Cats have been shown to have their own individual personalities. Their types of body language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of whole body, and kneading of paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal in cats, with a raised tail acting as a friendly greeting. Tail raising also indicates the cat’s position in the group’s social heirarchy,  with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate animals. Nose-touching is also a common greeting and may be followed by social grooming,  which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head. Source: OneKind

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
~Amy Carmichael

If you wait for love to give your life meaning, you will
go through life without both. ~Linda Poindexter

Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii or Testudines and are characterised by a special bony shell which is developed from their ribs and acts as a shield against predators. Turtles date back around 220 million years making it one of the oldest reptile groups, older than lizards, snakes or crocodiles. There are 327 known species of turtle alive today and many of them are an endangered species. Read the fact file below for more information on this remarkable animal. Source: KidsKonnect

People may like a person’s thought for its touching words,
but they like him truly for his own deeds touching their heart.

~Anuj Somany

Never prove people right. Never prove them wrong.
Prove instead that you make your own path in life.

~Katina Ferguson

An adult butterfly will eventually emerge from the chrysalis where it will wait a few hours for its wings to fill with blood and dry, before flying for the first time. Butterflies can live in the adult stage from anywhere between a week and a year, depending on the species. Butterflies have four wings. Butterflies often have brightly coloured wings with unique patterns made up of tiny scales. Most butterflies feed on nectar from flowers. Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet. Source: ScienceKids

The mallard is one of the most recognized of all ducks and is the ancestor of several domestic breeds. Its wide range has given rise to several distinct populations. The male mallard’s white neck-ring separates the green head from the chestnut-brown chest, contrasts with the gray sides, brownish back, black rump and black upper- and under-tail coverts. The speculum is violet-blue bordered by black and white, and the outer tail feathers are white. The bill is yellow to yellowish-green and the legs and feet are coral-red. Male utters a soft, rasping “kreep.” The female mallard is a mottled brownish color and has a violet speculum bordered by black and white. The crown of the head is dark brown with a dark brown stripe running through the eye. The remainder of the head is lighter brown than the upper body. The bill is orange splotched with brown, and the legs and feet are orange. Female is especially vocal with the characteristic series of quacks. Source: Ducks Unlimited

Mallard Couple. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

Orchids teach us many things, but the most important are the two Ps: patience and perseverance. It takes patience to wait the 18 years it takes to produce some of those wonderful flowers from seed. There are 30,000 species produced by nature and hundreds of thousands of hybrids added by man. Orchids can be the purest white or almost solid black (as seen below). Brilliant sky-blue is a rare colour for flowers, but it is found in some terrestrial species and Vandas. Every hue of the rainbow is represented by an orchid flower. It’s no mystery why artists and photographers are fascinated by the intricate details and ethereal colours of orchids.

Source: Canadian Living

White Orchids. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

Pugs are clowns at heart, but they carry themselves with dignity. Pugs are playful dogs, ready and able for games, but they are also lovers, and must be close to their humans. Pugs love to be the center of attention, and are heartsick if ignored. Source: Dogtime

The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart,
the less capable you are of loving in the present.
~ Barbara De Angelis

To be angry is to revenge the fault of others upon ourselves.
~ Alexander Pope