A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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After many months (five-plus where I live) of winter whiteness, it’s a relief to watch the snow melt at last. We’re always grateful, even though the loss of snow cover gives way to a mostly brown world: brown grass, sand everywhere – even brown pine needles along the roads. Not to mention the leaves, trash, or dog poop that was mercifully hidden under the snow. Those few sepia-toned weeks after the white stuff disappears and before trees and grass wake up can be visually bleak. That’s probably why I’m always so happy to see bright yellow co...
by Melinda Myers Bold color, tropical beauty, and easy-care mandevillas make excellent additions to patios, decks, and gardens. Train them onto a trellis, allow them to cascade from a hanging basket, or combine them with other plants. Enjoy summer-long blossoms and the butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators that stop by for a visit. Once divided into two different groups, dipladenias and mandevillas, the botanists now consider them all mandevillas. You will find both names still in...
by Melinda Myers Don't let your spring garden enthusiasm lead to overplanting and the creation of a summer gardening nightmare. A design with maintenance in mind and some strategic care can help reduce the time you spend managing your gardens and landscape. Consider using fewer plant species when designing perennial flowerbeds. Increase the number of each to boost the visual impact of the garden and reduce maintenance. You'll have fewer species to manage, identify and differentiate from the...
by Melinda Myers Look to the garden when struggling to find the best gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, or other occasions. A gift of plants, seeds, or gardening tools and accessories provides months and years of beauty and enjoyment. With so many options it is easy to match the gardening gift to the recipient and your budget. Plants are always a great choice for gardening enthusiasts. Small, more affordable plants are fun for gardeners to tend, nurture, and watch grow. Giving...
Adopt a "Master Backyarder" mindset to maximize backyarding benefits when you have a small yard...or none at all ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Backyarding is the practice of taking everyday activities – think entertaining, eating, working, and working out to name a few – into the green space around us. Even those living in an urban setting with a smaller yard – or no yard at all – can enjoy the benefits of backyarding, according to the TurfMutt Foundation, which advocates for the care and use of yards, pa...
by Melinda Myers You take a walk through the garden and find branches trimmed, flowers missing or bark damaged. Of course, the culprit is nowhere to be seen. You may have suspects in mind but a close look at the damage and surroundings can help you identify who is dining on your plants. Knowing this can help you reduce the risk in the future. Rabbits can be found year-round in the landscape. They have sharp teeth, making a 45-degree clean cut much like your bypass pruners. Their damage usually...
By Paul Hetzler The decline in children’s mental health during COVID-19 restrictions is a poignant reminder that we’re a social species, hardwired for contact with others. The saying “It takes a village to raise a child” is spot-on. Whether a literal village or a caring community within a city, we all – children especially – need regular interaction with peers and supportive mentors. In a different sense, but true nonetheless, it takes a village to raise a forest. In this case, the “village people” include mice, birds, and squirrels. When...
by Melinda Myers Keep your favorite herbs within easy reach for cooking and seasoning by growing them in containers. A few pots set by your door and grill or on the patio, deck, or balcony make it easy to include some homegrown flavor. Start by growing those herbs you like to use for seasoning food and beverages, making pesto, or preserving. Include some with fragrance for a bit of aromatherapy or for your craft projects. Make sure the plants you select will thrive in the amount of sunlight in...
By Doug George-Kanentiio. The people of Akwesasne will be deeply affected by the current, secret negotiations regarding New York State’s theft of Mohawk territory. But just as with the Dundee deal, the plan is to present to the community a settlement proposal after a compromise has been reached and it will then become an “all or nothing” feared based cession. This is coercion, a trap set by the US and New York State to compel the three councils to concede on the most vital elements of our ancestral land rights-specifically jurisdiction, land...
By Doug George-Kanentiio. A seven-member team of Akwesasronon attended the fourth National Gathering on Unmarked Burials in Toronto March 27-29 in Toronto. The event was coordinated by Kim Murray of Kanesatake, Canada’s Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with residential schools. Over 500 people travelled to the city from across the country to give testimony, exchange ideas and develop a collective movement to locate the residential school graves, identify the buried children an...
by Melinda Myers Deer are common visitors to landscapes even in urban and suburban areas. Fencing is the most effective way to protect your plants but is not always practical or desirable. Your community may have restrictions on fencing, your budget may not support this option, or you prefer not to hide your plantings behind a fence. Growing a beautiful garden despite the deer is possible but takes planning, persistence, and flexibility. You must be willing to change strategies as needed to...
By Paul Hetzler We all know that foods like beans and cabbage may give us gas. There is one case, though, where gas gives us food. Fortunately, it’s not the same kind of gas. From roughly mid-February through the end of March, carbon dioxide gas helps dispense an indispensable culinary delight. Yep, maple syrup is gas-powered. Apparently, the only reason maples run in spring is because their sapwood is charged with tiny gas bubbles. Carbonated wood – what’ll they think of next? A couple of decades ago, science was at a loss to explain how s...
By Paul Hetzler The search for a way to restore youthful vigor dates back at least to the writings of Herodotus in the 4th century BCE. The pursuit continues today, though in the domain of science, rather than guesswork. Among the best-known historic quests to reverse the aging process was Juan Ponce de León’s fabled hunt for a “Fountain of Youth” in the Caribbean. Having driven a few million native Tainos to early graves in Spanish silver mines, Ponce de León sailed away in 1521, reportedly seeking this magic water. Alas, Ponce de León wa...
by Melinda Myers Boost the beauty and your enjoyment by adding a fountain, birdbath, or other water feature to your balcony, deck, or landscape. This one addition to your outdoor space provides many benefits. The sound of moving water helps create a sense of peace and relaxation. It is a form of white noise that helps calm the mind and revive your spirit. It also helps mask noise pollution. Combine water features with strategic screening to create a quiet and private space. Water is also a...
By Paul Hetzler Given that our planet-wide warming trend is to a large degree a result of excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, my initial plan to help lower CO2 levels was to stop exhaling. That turned out to be a short-term solution. We need to take carbon from the air and stow it for a long time, preferably hundreds of years. Perhaps the best-known means of doing this is afforestation, planting new forests on terrain such as former strip-mines or steep, overgrazed land. It can also take the form of increasing the density of our urban...
by Melinda Myers Gardening is a wonderful way to grow your own food and create a beautiful landscape. Proper plant selection can help you make wise purchases when visiting the garden center or ordering plants online. Much of the information you need to know can be found on plant tags and seed packets. Understanding this information can help you select plants suited to the growing conditions in your yard. Most gardeners first learn about plants by the names that friends, relatives, or fellow...
Local story of the first mansion built on the St. Regis Reservation in 1920. Called Pines Inn. A hotel-bar located at the intersection of Highway Rte. 37 and the road to Helena. Established by two brothers from the farm country south of Watertown, NY, who had run a small roadside Restaurant Inn, which was a popular stopover for our native ironworkers en route to Utica, NY, to jobs. The owners decided to relocate to the reservation where they already knew the Native Ironworkers. So it was a no-brainer to relocate to Hogansburg and build a...
By Doug George-Kanentiio. On February 10 the US news station WWNY reported that Canada has agreed to pay $2,000,000,000 (billion) to settle a case involving the kidnapping and placing of Native children in residences off Indigenous Territory. Also noted in the report was this amount, to be paid across Canada, also involves those who were placed in the notorious residential schools. At Akwesasne, this involves an untold number of children whose lives were forever altered by the removals with subsequent loss of familial relations, culture, and...
by Melinda Myers Growing houseplants when curious cats are in the house can be challenging. We want our cats to be safe and happy while keeping our houseplants intact. You can accomplish both with a few simple strategies. Boost indoor gardening success by selecting plants suited to your home's growing conditions and gardening style. Then be sure to remove any toxic plants to ensure your pet's safety. Consult with your veterinarian and visit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to...
By Doug Kanentiio George. Delegates from the Akwesasronon Shonatater:ron (Residential School Survivors organization) took part in the "National Gathering on Unmarked Burials" conference in Vancouver, BC from January 16-18. The group monitored sessions as follows: Importance of Data Sovereignty and Access to Records in the Search and Recovery of Missing Children Indigenous Archives How to Access Records National Archives Research Youth Voices of Survivors Families The Power of Data Indigenous...
by Melinda Myers Keep gardening longer with less muscle strain and fatigue with these pain-free gardening techniques. You'll not only keep your garden looking its best but also make it a more enjoyable experience. Keep tools handy to reduce the number of trips from the garden back to your garage or shed. A garden tool bag or bucket with a wrap-around tool organizer works well for small hand tools. Purchase a mobile garden tool caddy or convert a discarded wheeled golf bag, shopping cart, or...
By Doug George-Kanentiio. To Joanne and me it was always “Jake and Judy” Swamp - a couple who not only lived through historic times but took an active part in defining life at Akwesasne and the Mohawk Nation. They were trusted friends who made the longhouse a place to enjoy the traditional rituals. Joanne was a wolf clan Oneida, but she came to Akwesasne for the ceremonies knowing she would be greeted by Judy and Jake’s “hello there!”. They had a keen interest in our travels which complemented their own expeditions across the planet. They carr...
By Paul Hetzler “My girdle is killing me” was an obnoxious slogan from a TV ad that ran in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the US. The widely-mocked catchphrase was meant to inspire women to rush out and buy a certain brand of non-murderous undergarment. I doubt the ad’s plaintive tone helped boost sales, but hey – I’m no marketing expert. And yet, underclothes can be dangerous. In 2009, the so-called “underwear bomber” stuffed his shorts with explosives and boarded a plane. Luckily, he couldn’t ignite his stuff, and his plot fell flat. In 2...
by Melinda Myers Growing beautiful dahlias is easier than you think. Proper planting and care will result in an abundance of beautiful blooms for you to enjoy in your garden and summer bouquets. Use these strategies to boost your dahlia growing success: Start Early for a Long Season of Flowers Dahlias grow from sweet-potato-like tuberous roots often called tubers that are usually planted in late spring. For earlier blooms, start your dahlias indoors about four to six weeks before the last...
On January 12, 2022, one year ago today, then Seneca Nation President Matt Pagels, surrounded by 14 masked Councilors, announced in a late evening social media post that he had entered into a Settlement Agreement with New York State to hand over more than half a billion dollars in disputed gaming revenue share payments. Some Seneca people stumbled across the post scrolling around Facebook. Some people learned about it on the 11 o'clock news that night. Four days prior, in January Council, no...