#listlove

Happy first Friday of November!

 I so enjoy November for the cooler weather, the bluer sky, the closeness to Christmas, and for being able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. I have a smattering of things for you to check out today. As always, I hope that you find something to enjoy. Have a restful, enjoyable weekend.

I’ve also included some pictures from my recent vacation. The bumblebee you’ll see seemed to be frozen to the flower and according to the lady that owned the store, in the summer you can pet the bees they are so docile.

 One last thing, don’t forget that Daylight saving time is this weekend in the US. So, we “gain” an hour.

Why Is Aldi So Cheap and Successful? | WSJ The Economics Of - YouTube, We finally have an Aldi as of this Summer and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Specifically for the meat!

Amazon.com: LEGO Icons Tiny Plants Building Set, Cactus Décor Gift Idea for Flower-Lovers, Carnivorous, Tropical and Arid Flora, Build and Display, Botanical Collection, Creative Building Sets for Adults, 10329 : Toys & Games, I received the bonsai tree several years ago and so enjoyed building it. These tiny plants are so cute.

Amazon.com: LEGO Icons Tranquil Garden 10315 Creative Building Set, A Gift Idea for Adult Fans of Japanese Zen Gardens and Meditation, Build-and-Display This Home Decor Set for The Home or Office : Everything Else, definitely need to add this to my Christmas list. It is beautiful!

The Crucial Difference Between Distraction and Diversion (nirandfar.com), in all honesty I have never thought about the difference between these two words. Nir clarifies them well and also clarifies which is “bad” and which is “good” to experience.

Giant white stag made of boulders re-emerges on Aberdeenshire hill - BBC News, this is incredible! Originally built more than 150 years ago, the stag has been built again.

Home Free & Brooke Eden - Delta Dawn - YouTube, I have loved this song since I first heard it. This is a great cover.

 C.Debussy - Clair de Lune, Maria João Pires live at Jardin Musical - YouTube, perhaps one of the most beautiful pieces of music….there is something hauntingly sweet, bittersweet in its beauty. And in Maria’s hands, it’s exquisite.

THE LAST RIFLEMAN Trailer (2023) Pierce Brosnan - YouTube, this looks to be a really good film. Supposedly based on this story here.

Happy Friday! Not sure if it’s just me, but this week has felt long. Definitely not bad, just drawn out. Today is my wonderful parents’ anniversary and I am incredibly grateful for their relationship and the mutual love and respect and fun that they have!

Also! Yesterday it rained for a good 15 minutes which was so, so needed….I don’t remember our last rain, maybe early July? Our water association sent out a message last week asking people to not water their yards unless it was around 2 AM because of the strain on the system. Hopefully the rain went south of us as well to help the farms there in desperate need of it.

I have quite a long list for you today. It’s been a while since I’ve had a longer one so I thought it would be fun. I’ve broken it into categories of: History, Love, Learn, Food, Movies/Music. As always, I hope that you are able to find something you really enjoy.  

 History

o   How ancient 'skywells' are keeping Chinese homes cool - BBC Future

“In Huizhou, a skywell is small but tall, and the rooms around it can block out sunlight on hot days, enabling the bottom of the skywell to stay cool, he adds. Meanwhile, hot air inside the house can rise and escape through the opening above the skywell, which "works just like a chimney".”

o   Seminary Square Historical Marker (hmdb.org)

This is in my hometown, since 1828 -195 years!- there has been a school building on this piece of land.

o   ‘The Iron Butterfly’: How Eloise Page Became the CIA’s First Female Station Chief (coffeeordie.com)

o   The Tigris: The river that birthed civilisation - BBC Travel

“Mosul's Arabic name, Al-Mawsiil, means "the linking point", likely because it was a crossroads of trade and a major hub along the Tigris between Diyarbakır and Basra. Established in the 7th Century BCE, it's one of the oldest cities in the world, and during its pinnacle in the 12th-Century AD, it not only wielded great power and influence over the region but became ethnically and religiously diverse.”

 Love

o   Ocean Springs couple celebrates 70 years of wedded bliss (wlbt.com)

“He does what I ask. I get along with her. I not only love her, I like her, and respect her. Those are three things. You’ve got to like them, you’ve got to love them and you’ve got to respect them.” Tony & Jean Ann Petricca

o   Pratt farmer plants 80 acres of sunflowers for wife of 50 years - KAKE

 August 10th was Lee and Renee Wilson’s 50th wedding anniversary, so he planted her “about 1.2 million sunflowers.”

Learn

o   Four scientifically-proven ways to live longer - BBC Reel

o   Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend | TED Talk

How you think and how you act can transform your experience of stress. When you choose to view your stress response as helpful, you create the biology of courage. When you choose to connect with others under stress, you can create resilience. The compassionate heart that finds joy ad meaning in connecting with others, and yes, your pounding physical heart, working so hard to give you strength and energy.”

o   Organize Your Bookmarks with the PARA Method for Lightning Fast Web Browsing (fortelabs.com)

“The key principle is organizing by actionability. PARA helps you keep the information you need the most right now front and center (while keeping everything else accessible but out of sight).”

o   Isometric Exercises, Planks, Wall Sits Are Best For Blood Pressure, Study Says (forbes.com)

This is so exciting to me, this has been my favorite exercise (wall sits) since high school and it is super easy to do almost anywhere.

 Food

o   Ghetto Gastro

My sister found these for me the other night at Target, I’ve only tried the Ghetto Gastro Toaster Pastries Chocolate Raspberry - 7.2oz : Target, they are so good!

o   Home - TruFru

We also have recently found these and become obsessed with these. These are our favorite ones: Raspberries White & Dark Chocolate 8 oz - TruFru and Blueberries White & Dark Chocolate 8 oz - TruFru. The dried strawberries are also really good!

o   Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte Turns 20: How It Was Invented | Entrepreneur

It seems that you either love or hate this drink….I am not a pumpkin fan, yet I really enjoy this drink every Fall. Can you believe it’s been 20 years?! In my opinion, the drink is best made with oatmilk.

Movies/Music

o   Video shows three humpback whales jumping out of water in unison - YouTube

Whales terrify me, but this is a beautiful video!

o   From Dumb Money to Saw X: 10 of the best films to watch in September - BBC Culture

This is a good list of different genres coming out next month. I am most excited about MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 3 - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters September 8 - YouTube!

o   Dan Tyminski - Hey Brother (Official Video) - YouTube

Dan just did his own version of this Avicii song after appearing on the record for Avicii a decade or so ago. Here’s the original if you’d care to listen, it has a neat music video. Avicii - Hey Brother - YouTube

Today we sent out our July newsletter, check it out here. In light of our newsletter, where I have a lot of neat links listed, I only have a short list today on the blog. As always, I hope that you find something you enjoy.

Stop looking for The One: The Inverted Pyramid of Life - Ness Labs, The self-complexity that arises when we invert our pyramid of life also encourages personal growth and self-discovery, as you can explore and evolve across various aspects of your identity, which means a richer, fuller life. When you stop trying to nail down your narrative and focus only on the most obvious relationships, life becomes a giant sandbox where we can learn anything, grow in any direction, and connect with anyone. Maybe then, instead of asking, “So, what do you do for a living?” we’ll start asking: “So, what makes you feel alive these days?”

Hawk Alarm (for chickens) - YouTube, this is so great – here is a comment on the video, “The two geese at the end are like two tourists in a foreign country not understanding the emergency announcements.”

THE GREAT ESCAPER Trailer (2023) Michael Caine - YouTube, Michael Caine AND Glenda Jackson?! This film looks so good.

Welcome to the third Friday in June! Weather-wise we have had a bit of an eventful week for June, check out this hail that fell just northeast of us last night. I think that this was our third hailstorm this year, the local roofing companies are staying busy. Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers! I am incredibly grateful for my own.

As always I hope that you have something enjoyable and or restful planned for your weekend. Enjoy this Friday list and a few pictures at the end!

Bat acts like a dog, demands belly rubs - YouTube, I have been fascinated with Flying Foxes for the last several years. And Eddie is a good example of why, he’s clever and strong with lots of personality.

Stormy Weather in color - The Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway | Colorized with DeOldify - YouTube, Fayard and Harold were incredible self-taught dancers. The sheer energy and strength that it takes to dance how they danced matched with an incredible preciseness is amazing to watch. In this clip they are dancing to Cab Calloway and his orchestra playing “Jumpin’ Jive.” Two of my favorite things….incredible dancing along with incredible music! 

VIVALDI SUMMER - SYMPHONIACS - Violin Concerto In G Minor, Rv 315 III. Presto (The Four Seasons) - YouTube, I am working to break my record of the use of the word “incredible.” But The Four Seasons is such an incredible piece of music and you don’t even have to enjoy Classical music to appreciate its value. The Symphoniacs do such a great version of Summer here, so enjoyable.

The Hu - Yuve Yuve Yu - Live Acoustic at the Mongolian Embassy, Paris, France - YouTube, this was filmed after The HU was nominated as an Artist for Peace by UNESCO. Their use of the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle) mixed with some metal is a beautiful mix of old and new.

The HU - Yuve Yuve Yu (Official Music Video) - YouTube, I am sure that I have shared this one before but it’s worth resharing. It’s best if played with earbuds in and volume perhaps a bit higher than should be for the health of ones ears.

Facts don’t change minds: a case for the virtues of propaganda | Psyche Ideas, I learned a few new things reading this article which is often a very good thing. A good example of the use of positive propaganda.

The 12 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2023 – Robb Report, I personally prefer the Beats earbuds for quality of sound yet if I had an extra $300 to spare I would snatch up the Bose QuietComfort earbuds in a second! 

A Brief Overview of Pre-Raphaelite Art - Invaluable, this was an enjoyable, short  read on Pre-Raphaelite art, specifically its origins. Waterhouse has been one of my favorite artists since I was in high school. I had a print of the  Lady of Shalott for years, Boreas is my second favorite.

I probably have mentioned this multiple times, but I enjoy a good list. So, I thought today I would make a short list for you of what I’ve been enjoying.

I hope that you have an excellent weekend! The birds have come back to our neck of the woods, so Spring is surely on the way. I am also including some flower pictures at the end.

Music  

o   Claire de Lune may be one of the most recognizable classical piano pieces. The poem, was written by the French poet Paul Verlaine in 1869; the poem is the inspiration for the most well known movements in Claude Debussy’s Suite bergamasque. Luka Sulic featuring Evgeny Genchev just put out this exquisite rendition of the piece. It is absolutely beautiful.

o   Can You Stand the Rain by New Edition is in my top 100 songs, ballads aren’t my go-to but the harmony and talent in this song is so, so, so great. Check out Boyz II Men’s version here, another group that are masters of harmony.  

History

o   Escaping Colditz Castle: How Allied POWs Broke Free From A Nazi Supermax Prison. Check out this great article about Allied POWs plans, attempts, and successful escape(s) from Colditz Castle. People really are the best. Make sure to look for “Moritz.”

o   What did the Ancient Egyptians wear? I find it so amazing that clothing can last thousands of years, all thanks to Egypt’s climate.

Science  

o   Space Station Spiders Found a Hack to Build Webs Without Gravity. So, if it isn’t gravity that helps them build their amazing webs, then what is it?....

o   Have you ever seen a starfish gallop? Their legs don’t have suctions, they secrete a strong glue!

Funny

o   Opossum pushes skunk into pond. This is the funniest thing, I’ve watched it multiple times. The poor skunk is just minding its business.

To be read in 2015:

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Hyperbole and a Half - Allie Brosh

Orphan Train - Christina Baker Kline

The Girl You Left Behind - Jo Jo Moyes

The Monuments Men - Robert M. Edsel

Inferno - Dan Brown

The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr