feet house may be modified for business purposes such as to be a private office and a retail store.

If you order from Amazon, then the online company will send to you with no extra cost, free shipping.

This kind of house is “build by your self”. Two persons could assemble the house as quick as 8 hours to as long as 3 days.

The time to complete assembling is quite reasonable. Not long.

Do you want to have one?

What is the Largest Buddha Temple in the World?

Borobudur temple

I familiar with one of Buddha temples, because I visited the temple several times, namely Borobudur. The temple is the largest Buddha temple in the world. 

Uniquely, the temple was built by two million blocks of stones and no interior for worship purposes. 

The base occupies around 2,500 square meters with a 123×123 meters square in size and 4 meters in high. 

The body (wall) contains 5 square platforms, where each of the platform was diminishing by heights. 

Then, if measured from the ground, the temple has a height of 35 meters (115 feet). Quite higher for an ancient building.

Vertically, the building was divided by three major divisions, they are base, body (wall), and top. 

Stupa (contain holy relics) on the top of Borobudur temple

Base is pile of stones, like strong foundations in other historical building in the world. Body (wall) is carved with “reliefs” to depict daily activities of ancient Indonesia. 

On the top of temple, there is space for Buddhists to perform their worship. Not like other religions, Buddhist come to temple only for certain celebrations. 

The temple is located in central Java, Indonesia. Distance is around 564 km (350 mile) from capital, Jakarta to Magelang regency or close by Jogjakarta, where Borobudur is.

Many public transportations provide service to visit Borobudur: planes, trains and buses. 

You may know (heard) about Angkor Wat, Cambodia. The Angkor Wat temple was originally Hindu’s, then transformed to Buddha. 

Borobudur is consistently used as Buddha temple since it was constructed in 850 AD until recently.

Have you visited any Buddha temples? 

A Small Project to Grow Strawberry in My Backyard

Two Strawberries

During this year spring season (couple months ago in our area), I planned a small project in my own backyard to grow strawberry in the several plastic pots.

The strawberry likes both shade and direct sun. The berry needs at least 6 hours sun on daily basis.

It is why strawberry grows well in the spring or late summer in nature. Sun light not so strong, but enough as needed.

Yes, Strawberry may grow in the small size containers. I used plastic pots with size of 6 inches height and 4.5 inches width. Very small.

Since growing in small pots, I need to water the plants more frequently, at least once a day.

What is the result?

A strawberry plant in the small plastic pot.

One of plants grew well, and produced several strawberries. The taste is better than strawberries sold in many grocery stores. Little bit sweeter.

I was so happy. I thought that I could grow strawberry at least for my own consumption during spring or summer seasons.

A sweet little red strawberry

Unfortunately, other growing berries from other pots are “stolen” by wild squirrels. The animals starts to pick even “buds” of fruits.

It seems that I invited the wild animals come to my backyard and in front of my back doors.

I need to rethinking other methods, include green house and hydroponic techniques by next year.

Buy What You Need in Home Depot

Let’s cut it

We always buy home relate tools and construction products from one of American biggest retail companies, called Home Depot.

The first reason is quite fair distance from our neighborhood. The other reasons due cheaper price and variety of supplies.

Many years we wonder how to bring things: woods, plywood, pipes and relate home material if larger or longer than our Matrix 2008 car.

Yes, if we buy such as many wooden beams, woods and wooden pools, then we would rent a small truck. But, if one piece of 5 meter wood, should we rent a truck?

Wood beam sold in Home Depot

We just currently notice that Home Depot provides do it yourself service. We not only cut the wood suitable to carry by our own car, but also pay the price as what we need. Neither more nor less than.

As an example, we cut 100 cm (3 feet) wood beam and pay for US$6 instead of paying US$18 for 300 cm (10 feet). Cheap and easy to carry.

At previously, we wasting our money, since we always buy more than what we need. Un-used material either we store in storage or throw away as a garbage. Unfortunately.