The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest places on Earth, but swaths of its usually barren sand are currently carpeted with a colorful bloom of white and purple flowers.

It’s known as the Disierto Florida (the “flowering desert”) because every few years it’s blanketed with flowers.

It only happens when the right levels of rainfall and temperature coincide to awaken dormant desert seeds. (CNN)

YOU CAN BLOOM TOO!

Regardless of your age, you can re-awaken yourself.

At age 82, I began walking every morning and I have a weight lifting routine.

I’m stronger and have more energy than I did 10 years ago.

If those desert seeds CAN WAKE UP, so can you!

If not today, when?

No one gets off easy.

We have all taken a hit either by our doing or someone else’s.

The worst pain is an act of betrayal by a trusted friend.

Betrayal brings disappointment and anger.

All you can do is be more discerning with those you trust.

And keep on marching!

I also started a new business with an exciting concept.

But, I didn’t implement it properly and it failed BIG TIME!

Honestly, it took me a while to get over it.

But, I kept on marching!

What should you do when your dreams fall apart?

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

And “Keep on marching!”

If not today, when?

Our oldest son and his wife were at a County Fair last Friday evening.

He heard a lady scream and saw that a baby being held by her husband was choking and could not breathe.

Her husband tried to clean out the child’s mouth with his finger.

Another person grabbed the baby and attempted the Heimlich Maneuver.

It wasn’t working.

A third person grabbed the chilld and performed the technique shown above.

The blockage flew out of the baby’s mouth and it was breathing again.

The hero returned the baby to its father and disappeared.

It just took hard hits between the shoulder blades.

Thanks to our son for sharing this story with us!

We all have good ideas we’d like to pursue.

And we may take a few steps to make that idea happen.

But the important question is, “Do you persevere?”

… Till your dream is accomplished?

It doesn’t have to be in pursuit of a dream.

It could simply be a task that is important to you.

Right now, do you have a task you have allowed to let languish?

Get it done!

If not today, when?

Deep inside Earth is a solid metal ball that rotates independently of our spinning planet, like a top whirling around inside a bigger top, shrouded in mystery.

This inner core has intrigued researchers since its discovery by Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann in 1936.

Is rotation, speed and direction — have been at the center of a decades-long debate.

A growing body of evidence suggests the core’s spin has changed dramatically in recent years, but scientists have remained divided over what exactly is happening — and what it means.

One promising model proposed in 2023 described an inner core that in the past had spun faster than Earth itself, but was now spinning slower.

Then it slowed even more, until the core was moving BACKWARD relative to the fluid layers around it.

All the signatories of the Declaration of Independence risked their lives in so doing!

We were still at war with England.

If England had won that war, all those who signed would have been hunted down.

Would you have wanted freedom so much that you would have signed?

Let’s remember that this holiday is not about alcohol & barbecues.

It’s about the courage of those who came before us.

Always remember, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

What has been your habit when making a decision?

Is your first impulse to keep risk to a minimum?

Or do you weigh all the alternatives before deciding?

How has your decision-making technique worked out for you?

Do you regret missed opportunities because you were too cautious?

Or, do you regret taking too big of a risk sometimes?

I am not trying to persuade in one direction or another.

But, is it about time you evaluated your use of risk?

If not today, when?

Painted lady butterflies venture far and wide with their impressive migratory patterns that stretch for thousands of miles — but they often travel across land, so they can stop to rest.

Scientists have now found evidence that a group of the winged travelers flew over 2,600 miles (about 4,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping.

This is according to a new study published June 25 in the journal Nature Communications.

The finding ends a decade-long mystery that began when entomologist and lead study author Dr. Gerard Talavera came across around 10 painted lady butterflies.

He found them on a beach in French Guiana in October 2013.

The insects, which are not usually found in South America, were worn out with holes and tears in their wings. (CNN)

I guess anything is possible if we really want it!

The ongoing systems outage at software provider CDK Global is stretching into its second week.

Car dealerships are racking up millions of dollars in losses, according to a new estimate.

Workers across the US automotive industry told CNN that the software blackout, which the company said was caused by a cyberattack, has made it difficult for dealers.

It has affected their ability to track customer interactions, orders and sales which is hurting employees’ ability to earn a living. (CNN)

Admittedly, the Internet has provided blessings for all of us.

Vulnerability to those who would do us harm will, however, always be there!

There is a plan to rebuild, Dharavi, led by billionaire and infrastructure tycoon Gautam Adani, founder of the Adani Group, who briefly ousted Jeff Bezos as the world’s second-wealthiest person in 2022.

A new chapter of pride and purpose is beginning.

It is a historic opportunity for us to create a new Dharavi of dignity, safety and inclusiveness,” Adani wrote in a message on his company’s website after winning the bid to redevelop the area in 2022.

He vowed to “create a state-of-the-art world-class city, which will reflect a resurgent, self-assured, growing India finding its new place on the global stage as the 21st century belongs to India.” (CNN)