House Plants

When I first moved into my tiny apartment in Ottawa I had no plants. The year went by and although I attempted to grow some edelweiss flowers, they quickly perished after a two week absence. This year I have been much more modest in my green selections. I have a small bamboo plant that sits by the window that requires minimal water (pictured below). My poor cat went from enjoying the outdoors of our subarban Montreal garden to being a slave to this small downtown Ottawa apartment, so for him I buy special "cat grass" which he enjoys for about 1-2 weeks until it's no longer fresh (also pictured). Lastly, I have a mini palm tree that I bought at a souvenir shop in Florida. I don't know how long it will last but I am hopeful as it's also one of those plants with little maintenance required. From time to time I buy a basil plant for food flavoring but that obviously does not last very long. At the moment I'm looking forward to finishing my degree in Ottawa and moving to a new city that has yet to be determined!!

Corny 2013

Growing up corn used to be one of my favorite vegetables; I liked it boiled, raw, on the BBQ, and even canned. As soon as it came in season I would insist my parents buy some and they would never object as the taste was so good and the price was right. The sad reality nowadays, however, is that corn is one of the cheapest and easiest foods to grow in North America. It can survive drastic changes in weather and is generally resistant to bugs as well. For that reason it is being used in a growing list of products that have absolutely nothing to do with corn such as batteries, anti-wrinkle creams (seriously), soft drinks, gum, oil, with 49% being used as food for livestock; the latter making the least sense. As a result, I have grown less and less fond of corn and don't even appreciate it on the rare occasions that I do eat it. 

Right now 90% of corn in the United States is genetically modified and its ugly cousin high fructose corn syrup has mostly replaced sucrose/table sugar as a sweetener in the food industry. Along with corn, other genetically modified crops on the market include: Soy, sugar from sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, cottonseed, some zucchini, canola (oil), and crookneck squash. A disturbing study conducted in France last year concluded that rats fed GM corn for 4-7 months developed large tumors, organ damage, and died prematurely. Of course Monsanto has conducted other "expert" studies since then in an attempt to disprove or discredit the French study but I am not convinced. Considering that corn and/or high fructose corn syrup can be found in nearly every item in a grocery store (and remains consistently cheap) it's getting harder to avoid them in our diets.

To read a slightly disturbing article: Eating this Could Turn your Gut into a Living Pesticide Factory or more on the study linking GM corn to tumors: Food Matters

Most Processed Foods

I don't think this is surprising news to anyone who reads this blog, but lately I've been seeing a lot of my friends consuming 2-3 items on this list and it's troubling. I have to admit I have a weakness for pizza and nachos but I make sure to have them once or twice a month at the most. Being a vegetarian helps in not eating a few items on this list but one should avoid these foods for plenty of other reasons. In no particular order: high sodium levels, high calorie/fat content, little to no nutritional value, etc. I think we all know by now to avoid these foods as much as we can, but every now and then it's good to get a little reminder. On a related personal note, I recently lost a filling thanks to a frozen gummy bear in an ice-cream sundae, so I'm far from perfect!

• Hamburgers/Hot Dogs
• Cold Cuts
• Pizza
• Fried chicken
• French fries
• Milkshakes
• Specialty coffee drinks
• Soft Drinks
• Doughnuts/Cakes
• Tacos/nachos

The Beauty of Nature

"A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He (sic) experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

-Albert Einstein

Dairy vs. Non-Dairy Beverages

Since as far back as I can remember I was never a big fan of milk. Adding Nesquik cocoa powder to it was the only thing that made it bearable. Years later I began experiencing cramps whenever consuming too many dairy products in a single day (i.e. pizza with extra cheese, followed by an ice-cream or milkshake). I came to the conclusion that I was mildly lactose intolerant since it's an affliction that both my father and brother have. For years I simply avoided milk altogether and although my love for cheese runs deep, I also drastically limited my intake of it. In my late 20s, however, soy beverages suddenly became all the rage as a healthy milk substitution drink. At first I wasn't a fan, but after trying the vanilla or strawberry varieties I had a change of heart. 

For a few years I happily enjoyed this non-dairy beverage until I started to read about the dangers of GM foods and how nowadays overs 90% of soybeans (in North America) are genetically modified. In addition there have been many questions raised about whether consuming various soy products increases estrogen production in the body. The bottom line is that I have now switched to almond or rice-based beverages. It's a personal choice and maybe one that will be proven harmful in a few years but for now it's what I believe to be the lesser of three evils. Obviously the best option is to stick to water and squeeze your own juices, but if the craving for dairy-like drinks ever strikes, it's good to know there are "safer" alternatives.

Information about various GM crops: GMO Compass and soy's relationship to estrogen: American Cancer Society

Florida Everglades

I was quite delighted last month when my friend took me to visit the Everglades during a short visit to Florida. It was a scorching hot day and we were ill-prepared for the intensity of the sun, but had a great time nonetheless. We took a 30-minute "air-boat" around the Everglades scouring the waters for alligators to no avail. Apparently they prefer to make appearances in the morning (especially on really hot days) and since we had arrived after 2pm we did not get to see any in their natural habitat. We did, however, manage to plenty of them at the nearby zoo and I even got to hold a baby alligator which was quite the experience! Definitely an attraction I would recommend if you ever find yourself in the area.

Read up on the area: Florida Everglades or book an air-boat tour: Sawgrass Recreation Park

The Last Dandelion

The picture below is just a random one found in cyberspace with what I thought to be a nice quote. The dandelion season is almost over and for many that is a good thing, I suppose, but I tend to lament their passing. Walt Whitman wrote a short poem about these ironic beauties called "The First Dandelion":

Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging,

As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been,

Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass- innocent, golden, calm as the dawn,

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.

Stabilized Plants?

This is something quite bizarre that I stumbled upon accidentally through my mother a few months ago. She had been given a "stabilized rose" in the Czech Republic that apparently lasts for over a year if kept in its original packaging. This seemed a little odd to me so I searched for some more information. The company responsible for this new fad is Smeraldino. According to their website the roses and other plants are imported from South America and Europe. Furthermore they are then dipped in a "unique liquid mixture" which is what keeps them looking fresh all year. What I find strange about all this is how long these plants last. Flowers are guaranteed for 2-5 years while trees, grasses, and leaves for 5-10 years! In addition these plants require absolutely no maintenance that in fact adding water would do more harm that good. I can't help but wonder if this is the future of flowers and if so it is quite frightening!

To read more on Smeraldino: Stabilized plants? or a similar company in Italy: Linfa Decor

Ottawa Tulip Festival

Although I had already been to this festival over a decade and a half ago, it was most likely against my will. This time around I made the trip one sunny afternoon and was quite pleased with all the tulips, food trucks, and overall entertainment provided by the city of Ottawa. The festival runs from May 3-20th and  although tulips can pretty much be found all over Ottawa and Gatineau at this time the main concentration can be found in front of City Hall on Laurier street. Other notable areas include Little Italy (by Preston Street), Elgin Street (by Somerset), and The Glebe (by Bank Street). Free concerts are happening every Thursday to Sunday at 7pm. Considering the beautiful weather anticipated for the entire week in the nation's capital, one really has no excuse not to check this out! Perfect for families, couples, and friends!

For everything else about the festival: Ottawa Tulips or another one in Europe: Holland Tulips

Water Gardens

Although most people associate gardens as being on land, some of the most beautiful gardens can in fact be found on, around, or in water. Water or aquatic gardens are generally man-made and don't require much maintenance. The roots of the plants usually connect with land in shallow waters but that isn't always the case. Below are three photographs taken from three different countries. The first is a of a giant water garden in South Korea. I stumbled upon it by accident but was mesmerized by its vastness and uniqueness. The second is from a town in the Czech Republic. I think it was meant to refer to some Greek God giving birth in the water, but you'd have to ask my mother about that one. The third is basically similar to the lilies in the first picture but enhanced by reflections from Regensburg, Germany. I'm not quite sure what my fascination is with water gardens, but considering my fondness of nature and swimming they were bound to collide. 

SOUTH KOREA:

CZECH REPUBLIC:

GERMANY: