Repairs for Small Engines - Sign 64

Tuesday, January 16, 2024
We start to cut our grass about the end of February or early March every year, since the temperature getting higher, and grass grow well on that time. 



Fig 01 - A sign of small engines service.

In case you ignore, forget or don't know that small engines are all engines less than horsepower (hp) and often the single cylinder engines. 

Almost all households have one type of small engines. Some of popular small engines in our neighborhood are:
- a lawn mower
- a generator
- a pressure washer
- pumps and power tools.


Fig 02 - A generator, the small engine.

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Fig 03 - The garage for repairment 

This time around, we will check whether our "small engine," a lawn mower is ready before the Spring season arrives.


Fig 04 - A lawn mower, ready to work. 

We may do maintenance by ourselves. The maintenances include clean dirty air filter, oil and filter changes, and blade sharpening.


Fig 05 - Part of garages for repairment.

We will go to a repairman if we get specific issue such as power loss. This issue might relate to carburetor, fuel system and ignition system. 


Fig 06 - Flower bed, illustration only.

We have no knowledge to fix this issue. So, we need help from a professional mechanic.


Fig 07 - Small engines in the garage.

What kinds of small engines do you have?

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Pickle Eggs Sold in the Farmer Market - Part 2 - Food Variety 36

Sunday, January 14, 2024

You may read the previous post about pickle eggs:

Fig 01 - The pickle eggs in the jar at farmer market

Sure, pickle eggs less salty compared to salted eggs. The important points that they taste like pickle, and they are probiotic.

What are the benefits of probiotic foods?

Probiotic foods are sources of “good microorganisms” to help our body:
- to work well and healthier.
- to fight bad microorganisms
- to make us feeling better.
- boost immunity


Fig 02 - A corner, illustration only.

Most fermented foods contain good microorganisms (probiotics). You may see the list of probitic foods, written by Christine Mikstas (published in WebMed, June 25, 2020).


Fig 03 - A jar with sign of pickle eggs

Some examples of probiotic foods you might know are:
pickles
- tempeh
- yogurt
kimchi
- sourdough bread
- some cheeses
- kefir
- miso soup


Fig 04 - Plants, just for illustration.

Since pickle eggs went through fermentation process, they are one of probiotic foods. Source of good microorganism, and useful for health, especially to balance gut flora.


Fig 05 - Quail eggs, ready to make pickle.

Have you tried pickle eggs?

Do you like chicken or quail eggs?

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A Sign with 4 Languages in Singapore - Sign 63

Tuesday, January 9, 2024
 As you might know that Singapore is a small Island, a modern country, locates in the South East Asian region. 


Fig 01 - A sign with 4 languages

The country has multi-ethnic citizens. The four main societies are: 
- Chinese
- Eurasian
- Indian 
- and Malay.

No surprise, important signs will use language from these 4 main societies. As of Fig 01 at above, a sign of dangerous of electricity (voltage or current) is written in English, Chinese, Indian and Malay.   


Fig 02 - Sign used in front of toilets.

4 communities enrich Singapore languages, culture, religions, traditions and even cuisines.


Fig 03 - Plants at a corner, Singapore.

Almost all Singaporean speaks English, since its official language for administration and business.


Fig 04 - A sign in public area, Singapore.

Ability of Singaporeans to speak multiple languages lead them to have advantages in the world stage.


Fig 05 - A sign in multiple languages.

Have you been in Singapore?

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The Black-bellied Whistling Duck on the Roof - Critter 64

Friday, January 5, 2024
We heard it whistling on the roof recently. We have never heard the sound or seen the physical critter or anything like that before.


Fig 01 - The duck on the roof

The size of this critter a larger than birds which visited our neighborhood frequently. Its size about 19 inches (48.3 cm) long.

We believed that it is a kind of wild duck or wild goose. Then, the GoogleID suggested the critter is the Black-bellied whistling duck. Some of our neighbors called it as a Mexican Whistler Duck or the Squealers.

This duck has scientific name as Dendrocygna autumnalis. The duck is native to Americas (North and Latin America). In the USA, we may find this duck in the states such as Florida, Louisiana and Texas.


Fig 02 - Neighborhood, illustration only.

In the Latin America, this duck lives in the countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Paraguay, Honduras and Argentina.


Fig 03 - The black-bellied whistling duck.

In recent years, we saw the ducks have become more and more prevalent in our state, Louisiana. They might migrate from other states or countries.


Fig 04 - Sky at night, illustration.

They raid nests in trees, and we may observe the Black-bellied whistling ducks in the areas such as grassland, savannah and wetlands.


Fig 05 - Whistling from roof top.

Have you seen this kind of duck in nature?

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The Sign to Support the Library - Sign 62

Tuesday, January 2, 2024
 We have several libraries around our neighborhood, the biggest one is the city library. Our memberships is almost for 20 years.


Fig 01 - The sign of love my library.

The library was opened in 1942, about 82 years ago, boasts the intertwine between cultural and social of our city. It opens every day, from Monday to Sunday. The services are little bit shorter on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

It has 3 floors, a house for 500,000 of:
- books
- electronic resources
- movies
- and collections of artworks


Fig 02 - Metal corn stalks, illustration

The city library is an amazing facility with so many offerings. The neighborhood is surely fortunate to have such a place available to all.


Fig 03 - A little library at neighborhood

It offers a lot of programs, events and classes (studies) for all ages. These activities are varying from season to season.


Fig 04 - Garage sale, just for illustration.

programs, events and classes include:
- kids story
- computer classes
- book clubs
- author and illustration programs.


Fig 05 - Ocean, just for illustration.

We just spend hours in the library every summer. We had to put a number limit on how many books came home with every time. So, we would know how many they should have return.


Fig 06 - Flowers, just for illustration

The signs are a nice way to show our appreciation and support for our libraries during this time that they seem to be undervalued. The signs are free and are inside the lobby of the library.


Fig 07 - The sign at one of neighbors.

How about with your library? or libraries around your neighborhood?

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A Baby Squirrel on the Neighborhood Yard – Critter 63

Saturday, December 30, 2023

We posted about squirrels at our neighborhood previously.  The first post was decreasing of squirrel population and the second was about blonde squirrel. 


Fig 01 - Just a newborn baby squirrel, found on the yard

You may read two previous posts:

Each house in our neighborhood has yards with some trees, big and small, old and new trees. Several species include oak, magnolia, cypress, crape myrtles, sugar maple, hollies and pine trees.

These yards and trees attract a lot of wildlife, both dangerous (intimidating) and friendly (adorable) critters. 


Fig 02 - Neighborhood, just illustration

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Fig 03 - One of favorite trees for squirrels.

Few of wild critters are:
- squirrels
- turtles
- snakes
- otters
- raccoon
- rabbit- coyotes
- birds (permanent and immigrant birds)



Fig 04 - Another baby squirrel, just for illustration

We found a newborn squirrel on a yard recently. We guessed about several days old. She looks very weak.


Fig 05 - A tree, just illustration

It is said that Pedialyte milk or puppy milk is good for baby squirrels. After a while (several weeks), squirrels can feed their own natural foods:
- fruits
- nuts
- seeds


Fig 06 - A few days old squirrel

Transit at the George Bush Airport in Texas - Sign 61

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
If we want to travel from our city, Baton Rouge to farther north states such as California, Oregon or Washington, hence we should have "transit" flight.


Fig 01 - George bush airport

Two places as common transit airports are Dallas and Houston. We love George Bush intercontinental airport in Houston.

George Bush is one of the biggest and busiest airports in the USA. The airport is closer from our city, and we feel convenient compared to Dallas.

In addition to extensive networks within the airports in the USA, there are plenty of direct flight from Houston to many regions.

We may be connected to many countries in the regions of South and North America, Asia, Africa and Europe.


Fig 02 - Airplanes in the Houston's airport.

We may find information about the destinations we could reach directly from George Bush airport in Houston.


Fig 03 - On the sky, seen from window.

Some countries which may be reached directly in the Souther and Northern America are: 
- Canada
- Mexico
- Belize
- Brazil 
- and Argentina.   


Fig 04 - Thousand feet over the sky.

We may have direct flight to European cities (countries) such as:
- Paris (France)
- Frankfurt (Germany).
- Amsterdam (Netherland)
- and London (UK)


 
Fig 05 - A duty free shop in SFO airport.

Other countries that could be connected from Houston transit airport include Qatar, China, Japan, New Zealand and Ethiopia.


Fig 06 - People sitting in front of bar, Texas airport.

Do you have a favorite airport?

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