Spectacular Glowing Waves

Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives. Source: National Geographic

While doing my daily read of some of my favorite blogs. I found something else to add to my Bucket List. Gosh that list is gonna get super long! LOL I came across this awesome find while visiting Cotton Pickin Cute. I would love to have an opportunity to see this in person! Anyone up for a midnight swim? Apparently that's the perfect time to catch this spectacular phenomenon .

Scientists say it's a completely natural biological (albeit eerie) phenomenon. The shoreline surf is dotted with tiny pinpricks of light. This "bioluminescence" is simply blue light from phytoplankton, microscopic sea creatures that secrete illuminating chemicals as a survival mechanism. 

Photo by msauder/Flickr 

The glowing is caused by a massive red tide, or algal bloom, of bioluminescent phytoplankton called Lingulodinium polyedrum. The microorganisms emit light as a response to stress, such as when a wave crashes into the shore, a surfboard slashes through the surf, or a kayaker's paddle splashes the water. The result is a wickedly brilliant blue glow. 

 Simply Beautiful! 

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Happy Halloween! ~Tips To Keep You, Your Children & Pets Safe

Happy Halloween everyone! Stay safe and have fun! Whether your taking the kids out trick or treating, handing out candy at house here are some tips to keep you and everyone else safe. 

Child Safety

• NEVER eat any treats until they are examined by an adult at your home.
• Trick or Treat with friends or with adult supervision. Don't go alone.
• NEVER enter the house or car of a stranger.
• Trick or Treat in the late afternoon or early evening.
• Trick or Treat in your own neighborhood, and visit only houses that you know.
• Stay on streets that are well lit and only cross the street at the corners.
• NEVER run across the street and always look both ways before crossing.
• Do not take short cuts through backyards, alleys, or parks.
• Carry a flashlight or wear reflective tape so drivers can see you and you can see hazards in the street as well as other people.
• Only trick or treat at houses where the porch light is on and well lit.
• Carry a few quarters for a payphone so you can call home if you need to.
• Do not play with lighters, matches, or fireworks!

Adult Safety

• Welcome trick-or-treaters with your porch lights and any exterior lights on.
• Patrol your street occasionally to discourage speeding motorists, acts of malicious mischief and crimes against children.
• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your police department immediately. In many areas you can dial 9-1-1.
• Candlelit jack-o-lanterns should be kept clear of doorsteps and landings.
• Consider using flashlights instead of candles to light jack-o-lanterns.
• Keep pets away from doors so children will not become frightened.
• Set a time limit for your children to "trick-or-treat." Also designate a specific route for them to take.
• Feed the kids before they go so they will be less likely to eat the treats before they get home. Warn them not to eat anything before you inspect it.

Pet Safety

• Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween: There are plenty of stories of pranksters on this night.
• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets: Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals. Tin foil and candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.
• Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: Pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.
• Don't dress the dog in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.
• If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn't constricting, annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct their vision and get your dog used to wearing his/her costume before the actual date of Halloween.
• All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours; many strangers in strange garb can be scary for a dog.
• Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door.
• Walk your dog early in the night, before it gets dark.

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Think A Coffee Filter Is Just A Coffee Filter? Think again!

COFFEE FILTERS: Not just for making coffee anymore, buy 1,000 of them at the dollar store for a couple bucks! They are an inexpensive substitution for paper towels and napkins.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors and chrome. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling (who knew?).
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish. 
4. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the  skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
7. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
8. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping onto your hands. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter and slide the stick end through the holes.
9. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
10. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers etc on them, it soaks out all the grease.
11. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.
12. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.
13. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.
14. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.
15. Make a good ‘ol pot of coffee.

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