~ A Bit of Biology to Make you Less Antsy ~

~ A Bit of Biology to Make you Less Antsy ~

Dear reader, do you hate ants? Maybe you kill any and every one of them that you see.

Did you know that ants are champions in the world of native wildflowers?  

Those much-despised ants are truly great seed disperses! This method of seed dispersal, known as 'Myrmecochory' is well-known by biologists studying Eastern North American forests. This area is considered to be a global hotspot where this very important activity is alive and growing (pardon the pun).

We have much to learn from the ant. These eusocial (showing an advanced level of social organization) insects effectively and very efficiently move a great number of our spring 'ephemeral' (short-lived) woodland wildflower seeds thanks to the 'elaiosomes' (a fleshy structure rich in lipids attached to the seeds of many plant species) on their seeds.

Composed of a nutritious fatty substance, that attracts ants the seed with the elaiosome intact is carried the seed back to the ant's nest and there just the fleshy structure is eagerly eaten by their young. The seeds are not harmed by the young ants during their feeding and get discarded in the process. With such a conducive environment (warmth, soil & fertilizer) inside the nest and close proximity, the wildflower seeds are able to take root and grow no further than a few meters from the parent plants, unlike seeds that are dispersed by the wind or birds!

Here is a short list of some ant-seeded, ephemeral woodland wildflowers that you may be familiar with:

Bloodroot, Trillium, Hepatica. Sweet Violet, Mayapple, Wild Ginger, & trout Lily

Can we gain wisdom from the work and habits which our God created in these insects? I believe so! Following are two scriptures pointing us to their work and living habits which you likely know well:

"Go to the ant, O lazy one, watch its ways and become wise.

Because it has no leader, overseer, or ruler, yet it prepares its bread in summer; it gathers its food in the harvest. How long, O lazy one, will you lie there? When will you rise up from your sleep? Just a little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the arms to lie here, and your poverty will come like a robber, and your needs like an armed man."

Proverbs 6:6-11

"..the ants are a clan who are not mighty, but they prepare their food in the summer;"

Proverbs 30:25

Hopefully, from now on, with this information forefront in our thoughts and knowing that Spring is hiding just around the corner, we will try harder to seek out and use a method that will deter rather than kill those diligent and hard-working little ants we see outside.

I pray that we may also seek to find and be informed by the wisdom and riches from God set out in the ways and work of these tiny creatures beneath our feet!

Take good care, my friends, keep growing in all ways, and sing out His praises! 
 
Rose Naomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~
Growing Mind, Body, Soul & Spirit 
Blogspot: https://avoiceinhisgardenministries.blogspot.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AVoiceInHisGardenMinistries
Email: rosenaomiobrey@gmail.com 

~ For Such a Time as This ~

Trusting God's Will & Plan for You

Right here, right now ... every believer & follower of Christ has been given an essential role to play in the ongoing plan of God our Father. We were created for and with a purpose, each and every one of us! Have you experienced times of humdrum and hubbub, periods of distress and huge mess or times of confusion, fear or pain in your life and felt unable to move forward? Many stories of these feelings surface in scripture and help us focus and have a better handle on understanding how we are equipped to deal with every situation before us.
Let's look inside the book of Esther and specifically at 4:14, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come into your royal position for such a time as this?” REV As heirs "Now if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs of what was promised." Galatians 3:29, we are also called to speak and act as we are directed by God. Regardless of the place we are planted or the position we hold, each one of us has a purpose set out by our Father.

Even as a child of God, I have experienced times when I 'ran out of steam' and wondered about my purpose and reason to 'keep on keeping on'. Thankfully, these times are few and far between now as my life is Power-driven by god's precious promises that I've hidden deep in my mind, heart and soul. My 'get-up and go' has returned to my physical body too! Friend, have you ever wondered what God's purpose or plan is for you or your days here on earth? Or do you have the confidence in knowing His will leading each moment of each day of your journey Home?

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Take good care, keep growing, and sing out His praises!  
Rose Naomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~
Growing Mind, Body, Soul & Spirit 
Blogspot: https://avoiceinhisgardenministries.blogspot.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AVoiceInHisGardenMinistries
Email: rosenaomiobrey@gmail.com 

"I will sing praise to ADONAI, my God, as long as I live." Psalm 104:33a

~ A Glorious Day ~

A glorious good morning to you, my friends!

This photo memory is taken a couple years back (September 26, 2019). I had waited all that summer for my Scarlett O'Hara morning glories to bloom and saw nothing at all, but they actually survived through Dorian's aftermath and were finally showing off and producing many gorgeous blooms! Perhaps like us, they too can thrive despite adverse circumstances!!

What a glorious sight to see again, even now, in the middle of winter!!!

The beautiful, 'Scarlett O'Hara' Morning Glory is a radiant species, isn't it? I always think of a dear friend and past employer from Belleville, Ontario, Cheryl O'Hara when I have a sight like this before me!

I like to grow all colours (pink, purple and blue) of these fragrant, colourful flowers not only because I find them so attractive, but also because they are much loved by butterflies, bees and hummingbirds alike!

* One tip for those of us who like abundant blooms would be to take care to layer 2-3 inches of compost on top of the planting area and mix it in with the existing soil prior to planting your Pre-soaked seeds. The only other time you need to 'feed' is when buds begin to set and then be careful to use a fertilizer specifically for flower production.

As I close this post I would be amiss if I did not include a favourite musical/song reference ...

"Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely, forever;
One day He’s coming: O glorious day!"
Author: J. Wilbur Chapman (1910),  Composer: Charles H. Marsh (1909)

Take good care, keep growing, and sing out His praises! 

Rose Naomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~

Growing Mind, Body, Soul & Spirit 
Blogspot: https://avoiceinhisgardenministries.blogspot.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AVoiceInHisGardenMinistries
Email: rosenaomiobrey@gmail.com 

"I will sing praise to ADONAI, my God, as long as I live." Psalm 104:33a