The Flying Tortoise. Freedom Camping At Rangiputa In New Zealand's Beautiful Far North...

The little beach of Rangiputa is situated in Rangaunu Harbour on the Karikari Peninsula in New Zealand's Far North.
The Maori meaning of the name Rangiputa is pull out a shoal of fish. There's much truth in that meaning.
The Flying Tortoise has been freedom camping here for a few days and will return.
Leaving the Far North isn't really a consideration.
I don't need much to have a beautiful and simple life and there's all I need to have a simply beautiful life right here...

The Little Country Of Uraguay Just Might Lead The World In Creative Gun Control By Swapping Bicycles For Illegal Firearms...

It's been found that gun buyback programmes
to reduce the number of firearms in circulation is not very effective in reducing street crime.
Or homicides
The small South American nation of Uraguay ranks ninth in the number of guns per capita in the world.
More than a million firearms, most of them unregistered are in the hands of the country's
3.3 million residents.
The country's leadership is known for thinking outside the square with surprising results and now their creative efforts have started the Weapons for Life programme.
Instead of people getting cash, Uraguay now gives a bicycle or a low-end computer for a person's firearms thereby improving the lives of those in illegal possession of weapons and the well-being of the nation as a whole.
It could be a win win situation. I hope so.
Other countries just might learn a lesson from little Uraguay...

A Toast To The Bride And Groom...

May they have a long and happy life together.
What is it they say, the bigger the wedding the shorter the marriage, oh I'm being cynical.
Mazeltov to them both. They deserve each other.
It was a wonderful wedding and don't they make such a good looking couple.
I hadn't realised just how tall she is but she's young and beautiful and it doesn't matter that he seems so, well, so vertically challenged.
But he's not short of money.
And what about her legs.
I know it sounds mean but I've seen better ones on a horse...

Dean McLellan And The Amazing Age Old Art of Dry Stone Building...

Dean McLellan is a dry stone waller and mason. That should be said with some sort of fanfare at least.
The man's a master when it comes to the inspirational art of building with dry stone, an art that's been practiced for centuries.
He's artisan who's always on the lookout for creative and interesting projects.
And always ready to promote the age old craft of dry stone walling and construction.
Especially in Canada where he lives.
There's many other wonderful examples of the age old art here...

Norman Szkop's Wonderful Aerial Images Of Tulip Fields In Bloom In North Holland...

French photographer Norman Szkop took
to the sky in a tiny Cessna piloted by Claython Pender to get these wonderful images of Tulip fields in bloom around Anna Paulowna, a little town in northern Holland.
There's many more images here.
Whatever else you might do today,
try to take time to smell the flowers...

The Romotow. A Very Clever Concept. A Mobile Living Space Like No Other...

The Romotow is a damned clever concept.
A mobile living space like no other.
And it's designed and will be manufactured in New Zealand.
Stuart Winterbourn and Matt Wilkie from the Christchurch company W2 say their concept home on wheels has seventy percent more living space than a conventional vehicle of its length and width and it automatically sets itself up in only three minutes.
And they say it's lightweight and aerodynamic design will give the Romotow towing vehicle greater fuel efficiency and road stability.
Before you get out your cheque books, remember it's only a concept at this moment
but watch this space...

Christopher Swann's Incredible Underwater Photos Of Dolphins And Sharks Dining Out On Mackerel...

British wildlife photographer Christopher Swann went swimming in the Atlantic, off the coast of the Azores to record dolphins and sharks feasting on a  shimmering thirty foot diameter ball of Mackerel trying to protect themselves.
Did someone mention Fish Balls.
Moving closer to the surface makes it easier for the Cory Shearwaters to add mackerel to their menu, so the poor mackerel with no place to escape to are left to the mercy of the mauraders.
There's more merriment and feasting here...