There are many collective nouns used to describe a group of magpies — congregation, gulp, murder, tiding, tittering, etc — but after watching this video about one woman’s interactions with these birds, the most appropriate term would seem to be … Read more...
PSA: Helmet Has Always Been A Good Idea
To helmet or not to helmet?
That question was long ago decided in favor of helmets at least in the US where our streets and traffic are less than friendly to cyclists. But, apparently Denmark is still making a push … Read more...
Music: Singtree by Solar Quest
I’m not sure how I stumbled across Singtree by Solar Quest on Youtube, but it immediately resonated with me and quickly became one of my go-to pieces of music to listen to when I want to relax and unwind. (Another … Read more...
Happiness Isn’t Something To Earn
Happiness isn’t earned.
This seems like a radical thought when the universal law of happiness, deeply embedded in our psyche from day one, is — “You need to work harder to be more successful, because the more success you achieve, … Read more...
Nature’s Yard Art
Who doesn’t have childhoods memories of laying on the ground, gazing up at the clouds, and discovering the white and gray painted images against the blue sky — a long tailed dog, a floppy eared rabbit, a winged elephant, a … Read more...
Nature’s Neon Lights: Aurora Borealis & Aurora Australis
Beautiful, magical, eerie, surreal, awe-inspiring… It’s hard to come up with adjectives to adequately capture the sight of the colorful, glowing, shifting curtains of light we know as the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). In ancient … Read more...
Words: “The Ultimate Weakness of Violence …”
From the last book written by Martin Luther King, Jr. — WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE: Chaos or Community? (Beacon Press 2010 edition) two passages confirming his continued relevance in todays world, pointing us in the right direction — … Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: Gardening For Groundhogs
Anyone who has grown a vegetable garden knows it is first and foremost a labor of love. You LOVE watching things grow and reaping your home grown harvest, but it take a tremendous amount of physical LABOR. And, yes, the … Read more...
Book Review: THE FOREVER FRIEND by Suzie Ivy
To the delight of fans, Detective Laci Jolett is back in action in Book/novella #3 of Suzie Ivy’s K9 Forever Series — THE FOREVER FRIEND.
This time it’s drugs in the local high school that has two students in the … Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: The Antics of Badgers
The wonderful thing about wild animals is they always seem to have a few delightful surprises for us humans. Growing up in the midwest I knew what Badgers looked like thanks to zoos and wildlife shows (and hello, UW mascot!), … Read more...
Music: Leonid & Friends Cover “25 or 6 to 4”
A bonus of our current Covid-19 life is having the time to find an awesome cover of an old favorite — Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4. Especially when you feel like you’re sitting in a jam session with extremely … Read more...
Backyard Engineering: Bike Experiments In Speed
Most of us like to try new things, especially if they are relatively safe and easy to do. But, would we be willing to endure hardship in order to explore a new idea? Probably not. Yet, most of us will … Read more...
Words: ” A Bright Future For Man …”
If only there were “Here Thanks To Nature” tags attached to everything everywhere as a reminder that our very lives are utterly and completely dependent on nature — not technology…
… Read more...I would feel more optimistic
about a bright future for
Rescue Journey of Piglet and Calf Buddies
A ride to an animal sanctuary was all the bonding time needed for this piglet and calf to become bffs. These two are not only adorable and heartwarming, but living proof that animals — regardless of whether they are domesticated … Read more...
The Lost Era Of Electric “Flying Trains”
Over 119 years old and still in operation today, the Wuppertaler Schwebebahn in Germany is the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars. Developed as the first to transport people instead of goods, this electric “flying train” is an … Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: Seal Holds A Diver’s Hand
It is pure joy to watch the emotionally powerful and extraordinarily moving interactions between diver Ben Burville and his diving buddies. What a wonderful celebration of life and human/animal connection as a wild grey seal holds a diver’s hand!
At … Read more...
Book Review: WORDS by Jessica McCann
In the introduction to WORDS: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life, Jessica McCann shares with the reader a core belief that is as intricately a part of her personal journey as it is her writer’s journey and forms the basis … Read more...
Canceled Vacation Plans? Consider Mindcations Not Just Staycations
The research is clear. Vacations are good for our health — physically, mentally, and emotionally. According to David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, vacations are good for your heart,
… Read more...“we are actually seeing a reduction
For The Joy of Animals: Blissfully Splashing Dog
We tend to think — if there are limitations in our lives, then there are limitations in our happiness. But is that true? Or do we just make it so?
Maybe finding our bliss, the things that makes us happiest, … Read more...
For The Joy of Animals: Animal Acts of Compassion
Compassion is not just a human trait. It is a universal “being” trait and animal acts of compassion are all around us if we look.
The meaning of “Compassion” comes from Latin root “passio”, which means to suffer, and … Read more...
Words: Albert Einstein “Widening Our Circles Of Compassion…”
In a letter to a grieving father, Albert Einstein shared his thoughts on the human disconnect between the narrow “universe” we are imprisoned in and “Universe” of nature we need to “widening our circles of compassion” to live in:
“A … Read more...
Book Review: THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete
THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete is a compelling debut novel and a must read for anyone who loves the Arizona desert, strong but vulnerable female characters, and moving personal journeys.
The biggest fear most of us have is … Read more...
For The Joy Of Animals: Ninja Squirrels
We humans tend to think our intelligence makes us superior, but we still have a lot to learn from the animal world, especially when it comes to patience, persistence, and adaptability…
Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer, entrepreneur and science … Read more...
Music: NO DIRECTION by Rachael Yamagata
Songs resonate when they speak to us personally and capture a moment in time. While binge watching ONE SPRING NIGHT on Netflix, I became entranced by a song — NO DIRECTION by Rachael Yamagata — that played in the background. … Read more...
COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 (part 1) — Fast Facts
Because Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the illnesses it creates Corona Virus Disease 19 (COVID-19) are new to humans, there are many unanswered questions even among the medical/health professionals as to its spread and impact within … Read more...