A Fox on the Box of Neighborhood – Critter 15

We know that foxes have our neighborhood as one of their habitats. Few years ago, they have been seen very rarely at our areas.

Fig 01- A fox sitting on the box

However, many neighbors have seen foxes wandering around, even with their babies sometimes.

I myself saw this critter running about the bushes, then he stopped, looked at me, and let me gush over how beautiful she is. Then she prissed off with that little bushy tail straight up in the air.

A neighbor saw a fox runs with a breakfast squirrel in her mouth one early morning recently. Another neighbor saw a rodent in its mouth other days.

Fig 02- Just a corner of our city

Fig 03- A fox on side street

Interesting to find out what are foxes (urban foxes) diets?

Based on internet search, since they eat “almost everything,” urban foxes are omnivorous. Some of their foods are:

- fruits

- hunting frogs, rabbits, rodents

- eating birds

- consume earthworms

At our neighborhood, foxes are found to scavenge for foods in trash can.

Have you seen foxes in nature?

# Previous postings:

- What is the Meaning of Cheaper Cities in the USA? | Tanza Erlambang Update

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Peanuts in the Farmer Market – Part 2 - Food Variety 20

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Peanuts in the Farmer Market – Part 1 – Food Variety 20 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Boiled peanuts, ready to consume

Our state just have 500 peanut acreages, hence, production so limited. We bought or “imported” peanuts from States such as:

- Georgia

- Florida

- Alabama

- Texas

- North Carolina

- Mississippi

- Oklahoma

Fig 02- Gas station, RaceTrac

Fig 03- Raw peanuts in the market

Some of my neighbors grow peanuts in their backyard during summer, just for fun or for their kids holiday “science” project.

They planted about 1 to 3 short rows of peanuts. Look like the plants are easy to grow. What we need:

- peanut seeds (green peanuts in the shell).

- fertilizers (organic fertilizers)

- plant the seed about 1 inch deep, and 4 inches apart.

In good condition, from seeds to harvest need about 120 days (4 months). Then, peanuts are ready to consume or dry them for consuming later on.

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Blooming of Freesia Flowers – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 25

We love Freesia flowers because of their colors. Attractive colors. Unfortunately, we have red flowers only so far.

Fig 01- Blooming of our red Freesia flowers

Freesia is fragrance flowers, then based on what people said on Flowers's sscent, they are following:

- sweet smelling

- strawberry (strawberry reminiscent)

- summer fruit

- like honey smell

- mild smell of mint

Fig 02- Freesia flowers grow easily

The smell is said different between one to other colors. I believe that red flower similar to lemon fragrance (lemony sweet fragrance).

Fig 03- A cat in the yard, illustration

We don’t know the smell of other colors, but some of our neighbors said that white and yellow Freesia flowers have the strongest fragrance.

Moreover, common colors of Freesia flowers are:

- red

- yellow

- white

- and purple

# To be continued to Part 2

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- Could Drink Coffee Regularly Avoid You from Heart Diseases? - Heart 8

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- Is it Norm to Hire Underage Workers in Developing Countries? - part 2

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Drinking Problem in the USA – Sign 18

Americans consume alcohol is about 9.8 liter per adult (average of male and female) per year, rank 45^th in the world, based on report from World Population Review (2022).

Fig 01- Sign to help whoever with drinking problems

Alcohol consumption is considered low compared to these top 6 following countries:

- Latvia, 13.2 liters per adult

- Moldova, 12.9 liters

- Germany, 12.8 liters

- Lithuania, 12.78 liters

- Ireland, 12.75 liters per adult.

- Spain, 12.67 liters per adult allowed to drink alcohol.

Fig 02- A kind of advertisement, Illustration only

Fig 03- Plants sold by community market

But alcohol drinking addictions have great impacts on society and individual levels in the USA.

There are 32 people died on the road every day due to drinking habit while driving. Total died was 11,654 people in 2020.

Then, alcohol addictions lead to many chronic diseases, just few examples are:

- liver disease

- heart disease

- cancer and supra-ventricular cardiac dysrhythmia

How about in your country? Are there serious problems with alcohol addictions?

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Demanding of Tofu was Increasing During Covid 19 Pandemic – Part 1 – Food Variety 21

Americans have known tofu since 1840, they called it as “bean curds” on that time, but not all Americans consume this food.

Fig 01- Raw tofu, ready to cook

Few years ago, we always buy tofu from ethnic groceries such as:

- Korean shop

- Asian market

- Vietnam stores

Luckily, we may find tofu in the Walmart and other big retails across America almost everyday now.

It is because demand for tofu skyrocket recently, especially during Covid 19 pandemic.

Fig 02- Just illustration

First, USA faced shortage of meat at early months of pandemic, then, many Americans try to find alternatives.

Fig 03- Tofu nutrition facts

Two types of tofu are available in the market with different prices. Costs per pound are:

- US$ 1.64 for common tofu

- US$ 2.64 for organic tofu

As reported by mainstream medias like Washington Post (2020) and Bloomberg (2020) that demand for tofu not only increasing, but also even shortage in many places include Seattle and Washington DC.

We may wonder why?

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- Do You Know these by Catching Fish Species? | Tanza Erlambang Update

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The Orb Weaver Spider in the Yard – Critter 14

We talked about abundance of banana spiders in our neighborhood at previous post: Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- An Orb Weaver Spider

We just found Orb Weaver Spiders at our backyard recently, no, not abundant, a couple of spiders only.

I think that they make very beautiful webs to catch their foods. Strange things of this spider:

- Spider hang on the web with its head downward (please se the above photo)

- Orb Weaver Spider stays in the web during daylight.

- Spiders move their webs every week or so to be in fresh territory.

Are Orb Weaver Spiders poisonous?

Fig 02- The flower at yard, illustration

Fig 03- Another spider web

No, An orb weaver spider is not poisonous. I was bitten by this critter, and I feel just like bee’s sting.

Yes, I got pain, but the effect can be ignored. Sources from internet informed that spider bites might have lower venom.

Main diet of orb weaver spiders are insects, several of them are:

- mosquitoes

- bees

- wasps

- flies and small moths

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Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 2

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Special truck ready to cut the trees

In addition to strong wind, hurricane could cause surge along coastline up to 3.4 m (11 feet).

Then, followed by long rainfall which could be days. Sure, the result might be flooding everywhere.

We wonder whether our trees could stand up by this kind of hurricane, thus we call a tree removal, pruning or trimming company in our city.

Fig 02- A fallen tree after hurricane, illustration

Fig 03- A squirrel loves to play under trees

Fig 04- Cutting into pieces.

The company sent a truck with special equipment. It was take several hours only (less than a day):

- to cut trees down

- chopping the trunk (log) into pieces

- clean all debris

- haul the woods away

- or store the pieces for using in cold winter

Hopefully, we could replace the removal trees to new ones (baby trees) in the next near future.

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