Albert II Planning Second Polar Visit
The Arctic tundra may soon see a second visit from Prince Albert of Monaco. A Russian news agency announced in October that Albert II intends to visit the North Pole in a Russian airship next spring. The expedition will be led by Jean-Louis Etienne, a French explorer famous for becoming the first man to travel to the North Pole alone on foot in 1986. Not only does he have Arctic experience, he crossed the entire continent of Antarctica on foot in 1989 and 1990. He has also sailed around the world, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean and climbed Mount Everest.
Their intended vessel will be the Au-30 airship, a unique dirigible built in Moscow by the Russian manufacturer Avgur Russian Air Systems. A dirigible is a buoyant aircraft that is lighter than air. It is steered with rudders and pushed through the air via two 170-horsepower propeller engines. The Au-30 is a multipurpose airship, designed for long-term flights with the capacity for surveillance at low speed and low altitudes, making it an ideal ship with which to survey the North Pole. Other Au-30 airships are being used to survey Russian high-tension wires and Moscow traffic conditions.
The expedition will be the first dirigible flight to the North Pole since famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen made the journey in 1926 with Italian explorer, pilot and engineer Umberto Nobile.
Prince Albert previously visited the North Pole as a part of a dog sled expedition in April 2006. The purpose of his journey was to highlight the importance of research on global warming. He and seven others made a 57-mile trek to the pole, departing from an outpost in Barneo, although the prince noted that the trip was made considerably longer by the formation of ice hills that needed to be climbed along the way. He stated that the trip was very “physically challenging,” according to BBC reports.
The voyage was more than just a publicity stunt, as the prince would prove. He established the Albert II Foundation upon his return. The organization is aimed to be “a permanent source of dynamic and innovative actions for environmental protection and sustainable environment,” according to the prince.
The foundation aims to focus its efforts on three main areas: climate change, biodiversity and access to drinking water. The foundation feels that serious environmental warning signs “require each of us to act if we are to protect our planet for future generations. We all share the environment; its protection is our duty.” Prince Albert stated, “Monaco may not be the biggest country in the world, but I am determined to show it can be among the most innovative in its approaches to the environment.”
The 2008 spring expedition to the North Pole will be held in conjunction with the International Polar Year, as declared by the United Nations. The International Polar Year is organized through the International Council for Science and the World Meteorological Organization, and it will consist of over 200 projects involving thousands of scientists from over 60 nations.
The prince’s passion for the North Pole seems to run in the family. Prince Albert’s great-great-grandfather, Albert I, made four trips to the Arctic nearly a century ago. However, Albert II is the first head of state to make it to the North Pole while still in office.
The prince, age 49, became ruler of Monaco in July 2005 after the death of his father, Prince Rainier.
More details about Prince Albert of Monaco can be found at http://www.yourmonaco.com/al
How to Plant Evergreens
North, South, East or West – no matter where you live – there are evergreens for every garden. The luxuriance of their foliage, the different shades of green, their variety of forms, textures, and heights contribute lavishly to the planting design. Indeed, like old friends, they can always be depended on to give us real enjoyment through the years. Their easy upkeep, permanence, and the all-year-round green they provide make them all-important in garden-making.
In making a planting plan it is very important to select the right evergreen for the allotted space. This can hardly be overemphasized. For instance, avoid using tall-growing trees or shrubs directly in front of a window. All too often one sees houses literally smothered with towering evergreens placed in just such a location, shutting out the vista, the air, and the light. Furthermore, a planting of this kind spoils the architectural lines of the house, whereas actually one of the purposes of the planting is to set off these lines to best advantage.
Bear in mind the shape of the evergreen selected, and visualize how it will fit into the general planting scheme. Evergreens have definite forms, use the pyramidal and columnar types sparingly; in fact, these are especially adapted for accent purposes, and where space permits they are sometimes well placed each side of a doorway. The globular kinds are very distinctive, and they should also be used with much thought. Evergreens with a bushy habit of growth and the creeping species, such as some of the Junipers, can be used more freely than those with more formal lines.
Another factor that should be considered is whether the planting is to be made in the sun or in the shade. There are evergreens that thrive in every location, and it is an easy matter to find the right plant for the available situation. Some of those that are shade-tolerant include such favorites as Laurel, Oregon Holly-grape, Holly Olive, Cherry-laurel, and the evergreen species of Privet.
If your builder has given you an allowance for purchasing plant material, you are then a free lance. In spending this sum it is much wiser not to attempt to stretch the planting over too extensive an area, but rather to make each part perfect in itself. Be sure to buy your trees and shrubs from reliable sources. A good buyer looks over the plants carefully to make certain that each one is compact and vigorous.
It is important not to introduce too great a variety of evergreens in the planting scheme, but rather to have each kind well represented, otherwise the planting would be too heterogeneous, which would give a confused effect. This does not apply to plants that are columnar or globular in shape. These should be used sparingly.
Take care of the key planting first of all; this is usually along the foundation of the house. Evergreens are unsurpassed for tying the house to the ground; they give an exceptionally handsome setting – in fact they bring about a real metamorphosis. A touch of deciduous material introduced into the evergreen planting gives a light note. It adds interest and beauty because of the contrast in habit of growth and color of foliage that it provides. Flowering shrubs which are conspicuous for their blooms, berries, and autumn coloration are excellent for this purpose.
Along the boundary of the place a combination of the taller-growing and lower-growing evergreens gives more complete seclusion than any other kind of plant material, and provides an all-year-round line of demarcation. The taller-growing kinds are excellent for the background, and the dwarf types are used as facers.
In many suburban communities houses are built on small lots. Under these conditions landscaping is often difficult. When a good neighbor policy can be adopted, this sometimes turns out to be a solution to the problem of restricted space for garden-making. By co-operating in a plan with your next-door neighbor a landscape effect can be developed that will be of mutual benefit. This can be done by treating the two places as a unit in developing the planting plan. The result will be a more spacious, open garden.
Have fun with your gardening!
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Planning Your Wild Birds’ Winter Menu
Feeding wild birds in winter is an enjoyable past time, makes our feathered friends happy, and keeps them coming back to our feeders. So what should be on their menu to help them through the cold days of winter?
Before we answer that, let’s get something out of the way. By attracting birds to our feeders, are we making them too dependent on a free source of food, and weakening their ability to find food on their own? Do we actually put birds at greater risk because of cats and flying into windows?
Studies have shown that feeding wild birds does not affect their ability to find food on their own. When feeders are removed – or they become empty – birds will simply move on to another set of feeders and/or forage on their own. They are remarkably resourceful that way.
Locate your feeders well off the ground and near cover to prevent predation from cats. If flying into windows is a problem, there are stick-on window decals that are almost invisible to humans, but birds can see them easily. Since birds can eat more at your feeder in a shorter period of time than they can foraging, they are actually at reduced risk of predation.
The next item you want in place is a water source. Birds need water all year long. The water supply should be kept clean and fresh, and should not be over 1/2 to 1 inch deep. In winter, freezing is a problem in most parts of the country, but heaters or devices that keep the water moving are available from most wild bird supply stores and Web sites. What ever you do, do not add anything to the water to keep it from freezing, such as antifreeze. Would you drink it? That stuff is poisonous to all animals.
Now for food. Like pizza is for teenagers, black oil sunflower seed is for birds. They love it, and most varieties of wild birds will stuff it down. The list of black oil sunflower seed connoisseurs includes finches, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, nuthatches, and others. Don’t get the gray and white-striped sunflower seed because the shells are harder, and it doesn’t have as much of the needed fat as does the black oil variety.
A real delicacy for finches is niger seed. Niger is seed is a tiny, black seed, but it is expensive, so you want to avoid waste. While many tube feeders will work with niger seed, you want one made specifically for niger seed. Such feeders will have tiny holes that help reduce waste.
Another good wild bird food is safflower seed. This is a small, white seed that is a favorite of cardinals, downy woodpeckers, titmice and chickadees. The best part is blue jays, grackles and squirrels won’t eat it. Since squirrels won’t eat it, you can use it in platform feeders without a lot of loss. It is available by itself as well as mixed with black oil sunflower seeds.
While planning your wild birds’ menu, you will want to consider white millet. You can throw it on the ground to attract sparrows, juncos, and mourning doves. And it’s cheaper than sunflower seed.
Don’t forget suet. Suet has a lot of fat, which birds love during periods of cold and high activity. It is readily available as is the special wire feeder. It is somewhat messy, however. So you might want to consider the new pelletized suets. They come in several varieties, with each pellet being about the size of a pencil eraser, so it won’t work in tube feeders with small holes. But it is excellent for platform feeders and to throw on the ground or deck.
At first, most birds ignore the pellets, but after an hour or so, they really get into them. Squirrels seem to avoid it. The pellets are available in some bird supply stores and online.
Avoid mixed bird seed. While such seed appears inexpensive, it often consists of mostly filler, such as red millet that birds won’t eat. Birds are no dummies. Like a six-year old picking through his food, birds will discard the filler, eating only what they like. The waste falls to the ground, making a mess on your yard, patio or deck. So any saving will be more than offset by the waste.
Do you want the convenience of mixed seed without the waste? Make you own mix. It’s easy. Try about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of black oil sunflower seed for every 1 pound of white millet and 1 pound of cracked corn. The exact ratio is not critical. Put it all in a clean trash can and stir. Dinner’s ready.
Finally, place your feeders where you see them easily, load them with your special of the day, and enjoy the show.
There you have it. Hopefully this information will help you with your wild bird menu so that they will flock to your restaurant all winter!
Janet Winter loves her wild birds and delights in providing helpful resources and unique products for feathered friends at http://www.WildBirdGoodies.com. She is a web designer, travel agent and writer on many topics including wild birds, babies and pampered dogs.
Carnations. Really Nice Flowers
It is widely believed that the carnation is one of the world’s oldest types of flower. Today’s beautiful carnation has evolved from the ancient dianthus caryophyllus flower.
The original flower was a bright pink or purple, while these days carnations can be found in a variety of other colors including red, white and yellow and also striped variations. The carnation is one of the most popular and long lasting flowers enjoyed for its attractive colors and fragrance. This flower is known to suggest distinction, love and gratitude and is suitable for many different occasions.
A light red carnation usually symbolizes admiration while a carnation that is deep red in color suggests love or affection. A white carnation is usually chosen as a sign of love.
Fresh Cut Carnations via the Internet.
The carnation flower is available all year round and due to modern technology, together with other fresh cut flowers, deliveries of carnations can be arranged and purchased from wholesalers via the Internet. There is no longer any need to step out of your front door and you can choose from examples of colors and sample bouquets from online pictures on your computer screen. You may make your selection according to choice of flowers, price or color. Convenience is the name of the game, as you may view colorful illustrations of the carnation bouquet or arrangement before making your floral choice.
Keep Your Fresh Cut Carnations Longer.
Below you will find a few tips to help to maintain your bouquet of carnations for as long as possible. The carnations should be placed in a cool location and well away from direct sunlight. It should be noted that they will also keep better if they are far from sources of heat such as a radiator or even machines like a television set. It is also preferable to keep your fresh cut flowers away from cigarette smoke. Leaves under the water line in the vase should be removed and it advisable to cut off approximately an inch from the bottom of the stems, while they are under water.
In order to look after your flowers in the best possible way, it is recommended to follow any instructions that are offered by the florist. In addition, do place any flower food that is provided for your carnations, into the water. In a vase of water, carnations usually last between six to nine days and sometime with good care and the right conditions, they can last up to three weeks.
The carnation has proved itself to be a long lasting flower and this is one of the reasons that it has become such a popular element in bouquets and floral arrangements. This flower’s unique ruffled appearance and lasting freshness has ensured the carnation’s presence at many events and happy occasions.
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