The Creative Spirit Newsletter

August 18, 2001

We have five new members!

Please welcome these new people to TCS

Cheryl Taul , a new member of The Creative Spirit.  Her website is filled with lovely quotes, poetry, and short stories. 

Mary White, a web designer who also offers  linkware graphics, backgrounds, and original poetry on her many beautiful pages.

Marlyse, who has a brand new website-in-progress.  She is a Yoga, Tai Chi, and Reiki teacher, and also offers some of her stunning digital photos. 

My Gentle Garden, owned by Lary who is a delightful poet.  She also has graphics and some truly fine photographs.

Michael's Photo Pages, owned by Michael Stadler.  Here you will find many beautiful photos of Nature, flowers, butterflies, and more.  

Just a little note to say I am so pleased to see FIVE new members!  Thanks go out to Joan, who has made such a difference in only one short week as a member.  She is fast becoming our new TCS ambassador by telling her friends about our group and inviting them to join.  

Our new message board is being used by so many of our members and it seems to have been a great idea.  To our new members, you may find the link at our home page.  Please feel free to leave poems, short stories, or useful information there.  

This newsletter is evolving at the speed of light!  I try to find interesting topics each week and always welcome contributions in the form of photos, poems, stories, teachings, etc.  If you have something beautiful or interesting that you would like to see on one of our newsletters please send it to me and I will do my best to showcase your work.  * I will credit your work, and right-click protect all contributions.  If you would like to see our old newsletters, they are archived and can be found at the 'newsletters' link at the bottom of this page.

It has been a busy week, and I hope I have not neglected anyone during this time.  Please drop me a line if I have missed anything.  

  Cheyenne

This is a tree that can save millions of lives!

It is known as the Drumstick tree and is native to Northern India, but today it is common throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.  This amazing natural resource is gradually becoming recognized as an important aid to the problem of global malnutrition.  If you live in a warm climate or know someone who does, perhaps this commodity may be helpful to your people.

Drumstick trees grow easily from seeds or cuttings. They grow quickly even in poor soil, and bloom 8 months after planting.

Gram for gram, Drumstick leaves contain:

Here are several more uses of the drumstick tree from around the world.

Alley cropping: With their rapid growth, long taproot, few lateral roots, minimal shade and large production of high-protein biomass, drumstick trees are well-suited for use in alley cropping systems.

Animal forage: Leaves are readily eaten by cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and rabbits. Leaves can also be used as food for carp and other fish.

Domestic cleaning agent: Crushed leaves are used in some parts of Nigeria to scrub cooking utensils or to clean walls.

Dye: The wood yields a blue dye which was used in Jamaica and Senegal.

Fertilizer: The seed cake, although unsuitable as animal feed without treatment to remove the alkaloid and saponin content, can be used as a protein-rich plant fertilizer.

Gum: The gum produced from a cut tree trunk has been used in calico printing, in making medicines and as a bland-tasting condiment.

Honey clarifier: Powdered seeds can be used to clarify honey without boiling. Seed powder can also be used to clarify sugarcane juice.

Honey producer: Flowers are a good source of nectar for honey-producing bees.

Live fencing: A common use of drumstick trees is to produce live supports for fencing around gardens.

Ornamental: In many countries, drumstick trees are planted in gardens and along avenues as ornamental trees.

Plant disease prevention: Incorporating drumstick leaves into the soil before planting can prevent damping off disease (Pythium debaryanum) among seedlings.

Pulp: The soft, spongy wood makes a poor firewood, but the wood pulp is suitable for making newsprint and writing paper.

Rope-making: The bark of the tree can be beaten into a fiber for production of ropes or mats.

Tannin: The bark and gum can be used in tanning hides.

From The Miracle Tree - Moringa Oleifera: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics, by Lowell J. Fuglie.

Quote of the Day

"The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."
~ Allan K. Chalmers ~

Best Wishes..........  Cheyenne

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Image by Sandra Kuck

Midi 'Day is Done' copyright 2001 by Bruce DeBoer

Used with permission.