Hundreds of stray dogs are roaming the countryside in Costa Rica.
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
And, believe it or not, this is actually a happy headline.
You see, these strays are at home in a spacious sanctuary called Territorio de Zaguates (Land of the Strays). This privately funded sanctuary, run by volunteers, turns no stray away.
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
Multitudes of mutts at Territorio de Zaguates roam grassy fields, lounge on cozy beds and mattresses,
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
nibble from troughs of kibble,
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
and generally play their days away while they await adoption.
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
For some, that day never comes, but they still have a comfortable, loving place to retire.
Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook
In addition to providing a haven for homeless dogs and actively seeking potential pooch parents for their residents, the clever Territorio staff created a campaign to make mutts more appealing to the masses. Take a look:
Keep up with the Costa Rican canine capers on the Land of the Strays’ Facebook page.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Debbie Klann!!!
Debbie Klann (#770) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner and Intermediate Level UFOs Merit Badge!
“Making a list of my UFOs was enlightening … and a little shocking! I am one of those that LOVE the excitement of starting a new project … but there’s that in-between time of starting and finishing when I can get bored.
I made a list of all of my started projects by category. I have them all separated with all of the supplies I need for each one.
I had been planning on working on just what I had at home as a New Year’s resolution this year, but I was so excited when finishing your UFOs was made into a new merit badge shortly after the beginning of the new year. I have gotten into a routine of working on projects during the day if I have free time or in the evenings. I have made it a personal challenge to not buy or start any new projects. It’s now become as exciting to FINISH a project as to START … and such a satisfying feeling to keep crossing projects off of that list!
Here is a photo of a small tabletop-size quilt that I finished right away. I won’t tell you how long it’s been waiting to be finished!
In making my UFO list and going through each project, I did decide that I didn’t have an attachment to some of the projects anymore. Those I donated. This left me with what I had to finish for my Intermediate badge.
I had this quilt top that I knew needed something special to really make it stand out. I sent it to my quilting friend to finish on her long arm.
I also had an applique quilt that needed the quilting finished … I had put it off and put it off … now was the time to just get it done!
Eva Marie did a beautiful job, just like I knew she would. I was so pleased with her work!
I cannot believe that the pink quilt is FINALLY done! I had posted pictures of both quilts on the chatroom thread for UFOs. I said that after so long, when that final stitch was complete, I felt like one of my children had left home! It feels so great to have it done!”
The natural world is abuzz with beauty as flowers begin blooming
and bees begin …
well, buzzing.
You know the sound, right?
It stirs thoughts of lush gardens on warm summer afternoons …
Photo by Counselling via Pixabay
But did you know that some bees’ vivacious vibrations are more than simply the beating of wings as they move from flower to flower?
Yup. When it comes to the big, beautiful bumble bee, “buzz” is the sound of pollination in progress.
Photo by P7r7 via Wikimedia Commons
This is yet another little bit of magic that happens right under our noses, and the Smithsonian Channel managed to capture some fabulous bee’s-eye footage of the bumble at work:
Behind the scenes of the culinary world, a revolution is stewing … er, baking.
Literally.
What’s in the oven?
Cutlery.
That’s right—baked, edible utensils.
Specifically, spoons.
Indian eco-preneur Narayana Peesapaty devised the idea in order to provide an environmentally responsible alternative to “disposable” plastic cutlery. He calls his spoons (and his company) Bakeys.
“Our Edible Cutlery is meant to be eaten after use. If you do not want to eat it, simply throw it away. Insects and stray animals will eat them up or they will degrade naturally in less than three days,” Peesapaty explains on the Bakeys website. “These are made of flours. The flours are kneaded with plain water—no additional chemicals and not even preservatives.”
Bakeys even come in three flavors: sweet, savory, and plain.
Until Bakeys are readily available around the world, you may just want to consider making your own edible cutlery (if nothing else, the kids will get a kick out of eating their cereal spoons).
Yuka Yoneda at Inhabitat.com tinkered around in the kitchen and came up with a recipe for spoons that will last for three hours after contact with food before getting gooey. “I was just as mesmerized by Peesapaty’s idea … and I wanted to see if I could make my own edible spoons, knives, and forks at home,” she says.
Knives and forks, it turns out, are not so simple. But she did master the spoon, and you can too. Watch and learn her technique:
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
