No Explanation Needed.

NAPCAN's latest campaign for a Child Friendly Australia.

NAPCAN is an organization in Australia focused on child abuse and neglect prevention and child well being.

Native Plants!

Result #13 from dictionary.com after searching the word "native":

13.
originating naturally in a particular country or region, as animals or plants.

The two pictures above are my two best-friends in my native plant adventure. They are tremendous resources!

Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy is a wonderful book. It has been described as a "call to arms" and that is exactly what I felt reading it. I first heard Tallamy during an interview on NPR - Science Friday, I think. He was articulate, passionate and chock full of important information.

Most importantly for me: Tallamy imparts the message that YOU can help fix this problem. By planting native plants in your own back yard, you can help restore so much of the ecosystem that we have destroyed. Destruction from lawns, foreign ornamentals, non-native species can be reversed - a yard at a time.

Check this book out - but I strongly suggest the new and expanded version. The new version includes lists of natives to your area that the older ones doesn't.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, The University of Texas at Austin is an amazing website. You can research and look up almost all native plants, no matter where you live. I found 99% of what the Oregon natives while on the site.

Plants can be searched by common and scientific names and the results provide a lot of info. Pictures, too!

Just So YOU Know....

I am NOT going to hell. No matter your opinion.

You don't know my path, as I don't know yours.

I don't assume to know the state of your relationship with God, so don't assume mine.

Nothing angers me more.

Worry about yourself.

Possibly more on this later....

Gardening

I'm gardening this weekend. Clearing out the ever present weeds, preparing the beds, pulling stuff out and putting stuff in.

What I really want to plant is a Tree Peony! I LOVE the Peony. I had really wanted some for my wedding, but it was the wrong time of year. So, I think I will plant one or two, thus getting to enjoy them when I want.

Native plants are my focus for the yard, but I just can't resist. And, apparently, Oregon is the PRIME climate for such beauties.

I'll keep you posted.