Week 13: My Week of Fabulous Finds

On this day, September 11th, people all over the world take a moment to pause and reflect.  It is a day marked by bravery, loss, tragedy, and hope. It is a time in our history that we all wish we could erase, but one that we should never forget. 

I invite you to take a moment to remember, before you read this post.

~~*~~ 

Welcome - or welcome back - to My Week of Fabulous Finds! 

“Same - but different” 

• It wasn't until after I compiled this list that I realized that two of the links refer to two types of (B)bears! 
• I mention Whiplash - but not the kind that makes your neck sore. 
• Fog is the most natural reason for hazy skies - but  two very different causes of reduced visibility and particle-filled skies occurred this summer.
• I'm so impressed: Lauren Singer taught herself to live a “zero waste” life, I've struggled just trying to use up all the zucchini I grew myself! 

I hope you enjoy this week's links!

~~*~~

~ ~ I was introduced to Bear Grylls 

No, I did not meet him in person, but when my son was in middle school he could impersonate him with precision. This “Bear Gryll” persona would appear during our hikes and entertain us with his accent, while educating us about every rock, plant, and potential predator lurking around each corner. We would be in stitches, laughing so hard we had to beg my son to stop so we could breath.

President Obama recently spent some time filming with the real Bear Grylls. While I have no doubt he enjoyed the experience, I bet the President would have had just as much fun listening to my son's impersonations on one of our hikes!

• President Obama Visited Alaska, and meets “Bear”

I couldn't find a photo from those hikes, but here is one of my son from about that same time period. Bear Grylls fed the president salmon left over from a bear; my son's method of catching fish was with a rod!

~~*~~

~ ~ When you come across a bear, there's no time to research what to do! 

None of us every really knows how we would respond if we encountered a bear while hiking,
but here is some good advice to keep in mind if you plan to head into bear country.

•  Hiking in Bear Country? Ways to Survive an Attack.

~~*~~

~ ~ Whiplash. Neck brace not required.

We rented the Academy Award winning movie Whiplash this weekend. The performances of the actors was superb, my adrenaline was fueled by both the plot and the music, and the content was thought-provoking. Whiplash (rated R), is not appropriate for children, and anyone with a low tolerance for strong language, harsh behavior, and painful scenes may find it hard to watch.  The film is intense - but I thought it was exceptionally good. 

You can watch a trailer, read other reviews, and rent or buy the movie by clicking on the image below:

~~*~~

~ ~ Dense Haze Created by Smoke and Sand

When I saw photos from the recent sandstorm in the Middle East, I realized that sand from a sandstorm and smoke from a wildfire create a similar sort of haze.  My family could retreat inside our tightly constructed house to breath cleaner air; the refugees in Syria unfortunately could not.

I took this photo a few days before the worst of the smoky conditions we experienced this summer. 

To compare this photo of smoke in Montana to sandstorms in the Middle East, click here:

• Deadly Sandstorms in the Middle East

~~*~~

~ ~ A woman who doesn't own or need a garbage can!
When I saw a Facebook post about a woman whose only trash over the past two years fits into a 16 oz. jar, I wanted to learn more. I found out that this woman, Lauren Singer, has a website. On it she offers a lot of tips about how to live a trash free, waste free life.

I think most of us are more likely to proceed with baby steps, but even if we can't all live as waste free of a lifestyle as Lauren, every little thing we can do to help the environment is a good thing. You can check out Lauren's website here:

• Trash is for Tossers

~~*~~

~ ~ An Update on Last Week's List of Zucchini Recipes 

My List of Fabulous Finds last week provided links to a few zucchini recipes that I had not yet tried, but looked delicious. I made the Zucchini Brownies a few days ago, and they were devoured before I even thought to snap a photo! A few people to whom I served them thought zucchini would be terrible in a brownie. They changed their minds however, after tasting these!

My results from the recipe were more like a dense and sticky cake than a brownie. I frosted the brownies with a frosting recipe supplied on the same blog (I Am Baker) as the Zucchini Brownie recipe. This frosting would be yummy on any brownie or dense cake!

• Brownie Frosting

~~*~~

Just a reminder of the reason for this series: 
There is a lot of really helpful, captivating and entertaining information available on the Internet. It can take a lot of time however, to sift through and find the articles that interest you. In this series, I share the links to some of the “fabulous finds” I have discovered on the Internet throughout the week

If you read this blog, I suspect we have similar passions. If I find something to be fascinating or useful, I think you might as well.

I hope you enjoy and benefit from these links.

~~*~~ 

If you have a suggestion for how to reduce trash, or if there's an idea on Lauren's website that you plan to try, please list it in the comments.

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!