Picture of Washington - Mount Rainier National Park, Olympia - Pine trees in Mount Rainier National Park.

via planetware.com

This picture is beyond beautiful. My words aren't good enough to attach to it's magnificence.
Instead of doing that, I will try to explain why I like it so much.
I have always loved the silhouette of a tree. It just stops me in my tracks and beckons me to study it. I love seeing each leaf; each pine or each frond. So much detail! I love the unique image each tree makes on a background of a different color or shade.
I love the rippled silhouettes captured on the surface of the water. They are fuzzy and the detail is no longer visible but the general shape is and I love those almost as much.
Then there is that zig-zag strip of almost white across the center of the water, between both banks of the lake.
And there's more, much more.
But I don't have any words...

Music Star Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher engaged | TODAYS HEADLINES

via todaysheadlines.org

Okay, I just love Carrie Underwood. She has the voice of an angel and I can't resist her songs. I am not a die-hard country music fan but her songs aren't just country. Plus she is so sweet-looking and looks like she has an absolutely perfect, unmarred complexion. Two of her songs make me cry. They are Jesus Take the Wheel and Temporary Home.

If you are a fan of Carrie's you will know what I mean. If you have never heard her sing, then listen to the songs. The videos are very heart-touching as well.

Wild Animals | Pictures of zoo animals

via pictures-of-zoo-animals.info

Are animals in the zoo happy? Well, that's a good question. How can you gauge an animal's happiness? How can you tell if it misses the great outdoors? Just because you don't see them crying or telling you they miss running around free, doesn't mean we can assume they love zoo life.
This tiger looks like it is having fun, but I wonder how the ball doesn't get popped?
It is a hard thing to balance out, this issue of having zoos at all. I think they help people appreciate animals they would otherwise never, ever see in real life. But is it a good idea? I really don't know.

NewsDaily: Health risk from troubled Japan nuclear plant

via newsdaily.com

I knew that the nuclear power plant damaged by the tsunami was in trouble, but I wasn't aware until now that it has been leaking radioactive substances for nearly two months now. People living within a 12 mile radius have already been evacuated, while those downwind of the plant have been told to prepare to leave their homes.
Authorites have been struggling to bring it under control. So far they are claiming that the levels are very low, in fact lower than background radiation. However, radiation poisoning is cumulative, and every little bit you're exposed to increases the risks of getting cancer.
Many other things we are exposed to have greater cancer risks, such as cigarette smote, chemicals, bad eating and drinking habits, etc.
However should the levels of leaking radiation continue or worsen, we could be looking at another Chernobyl.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - Recipes - Food Network Canada

via foodnetwork.ca

These look so delectable, who can resist? In my opinion, if there's oatmeal in there, they're healthy! So, it's ok if there's sugar, fat and chocolate because the oatmeal cancels all of them out. Am I right? Yes!! In fact, I am headed to the kitchen right now to make some. Maybe a double batch... If you're in the neighborhood and you can smell them cooking, knock on my door and we'll have herb tea and cookies together. Ta-ta for now.

20-Minute Tortilla Soup recipe - Food - Canadian Living

via canadianliving.com

Tortilla soup in 20 minutes! How can delicious ever get easier than that! And it's loaded with nutrition, too. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks amazing. This brings soup to a whole new level.

I love using a crock-pot, so I would just make this up in the morning and let it simmer all day. If the zucchini gets too soft for your taste in the crock-pot then you can try lightly frying it and adding it in at the last minute just before serving. So yummy!

What I would make to go with this is cornbread- I make mine from a recipe only and not a mix- or a green garden salad. If there are lots of big eaters, you may want to serve both.

Either way, have fun and enjoy a yummy home-cooked meal with your family!

Oahu Tree Snails

via youtube.com

Great video to watch which shows some Ecogeeks hunting down some pretty interesting looking bugs. Of course, they don't harm them at all; just trying to educate the world at large of all the amazing species that are sharing the earth with us.