Just because you can't see the magical creatures of the world doesn't mean there aren't there. They have always' been.That's where the magic is! Right in front of your Eyes...
Well, I thought I would write a bit about my vacation last year and of course put a few images and home video's too. Since my vacation is coming up very soon. Yes, as of July I am going on vacation to visit my Parents and entire Family Yeah! I do miss them all so much. The images you will see is a bit of what I did and what I will do a little be again. Because some of these places are truly my favorite places on this earth beside my family. I will include a few images of my family and of course my father and his Moka. I wish if you could to say a pray for my big loveable yellow lab, he has a eye infection and has for a couple of weeks. It isn't getting better so we could use some prays that he gets better soon. I will be showing you all the famous Redwoods - the Corescrew which is one enormous Redwood that has grown together 5 trees. It is truly amazing to see. A zoo and so much more. I hope you enjoy the pictures and few video's of my Vacation of last year. I am sorry it took so long to get it together I hope it doesn't
Good Evening my dearest friends and followers, I thought since I have the blog fixed I should be able to post again. And for my first one after my horrible brush with almost losing my blog I though I would tell you about this most interesting tree that I found about a week ago. Its called the 'Dragon Tree of Scotra'. I never new that there was a tree even called 'Dragon Tree'. So when I saw this I just had to share with you all. It isn't you typical Tree & its only known to be on the island of Socotra in the country of Yemen where it lives within its remnants of prehistoric called 'Dragonsblood' forest on the granite mountains and limestone plateaus. This special Dragon Tree has a long historical background to it too! First a bit of history of the island and the Dragon Trees'! The island of Socotra' is at least 34-million-years old+ which is separate from the mainland of the Arabia which has given rise to a unique flora - which is 37% of its plants species that are found nowhere else in the world. This is one of the good points, that the Dragon Tree is protected by a island that is separated from the world. However, there are problems to that too! Even with the wonderful environment that the monsoon season brings to the area of clouds, drizzle and sea mists, the dragon tree's leaves intercept this airborne moisture by channeling it towards the root systems and then shade themselves by a dense, umbrella shaped canopy.
These amazing Dragon Tree's do look strange, their like some kinda ancient age species plant form that has adapted to our modern environment. It is remarkable that these trees have been able to survive and adapted to this modern environment, even as ancient and strange as they are. This remarkable tree's have been economically important for centuries. The Local people that live on the island value the place in which they live with the Dragon Tree's. Besides the Trees- it has food for their livestock; feeding very small quantities of berries to feed the cows and goats to improve their health, however the goats can cause sickness in excess.
The Dragon Tree is perhaps best known for the red resin it is name after. What this means to the Socotris on the island is 'Emzoloh'. It has a large range of traditional medicinal uses. It is referred to by the ancients as 'Cinnabar' it was well known in trade before 60AD; and the dye 'of 'DRAGONS BLOOD' is though to have been responsible for the intense colour of Stradivarius Violins. Even with all its wonderful properties the one thing that is uncertain with the Dragon Tree's future is-the most significant problem of all and that is CLIMATE CHANGE!. YOU SEE SOCOTRA IS DRYING OUT, WITH ONCE A RELIABLE MONSOON WEATHER BECOMING NOW A PATCHY A IRREGULAR ISLAND DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE!!! Despite all of this, the future of these trees is uncertain due to Climate Change! Few populations are regenerating naturally, and in some areas young trees lack the species characteristic umbrella shapes to protect themselves. Each of these Dragon Tree's can expect to lose 45% of its potential habitat by the year 2080, and while, expanding the Skund Nature Sancturary they still could protect two protect refuge arears, this level of conservation work will not save the species.
Unless we take major steps to mitigate climate change very soon, the future of the Socotra's iconic and ancient Dragon Tree's along with countless other species around the world - it is very much in doubt we will see these amazing Dragon Trees in the future.
And the Medicinal uses/other uses of the sap of the Dragon trees. Such as the intense color of the Stradivarius Violins and Traditional meds. The dragon Tree has been known mostly for its sap which is called the blood of the tree' Dragon Blood' which is very well known and is distinctive to the plant of the island of Socotra. On this island, these unique and very strange appearing trees can be described as upturned, densely packed crowned trees having the shape of an upright held umbrella'. They are basically evergreen species in name after its dark red resin, which is known as'DRAGON BLOOD'.
Unlike most monocot plants, the Dracaenaceae is display as a secondary growth 'called Cinnabari' even has growth zones resembling tree rings found in dicot tree species. Along with other arborescent Dracaena species it has a distinctive growth habitat called 'Dracoid Habitus' The leaves of these amazing trees are found only at the end of its youngest branches; its leaves are all shed every 3-4years before new leaves simultaneously mature. Branching tends to occur when the growth of the terminal bud stops due to either flowering of the tree or traumatic events stop it from doing so. Sadly this is happing all over the island of SOCOTRA.
What is happening is its fruits are very small fleshy berries containing only between 1 to 3 seeds. Plus as they develop they trun from green to black and then become orange once they are ripe to eat. The berries are then eaten by the island birds-Onychognatus species and thereby dispersed. The seeds are only 4 to 5 mm in diameter and weigh on average 68 mg. The berries exude a deep red resin, known as dragon blood. These Palms of the Dragon trees grows from the tip of the stem with the long stiff leaves borne in dense rosettes at the end. It will then branch off to maturity to produce an umbrella shape crown with leaves that measure up to what looks like the usual dragon tree producing flowers around February through flowering does vary with each location on the island. These flowers tend to grow at the end of the branches of the tree, they have a inflorescences and they bear small clusters of fragrant white or even green flowers. The fruit takes about five months to mature. And when it does it has a interesting look you might say...It changes from a green to black as it gradually ripens. The fleshy berry fruit ends up being an orange-red color that contains one to three seeds. The berries are usually eaten and dispersed by the birds and other animals on the island.
As for the unusual shape of the dragon's blood tree, its adaptation for is survial in such arid conditions and low amounts of soil is quite amazing - could be the reason it is called the Dragon Tree. The tree was first called 'Pterocarpus draco, however in 1880 the Scottish botanist made a formal description of the species and renamed the tree to 'Dracaena Cinnabari. It would seem over 60 and 100 Dracaena species have been created from the Cinnabari tree is one of only 6 species which grow as a tree. Sadly the Dragon Tree is considered a remnant of the subtropical forests that are now almost extinct due to the extensive desertification of North Africa-As in mountaintops. The large, packed crown provides shade and reduces evaporation. The shade also aid in the survival of seedlings
growing beneath... The lone Dragon Tree is what is becoming of the island of SOCOTRA. You see although most of its ecological habitats are still intact, the problem that is killing the ancient trees is the increasing population with the industrial and tourism development. but isn't that always the case when humanity finds something beautiful and ancient they want it for themselves and in the end they destroy it!!! Hence putting more pressure on the vegetation through the process of logging, overgrazing, woodcutting and infrastructure is just some of the human touch that is killing the ancient island. Though the Dragon 's blood from the trees is highly widespread in need so say, it has become just a fragmented due to the development that concerns its habitats. Most of the folks that do live there or that populate the island are suffering are due to poor regenerations. Human activities have greatly reduced the deeply religious belief in the dragon blood in the trees for the people who have live there for centuries.
The Human activities have greatly reduced the dragon's blood population through overgrazing it, plus the over feeding the flowers and fruits to the livestock of the island. One of the species greatest threats is the gradual drying out of the Socotra Archipelago, which has been an ongoing process for the last few hundred years. This has resulted in non flourishing of any trees in large amounts as you could see in the early images. The duration of the mist and cloud cover around the area seems to decreasing for some reason too. Sadly if this continues with this type of new environment it is predicted to cause a 45% reduction in the most available habitat for all time. And it could be all gone by the year 2080 or even early....What you are seeing is another result to climate change which is happening around the world .. Yes it is truly happening.. I hope we will believe it is before its is truly too late.😕 There are other threats to the dragon's blood tree include the harvesting of its resin and the uses of the leaves too make rope...
This is what it look like
before BEAUTIFUL!
Presently some of the Dragon Tree have been used to make beehives. This was generally prohibited, this displays haw the species may be threatened by a breakdown in the traditional practises of the island. Lastly the best preserved and largest stand of is the limestone plateau named Rokeb di Firmihin. Which is approximately [540 hectares] 1,3000 acres forest has numerous of rare and endemic species. Research shows that in coming decades the number of trees in the forest will decrease due to the lack of natural regeneration. In my opinion this doesn't mean just because the trees are decreasing because of water. It seems to me that they are just waiting to get their hands on the limestone too. Its like they can't leave nature alone. As for the local inhabitants in the city of Socotra they have used the dragon blood resin for centuries for a cure-all. They use it in general wound healing, as a coagulant, cure for diarrhea, for dysentery diseases, for lowering fever. Also it is used for ulcers in the mouth, throat intestines and stomach.
I hope that this small island and the people and the ancient Dragon Trees will not disappear like so many cultures and beautiful natural beauty's of the world. I hope that is was informative and interesting for you all. I was able to finally fix my blog and my blogger post, layout. It took me from Friday to today Tuesday. From manally delete the one image that I believe had a vires tag on it. With no help from the google corp.. But I do thank you all for you very kind comments that you all wrote and you support as you have always been there for me. I wanted to get my blog fixed as soon as possible so that I could get going on new posts for you all . Because I love you all very much Your friend always ...Wendy
half-staff on top the Tacoma Dome , Monday June 13, 2016
In Tacoma, Wash - Near my home in Kent Wa ...Wendy
A-rainbow appears behind the U.S. flag flying at half-staff on top of the Tacoma Dome,
Monday, June 13, 2016, in Tacoma, Wash.Flags across the state were at half-staff Monday to honor the victims of amass shooting early Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando,Florida.
Crowd members hold candles during a vigil downtown for the victims of a mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando, Fla.
Adele Hoppe-House, 49, (L) and her wife Jennifer Hoppe-House, 52, attend a Los Angeles vigil in memory of victims one day after a mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., June 13, 2016. People attend a Los Angeles vigil in memory of victims one day after a mass shooting at the Pulse gay night club in Orlando, Fla., June 13, 2016. Marwa Balkar holds a candle at the Islamic Center of Southern California and ICUJP Interfaith Vigil Against Violence and Hatred in Los Angeles, Monday, June 13, in remembrance of the 50 people killed in Orlando, Fla., on June 12. The vigil was attended by speakers and public from a variety of different faiths. Attendees of a Pulse nightclub vigil at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center in Orlando look down at a memorial at the front of the stage on Monday, June 13, 2016.
Juan Carlos Garcia sits next to a makeshift memorial for the victims of a mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub Monday, June 13, in downtown Orlando, Fla. People attend a Los Angeles vigil in memory of victims one day after a mass shooting at the Pulse gay night club in Orlando, June 13. A makeshift memorial for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting is seen on June 13 in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida. Matthew Mcatee bows his head following a vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, on June 13, 2016, at Lake Eola in Orlando.
Tatiana Osorio, of Orlando, cries while giving blood at the One Blood blood center near the mass shooting at a nightclub Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando. Osorio lost three friends in the shooting. A man walks past signs in support for the mass shooting victims at the Pulse nightclub June 13, 2016, in Orlando. Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team gather outside of the Pulse Orlando nightclub Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando. Krystle Martin cries as she speaks to the media near a makeshift memorial for the fatal shootings at Pulse Orlando nightclub, Monday, June 13, 2016, in Orlando Johnathan Dalton breaks down as he places flowers on a makeshift memorial on Monday in memory of two of his friends who were killed during a fatal shooting at the Pulse Orlando nightclub in OrA small makeshift memorial sits on the lawn at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in honor of the victims of the shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.lando, Fla.
From left) Josh Mercer & his husband, James, place a poster at a makeshift memorial on Monday for two of their friends who were victims of a fatal shooting at Pulse Orlando nightclub. A girl takes part in a vigil to commemorate victims of a mass shooting at the Pulse gay night club in Orlando, Florida, June 12, 2016. People hold hands in a circle during a vigil in a park following a mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, June 12, 2016. A man who was injured in the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub cries as he attends a memorial service at the Joy MCC Church for the victims of the terror attack where Omar Mateen allegedly killed more than 50 people on June 12, 2016, in Orlando.
Friends and family grieve after a list of hospitalized victims was released, implying the death of those who weren't on the list and hadn't been heard from, outside a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel near the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, on June 12, 2016. A man prays during a prayer service for shooting victims at the Baitul-Aafiyatr Mosque, on June 12, 2016, in Orlando.
Karen Castelloes, left, and Judy Rettig cry during a prayer vigil at Joy Metropolitan Community Church after a fatal shooting at the Pulse Orlando nightclub Sunday, June 12, 2016, in Orlando. People receive information about the Pulse nightclub shooting outside the hotel where family members are gathering in Orlando, on June 12, 2016. Police forensics investigators work at the crime scene of a mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, on June 12, 2016. A man places a hand print on a makeshift memorial in a parking lot near the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, on June 12, 2016. Supported by a friend, a man weeps for victims of the mass shooting just a block from the scene in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016.
Angel Mendez, standing outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center, holds up a cell phone photo trying to get information about his brother Jean C. Mendez, in Orlando, Fla, on June 12, 2016. An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage, Sunday morning June 12, 2016, in Orlando, Fla Volunteers line up to donate blood for victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting at One Blood, in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016. The line of people waiting to give blood stretched around the building.
Demetrice Naulings sobs outside the Orlando Police Headquarters, where police were interviewing witnesses in the investigation of a shooting at the Pulse Orlando nightclub in Orlando, Fla.
As hundreds lined up to give blood in response to Sunday morning's Pulse nightclub shooting, they discovered that the FDA's rules governing blood donations from gay men are still in effect.Despite rumors, OneBlood, which collects and distributes blood donations, per FDA regulations, is still not accepting blood donations from gay men. "All FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true," wrote OneBlood on Twitter. HIV/AIDS activist Michael Rajner said the 12-month deferment period is highlighted and made all the more hurtful by the tragedy in Orlando – one that prevents healthy gay men from helping their own community when needed or forces them to lie to do the right thing. "We are discriminated against unjustly through a homophobic policy by the FDA." Previously, the FDA had instituted a lifetime ban on men who were sexually active with other men but altered that policy in 2015. The American Red Cross and America's Blood Centers opposed the lifetime ban as being "medically and scientifically unjustified." According to the FDA, men are prohibited from donating if they had sex with another man in the past 12 months. Women must also wait 12 months to donate if they had sex with a man who has had sex with another man. The rules put gay men on par with other groups the FDA considers to be high risk for HIV/AIDS, including individuals with a history intravenous drug use and those who have received transfusions of whole blood or blood products. "In reviewing our policies to help reduce the risk of HIV transmission through blood products, we rigorously examined several alternative options, including individual risk assessment," said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in an online statement. "Ultimately, the 12-month deferral window is supported by the best available scientific evidence, at this point in time, relevant to the U.S. population. We will continue to actively conduct research in this area and further revise our policies as new data emerge." But while the National Gay Blood Drive, an organization focused on giving the LGBT equal treatment in blood donation opportunities, applauded the move as a step in the right direction but asked the FDA to go further.
"While this is a big success, there is still a long road ahead and a lot of work to do. We will continue to encourage the FDA to consider all the evidence until they arrive at a non-discriminatory policy and discrimination based on sexual orientation is eliminated from the blood deferral process altogether," reads National Gay Blood Drives December 2015 statement. South Florida Gay News-Written by Michael d'Oiveria http://www.kiiitv.com/story/after-orlando-shooting-gay-men-still-banned-from-donating-blood other good links: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-hit-in-back-in-orlando-shooting-played-dead-to-survive/ar-AAhgsrI?ocid=spartanntp http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1000-show-support-outside-funeral-of-orlando-victims/ar-AAhgVLx?ocid=spartanntp I felt it was very important to put Michael d'Oiveria full story from the South Florida Gay News stating that in the state that this horrible act happen where hundreds if not even more are morning the death of their love ones can't even help the ones that are fighting for their lives in the hospital, that need blood. It's even a greater tragedy when the folks in the hospital, love ones can help them with a simply blood donation. It is evident that are road is still very long ahead to non-discriminatory policy based on sexual orientation. Can you just put yourself in their shoes! After this horror act of violence & hate- Then they can't even help their love ones in the one way they know, is blood donation. How would you feel? I hope you get Michael d' Oiveria message and my comments. I have a lovely family member that I love very much who is Gay and I wouldn't hesitate to help him an any way or form. I pray that we as a nation can learn from this and be kinder, loving, peace loving of all people no matter of what race, gender, sex orientation and transgender too! Victims: Full of life, Now Remembered in Death But Never Forgotten-I Must say the video is heat breaking to watch but I felt it is very important to show...'Below are just a few of the beautiful people that lost their lives that I felt I needed to post their photo's. I have also post the link to all the others so if you wish you can see all if you wish. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/victim-all-full-of-life-now-remembered-in-death/
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez
I Thought I would show one of the 24+pages of beautiful people that lost their lives because of one person unable to love.The faces on the link below will show the love of these beautiful souls that we will miss so much. And how much their families and partners will can never replace that smile, hug, laughter, kiss, or simply talking to them. All they will have is the photographs to remember the love of their love ones and try very hard to forget how they died. This is why I am putting Jean Carlos Mendez 35, who had a loving and happy face when I look at his photo. I could tell, that he was full of life, love people and his family. Also that he seems so very happy too. There are so many others too. So have a look at the link. please! and do not forget these beautiful people that lost their lives to a person of hate.We must not give in we must stand strong. Because I believe the happy faces that lost their lives would want us too. Wendy.... Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35, had a humor and warmth that made him a great salesman — and helped him find love, a co-worker said. "He laughed with the people and would make jokes," said Claudia Agudelo, who worked with Perez at a perfume store. "He was always happy." Mendez Perez met his longtime partner, Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, about a decade ago when he sold him the fragrance Declaration by Cartier, Agudelo told the Orlando Sentinel. Wilson-Leon also died in the nightclub shooting. Mendez Perez moved to the U.S. from Puerto Rico when he was a teenager, and made friends quickly, father Angel Mendez said. "He was a real dynamic kid," he said. Sister-in-law Katia Mendez said Mendez Perez also was a fun-loving and doting uncle who would buy her three children candy and ice cream. "He was like a little kid when he was with them," she said.
Well, I thought I would write a bit about my vacation last year and of course put a 
