November 29, 2024

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

Overview for this week.

1. ZooLights at Reid Park Zoo starts up next Thursday and runs into the first week of the new year. This is a holiday light display not to miss.

2. Next I'm continuing with part 2 of my new Holiday Travel feature looking at the best options for celebrating the Christmas Holiday season in major cities around the world. This week, I'm featuring Washington, D.C., Milan, and Paris. I’ll have three new destinations next week.

3. In Wellness I have some guidelines for avoiding holiday stress and taking care of yourself during the holiday season.

4. In Volcanoes I have the story of how the introduction of gophers to Mount St. Helens' lava fields has helped the mountain’s ecosystem recover.

5. I like to keep an eye out for interesting Lego stories. This week, I learned that Budapest, Hungary is now home to the first life-sized tram built out of Lego bricks. How fun!

6. In the Pet's Corner I have information about a holiday drive in Arizona to find shelter pets a permanent home.

7. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award finalist have been selected. I have a link to their story in Photography.

Now, to this week's Flock.

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ZooLights at the Reid Park Zoo has become a tradition and one of my favorite holiday light displays in Tucson.

From: Reid Park Zoo

Let it Glow! This year’s ZooLights: Holiday Magic event, presented by Tucson Electric Power, is bigger and brighter than ever with over a million dazzling lights. Bring the whole troop and make some unforgettable memories at this Tucson holiday tradition.

As you stroll through the Zoo, bautifully decorated, surround yourself in an enchanting wonderland of festive lights, light shows, and displays with a flurry of heartwarming activities around every corner. New this year is a giant, illuminated Gingerbread House, the return of a towering 36-foot showcase tree and decorative scenes– perfect for your holiday photos. 

Revel in falling snow in the Arctic Zone, enjoy live entertainment each evening sure to put you in the holiday spirit, and be sure to visit with jolly St. Nick who will be on hand to hear wishes through December 23. Savor a cup of hot cocoa from the Flamingo Grill or carts around the Zoo as you experience all the festive fun. There is traditional cocoa and also cocoa with “Santa’s Spirits” for the adults.  

Note: During evening events most animals will be sleeping and not visible to the public. 

In part 2 of my Holiday Travel series, I've got Christmas holiday activity guides for Washington, D.C., Milan, and Paris, with some special Paris news just in time for the holiday season. Watch this space for new destinations in the coming weeks.

From: Urban Escapist, November 19, 2024

Christmas in Washington DC does not disappoint. You can find events that are free and paid, for families, dates, and friends, and in every part of the city. My favorite holiday tradition is the European-style Christmas market, but there’s so much more available.

From: Headout, November 19, 2024

Milan is a fantastic destination throughout the year. The city is full of incredible history and is the centre of art and fashion. Milan's culinary scene is also renowned, but experiencing the best of everything in the city can be tricky in the summer. December is an unorthodox yet excellent alternative to visiting Milan.

The weather is freezing in Milan in December. Consequently, there are fewer tourists around, giving you ample time to explore the ancient churches and museums in Milan, as well as enjoy a relaxing time in the countryside. Accommodation and dining costs are also more affordable when you visit Milan in December.

Despite the challenging weather, Milan lights up like fireworks in December. The streets are lit with bright Christmas lighting, and there's a natural warmth. The Christmas lighting makes the Duomo di Milano and other attractions look special, making Milan a must-visit in December.

From: Condé Nast Traveler, By: Lane Nieset & Lindsey Tramuta, October 29, 2024

Christmas in Paris may not boast the winter-white scenes that often come with the holidays, but the city glows with thousands of lights as it transforms into the ultimate winter wonderland, complete with an ice skating rink below the Eiffel Tower and more than a dozen Christmas markets scattered across the city. You can feel the holiday spirit everywhere from the iconic Champs-Elysées to the gardens and famous squares, which are decked out with thousands of light displays and Christmas trees galore. Each grand magasin (department store) tops the next with whimsical holiday window displays that have earned Paris a place among the best in the world—and that includes NYC. If you thought Paris went all out with its Olympics celebrations, just wait until you see how the city fêtes the holiday season. If you’re considering a trip to Paris in December, you’ll find no shortage of festive ways to celebrate the holidays—but these 10 are among the top things to do and see during Christmas in Paris.

From: Associated Press, By: Thomas Adamson & John Leicester, November 29, 2024

After more than five years of frenetic, but sometimes interrupted, reconstruction work, Notre Dame Cathedral showed itself anew to the world Friday, with rebuilt soaring ceilings and creamy good-as-new stonework erasing somber memories of its devastating fire in 2019.

Images broadcast live of a site visit by French President Emmanuel Macron showed the inside of the iconic cathedral as worshippers might have experienced it in previous centuries, its wide, open spaces filled with bright light on a crisp and sunny winter’s day that lit up the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows.

Outside, the monument is still a construction site, with scaffolding and cranes. But the renovated interior — shown in its full glory Friday for the first time before the public is allowed back in on Dec. 8 — proved to be breathtaking.

The following articles offer some sage advice for leaving stress behind and just enjoying the holidays.

From: PsychCentral

When the festive season feels more overwhelming than it does joyful, your holiday stress level could be at its max. But practicing self-care and delegating responsibilities may help you cope.

Stress isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s anything that presents a challenge to your body’s systems, physically, mentally — or both. It can help you excel, achieve goals, and feel motivated.

It can also stick around too long, which may make you feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Holiday stress can be what helps you stay on track for that big meal you have planned, or it can be what brings you to tears after a long day of battling shopping crowds.

The good news is holiday stress doesn’t have to be your constant companion this festive season.

Holiday wellness tips to consider

1. Setting boundaries

Setting personal boundaries can help you avoid burnout and express your wants and needs effectively.

2. Applying self-care

Self-care is the practice of being kind to yourself, showing self-compassion, and allowing time for your wants and needs

3. Pre-planning

Baxter also suggests focusing on pre-planning and preparation whenever possible.

4. Planning quiet time

In the midst of all your planning, scheduling some quiet time may be helpful.

5. Strategize shopping

Baxter recommends strategizing shopping experiences to help avoid confrontations or crowded, stressful store scenes.

6. Keeping your regular routines

There’s a reason why you find comfort in habits and routines.

7. Try to avoid family confrontations

It may be tempting to finally let your uncle know how you feel about his political views, but the holidays might not be the best time for hot-button topics.

8. Forgetting about the “Pinterest experience”

Putting expectations on yourself about having a picture-perfect holiday event can add to the stress already surrounding such gatherings.

9. Sharing the responsibility

Feeling as though too much is on your holiday to-do list? It’s absolutely okay to delegate responsibility or ask for help.

From: Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas

As we move from pumpkin spice to pumpkin pie and then on to the winter holidays, we know it’s a time of excitement and joy…and stress and overindulgence. This year, why not make self-care a priority? 

The basics

An extra piece of pie at Thanksgiving and some time off from the gym over Christmas won’t do you any long-term harm, but there is a temptation to give up healthy habits around Halloween and plan to pick them back up again after New Year. That can mean weeks of poor choices. Instead of that all-or-nothing approach, try focusing on a few basic health habits.

• Eat mostly unprocessed foods with a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.There’s bound to be some special treats and lavish fasting along the way, but choosing healthy food most of the time will keep you feeling good.

• Sleep on your regular schedule as much as possible. Again, there are bound to be exceptions with travel and parties on your calendar, but make a regular bedtime the default.

• Move throughout the day. If you can get in your regular 150 minutes of moderate cardio and two strength sessions each week, great! If not, try to increase steps, take a 5 or 10 minute exercise snack several times a day, or keep some dumbbells by your desk for impromptu lifting. 

From: Discover Wildlife, By: Daniel Graham, November 8, 2024

When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, its fiery blast of molten rock and scorching ash left miles of the surrounding landscape in ruins. Every plant, tree and living thing in its path was incinerated or buried under volcanic debris. 

For scientists, this offered a unique natural laboratory to explore how life could begin anew on a landscape so thoroughly devastated. 

What did the scientist do? They released gophers onto the mountainside.

The results were even more striking than the team had hoped. In just one day, the burrowing rodents began a chain reaction that would impact the soil’s health and biodiversity for decades. 

A study published this week in Frontiers in Microbiomes reveals the lasting effects of this intervention, showing a persistent increase in beneficial microbes in the areas where gophers once dug, compared to nearby soil that had been left untouched.

"In the 1980s, we were just testing the short-term reaction," says co-author of the study Michael Allen, a microbiologist from the University of California. "Who would have predicted you could toss a gopher in for a day and see a residual effect 40 years later?"

Never underestimate a Hungarian. I know, I married one.

From: Hungary Today, November 21, 2024

The world’s first LEGO tramway on a fixed track was unveiled in Budapest and is now on display at Deák Ferenc Square.

Built using 1.8 million LEGO bricks, the six-ton, 11.5-meter-long tram was constructed by 90 builders in over 6,800 hours. Designed by master builder Balázs Dóczi, the tram is a remarkable feat of craftsmanship. Although the tramway will not carry passengers, it was towed by two shunting engines to its place of exhibition where visitors can admire it and even place their own LEGO cubes on the base plates beneath the tram.

At the press event, Mayor Gergely Karácsony highlighted the importance of yellow trams to “Budapest-ness” and noted that the LEGO tram also draws attention to the role of public and sustainable transport.

"He emphasized that toys like LEGO contribute to society by encouraging creativity and engagement."

Animal shelters across the country tend to fill up over the holidays as many people give pets as gifts without thinking through the responsibility of pet ownership. these 'gifts' often end up in shelters. You can help reduce this strain on the shelters and gain a loyal and loving family member by adopting a shelter animal.

From: ABC 15 Arizona, November 20, 2024

Thousands of pets around the country are hoping to be home for Christmas and BISSELL Pet Foundation is hoping to help make that happen. 

The Empty the Shelters Holiday Hope Event offers reduced adoption fees at shelters and rescues across the country, including more than a dozen in Arizona. 

From Dec. 1-17, 2024, you can get discounted or free pet adoptions from many shelters:

Twenty-five finalist's photos have been selected by the judging panel. in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice contest. I posted 2023's winners last December, and the Comedy Wildlife Photography Award winners last January.

From: CNN, By: Jack Guy, November 26, 2024

A prowling puma, a hunting polar bear cub and a ghostly barn owl are among the shortlisted images for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award 2024.

The judging panel selected 25 images from a total 59,228 submissions, and the overall winner will be chosen by a public vote, according to a statement from the organizers, published Tuesday.

Douglas Gurr, director of London’s Natural History Museum, said the shortlist contained “truly exceptional” images.

photo: Flock reader Margaret

photo: Flock reader Muffin

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

In coming weeks: we'll be sharing more investigative articles from our roving reporter William George, original writing from Flock favorite Dino DeConcini.

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

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