Honoring the Energetic Hummingbird

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

September 5, 2023

Did you know that the first Saturday in September is National Hummingbird Day? These small hovering winged creatures are from 3 -5 inches long (smallest mature birds) and are known for their long beaks and very fast beating wings.

These two pictures of male hummingbirds were taken by Starla in the Grand Canyon.

A group of hummingbirds is called a charm and charmed you will be if you have them in your yard.

Hummers are only found in the Americas today; however, they once inhabited Europe. Fossils were unearthed in Germany according to Science Magazine-May 7, 2004, but none are found today in Europe. The range is from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in South America. The Rufous species migrates from Alaska to Mexico. The ruby throated migration is in early spring and their range is from the East coast to a line from West Texas to North Dakota . Not all migrate, and the most common in the DFW area are the black chinned and ruby throated hummingbirds.

The male birds are more colorful, but both are equally fascinating.

The Packery Channel Nature Park on Padre Island, Texas, shared these interesting facts:
 Wings flap up to 200 times per second and oscillate in a figure 8 pattern.
 Heart beats about 1,200 times a minute
 Lungs breathe 250 times a minute
 Tongue is forked and brushy and can lick nectar 10-15 times a second (and can
consume small insects).

Are you interested in having these amazing creatures in your habitat? Here are some tips to attract them.

First, think RED – Hummers see in the ultraviolet range and RED is their favorite.

Place feeders in your yard where they are easy to observe. The food is a sweet solution that can be purchased or made. One recipe is 1 cup water, ¼ cup sugar (nectar is
preferable). Change out every other day to keep it clean and ready for winged guests.

Did I mention that there should be some RED on the feeder? – that’s a must.

Note: Starla took this picture from her family’s kitchen table in Fresno, California.

Plant flowers that attract hummers – They prefer tubular flowers so their long beak can get to the nectar that other pollinators might not be able to reach. They like bright
colors and of course, red is a favorite, but not exclusive.

Note: Hummingbirds enjoying red Turk’s Cap and Blue Salvia Guaranitica.

In our area of Texas, zone 8a here are some options: Perennials – turks cap (red), coral honeysuckle, Texas star hibiscus(red), salvia greggi (red), columbines, standing cypress(red), day lilies, lupines.

Biennials –foxgloves and hollyhocks; Annuals – cleome, impatients, and petunias are a few to consider.

Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures that captivate and enhance our habitats and can remember where they have been and where feeders are located. These hovering
winged creatures are an asset to any yard.

Starla Willis, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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WHEN YOU DON’T GET WHAT YOU WANT, YOU GET EXPERIENCE

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

August 30, 2023

Old sayings are so often true and in the garden this summer, there is no doubt at all.

No way, is this post full of cheer, the summer is miserable for gardeners and plants alike. But as always we can learn a lot and really we have to. Like it or not gardens are just essential for birds and lizards and insects of all sorts. They count on plants for their very life—and what would a gardener be—without a garden —so what to do?

Don’t forget about grasses. This is seep muley, not dramatic but looks good in a quiet way.
Common Mullein has lots of bad habits but don’t overlook all the good ones.

Observation comes to the rescue and brings a bit of joy and hope. Some plants are holding on—and even blooming—if not right this minute they are planning to—soon.
These are the plants we must remember, be sure to plant again for the next summer—which we sincerely hope will be more pleasant but –we can’t count on it.

Mealey blue sage is a self seeder, sometimes too much, but tries hard and what lovely color in hard times.
When plants self seed, they find what works for them and are often far healthier than the ones planted by us.

Some of these plants are not the most spectacular but they are lovely in their own right and most important provide essential nutrition for the little lives counting on the garden. Fennel is a host plant for black swallowtails, plus we can enjoy using fennel and it is still alive.

Carry on watering mulching deadheading and trimming—it honestly isn’t so bad early in the morning. But don’t stop there. Take pictures make notes do what it takes to keep the plants that are surviving and even succeeding in your garden in your mind. That way there will be less wasted work and money next year. Sadly of course remember also what failed miserably. When the going gets tough—some plants just give up. More than likely not their fault at all they just were never intended for this weather. Best to face it and remember it clearly.

Yarrow, not blooming, but healthy and will bloom again when the time is right.
Candelstick trees seend themselves then send down roots before they grow tall. This is a great plant for dealing with adverse conditions.
Amaranth has a long history of living in hot places.
Clammy weed doesn’t give up. This plant is in a little shade which helps.
Tithonia requires upkeep but it’s worth it for flowers in serious heat.

Hope isn’t the best strategy for the summer garden –at least around here. Look at what works in your garden and in gardens you visit, Raincatcher’s welcomes visitors any time. Tuesday mornings there will be gardeners available to answer questions. You might even enjoy summer gardening!

Make experience; even of this dreadful summer—count for knowledge of what works—and what doesn’t. That will make us all better gardeners!

Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Garden Gifts, August Flora Feature

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

You’ve probably noticed them in numerous landscapes across the metroplex. Their bold, bodacious, fluffy flowers create an eye-catching spectacle in the garden. They grow tall and strong in almost any type of environment from morning sun to full sun, dappled shade to mostly shade. How can you not love those dramatic blooms that hang around from late June until mid-October with colors ranging from lime green to creamy white to dusty rose and sometimes burgundy?

Of course, this proven winner beauty is the plant known as ‘Limelight’, Hydrangea paniculata. It’s a unique hydrangea that has literally revolutionized landscaping across North America. Mine were planted in a backyard bed flanking our fire pit area about a year ago and I am still captivated by their huge, football-shaped irresistible flowers. During periods of extreme heat (100 – 110+) as we’ve experienced most of August, blossoms will go through a time of weeping and loosing their vibrancy. Just hold on until September when a refreshing rain will perk them up!

Driving around neighborhoods in our area and beyond, I’ve seen them used in some pretty imaginative ways: as a showy flowering hedge to screen off those unsightly air conditioning units, in circular beds surrounding old, stately live oaks, and in large entry way stone containers welcoming guests to a front door.

For me, the real bonus is found in the drama they bring to floral displays in my home. When height is needed, Limelight stems are snipped close to the ground and used in long, slender vases. Shorter stems can be carefully arranged in floral foam for a low-profile option. Placed in the center of a dining room table set for dinner with guests or gracing a cherished antique entry chest they never fail to lend an air of elegance to any room.

Another summer flower that goes into my garden around mid-April and stays until late October is the showy, colorful little darling known as Pentas (Pentas lanceolata). Did you know that they are also known as Egyptian stars for the bloom’s five-pointed petals?

Pentas color palate offers gardeners a profusion of jewel tones that range from white to pink, red, lavender and purple.  Across Dallas you’ll find everything from single tone beds to the most stunning mixed combinations of two, three or four colors. The possibilities are endless with pentas filling both in ground beds and gorgeous containers. Each year I like to experiment with a different color combination. So far, my favorite is pink, purple and red!

Some of the perks for growing pentas include:

*Pentas are low maintenance plants. Give them plenty of water, sunshine and heat and they will perform beautifully and reward you with an abundance of flowers.

*They are not prone to many diseases.

*Once in the ground, their blooms continue until a cold snap or light freeze. In Zone 8 we get to enjoy them for around six to seven months.

*Pentas can be enjoyed as cut flowers for your indoor arrangements.

*Bees love pentas!

FYI…After taking so many photos of limelight’s, I’ve observed that when the temperature soars to 100+ degrees they tend to do best with some afternoon to evening shade. The limelight’s  flanking our firepit are covered with shade starting at 3:00pm and continuing for the remainder of the day.

Limelights in the Spotlight and Pentas on Parade

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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YET ANOTHER—INCONVENIENT—GARDEN TRUTH

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

August 16, 2023

How many of these “truths’ ‘ are there??  Sadly quite a lot but let’s not get discouraged and think about one at present.

That “one” is DEADHEADING  and it will give us plenty to think about.

First, what is deadheading?  Maybe it would sound more acceptable to just call it removal of spent flowers.  Flowers that are obviously going over or past their prime.

Zinnias must be deadheaded to prolong bloom, bu take time to enjoy the beauty of this common but special flower.

Why do that?  It is essential to think like a plant here.  For annual flowers there is one goal in life.  Literally one and that is to ensure that next year there will be plenty of plants/flowers just like them.  They do not care about anything else so setting seeds is their one and only goal.  Even perennials want to set seed to ensure more plants for the future.

When the plant succeeds in its goal –well job over—go knowing success was achieved.

The plant may stop or slow down blooming or even die altogether after all it succeeded in what it set out to do.

For the gardener this is not ok.  The whole point of the plant from the gardeners point of view is to keep flowers for as long as possible.  

For pollinators its also not ok.  Sure they assured that the flowers were pollinated but they need to eat they need nectar  and pollen for as long as possible.

So how to reconcile these goals?  Obviously the answer is deadheading.  When the flowers that have already been pollinated they are ready to move on to the seed setting phase.  Here is where the gardener must step in and interrupt the process by removing those spent flowers.

Sometimes the plant tags and seed packets ignore this when they promise “season long blooms”  and “easy care”.

But it can’t be ignored.  So as soon as blooming starts the gardener must be observant and as soon as faded flowers are seen they must be removed.

This isn’t hard but it does need to be done with care.  Use sharp clippers and cut the stem back to the next bud or set of leaves.  Do not ever just cut the flower and leave its stem this stem will brown and die and  make a mess. Ideally the deadheading should be not at all obvious—just takes care and observation—IT IS NOT HARD OR COMPLICATED.

This is Tithonia, butterflies love them but they absolutely must be deadheaded to keep them blooming and in fact, keep them from dying before their time.

What it is-is constant and it happens in the summer.  No one likes that.  But  think of the reward.  Flowers will bloom far longer.  Your garden will look so much better.  A huge consideration is the absolute need for bees and butterflies and hummingbirds to eat.  Without flowers, they cannot live their lives and are dependent on gardeners.  This is serious and as gardeners we must accept our role in their very lives.

But it’s hot and some of those pollinators bite—what to do??

Getting out to the garden as early as possible first light is ideal but as soon as possible will do. Be careful  bees are rarely an issue even wasps are more intent on their work than they are on you but look before you grab a branch or cut a flower.  Remember they might not realize how beneficial your actions are!!

Think of the things you will see when you are right in the garden.  Tiny creatures can easily be overlooked but not by you—not now.  The beauty of individual flowers can be missed just walking by but again when you are close –you see it.

Deadheading is work but it’s a opportunity to look closer. Do you see the tiny lizard?

What about saving seeds?  Yes  you can still save seeds just wait until the end of the season to do it.  

Since you have been so observant and careful, you will know which plants are the healthiest and most beautiful. So you can gather seeds from them and have a much better chance of great plants next year.

Verbenas on the left in a sad state of neglect. Verbenas on the right after deadheading. Not perfect but still blooming.

Deadheading yes its inconvenient without a doubt—But it’s essential—you will be so glad you did!

Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

A little more information:

Should all flowers be deadheaded?

No, Amaranth is an an example. These seed heads are the whole point of growing this plant.
The colorful bracts of yard poinsetta do not need to be removed. Bees love the tiny flowers in the center.

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The Incredibly Edible Honeycomb

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

August 12 , 2023

Perhaps the first question that comes to mind is if honeycomb is truly edible.
The answer is yes but the reason why is worth exploring. Honeycomb is made from beeswax but it’s important to know how it comes into the hive. As we’ve already learned, bees forage for nectar, which is necessary for the development of honey and, therefore, the development of honeycomb.

So, let’s start at the beginning. Bees collect nectar by sucking it up their tongues and storing it in their honey stomach. Once bees have collected a honey stomach full of nectar, they return to the hive. At this point, honeybees begin turning the nectar into honey by passing it through their mouths to the mouths of other worker bees. Each bee chews on it for half an hour before passing it on to the next. Eventually, this process evaporates the nectar and then turns it into honey. Bees consume honey and as they digest it, the honey is converted into wax through a series of glands on the bee’s abdomen. A honeybee has 8 wax-producing glands.

FYI…Bees must consume around 6-8 pounds of honey to produce 1 pound of wax!

The wax enters into the bees’ abdomens as small flakes. But to turn the flakes into beeswax, bees must move the flakes up to their mandibles, or moveable jaws, so they can chew and soften the substance. Bees use one of two methods for transferring the flakes from one place to the next:

1. Another bee removes the scales for them and does the chewing themselves.
2. Using one hind leg, they move the wax scale to the first pair of legs known as forelegs. From the forelegs, bees transfer the scales to the mandibles.

Through the process of chewing and chewing, bees mix enzymes from their salivary secretions which softens the wax flakes until it becomes formable like clay. Once the wax becomes a clay-like material, bees will combine large groupings of the wax together to create the hexagon-shaped honeycomb. Interestingly, this crowding concept also creates the necessary conditions to keep the hive at the right temperature for honeycomb’s survival.

FYI…By crowding together, bees know how to maintain the hive temperature at 95 degrees F – the perfect temperature for manipulating beeswax. Because bees are expert temperature regulators, they will use a fanning motion with their wings to cool the hive on hot days. Maintaining this temperature is also essential for keeping their Queen warm on cold days.

In summary, bees work tirelessly to produce their honeycombs. Fortunately for us, we get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Honeycomb is an excellent source of antioxidants and carbohydrates. It also has trace amounts of nutrients. Enjoy eating it raw in the form of delicious honeycomb honey as well as a sweetener in homemade desserts. Sprinkle small pieces across a favorite salad or alongside fruit, cheese or as a centerpiece for your next charcuterie board.

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Strawberry, Peaches and Honeycomb Salad and the recipe right here.

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Take Me Away

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

August 5, 2023

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Butchart Gardens

If you haven’t high tailed it out of Dallas for a lazy vacation at the beach or cool, comfortable nights in the mountains then, like me, you’ve accepted the undeniable fact that our sweltering summer heat and humidity is overstaying it seasonal appearance. With daytime temperatures hovering in the 100+ degree range, it’s a miserable time to be outdoors. What’s a garden lover to do!

I’m dreaming about a place that my husband and I have visited several times over the years and wishing, somehow, we could be transported there now. Until that happens, let’s spend a few minutes enjoying the remarkable scenery of a global beauty. Our photographic journey will reward us visually as we visit the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Located near Victoria on Vancouver Island in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, the gardens were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2004.

Robert Pim Butchart (1856-1943) began manufacturing Portland cement in 1888 near his birthplace of Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. He and his wife Jennie Butchart (1866 – 1950) came to the west coast of Canada because of rich limestone deposits necessary for cement production. In 1904, they established their home near his quarry on Tod Inlet at the base of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island.

Fast forward to 1909 when the limestone quarry was exhausted, Jenny set about turning it into the Sunken Garden, which was completed in 1921. Over the next few years, other areas were converted into themed gardens. In 1939, the Butchart’s gave the Gardens to their grandson Ian Ross (1918-1997) on his 21st birthday. Ross was involved in the operation and promotion of the gardens until his death 58 years later. And today, ownership of the The Gardens remains within the Butchart family. 

Visiting this 119-year-old internationally renowned 55-acre floral display is a breath-taking experience.  The gardens provide dramatic floral displays in a variety of garden settings and styles. Starting with The Sunken Garden (the original quarry) to The Rose Garden with over 2,500 roses filling the air with their fragrance, you’ll feel as if you’re walking through a fairytale.

*The Butchart Gardens are open daily. Closed Christmas Day.

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Love-Ache

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 28, 2023

Are you familiar with an herb whose origin and history can be traced back to medieval times in the Liguria region of northwest Italy? If not, you might want to learn more about Lovage (Levisticum officinale). The name lovage is from “love-ache”, ache being a medieval name for parsley. Lovage is used in many recipes calling for parsley or celery. With its glossy, deep-green leaves that are cut and divided and having a pungent celery taste, some consider it to be the ultimate celery herb.

While not as well known in the United States, lovage has been long cultivated in Europe. Queen Vitoria always carried some candied lovage seeds to satisfy her sweet tooth. Charlemagne, King of Franks, was said to have liked lovage so much that he ordered it grown in all of the gardens on his estate. Over the years, chefs have discovered that cooking with lovage has its benefits. All parts of the plant are usable, from leaves as an herb, the roots as a vegetable and the seeds as an aromatic spice. Even the hollow stems can serve as a straw substitute when sipping a favorite beverage.

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(Pink Lemonade with a lovage straw)

Lovage will reach two to three feet, even as high as 6 feet, with a spread of about two feet. Rounded umbels or flat clusters of small yellow-green flowers up to four inches across appear mid- to late summer. Flowers are followed by brown, ridged, crescent-shaped seeds that are about ¼ inch long. Harvest the tender, young leaves at any time and use them in soups, stews and salads. Or, during an early morning stroll, enjoy nibbling on them straight from the garden. Seeds can be used crushed or whole, sprinkled over meat and salads or added to liqueurs, cordials, bread and pastries.

In our Zone 8 climate lovage performs best when planted in a location with partial sun, preferably morning sun. It is easy to grow in any well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Plant from containers in the spring while the weather is still cool. Start from seed in the winter. Divide plants in spring or fall, making sure that each division has some new buds. Though lovage is considered an herbaceous perennial, it sometimes succumbs to summers in the south. Plants die back to the ground in winter, but regrow from the roots in spring.

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White Chicken Chili topped with Lovage and Parsley Mixture

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

Lovage and Parsley recipe here

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Honeycomb Construction…The Building Block of the Hive

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 20, 2023

In 2016, a wonderful new cookbook was published by the Dallas County Master
Gardener Association. The title was ‘A Year on the Plate’. One of the cookbook
committees’ favorite photographs was taken late in the afternoon with long
shadows stretching across the yard as sunlight drifted slowly behind the trees.
The dish to be photographed was from the honey section of the book. It was a
charcuterie board featuring an assortment of salty cheeses and nuts with a lovely
round honeycomb serving as the main attraction. Looking through several
options, we were thrilled with the dreamy look of one particular photograph that
captured the essence of our star ingredient.

Since that day over seven years ago every imaginable type of charcuterie board
has been created. And, as you might have guessed, each one is almost always
designed around a honeycomb. Carefully cut and oozing with sweet honey, it is a
magical gift of nature that comes from honeybees.
During the months of July and August, we’ll take a look inside the hive to discover
some of the most amazing facts about honeycomb construction and why it is
considered to be the building block of the hive.

What is honeycomb?
Honeycomb is a cluster of repeating hexagonal beeswax cells made by honeybees
and used for raising brood and storing honey and pollen. Honeycombs store
honey because honey is valuable to bees. It feeds their young and sustains the
hive.

Why are honeycombs constructed using the hexagonal shape?
First consider spheres, pentagons and octagons. All of these produce gaps. Bees
are efficient creatures so anything with gaps isn’t the answer. As it turns out,
there are only three geometrical figures with equal sides that can fit together on a
flat surface without leaving gaps: equilateral triangles, squares and hexagons. So,
which one is best?
It’s a very old question and one that a Roman soldier/scholar/writer named
Marcus Terentius Varro proposed an answer to in 36 B.C. Ever since then, Varro’s
answer has been referred to as “The Honeybee Conjecture”. Simply stated, he
thought that a honeycomb built of hexagons could hold more honey and, maybe,
hexagons require less building wax. Why is the issue of wax important?
It takes thousands and thousands of bee hours, tens of thousands of flights back
and forth to the foraging source to gather nectar from countless flowers just to
start the process of building a honeycomb. Is it, therefore, reasonable to assume
that bees want a tight, secure structure that is as simple to build as possible?

As was eventually determined, compactness matters. The more compact your
structure, the less wax needed to construct the honeycomb. Wax is a precious
material. A honeybee must consume about eight ounces of honey to produce a
single ounce of wax. It is an accepted fact that the hexagon shape uses the least
amount of wax.
Additionally, years and years of research have demonstrated that honeybees use
the shape of their bodies as rulers to build each cell exactly the same. Even
Charles Darwin himself once wrote, the honeycomb is a masterpiece of
engineering. It is “absolutely perfect in economizing labor and wax.”

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

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Celebrating National Ice Cream Day and Blueberry Honeycomb No-churn Ice cream

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

July 16, 2023

July is National Ice Cream Month and July 16th is National Ice Cream Day. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the first ice cream recipe, read the cold, hard facts here.

If you love homemade ice cream on a sizzling hot summer day, Blueberry Honeycomb No-Churn Ice Cream is a super easy treat that will take you into dreamland!

Blueberry Honeycomb No-Churn Ice Cream Recipe

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

More on the buzz coming soon: Our next honey blog will the about the construction of honeycomb.

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HONESTY—IN THE GARDEN

Posted on July 15, 2023 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Every so often one reads something that Is just so honest and truthful that its almost a shock.  That recently happened.

For some reason an interview with a tourist information official from Nebraska seemed to jump off the page.  He said—“To be honest it’s not for everyone”.  Oh my thatis a wonderful thing.  One expects technicolor sunsets—incredibly happy couples eating amazing food laughing children at the theme park—but not this time—“To be honest its not for everyone”

That should make anyone want to head for Nebraska—now.  Because you would know what to expect—a perfectly nice place where you might  have to make an effort to have a great time.

And then it seemed the absolutely perfect motto for the Pollinator garden at Raincatchers.

It’s a wonderful area but people who work there—well they have to work at it.  The butterflies and bees and birds—obviously appreciate it but they keep quiet—no rounds of applause or words of thanks.

Often it is said that native and adapted plants are “low maintenance –but work is required and it is repetitive –deadheading trimming weeding—necessary but it can be hard too and somehow—never quite “finished” And without a doubt not at all glamorous.

So—it’s clear now right??  Come and work in the pollinator area you get to see insects and  birds and lovely plants—yes it is work and it might not be spectacular—but isn’t that the whole point of a garden.

Cenzio or Texas Sage being pollinated
Thanks to Joe and Abbe for the return of our iron butterfly
Would you believe we plant salvias like this for our pollinators?
For a low key summer exercise, watch black swallowtail larvae devour fennel
This candlestick tree will hopefully be eaten by sulfur butterfly larvae
Moth atop Sedum

It’s a wonderful experience but you have to work at it.  It may not be for everyone —-but—maybe its for you!!  You will always be welcome!  And just like Nebraska—the rewards are there with just a little effort!

Susan Thornbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008

During the hot summer days, we work early at Raincatcher’s. Monday morning and Tuesdays you will find Master Gardeners in the garden early-even before 8am.

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