Today's Enjoyment:

• Reel of the Day: This guy is living with intention…

• Trending Loveable Stories: 

  • Farmer Catches "Extinct" Creature

  • Message Found in Bottle 20 Years Later

• Quote: “True happiness is when the love that is within us…”

Reel of the Day 📽️

Perspective is everything! 🥰

Loveable Stories 📰

ANIMALS

Farmer Catches "Extinct" Creature

In a surprising turn of events, farmer Pao Ling Tsai from Beachport on South Australia's southeast coast made an unexpected discovery.

Hoping to catch the predator that had been preying on his chickens, he set a trap, anticipating a feral cat or fox. Instead, he stumbled upon a creature not seen in South Australia for over 130 years: the spotted-tailed quoll, also known as the tiger quoll.

"I expected to find a cat, but I found this little animal instead," Tsai remarked, admitting he initially had no clue about the animal's identity.

This discovery has left experts astounded. The spotted-tailed quoll, considered extinct in South Australia, was last officially documented in the 1880s. Ross Anderson, the Limestone Coast district ranger, expressed his amazement, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime event."

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is now on a mission to uncover more about this elusive creature. They plan to conduct genetic tests to trace its origins and set up night vision cameras to ascertain if more quolls are lurking in the vicinity.

The quoll's sudden reappearance has raised numerous questions. While there have been verbal accounts of quoll sightings in the 1970s and 1980s, no official records or photographic evidence has been presented for over a century.

Anderson explained that the quolls might have vanished from the South East due to habitat loss. However, these creatures are known to traverse long distances and can thrive in diverse environments, from forests to open terrains. Their primary threats are predators like foxes and cats.

As the excitement around this discovery grows, locals are being advised against setting traps on their own. Anderson emphasized the importance of using harmless traps and recommended using trail cameras for monitoring potential quoll activity.

The quoll captured by Tsai was assessed by a veterinarian and treated for mange. It is set to be released at an undisclosed location.

The spotted-tailed quoll, a critically endangered species, is the largest of its kind in Australia and is a significant part of the country's rich biodiversity.

(Click here to read the full story)

SMILES

Message Found in Bottle 20 Years Later

Imagine studying on a remote island and stumbling upon a relic from the past. That's exactly what happened to Cassidy Beach, a student from the University of Michigan.

While on South Caicos in the West Indies, Cassidy found an old bottle with a message inside. The sender? A fisherman from Nantucket named Pennel Ames, who had cast the bottle into the sea almost 20 years prior.

Now, most of us might have just shared this find on social media and moved on. But Cassidy's curiosity was piqued.

A quick online search revealed that Pennel wasn't just any fisherman; he was a prolific sender of bottled messages. With his wife Sharon, Pennel had launched hundreds of these bottled notes from his boat, reaching shores as distant as Ireland and Cuba. Each bottle was a small connection in the vastness of the Atlantic.

Cassidy felt compelled to reach out. She penned a response to Pennel and, as luck would have it, their worlds were about to get even closer.

Cassidy's summer internship in Massachusetts brought her within visiting distance of the Ames family. The result? An invitation to Nantucket, where she got a firsthand account of Pennel's unique hobby.

At the heart of this story is the age-old human desire to connect. Pennel and Sharon's bottled messages, inspired by a tale of a young student's similar endeavor, were their way of touching distant shores and lives.

And in Cassidy, they found a kindred spirit, proving that even in our digital age, there's something magical about a handwritten note traveling the seas.

(Click here to read the full story)

Quote of the Day 💭

On This Day In History…🗿

Did you know that on this day in 522 BC, a gripping drama unfolded in the heart of the Achaemenid Empire?

The vast empire was seemingly under the rule of Bardiya, the younger brother of the previous king, Cambyses II. Yet, whispers of deception echoed through the corridors of power.

Darius I, in the monumental Behistun Inscription, claimed that this ruler was not the genuine Bardiya but a cunning impostor named Gaumâta, a Magian priest who had audaciously assumed the identity of the slain prince. With a fiery determination and a band of loyal nobles, Darius staged a daring coup, storming Gaumâta's stronghold and bringing his masquerade to a dramatic end.

This bold act heralded the beginning of Darius's reign, often considered a golden era marked by expansive territories, architectural marvels, and unparalleled administrative reforms. On the other hand, the shadows of intrigue linger as some historians ponder if Darius's tale was a masterful narrative spun to cement his own legacy. The world may never know.

Later on…

• 480 BC - Amidst the waves of the Aegean Sea, the Greek fleet, led by the strategic Themistocles, outmaneuvered and defeated the mighty Persian armada commanded by King Xerxes I.

• 641 - The sands of Egypt witnessed a significant shift as Arab General ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ entered Alexandria, marking the end of the Arab conquest of this ancient land.

• 1829 - London's streets saw the debut of the Metropolitan Police, the city's pioneering professional police force, which would later earn the moniker "Scotland Yard."

• 1923 - A pivotal moment for the Jewish community: the League of Nations' Council gave its nod to the British mandate, paving the way for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

• 1948 - The silver screen lit up with Laurence Olivier's rendition of "Hamlet," a cinematic masterpiece that he both directed and starred in.

• 1954 - Baseball fans were left in awe as Willie Mays executed his iconic over-the-shoulder catch, forever etching the moment in sports history.

• 1972 - A dramatic confrontation unfolded on a ferry when an artist nearly threw Robert McNamara, the former US Secretary of Defense, overboard, challenging his role in the Vietnam War.

• 1984 - The airwaves danced to the beats of "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince Rogers Nelson and Revolution, as the song clinched the #1 spot.

• 1988 - A symbol of resilience, the space shuttle Discovery soared into the skies from Cape Canaveral, marking NASA's triumphant return after the Challenger tragedy.

Notable Birthdays: 

• 1547 - In the quaint town of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, the world welcomed Miguel de Cervantes, who would later pen the timeless "Don Quixote."

• 1758 - Burnham Thorpe, England, saw the birth of Horatio Nelson, a naval genius whose tactics would become legendary during the Napoleonic Wars.

• 1961 - Barry, Wales, marked the birth of Julia Gillard, who would shatter glass ceilings as Australia's first female prime minister.

• 1988 - Washington, D.C. celebrated the arrival of Kevin Durant, who would grow up to dazzle basketball courts with his prowess.

• 1994 - Edison, New Jersey, echoed with the first cries of Halsey, destined to become a chart-topping singer-songwriter.

Bonus Fun!!!🧩

Can You Spot The Kitty?

_{Hint: I like hanging out and taking it all in.} 🐱

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