Charlotte makes a home among the trees after being released back into the wild – credit, the Orangutan Project A female orangutan that was captured as a juvenile has been released back into the wild after four years of “jungle school.” Found chained to the rafters of a wooden cabin on the Indonesian side of … Read more
At 80, Betty became oldest woman to complete a thru-hike of Appalachian Trail -Courtesy of Betty Kellenberger The obstacles and excuses kept blocking Betty Kellenberger’s path, but she never stopped moving forward. Kellenberger, an 80-year-old retired schoolteacher from Carson City, Michigan, became interested in the Appalachian Trail in elementary school when she learned about it … Read more
Walk for Peace Journey – via Instagram An abandoned dog has joined a mission of peace across the world and, despite some mishaps, has stayed with it every paw of the way. During their opening 112-day peace walk in India, a group of Buddhist monks found an abandoned dog—or perhaps the dog found them. The … Read more
The Galapagos rail – credit, Carlos Espinosa Centuries after they were made famous by Charles Darwin, and a century after they had become plagued by invasive rats and cats, the Galapagos Islands are well on their way to recovery. Few events could better capture that recovery than the recent reappearance of the beautiful blue Galapagos … Read more
credit – The Student Loan Doctor When family medical troubles seemed to have struck down a top student’s hopes for university, the administrators took action to lift them back up again. Now the holder of a doctorate and a successful entrepreneur, she has given back to the school that did so much for her by … Read more
Ronnie Lockwood, pictured at Christmas on the right – credit, Rob Parsons It was the day before Christmas Eve, and recent homemakers Rob and Dianne Parsons were surprised with a knock on the door. Opening it, Rob looked upon a rather strange sight. A man stood there with a wheeled garbage bin containing his possessions, … Read more
Annie Sprat – Unsplash A woman given something like a terminal prognosis has responded with a simple request for what might be her last Christmas: a Christmas card. Clare Jones from Swansea, Wales, was told her bowel cancer was no longer responding to chemotherapy. The mother of 3, who was diagnosed in 2022, described herself … Read more
Vandalur Lake in Chennai before EFI restored it (top) and after (bottom) – credit, EFI, taken as screengrabs. Recently, an Indian environmentalist and editor was invited to share his incredible work restoring hundreds of natural and man-made water sources all across India with a unique style of landscape engineering. His nonprofit has cleaned and reshaped … Read more
First cedar tree on Christmas Tree Lane – Courtesy of Belmont Nursery in Fresno, CA Modern science has mixed with Christmas magic to safeguard the legacy of a 100-year-old holiday tradition in Fresno, California. The story of Christmas Tree Lane began in 1920 as a way to transform a family tragedy into something much brighter. … Read more
credit – Blindfolded Barbeque When clients ask Christopher Jones how he cooks the delicious barbequed meat at his restaurant, he answers, “‘Just like you, except I have to concentrate a little harder.’” The extra concentration, for a blind man, is a necessity not an option. But as is so often the case, this became the … Read more