Jun 21, 2019

Jun 17, 2019

How to Train a Puppy






Entertained, Pandora crouched down and was rewarded when the puppy
 sprang onto her lap and licked her face.
"Where’d  you come from?" Laughing, and defending herself as best she could, 
Pandora found the card attached to the red bow around the puppy’s neck. It read:

My name is Bruno. I’m a mean, ugly dog looking for a lady to defend.

"Bruno, huh?" Laughing again, Pandora stroked his 
unfortunately long ears. "How mean are

you?" she asked as he contented himself with licking her chin.


A WIll  and a Way






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By ManuelFD - Own work fuente propia, CC BY 3.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11368669





The First 8 Things You Need to Do



Take a break from those cute puppy cuddles to make sure your new pooch learns these essential life skills.












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“You should try crate-training him.”
“I got a crate. He ate the crate. Or enough of it to get out. 
I think he must be able to flatten himself like
a snake. I can’t get any work done. I think 
maybe he’s brain-damaged, or just psychotic.”
“What he is, is a baby who needs a lot of playtime, 
love, patience and discipline,” she corrected


The Search





Jun 14, 2019

Getting back to nature






She imagined them sinking into cool, tobacco-colored water in the bend of a
river where fiddlehead ferns grew thick and green and moonlight shimmered in
rays through a canopy of trees.
“I want to go to your swimming hole.”
“We will.”
“In the moonlight,” she said.


The Witness





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By Jim Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9305393






how forest bathing can make us feel better



The Japanese have known for years that spending mindful time in the woods is beneficial for body and soul. Now western doctors – and royals – agree



Every day, apart from when it’s raining heavily, Dr Qing Li heads to a leafy park near the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo where he works. It’s not just a pleasant place to eat his lunch; he believes the time spent under the trees’ canopy is a critical factor in the fight against diseases, of the mind and body.

Once a month Li spends three days in forests near Tokyo, using all five senses to connect with the environment and clear his mind. This practice of shinrin-yoku – literally, forest bath – has the power to counter illnesses including cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety and stress, he says.











Jun 12, 2019

4 Easy DIY Structures to Accentuate the Garden




"But I've got to build me an arbor tomorrow, out in my yard. I could
use a couple of Saturday slaves."
"We can be slaves." Luke tugged on Logan's pant leg.
"I know what an arbor is, too. It's a thing stuff grows on."
"There you go, then, I've got a couple of expert slaves.
We'll see what your mama says."


Blue Dahlia



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A weekend’s work and a few pieces of lumber yield a handsome home for vines





Simple techniques transform plumbing pipes into functional garden structures




Branches, glue, screws, and string are all it takes to put an informal spin on this classic structure





Ten dollars and two hours later you’ll be wishing you had more vines









Jun 11, 2019

Classes to teach dads







Amused, Spence lifted his own glass. "She wants her hair curled."
Natasha's puzzled look became a smile; she lifted a hand to her own. "Oh. That's sweet."
"Easy for you to say. I've just gotten the hang of pigtails."
To her surprise, Natasha could easily picture him patiently braiding the soft, flaxen tresses.


Taming Natasha





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By Brian Uhreen from Calgary, Canada - Camping with friends, CC BY 2.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74784202





Salon holds classes to teach dads how to style their daughters' hair



In a Facebook comment, the salon recommends bringing girls aged 10 and under for the class. Kayla White, manager and stylist at the salon, pointed out how men are sometimes just clueless when it comes to dealing with girls’ hair.
















Jun 7, 2019

"Dream It Possible"





How well she remembered those first heady days of lessons. 
Finger exercises, scales, drills, those first simple melodies. 
She felt an echo of that rush of emotion that had come 
when she had learned that she had the
power to turn those printed notes into music.
More than twenty years had passed since that first day, 
that first lesson.





Unfinished Business







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 Dream it possible

Delacey




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“It felt wonderful. I felt wonderful. I wanted to step out on the stage, into
those lights. I wanted to play and have thousands of people listen. I
wanted. And it changed everything.”
“I’m glad for you.” He ran his hands up and down her arms before he
stepped back. “I am. I was worried.”
“It was glorious.” Hugging her arms, she spun away. “And in my heart
I know I never played better. There was such … freedom. I know I could
go back to all the stages, all the halls, and play like that again.”





Unfinished Business






Jun 5, 2019

The secret to staying safe while hiking is preparation






“You set?”
Noah took another bite of his tractor wheel. “Yeah.”
“Let’s see.” She stood back, skimmed her measuring glance up, then down, then up
again. “How long have those boots been out of the box, ace?”
Less than an hour, Noah thought, as he’d bought them in San Francisco. “So I
haven’t been hiking in a few years. Unless we’re planning on climbing the
Matterhorn, I’m up for it. I’m in shape.”
“Health-club shape.” She pressed a finger against his flat belly. “Fancy health club,
too. This won’t be like your Stair-Master. Where’s your water bottle?”
Already irritated with her, he held out a hand, cupped it and let rain pool in his palm.
Olivia only shook her head. “Hold on a minute.” She turned on her heel and headed
back into the lodge.
“Is it just me,” Noah asked Shirley, “or does she browbeat everyone?” When the
dog merely sat, shot the doughnut a hopeful look, Noah broke what was left in half,
tossed it. Shirley caught it on the fly, gulped it whole, then belched cheerfully.
Noah was still grinning when Olivia jogged back out with a plastic water bottle and
belt loop. “You always take your own water,” Olivia began and to Noah’s surprise
began to nimbly hook the bottle to his belt.


River's End


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Whenever you head outdoors for an adventure, preparation is the key. Make sure you pack more than a water bottle and a snack. Whether you're planning a short nature walk or a major overnight camping trip, it's important to pack properly for outdoor excursions of any length.








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Cal was waiting for her when she drove up.
He stepped out, started down the steps, the dog
wandering behind him, as she got out of the car. 
He took a scan, starting with her feet.
Good, sturdy hiking boots that showed some scars and wear, f
aded jeans, tough jacket in I’m-Not-a-Deer red, and a multistriped scarf 
that matched the cloche-style cap on her
head. Silly hat, he mused, that was unaccountably appealing on her.
In any case, he decided she knew what to wear on a hike through the winter woods.
“Do I pass muster, Sergeant?”


Blood Brothers




Jun 4, 2019

🏳️‍🌈





Intrigued, Riley angled her head. “Are there gay merpeople?”
“Oh, yes. We’re very happy.”
“No, I mean— Are you, or some of you, attracted to the same sex? Can you mate with
someone of the same sex?”
“Of course—differently because of the body, and there will be no young created, but
you want who you want, yes? Love who you love?”
“Cheers to that.” Riley picked up her Bellini.
“Is one of the rules you cannot?”
“We’re eliminating that rule. Slower in some places, but we’re working on it.”



Bay of Sighs




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Pride Day: Google celebrates 50 years of LGBTQ community with a doodle

The month of June is observed as the Pride month every year





Google on Tuesday honoured the 50 long years of Pride with an interactive video, visualising 50 years of parades.

The Doodle illustrates five decades of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) history starting from 1969 till 2019.









Jun 1, 2019

The emotional depth of animals




Lil wound her way, following the trail formed by feet trampling through the snow.
He was waiting for her, pacing, watching, calling. At her approach, the cat rubbed its body against the fencing, then stood, bracing his fore paws against it. And purred.
Six months since he’d seen her—scented her, Lil thought. But he hadn’t forgotten her. “Hello, Baby.”
She reached through to stroke the tawny fur, and he bumped his head affectionately to hers.
“I missed you, too.”
He was four now, full-grown, lithe and magnificent. He hadn’t been fully weaned when she’d found him, and his two litter mates, orphaned and half starved. She’d hand-fed them, tended them, guarded them. And when they’d been old enough, strong enough, had reintroduced them to the wild.
But he’d kept coming back.
She’d named him Ramses, for power and dignity, but he was Baby.
And her one true love.
“Have you been good? Of course, you have. You’re the best. Keeping everybody in line? I knew I could count on you.”
As she spoke and stroked, Baby purred, hummed in his throat, and looked at her with golden eyes full of love.
She heard movement behind her, glanced back. The one Tansy had called Eric stood staring. “They said he was like that with you, but . . . I didn’t believe it.”


Black Hills



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Other animals have 'human' emotions, too

Emotions are like organs: vital and universal, and not just for our species, primatologist Frans de Waal argues in a new book.