Everything Pumpkin Spice and Baby Walrus Aww
Eco-Friendly Fun for the whole family.
Welcome, back Substack friends to my little corner of the web, where I hope for a few moments I can bring you some joy with a few things that may make you smile.
Sometimes a pretty dessert that also tastes amazing can make your day extra special.
Have you heard of a startup called Releaf Paper? They have a great concept to help the environment. “Releaf Paper takes dead leaves from city trees and turns them into paper for bags, office supplies, and more—which is to say they are striving to close one heck of a big loop.”
From Good News Network: “Six billion trees are cut down every year for paper products according to the WWF, producing everything from toilet paper to Amazon boxes to the latest best-selling novels. Meanwhile, the average city produces 8,000 metric tons of leaves every year which clog gutters and sewers, and have to be collected, composted, burned, or dumped in landfills.
In other words, huge supply and huge demand, but Releaf Paper is making cracking progress. They already produce 3 million paper carrier bags per year from 5,000 metric tons of leaves from their headquarters in Paris.”
Now that it’s more than half way through August, that means everything is coming up Pumpkin Spice! Pumpkin Spice 2024 is now in full effect per Axios:
“Axios has spotted Chobani pumpkin spice yogurt and creamers, a new International Delight pumpkin cold foam creamer, pumpkin spice Cheerios and pumpkin beer.”
7-Eleven kicked off the season Aug. 1 with the return of pumpkin coffee and a new pumpkin-flavored Slurpee.” *I can’t even imagine what a pumpkin Slurpee tastes like.*
“Carvel brings back its pumpkin cheesecake items Thursday and Smoothie King's pumpkin line-up arrives Aug. 20 for loyalty members.”
And, of course Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks pumpkin flavored products are back stronger then ever.
Marine biologists have recently discovered a sea creature with 200 legs who helps clean the ocean floor. From Good Good Good:
“The researchers — Francisco A Solís Marín, Andrea A Caballero Ochoa, Carlos A Conejeros-Vargas — are all professors at the Institute of Ocean Sciences and Limnology in Mexico, and have devoted their lives to marine exploration.
Their work, published in the Biodiversity Data Journal on June 26, describes a new type of deep-sea cucumber, a long, squishy animal with “pale pink violet” coloring and zig-zagging rows of 214 tube-like feet.
The “new species of Synallactes from the Northeast Pacific” is also known as the McDaniel sea cucumber.
In recent years, researchers have begun to realize just how helpful sea cucumbers are when it comes to ocean health. They’ve even been called the “janitors of the sea.”
More sea creature cuteness here. How about watching the Orphaned Walrus Calf Taking her First Dip in Shallow Pool?
(HerbaZest with the facts above)
Zucchini appears to be a popular ingredient when backing. So why not try this Lemon Zucchini Cake found at The Kitchn:
Ingredients
For the cake:
Cooking spray
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)
For the glaze:
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from the lemons in the cake)
1 cup powdered sugar
This week’s book recommendation is from 2008- Promise the Moon by Elizabeth Joy Arnold.
When war and its aftermath take Josh from Natalie and her children, she must find a way to heal her broken family. And so Natalie begins writing letters from Josh that she hides for young Anna and Toby to find—notes from heaven that attempt to explain why he left, to offer comfort and wisdom. But when Anna suddenly reveals that her father has been speaking to her from heaven, divulging stories only Josh could know, Natalie must uncover the secrets of her husband’s past—secrets he hid to protect his family.
As Natalie’s search brings her closer to her own parents and reunites her with a love from long ago, she and her children will discover just how much of a hero Josh actually was—and that only by finally revealing the truths they’ve hidden from each other can they find peace, a fresh start, and the promise of a hopeful future….
Why I’m recommending this book: Elizabeth Joy Arnold's tale of suicide, depression, and heartache brought me to tears. This is one book you will not want to miss out on and, afterward, you may find yourself a changed person. Natalie will stay with you long after you finish reading. Her strength and willpower to carry on under the most horrible of circumstances is amazing.
Don’t let fear stop you from doing something daring…
