<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[K-force]]></title><description><![CDATA[Applied Botany]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 02:59:23 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Let a Tree See You *]]></title><description><![CDATA[Solstice Magnificence.  Have you ever seen so many blooms on a Catalpa Tree?  This is the Northern Catalpa, Catalpa speciosa.  Speciosa, meaning 'showy', Pottersville, NJ, June 22, 2026. The wood is soft, like white pine, light and easy to work with. It does not rot easily. Modern uses highlight the wood's beautiful grain via furniture, interior trim and cabinetry. Catalpa has one of the lowest shrinkage/expansion rates of any U.S. hardwood; only northern white cedar and redwood have lower...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/let-a-tree-see-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a450a2ebe27582c36af5b2d</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:05:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_f22aafa691224a179e19f35e65d202c7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Soul of a Tree]]></title><description><![CDATA["For humankind the trees -- their roots in the ground, their heads reaching into the sky -- have seemed always to bind together the universe.  But throughout the ages, humankind has looked to the trees to feed not only the flesh, but the spirit.  It was beneath a tree, said to have been a fig, that Gautama Buddha had his Night of Illumination. Then he meditated for seven days under the sacred Bodhi tree, then another seven days under a great banyan, and a third seven days under the tree of...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/the-soul-of-a-tree</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a32ae169b47a7f91ae64143</guid><pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:43:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_b4e432b6f843478c991d9cc64eb0ccd7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I'll take a pair of Peonies with a Side of Ants]]></title><description><![CDATA[The idea that ants "dance" on peony buds to help them bloom is a long-standing gardening myth with no scientific basis.  The belief likely evolved because ants are seen crawling over peony buds just before they open.  Peonies produce sweet nectar from nectaries located just outside the green sepals (the outer protective layer before petals unfurl.)   A nectary is a specialized organ that produces and releases nectar to attract pollinators. The nectar is irresistible to ants which feed on it...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/i-ll-take-a-pair-of-peonies-with-a-side-of-ants</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a22c53114f1bdc719648ce6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:59:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_5c807b4656cc44748bf5877a73296df1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_800,h_521,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Coaling in the Pinelands]]></title><description><![CDATA[Kirby's Mill, built 1778, Church and Fostertown Roads, Medford, was the last commercial operating mill in New Jersey.  Another Pinelands treasure. Applied Botany offered the essay, Cooking Conifers, in January 2025.  It included historic uses for pine tar and the example given was the manner in which the Vikings made pine tar resin for waterproofing their ships and, eventually, the ancient stave churches which, to this day, exhale a piney fragrance.   At that time, I didn't know I would enjoy...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/coaling-in-the-pinelands</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0702da0b9e4f37fd2487b4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 12:20:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_a1635c7f0502443292f3a5b1bd0e1426~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_958,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Turning to Windmills]]></title><description><![CDATA[It's thrilling to learn about Windmills.  They are historical artifacts as well as symbols of Dutch* culture and identity. The heart of their story begins with Dutch Resourcefulness. This admirable national trait appeals to many. During a 1980's trip to Amsterdam, our local guide told us a joke, at his expense:  "Why don't the Dutch have refrigerators?  Because how do they know the light goes off when the door is closed?"  He gave a nod towards Dutch frugality and a self-deprecating approval...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/turning-to-windmills</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f49992edf5696920d1af3a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 13:27:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_3c93ffc0ba314cf6aa6334ffcd10905e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_800,h_457,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[For Peat's Sake]]></title><description><![CDATA[Sphagnum moss, a principal component of peat. A theme springing from the Netherlands has taken hold...an initial tulip-inspired mini-obsession.  Funny...the power of bulbs. In reading about how the resourceful Dutch grew their country from the sea, the topic of Peat appeared and wanted its own attention before I was given leave to move onto Windmills. At the beginning of the 17th century, much of the Netherlands was under water, with a coastline that varied from year to year depending on...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/for-peat-s-sake</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69e22a3d0c8d230c9e8cc3c0</guid><pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:32:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_074ce6747cc84515aa5b1a1d124072ca~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_940,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["Leave the beaten track behind occasionally...]]></title><description><![CDATA["A Stream in Springtime" by Frits Thaulow, 1847- 1906, Norwegian Impressionist painter. ...and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before, and something worth thinking about to occupy your mind.  All really big discoveries are the result of thought."  Alexander Graham Bell in his 1914 address to the graduating class of the Friend's School in Washington, D.C.]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/leave-the-beaten-track-behind-occasionally</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64249fe1e83340a0193d4323</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:38:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_9718aab74dab4b37874111df589fd974~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_843,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tulip ~ Semper Augustus]]></title><description><![CDATA[This is a modern variety which mimics 'Semper Augustus'.  The tulip of old, bearing that name, is considered extinct.  Tulip bulbs along with other plants, such as potatoes, peppers and tomatoes, came to Europe in the 16th century.  Turkish people were the first to collect and cultivate tulip bulbs. These were distributed from Vienna to Augsburg, Antwerp and Amsterdam.  Their popularity and cultivation in The Netherlands started in earnest around 1593, after the Dutch East India trading...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/tulip-~-semper-augustus</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bde4639b4f1678f0826e1c</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:35:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_51e8dcc124804323b5605fda90cd7b80~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nature...our first teacher]]></title><description><![CDATA[Blue Wood Anemone with Birch  Blue Anemones or  Blåsippor  are a beautiful wildflower that blooms in Sweden every spring.  They belong to the Ranunculus family and are known for their early blooming, often occurring as early as April, and are a clear sign of the arrival of spring.  These flowers are native to Scandinavia and thrive in forests, pastures, and alkaline soil, rich in calcium carbonate. They have a unique appearance with blue, red-blue, or white petals and large, dark green,...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/nature-our-first-teacher</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69aadef048ed77c778266169</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:12:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_85ea5c060c4e4950adc45a05c57e1384~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_704,h_960,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tilia americana and the Empire State Carousel]]></title><description><![CDATA[With apologies to the Basswood Tree, formally known as Tilia americana, I must open with a photo of the Empire State Carousel, "a museum you can ride on".*  This carousel is a joyful tribute to the traditions of New York State and a sterling showcase for the skills of its craftspeople, the extraordinary product of many hands, many minds, and many years. "The finished carousel is a far, far grander creation than I thought possible. The reason for that is quite simple - instead of limiting...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/tilia-americana-and-the-empire-state-carousel</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69986801ab826e5a529de5bf</guid><pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:49:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_e4eb30c201054397951f0d91b5738466~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_720,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Juniperus communis]]></title><description><![CDATA[Looking into the qualities of Juniper, one finds much more than expected under the health assist column. 1   Juniper "berries" take 3 years to ripen, starting out green, turning to blue and then to deep purple.  Once dried, they darken to blue-black.  The juniper berry is not a true berry because it is a female seed cone.  Unlike true berries, which develop from the ovaries of flowering plants (angiosperms), the berries are modified seed cones with fleshy and fused scales, giving them a...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/juniperus-communis</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6985e00de14322a9a91171db</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:23:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_c054054103e549ebbb673c8cfff9316f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Schwenkfelder Saffron]]></title><description><![CDATA[Crocus sativus gives us this Saffron grown in Lancaster Co, Pennsylvania, which blooms in October, not in Spring. With a few additions, this comes from James Beard's 1974 cookbook, "Beard on Food":     'Saffron can be found in the cuisines of Spain, Italy, southern France, Iran, and India and, oddly enough, in that of our own Pennsylvania Dutch country.  How it became a part of that thrifty Germanic farmhouse cooking is rather an interesting story.  In 1734 it was brought over by the...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/schwenkfelder-saffron</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6970cd5c81cbae04bd6242b2</guid><pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:28:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_936b545bbfb64cce9566f9a01e4696e2~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_810,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Morning Glories and Marigolds]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over three years of writing stories I've learned to love the ordinary.  But nothing is ordinary, including these garden flowers.  Happy New Year to you and your dear ones.  Thanks for reading.]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/morning-glories-and-marigolds</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6957f451edad85458dd866d6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:47:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_bc0bff21d7f548fea11db263729e9f54~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_810,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Holly &#38; the Winter Slide]]></title><description><![CDATA[This beauty is Ilex aquifolium, the common European holly often referred to as English holly used in Christmas wreaths, decorations and pictured on holiday cards. English holly grows throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of the world.  It includes species of trees, shrubs, and climbers with evergreen or deciduous foliage and with flowers so small and inconspicuous, one might not notice them. The plants are generally slow growing with some species reaching 82 feet tall.  Plants in...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/holly-the-winter-slide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69469ec23b8b6eb4129b2d12</guid><pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 14:30:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_9d7d66fd0cc64992bcccf9c38a732e9d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_683,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hauling Water ~ Chopping Wood]]></title><description><![CDATA["Natural Cosmetics have been the red thread running through my life since teenage days." This is a biography of esteemed Dr. Hauschka Esthetician, Gene Elaine Rodgers, who has worked in many areas of WALA Heilmittel, maker of Dr. Hauschka Skin Care.  She has happily made a study of her surroundings in Southern Germany going on 30 years.  Gene's story is one of a consummate student and is written in her voice unless indicated otherwise.  Karen wants to add:  Gene's life has been a bit of a...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/hauling-water-~-chopping-wood</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6934274b04019cd6c2cbe09c</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Dec 2025 14:42:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_d97afd5fa9474c5b8c6737abcd9b3807~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_960,h_720,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ripeness Is All]]></title><description><![CDATA[From James Beard's 1974 cookbook, 'Beard on Food':  "One of summer's greatest joys is to pick a sun-warmed, sun-ripened tomato from the vine, dust it off on your sleeve, and eat it like an apple.  Savor the wonderful taste of the juice and the seeds on your tongue, and you realize that in a tomato, ripeness is all." Upon hearing from a mutual friend that I write stories about plants, Karl suggested I read, "Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World" by William Alexander.  I borrowed the book from...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/ripeness-is-all</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6919d20a4f3bcdf75182b567</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2025 14:25:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_32bab43176704fef8ad4a1f65d2551d9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Rambo Apple]]></title><description><![CDATA[There is a mystery surrounding this apple, one that I didn't expect until consulting apple books written by two experts, whereupon, I became thoroughly confused.  I would have happily gone along in ignorance, referring to this apple as The Rambo.  But, no, that was not how it was gonna be.  There are two varieties of Rambo:  Summer and Winter. The apples you see pictured are green.  In the books of Tom Burford (known as "Professor Apple"), and Rowan Jacobsen, both varieties of Rambo apples...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/rambo-apple</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6907577c07f57e48208c2d09</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2025 13:59:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_270aa4fb645b4e2fbdb0eb49fe818cd7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_449,h_335,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Another Good Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[Sunrise by Carol* I rarely decide much in advance what plant to consider.  Plants usually suggest themselves one way or another.  Sometimes a theme appears having no connection to a plant but a color or form hints at a pairing. Friend and fellow Dr. Hauschka esthetician sent this photo from Cape Henlopen State Park which may be the most beautiful sunrise I've seen, in life or photo.  The display of colors is stunning and I wanted to find a complementary plant. Here comes Sea Holly which grows...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/another-good-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f2384e27064b4fa44dc9b5</guid><pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:12:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_0b3f382e134c4be48b843fa65c58d5fd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_640,h_480,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Swept Up by Broomcorn]]></title><description><![CDATA[Native to central Africa, "Broomcorn" is a variety of Sorghum that looks like corn (maize) but develops no ears and is used in making brooms.  Broomcorn became popular for making brooms sometime in the 1700's, replacing locally grown grasses and twigs.  At  the top of the stalk is the tassel, which is a "brush" of long fibers with seeds at the ends.  Broomcorn is self-pollinating.  The English used to call everything with a seed-head 'corn'.  These stiff fibers are bound tightly together to...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/swept-up-by-broomcorn</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68dfc6b1389c7e406c7e75d5</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:39:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_741330d157734e5182af558e0b8ef783~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_835,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Borrowed Light]]></title><description><![CDATA[Japanese Knotweed * A late summer trip to Cooperstown, New York brought learning opportunities and pleasures of spending time by Lake...]]></description><link>https://khilton14.wixsite.com/appliedbotany/post/borrowed-light</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68caa9ea345efb3a8834f1f7</guid><pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:47:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c0816f_0321e15a54794e809ff59f157119e809~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_883,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>khilton</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>