Cook Islands
Located far east off the coast of
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New Zealand
NZL
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And the happiest country in the world is...
The results of the Global Happiness Study are in, and the world's happiest country is Denmark. (What do they know that we don't? Or is it all just due to Mads?) Scandinavian countries lead the world in happiness overall. The United States came in 17th, behind Mexico, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and others.
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I have mixed feelings about New Zealand apples
As someone who tries to eat as locally as possible, I have a terrible confession to make. For the last month, I have been eating - nay, actively seeking out - apples from New Zealand. And you know what? I'm not sorry.
Here is how the apple production cycle works: every fall, apples come into season. In my home state of Washington, where we grow the best apples in the nation, they are ripe between late August (my earliest apple tree is just ripening now) and late October.
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Cleaning raw fleece with the fermented suint method
Looking for a new, intriguing, kind of super gross, low-tech, chemical-free way to clean your raw sheep's fleeces? Then the fermented suint method may be for you! Apparently this method is often used in New Zealand, and was also popular in times and places where commercial soap was not readily available.
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Gotland wool: LOTR longwool
When Lord of the Rings was released, knitters and spinners took notice. Several of the textiles (including the Elven cloaks) were made with handspun Gotland fleece, a heritage breed from a flock that was based in New Zealand. This breed has a beautiful natural color which varies from light grey to silver all the way through to a dark charcoal grey.
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Fandom Crafts: LOTR Fellowship cloak
This weekend I became obsessed with Gotland wool. This fiber is similar to a lustrous English longwool, and has a beautiful silvery color. Oh and also, this is the fiber that was used (undyed) to create all of the Elven cloaks and scarves in the Lord of the Rings movies.
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Six immersive events for geeks (and their families)
Many of us are proud to say that we’re geek to the core. Video games, role-playing games, super hero movies, comic books and other unique interests have defined the way that we grew up and turned us into the people we are today. And while some may “grow up” and leave their geek behind, others of us hold onto our love until the day we bite the dust.
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Too many fish in the sea
Upon looking at the Wicked Camper website, you may think you are dealing with laid back hippies who struck it big with a good idea that popped in their head while hotboxing their van on the eastern coast of Australia. This image is even further emphasized when visiting the depots. Cars are spray painted in florescent colors and quotes from stoner songs and flicks litter the vehicles and store rooms.
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Six amazing caves for the unseasoned spelunker
The network of caverns beneath the surface of the Earth is a world unto itself. Entrances to this underground world are all over the planet, though some of them are definitely more notable than others. While a lot of these caverns are only accessible with ropes and other climbing gear, there are several that have become popular enough that they make a point of accommodating tourists who want to visit them. It still may be quite the hike sometimes, but at least there’s less danger involved. For the less-than-expert cave explorer, I have put together a quick list of six world-famous caves
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The three strangest animals used for yarn
Sure, you can make yarn from sheep's wool, cotton or acrylic polymers. But why stop there? These innovative yarns are made from the fur of animals you would not expect!
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