Aeonium cyclops , red succulent

In warm Auckland, many gardens have rock gardens where there are succulent plants.
This beautiful tall succulent has rosettes of dark reddish-bronze leaves on stems

Aeoniums are members of the Crassulaceae, a huge family of succulents that include many other popular and commonly grown succulents, including some that look a lot like Aeoniums. Echeverias in particular are often confused with Aeoniums and there are several other rosette-like succulents (eg. Dudleyas, Graptopetalums, Pachyverias and Graptoverias). One thing that sets t these plants apart is the way their leaves attach to the stem- they are wrapped around the stem with a fibrous attachment so that when a leaf is pulled away, the stem is intact with only a transverse line showing where the leaf was attached. The other rosette Crassulaceas have succulent attachments and their being pulled off the stem leaves a divot in the stem.

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Last Monday, I went to my doctor for my flu vaccination, and came back with almost the whole shebang of things done. The most important of which is the smear test. She said I had it last done three years ago, and it was time again.

In New Zealand, not all women want this done, especially the ethnic women. There is a fear of going. Women is like the red succulent, strong but if you don't take care of yourselves, nobody will take care of us, and your family will lose someone they depend on.

http://www.nsu.govt.nz/about/what-is-screening.aspx

1. What is a cervical smear test and how is it done?

Cervical screening aims to detect abnormal changes to the cervix (the nechttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifk of the uterus or womb) before they can develop into cancer. Safe and effective treatment for pre-cancerous lesions detected by screening will prevent progression to cancer. When you have your smear you will be asked to lie on your side or your back with your knees bent up. The lower part of your body will be covered with a sheet. The smear taker gently opens the vagina with a plastic or metal speculum and carefully sweeps a sample of cells from the surface of the cervix with a thin broom or brush. It takes only a few minutes to take the smear. Some women may find the test a little uncomfortable. The test sample is either smeared onto a glass slide or placed in a liquid. It is then sent to a laboratory approved by the NCSP.