RenoVous

I'm still watching that 'Wild Russia' documentary, so this will be Chapter 3 - the Primorye region, (or Primorsky Krai), which runs along China and the Sea of Japan. Chapter 2 Chapter 1 This area is home to the Amur leopard, also known as the Far East leopard.  The World Wildlife Foundation lists them as critically endangered, with only 84 individuals known to be alive, and is considered one of the rarest cats on Earth. Poaching is one of the greatest threats to the animal, but WWF is also monitoring populations and protecting the habitat by working to reduce logging practices and lobbying to reroute planned pipelines. And here we have the raccoon dog - while they are in the Canidae family, they are more closely related to foxes than dogs.  I had just never heard of such an animal! The Sikhote-Alin Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, helping to protect the endangered Amur tiger, better known as the Siberian tiger. This area ...

Polar Bear Day is meant to bring awareness to the changing conditions in which these bears live. They are currently indicated as "Vulnerable" on the  Red List. The World Wildlife Foundation has been working to track and understand the polar bears.  "It's impossible to plan long-term management strategies without having good information to base them on."  They are also obtaining traditional knowledge from the Inuit peoples. The Polar bear International organization suggests that we not only inform ourselves about these animals and their environment, but that we reduce our carbon footprint in our own environment to help combat climate change. Here are some facts about polar bears: "Home is on the sea ice."  This is where they hunt, mate and sometimes den.  When pregnant though, polar bear mamas will dig a den in the fall which will be covered with snow while she births and nurses her pups. Polar bears are the largest four...

Ben Palmer is sometimes listed as Ben Parmer in old documents, but his tombstone in Mottsville, NV confirms Palmer. Palmer and his family were heading to California when they came through the Carson Valley in the 1850's.  At the time, this area was still Utah Territory.  They decided to settle there to raise and sell cattle. Palmer claimed 320 acres in what would become Genoa - his sister Charlotte and her family claimed land next door.  Charlotte's son Benjamin was born in November 1853 and was the first non-Indian born in the Carson Valley. By the 1860's, Palmer was one of the most successful ranchers in the valley and was one of the heaviest taxpayers in early Douglas County.  He rented grazing lands to passing travelers and he hired Native Americans, blacks, whites, and likely Basque immigrants to work his ranch.  He managed a cattle drive of over 700 miles, from Washington state to Carson Valley.   He was so respected tha...

Okay, awards are over and we're back to the weekly best dressed! F.K.A. Twigs Alexa Chung Anya Taylor-Joy Eve Karen Elson Janelle Monae Davika Hoorne Lizzo **I'm adding my Lizzo preference from the week** Mati Diop Kristen McMenamy Vogue

Last week we looked at the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia - this week we're heading inland to Lake Baikal, a massive ancient lake in Siberia along the Mongolian border. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, it is considered the deepest lake in the world and is the largest freshwater lake by volume, containing more water than the North American Great Lakes combined. The lake is covered by a thick layer of ice for several months of the year.  Spring doesn't really hit until May, and the thaw drains through a single river - the Angara. Baikal seals are the only exclusively freshwater species, although they are related to the Arctic ringed seal. Known by the indigenous peoples as nerpa, the seals have been depicted in rock art panels and bones have been found at habitation sites as well as human cemeteries. Many of the species in the lake are endemic, such as the omul fish, which is the most important to the local fisheries.   Many...

We love our pets everyday, but today is meant to give them extra attention - whether it's making sure their vaccines are up to date, giving them a special treat, or just sharing photos on the internet, LOVE YOUR PET TODAY!  :-) Here are my sweet boys. They love the beach. And they're such good campers. Chewy, the smaller one, will be 9 next month. We're not 100% sure about Mighty's age, but we think he's about 5.

Once upon a time on the Animal Life channel I posted this video I came across: *Swimming bees were rescued* And now, another video has come to my attention - Ahmet Selki lives in Turkey and leaves out a water bowl for the animals every day.  One day he decided to put a camera inside. "I hope that all of us will always remember that we are responsible for the animals.  They don't have a chance to find a clean river in the city, or a lake, or any other natural water source.  So it is our duty to provide fresh water, both during summer and other seasons."

By the end of World War II, the African American population in Las Vegas reached over 3,000 and they were segregated to the Westside.  As the population grew, more and better homes were needed. In 1949, a housing project was started and became the first subdivision in Nevada constructed by a black architect.  His name was Paul Revere Williams.  He was the first African American architect licensed in the state of California. Berkley Square was named after Thomas L. Berkley, the primary financier of the project.  Several streets are named after others who contributed to the project.  The neighborhood consists of 148 one story ranch style homes and many are still owned by families of the original buyers. The Nevada Preservation Foundation has established a walking tour, detailing the people who once lived in the homes, such as Ruth d'Hondt.  Ruth ended up moving into the house next door to where she grew up in the neighborhood.  She w...

Awards season is over, but before we get back to Best Dressed weekly, I wanted to highlight someone from New York Fashion Week - and as a fan of Project Runway, I chose Siriano.   Full Gallery