TORIngAmerica

Happie Valentimes 4 u

Colors of Autumn in Japan (by flight-attendant-blog.tumblr.com/)

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America’s public lands are wonderful places to love and be in love. Experiences in national parks, wildlife refuges and scenic wildernesses are even better when shared with the people you care about most. We’re celebrating these great love stories with this cute video of romantic moments on public lands. Thanks to everyone who shared their photos and helped make this sweet Valentine’s Day video!

It all began with snickerdoodles. Growing up in New Jersey, Michele Tanenbaum’s (@lucky_bites) health-focused mother wouldn’t allow treats in the house, but Michele managed to trick her into letting her bake cookies. “I convinced her it was creative,” she says. “And everybody has cinnamon and sugar. Snickerdoodles were my go-to.” Looking at the kinds of cookies she now dreams up for her Brooklyn, New York-based business Luckybites — named after her dog, Lucky — that early creativity has flourished. Trained as an apparel designer, Michele first got an inkling to turn cookie decorating into a profession when she was holiday shopping. “I was buying gourmet gift baskets to give to clients, and I realized that I could probably make them better myself,” she says. So, she took to coming up with her own recipes for everything from biscotti to Linzer hearts to thumbprints to sugar cookies. “I started to realize that I liked this way of being creative better than the clothing design.” For Valentine’s Day, Michele says she will be sketching just like she did during her fashion days. “But now I’m doing it with icing.”

Trees are known to be Earth’s oldest, wisest and most beautiful beings. These canopies of magic above are filled with lush and vibrant leaves. The tree branches beautifully draped over nature, buildings and people as a source of protection. Their beauty is silent, yet powerful. They are multi-faceted life forms, which continuously undergo the process of life yearly. Much like human beings, they are ever-changing being, which tries to resist change but learns to adapt. 

Have you ever seen lightning make such crazy shapes? This bolt looks like a Tyrannosaurus rex getting ready to chomp a formation at Blue Mesa in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park. Monsoons usher in summer lightning, so explore safely and be sure to check the weather. Photo by Hallie Larsen, National Park Service.

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He glamorizes abandoned European landscapes with a set of vibrant colors, which mimic nature’s temperament. Minelli has given nature, the largest inspirational source of mystery in the world an interpretation.

Four years ago, Christine Lucas (@lulafloradesigns) used cereal boxes to make 20 tiny piñatas for her wedding in Mexico. Today, she, her husband and her sister send out about 120 piñatas a week from Montreal. “I really didn’t expect it to be what it’s becoming,” she says. “People are crazy for piñatas, it turns out.” Soon after her nuptials, Christine’s wedding planner got in touch with an order from another bride. In 2014, Christine quit her job, opened her online shop and a business was born. “It means the world to me when a girl gets back in touch and says something like, ‘Oh my god, I’m dying! Can we be best friends?’ That’s how I want them to feel when they get their order,” Christine says. “These are for parties. For your wedding or for your kids’ first birthday. These are exciting moments.”

In every season, at every hour, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is a stunning and surprising landscape. Remote enough for dark skies to allow the Milky Way to shine and featuring steam rising from hot springs tinted with colorful bacteria and reflecting the aurora borealis, a night in the park offers enough wonders for a lifetime. Photo courtesy of Bryony Richards.

When visiting Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona, take a short 1.5 mile round-trip trail to see Horseshoe Bend – one of the most photographed and awe-inspiring spots on the Colorado River. No matter how many times you’ve visited, you’re guaranteed to see something new. The colors of the rocks change throughout the day as shadows move in and out of the canyons and the river shines in different shades of green and blue. We promise, you won’t regret making the trip. Photo by David Long (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Bye Bye Feria 2016!, Sevilla | Spain (by Juan Flores & J.J. Úbeda for ABC Sevilla)

“Soppy” - Illustrtation by Philippa Rice

Toronto-based artist Richard Ahnert (@richardahnert) creates surrealistic visions on birch panels, often depicting the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. “Without [animals], we could never truly understand just how unique we are,” the artist says. Like a musician is instinctually drawn to a particular instrument, Richard’s longtime preferred tool for expression has been a paintbrush. For artists on a quest for their own unique perspective, Richard’s advice is honest and clear: “Create something that you would want hung on your own walls. If it isn’t something that you’d desire had you stumbled upon it in a gallery, then you should be trying harder.”

Panda Panna Cotta - Video [ LINK ]