Elephant Enlightenment

Pas

'Peace' in the Ticino/Lombard language, spoken in Switzerland

a Swiss paperdoll collage, OrigamiBears

I never quite know what I am going to blog about until I actually start writing it!

Today appears to be an
ELEPHANT DAY!!

I have loved elephants for as long as I can remember.

I can stand at the zoo for quite a long time and just watch them.

Some day, I am going to be able to touch one.

That would be super super cool!

Here in the Denver metro area, the Denver Zoo has just opened their

'Elephant Passage' area.

It is quite huge, and will be able to accommodate several bulls,

as well as the matriarchal females.

It also features many animals in larger, more true-to-life settings from Asia.

Our tapir has a new friend, and a decent enclosure finally.

Denver Zoo Elephant Passage

http://www.earthtechling.com/

here are some Toyota Elephant Passage info/facts: 

Some of the animals in the new Passage include:

Malayan Tapirs

Gibbons

Fruit bats

Elephants

Clouded Leopards

Rhinos

Flying Fox

Sarus Cranes

an iris folded card by J. Bergkaarten

Some things that make this new exhibit so special:

a biomass gasification system that uses -

elephant poo!!

It converts more than 90% of the zoo's waste

(includes animal waste and human trash)

into usable energy to power the exhibit!

I think that is very cool.

It also eliminates 1.5 MILLION POUNDS of trash from landfills

on a yearly basis.

Wow.

a 45 year old bull with baby 'Baylor', Houston Zoo

But wait, there's more!

The Toyota Elephant Passage has a state-of-the-art water filtration system.

It recycled most of the 1.1 MILLION GALLONS

of water that runs through the exhibit.

The recycled water is then used in the irrigation system and animal exhibits

(think moats, ponds, etc.)

Toyoto Elephant Passage, Denver Zoo, www.denver.org

But wait....there's even more good news!!!

Natural lighting with skylights and windows decrease electric lighting.

The Zoo also uses Solatube,

a system that reflects sunlight to provide natural light.

and

a no-maintenance, radiant heating rather than forced air

to keep the residents, and their human visitors, comfortable,

even through our cold winters.

Elephant in an elephant scherensnitte cutting

by susanne

Extra monitoring systems help to make the indoor air healthy,

and low-VOC carpets, paints, coatings and adhesives were used to build it.

SUPER!!

www.finartamerica.com

Here are some really cool (I think)

ELEPHANT FUN FACTS and TRIVIA:

The Asian elephant weighs an average 11,500 pounds.

They can be on average 18 - 21 feet long.

The Asian Elephant is the largest land mammal in the world.

With only some 350,000 wild elephants left,

extinction is very possible by the end of this decade.

That's like 2020 folks.

www.billierocks.etsy.com

Let's take a look at just the elephants in Thailand.

Since 1993 the Asian elephant population in Thailand

has gone from 40,000 to less than 2,600 left in captivity.

The remaining elephants are often overworked, abused,

exported to zoos around the world,

and disfigured by forgotten landmines along the Thai borders.

There is this neat lady

Soraida Salwala

that opened the World's First Asian Elephant Hospital

in Lampang, Thailand (1993)

An unheard of thing!

Thailand, November 2011

a mahout and elephant in the Loy Krathong Festival

for the Goddess of the River

Her story starts out with an injured elephant lying on the side of the road,

when she was 8 years old. It had been hit by a truck.

Her family drove past, and a gunshot was heard.

Her father told her "Uncle Elephant is in heaven now."

She wanted to know why, if the elephant was hurt,

he couldn't go to the hospital.

Not getting an answer she liked,
the Asian Elephant Hospital was opened.
It is operated by the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE).
To date, Ms. Salwala and her staff have treated
over 3,000 elephants.
These elephants were injured with everything from
knife wounds,
gunshot wounds,
broken bones
and landmine accidents
to eye infections
and drug addictions.
The Asian Elephant Hospital has even made prosthetic limbs
for elephants mangled by landmine accidents.

A commendable woman;

a commendable Elephant Hospital.

Thai mahouts and their elephants in the annual Loy Krathong Festival,

Ayutthaya province, 11/2012.

Let's have a little elephant fun!

an African elephant, www.color-Your-Own.com

by OrnaArtHeart - here is the exact etsy addy:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86604727/hand-sculpted-baby-elephant-mosaic-like

Another beauty from Orna's hands:

a light, www.OrnaArtHeart.etsy.com

circa 1848, 'Jullien's Elephant Polka'

original collage, www.meganacoyle.etsy.com

 I have lots more elephant fun,

but blogspot/yahoo is being super slow now,

so I need to close before my blood pressure goes up!

See you soon!!!

inkspired

http://www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

Here are some of the resources I used in this blog:

http://www.earthtechling.com/2012/06/denver-zoo-elephant-passage-powered-by-poo-takes-leed/

http://www.denver.org/what-to-do/attractions/elephant-passage

http://www.eyesofthailand.com/story/

Summer Blues? Let's get HOT!!!

rangima'arie

'Peace' in Maori

a native people in New Zealand

'New Zealand Springs'

original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

http://www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com/

I'm thinking those sheep get awful HOT in their wool coats!

I know, that's what shearing is all about.

Today we shall have

HOT SUMMER FUN!!!

There is so much to see and do out there,

so today I will offer a few suggestions to 'spark' you!

yeah, the humor may get a little bad.....

:0)

Did you know that HULA HOOPS are all the rage now?

It is all the rage,

even 'electric' ones that glow in the dark!

battery operated hula hoops www.ElictricLifeStylz.etsy.com

fancy hula hoops www.HoopMamas.etsy.com

Actually, kids have been playing with hoops since the wheel was invented,

I think!

vintage illustration, children playing hoops

Hula hoops are a great activity for the basement -

some where where there is lots of space!

Now, playing hoops is definitely an outside activity!

Shall we do something fun indoors now?

vintage illustration, unknown source

Baking is always a fun indoors activity, to me.

I love to bake.

Summer is a great time to teach you kids how to do some simple recipes.

Let them help you shop for the ingredients,

or gather them from the cupboard.

Let the kids get out the measuring cups, bowls and spoons.

When kids get to help, it gives them a powerful boost to the ego!

Now matter how small, or nerdy or jock,

when you can help accomplish something

with visible results

you feel good about yourself.

'Grocery Shopping in Malibu'

original Collage Art Doll

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Still too HOT to go outside without risking sun stroke?

found at: www.chicklitisnotdead.com

You know me -

READ!!!!

photo credit: Terje S. Skjerdal, blog.syracuse.com

The more you read to your kids,

the more interested they will be in reading.

The more your kids read,

the better they will do in school.

Also, the more your kids read

you give them vital tools to fight -

ignorance

laziness

prejudice

stuck in low paying jobs

no goals

religous intolerancy

and yes, even crime!

www.catbirdseatstudio.etsy.com

"Books to the ceiling,

Books to the sky,

My pile of books is a mile high.

How I love them!

How I need them!

I'll have a long beard

by the time I read them."

by Arnold Lobel, master of 'pigerisms'

Executive Baby http://www.rdpl.org/

Now is that an adorable picture or what?!

It's time to beat the heat with a pencil!

That's right, a pencil!

Let's learn how to draw some simple things,

and then put them all together in a picture!

All these wonderful tips on ' How-to Draw' are courtesy Dover Books.

That should get you started!

:0)

Next -

it's time everyone learned how to make sun tea!

orange iced tea found at http://www.fashionistaandthefoodie.com/

First, you need a large glass jar with a lid.

We use a gallon jar that came

with the most delicous cherry juice we have ever had!

(Lyons, Colorado)

You can certainly find large gallon glass jars

at your closest retail stores, such as

Target, WalMart, KMart, etc.

Maybe even at the Dollar Store?!

Next, pick some really good tea in bags.

One I have served at many parties with great success is

Celestial Seasonings 'Blueberry Breeze'.

There's also Celestial Seasonings 'Green Tea - Blueberry Breeze'

and Zingers such as 'Lemon Zinger'.

A nice CS Mandarin Orange Spice would be good also.

Now place 6 - 10 tea bags in your glass jar.

Pour water in to the top.

Place lid on.

Put outside in the sun for the day,

a few hours,

whatever time frame you have.

As the sun moves, make sure your tea jar is in the sun.

Now is the time to make your fruit ice cubes

(see below)

While those are freezing, a nice nap in a hammock is so summer....

vintage illustration

To make this a cool summer activity,

be sure your hammock is in the shade!

Back to your sun tea:

Bring it inside after a few hours.

Your tea will be brewed by the sun!

Now that's saving energy....

Pick out the tea bags. Place the sun tea in the refrigerator

or cool to room temperature

and have a glass with ice!

While the tea is cooling, why not get those pencils out

and make another fun, summer drawing?

These will have to go on the refrigerator....

"Sunshine Fairy" Original Collage Doll by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Let's do some ice cube COOL Fun!

Even your little little ones can help with this!

Pour off 2 - 4 Cups of your Sun Tea.

Cooler is better (room temp is fine).

Match up some complimentary flavors for your tea:

Blueberry Breeze? Gather some fresh blueberries.

Mandarin Orange Spice? Open a can of mandarin oranges.

Lemon Zinger? Thinly slice some fresh lemons.

Sprigs of mint are great.

Some more ideas:

fresh fruit such as raspberries,  sliced strawberries,

peach chunklets, pineapple tidbits...

get the idea....

http://www.chefdoughty.com/

Now this is where the kids can help again -

place a tidbit of fruit in each opening (cup) in an ice cube tray.

Don't have any ice cube trays?

You can use dixie cups, only you want to tear the top couple of inches off.

Place the dixie cups in a pan with sides - like a cake pan.

Next, you have a choice.

If you are going to use your fruit ice cubes for drinks other than your sun tea, you want to fill each 'cup' with plain water.

When using dixie cups, keep in mind what size cube it will be when frozen.

http://www.elhadadepapel.blogspot.com/

If you are going to use your fruit ice cubes for your sun tea,

then carefully pour your set-aside sun tea into each 'cup'.

Be sure and involve your kids if you have any.

Or borrow some neighborhood kids to help!

A measuring cup with a pour spout is ideal.

Place filled ice cube trays in freezer.

When ready, pop them out (or tear off the dixie cup)

place in your drink of choice,

and sip!

AAaaaahhhhhh......

Don't forget a taste-test to see if you need to add some more plain water to your sun tea to get it just right.

For those of you 'sweetened ice tea' drinkers,

try cutting your sugar by 1/2 or 1/3, and let the fruit sweeten your drink.

By using sun tea-filled ice cubes, your tea will remain strong

with no watering down by using plain ice cubes.

An added bonus:

If you are entertaining, or just feel special,

the fruit-filled cubes look COOL in a clear glass with clear-ish juice

like white apple juice, or selzer water,

or just plain water

or in a nice big punch bowl.

Sigh....

I have so much more to share,

but I really cannot write a book -

(I will not write a book,

I will not write a book,

I will not write a book - Michael).

So....

Time to close with a nice swimming pool vintage illustration!

courtesy origamibears

Yep, even those little swimming pools can be fun -

especially if you have dogs!

Have a super COOL day -

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

"Sashay with dog"

Original Collage Art Doll by inkspired

http://www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com/

Puppy Love

Msvidoba

'Peace' in Georgian

c.1915, courtesy of Indiana Music Libraries

"Be it human or animal,

touch is a life-giving thing.

Has anyone ever had a stroke

or a heart attack

while cozied up with a pet?

I doubt it."

- Robert Brault

Looking through the Yahoo front page news today, I came across a

POSITIVE news article!

Here is the addy:

(remember if you copy and paste to get all the characters, both lines.)

http://news.yahoo.com/video/sanfranciscocbs5-15751300/sf-to-hire-homeless-to-care-for-foster-puppies-29656033.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fsanfranciscocbs5-15751300%252Fsf-to-hire-homeless-to-care-for-foster-puppies-29656033.html

In brief, it is about a new program that San Francisco is starting

to combat homelessness.

For residents that are living in government assisted housing

they will have the opportunity to foster dogs

from the local Animal Rescue.

The resident receives food and medical care for the foster dog.

They also may qualify for up to $75 per week,

IF

they no longer panhandle (beg).

vintage Valentine

This program was started because of an initial donation of $10,000.

Wow.

The San Francisco Animal Shelter received 500 more dogs last year then ever before. They blame this on a tougher economy,

where feeding children and paying rent are more important than feeding a dog.

"A hungry stomach makes a short prayer."

- Paiute (Native American Indian) Proverb

I understand that,

and I applaud these people that have the honesty and courage

to give their pet a second chance.

To give them to an animal shelter where they will be cared for,

and hopefully be adopted by a new 'forever family'.

vintage Jack and Jill magazine cover, with added clip

www.origamibears.com

DON'T drop it on a street - cats can hunt mice

or dogs always find food -they can always fend for themselves

NOT TRUE.

DON'T drive out to the country and release the pet -

dogs and cats can always live in the 'wild'.

NOT TRUE.

c.1913

c.1919

Zeus, our loving and oh-so-tolerant Great Dane, adopted from

The Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.

Dogs are made for companionship.

They crave a 'job' to do.

That job might be getting their person out of bed and up and out.

The job might be giving unconditional love.

The job might be to bark at perceived threats or intruders.

But mostly dogs crave human companionship and friendship.

c.1915

"Animals are such agreeable friends-

They ask no questions;

and pass no criticisms."

- George Eliot

How-to-Draw a Yorkshire Terrier, dover books

Next I have a youtube clip of Michael Collins,

a 'Britain's Got Talent' finalist in 2011.

Listen to it, with a loving pet in mind!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBERHqHuKpc&feature=related

c.1922

Pug Paper Doll

courtesy www.Color-Your-Own.com

This little doggie coloring page is of a wire-haired dachsund.

We grew up with a little dog that looked exactly like this.

His name was Clancy, and he grew to have quite the reputation.

His coloring was a 'Wheaton' type coloring, with shades of blonde and brown.

His fur was very wiry!

And he was OH SO STUBBORN -

a character trait we learned typical for the breed.

In Phoenix he loved running off, just a block or so,

and finding some kind of black tarry sewage drain where he would roll in it,

and come home so happy with himself.

Pe-whew!

c.1914

Now, I prefer to take this song about a 'hot' dog,

as in Clancy in the summer in Phoenix.



Norah Jones album cover, that includes the song below.



Here is one of my all time favorite artists, singing one of my all time favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syeoXPPnw3c&feature=related

'He is your friend, your partner,

your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours,

faithful and true,

to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy

of such devotion.'

- unknown

c.1897

I guess I better close for now,

as I'm trying to NOT WRITE A BOOK (hear that Michael?).

However, dogs are very near and dear to my heart,

so it is easy to do a blog about them!

I do wish the City of San Francisco the best of luck with their new program.

Any other cities up to try it out?

c.1912

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com/

recycled bottlecap art using all junk mail by inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/