Growing Some Sweet Fruits at Our Backyard – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 22

Fig 01- Orange at backyard

We have a quite comfortable backyard with around 30 x 25 square meter size.

Enjoyable to grow several kinds of fruit, they are:

- Satsuma "Mandarin" Orange

- lemon squash trees

- straw berry

- and black berry.

The sweetest fruit is Satsuma "Mandarin" Orange.

Since a Satsuma tree is self pollinating, so we can have one tree only to get harvesting.

The orange starts to ripe in the early fall season (around September) every year.

My single tree could produce hundred of Satsuma oranges per year during last 6 years.

Fig 02- The sweet oranges

Fig 03- Storage at backyard

We got free natural vitamin C during fall season until early winter.

So fresh.

Moreover, about our backyard, at a corner, there is a small house (function as a storage).

In front of it, a swing and small table for afternoon coffee or tea. A cup of coffee together with cake and Satsuma orange is afternoon menu until middle of autumn, where temperature is not cold yet.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Banana Spiders in our Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 21

Fig 01- Yellow spider on the webs

We do not know whether the present in a quite abundance of yellow spiders in the some neighbor’s yards relate to hurricane or not.

This yellow spider called as banana spider, and some people called its as garden spiders.

There 11 species of banana spiders, our state species called with scientific name as Trichonephila clavipes.

Other important species include:

- Cupiennius cubae

- Cupiennius foliatus

- Cupiennius getazi

- Cupiennius granadensis

- Cupiennius remedius

- Cupiennius salei

- Cupiennius valentinei

- Cupiennius vodou

Fig 02 – Spiderwebs on the green leaves

Fig 03- Banana spider crawling down

As reported by the Sun Sentinel, Florida (2018), the banana spiders are not venomous.

The spiders are seen in some places in certain seasons. They can not kill people, just painful. Actually, they are not aggressive, but friendly.

In addition to USA, the yellow spiders are spreading in the Latin America, include:

- Guatemala

- Colombia

- Venezuela

- Brazil

- Guyana

- Ecuador

- Mexico

- Panama

- Costa Rica

Have you seen banana spiders in the garden or in nature?

What seasons they are abundant?

We Saw Dozens of Hummingbirds after Hurricane - Gardening and Hobby 20

Fig 01- Hummingbird flies near a feeder

Our state, Louisiana has two hummingbird migration visits every year:

- Spring migration

- Fall migration.

We saw dozens of hummingbirds visit our backyard after hurricane Ida. It is might be Fall migration.

About hurricane Ida hit our areas have been posted previously:

- Hurricane Ida Debris Piles in the Neighborhood

As reported by Baton Rouge Audubon Society (2021), we may find the following species of hummingbirds in our city or neighborhood:

- Anna's

- Allen's

- Buff bellied

- Calliope

- Black chinned

- Broad tailed

Fig 02- A little hummingbird

Fig 03- A hummingbird flies around

In normal time, we always see two beautiful species of hummingbirds in our backyard:

- Rufous

- Ruby throat

Some of our neighbors said that they saw at least 6 species of hummingbirds visited to our neighborhood every year. It is included very rare species called as:

- broad billed

How many species of humming have you ever seen?

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Our City in the Late Spring of 2021 - Gardening and Hobby 19

Fig 01- Colorful flowers at corner.

Our city, as other southern states is in the late spring now, some flowers are drying and dropping. But, many are blooming until summer.

Quite great number of flowers are well grow in our place, just few examples of them:
- Phlox.
- Scarlet Sage.
- Guara.
- Iris.
- Luna Hibiscus
- Virginia Willow
- Spicebush
- Azalea
- Southern Magnolia
- Silver Bell
- Daylily.

Fig 02- Look like the “real sun.”

Fig 03- Pink Azaleas in the garden

Fig 04- White Magnolia

Fig 05- The purple Iris flower

Our state, Louisiana has own local flowers. In addition, we have import and intrusive flowers from other states or countries around the globe.

Five species of Iris are uniquely as our own local flowers. These 5 species have following scientific name:
- Iris brevicaulis
- Iris fulva
- Iris giganticaerulea
- Iris hexagona
- Iris nelsonii

Some invasive plant in our city are:
- European roseau cane
- Elephant ear
- Chinese privet
- Alligator weed
- Giant salvinia
- Chinese tallow
- Water hyacinth

How about with your cities? What flowers are blooming now?

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Why is Cat Vomiting Frequently? - Gardening and Hobby 18

A cat in front door, just illustration

As a cat owners, we experienced with our cats vomiting, but we may wonder: why do they vomiting frequently?

There are many issues relate to cat vomited, some of them are:

- eating a houseplant

- ingesting a toy piece

- hairball in the stomach

- allergy and sensitive to certain foods

- undigested foods, because of quickly consuming.

It is said that vomit is normal for cat. However, it is not normal if cat changes their behavior and has vomited very often.

We may judge the level of “the seriousness” of vomit is based on its content and colors:

- yellow and foamy lead to hairballs

- thick yellow bile mean that there is serious health problems such as kidney and infection. 

A cat plays outdoor

We should find medical help immediately, if our cats have frequently yellow vomits and shown the following behaviors:

- suddenly loss or increase appetites

- lethargy

- unusual behaviors.

- show discomfort.

What do you do if your cats have shown vomiting frequently?

Mini Sago Palm at the Corner - Gardening and Hobby 17

Mini Sago palm, sweet at the corner

I know the word “sago,” its tree could reach 50 feet (15 m) in height after 15 years old.

The species of Metroxylon sagu produces starch called as “sago” or “sagu” starch.

Other two species of palm trees produce sago starch are:

- Arenga spp.

- Maurilia spp

One sago tree could produce 90 to 180 kg starch. The starch is used generally as:

- foodstuffs such as noodle

- textile sizing

- adhesives

The trees are found in freshwater swamp areas of South East Asia and Papua New Guinea. 

Fruit from mini sago palm

Here in America, we have another type of sago, mini sago palm with scientific name Cycas revoluta.

The plant native to Asian regions, include southern Japan. Since its small size, it is popular as one of ornamental plants.

We have grown the sago in the corner of our house, some people do grow its as an indoor plant.

Several advantages of sago plants:

- easy to take care

- grow well outside and indoors

- free of pests

- available in most nurseries.

- may be grown in pot

Mini sago plants grow slowly, and they reaches about 15 feet (5 m) tall after several years. This is another reason why people chose sago plant to put in their garden.

Why Canadian Geese Honking Mournfully? - Gardening and Hobby 16

Fig 01- Flock of Canadian geese in city garden

The number of Canadian geese is fluctuate from seasons to seasons, quite abundance at Fall and Winter compared to other seasons.

It is because there are two types of geese in the lakes of our city garden:

- permanent geese (local geese), stay forever in the garden.
- migratory geese, just for temporary visits.

The migratory geese came from Canada or Northern America about October, and they stay during winter season every year. Their number much more than local geese.

Our city garden actually locate in the urban areas that might attract the geese to come and stay a while.

Urban areas have several advantages such as:

- abundance of food
- less natural predators

What animals are natural predators of Canadian geese?

Fig 02- Three of Canadian geese

Plenty of natural predators of Canadian geese include their eggs, some of them are:

- coyotes
- raccoon
- skunks
- bobcats
- foxes
- eagles
- crows

Fig 03- Geese and white swan are swimming together

Now, the question: Why Canadian Geese Honking Mournfully?

Based on several observations that the geese are “very emotional” critter. Why they honking mournfully, it is because:

- they loss their mate
- their eggs are stolen.

Sadly, they could out from flocks, and lonely honking mournfully. They may have aggressive behavior.

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The Christmas Light Decoration in Neighborhood - Gardening and Hobby 15

Fig 01- Light decoration in front of a house

Some of our neighbors make Christmas light decoration every years. But, it seems not that many compared to previous years.

Pandemic has changed a lot of things. Many neighbors have no light decoration, and even there is no gathering or less celebration for such as Halloween, thanksgiving and might be Christmas celebration in this year.

At previous years, the favorite images of Christmas lights and decorations:

- Christmas tree lights

- light balls

- animals (deer and dogs)

- light on the fences and roofs

We love to walk around to look at near by light displays, and drive by car to watch all light decoration of our more than 100 houses of neighborhood.

Some senior citizens with their grand kids and cute pets seem enjoy by walking to look the decorations and light displays.

Fig 02- Such a beautiful display

Sure, we have favorite homes. Exciting with their owners beautiful works to provide nice Christmas lights. 

Fig 03- A dog and lights in front of a house

In our city, there is a particular neighborhood with 75% houses are decorated with Christmas lights. Few neighborhoods, about 50%, have their houses lit up.

Last year, a small town about 20 mile from our house, has bonfires. I think that it was exciting and fun to look.

Do you love with Christmas lights and decoration?

Merry Christmas everyone.

Increasing of Abuse and Neglect Cats in the USA - Gardening and Hobby 14

Fig 01- Ranger in the rescue house

One of our neighbors rescues cats which are abused and neglected by households in our areas.

When we visit her, we saw about 10 cats in her rescue house. One of cats called Ranger attracted our attention.

Ranger has been abused and neglected by his owner recently. After treated, trained and fixed, then, Ranger looks very sweet and loves people.

Just to let you know that 74 million cats were abused or neglected in the USA per year. The number are increasing year by year.

The form of abuses faced by cats (for examples only) are:

- beating

- throwing

- mutilation

- drowning.

Fig 02- Ranger is very sweet and lovely cat.

What we said as neglected when we saw the animal owners failed to provide the following things (examples only):

- food

- water

- shelter

- veterinary care

Fig 03- Ranger is happy when touched by people

Abusing cats are higher compared to other animals (pets), even to dogs. 74 millions cats are abused, and 70 millions for dogs.

Based on research findings that cats are tending to be abused when they are going outside.

Thus, cats much more abused by strangers than their owners. The strangers could be mentally ill.

Finally, It is suggested to capture stray cats, contain the cats with cares, and report to relevant authorities.