Mar 10
Carla MandelTravel Tips advice, animals, destinations, education, entertainment, family, kids, leisure, pets, recreation, science, teens, travel, Travel Tips, wildlife
One of my favorite places to visit is the zoo; this is a life long passion. Lucky enough to grow up in San Diego, I had one of the greatest zoos right on my doorstep and many a happy childhood weekend was spent there, wandering around and gaping in awe at the amazing array of animals that were there to be admired. This really made me appreciate the wonders of the natural world.
If you grew up, like me, is a city that housed a magnificent zoo like San Diego, you too will probably have a great love of these wonderful attractions. As a child, most of my spare time was taken up by return visits to the zoo, every time there seemed to be something different to discover. The sheer volume of animals of all different species awoke a passion in me that still exists today.
The first stop on my virtual tour of my favourite animals at the zoo is the mighty Dolphins. Kind, gentle and loving all contact with their human visitors, these wonderful mammals will always be must sees for me.
I never miss out on a trip the Monkey house; any animal from the primate family can hold my attention from hours. Some say we have evolved from Apes, and watching them perform certainly adds credence to the theory.
The comic genius and interaction between these animals is hysterical. If you are feeling a bit blue and need cheering up, go and spend some time watching the Chimps, Monkey’s et al; they will brighten your day no end.
The final animals on my list are the elephants; I have loved these creatures since childhood. Smart and gentle, they really are amazing.
No trip to a zoo is complete without spending a good amount of time watching these beasts. Their movements and interactions are fascinating.
So there you go, my top must sees on any visit to a zoo. These animals aren’t just incredibly smart but are also fascinating.
The author additionally often publishes articless about products such as affordable maternity clothing on sale and plus size leggings.
Mar 09
Pierre FontaineUncategorized culture, family, France, health, home, pets, skiing, sports, travel
France has some of the largest and finest ski resorts in Europe and sometimes the world. Among France’s skiing claims to fame is the fact that the world’s biggest skiing area is in France; Les Portes Du Soleil located in Morzine-Avoriaz north west of Chamonix.
Bourge Saint Maurice is a ski resort which offers skiing thrills to the skiing enthusiasts since it is constructed to be the country’s longest vertical ski drop and it measures 2500 meters in length.
The highest ski resort in Europe is also in France and it is the world-renowned Val Thorans that stands 2300 meters above the level of the sea and situated in the west Maryville. The 16 km long Alpe d’Heuz is the longest skiing trail in France.
The most popular and the most expensive ski resorts of France can be seen in the French Alps. The Three Valleys of Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens are most preferred skiing trails in the French Alps and these resorts are provided with good facilities.
Enthusiasts who relish cross country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding will choose ski resorts in the high altitudes. There are snowboarding instructors and snowboarding ramps too available there.
Les Arcs and Alpe d’Huez have ski resorts which are a bit low-priced and often less crowded than those in French Alps. A lot powdery snow, a marvellous off piste skiing and long ski trails are the characteristics of these ski resorts. In short they make a memorable place for a skiing holiday in France.
While most of the French ski resorts close down in the summer months, some resorts situated next to glaciers remain open as skiing on these glaciers in France can be done all year round. France is home to Europe’s largest glacier upon which skiing can be done.
This glacier, complete with nearby ski resorts, is 200 hectares in surface area and located in Les Deux Alpes which is in the Ecrines National Park.
Smaller alternatives to ski resorts in the French Alps can be found in the Pyrenees Mountains as well as the Massif Central. These ski resorts are probably better suited to starters and intermediate skiers who won’t be frightened by the crowded runs at ski resorts in the French Alps.
French skiing resorts are a wonderful place to spend a winter vacation. If you are visiting France in the summer you might be interested in learning more about Camping in France.
Feb 23
Takamitsu HairiJapan culture, family, health, home, house, Japan, pets, poeple, religion, society
Japanese people still give enough significance to the family system and so the family symbols also haven’t lost their importance until today. This idea of family symbols known as ‘Ka-mon’ has been influencing them for the the last eight centuries. The word ‘Ka’ stands for family with a genealogical tree of its own and ‘mon’ means emblem.
Concurrently, in Europe also a crest was popular namely ‘Coat of Arms’. So many researches have been done around the homogeneity of these two traditions.
There are various complicated aspects for the Japanese family symbols. Hence it has never been easier to interpret these symbols with some simple explanations.
The mon as the Japanese symbol for family is known has no real restricted set of rules. The most common feature is that of a roundel which is circling the figure of an animal, plants, celestial or natural bodies and even man-made objects.
Kanji script, which is an inevitable part of Japanese art forms, can be seen in the family symbols also. Religious and geometrical figures also are used to form these symbols. Normally these scripts and figures would be put in an abstracted form.
Even though there are no set restrictions when it comes to the designing of the mon it gets its name from the contents that are illustrated in its design. The name of the mon does not really reflect its depiction rather it only seeks to describe it. The blazon in the mon is not in perspective and this makes it quite unlike the European crest. The designs that are illustrated on the mon come into their formalized fashion as they get the label of tradition through the passage of time.
There is not a certain rule for the colour selection also. Even so, they are generally found in monochrome. The usage of family symbols are rare in Japan nowadays. Although there are some families that stick to use them, several families will not be able to identify their mon because it has been marked as an ancient practice.
There may be particular situations where a mon may be needed by a family. In such instances the temple records come in handy that have registries of ancestral home towns of the people. There are a number of ways in which the Japanese people can seek assistance if they wish to find their family symbol.
Although it has turned an old practice, some people still decorate their roofs and interior decorations with the family symbols. Packed food products coming from Japan are marked with these mon symbols sometimes. Also mon can be availed from the craft shops all over the world.
Japanese family symbols can be utilized in a variety of places. If you are interested in Japanese Samurai art please follow the hyperlinks.
Feb 13
Nathan CampbellUncategorized animals, Charity, dogs, general, non-profit, pets, Uncategorized
I couldn’t believe it- I, the committed cat person, who had thought of every possible reason never to own a dog, who hated the smell and the jumping and the licking and the mucky mess of them- I was rescuing a dog. There I was, speeding along the highway, following my friend Jody who had *my* new dog on his scooter. I’d slept on it for two days and finally decided that I would take the little mutt in. I examined the specimen on Jody’s scooter. She was shivering, a fur covered bag of bones, her nose jutted into the wind and for some reason she was constantly licking the air. Lick Lick lick. With each flick of her little pink tongue I thought to myself, “What the heck am I doing?”
She had been abandoned outside a convenience store. I had passed her a million times since the first time I saw her, two weeks before. I’d taken her food and water, and finally decided that I just couldn’t let her die. But how would I do it? I hate responsibility and being tied down. I loved having a cat- all I had to do was put a bunch of food and water down for her, and a litter box, and she was good to go. What was I going to do with this dog?
Over the next several weeks, Dresden (my mutts named after a German city that’s been fire bombed) seemed to prove every fear that I had about adopting a dog. She peed on the floor. She chewed things up. She slept all day while I was gone, then when I got home exhausted, she had enough energy to power Manhattan. She kept me up all night whining and wanting to play. She cried terribly when I tried to leave, and would always try to bolt out the door when I left for work. I liked her, or at least I felt guilty for not liking her, which is almost like liking her, right?
Cut to two months later- I’m walking Dresden on the beach, and can’t let her off the leash because she’s in heat. What do I see ahead? ANOTHER DRESDEN! Except this Dresden is male.
Now let me tell you- my dog is weird looking. To see what must have been her twin is a strange coincidence, unless someone went up and down the coast abandoning puppies. Which is probably what happened. Let’s just say that male Dresden took a fancy to female Dresden, who was in heat and attracting every dog within a 30 mile radius. I ran home, and this little male dog, though limping and terribly skinny (more of a skeleton than a dog) followed us the whole way. I put Dresden inside, and took out a bowl of food for the male dog- a dog-lover trying to help a stray? No, my plan was to lure him back to the beach and while he was distracted by the food- RUN!
I did it. Three times. It didn’t work.
Finally it was time for me to go to work. Male Dresden was outside, howling at female Dresden, who was inside whining. I left. When I came home, male Dresden was inside the gate, laying on a makeshift bed, a bowl of food next to him. My landlord had taken him in thinking he was my dog! Aggggh! And fed him! Now he would never leave!
Every time I left the house, I had to fight off the amorous male Dresden who was trying to you know what the female Dresden (who is now happily spayed).
I took the little sucker in. Named him Romulus, after the mythical founder of Rome who was suckled by a wolf.
And a miracle happened. Shoes stopped being torn to shreds. When I arrived home, Dresden and Romulus greeted me with that special canine welcome frenzy, then they curled up together and.went to sleep. They had been playing all day. They had no need to keep me up all night. When I left for work, they both smiled wagging— oh good, finally she’s gone, let the games begin! When I took them to the beach, I didn’t have to throw sticks or run with them- they ran circles around each other, and were awfully cute doing it.
Two dogs are better than one! I’m a cat person. If you asked me if you should adopt a dog, I’d say no. But if you asked me if you should adopt two dogs, I’d say hell yes.
We are trying to help put dogs in need if you are interested in dog rescue adoption then make sure to check out the website to see how you can help. adoptable dogs all need good homes.
Feb 07
James LorenzTravel Tips animal camp, animals, education, family, home, kids, Nature, parenting, pets, Science Camp, Summer Camp, teens, travel, Travel Tips, youth
Animal Summer Camp ? Let your kids play with animals this summer as a part of the fun they can have at summer camp. Find a science camp, or a more broadly defined summer camp that includes animals as a part of their program offerings.
Connecting with animals in a natural setting can put a child at the beginning of a lifelong sense of relationship with nature. A deep respect for nature as an adult often starts with experience as a camper.
Swift Nature Camp’s pond aquarium offers a unique way to see the world from the perspective of another animal: pond life from a frog’s point of view. The Wisconsin camp also maintains a live animal collection they call Nature’s Neighbors. Campers can bring their own small animals to camp with them where the animals can live in the camp’s Nature Center and be available to all the children.
Swift Nature Camp offers campers wider experience to understand animals and how we coexist with them by arranging field trips to a fish hatchery, goose banding projects and butterfly counts. And what child will ever forget a close up visit with a live owl?
Swift Nature Camp has a voluntary four-level program that rewards campers with a special patch of merit, and the categories include recognition of special skills with animals in categories like insects, pet care, bird watching, and horseback riding. Campers can choose just the right mix of play and learning to suit individual preference and need.
The joy of discovering nature is the joy of discovering the world we live in. Living in a natural environment with access to animals is a perfect invitation for expansive play. Camp is a place where children can learn about animals as a participant rather than just receiving information. Camp is more fun and less stressful than school, and the world becomes the classroom.
Finding the Best Summer’s Camps is no easy task. Below are some hints from SummerCampAdvice.com
Swift Nature Camp is a Summer Children’s Camp in Wisconsin. Boys and girls ages 6-15 enjoy traditional summer camp activities while while learning about nature and the environment. at this Summer Camp with Science
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