Plants Growing on the Abilene State Supported Living Center Campus

10/19/2024

Earth Then Heaven
Mark’s Remarks, 19 Oct 2024
The Sixty Seconds War, Volume 7

The late, famous comedian, Dave Allen, once said “The Irish do dying the right way. When someone passes, they have a WONDERFUL wake in celebration of the passing of their loved one over to Heaven where there is joy, light and happiness forever. If that place is truly there, it makes me wonder why more people aren’t keen to go?” Indeed, we have only one choice. We are here UNTIL we die and then we go there. And the Bible is replete with encouragement and expressions of our expected desire for the pearly gates, for their home over Jordan or to walk the Elysian Fields. There are a few rules for those of us who want to be there NOW, about taking early retirement. (One such is “no suicides”). But otherwise we should be excited to go, YES? Well, no. Not really.
The catch is multi-pronged. This life, this reality, is all we know so far. We were created for it. It was created for us! Our bodies, the planet, even arugula, are put here for us! One example of our hesitancy is medical. If you have ever lost all feeling in your limbs, so that only your mind is active, it can be horrifying. Our spirit is connected to a body that touches four-dimensions and without that feedback, we go insane. So deliberately dying is not a normal or reasonable expectation. Even Jesus asked for a way out. As Grouch Marx said, “No man goes before his time,..unless the boss is out!”
Another reason to stay is based on perceived needs of others that are in your personal world. Parents, spouses, even pets can be the glue causing us to delay departure. For Preachers, Ministers, Evangelists, and pastors, we feel an ache for those who appear to not care about their final destination. We do not want to hear someone cry in judgement, “You never mentioned him to me”! And I can still donate blood! So our hesitancy to move on may be due to work yet to accomplish for mankind and God.
Is there, or will there ever be a plain clear line helping us decide when and if it’s time to just let go? For example, quality of life is how we determine the lifespan we allow pets. We simply but usually sorrowfully put them to sleep. For humans, we medicate the body until the heart simply and finally gives out. No pill to end our ills. Loneliness, pain, confusion, and ancient days of life are simply drugged with the conviction of “mercy” until there is complacency and we no longer hear anymore complaints. I seriously doubt the premise of a respectable death as in the movie “Soylent Green” will ever be allowed. More’s the pity. We will agree to disagree.
For a christian, whether to pray for another’s return to health, or for a peaceful last few days, that choice remains a mystery. God doesn’t take us, although his angels guide our spirits home. So there may be lessons yet to be taught or learned that cessation of life by our own hand due to perceived “mercy” cuts short. Thus the concept that it is out of our hands, or rather should be bears repeating. Hospice sometimes has hard questions to answer. Pray for Hospice nurses.
Me, Im ready to go. Severe pain does that to me. But not at my own hand, let me hasten to say. Im not lonely, or unhappy. I still feel the pull of unfinished chores and enjoying the time spent with most of my human loved ones, pets and some people I work with. And when I do go, please have a party, a wake, a memory session, but do NOT feel sorry for me. Because long ago I realized when Im gone, you should enjoy YOUR time on earth, then get ready to move on to heaven!

10/17/2024

Thursday October 17th, 2024
A day that will live in 🤪ENTROPY🤪

01/16/2024

Oyster mushrooms grow wild but are also cultivated for sale in supermarkets. They can even be cultivated at home. They will grow on coffee grounds and spent grain, and are occasionally even fashioned into an environmentally-friendly substitute for styrofoam. There are several toxic look-alike species, so it is best to buy these mushrooms at the store.

08/26/2023

I’d rather work on it alone 100% of the time 😂

01/19/2023

11/10/2022

We have critters as well!

11/03/2022

Bitter sneezew**d (Helenium amarum) is an annual bush that will grow from 10 to 20 inches tall. It has a strong odor and bitter taste. A member of the daisy family, it blooms in late spring or summer with yellow flowers that have brown centers. Blossoms appear at the top of the stem and attract bees and butterflies. Bitter sneezew**d is commonly found growing in fields and prairies

Bitter sneezew**d is a disease- and pest-resistant annual often found in wildflower and cottage gardens. It is used to add color and texture to gardens, and to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The slender leaves fill in empty areas, while its extended spring-to-fall blooming season ensures plenty of color.

11/03/2022

Creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) is a flowering herb which grows aggressively. The leaves have a lemony flavor and are often made into tea that's rich in vitamin C. However, if ingested in large amounts the oxalic acid for which the genus is named can begin to block the body's calcium absorption.
* Content feedback CAN NOT be used as any basis for EATING ANY PLANTS. Some plants can be VERY POISONOUS, please purchase edible plants through regular channels.

Can creeping woodsorrel poisoning have a fatal outcome?

Although a small amount of ingestion will not cause any harm to animals, eating a lot of creeping woodsorrel can lead to mild poisonings in cats and dogs, while more serious problems in horses.
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Why is the creeping woodsorrel poisonous?

Creeping woodsorrel is a strong rampant w**d. Because of its unique ornamental leaves and flowers, it sometimes grows in the garden. With strong expansion ability, it can propagate through rhizome and seed. This is a wildly poisonous plant containing oxalic acid. Eating in large quantities will damage the body. So please pay attention to it.

10/24/2022

Nettle-leaved Goosefoot

Nettle-leaved goosefoot is a common w**d of fields and roadsides. The seeds are edible, and the shoots, stalks, and leaves can be eaten as greens. In writings from 1889, the author indicates that nettle-leaved goosefoot can be used in the same way as spinach. Because it is so easy to introduce, nettle-leaved goosefoot can be found nearly worldwide.

10/21/2022

Leagy Spurge
(Now found in West Texas)
Leafy spurge is native to southern and central Europe. It’s an invasive w**d across the United States. It can grow in almost any soil or light condition without slowing down its rapid growth rate. In drier soil it is an aggressive grower, easily pushing out sparse native plant life. It takes the w**d longer to establish in disturbed areas. Competition from native plants and tilling in gardens can slow its growth. The w**d spreads by rhizomes, seeds, and root buds, making it hard to completely eradicate once established. The small root buds are easily missed and will resprout.

10/02/2022

Annual Marsh Elder
(Iva annua) is a North American annual that’s a member of the sunflower family. Prehistoric Native Americans cultivated it as a seed crop around 4,000 years ago. It was particularly important to the Kansas City Hopewell culture, which inhabited modern-day Illinois and Missouri.

10/02/2022

When you think of an american sycamore, size may be the first thing to come to mind. This deciduous tree can reach heights of 75 to 100 feet tall and it has leaves that resemble those of a maple tree. The trunk of the american sycamore is larger than any other native tree, with mature trees having recorded diameters up to 15 feet.
American sycamore is largely planted in gardens to provide people with shaded, cool, refreshing rest spots. Tall and wide, the tree has lush foliage and is adaptable to all types of climates. It's easy to care for in warm, sunlight-ample environments.
The american sycamore is a large tree that can span 60 feet in width. This tree can get infected by sycamore anthracnose fungi. This fungus weakens the bark and hollows out the tree. That may not be good for the tree itself, but it creates attractive places in which birds like the barred owl can make their nests. American sycamores bear large fuzzy fruits that each contain many seeds. Birds will feast on the fruits, helping disperse the seeds. Some even consume the seeds during colder months. Birds most attracted to these trees include the American goldfinch, barred owl, black-capped chickadee, dark-eyed junco, great-crested flycatcher, purple finch, and wood duck.