Our Yards are Visited by Bees Regularly – Critter 12

The number of bee keepers is about 200,000 to handle production of 156 million pound honey in the USA yearly.

Fig 01- A bee flying over the plants

Surprisingly, America is both as honey bee importer and exporter country. In term of export, USA include in top 5 honey bee exporter in the world.

Main destination of American honey are following countries:

- Canada

- Japan

- South Korea

- Philippine

- Kuwait

Fig 02- One of flower in the yard

Honestly, I don’t know how many bee keepers in our city, Baton Rouge, LA. One report (Bee Happy – The Rise of Urban Beekeeping in Baton Rouge, 201) said that there are increasing of beekeeping in our city recently.

Image 3- A bee sips nectar from flowers

In fact, we could find fresh honeybee sold in the bottles or jars in the farmer market with reasonable price at any time, especially during Spring and Summer seasons.

Coincidence or not, we observe a lot of bees visit our yards (back and front yard) in these seasons.

Sure, they sip nectar and consume pollen from our flowers and fruits. As you know that they do pollination.

Bee is one of the greatest pollinators, they contribute very much on colorful of flowers and fruit productions.

# Previous postings:

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What is Tang Soo Do? - Sign 16

The words of Tang Soo Do are new for me. I just familiar with Japanese words of “Karate Do.” 

Fig 01- Sign of art in motion and Tang Soo Do

As you might know that the words of Karate Do from three Japanese words with the following meaning:

- Kara means empty

- Te means hand

- and Do means way

You may see the words of “Tang Soo Do” from above sign. I believe that it is kind of martial art.

Fig 02- Yellow elder, blooming.

Fig 03- Walking Iris

From internet searching, I find following facts about Tang Soo Do:

- Yes, it is a martial art and comes from Korea

- Tang Soo Do is developed based on Japanese Karate Do

However, I never seen this martial art on the stage, hence, I don’t know the different between Korean Tang Soo Do and Japanese Karate Do.

Moreover, Tang Soo Do is not qualify for summer Olympics. There are six martial art qualify for Olympics: karate do, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, Boxing, and fencing.

Do you know Tang Soo Do?

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Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 1

Our state, Louisiana is one of states hit most by hurricanes. Totally 54 hurricanes since 1851 with categories range from 3 to 5.

Fig- 01- Busted and broken tree.

We have 3 trees in front of our house. Squirrels, birds and some other critters use these trees as their:

- shelter

- play areas (branches)

- site for reproduction (nesting for birds)

- resting

- hiding from predators

- source of foods

Fig 02- An insect on the leave

We love to observe these critters, usually in the morning or afternoon while drinking a cup of coffee or tea.

Fig- 03- Falling part of broken tree

Unfortunately, the trees seem have been “decayed” due to fungi diseases, and even one of them busted and destroyed recently.

We got hurricane Ida last year. Our neighborhood not really in good shape yet like before disaster.

Then, we decided to cut all these trees down, the day before hurricane Ida “visit” our areas.

This Hurricane was estimated as category 3, where the wind could reach 115 mph (185 km per hour). Deadly wind actually.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Market of Ornamental Fish for Pond – Critter 11

At previous posting, we talked about trending to have ornamental fish in small pond during Covid 19 pandemic:

- Ornamental Fish for Pond in the Garden – Critter 9 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Fish swimming in the pond.

Ornamental fish tend to grow both in the global and USA market recently. The market value reached US$ 5 billion in the last couple years ago. Value is not that bad for one little critter.

Demand for ornamental fish is increasing due to many factors, some are:

- fish behaviors are attractive

- exotic species with beautiful colors

- psychological benefits such as reduce stress.

Fig 02- Watermelon, illustration only

Fig 03- Elderberry plant, illustration

About 68% of American household have a pet. In term of number, households have about 116 million pets.

What kind of pets they have? Here are:

- fish

- birds

- reptiles

- small animals.

Interestingly, 7.2 million American households have fish as their pet.

Do you have pets? What pets do you love?

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World Faces with Refugee Crisis – Sign 15

You might surprise with the number that about 84 million people are displaced, and around 27 million to be refugee all over the world nowadays.

Fig 01- Sign of World Refugee Day.

Just one war, Ukraine war, no less than 5 million refugees are there. Most refugees then go to the nearby countries such as:

- Poland, about 4.3 million refugees

- Romania

- Moldova

- Hungary

- and Slovakia

7 million Ukraine are displaced, they flee home inside their own country.

Fig 02- A wandering dog, Illustration only

Fig 03- A donation center, illustration

In addition to war or civil war, there are many factors cause refugee crisis. Just few of them are:

- abuses of human rights

- climate changes problems

- economic hardship.

Refugees Crisis seem no way out so far. However, United Nation High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) has theme for this year World Refugee Day:”Whoever. Wherever. Whenever. Everyone has the right to safety.”

What do you think?

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Hay Stacks in the Small Farmer Market

I know that hay is food for livestock such as cows, horses and sheep in the winter or during long drought.

Fig 01- Look heavier stacks of hay

But, I just get new knowledge that other function of hay stacks is for erosion control or for landscaping called as a straw hay.

Hay for food has two types:

- lighter

- and heavier

In my opinion that both types are fairly cheap in respect for price.

The heavier ones contain higher protein. In addition to nutritious value, people look for dryness of hay.

Fig 02- Public area in our neighborhood

Fig 03- Lighter hay in the farmer market

Dryness relates to quality, since wet hay means easy to be destroyed or rotten by mold.

To be easy to be dried and stored, many people choose round than square bales. Round bales also easier to wrap with plastic.

I saw in the small farmer market not in great number of hay stacks, may be not sold for farmers or ranchers, but for individuals who feed their pets such as rabbit and deer or for decoration purposes only.

I found square hay only, no round bales. The size might be 40 pounds (20 kg), not that big and heavy. It might be due to storage capacity of market.

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Raccoon Hiding under the Hood of the Car – Critter 10

When open our car’s hood, we found a scary critter with several siblings crawling and hiding in the car.

Fig 01- A raccoon hiding under the hood

The critters might or might not damage our machine and wiring under the hood, it is depending on:

- how long the critters hiding

- how many of them crawling under the hood. One raccoon mom could bring 3 to 4 kids

We should call mechanic to check its, just to make sure that nothing was leaking or damaged.

Fig 02- Flowers of Poinciana at neighborhood

Fig 03- Raccoons in neighborhood

In case of our car, after checking by a mechanic that nothing happen to the car. We are very happy.

One of our neighbors got little problem with his car. Raccoon chewed up his wiring in his car.

The little problem cost him about US$ 550, luckily his car didn't have “heavy” damages.

Unfortunately, I feel that raccoon population is increasing in our neighborhood. The hang around in day light, never before.

Have you ever got problems with raccoon?

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