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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Weird Wednesday ~ Geckos See With Their Skin


Same Gecko placed against a light background (L) and a dark background (R)
It has been discovered that Moorish Geckos have skin that can see! 
There are light sensitive proteins called opsins which trigger chemical reactions that send signals to the brain. Opins are generally found in the eye which allows animals to see. The Moorish Gecko has opsins in its skin. Some species of fish also have their own form of opsins in their skin - tetras being the one most people are familiar with.
The next step is to prove that these opsins are actually responding to light and that signals are being transmitted to other parts of the body.
Click Here to Read More!


Monday, July 28, 2014

Book Review ~ The Monster Hunter's Manual


After the death of their parents, brothers Gabriel and Alex are sure that they'll never have another happy moment or have another family. When the boys end up in France living in a castle with their Aunt, they realize that they are starting a new chapter in their lives. A chapter which would soon be filled with magic and mystery. And with the camaraderie of a talking skeleton, a vampire afraid of the dark, and the ghost of a little girl, the boys learn a valuable lesson about family.
I loved this book! I read a lot of the books which I send to my grandchildren - books written for pre-teens and even younger are fun, light reading. And I am able to discuss the book with my grandson or granddaughter. Jessica Penot has created characters that jump to life and endear themselves to the reader. I could see both my grandkids, an 8yr old and a 14 yr old, reading this book. The book is not lengthy nor too hard to follow, a perfect read for young readers. 

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Tipi News



Don't miss out on updates about our new Abode! Click here to go to the blog, Embracing the Elements, a blog about our 'soon-to-be' life in a Tipi. Be sure to become a follower! I plan on posting over there approx. every two weeks. See ya there!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Weird Wednesday ~ Skin's Sense of Smell


image source
Surprise!
Your skin has scent receptors similar to your nose. But instead of triggering memories, alerting us to danger or causing us to relax, the skin's scent receptors can cause the skin to repair itself. 
Scientists in Germany have discovered that the scent of Sandalwood can cause the skin to repair damage. Aromatherapy anyone?

Monday, July 21, 2014

Book Review ~ The Devil Drinks Coffee



The Devil Drinks Coffee by Destiny Ford

Kate Saxee has returned to her hometown of  Branson Falls, Utah to take the job of editor of The Tribune. Being a small rural farming community, Branson Falls never has a lot of newsworthy happenings. If it wasn't for Kate's accident prone mother, there might not be any news to report. Until the body of a girl is found in the local lake.
Kate launches her own investigation in regards to the cause of death and in the process, meets a handsome and mysterious local, becomes reaquainted with an old high school crush, and becomes the center of innumerable threads of gossip. With the help of the mysterious local and a desire to find out the truth, Kate solves the mystery behind the girl's death. 

The Devil Drinks Coffe is a fun read. Angela Corbett has written a book that rivals those of Janet Evanovich. Branson Falls is a typical small rural town with a variety of characters that you love to hate - all very real. The plot moves along well with no slow spots. The perfect murder mystery with a hint of romance.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Roadtrip ~ Crites Peak

Crites Peak can't be found on any map. It is a unique home located west of Florissant, Colorado and it was sculpted to mirror its neighbor Pikes Peak. This unique abode was created by an interesting man by the name of Don Crites. Hubby and I were recently invited to tour his home. We gladly accepted the invitation!




The day started out blustery but we drove topless anyway. {now just what were you thinking? Remember, the trusty roadtrip car is a convertible!} The further west we went the clearer the skies became. It was a gorgeous day! 



When all of a sudden, we spied a rare flock of Rocky Mountain Flamingos grazing near the road. There was even one in a nesting box! Wow! We were sure to put that on our Life List! 



Mr. Crites met us with a welcome smile. But he wasn't alone. His friend and companion, Peanut, came to see us as well. Peanut is a sweet female mule deer who has lived in the area for several years. Mr. Crites has found her inside the house on more than one occasion when he has left the door open.



Crites Peak is a melding of old and new. An old log cabin with an addition created from concrete with a metal infrastructure. Mr. Crites sculpted the roof line to look like the nearby mountains with special hollows to catch moisture for the birds.





The interior is as beautiful as the outside is unique. Cedar boards were salvaged and used to make steps. An indoor water feature was incorporated into the walls of the foyer. The texture of the walls of the new section mimicked a rock's surface. A lot of thought and love had been put into this home. 




Mr. Crites has led an interesting life and concrete has always been a part of it. His winter home in Virginia is the site of a mountain and waterfall that Mr. Crites built. He has also constructed large rock and water features for others in Virginia. 
Click here to read an article.


As we were getting ready to leave, a Herbert Squirrel came out to grab a peanut and say Bye!     


The rain caught up with us on the way home. Seems like all our good adventures involve rain.


Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Weird Wednesday ~ Precious Metal Weight Loss


Inspired by research which utilizes GOLD nanoparticles as a cancer treatment, scientists are applying the same principle to melt fat cells. In cancer treatments, gold nanoparticles collected near tumors are 'excited' by shining an infrared laser light on them. These gold particles become so active that they destroy some of the malignant tissue.
By injecting the same type of gold particles in the desired fatty area and then heating it up with an infrared laser, the fat cells will melt. The 'liquid' fat, along with the gold, is then sucked out with a small needle.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

A New Beginning


As many of you Faithful Followers know, Hubby and I have been working towards down-sizing. We have decided to be Consumers of Experiences. To shed ourselves of the baggage of clutter and enjoy the precious time we have in this plane of existence. To Live Deliberately.
Our first step towards this end was, of course, to clear the clutter. A project I am still working on but have made great headway on! Woo Hoo!!!
Our next step was to decide on what type of Dwelling we wanted to live in. Much research was done and a decision was made. A home was purchased.
To follow our adventures in this new chapter of our lives, visit the blog Embracing the Elements. It is a chronicle of our new life (which is still slightly in the formative stages). Be sure to add yourself as a Follower to stay abreast of all the new developments.
See you there!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Book Reviewers Needed!

For all you lovers of books out there in blog land, there is an awesome blog you must visit (and bookmark!)


The Keeper of the blog, Vanessa, has a request -

Hi everyone...do you love to read and would you like get your books for free? I'm looking for bloggers/reviewers and or Facebook posters to help me out in promoting my indie author clients. The books range from young adult, new adult, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, adult contemporary and erotica. I would need reviews to be posted on either Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, etc. I will supply all necessary links. In return I will give your pages a shout out and share on my Facebook blog page. I will also do a random monthly drawing, for a gift card, with everyone who participates. 

If you are interested in being a book reviewer, send Vanessa an email -  vanliz1@aol.com

Monday, July 7, 2014

Cat Tales ~ SQUATTERS!

There's Squatters in Mes Castle!


This happens every time those noisy, sticky Little People come to visit!


Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Weird Wednesday ~ Earth Songs

Ever wonder what songs the Earth sings? 
Below is a recording made with sensitive recording equipment at the deepest accessible hole in the world which is located in southern Germany.
This recording was made by Dutch artist, Lotte Geeven with the help of National Geographic. The hole is estimated to be over 9000 meters deep - that's over 5 1/2 miles!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A "New" Roadtrip Car

I think Hubby was a horse trader in a previous life. He likes to buy and sell cars. But all those 'hoopties' led up to a nice acquisition. Our 'new' (to us) convertible that's perfect for roadtrips!


In fact the first "official' roadtrip we went on in it was to the Shrine of the Sun. Definitely looking forward to some awesomeness this summer!
{{the Grands think it's so cool 'cause it Transforms!}}