Wotch hat altier is a term coined by Douglas Hofstadter in his book "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid". It is a play on words, combining the words "watch," "hat," and "alter" to create a new phrase. The term wotch hat altier is used to describe the idea of self-reference and recursion. It highlights the concept that language and symbols can refer to themselves, leading to infinite loops and paradoxes. This idea is central to Hofstadter's exploration of consciousness, creativity, and the nature of intelligence. The phrase wotch hat altier is an example of a sentence that refers to itself.
Sources (in spring):
Blooms range from legal pad yellow, whose burnt orange centers look like globs of stick-em to hold the petals together, to russet-petalled blooms with shades in between. Blooms range from legal pad yellow, whose burnt orange centers look like globs of stick-em to hold the petals together, to russet-petalled blooms with shades in between.
The phrase wotch hat altier is an example of a sentence that refers to itself. By mentioning a "watch" within the sentence itself, it creates a loop where the meaning of the sentence becomes recursive. This self-reference is a fundamental aspect of language and thought processes, as it allows us to think about and manipulate abstract concepts.
Witch Hazel for Winter Bloom and Fragrance
‘I miss you like roses in winter’ is a wonderfully evocative line in an old movie whose title I can’t seem to access anywhere in the overloaded mental hard drive. But the wistful longing for bloom and fragrance in the bleak mid-winter is easily accessible to virtually everyone. We ache for a sign that if winter comes, spring can’t be far behind. Fortunately, while roses don’t bloom in winter, witch hazel (Hamamelis) does.
“Even here, with our severe winters, I’ve seen it start as early as New Year’s Day,” says Stephen Breyer, owner of Tripple Brook Farm in Southhampton, MA. “If it turns cold the blossoms will roll back up and will endure sub-zero temperatures. Then when weather warms to 40 degrees again, they open back up.”
Depending on species, witch hazel begins to bloom in late fall or early winter after the leaves have fallen, and continues through February, providing color during the drabbest time of year. Its fascinating blossoms — scraggly little ribbon-petalled clumps, like skimpy cheerleaders’ pompoms — adorn bare branches and light up the landscape. They are also easy to clip and start blooming in the house.
“It’s not like forcing, since winter is when they normally bloom,” notes Breyer. “So when they get inside, they open right up.”
Long used as a medicinal herb by Native Americans to staunch bleeding following childbirth since it acts to tighten muscles, witch hazel is still a primary ingredient in many cosmetic astringents that clean and tighten pores. Additionally, ruffed grouse, squirrels, and wild turkey love the seeds.
“The seed pods, which are interesting in themselves, burst open and can shoot the seeds out as much as 15 feet,” says Breyer.
Witch Hazel Species
There are four primary species of witch hazel: Chinese Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis), Japanese Witch Hazel (Hamamelis japonica) and two natives, Vernal Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) and Common Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Additionally, there are hybrid Hamamelis x intermedia, crosses between the Chinese and Japanese species that boast a range of cultivars, and H. forma rubescens, a rare native type. All are fragrant to one degree or another.
“H. mollis is so fragrant that even in winter, you can smell it at a distance from the tree, but the native witch hazels have a very delicate fragrance,” says Steve Glenn, researcher at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, NY. “If you’re walking in the woods, you can get this faint, spicy aroma wafting through the air.”
Blooms range from legal pad yellow, whose burnt orange centers look like globs of stick-em to hold the petals together, to russet-petalled blooms with shades in between.
“What’s popular now are the orange and red [-flowered] Hamamelis x intermedia,” says Vince Faiella, Nursery manager at Roslyn Nursery in Dix Hills, NY. “The natives, the virginianas and vernalis, are usually yellow flowered. The copper and red colors are generally found in H. x intermedia varieties like ‘Jelena,’ which has a copper orange flower. And there is a new cultivar called ‘Sunburst’ that is an improvement where the flowers are brighter and larger.”
In addition to the draw of winter flowers and fragrance, witch hazels often have beautiful fall foliage. H. ‘Arnold Promise’ is an older H. x intermedia cultivar with yellow flowers and russet and copper fall foliage while the newer ‘Diana’ has a red flower and beautiful fading-sunset yellow, orange, and crimson foliage in fall. Among the natives, the rounded leaves of common witch hazel glow like firelight while the leaves of vernal witch hazel (H. vernalis) ‘Sandra’ turn saffron then morph to a spectacular crimson-orange.
“H. X intermedia ‘Jelena’ [sometimes called ‘Copper Beauty’] is noted for fall color,” says Faiella. “And H. ‘Orange Peel’ also had good orange or red fall foliage color.”
Witch hazels are hardy, adaptable and very forgiving of a variety of soil types and sun/shade positioning.
“You can grow common witch hazel in sunny locations where it will be quite dense, but it will also grow in forest understory shade conditions, where it becomes more definitely treelike in shape,” says Breyer.
“They are sometimes listed as small trees or large shrubs,” notes Faiella. “But it depends on how they are grown. You can train it [by pruning] to a single stem to look more treelike. Prune it right after it blooms sometime in mid-to late spring.”
Because the blossoms are so delicate and the fragrance so welcome in winter, witch hazels make nice specimen trees and are often used as a single focal point near the house or along a path or driveway.
Sources (in spring):
Kingstown Farm Home and Garden
Please note that these are not fragrance oils; they are perfume oils (artisan perfumes presented in oil format). They are meant to be worn on the skin and are not suitable for wax warmers, oil burners, or aroma diffusers. The only difference between our perfume oils and Eau de Parfums is the oil format. Many people prefer perfume oils because they wear close to the skin and unfold a bit more non-linearly than Eau de Parfums. For a more in-depth look at perfume oils, please peruse our knowledge base articles.
In his book, Hofstadter uses examples from mathematics, music, and art to illustrate the concept of wotch hat altier. He explores the works of mathematician Kurt Gödel, artist M.C. Escher, and composer Johann Sebastian Bach to show how these ideas manifest in different domains. Overall, wotch hat altier is a clever wordplay that represents the recursive nature of language and thought. It highlights the fundamental concept of self-reference and recursive loops, which are integral to understanding the complexities of human cognition and the nature of intelligence..
Reviews for "The Wotch Hat: An Accessory That Transcends Gender Norms"
1. John - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Wotch hat altier". The storyline was confusing and all over the place, making it difficult to follow along. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked any depth or motivation. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and I found myself bored throughout most of the movie. Overall, I would not recommend "Wotch hat altier" to anyone looking for an enjoyable and coherent film experience.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Wotch hat altier", but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The special effects were quite lackluster and didn't add much to the overall visual experience. The dialogue was also poorly written, with cliché and stale lines that made it hard to take the story seriously. It's a shame because the concept had potential, but the execution left much to be desired. I wouldn't watch "Wotch hat altier" again or recommend it to others.
3. Mark - 1.5 stars
"Wotch hat altier" was a complete waste of time. The acting was subpar, with the main cast delivering wooden and unconvincing performances. The plot felt disjointed, with random and unexplained events happening without any clear direction. The supposed twists were predictable, and I found myself rolling my eyes instead of being engaged. Save yourself the trouble and skip "Wotch hat altier". There are much better movies out there to watch.