Day 3-Whimsy Windy Wednesday and Wind Power

“Large-scale wind farms are connected to the electric power transmission network; smaller facilities are used to provide electricity to isolated locations. Utility companies increasingly buy back surplus electricity produced by small domestic turbines. Wind energy, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation. However, the construction of wind farms is not universally welcomed because of their visual impact but any effects on the environment are generally among the least problematic of any power source.” Definition from wikipedia

Portsmouth Company Blows Away its Electricity Bill

By FRANK CARINI/ecoRI staff — “PORTSMOUTH — With an electric bill fast approaching $100,000 a year, the U.S. Department of Energy predicting that fossil-fuel energy costs will increase 5.3 percent annually for the rest of time and federal stimulus money available for renewable-energy projects, Rick Hodges did the math. It added up to a 225-kilowatt Vestas wind turbine.

With the installation of the nearly 100-foot-high turbine expected before the end of the year, the president of the Hodges Badge Co. anticipates Rhode Island wind soon will produce nearly all of the 45,000-square-foot facility’s electricity.

Last year, the family-owned and operated business used 451,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Hodges said he expects the soon-to-be-installed wind turbine to produce 450,000 kilowatt-hours of power a year.” … whole article  http://eco-ri.squarespace.com/green-business/

More in New England –

Mass Megawatts Wind Power, Inc. (OTCBB: MMMW) is a leader in the development of a revolutionary wind power technology, bringing a product to the renewable energy marketplace capable of producing electricity at a cost 30% lower than other wind power equipment. Designed on a paradigm that ‘lower height, lower wind speeds and lower costs equal higher profits’, this technology puts MAT electricity generation on a competitive footing with fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas.” http://www.massmegawatts.com/

and… from points further away …
As Japan’s nuclear crisis unfolds, Europe takes a fresh look at wind

“In the search for ways of changing how the French obtain their electricity, Mr Sarkozy has turned to a source of energy that is free and in plentiful supply: wind.

Soon after being elected president in 2007, he set himself the target of changing the balance of supply so that renewable energy would provide for 23 per cent of France’s needs by 2020, with 8 per cent coming from wind turbines on land and at sea.” The whole article

Help for Japan:
Donate to the Red Cross http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main

Donate to Doctors without Boarders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/overview.cfm


Orchid Anatomy- for the flower/for the Botanical Beauties i.e. head parts!

The Love Birds just found out about an Orchid Show – Orchid Mania 2011: Purple Reign, it’s in Cleveland (a long way for them to travel) but they are excited anyways. When your head is an Orchid this is big news!  http://bit.ly/hsTrB9

They thought you might like to know a tad more about Orchids. First the flower definition, then the Botanicals definition.

“Throat – the inner portion of a tubular orchid lip, often quite colorful. Lip – the part of the flower that is almost completely divided from the rest of the flower, however, it is connected by the column. The lip is specialized to aid in pollination.”  Definitions and image from: http://bit.ly/hEjuq2

Love-Bird-AnatomyThroat – the long portion in a tubular shape, connected to the beak, often quite colorful.
Lip – the part of the  Botanical Beauties that is on the outside of the beak or mouth. The lip is specialized to form words.

(It’s Whimsy Wednesday, and so an illustration of some type appears today.)

Sunshine, birds a tweeting and blue skies!

Oh wishing for Spring to be here…

Vaboom says Magnifique! You see, she has been hanging out with some French friends – and since part of her job is  “to keep track of ALL the new words that come into the Land of Botaniumus (and ) Her title is New Word Tracker.”  She is very happy!  The sun also means she/they can hang out at the Knowledge Café, drinking coffee, chatting and enjoying the sun! Une excellente idée! (Vaboom loves her new words!) ( see Vabooms picture and story)

 

Meet Twinkles!

Twinks has come in on the latest Nor’easter”– everyone is so excited to see her! Big party tonight at the Knowledge Café!  Izabella is excited to be the host, and everyone plans to be there. Good times abound!!!

Twinkles comes to town!
Twinkles comes to town!

Twinkles – Goddess of the Shimmering Snow (a.k.a Twinks) is a true snowbird. She comes IN with winter weather – especially the snow. She cares about the cleanliness of the snowfall. Toxins in the atmosphere, which make for “dirty snow” are not so obvious to us WoMes, but the Botanicals are very sensitive to them and they are worried. The Botanicals understand that the snow eventually melts and it’s nourishment for the emerging spring plants. Many of those plants grow into food for the community.  Twinkles glides in on winter storms and spreads “glimmers” that clean up toxins.  Notice the glimmers on her skirt? (click on image for a larger version)

(Snow, Ice, Winter Fern)