Stargazing in March

 March ushers in the official start of spring by the spring equinox, after which days will once again grow longer (or, technically speaking, brighter). Meanwhile, in the night skies above, several planets will be noticeable this month.

Here’s a guide to some of the celestial highlights that will be visible in the night skies of North America during March:

The planet Venus will continue to glow in the western sky after sunset throughout the month. It will be the brightest object in the sky aside from the Moon and will set a few hours after the Sun.

Mars will also be visible in the evening sky during March, appearing as a reddish-orange star-like object. Look for it in the constellation Taurus, in the western sky after sunset.

Jupiter will be visible in the morning sky, rising a few hours before the Sun. It will be in the constellation Aquarius.

Saturn will be visible in the morning sky as well, rising shortly after Jupiter. It will be in the constellation Capricornus.

The Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks on the night of April 21-22, will ramp up in late March. Although it won’t be at its strongest until next month, you may spot some shooting stars if you’re lucky.

Here are some notable constellations that you can see in the night skies of North America during March:

Orion: One of the most recognizable and prominent constellations, Orion is visible in the southwestern sky during the early evening hours in March. Look for its distinctive “belt” of three stars, as well as its bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel.

Taurus: This constellation is home to the bright star Aldebaran and the famous Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters. Look for Taurus in the western sky after sunset.

Canis Major: This constellation is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Look for Canis Major in the southeastern sky after sunset.

Ursa Major: we also know it as the Great Bear and contains the famous Big Dipper asterism. Look for Ursa Major in the northern sky during the evening hours.

Leo: This constellation is visible in the eastern sky during the late evening hours in March. Look for its distinctive backwards question mark-shaped asterism known as the Sickle, as well as the bright star Regulus.

Remember, the best way to view constellations and the night sky is to find a dark location away from city lights, and to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. Binoculars or a telescope can also enhance your viewing experience. Happy stargazing! You can also use star charts or smartphone apps to help identify constellations and other celestial objects. Happy stargazing!

March’s full moon is often known as the “Worm Moon” because it coincides with the time of year when the ground begins to thaw and earthworms emerge from the soil. The name “Worm Moon” is said to have been coined by Native American tribes, who traditionally named each full moon of the year based on natural phenomena associated with that time of year.

The appearance of earthworms is an important sign of the coming of spring, as it signals that the soil is warming up and becoming more hospitable to plant growth. As the snow melts and the ground thaws, earthworms emerge from their winter hibernation and aerate the soil and decompose organic matter, which helps to fertilize the soil and support plant growth.

The Worm Moon is just one of many traditional full moon names that have been passed down through generations of Native American cultures. Other examples include the Snow Moon (February), the Flower Moon (May), and the Harvest Moon (September).

Remember Tie Dye?

Remember tie dye tee shirts? My grandson had seen his grandmother wearing an old tie-dye shirt when he last visited us and he, in his craft class at his small school had made some tie-dye shirts. He wanted to make some shirts with his grandma.

We thought it would be fun and give us a memento give him a memory to remember. So, my wife and daughter on one of their trips to town bought plain white Tee shirts for all of us and bought the fixing to make tie-dye shirts.

So, on a hot summer’s day in Australia in January we created our memories. First, we read the instructions to make sure we understood what we had to do, second, we gathered all of the ingredients and followed the instructions to make sure the ingredients were set up properly. It took time to decide what type of design each of us wanted and then it took longer to fix the shirt in the way we thought would best make the design. The first step after creating your design was to soak the Tee shirts in soda ash for twenty minutes to make sure that the material would absorb the dye. The second step was to apply the dye. There are many sites on the Internet that will give you quick ideas on how to make tie-dye shirts, shoes, silk ties etc.

We each took time to create our own tee shirts and while one person was applying the dye, the others were providing advice, sometimes, good, sometimes not good, sometimes wanted, most times not needed. We did have fun, laughed a lot, and as you can see from the pic below, the effort was well worth it. 

We did such a great job on our shirts that we made shirts for our grandchildren at home as well as our son, who had to leave for home before we decided to complete this project. My daughter and her guy said they would only wear their shirts at home, I am going to wear mine proudly when I go out and when I golf, but the weather has to warm up a great deal before I can move to summer wear. My grandson, wore his shirt every day for a week and was very proud of his efforts. He loved making the tee shirt with his grandma and it, hopefully, will be a memory that he will have for a long time.

Pictures Can Be Artifacts to the Past

Do you enjoy taking pictures and collecting the photographs in scrapbooks, photo albums or online on their own special place? Of course, you do! Most people do and they love to take picture after picture of everything from a random night out with friends, to pictures of their family and children to photos of their vacations to every corner of the globe.

Why do people love taking pictures so much? Well, look at the reasons why you like taking photos. You like to take photos because it is a reminder of the good times and of the bad times. In essence, photos serve as your very own historical artifact to the past and allow you to remember events that have memories that fade with the passing years.

Pictures are personal artifacts that tell the story of you. You can look at other people’s photos and never really truly understand what they were feeling when the picture was taken. But you can easily take a picture of something and remember your exact feelings years later.

So, do not miss an opportunity to take photos at every instance you can. You never know when that moment will be snapped away from you, never to be seen again. Remember the faces of your children and relatives as they grow older and remember what your parents looked like while they were young. Photographs allow you to do all of that.

Also, pass on the importance of photos to your family and friends. They will most likely already be aware of the importance of creating photo artifacts, but you will want to make sure that they agree that taking as many photos as possible in life is a good idea. That way, they will possibly get a picture that you were not able to get and you can share in that memory with them.

Photo artifacts do not have to be overly mushy either. They can show the raunchy and crazy experiences you have had in your life and serve as a reminder of the good time along with the happy and sad times.

You can tell your family story through pictures as well. Photos of births, weddings, funerals and other family events will show a lot about the way you feel about your family members and how they felt about you at a certain point in time. That way you can remember your crazy Aunt Ruth after she passes away.

Taking pictures is probably one of the rewarding and fun things you can do in your life. Now with different photo editing software, you can do things to your photos that you never even thought was possible. Take your photo artifacts to the next level and create a history of your family that can be viewed for years to come by you, your family, your children and anyone else who would care to see the history of you and your life. Let the photos tell the whole story.

Strange Artifacts Abound!

We have become familiar with the term artifacts and what that means. Usually, things like animal bones, arrowheads, ancient documents and complex statues are what comes to mind when we think of things like artifacts. Here is a list of several strange artifacts that have been found over the years:

Strange Fossils: Modern science has led us to believe that people have not been around in our current forms for that many years. However, researchers have found strange looking fossils that have defied traditionally accepted ideas. Like for instance, several handprints and footprint imprints have been found that scientists have dated back millions of years. This is much longer than people have been thought to be around. There has even been a fossil unearthed that looks like a man wearing a sandal that appears to also be several million years old. Who can explain it! No one, yet.

Metal Spheres: People have been digging up odd metal spheres in Africa for years now. These metal spheres are perfectly round and some have designs etched into them. No one can explain what they were used for, but one thing is for certain. They have been around for billions of years and do not look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.

Ancients Discs: Researchers have unearthed amazing looking gold discs in Chinese caves that look to be an ancient version of records. What were they used for? I guess we will probably never know.

Ancient batteries: Researchers have found examples of batteries developed by ancient people in the Middle East that are similar to that of the batteries of today. Amazing to think of the technology that could have existed millions of years ago.

Aircraft Shaped Artifacts: Scientists have unearthed artifacts in Egypt and South America, two entirely different continents that are shaped unusually similar to modern aircraft. Did they have the technology and the know how to make a flight back then? We will probably never know.

Huge Spherical Balls: Balls, perfectly circular, have been found in the jungles of Costa Rica and Central America for decades. Some of these weigh a few ounces, others a few tons. Though they are clearly man-made, it’s not clear what purpose they actually served for the people who made them.

The list of strange fossils can go on and on and the debates that go along with them will last forever. What can we make of the strange findings of scientists and researchers? Well, civilizations could have been much more advanced that we have previously given them credit for. Or, other beings have inhabited the Earth earlier than we realize. Who really knows for sure? One thing is for certain: it is pretty amazing what ancient people could do and what similarities we have with them now. These artifacts will continue to amaze us for thousands of years to come.

Hydroponic Gardening—Try It!

Who doesn't want to see beautiful plants blooming every now and then in her own backyard? Sure enough, plants have a certain power of uplifting one's spirit as well as enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the home. Many housewives are truly into this hobby because it is not only engaging but likewise profitable in more ways than one. So, if gardening is your thing, then, you may want to try the so called hydroponic gardening!
What is hydroponic gardening?
The term hydroponic garden is already a resounding term these days. What is great about this is that one can grow plants even without using any soil. Instead, the plants are grown using gravel, perlite, water, and the most commonly used is the sand.

The indoor hydroponic garden is often utilized to grow herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. However, if you do prefer this kind, you must ensure that they will get enough amount of light, nutrients, and of course the medium to use to grown them in.

What will you get out of this kind of gardening?
You can now say goodbye to soil as you don't need to rely on it in growing your healthy, tasty, and strong vegetables. The hydroponic system also does away with weeding and particularly the insects to combat against. All you have to do is wait for them to grow as you nurture them.

First and foremost, engaging in this type of gardening will save you of all those laborious or intensive tasks. Forget about tending to and worrying about the portable oxygen unit.

Traditional gardening often makes use of chemicals that aid in the fast growth of the plants but with this, you don't need to spend much. One more thing, if you are the kind of person who experiences breathing problems when you catch the smell of certain chemicals, then, this will be a good solution for you.

The hydroponic gardens can also be done indoors which means you don't actually have to get out of your house to pursue your hobby. At any time that you prefer to tend to your plants, there is no reason for you to feel the restrictions because it is just within your home!

What are the important tips to remember for this garden?
First of all, you have to start with the appropriate balance of nutrients for your plants. This kind of garden allows the plant roots to have all the nutrients directly delivered to them. Thus, you have to get to know your plant well by means of doing a careful research. That means finding ways on how your plant will be able to grow well.

Be certain to provide adequate light. It is very important to choose the right kind of light that will be fit for the growing plants. You can choose from the fluorescent grow lights, halide bulbs, high intensity discharge lights, and high pressure sodium lights.

Have the best medium for growing the plants. The right medium means that it can store both the water and nutrients for the plant's benefit.

Overall, hydroponic gardening is not difficult at all. Just follow these tips and have an exciting pastime to work with.

Indoor And Organic Gardening: Excellent Ideas How To Start It

Organic gardening is a hobby that can give you many benefits. A supply of chemical-free herbs for cooking, a detoxified air inside the house, added beauty and décor to your home, and significant reducer of stress level, these are all benefits of having an indoor organic gardening. Aside from these, it can be very fun and exciting to tend to your own garden inside your home.

If you want to have an indoor organic gardening, there are many herbs and plants that are easy to grow. You can find them at the local nursery or even through online sites. They can be mail ordered and delivered right at your doorstep. Specifically, the following 8 kinds are great examples of plants that you can grow indoor.

The weeping fig is a plant that is known to survive even with little yet tender care for long periods of time. The chamaedorea palm is a great plant to lend a décor atmosphere inside your home especially if you prefer a tropical theme. The Chinese evergreen is perfect for homes that come with low-light conditions. Just like the two it doesn't require major maintenance, making it great choice for the beginners in gardening.

The Boston fern on the other hand is placed by many inside a bathroom or at a greenhouse as it loves high humidity and doesn't require feeding a lot, once a month will suffice. Another one is English ivy, which can be hang on topiaries or baskets making it very ideal for beautifying to your home. The same with peace lily, but this variety is an excellent air purifier while providing great blooms and greenery to the house.

The cactus combo bonsai is a fantastically unique plant variety that adapts easily to temperature and moisture level changes making it ideal to any home indoor garden. It is also the nature of braided ficus tree, but being an adaptable variety of tree it doesn't need big fuss for it to survive inside the house.
When it comes to indoor herbs, they require a special maintenance care but when you see them grow the rewards are remarkable. For them to thrive properly and healthily, most varieties of herbs will need to be exposed on full sun for six hours everyday. The soil will need to be enriched and the container must have a perfect drainage.

Some of the popular indoor herbs include lemon grass, which you can grow by cultivating a stalk in a container or pot with few inches of water. The mint leaves are excellent tea and must be grown separately from other herbs as this variety of herb can be more invasive than the others.
The chive on the other hand requires lesser amount of light than the others while the parsley and bay tree are both slow growing herbs but always worth your wait as they are great herb to have on hand for your cooking activities. There are other varieties of herbs which you can grow indoor, like sage, thyme, oregano, cilantro, basil, and rosemary.

Organic indoor gardening is such a wonderful and rewarding activity that anyone can have. With the many benefits it provides, there is no reason for you to procrastinate on this idea. You will definitely see it when you start to reap the full benefits.

Gardening Blunders and the Ways to Fix Them

We often see fashion blunders on TV. We may even hear ourselves giving opinions about them. But do you actually realize that blunders can even happen right in your front yard? Whether you think that your garden looks good or not, it really doesn't matter. If everything doesn't work, your whole garden will not work. We enumerate top gardening blunders and the ways to fix them:

1. Grass is not greener. This ranks number 1. Why? Most gardens have lawn, but one may be slightly greener than the other. If your lawn looks more than the soil underneath, it is time to reassess your watering, fertilizing and mowing schedule. Think where you have gone wrong and make the necessary adjustments on the areas mentioned. If nothing happens, replacing your entire lawn is a better alternative. Consider other ground covers such as periwinkle and thyme. Ask your local nursery for a possible option.

2. Tools and clutter are everywhere. They may be useful objects, but if they are stacked in your garage because you think they are not worth the storage, they don't just look like junk, they are junk. Go over them one by one and determine whether you want to keep them or not. Your criteria when deciding if they deserve the trip to dump or not is simple: Ask yourself, do you specific plans for them?

3. Your home and garden can be seen from the road. There are several short- and long-term solutions to create some privacy. One quick-fix solution is to build a concrete wall that would separate your garden from the side walk. For a longer, much appealing look, planting fast-growing shrubs is a good idea.

4. Weeds invasion. Weeds problem can be solved by keeping your lawn regularly maintained. Check for weeds as often as you can. Dig the weeds out by hand and keep the weed from re-growing by seeding the empty areas of your lawn.

5. Limited space. If your problem is space, then here's one idea that can definitely help you maximize every square inch of your garden: think vertical. Create a sense of lush greenery by using wall space, arbors and trellises to allow plants to climb upwards.

6. Where's your home? If shrubs have swallowed your home, then a hedge clipper comes in handy. Cut everything that is blocking your way. Seriously, you want a garden, not a house in the middle of the forest.

7. Dry spell in winter. Most garden plants do not survive the winter temperature. Hence they die. When planning for a garden, think of the plants that can grow year round. Or you can always include evergreens and plants with winter interests.

8. Fences are falling apart. Fences are not just to separate your property from your neighbor's. They also add to the overall look of your garden. Make sure that you maintain the looks of your fences like the way you keep your plants.

Herb Gardening: The Many Good Things About It

There are a lot of good things why you should have an indoor gardening. Having an herb gardening in particular can be very practical and rewarding. If you start to have one at the back of your home or at any vacant spot at the yard, you will reap the rewarding results of not having to go to the market to buy some for household consumption.

Culinary uses
Herbs have many uses for different people. The most common is its being an aroma or spice enhanced for a lot of cuisines and dishes around the world. The culinary use of herbs can be traced back to many prehistoric documents. The history even says that it was used for cooking foods back then not only for the ordinary people but more so for the heads of groups or for the royalties.

Therapeutic uses
Herbs are not only for culinary purposes. They were also popular because of the medicinal properties they have. Many people from all over the world have been using herbs to treat or cure certain human illnesses and various ailments. Hundreds and hundreds of years were seen people cultivating and growing herbs specifically for this purpose. Even up to now, herbs are used for medicinal, therapeutic purposes, and sometimes for beauty skin care. 
Herbs come in many kinds. And there are those that can be grown at the comfort of your home. Some choices easily grow on a bed of garden. If you are a starter, you can have parsley, oregano, thyme, and basil. These are some of the known most versatile herbs because they are commonly and often used for cooking food and for therapeutic uses.

Where to plant them
In terms of making your own garden, you can easily make a single bed of soil and here you can grow your herbs. If your yard is bigger, you can have several beds to plant them. Just be sure to nurture them so they will grow properly. With a bed of planted herbs, it will be convenient for you whenever you want some spice for your cooking and some stuff when you want to alleviate some sores and pains.

It would be great idea, but if you don't have a wide space at your yard, or if you are living in an apartment or condominium where there is no space for gardening, there is always another option. An indoor gardening is always possible. You can start off with having some pots and planting them with the herbs of your choices. You can place the pots with the planted herbs by the windows on your kitchen and some can even be placed by the windows in your bedroom.

You can also use pots that can be used for decoration of the house without the need to redesign or renovate the place. Just be sure that they have proper drainage holes for the watering. Engaging into this activity not only provides herbs for cooking or therapeutic effects, but having your little indoor gardening can shake off your stress because they can provide air to relax you a bit after working the whole day.