Gladiolus is one of Favorite Flowers in America – Nature 78

People love Gladiolus with different reasons. Some said due to symbols of power (strength) and proud.

Image 1- Yellow Gladiolus in the yard.

Others love its colors. Some of its colors are yellow, white, red, pink, purple, orange and combine colors.

I love its shape and colors. It is include one of ten favorite flowers in America. Other favorite flowers are Lavender, Sunflower, Rose, Peony, Hydrangea, Dahlia, Tulip, Sweet Pea and Gardenia. Gladiolus flower is an excellent gift for wedding.

The flower, Gladiolus spp has plenty species, about 300 species, spreading in Africa, Mediterranean regions and Europe.

Image 2- Gladiolus with white color

Image 3- Gladiolus with tall spike.

What flowers do you love?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Surprising Fact - Cooked Shrimps are Cheaper than Raw Ones – Part 2 - Food 8
- The Rainbow Before Evening : When should I get the Botox Cosmetic? - Part 2 – Healthy Life 16
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Outlawed - An Epic Western Novel – Part 1 - Reading 4
- The Rainbow Before Evening : What is Knockout Animals ? - Part 1- Science 8
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Outlawed - An Epic Western Novel – Part 2 - Reading 4

“Let's go” and “Let's play” - Part 2 - Alzheimer's 13

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : “Let's go” and “Let's play” - Part 1 - Alzheimer's 13

Image 1- Pots of little plants, illustration

Another one loves to reach a smart phone to get daily quote from apps or just read new messages from someones.

We have favorite friends with Alzheimer's who have favorite words. They always say these words to answer our questions or just a sentence that they want to say or let’s know.

Let's call them Mrs Anderson and Mrs Brown, both of them with wheelchairs, eighties year old, both could not recognize a single person but they still know their name.

Image 2- Flower, blooming

Mrs Anderson still able to talk, the words clear, but has no meaning or no purposes at all.

Every time she said something to us or ask something to us, whatever the answers she will spontaneous move her wheelchair and said, “Let's go!”

Image 3- A room, illustration only

# To be continued to Part 3

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why the Moon Has Thousands of Small Aliens? - Part 2 – Science 7
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Traditional Books versus Electronic Books for Children – Part 2 – Reading 3
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Surprising Fact - Cooked Shrimps are Cheaper than Raw Ones – Part 1 - Food 8
- The Rainbow Before Evening : When should I get the Botox Cosmetic? - Part 1 – Healthy Life 16
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Surprising Fact - Cooked Shrimps are Cheaper than Raw Ones – Part 2 - Food 8

Nesting of Mississippi Kites in the Areas – Nature 77

Some people might be wrong to distinguish the different between Bald Eagles and Mississippi Kites.

Image 1- Several Mississippi Kites

Actually, the simple difference that Bald eagles have large, hooked yellow beaks that are unmistakable.

Well, a group of Mississippi Kites must be nesting in the area. This is my second time seeing them within a few weeks.

Nowadays, we may observe Bald Eagle living nearby rivers, lakes, marshes to urban areas (The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Bald Eagles not Endangered Species Anymore? - Nature 50)

Image 2- Empty nest, illustration only

In respect to food source, as you might know the Bald Eagle consumes on small animals such as rabbits, snakes, waterfowl and fish.

In case of Mississippi Kites they mostly live on “Crop-damaging insects” such as cicadas and grasshoppers. However, they have been known to eat small mammals too.

Image 3- A single Mississippi Kite

Have you seen Mississippi Kites in your areas?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Traditional Books versus Electronic Books for Children – Part 1 – Reading 3
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why the Moon Has Thousands of Small Aliens? - Part 2 – Science 7
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Traditional Books versus Electronic Books for Children – Part 2 – Reading 3
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Surprising Fact - Cooked Shrimps are Cheaper than Raw Ones – Part 1 - Food 8
- The Rainbow Before Evening : When should I get the Botox Cosmetic? - Part 1 – Healthy Life 16

Useful of Weeds and Wild Flowers in the yards – Part 2 - Science 36

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Useful of Weeds and Wild Flowers in the yards – Part 1 - Science 36

Image 1- Weed climbs a tree and fences, illustration

The weather in the last Summer was uncertain: too hot and then flood from heavy rain.

Flowers and my four month avocado tree dried out, I couldn't save it and the fig tree is dying.

Some fruits I have never picked up due to some squirrels and wild birds love to eat them.

Back to my yards, I have planned to clean and clear it form weeds and wild flowers.

Image 2- Weeds climb fences, illustration only

But I think back about sustainable environment as Christine mentioned in her posting (Please see at: Important for pollinators).

Image 3- Weeds and grass at the corner of city, illustration only

# To be continued to Part 3

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 2 – Nature 13
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why the Moon Has Thousands of Small Aliens? - Part 1 – Science 7
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Traditional Books versus Electronic Books for Children – Part 1 – Reading 3

Unidentified Bird at the Neighborhood – Nature 76

We just have a visitor, quite difficult to identify. Several friends have different opinions about the species of the bird.

Image 1- A Finch on the feeder for hummingbird?

Some guesses the bird species are following:

- a house sparrow
- a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- a finch (a red finch or a house finch)
- a cardinal or a female cardinal

Then, as always, we search through GoogleID, the machine offer two possibilities: first, the Northern cardinal and the second is a house finch. I think the best guess is a house finch.

Image 2- Flowers, just illustration

It is because the finch has “larger beak” compared to other birds, but smaller compared to Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Image 3- Sky, Just for illustration

You may read about Rose-breasted Grosbeak at previous posts:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Rose breasted grosbeak Comes to Our Neighborhood – Nature 23
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Diet of Rose breasted grosbeak in Nature – Nature 25

Image 4- A finch? Look enjoy on the feeder.

Can you identify what is the bird species? (please see images 1 and 3)

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 1 - Healthy Life 15
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 2- Art 3
- The Rainbow Before Evening : New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 2 - Healthy Life 15
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 1 – Nature 13
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 1

Fertilizer Price is Going Down Recently

We always buy several packs of fertilizer for our plants in the yards from Home Deport or Walmart stores every Spring and Summer.

Image 1- Fertilizers, sold in the Walmart store.

As far as we remembered, the price was expensive last year, and we bought less than usual.

This year, like other goods, we feel that the fertilizer price starts to decrease since early January.

About last month, depend on brands and fertilizer types, we believe the price is decreasing between 30% to 60%.

We are quite happy, and we try to buy amount of fertilizers to equal amount like previous years. 

Image 2- Trees and bushes, illustration

Our favorite brand is “Miracle Grow” with potting mix type. It is said this fertilizer is sterilized, hence no pathogens (no fungus and no diseases).

Image 3- Myrtle flowers, illustration

Based on our experienced, this kind of fertilizer is good for all plants. Excellent for indoor or outdoor plants.

Image 4- A little flowerbed

In case for farming, we saw from internet that price index for fertilizer is down more than 45% compared to last year. Price index was 293.73 last year, and only 155.97 for this month.

Image 5- Different kinds of fertilizers

Do you grow plants? What type of fertilizer do you like?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Hurricane Ida Hit Our Neighborhood – Nature 11
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Will Wild Horses Able to Ride Out Hurricane? - Part 1 – Nature 12
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Prodigy Kid - Marla Olmstead’s Paintings – Part 1 - Art 3
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Will Wild Horses Able to Ride Out Hurricane? - Part 2 – Nature 12
- The Rainbow Before Evening : New Parents often Faced Depression – Part 1 - Healthy Life 15

Should We Install Solar Panels in Our Roof? - Part 1 - Science 38

Renewable resources for energy such as wind and sun are getting popular in our state, and might be in many states in the USA right now.

Image 1- Solar panels, sold at Home Depot

There are plenty reasons why people eager to use these resources, one of them is stable prices.

In case of solar energy, our neighbors consider several benefits to install solar panels on their rooftops are:

- federal incentive of tax credit
- additional the tax credit incentive is provided by some states.
- increase housing value
- and saving electricity cost for years

Image 2- Roses, just for illustration

Louisiana state does not give additional tax credit, but provide property tax exemption. Let’s say, we as Louisiana residents will get:

- 30% tax credit from federal government of solar panels cost.
- excluded added value of property tax.

Image 3- A house with solar panels at our neighborhood.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Will We Live Longer if We Think Younger? - Healthy Life 14
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Hurricane Ida Hit Our Neighborhood – Nature 11