Stories like this are the kind that make me wary of brewing kombucha in my kitchen. A Lithuanian woman's homemade alcohol poisoned and killed 16 people. The deaths have occurred over the span of the month. While they weren't all at the same event, they were all located in the same district where the woman, who is being held for possible negligent homicide, lives and made the alcohol. Others are being treated for illness from the drink.
Animal rescue stories normally feature dogs at their hearts, much like a Lassie episode, but in this story it's the cat who helped save an elderly woman. An 83-year-old woman from Cornwall, England fell down a ravine and needed help. Her black cat, Piran, saved the day by meowing for help until a neighbor heard the animal's cries.
September is nearly upon us and it's time for all of that back to school, autumn spice, falling leaves, sweater weather goodness! Where I live, it's not likely to become sweater weather until mid-month or later, but it remains one of my favorite times of the year. This year will still look different for most of us because of the pandemic, but there are still lots of things to love about the season--including fall poetry.
As a young feminist I never really cared about my skin care routine. I don't wear a lot of makeup and it never seemed important to me. As I get older, I'm learning that skin care is really for everyone. Not only is wearing the proper sunscreen important to prevent skin cancer and other damage, but caring for your face with face wash, moisturizers and other products can also help your skin stay healthy as you age.
Two new dinosaur species were recently discovered in Northwest China. It's always exciting to learn about new dinosaurs, especially when more than one species is identified! Both dinosaurs are members of the long-neck titanosaur family, some of the largest dinosaurs that ever roamed the Earth. The fact that the new species are such enormous dinosaurs makes this doubly exciting.
Chicken fajita salad is one of the easiest DIY salads to make that also happens to taste awesome. While we can argue on so many things about the salad itself--I don't like the texture of onions or cilantro, for example, but I do use onion powder for the flavor--most of us can appreciate the layers of flavor that go into a fajita, and using a salad instead of a tortilla is a great way to make it lighter for this hot summer weather--not to mention add in more greens to your daily total.
My family is all vaccinated and meeting in person now which means we've been playing some party games in person, too. The very first game we whipped out? Singstar. Hands down. Karaoke is the best party game for so many reasons. You can dance along while others sing, take turns so you get breaks and snacks, and it's a great ice breaker.
It's 2021 and politicians are STILL trying to restrict people's right to vote. The country is 245 years old (as the United States, anyway) and we have to wonder... has it really changed? Rich white men continue to try to keep anyone unlike them from obtaining even a little power. The poll tax may be illegal but the 28 laws restricting voters enacted are certainly in the same vein.
It's getting closer to garlic season, gardeners! It's almost time to plant those cloves to harvest a bunch of beautiful garlic in the summer. Planting in October might be your best bet although some people may plant a bit earlier or later. They can begin growing in fall but it's good to plant in fall with plenty of sunshine and mulch for winter protection (if it gets cold in your area).
Halloween may be over two months away, but August is definitely the month to start planning costumes--especially if you use multiple costumes and/or make your own in October. For those who do the 31 days of costumes challenge, it may even be late in the game to start planning! There's still time to decide and find all of those costume pieces.
At least 21 dogs have died in Australia due to unsafe pet food sold by Maffra District Knackery in Australia. Some of the dogs had seizures or dehydration or other signs of ailments. While their symptoms differed, Maffra District Knackery was the one thing they all shared prior to their deaths. A contamination of indospicine toxin was found in the deceased dogs. At least 40 other dogs were also sick due to the contamination.
One could argue that it's always graphic novel season, but in our house it's always graphic novel season when I'm feeling overwhelmed like I am at the moment. When you just don't have the time to learn a new world and all of its complexities, or to decide whether or not a 400-page brick is going to be your your cup of tea or not. Some readers tell me they don't know this feeling but many do, especially during intense times of stress and uncertainty.
The makers of Stranger Things are promising that season four is worth the wait, and they have a new teaser to help tide us over until its release...next year. That's right, it's been confirmed that there will be no new episodes until 2022.
Minibar and 7-11 are working together to help you get alcohol delivered to your home. The pilot program, which will only be available in select states to start, will allow people to order wine and beer for home delivery. Slurpees will also be available for delivery, which is great for people who do and don't drink since it can also be used in mixed drinks.
Plenty of people postulate that humans aren't real at all, but either video game or computer simulations. The argument behind this idea mostly stems from how rapidly the world is changing right now due to our technology. It's definitely a startling concept to ponder when you dive deep into it, especially since we all want to be a real person, as well as the main character in our own stories.
Are you a dessert pizza lover? I know I am. I like my dessert pizza with lots of fruit and a sweet, yogurt-based "sauce." Yum! But there are so many dessert pizzas out there for different palettes, from chocolate and nutella to more nuanced or unconventional flavors, and Buzzfeed says that they will reveal your vibe!
So many frog species are on the decline that it's exciting when we see efforts to help a population recover. Northern leopard frogs are endangered, but scientists at the Oregon Zoo and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park have been working on saving the species.
Seattle's Day In Day Out Festival is just around the corner and lots of food vendors are lining up to sell their yummy wares. From Philly cheesesteaks to hotdogs, falafel to poke bowls, there's bound to be something for everyone hoping to leave the festival with a full belly.
Family Guy merch can be just as bright, funny, and obnoxious as the show itself. So many adult arcades have Family Guy plushes in their claw machines and it's easy to get addicted to collecting the stuffies. Of course, if you never did get the claw machine down or you just want to find matching plushies for your collection, you can always just buy some, too.
There are so many Grateful Dead-inspired collections and collaborations lately. The latest one to get excited about is over at Peter Grimm Hat Company. We are about to see some colorful, fun hats! Grimm says he's attended many concerts in Portland and has always been a fan. The hats will be available in four of the company's signatures styles: Lifeguard, Resorts, Buckets and Drifters.
