A MERMAID'S TALE

(I wrote this, 6 Aug 2011, on the closing of a beautiful warm summer day, with cooling breezes softly caressing the tender leaves in my Dry World—no rain today!)


*** A MERMAID'S TALE ***

IF I were a Mermaid, I would sit on a coral perch
and tend my garden of waterweeds.

Perceptions of the Dry World above  -- Mute,
as the serene waters enclose me in my liquid cocoon.

My Cousins flashing silver among the coral,
as they dance a water ballet to the trumpeting music of seashells.

IF I were a Mermaid -- Safe and Happy
and Content in my Watery World.

[dht-2011]


[PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE online images]

Hummingbird -- Visit

[PHOTO SOURCE: A color plate illustration from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (1899), showing a variety of hummingbirds.]
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This morning I was watering the backyard with my garden hose by hand (the sprinklers still need repair) and enjoying the early morning sunrise, breeze, and pretty clouds. There were robins, doves, and quail in the yard with me foraging for nesting supplies and breakfast. Quietly a hummingbird came within two feet of my "NOSE" (really my nose), attracted by the fine spray of water from the hose. It took a drink or bath, and I held my breath and did NOT move!! This moment in time lasted about a whole minute. Then it flew away. The hummingbird makes a distinctive sound with the 'beating' of its wings, and I can usually 'hear' them before I see them. This was the FIRST time a hummingbird has come so CLOSE to me and a FIRST time one has come to drink and/or bath in my garden hose spray (that was in my HAND).

This whole experience was an early morning BLESSING that gave me joy and peace! I was so MOVED spiritually that I wanted to share this experience with you.

OUR DAYS ARE TRULY MADE UP OF THESE SMALL AND PRECIOUS MOMENTS!!! 
I am so glad there are flowers in the yard so that these small creatures feel safe to visit and find food!

HERE are a few PIXs of Hummingbirds that I found on the internet that looked nice (I did NOT have my camera to take my little visitor's PIX!)


THE HUMMINGBIRD:

HERE is a LINK to a description of the Hummingbird from WIKIPEDIA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird

[PHOTO SOURCE:  GOOGLE online images --  Green Violetear Hummingbird at a flower.]

GARLIC -- in my garden

                      [PHOTO SOURCE: Garlic painting from GOOGLE online images]

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Today I planted 50 garlic plants. I'll finish up with 50 more tomorrow. They are SO-O easy to grow in the garden or in a pot. The leaves are edible and can be cut and used like chives. The garlic plants that I planted today will mature and produce bulbs later in the season; and these I will dehydrate and store in garlic flakes and powder. I LOVE garlic in recipes, roasted, on garlic bread and in garlic mashed potatoes. I eat garlic every day in some form and it is a staple in my pantry. Garlic can also be braided into various shaped wreaths.


Just for fun, I have attached some GARLIC PIXs.

GARLIC info from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

HEALTH BENEFITS
http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/garlic-000245.htm

HOW TO ROAST A HEAD OF GARLIC
USE GOOGLE to search for lots of "HOW TOs" for roasting Garlic.

Roasting your own garlic is very easy and worth every iota of what little effort, it requires because the aroma is intoxicating and the flavor smoky and mellow. In just 30 minutes, you will have a delicious appetizer ready to go. Serve with sliced crusty bread and olive oil.

TYPES OF GARLIC
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5591398_types-garlic-plants.html

Basic Types: Garlic plants are divided into two basic sub-species: softneck and hardneck. Softneck garlic is much more common and is the kind that you would buy at the grocery store. Hardneck are much less cultivated and more often found wild.

Softneck Garlics: There are two basic types of softneck garlic: silverskin garlic and artichoke garlic. Silverskin, as its name suggests, has shiny, whitish parchment covering the numerous cloves. Artichoke garlic has fewer, larger cloves with tougher coverings.

                     [PHOTO SOURCE: Above GOOGLE online images-garlic growing in soil]

                         [Above PIX from GOOGLE online images-garlic wreath.]

Your comments are welcome, especially recipes or hints on how you use garlic.