I have an interest in natural medicines that various cultures use ever since my Grandmother made a dressing from the juice of the humble N.Z flax (harakeke) plant to put on my foot after a big old rusty naiil went through it. The flax has natural antiseptic properties.




It's leaves are dried and woven to make what we call ketes. As a kid, we would be given one of these and told to go get pipis for lunch.



Very far removed from todays youth of a Big Mac.

McPipis!!

This species of orchid does not require soil, and is considered an air plant. The 'air orchid' grows quite happily tied onto a palm of any kind. The perfume of this orchid is tropically subtle and lovely. I picked these 2 out for my mum whilst she was recovering from a major operation recently.

some things just need no words. :)

Awesome!

Great pics, ladies!

I love learning about natural remedies as well. I've been successful with a few. But, I still keep Advil, Tylenol and Neosporin around the house.

I've been using a concoction of basil, rosemary and peppermint essential oils on my neck for pain and tightness. It's been helping.

lol...heck...i'm not opposed to synthetic medication when and where it's absolutely necessary either, but after working in the Health Industry for many years, i have seen the long term effects those synthetic medications can have on a person. It ain't pretty.

Natural medicines have been around alot longer than synthetic medicines...most are victim to the convenience of "quick fix" medication that synthetics can provide unfortunately. And most ailments are due to the food we eat, and the environment we live in...and there is no "quick fix" remedy for that.

I agree wholeheartedly.

This is a cabin I have been to here in Kentucky. Caught a load of fish.

That's breathtaking Newark! Now there's a daydream or two i can lose myself in, but i can't tell if it's built on stilts on the water? Whatever or however it is built, it looks really peaceful and a perfect getaway.

That's beautiful, Jeff!

The king vulture, a large bird found in Central and South America.

The King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known.

Large and predominantly white, the King Vulture has gray to black ruff, flight, and tail feathers. The head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. The King Vulture has a very noticeable yellow fleshy caruncle on its beak. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass. King Vultures have been known to live for up to 30 years in captivity.

King Vultures were popular figures in the Mayan codices as well as in local folklore and medicine. Although currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, they are decreasing in number, due primarily to habitat loss.

It's wingspan is from 4.5 to 6 feet!!!

Big bird!! :-)...for a bird that size, it's interesting to note they scavenge rather than hunt. Although I suspect that their cumbersome size prevents them from the slick manouvers that other species of bird are adept at.

That's probably true. I once watched a documentary on how difficult it actually is for birds to fly and how much energy it takes. Interesting stuff.

Probably why the seed eaters poop so much. Birds of prey fascinate me. I once was treated to an encounter with one of these whilst on a tour of an open range zoo here in Melbourne. We were rambling through the giraffe enclosure and had stopped to get up close & personal with the giraffes, when a kite just swooped out of nowhere and grabbed a snake that was close by...very cool to watch, and i was too entranced to think about snapping the action with my camera...it happened so quickly though..lol..oh well.

Birds are my favorite kind of animal. All kinds. But especially the birds of prey and most especially hawks and owls.