Problem: Article: When your adrenaline is pumping, you aren't as good at judging time. With a stopwatch, you can accurately time the progression of labor, which you may need to know later for your vet if something goes wrong.  Taking notes ensures you remember everything that happened instead of relying on memory and is useful information to tell a veterinarian. Typically, the horse will be laying down on its side during this portion, though she might also roll around or stand up and lay back down. When it does, the mare enters stage 2 of labor. You'll need to be paying attention because it can look like urination if you're not watching closely, as it is just an eruption of liquid from the vulva. You may also see the membrane peeking out of the vulva right before it ruptures. Start timing when you see the mare's water break. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes from the water breaking for the horse to give birth. If it does take longer, the mare probably has a complication. If nothing has happened after 15 minutes, you should call the vet. The amnion membrane should be white as it peeks out of the vulva. If it's red, that means it's the chorioallantois, and the foal isn't getting oxygen. You'll need to cut the end of the membrane so it ruptures and immediately call the vet since it is an emergency. With gloves on, use clean scissors or a knife to cut through the membrane. Just make a slit in it long enough to let the liquid out. It doesn't need to be neat or tidy. A foal should come out hooves first, shortly followed by the head. The hooves will be pointed downward in a normal birth. Make sure you can see 2 hooves or else one leg might be tucked back. If they're not, you'll need to call your veterinarian, as something is likely wrong, such as the baby is in the wrong position. Gently pull on the foal to help the horse give birth if you had to cut the red membrane. Firmly apply steady pressure and pull while the mare is pushing. Otherwise, let the horse do the work. If you see the red membrane first, call the vet immediately after cutting it. Similarly, if the hooves on the foal are pointed upward, you only see 1 hoof, or you see 2 hooves but not the head, call the vet as the baby is likely being born in the wrong position. Also call the vet if the labor doesn't seem to be progressing as it should.
Summary: Take notes and use a stopwatch. Watch for the mare's water to break. Cut the chorioallantois membrane if it appears. Look for the foal's hooves, pointed downward. Call an equine vet if something goes wrong.

Problem: Article: You need fresh, white carnations to do this experiment. If you try to use a darker color, you won't be able to see the change as much. If you already have white carnations in your garden, cut a few to color. You can buy white carnations at any florist and in most grocery stores, too. When you cut the flowers, leave at least 6 inches (15 cm) of stem. Consider the size of the vase that you are planning to use to display your flowers when cutting your carnations. You need a vase or cup for each color you want to use. Shorter will probably work better than taller. If you want red and yellow carnations, you'll need two vases. Fill up each vase about 1/4 of the way with water. Next, add in food coloring for each color you want to create. You'll need a lot of food coloring to get an effect, at least 15-20 drops. You'll need more if you want them darker. Once you have your vases ready, you'll want to cut your flowers again. Cutting the flowers again allows them to draw up more of the colored water. It's best to cut the flowers under running water or underwater because that keeps the flowers from getting air bubbles in their stems, which block the water. To create carnations that are multi-color, you must split the stem in half with a craft knife or box cutter. Split it down the middle lengthwise, being careful not to cut your fingers. Only adults should do this step. You may also be able to split it three ways, if the stem is especially thick. Gently pull the stems apart at the bottom. Slip one part of a stem into one cup and the other part into another cup. Make sure you do not separate the bottom stems from the flower or break the stems higher up. The cups should be right up next to each other, so you don't have to spread the bottom stem apart too much. Now, you must wait, as this process takes time. You'll need to wait at least a day for the color to develop. In fact, color will continue to develop over the next several days if you leave it in the colored water. You may only see parts of the flower petals changing color, not the whole petal. Cut flowers continue to soak up water to create food for the flower. If that water is colored with food coloring, then the color will spread to the petals. If those petals are white, then they'll turn the color of the food coloring.
Summary:
Buy or cut some white carnations. Create your vases or cups. Cut the carnations. Split the stems. Place each piece of stem in a different cup or vase. Leave the flowers.