Look for the good
Beauty and seductions are nature’s tools for survival because we protect what we fall in love with.
–Louie Schwartzberg
To get the best out of this, open to full screen.
For his TED Talk, go here.
This TED Talk is, like many, very thoughtful. It takes the idea of appreciating now, today and presents it in a touching and beautify way. “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.” by Louie Schwartzberg is visually seductive and narrated with heart.
Home gardening is a hobby for many, a way of life for others and a primary food source for some. If you’re not a green thumb, or have more money than time, this robot gardener is pretty cool. This is an open source project, meaning you can get the plans for free and build it yourself (or buy the kit for $3,900). The robot is programmed through an app and does everything from planting seeds and watering to weeding the garden (yes, it uses a camera and software to recognize weeds and pluck them out). With durable parts, it can survive year round outdoors.
To learn more about this project, take a look at https://farmbot.io/
Of course, if you like to get dirty, plant and pluck, this takes away from your hobby time in the garden. I know a few folks who prefer the old fashion gardening methods. But this is a great direction for places like urban rooftop gardens, or folks with a desire to just experiment, or like me who like the food but have little skills or patience for gardening.
Carl Honore shares his perspective on slowing down. From Work, to relationship, as well as helping our own kids to slow down. He reminds us to stop being busy for the sake of being busy.
He also makes the point that companies get better productivity and schools that reduce the work level for students have better performance. Overall, slowing down helps in almost all facets of life.
In August 2016 scientist looked at 28 Greenland sharks that were accidentally cot in nets as by-catch by fishermen in the North Atlantic. Through tissue 
dating they determined that some of the sharks were over 292 years old when they were caught. Their estimates ranged as high as 400 years for those caught, leading to a determination that they would live to 500 years if not accidentally caught.
While the estimates are wide, at over 300 years, and possibly 500 years lifespan, the Greenland shark is the longest living vertebrate. Scientist cannot 
be certain but believe the low temperatures of the North Atlantic slow the rate of aging for the shark. Whatever the reason, it is remarkable.
I like Europe. There are many really cool, old towns tucked away in the mountains. One, Hallstatt Austria.
The photos are amazing. One of the neat things about Hallstatt is the compact nature. The mountains and lake surround the town with beautiful churches and wonderful buildings.
http://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/sights-for-day-visitors/
The series of photos of the nuns in the monastery provide insight that words alone can’t convey. As always with National Geographic, the photos are art. From my childhood I remember sitting on the sofa paging through the 
images from around the world.
The photo below was listed as one of National Geographic’s favorites from 2016. See the entire series in “The Secret Lives of Mexican Nuns”.
I like Thomas W Schaller’s water colors. Imagine walking along this bridge in the morning in Heidelberg. Schaller’s paintings are the jumping off point for the imagination, being in different parts of the world.
More of his work is here, Thomas W Schaller.
The voice is the music. The language is not english, so I don’t understand the words. But the voice is magic.
The judges have a hard time believing it is her voice. So they make stop and sing acapella. She does not disappoint. Amazing voice.
12 Days Of Christmas with a humorous twist from Storm Front Barbershop Quartet
Just a Little Talk With Jesus. This is funny. 4 bass singers form the quartet…not so simple.
Material gains and progress are not tied to being happy. Even though we have much more than we had a generation ago we are no happier. Income, age, gender are not connected to being happy.
So, what make us happy? Trackyourhappiness.org has something to teach us about being happy. The key finding is stay in the moment. Be aware of where you are and be engaged with the people you are with.
We are able to contemplate the past and plan for the future. Our ability for mind-wandering is unique to us as a species. This is a strength.