Grumpy Cat is adorable

Just say "awww"

Humanity

I have this feeling that what really defines human beings is not actually the war, terror and damage that we are generally acknowledged to be doing to this planet and one another, but really what individuals do after war, after terror attacks and after natural disasters.

One example is Horseback UK who I follow on Facebook here. They are an example of how it is that people will see someone who needs help and decide to provide that help themselves out of care and concern for their fellow human beings.

It is examples like this that give me hope for the future of humanity.

Go on. Like them on Facebook. The photos and the inspirational words will brighten your days.

Photo from Horseback UK on Facebook.

Big Bear Solar Observatory

I am totally blown away by this photo of a sunspot.  The image was taken by the world's largest solar aperture telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory in Big Bear, California, which is operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Here is the info and there's more here.

A "textbook" sunspot looks like a daisy with many petals.

Happy Independence Day

Just messing about...

For clarification: It's American Independence Day (4 July) today, so I painted my nails with the colours of the American Flag.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

On our weekend in the midlands, we stopped at a few of our Midlands Meander favourites.

At Groundcover I found this little tableau of the Elves and the Shoemaker.

I love the way the elderly couple have crept up to peer at the elves at work.

Romantic Treehouse weekend

We were lucky enough to arrange a last minute getaway at Sycamore Avenue Treehouses on the Midlands Meander this month and we couldn't have wished for anything better!

This was our cottage:

It was called the Bottle House. Many bottles have been used in the design and construction, starting on the right of the front door in the plaster.

Bottles formed a light-filled feature around some of the windows.

The chandelier was made of different sized bottles.

I loved the creativity that has gone into all of the woodwork. Just look at the hinges and the tiller-style handle on this door.

The shape of the hinges were repeated in this blanket box:

and this coat rack:

But my favourite, quirky decor item of all was the phrase over this mirror...

Ursa the Bear - I'm falling in love

 These bears are from David Weeks Studio and you can buy one (there's a small and a large) at Tweek

They are made in Brooklyn using Beechwood and I've fallen completely in love with them. They are quite big, the large is 13.5 inches (34.29cm) x 6 inches (15.24cm) x 5.75 inches (14.605cm) and the smaller (called Ursa Minor) is 5.5 inches (13.97cm) x 10 inches (25.4cm) x 4.5 inches (11.43cm). I think it's the size that makes them so divinely tactile - I would absolutely love to hold one.

There are also other animals in the range. In some places they are described as toys but to me they are so sculptural, I think Ursa the Bear would keep my artist's mannequin company.

You know who you are

Feeling sheepish

I'm totally in love with the products from Herdy and isn't this the cutest sheep you have ever seen?

January in the Lake District is wonderfully un-crowded but I was disappointed to find that the Herdy shop was closed. The B&B where we stayed had these Herdy mugs.

The Herdy company also donates a percentage of their profit to the herdyfund which promotes conservation of the Herdwick sheep and upland fell farming.

Looking at Lamps

I have a "thing" about lamps. Particularly industrial-looking ones. Today, this one is up for sale at Citymob.

Wolf & Maiden Lamp from Citymob

Recently, this post went up at Vamp. 

Steampunk Lamp from Vamp

I'm thinking of this layout for lighting in our kitchen.

Image via Made by Girl

I saw this floor lamp at Loads of Living

Euro Chrome Angle Floor Lamp

And even Woolies has this baby.

Retro Desk Lamp

Shepherding Hut

This is Borleymere Shepherds Hut. For readers of Terry Pratchett this holiday accommodation is perfect. It's a shepherding hut like the one belonging to Tiffany's Granny Aching (check out Wee Free Men, Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, and I Shall Wear Midnight).

Here is an extract from "The Folklore of Discworld" by Terry Pratchett and Jacqueline Simpson: 

"Iron-wheeled shepherding huts were sturdy wooden structures, warmed by a small stove, with a chair, a table, a simple bunk bed, and plenty of shelves, boxes and hooks to hold the shepherd's gear."

How utterly romantic. It's on my wish list.

Happy Valentine's Day

Printable geeky valentine wishes from one of my favourite geeky websites, Evil Mad Scientist

And further to the theme, I saw sweaters like this in England:

so cool!