President Obama celebrates his 49th birthday today! He’ll be having dinner with friends in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, while first lady Michelle Obama is vacationing in Spain with daughter Sasha and older daughter Malia is away at summer camp. According to CNN, there will be a hush-hush belated birthday bash at the White House on Sunday once his famly returns.
Need a way keep track of birthdays and more? Check out this 2011 Michelle Obama calendar!
Along the southeast coast of the Island of Oʻahu (just east of Honolulu) in the Hawaiian Islands, you will find the spectacular Hanauma, which means “Shelter Bay.”
The bay is home to two of Hawaii’s favorite animals: the Green sea turtle and the parrotfish.
In order to preserve the home of these special creatures, as well all the other marine life, Hanauma is protected and the number of visitors allowed is limited. But the snorkeling is well worth the small admission fee, and you’ll get to watch a short film and receive instruction about conservation of the Bay’s resources.
You can admire Hanauma Bay’s view for a whole month in the 2011 Discovering the Beauty of Hawaii calendar.
What’s your favorite snorkeling spot?
For as long as she can remember, Stacy Peterson was always doodling and drawing. Even at the young age of two, her mother saw talent and kept her enrolled in art classes. Stacy followed her passion for drawing and became a full-time illustrator after a career in advertising in New York City.
For the last 15 years, Stacy has illustrated dozens of children’s books, greeting cards and products in her bright, cheerful style. Her happy color palette and charming illustrations of children make for a delightfully, unique style. Her recipe for success has been: a little bit of whimsy for personality, a dash of sweetness and a lot of style.
We are absolutely thrilled with Stacy’s illustrations for the 2011 Family Life Monthly/Weekly calendar!
You can find more of Stacy’s art on her website: www.stacypeterson.net or follow her on facebook.
Currently, Stacy lives in the wild, wild west with her two children and enjoys the vast blue sky and brilliant sunsets.
Inspired by the amazing U.S. waterfalls featured in the 2011 Waterfalls calendar, here is a list of some of the most amazing waterfalls the world over:
7. Gullfoss (Haukadalur, Iceland)
These “Golden Falls” are famous for rainbows, arcing over the falls when the conditions are right.
6. Gocta Waterfall (Chachapoyas, Peru)
This impressive waterfall has been unknown to the public until five years ago, supposedly because local people feared the curse of a beautiful blond mermaid who lived in its waters.
5. Angel Falls (Gran Sabana, Venezuela)
The tallest waterfall in the world, its existence is mysterious—its source is the cloud forest atop the plateau.
4. Niagra Falls (Ontario, Canada)
The world’s most powerful waterfall, 35 million gallons of water plunge over the edge every minute.
3. Victoria Falls (Zambezi River, between Zimbabwe and Zambia)
Africa’s biggest tourist attraction, Victoria Falls’ indigenous name is “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” literally meaning the “Smoke that Thunders.”
2. Nachi Falls (Mount Nachi, Japan)
Considered a divine entity in Japan, this waterfall is one of 48 scattered across Mount Nachi.
1. Iguazu Falls (between Paraná, Brazilian and Misiones, Argentina)
An incredible array of 275 cascades and waterfalls, Iguazu tops the list. Surrounded by stunning natural beauty, these falls are short-listed to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
When we put together our Trees calendar, we searched for the most beautiful images we could find. However, Neatorama may have another angle on the trees topic: a while ago, they put together a post on the most unique and interesting trees in the world. Here are 5 of our favorites from that list:
1. Circus Trees
How amazing are these Circus Trees? Swedish farmer Axel Erlandson (1884-1964) created these impressive tree sculptures by planting several trees, and bending them into these interesting shapes. The process may sound easier than it was, Erlandson kept his work very secret, and never shared how he grafted and bent his designs into place. Erlandson’s trees (like the “Basket Tree” and “Two Leg Tree” shown above) have made over 12 appearances in Ripley’s Believe it Or Not!
2. Chapel-Oak Tree
In 1669, l’Abbe du Detroit and du Cerceau built a chapel out of a tree that had been struck by lighting (the lighting hollowed out the tree). Now the tree stump is home to two chapels, and a spiral staircase around the trunk provides access to these chapels. This tree is a popular place of worship in France, and you may want to visit it while you have the chance – the aging Chapel-Oak will not live much longer. Oak shingles cover holes and weak spots the tree has acquired over time.
3. Pando, The Quaking Aspen
This may look like a forest full of trees, but in actuality, they are the stems of a single organism with a complex, underground root system! This Quaking Aspen is known as Pando, and is located in Utah. At 80,000 years of age, some believe that the root system of Pando is one of the oldest living organisms in the world.
4. The Banyan Tree
That may look like pieces of fabric (or snakes?) hanging from the branches of the Banyan Tree, but in fact, they are the aerial roots! These roots hang from the branches and eventually grow into the trunks of the tree, making the Banyan tree wider with age. The unique appearance of the tree has lent itself well to works of fiction - Robinson Crusoe made a Banyan tree his home in the novel by Daniel Defoe, and in the novel Hothouse by Brian Aldiss, a single banyan tree covers half of the world’s surface.
5. The Lonely Tree of Ténéré
The L’Abre du Ténéré was the world’s loneliest tree. Located in the Sahara desert in Niger, Africa, Ténéré was a staggering 250 miles from any other tree. As the last member of a group of acacias, the Lonely Tree didn’t succumb to the dry desert. In 1973, it was struck down by a drunk driver, and was replaced by a metal pole that honors the famous tree.
Comment below and tell us which one of the trees is your favorite!
(Photos courtesy Neatorama.com)
