God has created numerous things in nature to solve some of our daily problems. As an example, while in France three weeks ago, we saw numerous thatched rooves with a row of irises blooming on the crest. Nice, creative, decorative touch, we thought -- then learned the French discovered long ago the roots of the iris will inter-lock and hold the thatch firmly from the top. (How they learned that would make another interesting investigation.) Add to the benefits of roots holding your roof together, the French also learned rats hate the smell of iris.
We saw window boxes of geraniums everywhere. Ah, so picturesque! All those beautiful splashes of vibrant color. I’ve never thought more about when or why window boxes came into being. It turns out there is a practical reason for having them. For centuries, people have opened their windows to allow a fresh breeze into the house (unless you happened to live over-looking a...