Wordless Wednesday: Launchtime

Full Moon DEC 2018 Over Okinawa

AKA the Cold Moon

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 300 MM with converter - Focal Length 420 MM

Exposure: f/16  1/60   ISO 100

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: DEC 22 2018  6:29 PM

Wordless Wednesday: Shake a Tail Feather

Poinsettia Plants Huge But Not Poisonous

Popular Christmas Flowers

These bright red flowers are sold in locations all over Okinawa around the Xmas holidays.

Legend has it, some kid ate the plants and died. We found out that's BS.

The Flower Society and Ohio State University conducted an experiment.

No parents wanted to volunteer their children so, rats were used for testing.

They fed the rodents large quantities of Poinsettia plant parts and the rats didn't die!

Monster Size Poinsettia Plants

On Okinawa, the Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) can become shrubs as large as trees.

The first time I found one taller than me, I was on an outer island.

Not wanting people to start worrying about their pets or children eating poison, I checked.

Doctors at WebMD say the poisonous part is a myth, like flying reindeer.

Over the years whenever I spot a huge Poinsettia, I try and pose with them.

It must have been freezing the day I was wearing that red jacket.

That would be below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 Celcius. 

People worried about pets around these plants should visit the HELPLINE.

Treatment for dogs and cats is rarely required because:

What Kind of Stupid Animal Would Eat Pretty Flowers Anyhow?

Research Cracks Me Up

Sometimes, I roll around on the floor laughing at the things scientists come up with.

Let me give you one last photo of a giant Poinsettia plant next to me.

To prove they're not poisonous sometimes, I touch the fuzzy little things.

Poinsettia Plant Taller Than Me

Texas Cooperative Extension busts the poison myth wide open.

If you have a really stupid child weighing 50 pounds, you could try this:

Feed the kid 500 pounds of Poinsettia parts and, it won't kill them!

This kind of stuff I don't make-up.  It's true. The plants are harmless.

Visit Texas A&M University to learn more about Poinsettias.

Wordless Wednesday: Should I Apply?

Wordless Wednesday: Blue Rock Thrush at Home in Okinawa

Migratory Visitor Bird Image - Little Bunting

Wintering in Okinawa

Luckily, I have an internet friend who speaks Dutch and hooked me up with this bird ID.

Whenever I find a critter (like this) which becomes unidentifiable, I turn to Facebook.

I submit a photo to a Closed Group named "Determinatie van planten en dieren."

In English, I give them the location the animal was photographed in and ask for help.

Within hours, sometimes minutes, I get an identification.

My friend got me into this Closed Group somehow but, I won't reveal her name.

She's like some kind of magic lady and, I don't want the CIA hunting her down.

When I posted this photo to Facebook, she was the first one to identify the bird.

She opened a 300-page bird book and the Little Bunting was the first bird to show up.

Hey! The CIA Could Use People Like Her

First, let me tell you where you can learn more about this bird.

Handbook of the Birds of the World, tells you where they come from.

Old World Europe, Russia, and northern China have these birds.

They must not like snow so, they winter in the southern climates.

More could be found in Wikipedia but, I think the CIA doesn't like them anymore.

CIA Dudes can reach me by email, for more information on that woman.

But, they better be talking some big bucks or, I won't say nothing!