Although Kansas has more species of native orchids than Hawaii, they aren't very showy. These tropical orchids (Phalaenopsis) are currently blooming our greenhouse. They are not species (i.e. directly from their jungle home), but rather are hybrids of various varieties that are cultured for their flowers (size, shape color, etc).
This is a photo of a Mammilaria cactus that bloomed early this year and has already set fruit (seed pods). I saw this in the Blue Hills of Mitchell County, Kansas on April 4, 2012.
It's a small, low-growing species ... about 2.5 inches across, but has brightly colored (pink) flowers and even brighter fruit.
While working in the garden last week, I saw a large variety of land snail that we've had crawling around for the last 15 years or so.... I had never seen them in Kansas before that... I kind of thought that we had brought them back from Hawaii in some orchid pots because that was about the time I first started seeing them. They are now very common here.
I have a friend at Pittsburg State University who is studying Kansas snails, so I sent photos to him... it turns out that it wasn't anything exotic (like from Hawaii), but rather a snail commonly found in the Eastern U.S. that is now moving west... it is certainly a new record for this part of the state... a jump of several hundred miles from the previously known most western occurrence.
Here's lookin' at you, bub!.... Face to face with a White-lipped globe snail...first described by Say (1816).
Last week we were fossil collecting in the Blue Hill Shale in Mitchell County, Kansas. At the end of the day, I looked down and saw a Texas Horned Lizard in the grass. It was only about 60 degrees and I think he was just out trying to catch enough sun to warm up... So I picked him up and took some close-up photos. Although he looks sort of mean and dangerous, he was pretty docile at the time. Actually, about the only thing they eat is ants.
The birds are singing and the trees are greening.... and the garter snakes are coming up out of the ground....We can usually tell when it's Spring at our place because the cats start bringing in Garter snakes (unharmed) to show us... The snakes are just emerging from hibernation and are easy to catch.. but not a lot of fun to play with (if you are a cat) because they don't move or try to get away. We have a den of them that hibernate underground during the winter in the remains of an old tree stump in our backyard. The cats find them when the snakes come up to catch some sun and get warmed up. Garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis)are common in Kansas and harmless, feeding mostly on small insects and worms.
Interesting tidbit about Kentucky and the Civil War. Not that this would be common knowledge, but it was an interesting look at how perception changed for the people in those States after the war:
"Kentucky never seceded. They did send 35,000 troops to the Confederacy and 90,000 to the U.S." Loewen said. "Today Kentucky has 74 Civil War monuments. Two are for the U.S. and 72 are for the Confederacy."
What an amazing sight! According to scientists in Australia, recent floods have pushed enormous colonies of spiders up above the water. Flood fleeing Australians have returned to their homes to find acres upon acres of land covered in spider webs!
No, that's not snow or fog! It is apparently the result of unchecked spider growth in the areas affected by the flooding in Australia. The population of spiders (a type of Wolf Spider) has boomed in the absence of humans to cull them. With the wet weather, insect population also surged providing plenty of food for the growing spider empire.
A similar phenomenon happened in Sindh, Pakistan (among other parts of PK) when flood waters rose there after the 2010 typhoon season dumped 10 years worth of rain in one week!
Russian scientists have successfully germinated a flower from seeds found inside a squirrel's Ice Age era den. The scientists estimate the age of the burrow to be somewhere between 30,000 and 32,000 years old. This is far and away the oldest plant produced from ancient seeds. It surpasses the previous record of 2,000 years old from Israeli scientists.
This is truly an incredible feat and accomplishment for the entire scientific community. After the proof of concept on plant material, the group in question is already anticipating moving on to preserved animal material. Initially they hope to find a viable squirrel specimen, with the end game eventually being a mammoth.
OK, this is one of the more incredible sights I've ever seen. You have heard of Falconeers in the UK and US, right? They are hunters and sportsmen who use falcons to catch things like rabbits, squirrels, and other varmits. Strictly speaking it's not incredibly prevalent in the US, so if you have NOT heard about Falconeering, well...consider yourself informed. Look it up :)
The huntsmen in the steppes of Mongolia apparently take this a little....no, a LOT more serious. They use EAGLES to fill the role of the falcon. The commentator calls them der Adler Jager, or Ealge Hunter.While I am sure there is an official name for this type of hunting, I shall call them EAGLEERS. Actually, typing it out, that is probably exactly what it is called.
The Eagleers of Mongolia hunt MUCH bigger game including foxes and wolves. They also use multiple eagles to take out bigger game (such as wolves).
Check out this amazing video of survival in the steppes of Mongolia!
Sometimes I wish I knew more about electricity...more to the point, how to hook up the odds and ends needed to make things like solar panels, wind, and water (see below) work to charge a battery or run appliances.
As you'll see in the video below, this gentleman has made a very convincing water-powered generator for most of his home. I'm not sure how he's running the water to the apparatus, but it's definitely an interesting (and entertaining) tool!
I like this one primarily because of the British accent (LOL). He does a great job of breaking down the top 10 items you'll want to have with you in a survival situation.
Keep in mind, this is an emergency kit, not necessarily your "bug out bag". This is something you should probably keep in the bottom of your backpack or in the trunk of your car. These are small items that are easy to carry and mutli-functional. Post comments and send me pics of YOUR Survival Bag!
Have you ever wondered if that new piece of kit is really worth the money? Have you wondered if the gear for which you are shopping will really perform as advertised? I know I certainly have. Being in the military alone makes one almost certainly a "kit junky" of sorts. I can never have a big enough backpack, or enough knives, or the "perfect" GPS gadget. Even after I purchase one, I am forever wondering if the other option might have been a better deal.
Well, for those of you out there who are like me and want to see a consolidated list of survival gear that's been pre-evaluated and categorically ranked, look no further than "Off Grid Survival" - they have a very comprehensive website with tons of great emergency tips and survival tricks....INCLUDING a wonderful list of kit they say they have reviewed and ordered by preference. Check it out!
The intro music alone is worth watching the video! Jotting down a little information on those basic necessities. Water, heat/shelter, and food. Practical Survivor (below), details how to make a emergency water purification system for less than $50! Definitely worth trying out.
Starting a fire is the ROOT of all aspects of survival. Worried about having the tools with you necessary to start a fire? If you don't have a match, no lighter, or even a striker, all may not be lost!
Did you know you could get one going with just an aluminum can and a chocolate bar?
Check out the video below to see just how to accomplish this amazing feat!
Publishing from overseas at the moment. When I get back, I'll start posting videos like this of myself, showing various survival tips and techniques.
The birds are singing and the trees are greening.... and the garter snakes are coming up out of the ground....We can usually tell when it's Spring at our place because the cats start bringing in Garter snakes (unharmed) to show us... The snakes are just emerging from hibernation and are easy to catch.. but not a lot of fun to play with (if you are a cat) because they don't move or try to get away. We have a den of them that hibernate underground during the winter in the remains of an old tree stump in our backyard. The cats find them when the snakes come up to catch some sun and get warmed up. Garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis)are common in Kansas and harmless, feeding mostly on small insects and worms.
Russian scientists have successfully germinated a flower from seeds found inside a squirrel's Ice Age era den. The scientists estimate the age of the burrow to be somewhere between 30,000 and 32,000 years old. This is far and away the oldest plant produced from ancient seeds. It surpasses the previous record of 2,000 years old from Israeli scientists.
