returntonow--2020-04-21--California Fills Skate Parks with Sand. Skateboarders Shovel it Out and Keep Skating.

You can take their beaches , bike paths and hiking trails , but Californians said the state went too far when it tried to take their skate parks At least two California beach cities are enforcing social distancing by dumping tons of sand into skate parks .
In one of those cities , skaters decided to fight back .
A group of San Clemente skaters and surfers joined together with shovels and buckets ( and even dustpans ) to scoop out 37 tons of sand dumped into their beloved skate park to keep them out : But before they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the ultimate dirt bike course .
The epic act of civil disobedience was filmed by motocross videographer Connor Ericsson .
“ Took advantage of the all the sand the city dumped into the San Clemente skatepark then helped some local skaters dig it all out so they could do some ‘ social shredding , ' ” he wrote on Instagram : The skate park was built using private donations and filled with sand using tax dollars .
San Clemente Skatepark Coalition , the local nonprofit that raised $ 50,000 to build the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even reach out to contact them before deciding to dump the sand .
“ We have a pretty far reach with the skate community , we would have been happy to spread the message , ” the non-profit ’ s president Stephanie Aguilar told the San Clemente Times .
“ But there was no warning or anything.
” “ There ’ s a lot of people within our community who have put a lot of time and money , personal money .
.
.
into the skate park , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city dumping sand into the skate park , it almost feels like , when you look at it , the city vandalized its own park , and I think it pains people to see it.
” Along with skate parks , all parks , beaches , bike paths and trails in Los Angeles County are closed until at least May 15 in Los Angeles County as part of the state ’ s efforts to enforce “ social distancing .
”

You can take their beaches, bike paths and hiking trails, but Californians said the state went too far when it tried to take their skate parks
At least two California beach cities are enforcing social distancing by dumping tons of sand into skate parks. In one of those cities, skaters decided to fight back.
A group of San Clemente skaters and surfers joined together with shovels and buckets (and even dustpans) to scoop out 37 tons of sand dumped into their beloved skate park to keep them out:
LOOOL checkmate government dweebs Turning skatepark into a dirt bike track now pic.twitter.com/GYHi6cQvZo — COLTYBRAH (@coltybrah) April 20, 2020
But before they did, they took advantage the sand-filled pits as the ultimate dirt bike course. The epic act of civil disobedience was filmed by motocross videographer Connor Ericsson.
“Took advantage of the all the sand the city dumped into the San Clemente skatepark then helped some local skaters dig it all out so they could do some ‘social shredding,’” he wrote on Instagram:
The skate park was built using private donations and filled with sand using tax dollars.
San Clemente Skatepark Coalition, the local nonprofit that raised $50,000 to build the park, said that the city didn’t even reach out to contact them before deciding to dump the sand.
“We have a pretty far reach with the skate community, we would have been happy to spread the message,” the non-profit’s president Stephanie Aguilar told the San Clemente Times. “But there was no warning or anything.”
“There’s a lot of people within our community who have put a lot of time and money, personal money . . . into the skate park,” she added. “That visual representation of the city dumping sand into the skate park, it almost feels like, when you look at it, the city vandalized its own park, and I think it pains people to see it.”
Along with skate parks, all parks, beaches, bike paths and trails in Los Angeles County are closed until at least May 15 in Los Angeles County as part of the state’s efforts to enforce “social distancing.”


returntonow--2020-04-23--Customer Leaves Entire $1200 Stimulus Check as Tip for Family-Owned Restaurant

Patron leaves extra generous tip for favorite small , local restaurant in hopes it survives coronavirus Regular patrons of a small , family-owned restaurant in Arkansas left the staff a giant tip for a curbside takeout order last week .
“ We just started crying and thanking God because it came at a time that most of our staff really needed it , ” said Allison Hall , who manages her parents ’ Colonial Steakhouse .
“ It ’ s their whole stimulus check !
” the waitress sobbed as she told the owners .
The tip was just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 of the restaurant ’ s employees – including those that have been temporarily laid off – $ 100 each .
The restaurant has only had enough business to justify staying open 3 days a week for curbside pickup , thanks to the coronavirus quarantine .
“ We ’ ve been just barely getting by , ” Hall said .
“ We ’ re making it though.
” “ We ’ ve been open for a very long time – nearly 50 years – so we ’ re stubborn and we ’ re @ @ @ @ @

Patron leaves extra generous tip for favorite small, local restaurant in hopes it survives coronavirus
Regular patrons of a small, family-owned restaurant in Arkansas left the staff a giant tip for a curbside takeout order last week.
“We just started crying and thanking God because it came at a time that most of our staff really needed it,” said Allison Hall, who manages her parents’ Colonial Steakhouse.
“It’s their whole stimulus check!” the waitress sobbed as she told the owners.
The tip was just the right amount to share evenly between all 12 of the restaurant’s employees – including those that have been temporarily laid off – $100 each.
The restaurant has only had enough business to justify staying open 3 days a week for curbside pickup, thanks to the coronavirus quarantine.
“We’ve been just barely getting by,” Hall said. “We’re making it though.”
“We’ve been open for a very long time – nearly 50 years – so we’re stubborn and we’re not giving up.”


returntonow--2020-04-26--Crocheted Nest Has Kept Hornets Away for Years

For years , Sandy Davis struggled with spraying hornets ’ nests on her patio with toxic pesticides , known to @ @ @ @ @ other wildlife .
After reading that hornets , and other wasps , are very territorial @ @ @ @ @ anywhere near each other , she had an idea .
She crocheted a wasp nest @ @ @ @ @ into thinking others already lived there .
She hung it up 4 years ago and @ @ @ @ @ a single one since.
” If you ’ re no good at knitting , you @ @ @ @ @ nest , or three , on Amazon :

Tired of spraying wasp killer, woman invents wildlife-friendly alternative
For years, Sandy Davis struggled with spraying hornets’ nests on her patio with toxic pesticides, known to harm bees, birds and other wildlife.
After reading that hornets, and other wasps, are very territorial and will not build nests anywhere near each other, she had an idea.
She crocheted a wasp nest look-alive to trick the hornets into thinking others already lived there. She hung it up 4 years ago and hasn’t had “a single one since.”
If you’re no good at knitting, you can buy a fake wasp nest, or three, on Amazon:


returntonow--2020-04-26--Horse Takes Herself on a Walk Through Frankfurt Every Morning for 14 Years

When Jenny ’ s owner got too old to ride her , he decided to let her walk their 12-mile route alone so she wouldn ’ t get depressed in her stable .
Locals pet her and feed her treats along the way .
By now most locals know Jenny by name , but are still startled when they see the unmanned horse trotting past them on city sidewalks .
Jenny has been walking the same 12-mile route through Frankfurt , Germany for 14 years , all by herself .
Her owner Werner Weischedel used to walk it with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her horse – until he got too old to ride .
After Weischedel ’ s wife ’ s horse died , Jenny spent a lot of time in her stable and grazing their field alone .
Weischedel could tell she wasn ’ t happy and needed more exercise and adventure .
After several escape attempts , he decided to leave the gates open and let her roam free .
Ever since Jenny ’ s been walking the same route she always did , sometimes several times a day , coming home for lunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something of a celebrity in Frankfort , with many friends petting , feeding and even cleaning up after her along her path .
Every once in a while the local police receive a call by someone thinking she ’ s lost , but now she wears a tag that reads “ My name is Jenny , I didn ’ t run away , I ’ m just going for a walk.
” The extremely intelligent horse “ knows how to wait for crossing lights and is incredibly gentle with every animal or person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In all her years on the road , she ’ s never hurt anyone or caused any trouble , aside from nibbling on a rose bush here and there .

When Jenny’s owner got too old to ride her, he decided to let her walk their 12-mile route alone so she wouldn’t get depressed in her stable. Locals pet her and feed her treats along the way.
By now most locals know Jenny by name, but are still startled when they see the unmanned horse trotting past them on city sidewalks.
Jenny has been walking the same 12-mile route through Frankfurt, Germany for 14 years, all by herself.
Her owner Werner Weischedel used to walk it with her – along with his wife Anna and her horse – until he got too old to ride.
After Weischedel’s wife’s horse died, Jenny spent a lot of time in her stable and grazing their field alone. Weischedel could tell she wasn’t happy and needed more exercise and adventure.
After several escape attempts, he decided to leave the gates open and let her roam free.
“What can I do?” 80-year-old Weischedel says. “She’s a strong-willed, independent lady.”
Ever since Jenny’s been walking the same route she always did, sometimes several times a day, coming home for lunch and dinner.
She’s become something of a celebrity in Frankfort, with many friends petting, feeding and even cleaning up after her along her path.
Every once in a while the local police receive a call by someone thinking she’s lost, but now she wears a tag that reads “My name is Jenny, I didn’t run away, I’m just going for a walk.”
The extremely intelligent horse “knows how to wait for crossing lights and is incredibly gentle with every animal or person she meets,” HonestToPaws.com reports.
In all her years on the road, she’s never hurt anyone or caused any trouble, aside from nibbling on a rose bush here and there.


returntonow--2020-05-01--Florida Farmers are Selling Directly to Consumers to Avoid Produce Dumps

Farms that normally serve restaurants , amusement parks and cruise lines are transforming into community supported agriculture Last month , @ @ @ @ @ of produce rot in their fields after the restaurants , theme parks and cruise lines @ @ @ @ @ of year were suddenly closed due to nationwide quarantines .
This month , they are @ @ @ @ @ selling directly to the consumers who are doing a whole lot more home-cooking these days @ @ @ @ @ bit like turning the Titanic around , but now Florida farmers are getting help from @ @ @ @ @ , which has created a website to connect them to local buyers .
Floridians can @ @ @ @ @ and co-ops near them and a list of what each farm offers .
While some @ @ @ @ @ such as tomatoes for ketchup – some are bio-diverse , organic farms with a wide @ @ @ @ @ used to be sold in high-end local restaurants , including : Some farms are even @ @ @ @ @ seafood and shell fish .

Farms that normally serve restaurants, amusement parks and cruise lines are transforming into community supported agriculture
Last month, Florida farmers let countless tons of produce rot in their fields after the restaurants, theme parks and cruise lines they normally serve this time of year were suddenly closed due to nationwide quarantines.
This month, they are changing their business model, selling directly to the consumers who are doing a whole lot more home-cooking these days.
Changing course was a bit like turning the Titanic around, but now Florida farmers are getting help from the state department of agriculture, which has created a website to connect them to local buyers.
Floridians can search the website for farms and co-ops near them and a list of what each farm offers.
While some farms grow primarily mono-crops – such as tomatoes for ketchup – some are bio-diverse, organic farms with a wide variety of specialty produce that used to be sold in high-end local restaurants, including:
Caimito, citrus, mamey sapote, papaya, sapodilla, jackfruit, chard, collards. kale, escarole, greens, beets, cabbage, celery, corn, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, green peppers, peppers, okra, tomatoes, scallions, turmeric, yellow squash, zucchini, oyster mushrooms.
Some farms are even offering milkshakes, poultry, seafood and shell fish.


returntonow--2020-05-02--Volkswagen Beetle Repurposed Into an Old-Fashioned Mini Bike

Here ’ s how to transform the original VW Bug into a sweet mini-motorcycle The original Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most popular vehicles of all time .
Not wanting to let them go when their engines finally break down , fans have found all kinds of ways to repurpose their parts .
The “ Volkspod ” mini-bike is one of the coolest we ’ ve seen .
Brent Walter decided to use the most iconic part of the VW bug – the round , bubbly fenders – as the body of a mini-motorcycle .
He made two Volkspods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front fender and one back fender together for the body of each mini-bike .
The headlights and taillights are preserved , making them look like cute , one-eyed monsters : The wide handle bars it make it feel like you ’ re riding an over-sized beach cruiser : The green Volkspod is equipped with a 3hp motor , making it more of an eyepiece than a road warrior .
However , the blue one has higher ground clearance and a 212 cc motor , making it more fun to ride around town in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maker and builder of a variety of things.
” Check out his Instagram account as he has been documenting the entire creation progress of the scooters there .

Here’s how to transform the original VW Bug into a sweet mini-motorcycle
The original Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most popular vehicles of all time.
Not wanting to let them go when their engines finally break down, fans have found all kinds of ways to repurpose their parts.
The “Volkspod” mini-bike is one of the coolest we’ve seen.
Brent Walter decided to use the most iconic part of the VW bug – the round, bubbly fenders – as the body of a mini-motorcycle.
He made two Volkspods out of one bug by welding one front fender and one back fender together for the body of each mini-bike.
The headlights and taillights are preserved, making them look like cute, one-eyed monsters:
The wide handle bars it make it feel like you’re riding an over-sized beach cruiser:
The green Volkspod is equipped with a 3hp motor, making it more of an eyepiece than a road warrior.
However, the blue one has higher ground clearance and a 212 cc motor, making it more fun to ride around town in.
Walter describes himself as the “maker and builder of a variety of things.”
Check out his Instagram account as he has been documenting the entire creation progress of the scooters there.


returntonow--2020-05-04--Forget Homeschooling During Quarantine, Teach Life Skills Instead

May 4 , 2020 at 2:05 am Attempting to keep up with school curriculum is the last thing parents , or kids , need right now , psychologist says .
Both could benefit more from learning practical life-skills .
As if modern parents didn ’ t have enough roles to juggle already , many of us were suddenly given several more to play when schools suddenly closed across the country 7 weeks ago – the roles of teacher , full-time caregivers , and , in many cases , our children ’ s only friends .
All of this , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a living , seems like too much for the universe to ask from most of us .
Somethings got ta give , and that something should be academics , says a renowned child psychologist .
“ Trying to replicate school at home when you ’ re not trained and you don ’ t have the materials , that ’ s like mission impossible , ” psychology professor and author of Raising Kids Who Read , Daniel Willingham says .
“ This is not homeschooling , ” he says .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids could benefit by looking at the last and next couple of months of quarantine as an extra long summer of sorts – a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with our kids on a deeper level and to teach them life skills that aren ’ t often taught in school , like gardening , cooking , sewing , chores or home-or-auto repair , Willingham says .
Instead of trying to force academics , “ think about what you are set up to do : what you know a lot about , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers couldn ’ t do , ” he says .
For example , a father in Connecticut is teaching his 13-year-old son to rebuild a 1972 MGB car engine , National Geographic reports .
The father gets a working engine out of the deal and now the son wants to take automotive mechanics as an elective when he starts high school next fall .
A Texas mother is teaching her two young boys to prepare a garden bed , add compost , plant seeds , and re-pot transplants , while a Pennsylvania mom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wash dishes and make their own beds .
“ Between rushing to school and rushing to soccer , it ’ s just been easier for me to do it all , ” she said .
“ Now there ’ s nowhere to rush to , so we have more time to sit and tediously fold the same pair of pants four times until they figure it out.
” And if your kids are playing far more video games than you ever thought you ’ d allow , don ’ t beat yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever , and they may even learn some valuable skills while they ’ re at it , says Ellen Galinsky , author of Mind in the Making : The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs .
Galinsky says video games such as Minecraft and Roblox are helping her grandson “ learn to pay attention , think flexibly , and develop problem-solving strategies .
These life skills will serve him well in whatever he does in the future.
” “ I think this is a time that children are always going to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she adds .
“ So what are the memories we want our children to have ?
”

Attempting to keep up with school curriculum is the last thing parents, or kids, need right now, psychologist says. Both could benefit more from learning practical life-skills.
As if modern parents didn’t have enough roles to juggle already, many of us were suddenly given several more to play when schools suddenly closed across the country 7 weeks ago – the roles of teacher, full-time caregivers, and, in many cases, our children’s only friends.
All of this, on top of trying to continue to earn a living, seems like too much for the universe to ask from most of us. Somethings gotta give, and that something should be academics, says a renowned child psychologist.
“Trying to replicate school at home when you’re not trained and you don’t have the materials, that’s like mission impossible,” psychology professor and author of Raising Kids Who Read , Daniel Willingham says.
“This is not homeschooling,” he says. “It’s an emergency measure.”
Both parents and kids could benefit by looking at the last and next couple of months of quarantine as an extra long summer of sorts – a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with our kids on a deeper level and to teach them life skills that aren’t often taught in school, like gardening, cooking, sewing, chores or home-or-auto repair, Willingham says.
Instead of trying to force academics, “think about what you are set up to do: what you know a lot about, and maybe what the child’s teachers couldn’t do,” he says.
For example, a father in Connecticut is teaching his 13-year-old son to rebuild a 1972 MGB car engine, National Geographic reports. The father gets a working engine out of the deal and now the son wants to take automotive mechanics as an elective when he starts high school next fall.
A Texas mother is teaching her two young boys to prepare a garden bed, add compost, plant seeds, and re-pot transplants, while a Pennsylvania mom is teaching her kids to fold laundry, wash dishes and make their own beds.
“Between rushing to school and rushing to soccer, it’s just been easier for me to do it all,” she said. “Now there’s nowhere to rush to, so we have more time to sit and tediously fold the same pair of pants four times until they figure it out.”
And if your kids are playing far more video games than you ever thought you’d allow, don’t beat yourself up. It won’t be forever, and they may even learn some valuable skills while they’re at it, says Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs .
Galinsky says video games such as Minecraft and Roblox are helping her grandson “learn to pay attention, think flexibly, and develop problem-solving strategies. These life skills will serve him well in whatever he does in the future.”
“I think this is a time that children are always going to remember, a time of forever memories,” she adds. “So what are the memories we want our children to have?”


returntonow--2020-05-04--Polar Bears Photographed Frolicking in Beautiful Field of Flowers

Canadian photographer captures stunning photos of polar bears having some summertime fun When people think of polar bears , images @ @ @ @ @ typically come to mind .
Many of us don ’ t realize when summer comes @ @ @ @ @ a totally different environment , one that includes beautiful fields of wildflowers .
Photographer Dennis @ @ @ @ @ of polar bears in Manitoba , Canada over last summer… and from the looks of @ @ @ @ @ seem to really enjoy the changing of seasons :

Canadian photographer captures stunning photos of polar bears having some summertime fun
When people think of polar bears, images of frozen tundra and icebergs typically come to mind.
Many of us don’t realize when summer comes around these bears live in a totally different environment, one that includes beautiful fields of wildflowers.
Photographer Dennis Fast captured some incredible shots of polar bears in Manitoba, Canada over last summer… and from the looks of it, these arctic bears seem to really enjoy the changing of seasons:


returntonow--2020-05-04--Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle His Own Milk Rather than Dump It. Sells Out in Hours.

The American spirit lives on at a 300-year-old , cream-line dairy farm , where a farmer is working around the clock to bottle his own milk after his processor told him to dump it .
Locals are lining up to support him .
When Ben Brown ’ s dairy processor told him they could no longer buy his milk , he got to work bottling it himself .
Brown ’ s Whoa Nellie Dairy farm has been providing high-quality , cream-line milk since the 1700s .
He sells some of it at his on-site farm store , but a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a dairy processor who pasteurized and bottled it for local restaurants and markets .
When he realized he would have to dump hundreds of gallons of milk each week until his 70 milking cows dried up , he couldn ’ t bear it .
So he got to work , literally around the clock , pasteurizing it in small batches in his 30-gallon vat and bottling it up .
He posted on Facebook that they ’ d open up the farm store for additional hours to sell the milk directly to consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The line to get in the store was at least 20 customers deep for several hours , the local news reported .
“ I know their uncle , Larry Basinger , and we want to help the Brown family through this , ” one customer said .
“ We ’ re going to buy 10 gallons .
I have orders from our whole family.
” They sold out within hours and have sold out almost every day since .
On days they don ’ t sell out , they donate their fresh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hate waste , and I don ’ t want to dump milk .
People can use it , and I still have to pay my bills , ” Brown said .
Brown and his wife Mary Beth purchased the farm four years ago from Ben ’ s parents .
He admitted to a local newspaper that his family has “ barely been scraping by ” in recent years , and that at first , he was afraid the lockdown would be the end of them .
“ I don ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been in the Brown family since the 1700s , ” he said .
Two weeks ago , the farm was able to purchase a second 45-gallon pasteurization vat , so Brown won ’ t have to stay up all night processing it anymore .

The American spirit lives on at a 300-year-old, cream-line dairy farm, where a farmer is working around the clock to bottle his own milk after his processor told him to dump it. Locals are lining up to support him.
When Ben Brown’s dairy processor told him they could no longer buy his milk, he got to work bottling it himself.
Brown’s Whoa Nellie Dairy farm has been providing high-quality, cream-line milk since the 1700s.
He sells some of it at his on-site farm store, but a large portion of it used to be sold to a dairy processor who pasteurized and bottled it for local restaurants and markets.
When he realized he would have to dump hundreds of gallons of milk each week until his 70 milking cows dried up, he couldn’t bear it.
So he got to work, literally around the clock, pasteurizing it in small batches in his 30-gallon vat and bottling it up.
He posted on Facebook that they’d open up the farm store for additional hours to sell the milk directly to consumers, and the response was overwhelming:
The line to get in the store was at least 20 customers deep for several hours, the local news reported.
“I know their uncle, Larry Basinger, and we want to help the Brown family through this,” one customer said. “We’re going to buy 10 gallons. I have orders from our whole family.”
They sold out within hours and have sold out almost every day since. On days they don’t sell out, they donate their fresh, non-homogenized milk to local charities.
“I hate waste, and I don’t want to dump milk. People can use it, and I still have to pay my bills,” Brown said.
Brown and his wife Mary Beth purchased the farm four years ago from Ben’s parents. He admitted to a local newspaper that his family has “barely been scraping by” in recent years, and that at first, he was afraid the lockdown would be the end of them.
“I don’t want us to go under. This farm has been in the Brown family since the 1700s,” he said.
Two weeks ago, the farm was able to purchase a second 45-gallon pasteurization vat, so Brown won’t have to stay up all night processing it anymore.


returntonow--2020-05-08--“No Mow May” Campaign Asks Us to Leave the Lawn Alone Until June to Help Save Bees

May 8 , 2020 at 1:42 am Not mowing in May results in more flowers and nectar all summer long for struggling pollinators .
Wildlife organization urges us to leave lawnmowers locked up until June .
April showers bring May flowers , and if you like food , you should leave those flowers alone .
Not mowing in May results in a greater diversity and number of flowers throughout the summer , a British wildlife organization called Plantlife claims .
The organization conducted an experiment in last year in which hundreds of homeowners agreed not to mow their lawns until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much wider variety of flower species and enough nectar to feed 10 times as many bees as normal lawns .
The longer your grass grows , the greater the diversity of flower species you get , Plantlife found .
Because of this , the organization recommends mowing only once a month at most all summer .
If you can ’ t wait that long – maybe you want a place to tan or for the kids to play – mow in sections or chunks .
Make a cool pattern if you wish .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plenty of long patches for the pollinators .
“ We ’ ve discovered that plants like daisy , white clover and bird ’ s-foot trefoil are superbly adapted to growing in shorter swards .
These short-grass , ‘ mower-ducking ’ plants stay low down with stems well out of the way of the mower blades , but continually produce large numbers of flowers every few weeks .
If these flowers are cut off by mowing , it just stimulates the plants to produce yet more flowers , boosting nectar production.
” “ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , red clover , field scabious and knapweed grow upright and take longer to reach flowering size .
They can ’ t cope with being cut off regularly , so only bloom in grass that ’ s not been mown for several months or more .
Our results show these unmown long-grass areas are home to a greater range of wild flower species , complimenting the narrower range found in short-grass areas.
” If your neighbors complain , get one of these cool “ Certified Wildlife Habitat ” signs to stick in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be the cool thing to do .
It ’ s already catching on , with some American cities now announcing they will no longer enforce long-grass ordinances until mid June and others offering to pay citizens not to mow !

Hold off mowing the lawn until after May, wildlife organization urges. The results are a wider variety of flowers for pollinators when they need them most!
April showers bring May flowers, and if you like food, you should leave those flowers alone.
Not mowing in May results in a greater diversity and number of flowers throughout the summer, a British wildlife organization called Plantlife claims.
The organization conducted an experiment in last year in which hundreds of homeowners agreed not to mow their lawns until June. Participants’ lawns produced a much wider variety of flower species and enough nectar to feed 10 times as many bees as normal lawns.
The longer your grass grows, the greater the diversity of flower species you get, Plantlife found.
Because of this, the organization recommends mowing only once a month at most all summer.
If you can’t wait that long – maybe you want a place to tan or for the kids to play – mow in sections or chunks. Make a cool pattern if you wish. Plantlife suggests a mohawk! Just leave plenty of long patches for the pollinators.
Plantlife botanist Trevor Dines explains why longer lawns breed more diversity:
“We’ve discovered that plants like daisy, white clover and bird’s-foot trefoil are superbly adapted to growing in shorter swards. These short-grass, ‘mower-ducking’ plants stay low down with stems well out of the way of the mower blades, but continually produce large numbers of flowers every few weeks. If these flowers are cut off by mowing, it just stimulates the plants to produce yet more flowers, boosting nectar production.”
“In contrast, tall-grass species like oxeye daisy, red clover, field scabious and knapweed grow upright and take longer to reach flowering size. They can’t cope with being cut off regularly, so only bloom in grass that’s not been mown for several months or more. Our results show these unmown long-grass areas are home to a greater range of wild flower species, complimenting the narrower range found in short-grass areas.”
If your neighbors complain, get one of these cool “Certified Wildlife Habitat” signs to stick in your yard.
But pretty soon, it’ll be the cool thing to do.
It’s already catching on, with some American cities now announcing they will no longer enforce long-grass ordinances until mid June and others offering to pay citizens not to mow!


returntonow--2020-05-12--CSA Memberships Skyrocket in The Wake of Coronavirus

May 12 , 2020 at 11:09 am Coronavirus has revealed the fragility of our global food supply chain , and prompted a renaissance of community supported agriculture Before anyone had ever heard of a coronavirus , community supported agriculture was a fringe movement supported solely by crunchy hippies and yuppie urbanites .
But now that restaurants are closed and a trip to the grocery store feels like a trip to a post-apocalyptic war zone , people are turning to their local , organic , biodiverse farms in droves .
CSA memberships to farms across the country have doubled and tripled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer by the day .
The value of fresh , locally grown , chemical-free food that hasn ’ t traveled thousands of miles and passed through countless hands , is now priceless to more of us than ever .
Many of us are learning for the first time in our lives to grow a chunk of it for ourselves , but in the meantime , we are holding those who ’ ve been honing their skills for decades in a new esteem .
“ We ’ ve doubled our CSA [ produce ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheat flour , oils like olive oil , nuts , fruit juices , even yarn , ” founder of California Full Belly Farm Judith Redmond tells NPR .
“ In all the time that we ’ ve worked with CSAs , which is several decades , we ’ ve never seen a surge as quickly as we have the last few weeks , ” added Evan Wiig with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers .
“ It ’ s sort of a heyday for CSAs , ” he said .
“ Farmers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough members for the season – which we see every year — by mid-March were dealing with waiting lists with hundreds of people trying to get in.
” Images of farmers dumping milk , plowing under crops and euthanizing livestock as meat processing plants shutter have apparently shaken us awake when it comes to knowing where our food comes from and supporting the farmers who produce it directly , so we know it ’ ll be around when the middlemen fail us .
We are learning it ’ s not sustainable or safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baskets of corporate , mono-crop , mega-farms , reprioritizing what ’ s essential , and putting our money where our mouths are .
“ We think people ’ s habits will shift because of this ” pandemic , says Mountain Bounty Farm CSA manager John Tecklin .
“ For a lot of them , it ’ s kind of a wake-up call : what ’ s really important to you ?
” “ It ’ s local food security for our community , ” Tecklin said .
“ In these times it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Images of farmers dumping milk, plowing under crops and euthanizing livestock have revealed the fragility of our global food supply chain and prompted a renaissance of local, community supported agriculture.
Before anyone had ever heard of a coronavirus, community supported agriculture was a fringe movement supported solely by crunchy hippies and yuppie urbanites.
But now that restaurants are closed and a trip to the grocery store feels like a trip to a post-apocalyptic war zone, people are turning to their local, organic, biodiverse farms in droves.
CSA memberships to farms across the country have doubled and tripled in some places, with waitlists growing longer by the day.
The value of fresh, locally grown, chemical-free food that hasn’t traveled thousands of miles and passed through countless hands, is now priceless to more of us than ever.
Many of us are learning for the first time in our lives to grow a chunk of it for ourselves, but in the meantime, we are holding those who’ve been honing their skills for decades in a new esteem.
“We’ve doubled our CSA [produce] box numbers and quadrupled our add-ons like wheat flour, oils like olive oil, nuts, fruit juices, even yarn,” founder of California Full Belly Farm Judith Redmond tells NPR.
“In all the time that we’ve worked with CSAs, which is several decades, we’ve never seen a surge as quickly as we have the last few weeks,” added Evan Wiig with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
“It’s sort of a heyday for CSAs,” he said. “Farmers that were starting in March struggling to get enough members for the season – which we see every year — by mid-March were dealing with waiting lists with hundreds of people trying to get in.”
Images of farmers dumping milk, plowing under crops and euthanizing livestock as meat processing plants shutter have apparently shaken us awake when it comes to knowing where our food comes from and supporting the farmers who produce it directly, so we know it’ll be around when the middlemen fail us.
We are learning it’s not sustainable or safe to put all our eggs in the baskets of corporate, mono-crop, mega-farms, reprioritizing what’s essential, and putting our money where our mouths are.
“We think people’s habits will shift because of this” pandemic, says Mountain Bounty Farm CSA manager John Tecklin. “For a lot of them, it’s kind of a wake-up call: what’s really important to you?”
“It’s local food security for our community,” Tecklin said. “In these times it’s more important than ever.”


returntonow--2020-05-12--CSA Memberships Skyrocket as Americans Remember the Value of Local Food

May 12 , 2020 at 11:09 am Images of farmers dumping milk , plowing under crops and euthanizing livestock have revealed the fragility of our global food supply chain and prompted a renaissance of local , community supported agriculture .
Before anyone had ever heard of a coronavirus , community supported agriculture was a fringe movement supported solely by crunchy hippies and yuppie urbanites .
But now that restaurants are closed and a trip to the grocery store feels like a trip to a post-apocalyptic war zone , people are turning to their local , organic , biodiverse farms in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country have doubled and tripled in some places , with waitlists growing longer by the day .
The value of fresh , locally grown , chemical-free food that hasn ’ t traveled thousands of miles and passed through countless hands , is now priceless to more of us than ever .
Many of us are learning for the first time in our lives to grow a chunk of it for ourselves , but in the meantime , we are holding those who ’ ve been honing their skills for decades in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled our CSA [ produce ] box numbers and quadrupled our add-ons like wheat flour , oils like olive oil , nuts , fruit juices , even yarn , ” founder of California Full Belly Farm Judith Redmond tells NPR .
“ In all the time that we ’ ve worked with CSAs , which is several decades , we ’ ve never seen a surge as quickly as we have the last few weeks , ” added Evan Wiig with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers .
“ It ’ s sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Farmers that were starting in March struggling to get enough members for the season – which we see every year — by mid-March were dealing with waiting lists with hundreds of people trying to get in.
” Images of farmers dumping milk , plowing under crops and euthanizing livestock as meat processing plants shutter have apparently shaken us awake when it comes to knowing where our food comes from and supporting the farmers who produce it directly , so we know it ’ ll be around when the middlemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not sustainable or safe to put all our eggs in the baskets of corporate , mono-crop , mega-farms , reprioritizing what ’ s essential , and putting our money where our mouths are .
“ We think people ’ s habits will shift because of this ” pandemic , says Mountain Bounty Farm CSA manager John Tecklin .
“ For a lot of them , it ’ s kind of a wake-up call : what ’ s really important to you ?
” “ It ’ s local food security for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In these times it ’ s more important than ever .
”


returntonow--2020-05-14--Owls Could Kill Over 1000 Mice a Year Each if We Stopped Killing Them With Rodenticide

In one of man ’ s most counterproductive efforts , we are killing the predators of our pests .
Owls are nature ’ s best rodent control , here ’ s how to make them feel at home in your yard .
Owls can serve as all-natural pest control for American farmers and homeowners alike , if we welcome them onto our property… and don ’ t poison them .
Research shows the percentage of owl carcasses containing rodenticide increased 10-fold between 1983 and 2006 , to 63 % .
It only takes eating three mice containing the poison Brodifacoum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an owl .
They die slowly , from internal bleeding , over a period of 1 to 3 weeks .
Instead of killing these helpful creatures , we should be making our homes , gardens and farms more accommodating for them so they can provide non-toxic , all natural pest control for us .
All they need is food , shelter , and water and owls will make any place their home .
Voles , rats , mice , skunks , and other varmints looking for a midnight snack , will think twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feast on your flower bed and crops , when these predators start swooping down from the night sky to devour them .
The average owl eats over 1000 mice per year .
If you ’ re lucky enough to have barn owls , this species hunts in small groups and , together , can eat hundreds of rodents per night .
Not only do they eliminate pests , but they do so with little cost or effort on your part .
Along with keeping rodents in check , owls coexist peacefully with other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night and sleep during the day , other birds will hardly notice they ’ re there .
In order to attract owls , you might consider a bird feeder outside of your house .
Mice like to go after seeds that fall on the ground below , luring them into the owls ’ path .
Mice also like untouched wood and brush piles .
All of these places are prime spots for owls to circle in on their prey .
Just make sure to plug up any holes around your house , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into your pantry or cupboard .
While owls get most of their water from their prey , having a bird bath for them to indulge in will make their stay a little more comfortable .
Owls prefer shaded , secluded areas to rest during the day .
Hollowed out trees with branches they can perch on make ideal habitats .
So do man-made nesting boxes .
By providing a place where owls can feel safe sleeping all day , you are much more likely to be successful in attracting these predators .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one here :

In one of man’s most counterproductive efforts, we are killing the predators of our pests. Owls are nature’s best rodent control, here’s how to make them feel at home in your yard.
Owls can serve as all-natural pest control for American farmers and homeowners alike, if we welcome them onto our property… and don’t poison them.
Research shows the percentage of owl carcasses containing rodenticide increased 10-fold between 1983 and 2006, to 63%. It only takes eating three mice containing the poison Brodifacoum within a couple of weeks to kill an owl. They die slowly, from internal bleeding, over a period of 1 to 3 weeks.
Instead of killing these helpful creatures, we should be making our homes, gardens and farms more accommodating for them so they can provide non-toxic, all natural pest control for us.
All they need is food, shelter, and water and owls will make any place their home.
Voles, rats, mice, skunks, and other varmints looking for a midnight snack, will think twice about coming out of their holes to feast on your flower bed and crops, when these predators start swooping down from the night sky to devour them.
The average owl eats over 1000 mice per year. If you’re lucky enough to have barn owls, this species hunts in small groups and, together, can eat hundreds of rodents per night.
Not only do they eliminate pests, but they do so with little cost or effort on your part.
Along with keeping rodents in check, owls coexist peacefully with other birds nearby.
Because they hunt at night and sleep during the day, other birds will hardly notice they’re there.
In order to attract owls, you might consider a bird feeder outside of your house. Mice like to go after seeds that fall on the ground below, luring them into the owls’ path.
Mice also like untouched wood and brush piles. All of these places are prime spots for owls to circle in on their prey.
Just make sure to plug up any holes around your house, so they don’t make their way into your pantry or cupboard.
While owls get most of their water from their prey, having a bird bath for them to indulge in will make their stay a little more comfortable.
Owls prefer shaded, secluded areas to rest during the day. Hollowed out trees with branches they can perch on make ideal habitats. So do man-made nesting boxes.
By providing a place where owls can feel safe sleeping all day, you are much more likely to be successful in attracting these predators.
You could either make one yourself or buy one here:


returntonow--2020-05-14--Why It’s More Important than Ever to Boycott Big Business and “Buy Local”

Small , locally owned businesses are the backbone of America .
Don ’ t let international corporations crush them during this crisis .
We have a short window of opportunity over the next few weeks to save small , locally owned mom and pop shops from the chopping block , so let ’ s put our money where our mouths are before it ’ s too late When money is tight and stress levels are high , it ’ s tempting to buy the cheapest , most convenient things we can find .
Whether it ’ s fast food , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store , or getting everything delivered direct from China , we all fall prey to the low-price leaders from time to time .
And , in a pinch , I ’ m glad they exist just like anyone else .
But we ’ ve reached a critical turning point in history , where we have to decide what we want the world to look like for our children .
Unless we want a world of pseudo-choices — between Target or Walmart , McDonald ’ s or Burger King , and Amazon or Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Start with baby steps to the local farmers ’ market , or if they ’ re not open yet , join a CSA that delivers .
We ’ re learning more now than ever how important it is to keep our food supply chain local , as mega , mono-crop farms , that ship food around the country and world , are having to destroy their products , because they are inflexible and ultimately unsustainable .
Small , biodiverse farms with a variety of organic fruits and veggies , and pasture-raised meats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adapt to the market ’ s ever-changing needs and demands .
If we ’ re not eating at restaurants as much , they can deliver a variety of fresh food right to our door , as opposed to the mono-culture tomato farm that was supposed to supply ketchup to amusement parks , cruise lines and schools .
Which brings us to restaurants .
We ’ ve all learned in the last couple of months we ’ re capable of a lot more home-cooking and dishwashing than we ever thought possible .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then .
When we take those breaks , especially over the next few weeks , we really need to think about which restaurants we ’ d like to be around in the long run .
Unfortunately , McDonald ’ s probably isn ’ t going away anytime soon .
But your local cafe that sells fresh , responsibly-sourced , chef-inspired seasonal dishes could very likely go under , if it hasn ’ t already , without our continued support .
While food is at the top of the priority list for most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider extending these principles to other areas of our lives , such as clothing , furniture , crafts , toys , household cleaners and personal hygiene products .
For example , in my home city we have a store that sells locally made , organic cotton clothing .
It ’ s more expensive than the international clothing retailer across the street , but it pays a living wage to our neighbors and doesn ’ t exploit slave labor on the other side of the world .
The cotton is grown more sustainably without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among farmers in India .
Maybe I can afford to buy two dresses for the price of one across the street , but do I really need two new cheaply made dresses that ’ ll probably end up at Goodwill in a few months ?
Last but not least , you can even support locally grown medicine .
There ’ s probably someone at the farmers ’ market or in your local natural moms ’ group who makes homemade elderberry syrup , handcrafted herbal teas , tinctures and tonics , all-natural healing balms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even consider visiting a local masseuse , acupuncturist or naturopath , reducing your reliance on one of the most powerful , least-helpful industries in the world , Big Pharma .
Whether or not you believe the official story on how this pandemic came to be , we know from history that Big Business will never waste a good crisis .
The leaders of industry will try to seize this opportunity to consolidate their cartels and further their monopolistic stranglehold on our economy .
But , we the people also have an opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barter , trade , grow our own and make our own .
What you can ’ t do for yourself , buy from your neighbor , or a self-employed , small business owner , and stick it to the Man !

Small, locally owned businesses are the backbone of America. Don’t let international corporations crush them during this crisis.
We have a short window of opportunity over the next few weeks to save small, locally owned mom and pop shops from the chopping block, so let’s put our money where our mouths are before it’s too late
When money is tight and stress levels are high, it’s tempting to buy the cheapest, most convenient things we can find.
Whether it’s fast food, a one-stop shopping trip to a big-box store, or getting everything delivered direct from China, we all fall prey to the low-price leaders from time to time.
And, in a pinch, I’m glad they exist just like anyone else.
But we’ve reached a critical turning point in history, where we have to decide what we want the world to look like for our children.
Unless we want a world of pseudo-choices — between Target or Walmart, McDonald’s or Burger King, and Amazon or Amazon — we need to diversify our spending.
Start with baby steps to the local farmers’ market, or if they’re not open yet, join a CSA that delivers.
We’re learning more now than ever how important it is to keep our food supply chain local, as mega, mono-crop farms, that ship food around the country and world, are having to destroy their products, because they are inflexible and ultimately unsustainable.
Small, biodiverse farms with a variety of organic fruits and veggies, and pasture-raised meats and/or dairy products, however, can adapt to the market’s ever-changing needs and demands.
If we’re not eating at restaurants as much, they can deliver a variety of fresh food right to our door, as opposed to the mono-culture tomato farm that was supposed to supply ketchup to amusement parks, cruise lines and schools.
Which brings us to restaurants.
We’ve all learned in the last couple of months we’re capable of a lot more home-cooking and dishwashing than we ever thought possible. But we also could all use a break now and then.
When we take those breaks, especially over the next few weeks, we really need to think about which restaurants we’d like to be around in the long run.
Unfortunately, McDonald’s probably isn’t going away anytime soon. But your local cafe that sells fresh, responsibly-sourced, chef-inspired seasonal dishes could very likely go under, if it hasn’t already, without our continued support.
While food is at the top of the priority list for most of us right now, we should consider extending these principles to other areas of our lives, such as clothing, furniture, crafts, toys, household cleaners and personal hygiene products.
For example, in my home city we have a store that sells locally made, organic cotton clothing. It’s more expensive than the international clothing retailer across the street, but it pays a living wage to our neighbors and doesn’t exploit slave labor on the other side of the world.
The cotton is grown more sustainably without causing massive pesticide pollution or mass suicides among farmers in India.
Maybe I can afford to buy two dresses for the price of one across the street, but do I really need two new cheaply made dresses that’ll probably end up at Goodwill in a few months?
Last but not least, you can even support locally grown medicine. There’s probably someone at the farmers’ market or in your local natural moms’ group who makes homemade elderberry syrup, handcrafted herbal teas, tinctures and tonics, all-natural healing balms and diaper rash creams.
You may even consider visiting a local masseuse, acupuncturist or naturopath, reducing your reliance on one of the most powerful, least-helpful industries in the world, Big Pharma.
Whether or not you believe the official story on how this pandemic came to be, we know from history that Big Business will never waste a good crisis. The leaders of industry will try to seize this opportunity to consolidate their cartels and further their monopolistic stranglehold on our economy.
But, we the people also have an opportunity to wake up and take back our power. Barter, trade, grow our own and make our own. What you can’t do for yourself, buy from your neighbor, or a self-employed, small business owner, and stick it to the Man!


returntonow--2020-05-17--Photographer Captures Crystal Clear Images of the World’s Rarest Tropical Birds in Peru

The rainforests of Peru are home to some of the coolest looking exotic birds in the world , and 1/5 @ @ @ @ @ the world .
Photographer Supreet Sahoo recently explored the diverse natural landscapes of Peru , @ @ @ @ @ all bird species in the world .
From the Inca trail to Machu Picchu , @ @ @ @ @ dozens of rare birds species at every part of his journey .
“ Peru is @ @ @ @ @ with the most beautiful avian treasury in the world.
” Sahoo wrote for BoredPanda.com .
@ @ @ @ @ on every bird photographer ’ s bucket list.
” Sahoo has been working with naturalists @ @ @ @ @ South American rainforests for years , giving him special access to tropical wildlife .
“ @ @ @ @ @ private farms in Costa Rica to finding Cock of the Rock leks in private farms @ @ @ @ @ everything to get the best images possible , ” he writes .
Here are 14 @ @ @ @ @ found :

“Peru is a birder’s paradise with the most beautiful avian treasury in the world…”
Photographer Supreet Sahoo recently explored the diverse natural landscapes of Peru, home to 1/5 of all bird species in the world.
From the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, he captured beautiful images of dozens of rare birds species at every part of his journey.
“Peru is a birder’s paradise with the most beautiful avian treasury in the world.” Sahoo wrote for BoredPanda.com. “It is a must-visit on every bird photographer’s bucket list.”
Sahoo has been working with naturalists and guides in Central and South American rainforests for years, giving him special access to tropical wildlife.
“From owls and quetzals in private farms in Costa Rica to finding Cock of the Rock leks in private farms in Colombia — we do everything to get the best images possible,” he writes.
Here are 14 of the coolest species he found:
1. Marvellous Spatuletail Hummingbird
2. Swallow Tanager
3. Golden-Tailed Sapphire
4. Rufous-Crested Coquette
5. Andean Motmot
6. Black-Faced Dacnis
7. Collared Trogon
8. Grass-Green Tanager
9. Black-Tailed Trainbearer
10. Inca Tern
11. Royal Sunangel Hummingbird
12. Squirrel Cuckoo
13. Red-Legged Cormorant
14. Sword-Billed Hummingbird
15. Giant hummingbird


returntonow--2020-05-17--Help Bluebirds Survive by Building Houses Just Their Size

Native bluebirds need our help building specialized houses that keep out aggressive , invasive species Once an icon of the eastern United States , many of us youngsters have never seen a bluebird in the wild .
Like most wild birds , they face pesticide poisoning and severe habitat loss to humans .
And humans aren ’ t the only invasive species bluebirds have to contend with .
Since the late 1800s they ’ ve been pushed out of their ever-shrinking living quarters by two aggressive European species — the English sparrow and the starling .
Without human help ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) the species is in grave danger , says The American Bird Conservancy .
The main thing we can do for our beloved little song birds is build them houses with doors small enough that their competitors can ’ t get in — about an inch and a half in diameter – and by positioning them low to the ground .
In nature , bluebirds search for cavities in decaying wood to nest in .
So do sparrows and starlings , who are much more aggressive than bluebirds , taking over their nests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sometimes killing timid adult bluebirds .
As more and more land is cleared for urban development , this competition becomes even more fierce .
A 1.5 inch entry to a bird house is just big enough for a bluebird but too small for the larger starlings to squeeze through , according to Mother Earth News .
Positioning the bird house relatively low to the ground , 3-5 feet in the air should keep the sparrows away , who prefer higher nests .
If sparrows do take up residence in your bluebird house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them before their eyes are laid .
Making the front panel angled inward at the bottom , and/or adding a ramp to the exit on the inside helps baby birds make their way out of the nest when they are ready to test their wings .
Bluebird houses should be placed at least 100 yards apart from each other , or 3 per acre .
They are great for keeping pesky insects out of your garden .
For far more detailed instructions on bluebird home construction check out this article on MotherEarthNews.com .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon if you ’ re not that handy :

Native bluebirds need our help building specialized houses that keep out aggressive, invasive species
Once an icon of the eastern United States, many of us youngsters have never seen a bluebird in the wild.
Like most wild birds, they face pesticide poisoning and severe habitat loss to humans. And humans aren’t the only invasive species bluebirds have to contend with.
Since the late 1800s they’ve been pushed out of their ever-shrinking living quarters by two aggressive European species — the English sparrow and the starling.
Without human help (undoing the damage we’ve caused) the species is in grave danger, says The American Bird Conservancy.
The main thing we can do for our beloved little song birds is build them houses with doors small enough that their competitors can’t get in — about an inch and a half in diameter – and by positioning them low to the ground.
In nature, bluebirds search for cavities in decaying wood to nest in. So do sparrows and starlings, who are much more aggressive than bluebirds, taking over their nests by puncturing eggs, killing nestlings, and sometimes killing timid adult bluebirds.
As more and more land is cleared for urban development, this competition becomes even more fierce.
A 1.5 inch entry to a bird house is just big enough for a bluebird but too small for the larger starlings to squeeze through, according to Mother Earth News.
Positioning the bird house relatively low to the ground, 3-5 feet in the air should keep the sparrows away, who prefer higher nests.
If sparrows do take up residence in your bluebird house, it’s best to evict them before their eyes are laid.
Making the front panel angled inward at the bottom, and/or adding a ramp to the exit on the inside helps baby birds make their way out of the nest when they are ready to test their wings.
Bluebird houses should be placed at least 100 yards apart from each other, or 3 per acre. They are great for keeping pesky insects out of your garden.
For far more detailed instructions on bluebird home construction check out this article on MotherEarthNews.com.
Or you can always buy one on Amazon if you’re not that handy.


returntonow--2020-05-19--Rare “Blue Bee” Found in Florida, After Researchers Thought It Might Be Extinct

Beautiful , metallic-blue bee is one of many amazing native bee species that could be lost forever if action is not taken to preserve their habitat An “ ultra rare ” blue bee has been rediscovered in Florida .
There had been no reported sightings of the bee for over 4 years , leading researchers to believe it may be extinct .
The blue calamintha bee was found pollinating another vanishing species that it co-evolved with – Ashe ’ s calamint flower – in a quickly disappearing ecosystem in central Florida : Lake Wales Ridge .
“ When much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sand dune areas along the Central Florida ridge behaved almost like islands , producing isolated habitats , ” says a press release by the Florida Museum of Natural History .
In these isolated island habitats , one-of-a-kind species like the blue bee evolved .
“ We observed a shiny little blue bee grabbing ( an Ashe ’ s calamint flower ) and rubbing its head on the top portion of the flower 2-3 times , ” museum researcher Chase Kimmel says .
“ We were pretty shocked to see it.
” Kimmel says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Wales Ridge looking for the solitary bee , which creates individual nests rather than hives , but hasn ’ t found one until now .

Beautiful, metallic-blue bee is one of many amazing native bee species that could be lost forever if action is not taken to preserve their habitat
An “ultra rare” blue bee has been rediscovered in Florida. There had been no reported sightings of the bee for over 4 years, leading researchers to believe it may be extinct.
The blue calamintha bee was found pollinating another vanishing species that it co-evolved with – Ashe’s calamint flower – in a quickly disappearing ecosystem in central Florida: Lake Wales Ridge.
“When much of the state was underwater, higher elevation sand dune areas along the Central Florida ridge behaved almost like islands, producing isolated habitats,” says a press release by the Florida Museum of Natural History.
In these isolated island habitats, one-of-a-kind species like the blue bee evolved.
“We observed a shiny little blue bee grabbing (an Ashe’s calamint flower) and rubbing its head on the top portion of the flower 2-3 times,” museum researcher Chase Kimmel says. “We were pretty shocked to see it.”
Kimmel says he’s scouted multiple sites in Lake Wales Ridge looking for the solitary bee, which creates individual nests rather than hives, but hasn’t found one until now.


returntonow--2020-05-17--Photographer Visits Peru: Here are 31 Beautiful Birds He Found

“ Peru is a birder ’ s paradise with the most beautiful avian treasury in the world… ” Photographer Supreet @ @ @ @ @ natural landscapes of Peru , home to 1/5 of all bird species in the world @ @ @ @ @ to Machu Picchu , he captured beautiful images of dozens of rare birds species at @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Peru is a birder ’ s paradise with the most beautiful avian treasury @ @ @ @ @ wrote for BoredPanda.com .
“ It is a must-visit on every bird photographer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ been working with naturalists and guides in Central and South American rainforests for years , @ @ @ @ @ tropical wildlife .
“ From owls and quetzals in private farms in Costa Rica to @ @ @ @ @ leks in private farms in Colombia — we do everything to get the best images @ @ @ @ @ .
Here are 14 of the coolest species he found :


returntonow--2020-05-25--Canadian Woman Up-Cycles Old School Buses into Greenhouses

Old school buses are cheaper and stronger than most greenhouses , and best of all , you can move them !
Converting retired school buses into RVs and tiny houses has become increasingly popular in recent years , but now a woman from Alberta , Canada has found another use for them .
Greenhouses are great way to extend the growing season and protect crops from harsh weather in colder , northern parts of the continent , but they can be very expensive , depending on what type of material you use .
Soft , polyethylene plastic is relatively affordable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in strong winds , and has to be replaced every couple of years .
With their steel-ribbed frames and siding , school buses are known for their virtual indestructibility , and , they can be purchased super cheap .
Doni Rae Franklin and her family have converted two of them into rock-solid , food-growing machines for a fraction of the cost of a glass or hard-plastic ( polycarbonate ) greenhouse .
They ripped out all the seats and cut off the roof from the windows up , replacing it with polyethelene plastic ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to replace the roof from now on , instead of all the siding too ) .
The recycled the tin roof into planter boxes , which they expect to withstand rot better than wood boxes .
And , another bonus , when the weather is warmer they can easily open up the windows to let it cool down inside !
The larger of the two buses is immobile as the drive-train was removed for another project , but the short bus still drives , allowing Doni Rae to take her produce to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new level of freshness !
The smaller bus only has skylights installed , rather than the whole roof cut off , allowing her to plant crops without such a high light requirement : “ As I ’ ve been getting more and more into commercial gardening , I ’ ve realized that these greenhouses are the best way to achieve a reliable harvest , stopping things like frost and hail from taking a toll , ” Franklin tells FarmShow.com .
She says if she ever gets time to custom build more greenhouse buses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 8000 per bus , half the cost of the national average for greenhouses .
Her original Facebook post about the bus went viral back in 2016 and is now making its rounds again as more and more people become interested in growing their own food .

Old school buses are cheaper and stronger than most greenhouses, and best of all, you can move them!
Converting retired school buses into RVs and tiny houses has become increasingly popular in recent years, but now a woman from Alberta, Canada has found another use for them.
Greenhouses are great way to extend the growing season and protect crops from harsh weather in colder, northern parts of the continent, but they can be very expensive, depending on what type of material you use.
Soft, polyethylene plastic is relatively affordable, but isn’t very durable in strong winds, and has to be replaced every couple of years.
With their steel-ribbed frames and siding, school buses are known for their virtual indestructibility, and, they can be purchased super cheap.
Doni Rae Franklin and her family have converted two of them into rock-solid, food-growing machines for a fraction of the cost of a glass or hard-plastic (polycarbonate) greenhouse.
They ripped out all the seats and cut off the roof from the windows up, replacing it with polyethelene plastic (at least they’ll only have to replace the roof from now on, instead of all the siding too).
The recycled the tin roof into planter boxes, which they expect to withstand rot better than wood boxes.
And, another bonus, when the weather is warmer they can easily open up the windows to let it cool down inside!
The larger of the two buses is immobile as the drive-train was removed for another project, but the short bus still drives, allowing Doni Rae to take her produce to the farmers’ market and deliver a whole new level of freshness!
The smaller bus only has skylights installed, rather than the whole roof cut off, allowing her to plant crops without such a high light requirement:
“As I’ve been getting more and more into commercial gardening, I’ve realized that these greenhouses are the best way to achieve a reliable harvest, stopping things like frost and hail from taking a toll,” Franklin tells FarmShow.com.
She says if she ever gets time to custom build more greenhouse buses for people she’d charge about $8000 per bus, half the cost of the national average for greenhouses.
Her original Facebook post about the bus went viral back in 2016 and is now making its rounds again as more and more people become interested in growing their own food.


returntonow--2020-05-27--Biologist Saved 12 Endangered Animal Species From Extinction

May 27 , 2020 at 12:11 am By bucking the traditional tenets of animal conservation , one man has saved more animals than anyone else Over the last fifty years more than half of all the world ’ s mammals , birds , fish and reptiles have been declared extinct due to deforestation and other man-made environmental catastrophes .
Through all this environmental carnage , Carl Jones , a Welsh conservation biologist , has been a bright light , doing his best to save a growing number of animals from extinction .
Jones , who ’ s known for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first brought back Mauritius kestrels , an endangered bird found off the southeast coast of Africa .
In 1974 there were only 4 birds left , with only one breeding female , who had just laid her eggs .
So Jones , who tends to buck conventional thinking , decided to snatch the eggs from the bird ’ s nest in hopes that she would lay another round of eggs .
He was able to incubate the eggs he stole and raise the birds until they were ready to be reintroduced back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to lay another round of eggs .
Today there are over 400 Mauritius kestrels .
He ’ s also saved the pink pigeon , the echo parakeet , the Rodrigues fody and the Rodrigues warbler , all of which had fewer than 12 known individuals left in the wild , all of which are now thriving .
While many conservationists believe in a hands off approach and prefer to observe nature in its natural setting , Jones tends to do the opposite .
“ Do you sit back and monitor a sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see what works ?
A lot of species have been studied to extinction , ” explained Jones .
So instead of sitting back , Jones rolls up his sleeves and jumps into the fray .
“ If there ’ s a shortage of food , you start feeding .
If there ’ s a shortage of nest sites , you put up nest boxes , ” said Jones .
When he discovered mongooses – an invasive species brought over to control rats – were raiding and destroying Mauritius kestrels nests , he setup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and made mongoose proof nest boxes , so the birds could safely breed in the wild .
Sometimes , if he encountered a mongoose , he ’ d kill it with his bare hands .
While his methods maybe controversial , they ’ re a winning strategy to bringing wildlife… well… back to life .
In 2016 , Jones won the prestigious Indianapolis Prize , which is like the Oscars of the conservation world .
“ I know of no other conservationist who has directly saved so many species from extinction , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the IUCN Species Survival Commission , who nominated Jones for the award .
So , while some conservationists wrangle over Jone ’ s style , he just keeps saving animals and does so with a positive attitude .

By bucking the traditional tenets of animal conservation, one man has saved more animals than anyone else
Over the last fifty years more than half of all the world’s mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been declared extinct due to deforestation and other man-made environmental catastrophes.
Through all this environmental carnage, Carl Jones, a Welsh conservation biologist, has been a bright light, doing his best to save a growing number of animals from extinction.
Jones, who’s known for his hands on approach to saving wildlife, first brought back Mauritius kestrels, an endangered bird found off the southeast coast of Africa.
In 1974 there were only 4 birds left, with only one breeding female, who had just laid her eggs.
So Jones, who tends to buck conventional thinking, decided to snatch the eggs from the bird’s nest in hopes that she would lay another round of eggs.
His gambled paid off.
He was able to incubate the eggs he stole and raise the birds until they were ready to be reintroduced back into the wild, while the mother was able to lay another round of eggs.
Today there are over 400 Mauritius kestrels.
He’s also saved the pink pigeon, the echo parakeet, the Rodrigues fody and the Rodrigues warbler, all of which had fewer than 12 known individuals left in the wild, all of which are now thriving.
While many conservationists believe in a hands off approach and prefer to observe nature in its natural setting, Jones tends to do the opposite.
“Do you sit back and monitor a sick patient or do you treat them and see what works? A lot of species have been studied to extinction,” explained Jones.
So instead of sitting back, Jones rolls up his sleeves and jumps into the fray.
“If there’s a shortage of food, you start feeding. If there’s a shortage of nest sites, you put up nest boxes,” said Jones.
When he discovered mongooses – an invasive species brought over to control rats – were raiding and destroying Mauritius kestrels nests, he setup stronger safety measures.
He constructed traps and made mongoose proof nest boxes, so the birds could safely breed in the wild. Sometimes, if he encountered a mongoose, he’d kill it with his bare hands.
While his methods maybe controversial, they’re a winning strategy to bringing wildlife… well… back to life.
In 2016, Jones won the prestigious Indianapolis Prize, which is like the Oscars of the conservation world.
“I know of no other conservationist who has directly saved so many species from extinction,” said Dr. Simon N. Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, who nominated Jones for the award.
So, while some conservationists wrangle over Jone’s style, he just keeps saving animals and does so with a positive attitude.


returntonow--2020-05-28--Man Builds Wife’s Chickens a Mini “Coop Town” And it’s The Cutest Thing Ever

While the world is in lockdown , pet owners are getting more creative with how they design homes for their animals .
Whether its cat patios for their feline friends or luxurious dog houses for their hounds , one thing is for sure , Americans go over-the-top for their animals .
Such is the case for a man who built a “ Wild West ” town for his wife ’ s chickens .
This tiny coop town is equipped with with hotels , cafes , and even a jailhouse for miscreants .
Such meticulous detail was put into each structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything when it comes to aesthetic details of the buildings .
Chickens are free to stroll down the boardwalk , eat a local cafe or even spend the night at a fancy hotel .
If , however , they ’ re caught downtown and they ’ re not wearing a mask , or social distancing , they might have to spend the day in the “ Big House ” 😉 Maybe the local blacksmith can forge the chickens an iron beak .
Maybe stop and get a shot or two of chicken feed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relax in the big barn .
Ah , after walking through town , they made need some refreshments at the Rooster ’ s Ridge watering hole .

This mini Wild West town is a rootin tootin good time
While the world is in lockdown, pet owners are getting more creative with how they design homes for their animals.
Whether its cat patios for their feline friends or luxurious dog houses for their hounds, one thing is for sure, Americans go over-the-top for their little pets.
Such is the case for a man who built a “Wild West” town for his wife’s chickens.
This tiny coop town is equipped with with hotels, cafes, and even a jailhouse for miscreants.
Such meticulous detail was put into each structure and the builder really did think of everything when it comes to aesthetic details of the buildings.
Chickens are free to stroll down the boardwalk, eat a local cafe or even spend the night at a fancy hotel.
If, however, they’re caught downtown and they’re not wearing a mask, or social distancing, they might have to spend the day in the “Big House” 😉
Maybe the local blacksmith can forge the chickens an iron beak.
Maybe stop and get a shot or two of chicken feed at the local saloon.
Or maybe relax in the big barn.
Ah, after walking through town, they made need some refreshments at the Rooster’s Ridge watering hole.


returntonow--2020-05-30--“Guerilla Grafters” Secretly Graft Fruit-Bearing Branches Onto Sterile City Trees

These rebels are grafting “ forbidden fruit ” onto ornamental urban trees , and cities doesn ’ t know how to stop them !
A group of food freedom fighters are sneaking out in the middle of the night ( and sometimes in broad daylight ) grafting fruit-producing limbs onto sterile urban trees , specifically bred not to bear fruit .
Known as the “ Guerilla Grafters , ” their mission is to provide free , healthy food where it ’ s needed most – urban food deserts .
Ever wonder why none of the trees in big cities produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
According to the Guerilla Grafters , it ’ s because they are intentionally bred not to .
City planners specifically select sterile varieties of many common fruit trees ( apples , pears , plums , cherries ) because of their beauty to decorate their streets .
But they don ’ t want to be held liable for any potentially slippery messes fallen fruit could create on city sidewalks , or any animals it could attract ( think bees , birds , squirrels ) .
You can image how quickly wildlife could become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But maybe that ’ s the problem with cities .
They aren ’ t wild enough .
At least that ’ s what the Guerilla Grafters think .
The movement started in 2012 in San Francisco , home to 10,000 fruitless fruit trees .
The group ’ s founder Tara Hui tried using all the legal avenues to get the city to legalize fruit trees , but went rogue when she realized that was getting her nowhere .
She has since formed a group of dozens of stealth grafters in the San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook , many of whom have formed grafting groups in their own cities .
Grafting branches onto trees is like “ like tongue and groove in carpentry , ” Hui explains .
The spliced branches are taped up in color coded electrical tape , so volunteers can monitor the trees and make sure fruit is harvested and not wasted .
“ Once it heals , it connects , ” Hui said .
“ Basically the branch becomes part of the tree.
” And by that time , it ’ s too late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , the grafters boast .
“ It ’ s like the gardener ’ s version of graffiti , ” UC Davis landscape architecture professor Claire Napawan told the LA Times .
“ Even if there ’ s some question about its ability to produce enough food to make a difference … as an awareness piece , it ’ s a good idea .
”

These rebels are grafting “forbidden fruit” onto ornamental urban trees, and cities doesn’t know how to stop them!
A group of food freedom fighters are sneaking out in the middle of the night (and sometimes in broad daylight) grafting fruit-producing limbs onto sterile urban trees, specifically bred not to bear fruit.
Known as the “Guerilla Grafters,” their mission is to provide free, healthy food where it’s needed most – urban food deserts.
Ever wonder why none of the trees in big cities produce anything useful, like nuts or fruit? According to the Guerilla Grafters, it’s because they are intentionally bred not to.
City planners specifically select sterile varieties of many common fruit trees (apples, pears, plums, cherries) because of their beauty to decorate their streets.
But they don’t want to be held liable for any potentially slippery messes fallen fruit could create on city sidewalks, or any animals it could attract (think bees, birds, squirrels).
You can image how quickly wildlife could become a problem in the concrete jungle. But maybe that’s the problem with cities. They aren’t wild enough. At least that’s what the Guerilla Grafters think.
The movement started in 2012 in San Francisco, home to 10,000 fruitless fruit trees.
The group’s founder Tara Hui tried using all the legal avenues to get the city to legalize fruit trees, but went rogue when she realized that was getting her nowhere.
She has since formed a group of dozens of stealth grafters in the San Francisco Bay Area, with thousands of followers on Facebook, many of whom have formed grafting groups in their own cities.
Grafting branches onto trees is like “like tongue and groove in carpentry,” Hui explains.
The spliced branches are taped up in color coded electrical tape, so volunteers can monitor the trees and make sure fruit is harvested and not wasted.
“Once it heals, it connects,” Hui said. “Basically the branch becomes part of the tree.”
And by that time, it’s too late for the city to do anything about it, the grafters boast.
“It’s like the gardener’s version of graffiti,” UC Davis landscape architecture professor Claire Napawan told the LA Times. “Even if there’s some question about its ability to produce enough food to make a difference … as an awareness piece, it’s a good idea.”


returntonow--2020-06-01--Black Rain Frogs Look Like Angry Avocados

These “ angry avocados ” are now classified as a vulnerable species While these frogs may look mean , they ’ re far from it .
They have every right to be angry , though , as their habitat is under attack .
Civilization and its expansion is threatening the black frogs habitat in sub-Saharan Africa .
Their territories – ranging from woodland to grassland savannas , and to coastal sand dunes – are being fragmented due to new roads and afforestation .
With the destruction of their grasslands , the black frog is now found in just seven locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they spends most of the year underground , only to surface when it rains .
Using their spade-like feet , rain fogs burrow backwards into the soil , enclosing themselves in a mucous cocoon until it first rains .
After this prolonged dormancy , which can last months , the frogs make their way out to feast on a range of invertebrates .
Protection of Bilbo ’ s Rain Frog , which is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN , is difficult due to the lack of knowledge of its population size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required to determine what measures must be taken for its conservation .

These “angry avocados” are now classified as a vulnerable species
While these frogs may look mean, they’re far from it. They have every right to be angry, though, as their habitat is under attack.
Civilization and its expansion is threatening the black frogs habitat in sub-Saharan Africa.
Their territories – ranging from woodland to grassland savannas, and to coastal sand dunes – are being fragmented due to new roads and afforestation.
With the destruction of their grasslands, the black frog is now found in just seven locations.
Little is known of their ecology because they spends most of the year underground, only to surface when it rains.
Using their spade-like feet, rain fogs burrow backwards into the soil, enclosing themselves in a mucous cocoon until it first rains.
After this prolonged dormancy, which can last months, the frogs make their way out to feast on a range of invertebrates.
Protection of Bilbo’s Rain Frog, which is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, is difficult due to the lack of knowledge of its population size and general ecology.
Further research is required to determine what measures must be taken for its conservation.


returntonow--2020-06-02--Giant Owl Chicks Hatch in Man’s Window Planter and Now They Watch TV With Him

The world ’ s largest owl laid eggs in a Belgian man ’ s planter box and now the enormous birds won ’ t leave !
When a Belgian man recently heard noisy birds on his balcony planter , he assumed it was those pesky pigeons again .
But when he finally went to take a look , he discovered three huge owl hatchlings .
With a little research , he learned they are members of the world ’ s largest owl species – Eurasian eagle owls – whose wing span can reach 5-feet when they are full grown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ central Europe , and remain mostly in Russia and Scandinavia , and are relatively difficult to photograph in nature .
But not these chicks .
They ’ ve been hanging outside Jos Baart ’ s 3rd-story apartment window all spring , giving him a front row view of their impressive growth .
Baart says they spend a lot of time staring at each other and that they especially seem fascinated when he turns on the television , lining up and attentively watching it with him .
Meanwhile , their mother owl keeps an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the planter .
Baart says he ’ ll miss them when they are full grown leave him with an empty nest , and hopes they ’ ll come again next spring .

The world’s largest owl laid eggs in a Belgian man’s planter box and now the enormous birds won’t leave!
When a Belgian man recently heard noisy birds on his balcony planter, he assumed it was those pesky pigeons again. But when he finally went to take a look, he discovered three huge owl hatchlings.
With a little research, he learned they are members of the world’s largest owl species – Eurasian eagle owls – whose wing span can reach 5-feet when they are full grown.
Eagle owls are rare in heavily human-populated central Europe, and remain mostly in Russia and Scandinavia, and are relatively difficult to photograph in nature.
But not these chicks. They’ve been hanging outside Jos Baart’s 3rd-story apartment window all spring, giving him a front row view of their impressive growth.
Baart says they spend a lot of time staring at each other and that they especially seem fascinated when he turns on the television, lining up and attentively watching it with him.
We could hardly believe it when we got a message from Jos Baart telling us that Europe’s biggest owl, the Eurasian eagle-owl, had made a nest in a planter in front of his window. Not only that, she had also hatched three giant chicks!#vroegevogels #springwatch #owl pic.twitter.com/gz1odkFLYC — Vroege Vogels (@VroegeVogels) May 18, 2020
Meanwhile, their mother owl keeps an eye on them from behind the foliage in the planter.
Baart says he’ll miss them when they are full grown leave him with an empty nest, and hopes they’ll come again next spring.


returntonow--2020-06-03--Get Ready Because There Will Be Both A Solar and Lunar Eclipse In June

Our Solar System is doubling down this month with two eclipses 2020 has already been filled with plenty of exciting space activity and it ’ s only going to get better .
As if the three Super Moons in row starting in March wasn ’ t enough .
We ’ ve also had Full Pink Moon in April , and then in May there was ‘ Eta Aquarids ’ Meteor Shower just days before the Full Flower Moon .
It feels like each month the universe is upping the ante with space activity and June will be no different with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse starts on June 5th and 6th and an Annular Solar Eclipse starts on June 21st .
We ’ ll have three more partial Lunar Eclipses and one more Solar Annular Eclipse on December 14th .
“ A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse , like the one to be observed on 5 to 6 June , takes place when the Moon lies in the penumbral ( outer ) shadow of the Earth .
Penumbral eclipses are difficult to spot and only take place when the three celestial bodies are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be observed in June will visible from Asia , Australia , Europe , and Africa .
The peak visibility of the eclipse will be at 12:54 AM on 6 June.
” “ An Annular Solar Eclipse that will be seen on 21 June takes place when the Moon is perfectly aligned in between the Sun and the Earth .
The result is visible in the form of an outer ring of the sun , from where it derives its name – Annulus ( ring ) .
The Solar eclipse will be visible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Congo , and Ethiopia .
In addition it will be observed in most of North India along with South of Pakistan and China .
Peaking at 12:10 AM on June 21 .
”

Our Solar System is doubling down this month with two eclipses
2020 has already been filled with plenty of exciting space activity and it’s only going to get better.
As if the three Super Moons in row starting in March wasn’t enough. We’ve also had Full Pink Moon in April, and then in May there was ‘Eta Aquarids’ Meteor Shower just days before the Full Flower Moon.
It feels like each month the universe is upping the ante with space activity and June will be no different with both solar and lunar eclipses happening this month.
The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse starts on June 5th and 6th and an Annular Solar Eclipse starts on June 21st.
We’ll have three more partial Lunar Eclipses and one more Solar Annular Eclipse on December 14th.
2020 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
“A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, like the one to be observed on 5 to 6 June, takes place when the Moon lies in the penumbral (outer) shadow of the Earth. Penumbral eclipses are difficult to spot and only take place when the three celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned.
The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse to be observed in June will visible from Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa. The peak visibility of the eclipse will be at 12:54 AM on 6 June.”
2020 Annular Solar Eclipse
“An Annular Solar Eclipse that will be seen on 21 June takes place when the Moon is perfectly aligned in between the Sun and the Earth. The result is visible in the form of an outer ring of the sun, from where it derives its name – Annulus (ring).
The Solar eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa including Central Africa, Congo, and Ethiopia. In addition it will be observed in most of North India along with South of Pakistan and China.
Peaking at 12:10 AM on June 21.”


returntonow--2020-06-04--Meet The White-Browed Tit-Warbler, The Bird With A Beautiful Rainbow Coloring

If Mother Nature could paint a rainbow on bird , then this would be it When I see heavenly colored birds fluttering around in the summer sky , I can ’ t help but feel in awe of what life has to offer .
While most consider Blue Jay ’ s , Flamingos and Peacocks as some of the most colorful and alluring birds in the world , the White-Browed Tit-Warbler deserves a seat at the table too .
These unique birds have a purple-blue plumage , with a brown top and a pale-colored brow .
With its rainbow colored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn heads whoever it goes , even if the name sounds a bit silly .
Why someone chose to focus on the white brow instead of it ’ s multi-colored body for a name , is anyone ’ s guess .
If you ’ re a nature lover and wish to see these birds for yourself , you ’ ll have to hike through the boreal forests , at high-altitudes , in Asia , Russia or the Himalayas .
The White-Browed Tit-Warbler forage through the forest , eating insects that hide under roots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real life , is a real challenge .
Luckily for us , there are plenty of colorful photos that showcase their beauty .

If Mother Nature could paint a rainbow on bird, then this would be it
When I see heavenly colored birds fluttering around in the summer sky, I can’t help but feel in awe of what life has to offer.
While most consider Blue Jay’s, Flamingos and Peacocks as some of the most colorful and alluring birds in the world, the White-Browed Tit-Warbler deserves a seat at the table too.
These unique birds have a purple-blue plumage, with a brown top and a pale-colored brow.
With its rainbow colored body, it’s sure to turn heads whoever it goes, even if the name sounds a bit silly.
Why someone chose to focus on the white brow instead of it’s multi-colored body for a name, is anyone’s guess.
If you’re a nature lover and wish to see these birds for yourself, you’ll have to hike through the boreal forests, at high-altitudes, in Asia, Russia or the Himalayas.
The White-Browed Tit-Warbler forage through the forest, eating insects that hide under roots and rocks.
Seeing these birds in real life, is a real challenge. Luckily for us, there are plenty of colorful photos that showcase their beauty.


returntonow--2020-06-05--Scientists Discover Real-Life Kermit The Frog

One of the most iconic Muppets has been discovered in the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica For those of you @ @ @ @ @ ’ s The Muppets , you ’ re in for a cool surprise .
Scientists @ @ @ @ @ the Frog and he lives in the rainforest of Costa Rica !
While it may @ @ @ @ @ the muppets version of Kermit ( it ’ s only and inch long ) , @ @ @ @ @ , white bulging eyes .
Along with its captivating eyes , this frog has a @ @ @ @ @ can see its organs .
In real life this frog is scientifically named Hyalinobatrachium dianae @ @ @ @ @ Rican species of glass frogs .
Despite its bright-green skin and bulging white eyes , @ @ @ @ @ until a few specimens were collected by scientists with the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center @

One of the most iconic Muppets has been discovered in the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica
For those of you who loved the Jim Henson’s The Muppets, you’re in for a cool surprise.
Scientists have discovered a real-life Kermit the Frog and he lives in the rainforest of Costa Rica!
While it may not be as big as the muppets version of Kermit (it’s only and inch long), it still has those iconic, white bulging eyes.
Along with its captivating eyes, this frog has a translucent body through which you can see its organs.
In real life this frog is scientifically named Hyalinobatrachium dianae and joins 13 others Costa Rican species of glass frogs.
Despite its bright-green skin and bulging white eyes, H. dianae had evaded biologists until a few specimens were collected by scientists with the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center.


returntonow--2020-06-05--Artists Decorate Singapore With Giant Crocheted Sea Urchins to Promote Sustainability

50 volunteers spent 3 months crocheting giant sea urchins to remind us to share the planet with them and countless other endangered ocean creatures A team of artisans crocheted three sea urchins nearly as tall as 4-story buildings for Singapore ’ s annual i Light Marina Bay Festival .
which is focused on sustainability , especially as it relates to marine life .
Against the backdrop of cold , masculine skyscrapers , the soft , feminine-shaped objects billowed in the wind , casting magnificent shadows during the day and illuminating the night skyline .
It took a team of 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sections of intricately patterned lace , which were then pieced together by Choi+Shine Architects and hung over the bay .
The oversized art installation is intended to represent the contrast between nature and the man-made environment , and achieve some sort of harmony between the two .
“ Against light , the sea urchin ’ s natural form reveals one of the most spectacular patterns found in nature , ” write the artists/architects .
Not coincidentally , Singapore and neighboring Japan are among the top consumers of sea urchins , which are considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever increasing demand , along with the ever-increasing human population , threatens to wipe the creatures off the planet .

50 volunteers spent 3 months crocheting giant sea urchins to remind us to share the planet with them and countless other endangered ocean creatures
A team of artisans crocheted three sea urchins nearly as tall as 4-story buildings for Singapore’s annual i Light Marina Bay Festival. which is focused on sustainability, especially as it relates to marine life.
Against the backdrop of cold, masculine skyscrapers, the soft, feminine-shaped objects billowed in the wind, casting magnificent shadows during the day and illuminating the night skyline.
It took a team of 50 crocheters nearly 3 months to complete their sections of intricately patterned lace, which were then pieced together by Choi+Shine Architects and hung over the bay.
The oversized art installation is intended to represent the contrast between nature and the man-made environment, and achieve some sort of harmony between the two.
“Against light, the sea urchin’s natural form reveals one of the most spectacular patterns found in nature,” write the artists/architects.
Not coincidentally, Singapore and neighboring Japan are among the top consumers of sea urchins, which are considered a delicacy in sushi dishes. The ever increasing demand, along with the ever-increasing human population, threatens to wipe the creatures off the planet.


returntonow--2020-06-05--Phoenix Rising: The Northern Lights Miraculously Take the Shape of the Legendary Firebird

A symbol of immortality , a phoenix appears to “ rise from the ashes ” above the North Pole If you ’ re feeling hopeless in these troubled times , you might take courage from a recent miraculous display of the Northern Lights .
Icelandic photographer Hallgrimur Helgason says he always gets a rush out of photographing the Aurora Borealis , but a shot he captured in winter of 2016 is still his favorite of all time .
He calls it “ Phoenix Rising.
” “ Sometimes the Lights put on a spectacular show , but unfortunately images like that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he tells the Press and Journal .
“ I was shooting another direction when this phenomenon appeared at the corner of my eye .
Of course I quickly re-positioned the camera and made three shots , vertorama , to get it all.
” The dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis ( North Pole ) and Aurora Australis ( South Pole ) are caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun and Earth ’ s atmosphere .
Helgason says he always takes his Northern Lights photography far away from city light pollution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s really a thrill shooting the aurora , especially when they are so playful like they were that night .
I have to admit that I always get an adrenaline kick when the lights burst out like that – that particular shot was the top one of the night.
” In Greek mythology , the phoenix , or firebird , represented immortality and rebirth , rising again and again from the ashes of its predecessors .
There are also many myths surrounding the Northern Lights .
In Norse mythology , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reflection of the shields and armor of the Valkyrie .
It was also called the “ Bifrost Bridge , ” a glowing and throbbing arch that led those who had fallen in battle to Valhalla , the final resting place of the warriors .
The Sami indigenous people believe the Lights are their ancestors , coming to visit them .
Finns believed that a mystical fox created the Lights when its fluffy tail sprayed snow and threw sparks in the sky .
The Salteaus Indians of eastern Canada and the Kwakiutl and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dancing human spirits , while Inuits thought of them as dancing animal spirits .

A symbol of immortality, a the legendary firebird appears to “rise from the ashes” above the North Pole
If you’re feeling hopeless in these troubled times, you might take courage from a recent miraculous display of the Northern Lights.
Icelandic photographer Hallgrimur Helgason says he always gets a rush out of photographing the Aurora Borealis, but a shot he captured in winter of 2016 is still his favorite of all time. He calls it “Phoenix Rising.”
“Sometimes the Lights put on a spectacular show, but unfortunately images like that don’t last long,” he tells the Press and Journal.
“I was shooting another direction when this phenomenon appeared at the corner of my eye. Of course I quickly re-positioned the camera and made three shots, vertorama, to get it all.” He said the image lasted about 60 seconds before it started to dissipate.
The dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis (North Pole) and Aurora Australis (South Pole) are caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun and Earth’s atmosphere.
Helgason says he always takes his Northern Lights photography far away from city light pollution and never uses a flash.
“It’s really a thrill shooting the aurora, especially when they are so playful like they were that night. I have to admit that I always get an adrenaline kick when the lights burst out like that – that particular shot was the top one of the night.”
In Greek mythology, the phoenix, or firebird, represented immortality and rebirth, rising again and again from the ashes of its predecessors.
There are also many myths surrounding the Northern Lights.
In Norse mythology, they are believed to have been created by the reflection of the shields and armor of the Valkyrie.
It was also called the “Bifrost Bridge,” a glowing and throbbing arch that led those who had fallen in battle to Valhalla, the final resting place of the warriors.
The Sami indigenous people believe the Lights are their ancestors, coming to visit them.
Finns believed that a mystical fox created the Lights when its fluffy tail sprayed snow and threw sparks in the sky.
The Salteaus Indians of eastern Canada and the Kwakiutl and Tlingit of Southeastern Alaska believe they are dancing human spirits, while Inuits thought of them as dancing animal spirits.