NOT SO CUTE AS THEY WANT YOU TO THINK. Thursday, August 28, 2014. Pandas show their true colors. A giant panda intended to be the star of the first ever live broadcast of the birth of panda cubs has lost the role - after it was discovered the bear is not pregnant after all, Chinese state media reported. Photo from the birthday of my current least favorite panda at the National Zoo.

On my way over to the Jacob K. Javits center for the New York Times Travel Show, I ran into these little gems on the street. These staircase rails remind me of Chinese dragon costumes. Reflecting on the Importance of Water in Ancient Roman Gardens.

Only the soft sounds of the receding tide are heard. The moist breeze is cool enough for a light sweater and shorts. Crouched atop the lifeguard chair, I peer at the inky horizon. The waning moon and the accompanying stars still hang in the dark sky, shrouded by cumuli. The Big Dipper is clearly visible, each of the seven stars glistening more vibrantly than the others. A sultry gust sets in as the sun climbs farther in the sky.

Today I saw a tweet. From our fabulous local wildlife rehab center, City Wildlife. Of a baby opossum who was brought in after he was attacked by a cat. The picture was predictably adorable, so I went to read the comments, curious what people would say as I know some people decidedly do not think that opossums, baby or not, are adorable.

I have started hiding indoors around the middle of the day. Originally posted on Right Steps and Poui Trees.

The dadventure is afoot! A Bit About Dad Knows. From UnFocused, the blog that will eventually take over for Dad Knows! Originally posted on UnFocused. But as I get older, my appreciation for wintry conditions subsides while my impatience with it grows, like two moons slowly waning and waxing over the years. The post about my traveling travails is still coming.

Adventures and Postcards from the road. About Me and this site. Long distance journeys made by road. Guide to the photography challenge that I am hosting during 2015. Ireland or Eire or Erin The Emerald Isle. Posts featuring my travels away from home. A place or building of historical interest such as a church or castle, or an historical tale or legend. Tales from a long overland journey. Driving journeys over several days.

Full-time Wanderluster living on the tip of Africa. Occasionally we all need to turn things down a notch or two. To take time out to smell the flowers as it were. Or in this case, to switch to super slow shutter speeds to catch the Kalk Bay harbour sentinels flashing simultaneously. A Day in the Life of . A Day in the Life of .

A View from the Woods. Remember that childhood storybook favorite, The Little Engine that Could? 8220;likes mud, likes mud. In case you doubted, you can truly buy anything on the Internet. Now comes the Belmont Stak.