Sunday 24 January 2016

Australian Farmer Battles Soil Erosion by Plowing Land into Massive Geometric Artwork



Well, as cool as technological advancements in the agricultural world are, from time to time it is pretty breathtaking to see generation-old wisdom positively implemented. After a bushfire swept through his land in South Australia, farmer Brian Fischer came up with an innovative solution to combat soil erosion, converting his land into a huge geometric patchwork. Therefore, he reports that the idea for his rare method that is now saving him valuable topsoil has been passed down for generations in his family, from as far back as 1944, however the origins of the method before his family learned about it are unknown.

Moreover Fischer’s intricate web sits in a field at Ashmore White Suffolk Stud, just north of Adelaide Australia. Thus the hypnotic design may look like crop art but is really the farmer’s inventive response to the conservation of his soil. Hence with much of the area's vegetation wiped out in the fires, Fischer’s fields were unprotected and susceptible to soil erosion from gusting winds. These simple geometric furrows are just high enough to avoid further harm and erosion.

Furthermore the clever ridges took several days for Fischer to plow into his fields; though they’re now saving him 15cm of topsoil and enticing attention from local press. The inventive farmer also acted as his own photographer, capturing these shots from his son’s airplane and displaying that art and agriculture can sometimes go hand in hand.



Thursday 21 January 2016

Man Transforms Abandoned 700-Year-Old Sandstone Cave Convert into a Luxurious Home



Living in cave would have been appealed to you; Rockhouse Retreat might make you change your tune. The Cave is located in rural Worcestershire, England. The exclusive locale is built into a Triassic sandstone escarpment near the Wyre Forest. Therefore, as a residence, a long history of cave was occupied for more than 700 years before it was abandoned in 1962 and reverted back to its natural state. In 2015, enthusiast and owner Angelo Mastropietro pick a unique idea and spent almost $230,000 to restore it into a romantic, secluded getaway.

The 6700-square-foot Rockhouse blends modern style and comfort with the calmness of nature. Its interior features a number of comfortable upgrades that you wouldn't expect in a cavern. However, this includes: a walk-in “rain forest” shower; heated floors in the shower-dressing room; a fully-equipped kitchen; free Wi-Fi; a music-docking station, and a Nespresso machine. Furthermore, there is an outdoor kitchen terrace with a gas grill and fire pit. Although, Mastropietro’s retreat is well-situated for those that want to spend time exploring nature. The area boasts several outdoor attractions, such as 40 kilometers of walking trails and the West Midlands Safari Park. Guests can also visit the historic riverside town of Bewdley to adore its commercial offerings. The Rockhouse Retreat is currently available to book through its website.

NASA Astronaut Revealed First Flower to Ever Bloom in Space



This orange flower symbolizes a noteworthy moment in human history, because this is very first flower to bloom in space. These beautiful photographs were in recent times tweeted by astronaut Scott Kelly from aboard the International Space Station. Therefore the successful experiment with plant growth in zero gravity is a big achievement. Scott Kelly and his colleague Russian astronaut Mikhail Korniyenko, are aboard the station as part of a year-long mission to study the effects of long-term stay in space. However, their mission overlapped with a project recognized as Veggie, initiated by NASA’s previous resident Kjell Lindgren who had created experimenting with plant growth.
Previously, ISS astronauts have harvested romaine lettuce, however flowering crops such as zinnias are much more challenging to grow.  Nevertheless the bright orange flowers were sprouted from pods composed of fertilizer, seeds, water, and clay, under a system of LED lights. The project optimisms to continue generating nutritious fresh food for the crew, while also given that morale-boosting plants that may support to enhance the isolating environment the astronauts have to live in.  Moreover, NASA hopes to make use of same growth methods to sooner or later produce tomatoes in space, bringing us one moving step closer to agriculture in space.


Saturday 16 January 2016

Fearless One-Eyed Cat Loves Surfing and Swimming in Hawaii



“Kuli” the fearless surfing cat is exactly making waves all across the Internet. Before he was even born, roommates “Krista Littleton” and “Alexandra Gomez” were hoping to adopt a feline friend just like him. Hence more than a year ago, over waffles, Alex was explaining one of the several translations for the name Nanakuli," Littleton. "Nanakuli means to look blind. Alex joked about getting a one-eyed orange cat and naming him just that." Therefore, their wish came true when three-month-old Nanakuli (“Kuli for short”) was serendipitously rescued in Nanakuli, Hawaii and cared for after being found malnourished on the street with an infected eye. Unhappily, his eye had to be removed before Gomez and Littleton adopted him at 6 months old, so far they were still worried about his condition. In the first month we were concerned that our new friend was not going to make it. We think part of the reason “Kuli” is so tolerant of water is because he had to have repeated baths due to his messy health issues.
A Big Thanks to their TLC, young “Kuli” made a complete recovery and the two roommates worked to integrate him into their active lifestyles. Therefore, they started out by walking him on a leash and later took him to the beach so he could progressively learn how to swim with a lifejacket and lead. Moreover before long, “Kuli” mastered the art of both swimming and surfing, so he only needs to wear his life preserver infrequently and no longer needs to be leashed. The daring feline even received his own boogie board and can now be found catching a wave amidst Hawaii's blue-green water with his loving owners.

The Hunting Beauty of Woods



Nelleke Pieters’ photographs flawlessly encapsulate the lasting beauty of the woods. The Holland based amateur photographer manages to extract a definite poignant atmosphere from the trees and leaves in the forest where she shoots. Therefore, from fleeting appearances of wildlife, to tantalizing light streams and ever changing colorful leaves. Nelleke Pieters records the astonishing natural beauty of the world around her through her landscape shooting.

Moreover, the majority of the photographs were taken within the picturesque Veluwe Woods of the Netherlands. The forest itself is a blend of dissimilar landscapes and types of vegetation, home to one of the leading incessant nature reserves in the country. This diverse natural setting offers a compelling scene for photo shoots as the environment continually shifts and adopts a new face with every changing season. However, Pieter’s pictures rejoice the beauty of the scenic woodlands and communicate the magic that permeates from within the forest.