A Lie-Down Weekly Link Round-Up

 

Not much going on here at Casa Kittling. The monsoon storms have arrived, and while other parts of the valley are getting hammered, here we've been getting gentle rains with a bit of wind. I hope that continues because getting half our annual rainfall in twenty minutes is no fun. You long-time friends will remember times of mud here in the pool. 

I was amazed when I went out to fill the birdbaths about an hour ago. A breeze was blowing, and it was almost cool! In August! I checked my weather app, and it was only 90°F at 11 AM-- and it's not even supposed to break 100° today. 

I'm sure JR and all the other wildlife are appreciating it. It was so uncomfortable one night last week that JR had to have a lie-down in one of the birdbaths, bless 'im. I'm glad I don't have to go through this heat wearing a fur coat!

It's time to head on out to the corral. Virtual hugs to you all. Stay cool and enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Instagram's new book feature totally misses the point of reading.
• Quiz: How many famous book titles can you complete?
• It's okay to judge a book by its cover.
• The burgeoning field of fiction character biographies.
• Abolish the Top Ten Books list.
• The many lives of libraries.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• Shipwreck divers discovered a 162-year-old bottle of Guinness brewed during the reign of Queen Victoria, and they want to take a swig.
• Archaeologists in England preparing for road construction unearthed a Roman-Era fingernail cleaner with a handle shaped like a penis. (I saw one of these when I went to the Pompeii Exhibition.)
• Metal detectorists thought they'd hit the jackpot when they discovered a gold bracelet dating to the Bronze Age. Then they dug up two more.
• This marine-life mosaic discovered near the Colosseum offers a surprising clue-- its building may have housed firefighters in ancient Rome.
• This medieval Byzantine shipwreck boasts more gold treasures than any other vessel found beneath the Mediterranean.
• A metal detectorist discovered tiny tiles in a farmer's field. A spectacular ancient Roman mosaic was buried beneath the surface. 

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• Jackie the bald eagle, who captured hearts around the world via Livestream, has died after battling a mysterious illness. 
• Pumas might be making your drive home safer. When the predators are around, deer tend to avoid roads, preventing some collisions.
• Young wild octopuses may form a "fight club" and slap territorial fish if they get too close.
• Butterflies around the world are moving to new habitats, largely because of climate change.
• For two days each year, these drab brown toads turn a dazzling neon yellow, and scientists finally know why.
• Red or black, but nothing in between: multi-colored beaks are a big turn off for female Jamaican hummingbirds.

►The Wanderer◄

• One of Italy's most popular attractions, the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, reveals plans for a major renovation over the next two years.
• The history of America flows through the Hudson River, and the country's aquatic superhighway is on the rebound.
• Lago di Vagli in Italy hides a 13th-century town that is still visible when the water recedes.
• An untimely death at Sycamore Gap.
• William the Conqueror's Norwich Castle to reopen following a $37 million renovation.
• Oh, you weren't at the 200-person literary reading inside of a pool at the Korean Spa?

►Fascinating Folk◄

• 11-year-old Anderson Taylor just became the Guinness World Record holder for being the youngest museum curator.
• 18-year-old Arya Satheesh invented a plant-based plastic that removes microplastics from the environment as it biodegrades.
• Women on ancient Roman farms were in charge of making wine, oil, and profits. Historians dismissed them as "housekeepers." (Anyone surprised?)
• Sharon Langley was the first to desegregate a Maryland carousel in the 1960s. Now the historic merry-go-round will entertain visitors on the National Mall.
• Tim Balme (creator of The Brokenwood Mysteries) on TV writing, New Zealand, and how Columbo influenced his detective series.
• From hero to villain: these actors proved they had the ultimate range.

►I ♥ Lists◄

• The books that inspired Bruce Springsteen's songwriting.
• Eight household items every Viking family owned.
• 14 cold case mysteries for hot summer days.
• Here are this year's upcoming non-fiction books you can't miss.
• Six mysteries for Bridgerton fans.
• Older protagonists go on vacation in these books.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!