September's fourth Friday is set aside to honor and celebrate Native Americans. 

So on Sept. 25, let’s reflect on how Northwest Florida tribes used plants native to the area. This science is referred to as ethnobotany.

Generally, we can group plants' ethnobotanical uses into six applications: food, fiber, medicinal, construction materials, transportation and miscellaneous uses.

 INDIGENOUS PLANTS'  INFLUENCE

 Let's focus on the first three applications, so you can grasp native plants' influence.

Food: Many plants were food sources for Native Americans and early settlers in Florida.

Food plants included fruits, nuts, roots, grains and greens that varied by habitat, region and time of year.

Two examples of important food plants are fruits from saw palmetto, and starch from coontie roots. The heart of the cabbage palm — commonly called swamp cabbage — is still eaten in many rural areas. 

Fiber: Various plants' fiber was used for many purposes. For instance, cordage (rope) makes baskets, clothing and other everyday materials. Muscadine grapes' long stems were used to make deer snares. Palms provided fiber and construction material for shelters. Other fiber sources included wire grass and switch grass.

Dyes — which played important roles in Native American life, just as they do today — were used in coloring textiles, in craftwork (for pottery and basketry) and in ceremonies (for face painting and objects). Tickseed, Goldenrod and Wax Myrtle are used to create yellow hues. Elderberry and Pokeweed produce rosy red colors. 

Medicinal purposes: Perhaps one of  ethnobotany's most intriguing aspects is the use of native plants for medicinal purposes.

Red Maple was used for liver and skin disorders. Witch-hazel could be used to treat hemorrhoids and insect bites, as well as for teething infants.  Black-eyed Susan could be used to treat a cold, soothe earaches or ease pain and swelling from snakebites.

But don't attempt to replicate traditional herbal remedies. Many traditional herbal medicines are complex mixtures of different plant parts that must be gathered and prepared at different times of the year, mixed in specific proportions, and administered in scheduled doses of particular size and dilution. 

LOST INFORMATION

In the southeastern United States, including Florida, evidence indicates indigenous tribes traded or exchanged goods throughout eastern North America.

During the Mississippian Culture Period (1000 to 1700 A.D.), transfer of goods continued, and these uses began to be better documented. This provided information currently available about plants and their uses.

Spanish explorers, missionaries and settlers also brought new plants and information to Florida.

However, Native American peoples who lived in Florida during European settlement were destroyed by introduced diseases, forced labor, physical conflicts and other factors.

As a result, information on native plant species, and how they were used, was lost or destroyed.

Sheila Dunning is a commercial horticulture agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

As much as half of popular pharmaceuticals today reportedly have ethnobotanical origins. For instance, aspirin comes from willow trees' bark.

However, in the United States, herbal remedies are classified as nutritional supplements, rather than drugs, because most companies supplying herbal remedies cannot or will not pay for extensive clinical testing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires.

DID YOU KNOW?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DUNNING: Tracking Florida's early native plant uses

Verbal communication has three components: words, tone and body language.

Words make up 7 percent of the message; tone makes up 38 percent; and body language makes up 55 percent. When all three components convey the same message, our communication is fully integrated.

However, when talking on the telephone, we cannot see body language so we lose over half of our ability to communicate effectively.

When texting, emailing or writing, we lose 93 percent of our ability to communicate. Punctuation, capitalization, formatting and emoticons help, but do not make up the difference.

How about that!

Is it any wonder there is so much misunderstanding and miscommunication in the world?

Words are extremely important. The words we use can build up or tear down. They can stain lives and do irreparable damage; they can create enemies; they can cause strife; and they can break hearts.

The Letter of James describes the tongue as “a restless evil, full of deadly poison" — it certainly can be. But the tongue is not the whole problem; after all, it simply conveys what is in the mind and heart.

And what is in our hearts condemns us.

Jesus said, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.”

James almost sounds fatalistic when he says, “But no one can tame the tongue — a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.”

Are people really that double-minded? It seems like it.

You have heard people who one minute praise God for all his blessings; the next, they complain about not having enough. One minute, they praise God for the life they have in Jesus Christ; later, they complain when they face trials. One minute, they give thanks for food on their table; later, they complain that they have to work to pay the bills.

James makes an obvious admonition: “My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”

How true.

If we are to bless our Lord, if we are to recognize we are children of God — as is everyone — our words must convey this. We must let God's loving presence permeate our whole life. And all our words need to reflect the loving grace we have received from God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We ought not speak contradictory messages. Your words, your thoughts, your hearts all need to be integrated in such a way that you convey, in all times and places, God's greatness.

Remember: 55 percent of your message is through body language — what you do. How you live your life, the words you choose and how you say them convey what is in your heart.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: Let your speech convey God's greatness

While I realize the Mid-Bay Bridge doesn't affect all of us in Crestview, it seems most of us go to Destin at one time or another and many use the bypass and bridge. 

Alas, the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority is once again raising tolls. 

I have read the newspaper reports and still can't believe how the debt ballooned the way it did.

As taxpayers, as well as users of the bridge, we deserve clear answers, not ambiguous excuses.

Blaming Regions Bank and the Florida Department of Transportation doesn't cut it. Why doesn't MBBA executive director Van Fuller have more answers?

Salaries are meant to be earned. Why, with a budget of millions, is the MBBA unaccountable to county commissioners, the taxpayers or the state?

What are other MBBA directors' salaries? I'll sign up to be a director — and you can be sure that consistent principle payments would be made.

It is time for the MBBA to open its books and be accountable for all the money it collects and spends.

In the meantime, I think many of us will space our trips across the bridge farther apart and come up with alternative places to shop and eat, further decreasing the amount of tolls collected.

My husband and I travel to Destin for the cats' veterinarian appointments, and occasionally for dinner and shopping, but when we return home, Jim inevitably takes U.S. Highway 98.

It's a circuitous route, but a pretty drive with no tolls. 

Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Mid-Bay Bridge Authority should explain tolls

The kids are back at school and summer vacations are now fading memories, so it must be autumn.

But the seasons don’t just move on the calendar — they also change in your life.

And, speaking of changes, you’ll have to make many of them as you move through the years — and that includes changes to your investment portfolio.

But how will you know when it’s time to take action?

Just as Mother Nature sends “signals” to indicate a change in seasons — blooming flowers, falling leaves, warmer or colder temperatures, and longer or shorter days — your portfolio will frequently “tell” you when you need to make adjustments.

Here are a couple of indicators you may want to heed:

• Out-of-balance portfolio — Even the best stocks can lose value when the overall market is down, but if you only own stocks, you could take a big hit during a downturn — and if it happens repeatedly, you may find it hard to even stay invested.

After all, stocks will always fluctuate in value, and protection of your principal is not guaranteed. Yet you can at least help defend yourself against market volatility by balancing your portfolio with a mix of stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit and other investments, with the percentage of each type of asset based on your individual goals, time horizon and risk tolerance.

• “Overweighting” of individual investments — Related to the point made above, you can also have too much money kept in a single investment, such as an individual stock or bond.

Sometimes, this “overweighting” can happen almost on its own, as when a stock, or stock-based vehicle, has increased so much in value that it now takes on a larger percentage of your portfolio than you had intended — possibly bringing with it more risk than you had intended, too.

As a general rule, no single investment should take up more than a small percentage of your entire portfolio.

Your own life may also send you some messages regarding changes you may need to make to your investment and financial strategies.

Here are just a few of the milestones that may trigger necessary moves:

• New child — You’ll need to review your life insurance to make sure it’s sufficient to help provide for a newborn or newly adopted child, should anything happen to you. You may also want to begin investing in a college savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan.

• New job — Assuming your new job offers you a retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or similar vehicle, you’ll have some choices to make. How much can you afford to contribute? How should you allocate your dollars among the investment choices offered in the plan? How can you best integrate your 401(k) or other plan into your overall investment portfolio to avoid duplication?

• Impending retirement — As you enter retirement, you may want to adjust your portfolio to help reduce its short-term fluctuations and to provide more current income opportunities. At the same time, you may still need to invest for growth — you could be retired for two or three decades, and you’ll need to stay ahead of inflation.

Pay close attention to the messages coming from your portfolio — and from your life. These “signals” will give you a good idea of when it’s time to make the right investment-related moves.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial advisor.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: When is it time to make portfolio changes?

Many Okaloosa County residents have had problems with their oak trees this year.

Some trees have declined in health; others died. Several factors contribute to this issue, and not every tree may be suffering from the same combination of things.

However, one major culprit is hypoxylon canker, which is caused by a fungus normally present in oak trees' outer bark and usually doesn’t hurt them.

When other sources of stress weaken the tree, the fungus can quickly take over and eventually kill it.

Hypoxylon canker usually appears as pale patches on the tree's trunk, where bark is missing.

Unfortunately, once it becomes enough of a problem to be noticeable, there are no easy options to fix it. In fact, the fungus itself is almost always a secondary problem;  it moves in when other factors weaken the tree.

Instead of trying to treat the canker, it is better to prevent sources of stress that could lead to disease such as hypoxylon canker taking over.

When planting trees, choose a location that's not too close to other trees, gets plenty of sunlight, and is not waterlogged or too dry.

Owners of pastures where animals — such as cattle or horses — graze should ensure that soil around the tree does not become too compacted. Exclude animals from the area where most roots are present or by aerating the soil.

Controlling moisture levels, if possible, can also help; too much or too little water for an extended period can cause stress.

If a tree succumbs to the disease, remove it. Dispose of the debris by burning to avoid spreading spores to other nearby plants.

Evan Anderson is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: ANDERSON: Prevent this fungus from killing Okaloosa trees

"For all the saints, who from their labors rest…" is a hymn we sing at church. 

From what labors did you rest on Labor Day? 

Many of us enjoyed the day off work, but we still labored in different ways, such as cleaning the house or mowing the lawn. Others enjoyed barbecues, playing at the beach and shopping. (In my case, I wrote a newspaper article.)

Many people, especially those in retail, worked on Labor Day.

That's fine, too, because our hard work is a gift from God.

In the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:13 states, "Every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor — it is the gift of God."

My husband and I have always felt that, whatever job we have, we are to do our work as unto the Lord, as it also states in the Bible.

Colossians 3:23-24 states, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." 

We may have a job we don't love, or a boss who can be difficult, but the Lord will bless the work of our hands when we work for His glory. 

This verse also applies to household chores we hate, such as scrubbing floors, cleaning litter boxes, doing laundry, yard work and so forth. 

It also applies to those who work or volunteer at churches, including nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, choir members, Bible study leaders and those who cook meals.   

As a Christian, I am to work for the Lord and, after my career is finished, I am to continue to do the Lord's work, bringing others to Christ.

Our labor on behalf of the Kingdom of God should never cease; God created us with a purpose; we are to please and enjoy Him with our entire being.

So, for whom do you work?  Where is your focus — on the prize of heaven, or earthly gain?

Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Is your focus on heavenly or earthly gain?