Category Archives: Personal

General

HMS Beagle library goes online

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The Guardian newspaper reports that Charles Darwin’s library of books – all 404 of them – that he kept onboard the HMS Beagle are now online over at the Darwin Online Beagle Library project.

From the article:

The lost collection of books that kept Charles Darwin company aboard HMS Beagle and provided inspiration for his later works on evolution has been made publicly available for the first time today.

Hundreds of titles that filled the shelves of the ship’s library on Darwin’s five-year circumnavigation of the globe in the 1830s have been brought together and made freely available through the Darwin Online Beagle Library project.

Continue reading →

General

Big Bear Old Miners Association Chili Cook-Off

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Saturday, July 12, 2014, Bartlett Parking Lot, Big Bear Lake!

The 2014 Big Bear Old Miners Association International Chili Society sanctioned Chili Cook Off will take place beginning at 10 AM and continuing until 8 PM on Saturday, July 12 at the Bartlett Street Parking Lot in the heart of Big Bear Lake Village

Admission to the chili cook off is free to all wishing to attend; however, for the chili enthusiast, there is a $5 fee for a tasting kit. The contestants will be preparing Red Chili; Chili Verde and Homemade Salsa for judging. The chili judging takes place in the afternoon. On site there will be numerous vendors offering a wide variety of gift items and souvenirs. The afternoon ends with the announcement of the chili contest winners.

Come and enjoy great family entertainment in the mountains.

Continue reading →

Inspiration

Happy Towel Day #happytowelday

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

“A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

Continue reading →

Inspiration

Nemophilist

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

A nemophilist is a person who loves or is fond of forests, woods, or woodland scenery. The term derives from the Greek words “nemos,” meaning grove, and “philos,” meaning affection or love, describing someone who takes great pleasure in being among trees and in natural wooded environments.

Nemophilists are individuals who find profound joy and solace in the embrace of forests and wooded landscapes. They are drawn to the tranquil beauty and serenity of these natural environments, often seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of modern life. For a nemophilist, the rustling of leaves, the scent of earth, and the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy are sources of deep contentment and inspiration. This affinity for the woods goes beyond mere appreciation; it is a heartfelt connection to the natural world that rejuvenates their spirit and fosters a sense of peace and belonging.