The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans
By Junior Jess Billimore
You see me everyday,
Or do you?
You’re familiar with my presence,
Maybe too much so.
You walk all over me,
To and fro.
Some of you dislike me,
Yet I continue to grow.
Am I invasive?
I endure the pain that you give;
All I want is to live.
I take up lots of space,
Growing at a fast pace.
Is my existence a waste?
You see me everyday.
Please, appreciate me today.
*Log in your answers in the comment section.
By Junior Alyna Rei
I have always had a love-hate relationship with grass. I love to lie down on the SOFT grass and have a picnic. But, I also hate how wet sharp grass makes my legs really itchy. I’ve had a couple of incidents with grass in elementary school that makes me hate sharp-bladed wet grass. Here are some of my unpleasantries from elementary school regarding the green beneath our feet.
In 3rd grade, it was required to do P.E. Before the class started, the students would have to sit on dots that were lying on the grass so the teacher could come and take attendance (this would take around 15-20 minutes). You would think that this sounds normal, but I had P.E. in the morning. In the morning, the sprinklers would go off. Not only did my clothes get wet from the grass, when I was sent off running, the wet grass would rub on my legs and make them really itchy and red.
Since I moved up a grade, I did not have to do P.E. in wet grass anymore. But I had to do P.E. with really dry and hot grass. Running around in 115 degree weather was not great at all. Dry and hot grass feels like thumb tacks grazing your legs every time you move. My old school was lazy with their landscape, so the grass was long enough to scratch your calves.
There was no more torturous P.E. for me. But a grass incident happened during recess. I was on the field with my friends. We were jogging slowly and just talking. I don’t know why, but when we were running, one of my friends happened to knock me down on the grass. My face, arms, and legs were exposed to the hot and dry grass. She apologized, but the only thing that mattered during that moment was how itchy my body was. At the end of the day my arms and legs were red and me being sweaty on a hot day made it a lot worse.
During the summer, I try to avoid grass since the hot air and dry grass really make my body react badly. I swell, itch, and turn red. My best remedy to get rid of these horrible reactions in elementary school was to expose the affected area to cold air (I don’t know why, but it worked). I am here to say that the days of me running in the sharp blades of grass are over. If I have to walk on this type of grass, I try to walk through it quickly. But, I would happily walk over anything besides grass.
Pull up a lawn chair. We’re talking about grass. Penny opens our theme with meditative haiku on that which grows beneath our feet.
By Seventh-Grader Penny Andreas
The grass stands up tall
Upon the hill with the sun
Its blades reaching high
The pine tree sits strong
Shorter among the birches
Green and yellow leaves
The bluebird flies high
Up in the sky with the clouds
It flies with the wind
The snail moves slowly
Sliding on the blade of grass
Its shell balancing
I walk in the field
Alone in a labyrinth
Of long and tall grass
By Luke Sonderman
You may have heard of tiny little trees that look like they are fully grown. And, no, I’m not talking about broccoli. Bonsai trees are trees whose roots have limited space to grow, which makes the tree grow in a miniature version. If you haven’t heard of bonsai, you may be living under a rock. I own three bonsais, so I know what I’m talking about.
Bonsai is a Japanese word that literally means “planted in a container” (bonsaiempire.com). The larger a container you give a bonsai, the larger it will grow. According to the bonsaiempire.com, “This art form is derived from an ancient Chinese horticultural practice, part of which was then redeveloped under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism.”
You heard me right. As a bonsai owner, you also assume the role of a gardener who must groom their tree. It is important to groom your bonsai to make it keep its appearance as a mini-version of the full size tree. While grooming my bonsai, I like to start at the bottom of the trunk and work my way up by trimming off small branch off-shoots along the trunk. Once I make my way up to the large branches, I start to work on the shape of the tree. To do this, I groom the leaves into a visually pleasing shape. It is important to cut the leaves at the base of the stem or else they will quickly grow back. Finally, I search for any other dried-out or dead leaves and snip them off as well. If you don’t have an image in your head of what you want your tree to take the shape of, I would look up images of your tree and shape it accordingly.
The common misconception about bonsai trees is that they are all very expensive and take forever to grow. This is untrue. There are many affordable bonsais and even some bonsais that don’t take forever to grow. The most common bonsai to own is a juniper bonsai. Juniper bonsais flourish outdoors but can survive indoors if watered properly and exposed to lots of sunlight. A five-year-old juniper bonsai will cost between 40 and 60 dollars. This will be a tree that is 3-5 inches tall. Even 50-year-old juniper bonsais will only cost between 800 and 1000 dollars (bonanza.com). So, yes, you may be able to find bonsais for $30,000, but there are plenty of affordable options.
You should own a bonsai because it’s a mini tree. Who doesn’t like mini stuff? It’s like having a pet that doesn’t bite you or wee on your new carpet. Ready to start? My favorite bonsai dealer is brusselsbonsai.com.
In our last post on hobbies to consider, we look at Penny’s newly adopted hobby of growing succulents. This is a perfect activity for our desert landscape.
–Blog Advisor Zachik
By Penny Andreas, Middle-School Blog Correspondent
Through these months of a very hot summer, I’ve done pretty much nothing but stay inside all day. I eventually (it took me three hours of sitting on the couch on a long summer day) came up with an idea of a hobby to keep me busy. I did a little research, and I found an interesting little plant called a succulent. There are over 60 species of succulents and about 1,000 different colors, textures, and sizes (ftd.com). Many succulents grow happily in the desert such as Graptopetalum paraguayense, or the ghost plant, and the pencil plant, which mainly grows in high drought landscapes. One of my favorite succulents is the Apus echeveria. which is pictured here.
Apus echeveria rely on a lot of sunshine, so they like to live near a window. If they are not getting sun, they will grow towards any light they see, and that will lead to a weak stem and poor growth. Make sure to give a succulent the right amount of water; if they are overwatered, their leaves will start to look like shriveled fingers that have been in a hot tub for too long. If they don’t get enough water, their bottom leaves will start to shrivel, so pay attention just in case your succulent starts to die. Apus echeveria can live anywhere as long as three years up to a couple decades! Hobbies are very important, so go find one yourself!
By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent & Budding Botanist
A castor bean plant sounds harmless, even like it’s meant to be eaten. But, be careful; eating it could be catastrophic. There are lots of dangerous plants on earth. Here’s a garden full of them.
The Poison Garden in Alnwick Castle, located in the English county of Northumberland, was founded in 2006. Interesting point–this is also the place where Harry Potter and Downton Abbey were filmed. Originally, the garden was the Duchess Jane Percy’s idea, to make a garden filled with deadly plants. According to RENATURED: ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND THOSE IN BETWEEN, Duchess Percy said, “I wanted to create a garden that was beautiful yet pleasurable, educational yet not stuffy.” She succeeded. The garden is definitely not stuffy, but it is scary. This garden has over one hundred poisonous plants: such as the Strychnine tree, deadly nightshade, Castor beans, etc. Entering and breathing this garden could actually kill you. Many people faint upon entering this garden.
Here is what the interior of the garden looks like.
Photo Credit: Garden Collage
Let’s look at something that sounds harmless: the castor beans. According to ScienceDirect, “Ricinus communis (castor beans) is classified as the most poisonous plant on earth for humans. The toxicity of raw castor beans is due to the presence of ricin.” Yes, ricinus communis is raw castor beans, and they are highly poisonous. According to MedicineNet, “Ricin is a toxic protein found naturally in castor beans from the castor bean plant. It can be deadly, but it depends on the dose and route of exposure.” So, it is safe to have and use castor oil, but it can cause some issues if taken internally.
Another dangerous plant is the Strychnine tree. According to Centers for Disease and Prevention, “Strychnine is a strong poison; only a small amount is needed to produce severe effects in people. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects, including death.” So no, I would not recommend having strychnine at home. This plant is extremely dangerous.
Another poisonous plant found in the garden is deadly nightshade. According to all that’s interesting, “Ingesting just two to four berries can kill a human child. Ten to twenty berries can kill an adult. Even chewing on just one leaf can lead to a dirt nap. Milder symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning include delirium and hallucinations, which appear quickly once ingested.” Owning this plant if you have kids would be ludicrous. I would say that even if you are an adult, don’t have this plant in your garden.
“I will go for 10 million dollars, and I’ll make sure I bring a good quality gas mask with me.”
Sherwin Hemmati, 8th Grade
“I won’t go at all no matter the money because that can cause me death and my life is worth more than money.”
Michael Pete, 8th Grade
“I’m going in for 10k and I’m bringing a gas mask and dodging all the plants.”
Zander Eaton, 7th Grade
Now, The Poison Garden may not seem like the best place to go for a vacation, but if I ever go to England, I want to visit the Alnwick Castle and its fascinating garden. The reason why is because I’d enjoy reading about the poisonous plants and their history, but I’d definitely bring a gas mask.
By Alyna Rei, Plant Specialist
Ever wonder how to keep your plants in perfect shape? Well, you’re about to learn how! My plants used to be either underwatered or overwatered, but now after learning Alyna’s tips and tricks, they are perfect and fresh. Here’s how to keep your plants green and healthy. – Editor Ani Madanyan
Taking care of your plants can be very easy, but it depends on the type of plant. There are many different methods to watering your plants. Here are my three favorites suggestions.
My favorite method of watering plants is to get a container the size of your plant and put said plant in the container. Next, fill the container (NOT THE PLANT!) with room temperature water. Depending on the plant, you should always check how thirsty your plant can be. Check by lightly touching the soil. The soil should be dry to the touch before watering. This method is good for smaller plants so they don’t get overwatered.
The second method for plant hydration would be using a spray bottle. This method is great for plants that don’t need a lot of water. First, fill the spray bottle with cool water, then spray the soil a couple of times. You should repeat this method when the soil runs dry. Remember: you can easily tell by just feeling the soil. WARNING! Do NOT spray just the leaves. That will kill the plant.
The last watering method is for outdoor plants. These plants won’t do well if you keep them indoors. You should have a garden hose around. Make sure the hose setting isn’t so intense that it tears the plant. First, water the roots of the plant. That is where the water is most needed. Next, water the leaves of the plant to make sure that the leaves are staying hydrated.
There are some rules to keeping a happy plant.
Have fun watering these green friends. Don’t stress it; just treat them like an alive being, and you’ll be good!
By Dayton Kennard
This post is for editor Makena Behnke’s “plants/opinions” theme, Dayton Kennard presents the argument that red beryls are better than diamonds.
Hello! Today I’d like to present a little argument about why I think that red beryls are better than diamonds. Now, I understand that diamonds are widely used in jewelry and the standard for wedding rings, but hear me out.
Red beryls are one of the rarest gems in the world (which is probably why you haven’t heard about them). There were only three mines on Earth that they were found in, and only one of those mines produced gemstone quality specimens (stones that are large enough and flawless enough to be cut without shattering). That mine was the Ruby Violet mine in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah. It’s dried up now, meaning all the gems that were once in it are now gone, mined away over years and years.
Only a small fraction of the red beryls that were mined are actually gemstone quality, as they form under such extreme pressure that they are under one centimeter long and under one-fourth a carat once cut. Most of these gemstone quality red beryls are sitting in collectors’ possessions as un-faceted pieces (not cut into a gemstone shape). This is most likely due to the fact that even if an un-faceted red beryl is inspected closely for hours upon hours to determine if it can be cut or not, it can still shatter unexpectedly during the cutting process.
Does that last bit sound familiar? That is because emeralds can also shatter unexpectedly during the cutting process. In fact, these gems are the same gem, but in different colors. Beryls can be green (emerald), blue (aquamarine), pink to orange (morganite), red (red beryl), yellow (heliodor/golden beryl), deep blue (maxixe), light green (green beryl), and colorless (goshenite).
While certainly not as large or mass produced as diamonds, red beryls are certainly very unique and come from a family of rare and valuable gems, and should get more recognition and respect than their mass-marketed rival–the diamond.
Editor: Makena Behnke
Editor Makena challenged her fellow bloggers to consider Plants and/or Opinions. In James’s opinion, lotus flowers are the best plants.
By James Zheng, plant dude
Lotus flowers are a widespread plant around tropical and temperate zones in Asia. It is said that there were records of lotus flowers planted during the period of ancient China. Nowadays, some of the species are imported to America. The lotus flower is famous for its colorful appearance and a large diversity of species. In India and Vietnam, the lotus flower is the national flower, and it is recognized as a holy symbol within Buddhism.
Lotus flowers are categorized as an aquatic plant with the root under the water. Every part of a lotus flower can be really valuable. Its seed and root are abundantly nutritious as food, and the leaf can be used for making herbs. It is both edible and ornamental.
Lotus flowers have adapted to environments like shallow water, lakes, marshes and ponds. If there is enough water, the lotus flower could even grow in a tiny basin. Most lotus flowers have a strong reliance on sunshine, so full sunshine is needed during the growth period. They cannot tolerate growing under the shade. The artificially cultivated varieties are mostly used in parks and courtyards for ornamental purposes. I have pictures below of some showy species of the lotus flower in China, and they are given some unique nicknames.
All the above species are my favorite, yet there are still hundreds of species of lotus flowers you can find in the world. If you are interested, find the one that you like, and take care of it. Most of the lotus flowers have a really strong capability of adapting to the environment; you just need enough water and sunshine to raise it!
Plant and Opinions Editor: Makena Behnke
By Holden Hartle, Music Guy
Editor Makena’s theme for her week is Plants and Opinions. Holden speaks to Opinions. He is very opinionated when it comes to music. Listen up.
I’m aware that the teenage girl inside of me is showing, but I thoroughly enjoy Billie Eilish’s new album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. This album was highly anticipated after her EP “dont smile at me” put her on the map. Personally, I enjoyed the more upbeat songs off of “dont smile at me,” but not the album as a whole. The slower songs seemed to go on forever, and I feel like she was still looking for her sound–something to tie her music to her name. I feel like she found her sound with WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. The album is still a fusion of upbeat songs and slow songs, but the one thing that ties the album together is a heavy use of bass. The bass in most of the songs adds a contrast to the light, quiet timbre of the vocals and the melody. Yet, with a distorted 808 (drum machine) and quiet vocals, the album remains cohesive. This is something that is very impressive, and something that a lot of albums don’t get right.
The part that really draws me to the album is the transparency and the authenticity. Except for some very minute parts, every song was written by Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell. The connection between these siblings allows for the emotions in the songs to be fully expressed. For example, the opening track, “!!!!!!!,” is a thirteen second track with the line, “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album.” Now, I’m a sucker for symbolism, so to me this line means that Billie Eilish has removed anything that is holding her back from expressing her true emotions and this album will be nothing less than authentic. On a more surface level, this could just be a candid and genuine moment between these two siblings, but if you look at it from a perspective of finding the aim of the album, the opening track is opening the door to Billie’s mind.
The following song, “bad guy,” immediately gives us access to Billie’s consciousness. The song explains how Billie has a lover who is “a tough guy/…Chest always so puffed guy,” and generally, a stereotypical manly man. Billie claims that she is the type who is really in charge in the relationship. To the best of my knowledge, this isn’t something typically talked about in music. Most songwriters, if they were going down this path, would choose a position of strength and power to say that they are leaving their significant other because they are bringing them down. Billie doesn’t do this. She chooses something that is more genuine and comes more from the heart. She doesn’t leave the relationship; she enjoys the dynamic.
A few songs down, “wish you were gay,” received a lot of flag for “insulting” the LGBT community, but this wasn’t the purpose of the song whatsoever. I’m not one to decide what people should be offended over, but I think that the interesting use of homosexuality adds to the idea that Billie is exploring emotions in music that haven’t been explored before. The song explores the common anthem of the love of your crush not being reciprocated back into you, but the song does so in a way that no ever song has done before to my knowledge. Billie makes her thoughts extremely vulnerable and states that “I just wanna make you feel okay/ But all you do is look the other way/…I just kinda wish you were gay.” This idea is something that could only come from someone who is taking the idea of rejection and expressing it in its fullest.
I briefly want to highlight a line in the song “my strange addiction,” in which Billie sings, “Shoulda taken a break, not an Oxford comma.” The song in its entirety deals with the idea of being obsessed with a bunch of guys, and adding one more to the list. This specific line demonstrates Eilish’s genius songwriting where she states that she should have stopped dreaming about new guys and should not have added another one.
The song “bury a friend” is perhaps the most unique song off of this album, as it looks into the darker side of Billie’s conscious. According to her, the song is sung from the monster under your bed’s perspective. Once again, I feel as if this is a unique idea that very few artists have ventured into before. The song alludes to the fact that we all have our own monster under our bed, and this monster is some version of us. Her monster suffers from trust issues and has a depressing manner about her, characterized by the lines, “What do you want from me? Why don’t you run from me?” and the titular line, “When we all fall asleep, where do we go?”
Starting with “bury a friend,” the songs in the album take a darker and more pessimistic turn. Instead of being songs of power, the songs deal with Billie’s struggles with depression and the subsequent suicidal thoughts that follow.
To say the least, this album is a roller coaster. The album starts on a high note, with the brother-sister duo ending the first song with a few seconds of them laughing. Yet towards the end of the album, the listener is welcomed into the darkest parts of Billie’s consciousness. The fact that Billie is open to being that vulnerable is something she should be commended for. The album is successful at exploring emotions that aren’t necessarily covered on the radio, and showing the range of emotions that someone feels. Sure, people go through heartbreak, but Billie doesn’t hide any details about this fact. She isn’t scared to write a song about what people actually feel, rather than what people should feel. Shakespeare once wrote that theater, and more broadly, art, hold a mirror up to nature. Billie does just this in WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO.
Opinion Editor: Makena Behnke
