http://articles.natureandanimalgifts.com/rss.xml A blog about natureandanimalgifts.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.natureandanimalgifts.com/?a=36041 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>In addition to my current vocation as an internet marketer, I'm also a marine biologist who specializes in the care and study of dolphins. My love for dolphins was passed onto me by my father, who was also a marine biologist. Now it's becoming a tradition in my family, since I am passing it on to my 17 year old son. <br /><br />My wife has also joined the fan club and has decorated our home with many different dolphin figurines and even has a custom dolphin license plate. She decided that she wanted to buy a dolphin shower curtain and asked me to help her pick one out, since I was the resident expert on the animal. I told her my specialty had nothing to do with shower curtains but she insisted, so I agreed to help out. I'm glad I did.<br /><br />I can't believe the amount of dolphin shower curtains there are on the market. They are made from all kinds of materials with what seems to be a million different prints to choose from. I told my wife that I would have to take a few days off from work, just to try to get through them all. She laughed at me and told me not to worry because she had already done most of the work herself.<br /><br />She had narrowed it down to several different choices and was leaning towards one made of lace. As much as I love dolphins, I felt it was a bit too feminine for my tastes. It was also very fragile looking and I could just envision the whole thing coming apart in my hands when I whipped the curtain open in the morning. <br /><br />Her next selection depicted adult and baby dolphins cavorting all over the curtain. It was cute and made of sturdy vinyl that could probably stand up to my rough way of handling shower curtains in the morning. The problem that I had with it was that it looked a bit juvenile. I thought about putting it in my son's bathroom, but despite his love for the sea animal, I figured he'd probably prefer to keep the one he had that surfers.<br /><br />We got down to her third choice, which was the one I really liked. It had a print that combined bamboo rods with dolphins swimming between them. The tan color of the bamboo gave it enough of a masculine feel for me and the dolphins would satisfy my wife's need to see them when she showered in the morning. It was made of a strong fabric that would resist wear and the combined colors of tan and blue were both attractive and even a bit soothing. <br /><br />I got up to leave the room and my wife pulled me back down. She had hidden paint samples behind her back and now declared that we would have to paint the room to match the curtain. She wanted me to help decide on the right color. I'd better check to see how much vacation time I have coming.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as animal gifts at <a href="http://www.natureandanimalgifts.com/">http://www.natureandanimalgifts.com</a></p> 2006-10-07T18:35-04:00 http://articles.natureandanimalgifts.com/?a=36040 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>I became an animal lover when I was a child. My parents were veterinarians and I spent a lot of my childhood helping them care for sick animals. My first dog was a mutt that had been hit by a car and brought in by a driver passing by. He had a broken leg and I bonded with him as his leg mended. Since no one claimed him, my parents let me keep him. It's because of Rusty that I developed my baseball pitching prowess, since I would throw the balls and he would tireless retrieve them for me. Now that I'm a little league coach, I suggest to the parents of my charges that they should get their children a dog to do the same.<br /><br />I am very concerned about the endangered species of the world. I had been looking for a way to do something to prevent their extinction and realized I could adopt them the way I adopted Rusty, not by bringing them home of course, but by contributing to the World Wildlife Fund, (WWF). This is a great organization that has dedicated itself to the protection of endangered wildlife. You choose the animals that you want to help protect and send them a set amount of money each month. They use the money to safeguard the animals within their ordinary environment. <br /><br />They offer a range of animals to choose from, such as the Black Rhino, Bengal Tiger, Bottlenose Dolphin, Orangutan, Giant Panda and the Asian Elephant. All of these animals need protection from the threats presented by mankind. <br /><br />When you adopt an animal through the WWF, you receive a picture of the animal, a plush toy and a certificate. By displaying them in your home, you can show them to your visitors and educate them about the plight of these animals. My daughter has confiscated the toys, and my wife has put the pictures on the fridge. I do keep the framed certificates in the family room and never hesitate to ask my friends to consider adopting an animal.<br /><br />Everyone in my family has adopted their own animal. My daughter chose the Giant Panda and my wife chose the Bottlenose dolphin. I chose the Black Rhino.<br />The Giant Panda has become endangered due to the forests that they live in being cleared for agriculture and lumber. This has also become a problem for the Orangutan and the Asian Elephant. The Black Rhino is being killed for its horn, which is used for medicinal purposes, and poachers have also focused on the Bengal Tiger. The Bottlenose Dolphin is a victim of the commercial fishing industry. They get caught in the nets used for other fish and are also suffering from polluted waters.<br /><br />These beautiful animals need to be protected because they are in danger of becoming extinct and once that happens, they are gone forever.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as nature gifts at <a href="http://www.natureandanimalgifts.com/">http://www.natureandanimalgifts.com</a></p> 2006-10-07T18:28-04:00