Dog abuse

Dogs are said to be man’s best friend. Many humans love them, and treat them as part of a family. Sadly, according to “Dog Abuse Facts”, recorded by the 'abuse database', reveal that more than half of the 12,000 cases of animal abuse account for Dog Abuse. Fortunately, there are several dog shelters and rescue groups as well as other humane organizations which are fully committed to the treatment and welfare of abused dogs.

Dogs are abused in different ways in different countries. In some countries, they are grown just so that they can be eaten up. They are sold to the butchers and are killed in merciless manners. There are many places where dog meat is a delicacy and many groups are demanding that dog meat be banned. There are other places where the owner of the dogs is ignorant of the dog's needs and keep the dog just for torturing. The dogs are not fed; short chains are tied tightly around the neck and so on. The dogs are beaten mercilessly and left to die. Sometimes the owners don't allow the dog to die but just keep it so that he/she can torture it more. There are puppy mills where dogs are kept only for giving birth to puppies and then these puppies are sold. These puppy mills makes the female dogs give birth continuously until they are unable to produce. There are sports played with dogs like dog fights where the dogs eventually kill each other. Human beings force them to and then make money from them.

I am extremely horrified to see dogs, especially puppies, being abused in such brutal manner. In some cases, they are thrown and slammed on the ground, until they can no longer move, as their legs have been broken. They are then mercilessly beaten by wooden sticks and metal rods, until they die. I feel that these abusers are heartless monsters, and sick, horrible humans. Has anyone thought them to love and care? Why do they have to torture such small, helpless creatures? Although these puppies are unable to defend themselves, they have the help of animal rescue organizations. I am happy that there are a lot of rescue teams that are working hard to save such animals and try to give them better environment to live in. many countries have laws against dog abuse but they are effective only in few places. Dog abuse and puppy abuse along with abuses on other animals need to be taken more seriously ad dealt with sternly. Animals deserve to live on this earth as much as we human beings do.

I feel that in order to stop dog abuse, everyone has to do their part. We should all play a part in stopping dog abuse by spreading the word. This can be done by starting groups on the social platform, e.g. facebook , Friendster. We can also set up websites, which can help educate people on dog abuse. Lastly, we can also spread the word among our friends, family and relatives.

Dog Fashion

Dog fashion. Some say their unnecessary, others say they are useful. So, do they or do they not benefit dogs? If so, how do they benefit dogs?

In the recent years the demand for dog fashion is on the rise. Many people have a strong relationship with their dogs, and cannot help but to spoil them, therefore they splurge on dog expenses like clothes, food, collars, and accessories.

The range of dog fashion is wide. Their clothes can be categorized in many categories : sweaters and coats, Big Dog Clothing, Sports clothing, and Pajamas. They also have a vast amount of accessories which in clued: hats, shoes, rubber bands, clips, goggles, ribbons, and collars. The different clothes and accessories are also made up of different materials, like leather, fur, cotton, and wool. As you can see, dog fashion, is quite similar to those of ours.

Dog fashion also has very unique designs which can suit the personalities of dogs. For example a black, leather collar, with spikes around it, may suit a tough dog like a German shepherd. While a sweet polka dotted black dress may fit a maltese. Dogs, like humans also have different fashion trends, ranging from country and princess to safari prints and denim.

So, to answer our main question, we should first ask ourselves: How does fashion affect us? I feel that we can categorize fashion in 2 different categories, form and function.

We all know that dog clothes are fashionable, they have different patterns and colors, textures and shape. However, are they functional?

The answer is YES. Dogs are suited for different climates. Some for warm climates, and others for cold climates. When dogs from warm climates move to cold climates, they will feel cold. Therefore, it is important to keep them warm. Hence, clothing, like jackets and coats are use to protect the dog from the cold temperatures. And when dogs from However, when dog from cold countries, move to warmer countries, they may over heat, hence they may require accessories to clip and pin up their fur. Dog clothing will also protect dogs from germs and cuts.

Did you also know that dog clothes have been used in the military and law enforcement for decades to keep dogs safe from attacks and the environment? Even a thin layer like a t-shirt with a cute saying can help your dog stay warmer. As your dog ages their metabolism slows down and they aren't able to stay outside in the cold as long.

However some may argue that the cost of dog shirts are too expensive, and are not worth the money. Yes, no doubt the clothing may be expensive, there are also other solutions. Why not tailor your own dog clothes? For my family, we use unwanted clothing and cloth material and send it to a tailor. We give the tailor the measurement of the circumference of our dog's neck and chest, just behind the front legs, as well as the length of her back from the neck to the tail.

Finding a companion for Bambi

When Bambi was about a year old, we actually toy with the idea of finding her a companion. So, we went on the internet to check for suitable breed of dog which would make good companion for Chihuahua. Given their small stature, it is advisable to get only small dog, such as toy poodle and of course, another Chihuahua would be ideal.

After much persuasion, my parents finally agreed to bring us to go to Pasir Ris Farmart to shop for another dog. Our first stop was back to the pet shop we bought Bambi, but unfortunately, it has folded up. We went to a few other pet shops to try to locate our “ideal” Chihuahua such as one with “apple head”, cream colour, big teary eyes and so on. It was not an easy task. We actually went to more than 5 shops before we chance upon “Belle”, a short-coat female Chihuahua with almost the same colour coat as Bambi. “Belle” was rather timid when I held her in my arms. She was a sweet little thing. We agreed to purchase her for a thousand dollar.

We were all excited to see how Bambi would react to Belle when we brought her home. Upon seeing Belle, Bambi started barking incessantly at her. She was obviously not taking well to Belle’s presence. We had to enclose Belle in a cage to protect her from Bambi and also to familiarize her with her new home before we allow her to explore. Sometime unfortunate happened the next day. My mum noticed that Belle had this funny behavior, as though she was chewing something in her mouth. She seemed to have no control over this strange movement in her jaw. We got a little worried and Mum called the pet shop owner. He told us not to be too concerned as this be a teething problem in puppies. We were told to observe her a few days. The strange jaw movement did not stop after 2 days, so my mum decided to bring Belle to the vet for a thorough check up. The diagnosis was born with an incontrollable muscular defect. My mum had no choice but to return her to the pet shop for a refund. According to mum, Belle actually cried in the car on the way back to Pasir Ris Farmart. It was as though she knew we had to give her up.

Champion, a female Jack Russell, was the second dog we tried adopting as a companion for Bambi. Champion’s owner had to give her up as her grandson was suffering from asthma. As we were unsure if Bambi could get along with Champion, we told the owner we would like Champion stay with us for a couple of days before we decide on the adoption. Champion was a lovely dog. Though she was much bigger in size than Bambi, she was kind of afraid of Bambi. Again, Bambi did not seem to like the presence of Champion. Her behavior towards her was territorial and unfriendly. She would bark at Champion and scratch her belly whenever Champion went near my mum. My dad thought that Champion was too big to handle and her barking was also shrill. We were afraid that our neighbours would be unhappy with her barking. Champion stayed with us for two days. At the end of the two days, we decided that she was not suitable for Bambi and returned her to her owner.

Looks like our attempt to find Bambi a companion had failed again. Never mind, perhaps one day, the right dog will come along.

My dog, My companion, My sister

My mother often jokingly tells her friend that she has three children. The eldest, being my sister, followed by me and lastly, our dog sister whom we “adopted” three years’ ago. My mum’s youngest “dogter” is a Chihuahua we bought from Pasir Ris Farm Mart. We have an instant connection with this little puppy when we chanced upon her in the pet shop. We decided to name her “Bambi” because she has such big teary eyes.

Bambi has been with us for three years and has brought many moments of joy to the family. Just like any other puppy, she took a while to settle down in her new home. Bambi was extremely demure and quite in her first week with us. We once thought she was mute because she did not bark at all. She finally broke her silence when my dad took away her food before she could finish. That marks the beginning of her endless “yelping” in the estate.

Chihuahuas are known to be fussy eaters. Bambi is no different. My mum tried out a variety of dog food, but Bambi would get sick and tired of them within a week if given the same food at every meal. My mother eventually resorted to preparing home-cooked food (a concoction of carrots, potatoes and pork) for Bambi and she seems to like it so far.

Everyone in the family treats her like a baby, even my maid. Bambi’s first T-shirt was bought by my maid at the Japanese Daiso department store for two dollars. It fitted her very well and she seems to like wearing clothes as well. It is quite difficult to find clothes for Bambi due to her petite stature, so my mum recycled some of our T-shirts by getting an aunty friend at the market who could sew very well and she ingeniously transformed them into new clothes for Bambi.

Bambi is also my alarm clock in the morning. She seems to have a biological clock in her body that tells her to wake me up after my sister has finished washing up in the morning. Dogs are perhaps creatures of habit. Last Monday, I did not have to go to school because of E-learning. My dog, nevertheless, did her job diligently the same time in the morning. My mum had to stop her and tell her that her big brother does not need to go to school that day, or otherwise I would have to bear her endless licking on my face.

I cannot imagine a day without Bambi. I look forward to going home from school every day to see Bambi as without fail, she would wait at the door for me when I return home. She seems to have this special ability to sense that we are nearby even before we take the lift up to our home. This is perhaps God’s special gift to dogs.

A dog's devotion

I am sure most of us have heard that dogs are man’s best friend. One can only appreciate and fully understand the meaning of this if he or she has kept a dog before. Recently, I watched a heart-wrenching movie about the relationship between a dog named “Hachi” and his owner,a University Professor.

The 2007-set framing story starts with 11-year-old Ronnie telling his class why his grandfather's dog Hachi embodies heroism. Parker Wilson, a University Professor finds the pooch on the local train platform one cold winter night. It's love at first sight. Sure that someone will claim the animal, Parker hauls it to the large home he shares with wife Cate. He put up various notices, trying to help the pup locate its owner but to no avail. Although initially reluctant to keep the dog, parker’s wife is ultimately persuaded that the pup should stay when she sees her hubby on his hands and knees as he models the art of fetching. The dog gets his name when Parker's Japanese colleague Ken, translates the tag on its collar as Hachi, the Japanese word for "eight."

After an unidentified length of time passes, Hachi appears fully grown and a bit more obedient. He accompanies Parker to the train station and returns again to escort him home every day. The town's many commuters, as well as station ticket agent Carl and hot-dog vendor Jasjeet , regularly witness the pair's mutual affection. When the day comes that Parker doesn't get off the train, Hachi is unable to process the notion that his master will not return. For 10 years, progressively more broken in body, he stands vigil at the station, his fidelity inspiring newspaper celebrity and subsequent donations for his care. Hachi finally gets to meet the spirit of his master after his death. What a moving story about a dog’s undying devotion to its master even after his death.

I have talked about my pet dog, Bambi in my earlier blog posting. Bambi is really a bundle of joy to all my family members. She never fails to wait at the door for us when we return home. Bambi sleeps with my mum and she will never go to bed if my mum is not home. Like Hachi, she is a faithful dog and indeed, man’s best friend. I cannot imagine the day when Bambi has to say goodbye to us. She is only three now and small dogs are known to have longer lifespan than big dogs. With proper care, I hope she could live to a ripe old age of perhaps 15 years old. She is part of our family and we try her like one of our siblings. To her, we are everything.

Dogs. Where did they come from?

In all my life, I have kept various pets, which include: Rats, fish, birds, lobsters, and dogs . However, I still feel that dogs are the best pets as they make good companions, they can adapt to different lifestyles. Dogs are also extremely smart, and loyal. Although dogs may seem fierce and protective, they are also cute and cuddly creatures. A treat or a pat is enough to get them to go on their belly.

To understand dogs better, we should also look at their ancestors, the wolf. Yes, according to scientist, dogs actually originated from the wolf. Therefore dogs are also known to have behaviours similar to their wolf counterparts. Like the wolf, dogs are extremely territorial; hence they will mark their territory with their scent. Usually, dogs would use their urine a scent-marker. Another behavior trait which is seen in both dogs and wolfs are the fact that they always have a leader, the alpha male. The alpha males command the pack, and likewise dogs will also look for their “alpha” male in the household, in most cases it would be the father of the family. The dog will always obey the alpha male, and is always seen to be very obedient when with the alpha male. Lastly, dogs and wolfs have similar expression used to show their emotion. For example, Fear ,when a dog or wolf is suspicious or frightened it will attempt to make itself look small and less conspicuous; the ears will lie flat against the head, and the tail may be tucked between the legs.

Up to date, The American Kennel Club officially recognizes 150 different breeds of dogs. Different breeds have their unique characteristics. The difference between breeds can be very extreme, for example, a the world tallest dog, Certified by the Guiness Book of World Records, is Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane, who measured 107 cm. While on the other hand The smallest dog in terms of length is Heaven Sent Brandy, a female Chihuahua who measured just 15.2 cm from the nose to the tip of the tail!

Dogs also have different needs, depending on their breed. Some require more grooming, while others may require skin care. Different dogs have different life span and illnesses. Some are more prone to breaking their bones, while others are more prone to back injuries.

Dogs have been one of the oldest domesticated pets in history. They are able to serve the various needs of humans, be it a family, an old couple, young children, or someone who is single. They bond very well with their owners. And very often, the owner and dog are very attached to each other, and are almost inseparable.

I feel that it is very important for all dog owners to treat their dog well, and be responsible. In the recent years, there has been an increase in the number of dogs being abandoned by their owner. The main reason is because the dog has become more of a hassle to the family. And the family can no longer take care of the dog. However, I feel that this is reason is not valid. When someone adopts a dog, the dog has become a family member, and we should never abandon our family members when they are in need.

“To you he may be just a dog, but to him you are everything”…

Project website ( product outcome)

What a relief! Our project website is finally done! What has seemed like an impossible feat has now become possible. The website now consist of a main page, with our introductory video right in the middle of screen, followed by 4 links at the bottom. Namely :Quiz,Info, Blog, and credits.

I am quite satisfied with the outcome, as i have been working on this product for more than a month, and now, with every thing coming together, the website has truly become educational and interactive ( the main aim of our website) . However, despite me being in a temporary state of euphoria, i still have to get back to work, as the website still has some minor bloopers (eg. spelling error and FTP errors).

Here are some screen shots of our website :



that's all for now! Thank you

Task 2 Home Learning

1) Point of View

In this poem, the point of view is from an American soldier, presumably Hubert Wilson himself. Although we cannot fully conclude that Hubert Wilson was the one narrating the poem, we can safely assume that the poem was narrated by an American soldier.

This is because, by analyzing the background of this poem, we would know that the poem was set in Da Nang, a place in Vietnam, where American soldiers fought during the Vietnam war . Therefore, we know that American soldiers are involved.

However, as we read the poem, we realize that the person narrating the story, is actually criticizing his own country, America. This can be seen, in the poem , where it states " America did not foresee " , "Now thinking twice?" and Nefariously America was led astray ". These evidence suggest that the poet himself is critical about the effects that war brings. Whether or not he is on the winning side, or the losing side, he knows that the innocent lives would be loss on both sides.


(2) Situation and Setting
The setting of the poem is in Da Nang , part of vietnam.This poem was probably written during the 1970's period, during the vietnam war, where american soldiers attacked vietnam.

Da nang was a place that was highly contaminated with "agent Orange". Agent orange was an extremely harmful as death, birth defects, and genetic diseases. According to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects

The situation in the poem is when the American soldiers are spraying agent orange onto their own soldiers unknowingly. This can be seen in "Execrable effects of agent orange spray" .


(3) Language/Diction

The poem does not contain much literary devices. But it has some descriptive vocabulary, and extended metaphors.

"potpourri" - description

in the 1st stanza the poet states "Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!"

potpourri refers to a collection of various things; an assortment, mixed bag or motley; An anthology of miscellaneous prose; A medley of songs or music; A mixture of .

In this poem the poet is trying to describe the colour of the agent orange spray, and the other gases. He describes them as a mix of a variety of colour, like a "rainbow"

However, it is quite ironic that the poet uses the word death, beside potpourri. As a potpourri is usually vibrant and diverse, something that is beautiful and perhaps elegant. Yet the author places the word potpourri together with the word "death", which is something gloomy and dull.

"rainbow Death" - extended metaphor, and irony

The title rainbow death, is an extended metaphor for the act of spraying agent orange. This is because the spraying of agent orange is usually very colourful and vibrant. Therefore the word "rainbow" refers to the colour of the agent orange, while the word death refers to the effects of agent orange.

However, the title is also ironic, as rainbow, is something that is colourful and vibrant. A rainbow is an intagible object that gives a very positive connotation. However the word death on the other hand, has a negative connotation.

(4) Personal Response
In conclusion i think that the poet is trying to spread the message of how innocent people, weather on the winning side or the losing side in a war, are affected. He is trying to say that everybody is affected by war, even on both sides. Sometimes, allies even hurt each other, due to their rash actions and bad decisions. And even though the innocent people suffer, and die, they are not remembered at all. They are just left to die in the middle of the battle field. Therefore i think that this poem is trying to paint the brutality of war and the effects of war.

Home learning assignment Task 1

Rainbow Death

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread!
Nefariously America was led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!



Hubert Wilson, USA

Hubert wilson was involved in the Vietnam War , he served in the USAF Security Service. He was then sent to Da Nang (an Agent Orange hotspot) in the 6924th Security Squadron. As Da Nang was regularly sprayed with agent orange , the environment was contaminated and it affected hubert wilson's health. His health problems eventually got worse, through out the war. At first it was only headaches and limb pains, then followed by the deterioration of his central nervous system ,and then he started to experience spasms and severe headaches. However, nobody could detect any specific medical conditions. Therefore, Hubert Wilson was not able to receive any medical assistance from the doctor.

In the poem, Rainbow death refers to the "Agent orange Spray" .Agent orange was a chemical substance used during the Vietnamese war against Vietnam. Agent orange was a herbicide and defoliant- contaminated with TCDD or Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin). Approximately 4.8million Vietnamese were affected by Agent Orange and which resulted in about 400,000 deaths among the Vietnamese people and many more babies deformed at birth.

Therefore, in conclusion, i think that Hubert Wilson was just trying to describe, the horrible effects of war the agent orange spray. As the agent orange spray, not just caused the innocent soldiers to suffer, but also the next generation of off springs to come.

Projects day

The preliminary rounds for Project's day is around the corner, and everyone is gearing up for work. This year, project's Day is going to be a though one for me because i am taking on a whole new category "resource development". I chose this category as I thought that it matched my skill, and also at the same time, I was being offered a group, an extremely hard working, efficient, group. Therefore I decided to give this category a try. Before we commence the project, we had a lot of dispute, over the content of the project, as resource is a category which has millions of possibilities. However we soon settled and decided on doing about the Mayan civilization.As our project must be kept a secret, I cannot reveal too much on our final product. However , what I can reveal is my role in this project. My role in the group, is to be a web and graphic designer. I personally like this role a lot as I think I am able to carry out the job.

From my experience, I know that in order to have a successful project, the key is to start early. Therefore, over the weekend, I have began to draw some pictures of mayan gods. To be honest, I find these gods/goddess, rather interesting, as each of them have a story behind their origins.

So, here are some pictures of work :



Kinich Ahau (the one above)
Kinich Ahau was the Sun god. He was the patron god of the city Itzamal. Supposedly, he visited the city at noon everday. He would descend as a macaw and consume prepared offerings. Kinich Ahau is usually shown with jaguar-like features (ex. filed teeth). Kinich Ahau also wears the symbol of Kin, a Mayan day. Kinich Ahau was also know by the name Ah Xoc Kin, who was associated with poetry and music.

Chac (the one below)
In Maya mythology, Chac (sometimes spelled "Chaac") was the god of rain and thunder, and important as a fertility and agriculture god. Like some other Maya gods, Chac was sometimes thought of as one god, and other times as 4 separate gods based in the four cardinal directions: "Chac Xib Chac", Red Chac of the East; "Sac Xib Chac", White North Chac; "Ek Xib Chac" Black West Chac", and "Kan Xib Chac", Yellow East Chac.

In art, he was sometimes depicted as an old man with some reptilian or amphibian features, with fangs and a long nose, sometimes tears coming from his eyes (symbolizing rain) and carrying an axe (which caused thunder). He was associated with the frog. Other Maya terms used to refer to Chac include Ah Tzenul, ("he who gives food away to other people"), Hopop Caan ("he who lights the sky"), and Ah Hoya ("he who urinates").Names for the Rain God in other Mesoamerican cultures include Cocijo (Zapotec) and Tlaloc (Aztec).

While most of the ancient Mesoamerican gods are long forgotten by the descendants of the original inhabitants today, prayers to the Chaacs, most generally as a routine and not in times of drought, are documented in Yucatán as continuing into the 21st century among nominal Christian Maya farmers. Anthropologists have documented other prayers still in use which are identical to pre-Columbian prayers to Chac except that the name Chac has been replaced by that of Saint Thomas.Chac should not be confused with the Maya-Toltec figure Chac Mool.

information taken from : http://www.crystalinks.com/mayangods.html

Task B Final part

I feel that maycomb is a fairly good place to live in.This is because ,although there seems to be a lot of prejudice going around,there are also people who are very brave and who are against racism.(eg. Atticus, Culpurnia).People like these, help make a difference and fight for justice, as they are able to help spread the word against racism and prejudice. I also feel that maycomb is a very good place for learning, children do not learn through the education system, but through their experiences and observation. This encourages children to develop their moral and physical courage, and thus allow them to form their own mindset on particular issues (eg. racism). Albeit many people may see maycomb as a uneducated, backwards, old fashioned, poor, dirty town, I do not agree with their views, as i feel that they are generalizing the entire town. Every town or country has its bad side and good side, and we should not only look from a negative perspective. Maycomb it self has a lot of brave, honest people. like Tom Robinson, Atticus, Ms maudie, calpurnia, and helpful people like Boo radley.

English task B part 2

Intrapersonal

a. Who would you want to be friends with in the novel? Explain.
I would definitely want to be friends with Scout. I feel that scout has an interesting personality, and is naïve. She is straight forward and is very friendly. She is also very approachable, once you get to know her .To me, I feel that scout is extremely curious and smart, and loves to go on adventures. I would like to meet her as, I feel that she reminds me of myself when I was younger ( not the point about being a tomboy), because when I was younger, I would like to play games such as hide and seek, and go to places like pulau ubin , parks, and beaches. I feel extremely happy to be out in the open and experience Mother Nature. I feel that I will clique very well with scout, as our personalities are very similar.

English task B

Naturalist:

a. Do a research on the natural habitat of mockingbird. In your research, include the kind of flora and fauna you think exist in Maycomb and explain why the mockingbirds live in Maycomb.

A mocking bird best known for the habit of mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. The mockingbird is gray on top and white on its underside. It has white patches on its wings that look like bars; a long black tail with white outer feathers and a long, slender bill. Males and females look alike.

Habitat

Mockingbirds are one of the few birds found in every kind of habitat, from desert to forest to city. They live in open country with thickets, farmland and desert brush. Mockingbirds like open areas rather than dense woodlands. Found in suburban yards, orchards, parks. The northern mockingbird is distributed widely and it has extended its range much farther north in recent years. They range throughout North America from southern Canada south to Mexico. They even have been introduced and established in Hawaii. Mockingbirds live year-around across Texas.

Maycomb

According to the book I feel that Maycomb has a hot and humid climate, therefore I would infer that the types of flora in maycomb would include

Canna

Canna (or Canna lily, although not a true lily) is a genus of nineteen species of flowering plants. The closest living relations to cannas are the other plant families of the order Zingiberales that is the gingers, bananas, marantas, heliconias, strelitzias, etc. The species have large, attractive foliage and horticulturists have turned it into a large-flowered, brash, bright and sometimes gaudy, garden plant. In addition, it is one of the world's richest starch sources, and is an agricultural plant.

Azaleas

Azaleas are flowering shrubs making up part of the genus Rhododendron. Originally azaleas were classed as a different genus of plant, but now they are recognized as two of the eight subgenera of rhododendrons - Pentanthera (deciduous) and Tsutsuji (evergreen). Azaleas bloom in spring, in damp mountainous places, their flowers dying only a few weeks later. They do not need as much sun as other plants; they live near trees and sometimes under them. Azalea is also the flower of the astrology symbol Sagittarius

Camellias

Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are native to eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. Camellias have a fast growth rate. Typically they will grow about 30 centimetres a year until mature although this varies depending on variety and location.

Snow-on-the-mountain

Euphorbia marginata, snow-on-the-mountain, smoke-on-the-prairie, variegated spurge, whitemargined spurge, is a small shrub in the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family native to parts of temperate North America The plant has grey-green leaves along branches and smaller leaves in terminal whorls with edges trimmed with wide white bands, creating, together with the white flowers, the appearance that gives the plant its common names.

I feel that animals such deers , bobcat, beaver, muskrat, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel, inhabit maycomb, as maycomb is extremely suitable for these animals

Why do mocking birds live in maycomb?

· Maycomb has a lot of grassy areas for mocking birds to feed on

· thick, thorny shrubs for hiding the nest

· high perches where the male can sing and defend his territory.

· Gardens for mocking birds to dwell about