Secrets Of Redesign

Deceptively Floating Hearths – Bio-Blaze’s Veniz Fireplace Produces Absolutely No Smells or Smoke (TrendHunter.com)

What better way to create a magical and cozy ambiance for the holiday season than with a hearth that looks like it is floating such as the Veniz Fireplace. Children and adults alike are bound to be captivated by the optical illusion, even if the latter can detect exactly where that illusion begins and ends.

Brought to us by Bio-Blaze, the Veniz Fireplace is sleek and sophisticated. Unlike traditional fireplaces, the Veniz Fireplace can be placed much closer to furniture and people because of the glass that is used to create the floating illusion. That same glass acts as a shield against potential sparks and hot flames. This portable hearth is powered by ethanol rather than wood as well, thus not producing smoke or smells.

Conversational Lighting – The TiLumi Talk Lamp Shares its Emotions and Thoughts (TrendHunter.com)

It is easy to feel isolated despite all the technology we have right at our fingertips, allowing us to keep in touch with friends and family, and even make new acquaintances; yet the TiLumi Talk lamp shows just how much many of us crave real-life interaction. Even it is with an inanimate object. An interactive lamp, the TiLumi Talk light fixture can just as easily tell the time as it can show it while also providing warm, ambiant lighting for the home.

More than that, the TiLumi Talk lamp shares emotions and thoughts through light messages that have been dubbed Lumi. Lumi are essentially graphic representations of these feelings, which are created by the owner herself. The TiLumi Talk lamps Lumi are set up on the TiLumi website or via smartphones.

Surfrider offers class on ‘ocean-friendly’ gardening Saturday

The program is intended to help people take steps at their homes to prevent pollution from reaching the ocean via runoff. It teaches how to grow native and edible plants, restore healthy soil, use permeable ground covers and install water-retention features, Surfrider says.

The program also offers a hands-on workshop and a garden assistance program to help participants create their own ocean-friendly gardens once they have created a plan, gathered materials and invited neighbors to participate. Participants also must agree to help others with similar projects.

To reserve a spot, call 949-496-2979 and provide your first and last names, phone number and email address.

Urban foxes

I say, I say, I say, my fox has no tail. Your fox has no tail? How does it … erm … well, you get the idea.

No, it has no tail, well, just a stump really. Our other regular visiting fox has a big bushy tail, and a third, occasional visitor has an even larger one.

I’ve no idea what befell Stumpy. Perhaps a fight with another fox, or a local dog. Car accident? Seems unlikely. Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox had his brush shot off by Farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean, but I’m fairly certain there are not too many shotguns in East Dulwich. Not this end of it anyway.

Apart from its missing tail, it seems as active and healthy as the others. In fact, it’s even more inquisitive than the others because the neighbours, having taken pity on it, regularly feed it. Consequently, it’s just as brazen as they get. Twice, I’ve had to shoo it away from the guinea-pig cowering its run on the lawn. And, of course, it defecates just as much as any tailed fox.

We regularly see foxes in the garden, and over the years I’ve lost track of who is who. I’ll have no trouble identifying this one in the future.

How do you identify the wildlife in your garden? Do some visiting creatures have any distinguishing features?