The hammock is believed to have been conceived in South America over 900 years ago.
photo credit: Living in Monrovia

Even though there is no hard evidence many believe that the first hammocks were made using the bark of the hamak tree and this is how the hammock was named.

As soon as Christopher Columbus landed on the Bahamas he could see the versatility of the hammock and promptly brought the idea back to Spain where it went through some refinements. Like swapping the hamak bark for sisal fibers before it spread throughout Europe.

The main reason hammocks became popular initially in South America is because they are suspended above the floor. This in effect kept the occupant away from insect’s spiders and snakes it also offered dry alternative to sleeping on a wet floor.

The hammock is we know it today really came to prominence in the 16th century when an English navy admiral realized its potential for use in the cramped conditions of the battle ships. Now more people could sleep more comfortably in a smaller space than before.

These crew members became so accustomed to sleeping in a hammock that many insisted on taking them whenever they were on leave, convinced that they would be unable to sleep properly in a normal bed.

Hammocks were used by both the navy and military right up to the Second World War which shows just how versatile and durable a hammock is when it stand up to these conditions.

Hammocks still hold many close ties with South America indeed many of the most popular hammocks are named after south and Central American countries.

Brazilian hammocks are made from cotton, they do not use a spreader bar which allows the hammock to wrap in around the person, making them more secure and less likely to fall out when a sleeps.

The Venezuelan hammock also does not use a spreader bar which also makes it ideal to use for sleeping. These hammocks will have a lot more give and will stretch over time.

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photo credit: Jonathan Shield

Several years ago I heard of the “Vine Peach.” It’s a seed that is more difficult to find. Heirloom seed catalogs and specialty seed catalogs carry it.  What attracted me to this seed was the fact it was a fruit you could grow annually in your back yard and that it had an interesting background. So… I had to find the seed and grow it in my garden. I did manage to track a package of seeds down and since that time I have harvested the seeds at the end of the season for future crops.

Originally this fruit grew wild across most of the United States. As growth and development began the vine peach started to disappear. It was a favorite of the American Indian and with the rich heritage of numerous Indian cultures in our area I wanted to try this crop.

The peach vine looks a lot like a cucumber plant when it is young and has a lot of the same growing characteristics. It need warm nights to grow successfully and should be planted after the last frost warnings in you area has passed. I grow my vine peaches on a trellis. I find the crop grows better vertical and it saves room in the garden. For color I usually add a few scarlet runner beans to the area.

The fruit could be compared to a cantaloupe but it is much smaller and has a very mellow taste. I found that is was perfect for jams and jellies. It’s a crop that I don’t grow every year but when I do it’s a great addition to the garden,

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photo credit: wolfpix

The search was on for more information and the seeds. I found the seeds in Burgess seed catalog and placed an order. The garden would have a new fun plant!

Growing a new plant or crop is always an adventure. Sometimes it’s a disappointment but the fun it adds to the garden while watching it makes each day a joy to head to the garden. My neighbors always ask about my new plants too and have to come up to check how they are growing.

Peach Vine Plant or Vine Peach

A peach vine plant (Cucumis Melo Var “chito”) is about the same size and color as a peach. It’s a little lighter yellow and less orange in my opinion. It is said to have the same nutritional value as a peach.

I read that vine peaches make excellent jams and pies, and had a vine-ripe flavor and texture much like a mango. I was interested in the jam aspect of the fruit plus I like fruit.

I live in a zone 5 so was a little concerned about planting the seeds in the ground, not knowing how long they took to germinate. But I did plant them in the ground after all danger of frost was over. They germinated nicely and reminded me of cucumber seedlings.

My experience growing the peach vine was that is was unique and fun. It was easy to grow and I didn’t notice any insect problems. The fruit matured in about 80 days on vines that would spread out. The next year I put them by a trellis to grow. I prefer to trellis plants that vine. It makes weeding and garden cleaning easier.

The first year I planted them in hills like a cucumber or squash hill planting. The hills were 4 feet apart. I planted the seeds about 1/2 inch deep with 5 seeds in each hill. After they sprouted I thinned the plants down to the healthiest three plants. The fruit was about 3 inches in diameter when mature. It had a yellow skin with a white flesh.

Growing conditions

The peach vine plant likes full sun and about 6 to 8 hours of good light. I would use a lot of fertilizer or good compost for this plant because it bears a good crop. They have a very pretty yellow flower, which adds color to the garden and attract bees, butterflies and some types of birds.

I have heard that the plant was originally from China and introduced into America in the 1880’s. In the Orient this type of melon is pickled.

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Everyone has a path in life. We take twists and turns along our journey often not knowing what lies around the next bend but once we start there is only one way to go, forward.
photo credit: xmacex

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol dating back over 3000 years. It relates to wholeness and combines the image of a circle and a spiral into what looks like a wandering path. This path represents a journey to our center, who we are, and will return us back into the world in which we live.

Labyrinths are used worldwide. They can be found in parks, medical centers, retreat centers, prisons, back yards, sacred sites and churches. One of the more famous labyrinths is the Chartres labyrinth, which is inlaid at the cathedral in Chartres, France. It is made out of paving stones and dates back to around 1200.

The Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua New York has a Labyrinth, which was designed by Lisa Moriarty and is the Circle of Peace design. It is located under trees at the north end of Turner Community Center on Rt. 394 making it easily accessible and available to the community and public. The labyrinth can be used year long, unless covered and hidden with snow in the winter.

The current labyrinth was constructed in 2005 through the combined efforts of several Chautauqua labyrinth supporters. Special Studies classes, Chautauquans and the general public use it. It is used as a way to relax, to renew one’s spirit, as a walking path or a place to pray.

Debra Dinnocenzo is the Labyrinth Coordinator and offers an orientation to the labyrinth at 7 p.m. every Tuesday during the season. She feels that it is important that people realize a labyrinth is not a maze. There are no dead ends or tricks to it. It is one path that leads to a center. You use the same path to return, making it unicursal; the path in is also the path out. It is a “walking meditation” that affects each person differently.

Dinnocenzo presents a history of labyrinths at the orientation. She explains the three stages to the walk: “releasing” on the way in, “receiving” in the center and “returning” or taking back out what you received from the experience. “There is no wrong way to use the labyrinth, Dinnocenzo said.

After the talk, questions can be asked and people will then walk the labyrinth.

Dinnocenzo said participating in the labyrinth in a group is a very different experience. You know what you are feeling but you also see other people in various stages of the walk. You are all walking towards one point but because of the way the path is laid out you often look like you are headed in opposite directions. This is much like life, we walk the same paths but each person’s experiences are totally unique.

Dinnocenzo helped chose the location for the labyrinth by Turner Community Center when it was moved from Miller Park. They wanted it under the trees for shade but the location of the trees didn’t seem to quite work. They started working on finding the center of the labyrinth and as they worked out from the center, a tree fell exactly where they felt the alter should be. The alter is a term used for the open area just inside the entrance.

The entrance and alter were emphasized by the tree. It became a unique part of the Chautauqua labyrinth.

Dinnocenzo became interested in labyrinths when she took a special studies class 6 years ago from Harriette Royer called Sacred Circles. She has since walked Labyrinths all over the United States.
photo credit: Zesmerelda

For additional information on Labyrinths, visit on the Web:

www.labyrinthonline.com www.lessons4living.com www.labyrinthsociety.org

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