The Free Pantry at the Corner

We have several library boxes, kind of swap libraries at our communities. We may take one, then put one as swapping. 

Figure 01 - Library box converted to pantry box.

You may read previous post about library box in our community:

- Less Books in the Box – Sign 17 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Recently, one of library boxes has been converted into a free pantry by someone we don't know yet.

What a fabulous idea!!! And such a good time for it! This is very neighborly: generosity and efforts to support our neighborhood

We may take what we need or that others can also easily provide their support when able to do so.

Figure 02 - One of library boxes

Figure 03 - Inside box.

What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- Bees Love Nectar of Yellow Jessamine – Critter 33 | Tanza

- Have You Ever Tasted a Paria? - Part 1 - Food Variety 31 | Tanza

- Mayflower the Moving Business Company – Sign 36 | Tanza

- May Insects Kill Human with Their Stings? - Part 1 | Tanza

- The Female Kinglet at the Backyard – Critter 34 | Tanza Erlambang

No Tariff for Local Produces

We noticed that price of imported produces and products increases so much, especially from China and Mexico. 

Fig 01 - Several fresh produces

Just for an example, we love to consume Mexican avocado with reasonable price, now increasing from US$ 0.2 to US$ 0.8 each.

Soaring about 400%. Turn to be luxury food!

Forget about imported things, we change our diet to fresh local produces with off course "no tariff at all." Some of them include:

- tomatoes

- cucumber

- peaches etch  

Fig 02 - Local market

We have several farmer markets around our neighborhood. One of our favorites is located at rural part of our city.

Fig 03 - A parking lot

How about the price at your areas (cities)?

# Previous posting:

- May Yogurt Reduce Risk of Heart Diseases? - Part 2

- A Gator in the Neighborhood’s Lake – Critter 21 | Tanza

- Edible Mushroom in the World – Food Variety 24 | Tanza

- Why are these Foods Stolen? - Part 2 – Food Variety 23 | Tanza

- Pollinators which Love Coleus Plants – Critter 22 | Tanza

The Mosquito Control Plane Flying over Our City

We saw Low flying plane over our city a couple day ago. We believe it was a 1976 Britten-Norman BN-2A-21.

Image - The low flying plane

The plane is mosquito control plane, now flying over to bomb insects. Actually, it is rare to see plane at daytime.

The local administrations use the plane when they have a budget for it during heavy mosquito seasons.  

I thought they just used aerial spraying from a truck. However, spraying from a plane is concerning for many people, it can access places that trucks can't go, and then can cause:

- dead to on many bugs such as lightning bugs in our back yard.

- impact on caterpillar and monarch eggs

- harmful to pets and etc.

What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- A Blonde Squirrel at Our Backyard – Critter 16 | Tanza

- Blooming of Freesia Flowers – Part 2 - Gardening and Hobby 25 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Two States of USA are Legal for Texting and Driving – Sign 20 |

- Waking up after Sleeping for 24,000 years – Part 2 | Tanza 

- Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp in Our Neighborhood – Critter 17 |

Are Bamboo Plants Illegal to Grow in the Yards?

We have two types of bamboo here in the USA, the native one and non-native bamboo, the invasive ones. 

Fig 01 - Bamboo plants, illustration.

The invasive bamboo, called running bamboo with most invasive is Phyllostachys sp. The genus could: 

- grow 15 feet (about 3 m) tall

- covering the yards quickly

- blocking the sun, makes no grass growing

These the reasons why many states in the USA "banned" the invasive bamboo. The states that prohibit this bamboo includes Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Washington and many others.

 

Fig 02 - The bamboo plant, Home Depot.

Do you about bamboo?

Previous postings:

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

- What is Tang Soo Do? - Sign 16 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Our Yards are Visited by Bees Regularly – Critter 12 | Tanza

- Declining Population of Mammals with Cube Feces | Tanza

- Small Business at Nearby Neighborhood – Part 2 | Tanza

The Historical Snow in Our State

Third week of January 2025, our city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana got snow after 7 years. The last snow was in 2018. 

Fig 01 - A little snowman

This is a historical snow, and some people called it "a miracle" for warmer area like our state, a southern state.

Some interesting facts for southerners like us are:

- snow reached 9 inches (23 cm) 

- snow last for several days. 

- freezing temperatures at 10.4 F (minus, -12 C)

- many kids and pets see snow fall for first time.  

- some neighbors have enjoyed time 

Fig 02 - A Cat enjoys the snow

This kind of snow and freezing temperatures had been recorded in 1895. Quite very long time ago. 

Fig 03 - Snow in neighborhood

# Important postings:

- Our Neighborhood Getting Ready for Summer – Sign 47 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Herbs Show at Our City Park – Sign 19 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 04 - Pink Sky in the winter

What wonder me that the sky look pinky during winter season. Do you know the answer?

Fig 05 - View of pink sky

Fig 06 - A dog, first time snow

Fig 07 - Snow in the city

How about snow in your areas?

# Previous postings:

- Squirrels Population in our Neighborhood – Critters 3 | Tanza Erlambang Update
- Is It Difficult to Study Art History? - Part 1 - Art 5 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Do You Know that Plants can Memorize Information? - Part 2 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Fish and Shellfish Sold by Local Groceries – Part 1- Food Variety 18 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- When is Spring Coming in your Place? - Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 24 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Why can't People Take their Trash Home?

You might know Grand Isle, nestled along the Louisiana coast. The Grand Isle boasts pristine beaches, unparalleled fishing opportunities, and a fascinating heritage.

Fig - A wonder critter (taken from internet) 

I was at Grand Isle last weekend. I picked up a ton of trash on the beach. They are usually good with running the tractor on the beach, but they are working on a levee restoration project, and it is hard for the tractor to get through all areas of the beach.

As you know trash has disastrous impacts on the wildlife, just an example that ingestion plastic bags could block the digestive system of:

- turtles

- birds. 

- and fish.

Finally, why can't people take their trash home or to the cans at each crossover?

# Previous postings:

- Chemothesis - What a Kind of Covid 19 symptom? - Virus 26 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Is Spanish Moss Coming from Spain? – Gardening and Hobby 11 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Vaccine Efficacy Rate Increases from 90% to 94.5% - Virus 27 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Bonsai Trees Show in the City Garden – Gardening and Hobby 12 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Have You Heard about Second Infection of Corona Virus? - Virus 28 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Vegetable Plants at the Neighborhood Market

Some of our neighbors open a kind of markets during Spring or Summer seasons, the two-weekly market. 

Fig 01 - Seedling vegetable plants.

I think having neighbors sell their own goods can be more than interesting, even a great way to build a sense of community and support local businesses. 

Typical goods that neighbors selling are:

- produce 

- baked goods.

- crafts 

- arts

- Homegrown seedlings/ vegetable plants

Fig 02 - Two neighbors sell their plants

# Important postings:

- Ripening Wild Tomatoes from Yards - Gardening and Hobby 34 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Bell-Shaped Flowers of Alligator Plants - Gardening and Hobby 28 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 03 - Some plants.

We observed some plants on the sells: cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplants, squash, zucchini, ground cherries, passion fruit, and sweet melons.

Fig 04 - Homemade Jelly, made of several fruits. 

In addition to plants, they sell jelly too. We can find jelly of pepper, strawberry, pineapple and jalapeño.

Fig 05 - Plants for sale. 

The price of the seedling plants was about US$3.5 each, they are including eggplants, peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes and melons.

# Previous postings:

- Mustang Car Fun Club in Our City | Tanza Erlambang

- Attracting Hummingbirds by Suitable Feeder at Backyard

- Measuring Oxygen Level in the Blood - Virus 19 | Tanza Erlambang

- Can Fish in the Tank Improve Your Health? - Gardening and hobby 3

- Roses in the Late Summer - Gardening and hobby 4 | Tanza

39 Million Dollar per Gallon Liquid - Part 2

 You may read the previous post (Part 1):
- 39 Million USA Dollar per Gallon Liquid - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Image - Dark Scorpion (credit to Google)

The reason scorpion venom so expensive is that the poison is useful for medical purposes.

Its venom contains one of important chemical components, namely chlorotoxin. The chlorotoxin able to: 

- bind cancer in the locations such as spinal cord and brain.

Hence, scientists and medical professional able to detect exact location and exact size of cancer cells.

Then, scientist may develop the methods to manage and even might cure the cancer.

# Previous postings:

- Why do Americans Love to Visit Library? | Tanza Erlambang Update

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JJJJJJJJJJ

A Pink Rose on the Roadside

There are plenty of rose varieties in nature (wildly), and even more cultivation varieties by human cultivation. 

Image - A pink rose, found on roadside.

Based on Google sources, in respect to numbe, the variety of wild Vs cultivation roses are following:

- about 150 species of wild roses

- more than 30,000 cultivation roses.

Colors of this flower are plenty, but the favorites: red, pink, yellow, white, orange, lavender and purple.  

While walking in the morning, we stop by to have a look and smell the pink rose. The scent likes combines of floral and sweet.

Do you favor of what varieties and colors of Roses?

# Previous postings:

- A Blonde Squirrel at Our Backyard – Critter 16 | Tanza

- Possibility Crab Shells to Replace Lithium | Tanza Erlambang

- Why Vacation may Improve Healthy Heart? - Heart 6 | Tanza

- Why do Americans Love to Visit Library? | Tanza Erlambang

39 Million USA Dollar per Gallon Liquid - Part 1

All of us might know scorpions, their stings are painful, and few scorpions may kill people. There are 2,000 scorpion species worldwide, but 30 to 40 species only could cause life threatening.

Fig 01 - Arizona bark Scorpion (credit to Responsible pest control).

USA has one species of dangerous scorpion to human, called as bark scorpion, with scientific name is Centruroides sculpturatus.

This species mainly lives in the state of Arizona, but also may be found in the states or areas of:

- New Mexico

- southern Utah

- southern Nevada

In addition to USA, Bark scorpion might be found in Mexico, include the states such as Chihuahua and Sonora.

Fig 02 - Fixing a lamp, illustration.

# Important postings:

- The Yaupon Holly Plants Produce Attractive Berries – Sign 28 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Bell-Shaped Flowers of Alligator Plants - Gardening and Hobby 28 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 03 - We may find Scorpion in place.

Surprising for me that scorpion poison in form of liquid is the most expensive liquid in the world.

Fig 04 - Foliage, just for illustration.

We might wonder: Why the liquid price could reach US$ 39 million per gallon (3.8 litter)? 

Fig 05 - A cat, belong to the neighbor.

Do you know about scorpion?

## Previous postings:

- The Painted Bunting Visited our Neighborhood – Critter 41 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- The Peggy Martin Rose in New Orleans – Sign 46 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- How Much the Highest Prices of Bluefin Tuna have been Recorded? | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Could Oversleeping Cause Cardiovascular Diseases? - Heart 4 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Have You Seen Red Tide on the Beach? | Tanza Erlambang Update

Can Mosquitoes be Exterminated on the Earth? - Part 2

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- Can Mosquitoes be Exterminated on the Earth? - Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- A mosquito in action (credit to Google)

The mosquitoes are difficult to be eliminated by traditional methods such as using pesticides, draining in standing water and destroying habitat where mosquitoes are laying their eggs.

Method by using genetic know how was conducted in 2018. This method was initiated by scientists from UK.

The scientists sterile female mosquitoes to reduce their reproduction ability, while males are developing genetic mutation.

Fig 02- The rainbow over an Italian cafe, illustration

Further research then developed by a Chinese scientist with his associates. They treat mosquitoes by doing:

- Sterilized the target areas of female mosquitoes

- Infected the male mosquitoes by bacteria.

Fig 03- A cup cake, illustration

These mosquitoes then be released to the specific locations (two islands).

Surprisingly, female mosquito almost extinct. Mosquito population reduce very much. The population reach to nearly zero.

Fig 04- Magnolia, just for illustration

# Previous postings:

- Homemade Local Pecan Candy - Part 2 - Food Variety 29 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- The Sign of Lower Inflation – Sign 39 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Even Pharaoh Died due to Virus – Part 1 - Virus 41 | Tanza Erlambang Update

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