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Published March 31, 2009
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Hospitality Hints and Help By Laverne B. Jackson
It is Eastertime again --- one of the most revered holidays of the year. Easter
is a Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection. Woven into this
celebration is the Easter Lily, which is the traditional time-honored flower of
Easter. From Easter Lily research, we have learned that the Easter Lily is
native to the southern islands of Japan. In the 1880s, it was cultivated in
Bermuda and bulbs were shipped to the United States. This continued until the
start of World War II.
According to research, current Easter Lily production began with a World War I
soldier, who bought a suitcase full of hybrid lily bulbs to the south coast of
Oregon in 1919. He distributed the bulbs to his friends and neighbors. Several
of these people went from growing Easter Lilies as a hobby to a business, and
the bulbs were called "White Gold." The production, selling, planting, and
distribution of the Easter Lily bulbs has changed over the years. However,
there is an area on either side of the Oregon and California border within view
of the Pacific Ocean where the soil and climate is ideal for raising Easter
Lily bulbs. This area is known as the Easter Lily Capitol of the World. This
region produces nearly all of the bulbs for the blooming potted Easter Lily
market.
Easter Lily bulbs are harvested in the fall and packed and shipped to commercial
greenhouses where they are planted in pots and forced under controlled
conditions to bloom for the Easter holiday.
The Easter Lily is highly regarded as a joyful symbol of beauty, hope, and life.
If you plan to purchase a potted Easter Lily for yourself or to give as a gift,
be sure to purchase a high quality plant with an abundance of dark, rich green
foliage. Be sure the flowers are large, trumpet-shaped, white, and fragrant. It
is good to buy a plant with two or three unopened buds.
After the Easter Holiday, you can continue to grow your potted Easter Lily until
they have finished flowering and the blooms have faded. The Easter Lily can
then be planted outdoors. Remove the plant from the pot. Plant the bulb about
three inches deep in good, well drained soil. Eventually the bulb will appear
with green leaves appearing above ground, then grow into a full size, blooming
plant. Keep watered but do not let water stand around the plant. Your Easter
Lily will bring beauty, grace, and fragrance to the garden for years to come.
From the fields to the greenhouses to your home, the Easter Lily remains the
traditional, time-honored flower of Easter. Symbolic of a resurrection, Easter
Lilies rise from earthy graves as scaly bulbs, and blooms into majestic flowers
that embody the beauty, grace and tranquility of this special holiday.
To each of you, I wish a holiday that brings as much beauty to your life as the
Easter Lily.
Published March 10, 2009
Hospitality Hints and Help By Laverne B. Jackson
Listen to the Mockingbird!
Have you ever really listened to the Mockingbird? Did you think it was one bird
or many? If you have been hearing an endless string of different birds singing,
perhaps it is a Mockingbird. The Northern Mockingbird, which is what we have
here, have slender gray bodies and their color is so subdued that they
sometimes blend into the bushes or trees. I have read so many interesting
articles about Mockingbirds - such as where they are found. They prefer open
ground with shrubby vegetation. This is probably because they eat mainly
insects and a wide variety of berries.
The Mockingbirds nest in shrubs and trees, usually three to ten feet off the
ground, but sometimes as high as 60 feet.
The male probably chooses the nest site and begins the building. Then the female
finishes the nest and lays the eggs. Mockingbirds rarely ever reuse their
nests.
The Northern Mockingbirds are common in backyards, but they seldom, if ever,
visit bird feeders. Another thing, Mockingbirds are aggressive. They are very
protective of their nesting area. They will fly at each other , and if the
opponent does not retreat, they will land near the boundary and face off,
hopping from side to side, then grappling with wings and claws and pecking at
each other.
Mockingbirds are also territorial around other birds as well as cats and dogs.
I can certainly vouch for this behavior with dogs.
One summer I was ill and spent time sitting in a lounge chair in my backyard.
One of our dogs, a hound to be exact, would come and lie by my chair. Soon he
would be asleep and this Mockingbird would fly and peck him. Startled he would
jump and open his eyes but would soon be back asleep. Then back flies the
Mockingbird, another peck, and this continued until the dog simply got up and
moved to a place under the shrub.
These things are all a part of the Mockingbird's life, but to me the most
interesting part is their singing. They sing almost endlessly, even sometimes
at night. Researchers have found that there appears to be no limit to the
number f songs a Mockingbird can pick up. They continue to add new songs to
their repertoires throughout their lives.
The male Mockingbird does most of the singing, however, the female does her
share. These birds may be able to master as many as 200 to 400 songs.
Not only can the Mockingbird imitate bird calls, they can also mimic frogs,
crickets, sirens, bells, home alarms, a rusty gate, and even the whirring and
squeaks of a washing machine. It has also been found that no other animal on
earth comes close to the ability of the Mockingbird when it comes to copying
the sound of its environment.
In the nineteenth century, people were so fascinated with the songs of the
Mockingbird that they caged them. In fact, in some cities, so many of the birds
were sold and caged the birds nearly vanished from parts of the country.
Through the years and even today, the Mockingbirds are amazing!
Now with all these songs that they can sing - have you ever thought: How does a
Mockingbird know what to sing next? Think about it!
One thing that we do know is if we keep a song in our heart and with a happy
song ready to sing, we can make any day a better day.
Published February, 2009
Hospitality Hints and Help By Laverne B. Jackson
Ah! Valentine Day! So much love is expressed in so many different ways on this
day. In fact, it has been said that more candy and roses are sold on this day
than any other holiday throughout the year, as an expression of love and
caring.
So what does love mean to life? It is quite possible to live without it,
although few would choose to do so.
Think today, we look outside, the day is overcast, the scene is drab and we turn
away with a sigh. We look out the next day, same scene, but the sun is shining
and the warm glistening brightness gives a lift to our heart, in fact our
entire feelings. We most likely think,
“This is going to be a good day.”
Love, like sunshine, can change our outlook. Where there is love we find
comfort, joy, compassion, a desire to help, faith in God
’s goodness and the potential of our fellowmen. Love, this special quality of the
heart, can spread to the whole fabric of everyday living.
Love is not a fixed commodity that can be weighed and measured. It is a
relationship of immeasurable variety. Sometimes its role is to stand aside and
smile. Sometimes it must be expressed in discipline. Often it is to hold out an
encouraging and strengthening hand. A gesture that says
“I love you and am here to help you.”
Surprises, flowers, compliments, applause, gifts, notes, remembrance of special
days
– perhaps these things may seem trivial to some – but they bring happiness out of all proportion to the effort involved. Children
are fortunate who grow up in homes where they learn at an early age to draw
pictures, write letters, make gifts, and plan surprises for others.
While thoughtfulness can bring joy, it is not enough in itself as a way of life.
Love is like a strong plant, with roots of duty, loyalty, and responsibility,
but it is more beautiful when it flowers with that imaginative expression which
makes the eyes shine and the heart glad. Love is not only thoughtful, but is
willing to gladly accept responsibility!
I Wish You a Happy Valentine Day and hope that if you give a Valentine gift, it
will be an expression of love that will gladden the heart and make the eyes
shine.