Bartram documented that he saw 100 bushels of shagbark hickory nuts that were stored at just a single Indian family home. The nuts were pounded into a mash, and then boiled in water, where a white, oily liquid separated called hickory milk. The liquid was described to be as sweet and rich as a fresh cream and was an active ingredient used by the Indians in cooking corn bread and hominy grits.

There remains some question whether or not the Indians near Augusta on the Altamaha River hickory groves as described by Bartram were actually planted as orchard trees or just harvested at a naturally located site. Many such productive groves occur along tidal creeks in Coastal Georgia, a few are left intact by land developers for the recreational value of the trees and the food value of the nuts that are gathered at one such Episcopal camp near Brunswick, Ga. along a tidal basin aquifer Honeycreek, a tributary of the Satilla River.

The hickory cream that was recovered by the Indians for cooking purposes was also described by Indians from the Algonquian tribe in Virginia who called this cream pawcohiccora, thus the word hickory was adapted, modified, and abbreviated by the English colonists.

The shelled nuts of hickory are greatly sought after and appreciated for the unique flavor, not only by birds and animals, but by cooks and gourmet nut fanciers as well. The shagbark hickory nut, when added to chocolate fudge, leaves a pleasurable, indelible memory to all who are lucky enough to have experienced this delicious encounter.

A group of entrepreneurs out West offer shagbark syrup made from a top secret recipe that is made from a white inner bark extract of the juice obtained in the spring from shagbark hickory trees. The extract is obtained by pressure cooking and straining the juices from the pulverized and shredded bark. The demand is so great for this bottled hickory flavoring, that it has never satisfied the market to chefs throughout the United States. Julia Child reports that one of her favorite gourmet preparations includes mixing the bark extract with bourbon as a marinade for ribs.

Every backyard chef with a grill appreciates the fine flavoring that hickory tree wood smoke transfers into meat, fish, and many other food items. Early colonists used hickory tree wood smoke to flavor, cure, and preserve meats in the famous smokehouses of Virginia.

In the natural state of hardwood forests, hickory trees have hybridized easily and readily within species to produce numerous variations and combinations of characteristics that possess the traditional vigor displayed in scientific intercrosses of species by academic professionals.

The difficulties that have delayed commercial orchard development basically lies in the extreme difficulty in successfully grafting 130 cultivar selections for nursery distributors.

Some hickory nuts have smooth, thin shells that can be easily cracked by squeezing two together in the hand, but other hickory nut shells are so thick and hard that they must be cracked by several vigorous hits from a heavy hammer.

Since hickory nuts are difficult to shell out into large pieces, it is beneficial to soak the nuts in water overnight before cracking. The shelled nuts then should be dried and placed in a cool, dark location until they are to be used in recipes.

Even though some cultivars can produce kernels up to 47% by weight, most nuts only shell out about 30% kernel. There is a great variability in hickory flavor from one cultivar to the next, however, they all have a high unsaturated fat content with strong medical antioxidant properties that transmits that characteristic spicy, sweet, buttery taste from the kernels.

A mature shagbark hickory tree is unmistakable in its shaggy, unkempt trunk appearance and its bright green, shiny leaves constantly moving in the breeze at the globular treetop. Young trees have a shiny, smooth bark that only begin to shred hair-like at an age of about 25 years.

Shagbark hickory trees are easy to transplant until about 4-5 feet tall, when a long taproot begins to anchor the tree to the ground with very few lateral roots. Because of these sturdy, deep growing taproots, and dense wood, the trees are among the best lawn specimens to plant in hurricane locations, since they appear invulnerable to wind damage with very straight trunks.

Several observations have been made on natural state hybridization between shagbark hickory Carya ovata, and pecan trees, Carya illinoinensis. The resulting nuts seem to have flavor and nut characteristics somewhere in between the two species and are being planted by nut hobbyists and some have found a place within some commercial pecan orchards to insure pollination of this genetic marvel named, Hican.

The many uses of shagbark hickory trees include fuel, wood, and furniture products and as a supplement to charcoal cooking as a smoking agent for taste and preservation of meats. Because of the dense wood, hickory is used in tool handles such as hammers and axes, as well as chairs, ladders, golf clubs, baseball bats, and skis.

Americas Ancient, Historical Hickory Trees is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

The decking materials that have seen the most rapid growth in sales among consumers are composites. Composites are a combination of polymer resins and premium recycled wood fibers that offer the best of both materials. The resins shield the wood from insect and moisture damage, while the wood protects the resin from UV damage and adds stability and traction.

Maintenance is another key factor in the decking material decision. Some homeowners may opt for pressure-treated wood that they can stain a color to their liking and seal. Homeowners who choose composites can choose from several different colors but never have to stain, seal or treat. For both options, a good pressure-washing at least two times per year is a good habit to get into.

Veranda is a leader in composite decking and railing systems that offer all the beauty of wood without time-consuming upkeep. By minimizing maintenance, it gives you more time to enjoy the season. The composite looks, installs and works like wood, with added protection against shrinking, rotting, decaying, splintering and termite damage. No special tools are needed for installation; conventional woodworking tools will do the job.

If you do choose to go with a composite decking material, experts recommend purchasing all the material at one time, as manufacturing runs can produce slightly different colors. Like most composites, individual Veranda deck boards will have slight color variations from piece to piece. This is due to the natural variations in wood fibers and polymers.

Most importantly, whatever type of deck you build, be sure to get out and use it with family and friends; that’s when all the hard work you put in really shows.

Choosing The Right Material For Your Deck is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

Jackson and Perkins is a well-known flower bulb catalog company. John Scheepers, Inc. offers a catalog of Dutch flower bulbs. Old House Gardens bills itself as Americans only source devoted to antique flower bulbs. Finally, Van Dycks offers a catalog of flower bulbs and perennials.

Many of these companies now offer online flower bulb catalogs in addition to or in place of their print catalog. Most also now take orders online and accept credit cards, so it is possible to complete the entire transaction online.

Flower Bulb Catalogs is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

Similarly, the types of colors that you’re like – along with the overall brightness of your bathroom – can determine whether you look for brightly colored accessories or those that are muted in color. Finally, there’s your personality, or the personality of the person who will be using the bathroom the most.

In general, there are four styles that are commonly used when accessorizing the bathroom – classy, muted, bright and fun.

In a classy bathroom, you may find yourself choosing bath accessories in muted colors, perhaps with a subtle floral tone. Toilet seat covers, towels, bath mats as wall as bath accessories for the counter – a soap dish or soap pump, a toothbrush holder and such – can all be coordinated with the shower curtain. You may start with a shower curtain that is a neutral color like beige with a rose colored embellishment and match the other bath accessories to the rose shade.

If instead you were trying to create a muted look in your bathroom, you’re likely to choose soft tones as well, but rather than a floral look, you may choose slightly more modern bath accessories like those that you might find at a spa retreat. Muted shades of green or blue, natural colors that resemble stone or clay are all good base colors for your bathroom. Consider a solid color shower curtain or one that is patchwork – squares of complementary colors. Choose a matching bath rug, bath towels, a toilet seat to match and simple chrome plated bath accessories.

Alternately, if bright, modern colors appeal to you, you’ll find that bright, single colored shower curtains, window dressings, bath towels and shower mats can create a crisp, modern look. From using a number of different bright, solid colors in your bathroom to choosing the same pieces that feature bright colors in geometric patters or simple stripes, you’ll find that you are able to bring the look of your bathroom together, to create a bright theme even if the items don’t necessarily match.

Using blocks of color can be fun, but for some it’s just not fun enough. Whether you’re accessorizing the bathroom for kids or just for those who are young at heart, sometimes you just feel playful. You may make the choice to use a bright, aquarium theme for your bathroom – tropical fish on the shower curtain, bright towels with a wave-like geometric pattern, a fish shaped bath mat or even an acrylic toilet seat designed to look like a fish bowl (complete with colorful fish). You might choose dolphins, or even cartoon characters as the central theme for your bathroom.

For example, someone who still carries a fondness for Betty Boop may decide to use the character as a theme for his or her bathroom. A Betty Boop shower curtain and bath accessories set with a toothbrush holder, a trash can and a soap dish could be used with red or black towels and a red or black bath mat and toilet seat.

Of course, these aren’t the only four styles for a bathroom; whatever your interests are, whatever inspires you, that’s going to be the foundation for decorating your bathroom. Whether you choose colorful flowers, solid colors, muted tones or something altogether different – a clean, modern look using all white for example – it’s the small details that bring it all together. Choosing bath towels that don’t quite fit in with your chosen color scheme, combining an aquarium theme toilet seat with a bamboo shower curtain: these things simply don’t create a cohesive look.

Fortunately, it’s easy to find bath accessories that will allow you to bring the whole look together – that is, once you decide what kind of look and feel you are looking to create.

Accessorizing the Bathroom: The Smallest Details Complete the Look is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

Raul Castillo, a spokesman for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, said that fire marshals digging through the rubble uncovered an anomaly in the internal wiring at the back of one of the townhouses. This launched the fire, which spread to the adjacent townhouses.

Two firefighters were hurt, one burned, while navigating the smoky townhouses in the pre-dawn darkness. Seven adults were left homeless by the fire, which marshals estimate caused at least $800,000 in damage.

To avoid such a disaster, the National Concrete Masonry Association advises that you evaluate a building’s fire safety when you rent or buy a home in a multi-family dwelling, or if you are planning to lodge somewhere overnight or house your loved ones in college dormitories or nursing facilities. Buildings should contain these three components of a balanced fire-safety design: smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and concrete masonry walls between housing units. These elements, working in concert, provide the highest levels of safety and property protection.

Find out if the building’s walls and floors also are constructed of concrete and concrete masonry. Concrete masonry helps keep fire from spreading and does not produce smoke or generate toxic fumes. The NCMA recommends that you urge local building-code officials to ensure that multi-family homes adhere to the principles of a balanced fire-safety design, including non-combustible concrete masonry construction.

Could Your Home Withstand a Fire? is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

10 Home Decorating Ideas To Quickly Update Any Room is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

Amazonian moon goddess. Goddess of the hunt. Goddess of the wild things. Goddess of the midwife. Goddess of the herbalist. Mother of all Creatures. Leader of the sacred bitches. Great she-bear. Diana. Selene. Ever Virgin; owned by no man. We will visit her sacred wood on a shamanic journey. Who knows what will happen then.

HOW DO ARTEMISIAS GROW IN YOUR GARDEN?

Most Artemisias are perennials and grow best from cuttings, not seeds. Sweet Annie is the exception, being a self-seeding annual. Although you can buy tarragon seeds, you can’t grow true tarragon from them. Wormwood and southernwood and tarragon (the last not winter-hardy in many places) are woody perennials which regreen each year on last year’s new wood; I prune only dead wood from them. Cronewort is an invasive perennial that creeps underground; it dies back to the ground each year and can be heavily harvested (clear cuts are ok) without damage to its further prolific productivity.

Most Artemisias require little care. Lack of soil nutrients and lack of water do not faze them. Many are native to deserts, and know how to thrive in hot dry weather. Except for tarragon, all can overwinter without fuss.

Flowers are usually small and green, in other words, nearly invisible.

WHAT DO ARTEMISIAS CONTAIN?

• bitter principals: wormwood
• coumarins: cronewort, tarragon
• essential oils (complex, variety specific, with hundreds of components per plant): cronewort (high in camphor, thujone), tarragon, wormwood (high in camphor, thujone)
• flavonoids: cronewort, tarragon
• glycosides: cronewort, tarragon
• hormones: cronewort (sitosterol, stigmasterol)
• sesquiterpene lactones: cronewort

HOW ARE ARTEMISIAS USED?

Artemisias, with their grey-green or white-green foliage bring beauty to the garden throughout the growing season. They also make long-lasting, aromatic and beautiful indoor decorations: bouquets, wreaths, swags. They are popular strewing herbs, too.

Those which are high in essential oils are thereby antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial. They also improve digestion and appetite if taken in small doses.

Any Artemisia growing beside the door – or painted on it – was, in days of old, the sign of the midwife, the herbalist. Magical and folkloric uses are numerous.

“Mugwort possesses both natural and supernatural qualities. [It] excels as a woman’s herb, easing the pain of labor, menstrual cramps, and effectively treating various uterine complaints.” Gai Stern (1986)

Cronewort/mugwort = smudge, dream pillow, moxa, birthing steam, vinegar of roots and young leaves, salad green when young, mugwort noodles, mugwort mochi. American colonists used the sundried leaves as a tea substitute. Formerly a popular beer flavoring (hence the name mugwort). Controls worms in goats. Urinary tonic. Uterine tonic. Digestive tonic. Nerve tonic. Circulatory tonic. Cronewort eases pain and fever, comforts grief and depression, eases irritability and burdened joints, brings peace and sleep, and reassures the nerves.

Moxa demonstration and discussion.

“That torturous, barbaric practice, the use of the moxa, is closely related to this plant.” Millspaugh (1892)

Wormwood = tincture, oil. Ingredient in absinth. Stimulates mid-brain activity and increases creativity, but repeated use disturbs the central nervous system. Prevents giardia, dysentery, amoebas. Cholagogic, digestive, appetite-stimulant, liver-stimulant, wound healer. Caution: Use can lower seizure threshold; interacts adversely with seizure-reducing medications.

Sweet Annie = capsules, in fairly large daily dose, to prevent malaria; source of antimalarial drugs. A strong tea, taken frequently, kills giardia and amoebas.

Tarragon = vinegar, seasoning. Appetite stimulant according to Herbal PDR.

Southernwood = dream pillow, sachet, charms. To see the beloved.

SPECIES

Some of the many Artemisia species that herbalists and gardeners use:

A. abrotanum (southernwood)
A. absinthium (wormwood)
A. afra (African wormwood)
A. annua (sweet Annie, qing hao)
A. camphorata (camphor-scented sothernwood)
A. drancuncula (tarragon, estragon, little dragon)
A. frigida (fringed sagebrush)
A. lactiflora (ghost plant)
A. ludoviciana (silver queen)
A. pontica (Roman wormwood)
A. schmidtiana (silver mound)
A. stellerana (old woman, dusty miller)
A. tridentata (sagebrush; three-toothed sagebrush)
A. vulgaris (cronewort, mugwort)

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Amazing Artemisias is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

Types:

1. Rayon: This type of thread has a great sheen, and so the best looking embroidery designs are stitched with it. Rayon threads can range from combinations of two or more colors twisted together thereby forming a single strand, to one solid color strand. They are widely available, mostly in standard 40 wt. and 30 wt. Even though Rayon is the most popular type, its not very sturdy because of its thinness.

2. Polyester: Polyester thread is more durable than Rayon but it is not as attractive. However, this type of embroidery thread hardly shrinks or fades, and if combined with Rayon, the effect they provide is nearly indistinguishable. It is also cheaper than Rayon thread.

3. Cotton: Cotton thread allows for a wide range of tension adjustments because of its texture. It has a nice sheen, is quite sturdy (though finer threads above 50 wt. are not), and typically used for machine embroidery.

4. Silk: Silk embroidery thread hardly breaks and has its own unique, and probably the best sheen. Threads come in various sizes but their availability is low so they are mostly used for luxury fabrics.

5. Metallic Thread: This type of thread has a core wrapped with a metal foil which may be coated with silver alloy, and color is added to this foil with a polyester film which may also be applied as an undercoating. Metallic thread is one of the most durable available on the market.

6. Mylar Thread: Plies of film are combined into a layer, cut into slices to create Mylar threads. They are durable but may break under high-speed sewing. One unique color feature is holographic hue, which picks up and reflects light or color from other surrounding objects. This really enhances the color and design of the embroidery.

7. Special-effect: Like the name suggests, this type of thread can be used to create different design effects, such as crewel-like effect. Some of the special effect threads change colors under sunlight, or may glow in the dark.

Quality Evaluation:

1. Tensile Strength: The tensile strength of an embroidery thread can be tested by sawing a suspended strand with another strand back and forth until the first strand breaks. The faster it breaks, the lower the strength and quality of that particular thread type.

2. Elongation: A good thread must have the right amount of stretch. Take a piece of the thread and stretch it till it breaks. The strand should neither break too quickly nor stretch for too long.

3. Sheen: The luster and quality of the sheen can be tested by studying the color and design of a finished embroidery product.

Choosing Embroidery Thread is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

1. What do you really want or need?
Some landscapes are beautiful as they are, but the owners sometimes just want to add new appeal to their homes so they opt to have a landscape job done. Be sure that you have already identified what you want in the landscape design. This should be in your preparatory plan before you even speak to a professional contractor. Once you have your plans you can present them to the contractor to see if everything will work and is possible. The blog on paramountlawns.com is a great place to start for your landscaping ideas.

2. Set a firm budget.
Next you should prepare your budget. Will your dream garden be feasible? Is it practical or do you need to make some adjustments or compromises? The best thing is that you know what you want and you are able to identify alternatives if your budget fails to accommodate your vision. With the plans and budget in place things tend to be easier when negotiating with the contractor. The landscaper will ensure that this project will meet your budget and assure that it will look closely to what you are expecting. Be sure to get accurate measurements so that materials do not accidentally go over budget. Some contractors like to give you the best price in the estimate, but find out later that they can’t provide all the material at the quote given. Which brings us to the next step, get references!

3. Get references.
Know the landscape companies that you are contacting and negotiate with them. Gauge their level of experience and the quality work by asking for photos or tours of their previous projects. You should also ask for references and their professional affiliations. Make sure the company is a legitimate company and that everything is written down. Without written proof of the agreed upon services it is difficult to prove if you are not happy in the end.

Summary
It all boils down to good planning and documentation. If you have a solid plan and ask the right questions you will end up with an exceptional landscape. In the Sacramento California valley, Paramount Properties is the premiere landscaping company. Visit the website for more information and for services.

Finding the Right Landscaping Company is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site

About Indian wholesale sculpture, statue, handicraft and home decor items is a post from: Volunteers a Lived Home Improvement Site