Momus, the Greek god of revelry would have thoroughly approved of the more modern Thanksgiving, Canadian style. In particular once again the time to undertake ornithomancy, the sharing of a defunct turkey’s furcula in order to predict the future.
Diversion No. 1
“I’m finding things that are flying outside, right now, out here in Ottawa that do not have names on them. What I’m trying to do is figure out what they are, where they occur and what their relevance is to us.” Owen Lonsdale, entomologist in charge of Canada’s National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes told the Ottawa Citizen
Are pesticide fears exaggerated? Perhaps so, although it does seem puzzling why the periodical Bee Culture should be able to report that the number of pesticides registered for use in the U.S. is over 1200 active ingredients distributed among some 18,000 products, but France has about 500 chemicals registered while England gets by with fewer than 300. Possibly then we should not be surprised that the University of Southern California found increased prevalence of prostate cancer in older men exposed to certain pesticides in Central Valley neighbourhoods. According to the
Los Angeles Times, those who lived within 500 metres of where methyl bromide, captan and eight other organochlorine pesticides had been applied were more likely to have developed prostate cancer.
Three years ago, the province of Ontario enacted a sweeping ban on “cosmetic” pesticides. At the time, a majority of residents agreed such measure were necessary. Today, several surveys indicate a change of support. As professionals predicted, problems occur increasingly. Almost a third of those surveyed admitted to using either stockpiled banned pesticides or purchasing them from jurisdictions lacking such a law. It apparently did not occur to our legal eagles that the majority of Canadians live within 50 miles of the U.S. border. But will not travellers to the Land of the Free returning laden with pesticides be stopped at said border? No, because federally these pesticides are perfectly legal and, for that matter, safe – or so the feds maintain.
Fortunately, deer and other repellants do not appear to be banned According to Landscape Trades periodical, Bobbex Deer Repellent is now registered for use in Canada.
Bobbex is an all-natural tropical plant repellent that will not wash off. It stops deer from browsing, using smell and taste deterrents. The manufacturer claims it is longer lasting, utilizing fish oil as a sticking agent. Similarly, when it comes to rabbits, squirrels, mice and other bark munching garden invaders, ‘Skoot’ repellent, painted or sprayed on trees and shrubs well above where snow will pile, and allowed to run down into the ground will discourage the little rascals.
Diversion No. 2
“Field pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) which are most suitable for carving into jack-o‘-lanterns or feeding to donkeys,” opined Michael Tortorella in
The New York Times.
Have you fallen for those pots of fall chrysanthemums? Labelled ‘hardy’ they are – for a single season. Certainly they won’t survive the winter in the pots they are sold in or transplanted into containers. In garden beds, they are unlikely to make enough new roots prior to freeze up to survive the winter. But never mind – as an example of consumer use and throw away life style they’re perfect. Try pots of dwarf blue asters instead. Installed in flower borders these derivatives of hardy native perennials are more likely to return for future seasons. They also go great in a container surrounding an orange pumpkin.
Diversion No. 3
The total number of insects on Earth, including beetles, is estimated at 10 quintillion (10 followed by 18 zeros). They weigh 300 times more than the combined weight of the entire human population, notes Richard Sherbaniuk in the
Edmonton Journal.
A quarter century ago it was still easy to find prominent medical doctors proclaiming that they had never known a “natural” medication to cause problems. Now we know better – or should do. Ginkgo may or may not expand memory but that will not be much good if you are bleeding to death: it can stop the blood clotting so, like many other herbal medicines such as much-touted garlic, should not be taken before surgery or dental work. Garlic also reacts badly with some medications, including HIV drugs.
Taking echinacea when a cold is suspected in the offing? Not if you suffer from asthma or are allergy-prone. Asian ginseng lowers blood-sugar levels and so can be dangerous for diabetics. As for St. John’s wort, it may raise blood pressure, reduce the effectiveness of blood thinning medications, increase the side effects of anti-depressants and interfere with the action of contraceptive pills. Wore yet, you may be unable to garden.
Diversion No. 4
“We are plagued by earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes lately. Is it the end of times or just God’s way of getting rid of the bankers?” enquires comedian Jim Carrey.
La Niña, blamed for recent severe weather around the world, is set to return U.S. forecasters say. Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center upgraded August’s La Niña Watch to a La Niña Advisory. However, there is a ray of sunshine here. According to recent research, wars and conflicts in general are less likely to occur when such climate events prevail.
Finally, are you seeking new ideas for Halloween? Alas, The Horny Toad Patio Bar at 26 Lakeport Road in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, is now closed for the season. But it’s not too late to book for a week-long vampire themed convention on Holland America’s cruise ship Zuiderdam. Amongst other events, a vampire ball and costume contest is planned for a scenic southeast Alaska cruise early next summer. The event is scheduled for late June, departing from Vancouver B.C. up the West Coast to eastern Alaska. It will, for the nonce, take your mind off gardening.
