Valley Office Park

03/13/2024

Ashes to Ashes
Can we have a moment of silence for all the Ash trees with red xs and all the empty, once shady, spaces their fellow trees once occupied.…..It’s Spring (almost) so now is a great time to replant, but what to put in its place. Something low maintenance, not messy (no acorns or pods etc.) fast growing and shade producing are among a few desirable qualities. What kind of trees meet these criteria, are native to the Midwest and are available at our local nurseries? Sycamore, Aspen and Maple are a few worth looking for, according to their Bios . Trees offer so many benefits, it’s almost a crime not to replant.
If there is a drawback, it is that trees take a while to grow to maturity so they can live up to their potential and the cost of bigger young adult trees is significant.

Local municipalities often have free trees or a reimbursement program which removes the cost excuse.
City of Des Moines “Tiny Tree Program” https://www.dsm.city/news_detail_T2_R623.php 5 free trees beginning in May 11, 2024
National Arbor Society – excellent prices on trees with membership subscription along with a “best tree finder” link on their website. https://shop.arborday.org/shade-trees
State of Iowa Nursery – prices are reasonable but bulk orders may be required. https://nursery.iowadnr.gov/Red-Oak_p_99.html
The more trees we plant the cleaner our air will be, definitely time to get started.

02/15/2024

Phytonutrients - Dietary Heroes

Before the latest generation of Movie Super Heroes there were a whole line up of Saturday morning cartoon heroes: Under Dog, Lone Ranger and, of course, Popeye. All these heroes saved the town, world or some poor unfortunate from evil doers. One hero stands out in the sense that the source of his amazing strength and oversized forearms was Spinach. Popeye would chug down a can of spinach and wham the bad guys would be vanquished. Actual spinach, not one of the fruit and vegetable vitamins that are said to be miracle cure for all health complaints. Vitamins are organic compounds used by the body in small amounts for various metabolic processes. There seems to be a vitamin pill for every human ailment: Joint pain, hair loss, vision loss, memory loss. One of the results of consuming many of these supplements is money loss.
Most health professionals confirm that A well-balanced diet of mostly unprocessed foods is better than any supplement. One of the main reasons: Phytonutrients (chemicals that help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats). Research shows that there are 7 types of phytonutrients, all with long unpronounceable names. That cup of spinach that Popeye consumed was not just iron and vitamin c but contained a list of over 39 other nutrients and phytonutrients These phytonutrients act along with the vitamins and minerals contained in the spinach or beets or oranges and enhance the nutritional benefit. Popeye, being a Sailor, probably also consumed a lot of fresh seafood. Which is a great source of lean protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Compare eating a slice of pizza without any sauce or cheese or toppings or you could load it up and get so much more nutrition. Foods that are high in phytonutrients include berries, tea, coffee, cruciferous veggies, leafy greens like spinach, other veggies, fruits like oranges, sweet potatoes, red wine and dark chocolate to name a few.
While there may be no harm in taking supplements, it is good idea to check with your doctor or consult a dietician. There are people that do benefit from vitamin supplements: pregnant/nursing mothers, people who have digestive absorption conditions, food allergies or very restrictive diets.
Treat yourself to a few phytonutrients: add apple slices to your peanut butter sandwich. Use avocado instead of mayo on your sandwich, top your toast with berries instead of jelly, add some chopped spinach to your can of chicken noodle soup. Its like using one of the photo enhancing apps from your phone on your diet.

07/13/2023

LIGHTNING AND THUNDER:THE SHOCKING TRUTH
Cumulonimbus clouds are to blame for thunder storms. Once they become full of enough negative and positively charged particles, they discharge electricity i.e. lightning. The temperature of the air in the lightning path can be up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit(5 times hotter than the surface of the sun). The rapid heating and cooling/contracting of the air in the lightning path becomes thunder.
Common sense tells us that it is not safe to be outdoors in a thunderstorm. But just how close is the storm and how much time do we have to get to safety?
If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you'll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close. Of course, you should compute this math equation while in a safe place or while hurrying to get to one.
A safe place to be would be in an enclosed area with electricity and plumbing. If you are in a car roll up the windows and try not to touch anything connected to the outside of the vehicle like the radio or ignition. You should stay inside until 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder.
For a lot of people, storms like this are interesting to watch but be warned open shelter like a porch or a golf cart or a park shelter are not considered a safe place.
Florida and the gulf states see the most thunderstorms in the US. Surprisingly the West Coast and the State of Maine rarely see more than one or two per year. Iowa will probably see between 45 to 55 days per year with a thunder storm which is very bad news indeed - to Dogs.

03/10/2023

Spring a.k.a. Vernal Equinox
Finally, the end of winter is in sight. We can expect Spring (Vernal Equinox) to arrive Monday, March 20 at 4:24 CDT. Technically, the Vernal Equinox means 12 hours of daylight followed by 12 hours of darkness. Since December 21, the direct rays of the sun have been slowly migrating north moving towards the Tropic of Cancer (the invisible line at 23.5 degrees latitude north of the Equator). On June 21, the Summer Solstice, the sun’s direct rays slowly start moving back down towards the Tropic of Capricorn which is 23.5 degrees south of the equator.
Astronomically speaking, the Vernal Equinox is an event that occurs once a year when the Sun reached the point in the constellation of Pisces known as the First Point of Aries. The Point of Aries intersects with the Earth’s Equator. As the Earth orbits the Sun, its poles always point at a fixed position in the sky. The north pole points towards Polaris the current Pole Star while the south pole points towards the constellation of Octans.
Truthfully, not everybody finds this information interesting, but a little science never hurt anyone.
Probably, what people may find interesting is that the Farmer’s Almanac predicts for the upper Midwest (including Iowa) to have a chilly start to Spring with a higher-than-normal amount of precipitation.
Predictions are not always reliable, but as the Earth turns, we will have a little more daylight each day until June 21, Summer Solstice, which happens every year without fail.

02/22/2023

It Takes an Act of Congress
Not everyone celebrates Valentine’s Day, Groundhog’s Day or April Fool’s Day. These holidays are just for fun, nobody gets the day off work, the banks are open, USPS still delivers the mail and the Stock Market is open.
Real Federal Holidays are a product of hard work and determination by dedicated advocates. A Federal Holiday must be voted on and passed by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by the President. Currently there are 11 Federal Holidays which includes Juneteenth which was recently signed into law by President Biden. There are several proposed Holidays that have not been passed and are still waiting for enough support from Congress. Check out the website below for more pending observances.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_holidays_in_the_United_States

Then there are the Fun holidays like: Tater Tot Day-Feb 2, Pay a Compliment Day-Feb 6 and National Love Your Pet Day-Feb 20. Some are silly and some convey meaningful sentiments.
How and why do all these Non-Federal Holidays exist?
The answer is that there are a several entities that accept and promote Holidays for a fee or publish calendars or booklets and sell them to whomever is interested.
Chases – compiles a book of holidays which includes regional festivals and observances for the price of $19.95.
National Day Calendar – this company sells the calendars and for a fee will promote and market the holiday. Company staff decides which “holidays” make it on the calendar. Their website states that right now they are only accepting Corporate requests. The owner states that the whole idea for the business began when he decided to investigate how we got National Popcorn Day. Being a popcorn lover himself, he got curious.

National TODAY Calendar- not to be confused with National Day. They have similar services etc.
The list of Holiday proponents goes on and on, with perhaps too many, because do we really need more special days like “talk like a pirate day” and “Read in the Bathtub Day”. You decide and celebrate as desired.

February holidays and observances
https://www.womansday.com/life/a37745762/february-holidays-and-observances/
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/
https://www.calendar-365.com/holidays/2023.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_holidays_in_the_United_States

02/07/2023

Good Morning To You
Those of us who are not morning people really hate those who are. Nothing personal, morning people. It’s just that our brains and bodies are slower to get going and your annoying energy and chattiness makes us want to strangle you. But, there are a few things the a.m. challenged can do to make the transition from horizontal to vertical less of a horrifying experience:
1. No touching the snooze button. If you normally hit the snooze, just set your alarm for 10 minutes later and your quality of rest will be much more productive than those extra 10 minutes being interrupted by the alarm.
2. Turn on the light and open the curtains. If you can, stand and brush your teeth, hair or drink your morning beverage in the morning.
3. Do some stretches before you get out of bed and drink a glass of water. You haven’t moved around or drank anything for 7 or 8 hours. Your brain will get some oxygen and your body can start getting ready to move.
4. Skip the morning news and get a playlist of feel good blood pumping music. Start gradually with the beat then crank it up.
5. Eat a protein packed fi ber rich breakfast. There are a lot of options that suit your schedule and tastes. Whole grain nut butter toast topped with sliced fruit, oatmeal with yogurt, nuts, and egg on top of an English muffi n or a tortilla with a slice of cheese. Make your own option that does not include sweets or other calories.
6. Set a routine that includes apparel options and healthy breakfasts. For example, Mondays you wear the black pants and shirt and have egg and cheese burritos, or choose an outfi t and breakfast option the night before so it doesn’t seem like such a chore. You won’t spend all your time deciding what to wear when you should be spending that time fi nding your shoes and maybe you won’t snarf a candy bar on the way out the door when you could have had something warm and nutritious.
7. MOST IMPORTANTLY, go to bed earlier. You will be much more ready to face the day if you have a good night’s rest. Didn’t you listen when your mother told you this years ago or when you tell that to your children every night.

01/13/2023

09/27/2022

The Truth About The Birds And The Bees
Consider the bounty we enjoy here in Iowa. Our grains, vegetables and fruit help feed the world. We grow food for ourselves, our neighbors and our animals and livestock.
Much of the credit for this bounty belongs to the tiniest creatures: Pollinators. Birds, bees, butterflies, moths and bats pollinate over 75% of the worlds flowering plants. Honeybees alone pollinate $19 billion worth of crops in just the United States alone.
It seems that pollinator populations are in decline which is concerning to say the least. There are a number of factors that are contributing to this decline, which is a topic for another day. Today, in appreciation for their contribution, we use this space to list some interesting facts about the birds and the bees and the butterflies and bats
• The reason bees are so noisy is because they beat their wings 11,400 times in one minute!
• Eating honey makes you smarter! It has an antioxidant that improves brain functions.
• Only female bees have stingers.
• There are species of Monarch butterflies that migrate the thousands of miles to Mexico and southern California and those that do not migrate at all.
• While birds and bats feast on butterflies – most do not eat Monarch butterflies – they are toxic and taste horrible
• Without bats, say goodbye to bananas, avocados and mangoes.
• Each bat’s wings have a unique design, like a finger print
• Hummingbirds are native only to the Americas. They have good eyesight but a poor sense of smell.
• Birds not only drink nectar from flowers but they eat the pollen. Pollen sticks to the birds, which is spread when the go from flower to flower.
• Butterflies use their feet to taste.

08/18/2022

We all scream for …..
It is crucial to be fully informed when making important decisions about what kind of frozen treat to eat. And, what about toppings, cone or cup, regular cone or waffle cone….
First know your “ice cream”:
Regular Ice Cream – contains milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings. US ice cream is required to have at least 10% milk fat. Check ingredients list for other additives. The FDA now says a serving of Ice Cream is 2/3 of a cup 6 oz.
Frozen Custard – this ingredient list must include at least 1.4% pasteurized egg yolk along with the milk, cream and sugar. The mixture must be cooked to thicken it before being frozen. This makes for a richer creamier texture. The amount of fat in custard is only slightly more as the egg yolk is only 1.4% of the mixture.
Soft Ice Cream – This treat generally has less milk fat 3-6% and has more air incorporated while churning resulting in a softer creamier texture.
Gelato- This European treat has less milk fat, 5-6%, less sugar, and less air. The Gelato churning process incorporates much less air giving it a denser consistency, and the lower sugar and fat make it more intensely flavored and creamier than regular ice cream. It is also served at a warmer temperature.
Frozen Yogurt – “Froyo” is made from Yogurt which is cultured milk, 2 to 4% depending on kind of milk used. Yogurt has a tangier flavor which lends itself to more toppings and mix-ins so the thing to be aware of is the amount of sugar already in the Yogurt and the amount in the toppings/mix-ins.
Sherbet – Shur-bet not shur-burt. Sherbet is a much lighter frozen treat being that is mostly fruit and sugar and less than 2% milk fat according to the FDA. This type of mixtures lends itself better to fruit flavors or mint.
Sorbet – should not be confused with Sherbet, as it contains no milk fat. It consists of fruit, fruit juice, and sugar that is churned while being frozen for a softer texture.
2 tbls choc syrup-105 calories
Regular cone – 16 calories
Waffle cone – 210 calories
2 tbls sprinkles-107 calories
1 cherry for the top – 8 calories.
Cup and spoon – zero calories.
Your choice of optimum flavor combinations may take months/years of research- enjoy! No need for “Screaming”.

07/21/2022

Hats off to Willis Carrier

Willis Carrier is widely recognized as the Father of Modern Air Conditioning. One of his first tasks as an engineer was to improve air quality at a lithography and publishing company. The challenge was that the paper would expand and contract with the humidity level making it nearly impossible to perform the multi-step printing process of color lithographs. His theory was that humid air can be made drier by passing it through water. The fabrication of his drawings became the first modern air conditioning. Refinements to his original plans resulted in a U.S. Patent for “Apparatus For Treating Air” in 1906. It became necessary equipment in many manufacturing operations in the early part of the 20th century. His “Rational Psychrometric Formulae” is the foundation document for air conditioning design.
Thank Mr Carrier for his work when you get into your hot car this afternoon without cranking the A/C.
🌬🌬🌬

06/09/2022

SCHOOL IS OUT, IT'S TIME TO START SUMMER

School is out, Memorial Day has come and gone, its time to start doing summer stuff. We can probably all agree that keeping it local will be the most cost-effective way to stretch your summer fun money.
Make a list, add some family friendly and adults only events, sign up for summer reading programs at the library, take a class, be sure to do some nature stuff, don’t forget to add in a new kind of food that you haven’t tasted before….
Here are a few websites full of local summer activities.
https://www.catchdesmoines.com/things-to-do/top-things-to-do/summer/
https://www.catchdesmoines.com/sports/sport-events-calendar/
https://www.eventbrite.com/d/united-states--iowa/all-events/

05/20/2022

Iowa Weather Whys
Why are plants greener after a thunderstorm?
Lightening breaks up nitrogen bonds(78% of the atmosphere) so that they can more readily combine with oxygen(21% of the atmosphere). This new compound, nitric oxide, is water soluble. It soaks into the ground so that it is more easily absorbed by plants. Nitrogen, the main ingredient in most fertilizer, stimulates plants to produce chlorophyll. Chlorophyll makes plants green and is a part of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process green plants use to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide, soil and water. Oxygen is generated as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
Why does the air smell after a thunderstorm?
Petrichor – the smell of the air after a storm.
Petrichor is composed of a combination of things. When lightning strikes, the bonds of atoms of nitrogen and oxygen are broken and they combine to form Nitric Oxide and Ozone (O3). Rain drops carry the Ozone atoms down to the soil. The Ozone contributes to the smell along with Geosmin(compound released by bacteria in the soil when rain falls) along with plant oils.
Petrichor can be detected by the human nose in 5 parts per trillion.
It is safe to stay in your car during a lightening storm but not a flood or a tornado.
During a lightning storm it is safe to talk on a cell phone but not a land line.
What is the Correct Method to Calculate Lightning Distance
The following table is the correct Flash-to-Bang estimations calculated based on the speed of sound at sea level:
If thunder is heard The lightning is . . .
5 seconds after a flash 1 mile away
10 seconds after a flash 2 miles away
15 seconds after a flash 3 miles away
20 seconds after a flash 4 miles away
25 seconds after a flash 5 miles away
30 seconds after a flash 6 miles away
NOAA and the National Weather Service recommend seeking immediate shelter when lightning is 6 miles or less of your location.

Now you are ready to play a little “Weather Jeopardy” with your coworkers or family members. Save the “Flash to Bang” answers for “Final Jeopardy”