Journal 10 Moon : LUNA

Luna:

“Cuando la luna se pone redondota como una pelotota el gato con botas se pone a mauyar.”

That song always plays I my head when I see the moon. Well only when it’s big, bright and full. I learned that song back when I was a little girl, I used to sing it every time I saw a full moon.  Clearly I still do.

Also I sing these lyrics from one of Guatemala’s MOST famous traditional songs. It is accompanied by the marimba our national traditional instrument. Paco Perez wrote this song back in 1917.  I attached a link to hear the tune of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk_gVBWhm14&feature=related

Luna gardenia de plata que en mi serenanta te vualves canción

 tu que me viste cantando me ves hoy llorando mi desilución 

calles bañadas de luna que fueron la cuna de mi juventuud 

vengo a cantarle a mi amada oh luna plateada de mi Xelajú 

vengo a cantarle a mi amada oh luna plateada de mi Xelajú

Luna de Xelajú que supiste alumbrar

en mis noches de pena

por una morena

de dulce mirar

Luna de Xelajú me diste insipriración la canción que hoy te cantó regada con llanto

de mi corazón

en mi vida no habrá mas cariño que tu mi amor

por que no eres ingrata mi luna de plata Luna de Xeeeeeelajú

Luna que me alumbro en mis noches de amor

hoy consuelas la pena

por una morena que

me abandonooo

Another song that reminds me always of the moon and I sing sometimes is “ese toro enamorado de la luna”  translated is : That bull in love with the moon. Here is alink to the song: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wcp9SCvHm4&feature=related.

Over all I love the moon , it is such mysterious, romantic and beautiful mass.

I always think to my self : wow somewhere in this earth my husband is looking at the same moon. We are both under the same moon, same sky, same sun. 

Journal 9- Invasive

Invasive:  Tending to intrude or encroach

When I was first introduced about the invasive and exotic species in this course. I didn’t think they where actually that important and relevant to our ecosystem.

I used to think: MEAN PEOPLE ARE KILLING ANIMALS AND NATURE!

Funny thing is that they were actually doing my environment a favor. Experts on invasive species were actually trying to control an outrage.

The invasive species of flora and fauna can affect the balance in nature. Like a wise man once said “ everything in excess is bad”. Too much of something can be bad, personally and also in nature.  I learned about certain animals and plants that have spread like crazy around this area, they have also been hard to get rid off, making our environment struggle. 

Some invasive species:

Tegu

Caribbean Crazy ants

The cane toad

Catfish

Monkeys

Monk parakeets

Iguanas

Melaleuca Trees

Cuban tree frog

Nile lizard

Elephant ear plant

Chinese tallow tree

Camphor tree

Also some invasive species can over populate so much that in can cause certain changes in the environment. For example: Burmese python.

The cause why pythons gave become so popular and invasive is because

People no longer wish to care for their pythons (pets). Pythons have grown too large to be kept in their houses, owners have been known to release their pets into the wild rather than have them re-homed or even humanely euthanized.

Journal 8 - Packaging

Journal number 8

Items:

1.     Cheese-cheddar- plastic

2.     Cookies Oreos- plastic

3.     Christmas lights – cardboard and plastic

4.     Photoshop Cs5- cardboard and plastic

5.     Cookies – Plastic

6.     Popcorn- plastic

7.     Chocolate- paper

8.     Gift Cards- Plastic

9.     Fruit bowl – Plastic

10. Macdonald’s – plastic and paper

11. Subway apple slices – Plastic

12. Vitamins – Plastic

13. Cups – Plastic

14.  Mischievous Wal-Mart items - plastic, paper, glass, metal,

15. Movies -plastic

16. Dogs food- Paper

17. Tortilla chips – plastic

18. Pretzels – Plastic

19. Games- cardboard

Packing is everywhere and on everything! I didn’t realize how much packing we use for items; it is really hard to believe. About everything I touched had some sort of packing, made out of plastic or paper.  My question is: Is it really necessary? I understand some of the packaging is required to keep things from spoiling or going stale. Others packages are to make items pretty and presentable.

I personally believe that certain packages are necessary. Certain packaging is required to make the food last linger and keep it away from mold etc.  Others such as over packaging certain Items like a simple cell phone Is crazy. The box and everything is heavier than the actual item. 

I also wonder what happens to everything that is not recycle like:

The little plastic wrappers in gum or

The huge Styrofoam covers for TVs or furniture.  

The boxes used for food.

Some people don’t recycle.  

Plus what happens when we recycle companies are still making LARGE amounts of the same items.

If an item is not packed society takes it as unworthy, dirty, used, contaminated, broken, useless, cheap. The fact that an item packaged can make the difference between a “good” items and “bad” item is obvious.

I personally don’t buy something that might seem to be open. 

24 hours

12:00am: cellular device - twitter

1:00- 6:00 Sleeping time

6:00- cellular device -Alarm clock

6:15- light switch room

6:30- light switch restroom

6:30- shower

6:45- sinks

6:50- hair curler

7:00- microwave

7:15 cellular device- music

7:15-8:00 – drive to school

8:00- school building/room light

8:00-10:45- computer/ cellular device/ screen/

11:00-1:45- screen/ classroom lights

1:45-2:00 – Drive to work

2:30-5:00 – Pencil sharpener/light switches/computers/copy machine/

 5:00-5:30 Drive home

5:30-6:00 – Stove/microwave/toaster/sink/ light switch

6:00-6:30- Nap

6:30-7:30 – drive to church

7:30-10:30- Lights/ laptop/

10:30-11:30- Drive home

11:30-12:00- stove/microwave/fridge/

12:00-1:00- Laptop – homework.

1:00-2:00 –Laptop- homework.

2:00-2:30 – Bible reading / lights

2:30-3:00- Lights . restroom – cellular device set up alarm

3:00-9:00 Sleeping time

9:00- cellular device – alarm

9:30-10:00- Shower , curling iron, microwave.

10:30-11:00 drive to work

11:30-5:00 work – Computers/phones/lights/copy machine

5:00-5:30 Drive home

5:30-6:00 – Stove/microwave/toaster/sink/ light switch

6:00-6:30- Nap

6:30-7:30 – Television

7:30-10:30- Lights/ laptop/

10:30-11:30- homework laptop

11:30-12:00- stove/microwave/fridge/

12:00- cellular device - goodnight

I depend on electricity.

It makes me wonder how many electricity I use.

It makes me wonder how much electricity people use.

It makes me wonder if electricity will ever run 

Fort myers Beach

I had never been to Matanzas!

I had always gone to the beach, seen the colorful buildings, walked around the island, but NEVER had I even known Matanzas existed!

It was VERY interesting.

It was VERY unique.

It was VERY pure.

We got greeted with cookies and sea grape jelly.

I had NEVER tasted sea grape jelly.

I didn’t know it existed! I had always tasted blueberry jelly, Strawberry jelly on toast, Grape jelly on peanut butter sandwich, but NEVER had I tasted sea grape jelly.

She gave me a jar of jelly… I got free jelly!

She said:“shhhhh don’t tell no one I gave you this, hide it! I make its special.”

She was so sweet

She was so kind

She was so interesting

Her stories were fascinating

I had never walked those trails!

I had always walked boardwalks, walked on pavement, waked on sand, but NEVER had I walked on Matanzas trails.

I saw crabs

I saw few fish

I saw mangroves

Black Black Checkered board back

White White Bolts on tight

Red Red pointy-head

Matanzas: Massacre

Massacre: Caloosa

Caloosa: History

History: Ponce de Leon.

I had never known Ponce de Leon was here.

I had always known Edison was here, Ford was here and Obama was here, but NEVER had I known Ponce de Leon was here. ( to kill)

Sad story… No more Carlos

Sad story… No more beautiful island

Sad Story… No more mullet

Sad Story… No more beautiful creatures.

Pink shrimp: unique

Gray mullet: food

Green seaweed: life

Brown Oyster: 9 gallons

Blue water: Tourism

White sand: Tourism

Yellow Sun: Tourism

Purple Towels: Tourism

Orange umbrellas: Tourism

Peach condos: Destruction

I had always gone to the beach, seen the colorful buildings, walked around the island, but NEVER had I even known the history that once existed!

Word Cont: 302

My carbon footprint !

This was my final score in one of the quizzes I took.

Honestly I thought I was going to be more GREEN.

According to the test you have to score 50+ to be GREEN. It said I was on the “right track” so that made me feel better.  I took the test with one of my best friends and we each got our own scores. She was higher than me by a few points, which was surprising. Since she has always considered me a greener person than her.

I learned that food can also be recycled, I thought food could just decompose or rotten. I never thought about recycling it, I thought that was pretty interesting.  It also made emphasis if one had a discomposure pile on the backyard. Honestly I think having one around my house, would only call raccoons.  So I don’t completely agree with having that on my backyard.

Also plenty of the items my family and I recycle where listed on the test. Which made me feel proud to know I was doing something to help my environment. Since I was young my parents have always taught me to be eco friendly, some of the skills we practice at home reflected on the quiz answers.

These quizzes made me want to reach 50+ points to be a complete “tree hugger”. I really want leave the least amount of ugly footprints on this world. I want to able to leave as many green footprints possible. I think constantly about my future and my generations. I want them to see the world the way I did.

Word count 271 

Corckscrew Sanctuary

As soon as the white bus pulled up, I started remembering and imagining scenes from “ a land remembered”. It was so vivid to actually walk in certain areas in which the characters from the book had walked before. I started to imagine the circumstances and dangers they faced.  As we walked into the trail I started to notice why this place was so special. The wood stork (an endangered bird) nests every season right in our own backyard! I learned that feathers were an important part in the history of SWFL. The feathers of white birds were worth more than gold! An ounce of feathers were worth more than once of gold. Fashion made them a high demand for elegant hats.

As we got deeper into the trail I really started to emerge myself into the book “ A Land Remembered” I tried picturing what the characters might have experienced. Certain remote areas of the swap made me wonder: “How in the world did they survive?”.  I started to think about the snakes, alligators, mosquitoes, spiders and other creepy creatures they might have faced. I questioned: Where did they sleep? How did the bathe? How did brush their teeth? Did they smell? How did a coon taste like?  An infinite list of questions popped into mind. I tried answering my own questions, seeing an almost identical setting and remembering what was described in the book.

As my mind went wild with imagination, I couldn’t believe all the tones of green I was viewing. Everything seemed so fresh and healthy; it made me want to breathe in until my lungs could not hold one more inch of air. Seeing all the plants and animals in their home made me feel blissful. I was able to see some alligators and baby alligators, spiders, squirrels, birds, snails, and plenty flora.

Over all I was amazed at God’s beautiful creation!

Word count : 317