Possum party: Residents of the vacation town of Mallacoota in Victoria, Australia, were relieved when a resident brush-tail possum that locals call “Russell Rustle” came sauntering back to the area, along with his partner Rosie and baby Rascal. The area had recently endured bushfires, which had claimed a lot of forest and property, and residents were very concerned about the wildlife. While possums are often thought of as pests, Russell Rustle is loved by the whole community. His safe return was cause for celebration among the locals.

Monkey culprit: If a cellphone is stolen, the owner might suspect a human thief. When Zackrydz Rodzi’s phone disappeared from his home in Batu Pahat, Malaysia, the thief turned out to be a monkey. As there was no sign of a break-in, Rodzi’s family used his brother’s phone to call the stolen one, and heard it ringing in the bush near their home. After retrieving it from the mud and cleaning it up, Rodzi found a bunch of selfies of a monkey. There were even videos showing the antics of the little mammal trying to eat the phone

Black cat haven: Japan is home to many cafés that feature real felines, but only one is filled with black cats. Nekobiyaka is in the city of Himeji. Because black cats are less likely to find owners than cats of other colours, the café’s owner wanted to provide a place for people to interact with them and hopefully take one home as a pet. She keeps about 10 black cats at any one time, differentiating them by the colours of their collars. When a family takes one home, she brings another from a shelter. Visitors pay a small fee to enter, and they can buy refreshments while interacting with the cats.

Canal digger: A man from Kothilawa, a remote village in Bihar, India, has completed an amazing feat. It took Laungi Bhuiyan about three decades to divert run-off rainwater into a pond near the village. He did it by digging a three-kilometre-long (1.8-mi.) canal by himself, using hand tools. Before the canal existed, rainwater ran into a river and never reached the village. Now, people in the village have access to water in the pond, which they can use for crop irrigation and for farm animals to drink. As news of his feat spread on social media, Bhuiyan became known as “Canal Man.”

Jail house dreams: Someone looking to buy a home in the town of Guildhall, Vermont (U.S.), might be interested in a unique place: a 2,190-square-foot (203-square-metre) home that once belonged to the town’s jailer. Because of that, no one is surprised to learn that an actual jail is part of the deal. Attached to the house, the jail has seven cells that include bars. The house has changed hands numerous times since being built about 1880, but the jail has been left intact. However, the area’s real estate agents say that a renovation could turn the old lock-up into a lovely family living space.

Tattooed teacher: A schoolteacher in Essonne, France, may lose his job, but not because of a lack of teaching ability. Actually, Sylvian Helaine is very good at his job. The problem is that he has tattoos from head to toe, including on his face, and his superiors at his school have received complaints from parents. Apparently, some kindergarten children are afraid of him. In response, Helaine was moved from the kindergarten room to a class with older children. Known as Freaky Hoody on social media, he has a passion for getting tattoos, which he adamantly claims have no bearing on his ability to teach.

Smelly fish: There is a fish dish in South Korea that most people hate, but lovers of the delicacy can’t get enough of it. The dish is called hongeo (or hongeo-hoe) and it is well known in Korea. The fish used is naturally fermented skate, a bottom-dwelling species. Its smell resembles ammonia. The odour even permeates clothing, so some restaurants offer sealed bags to store guests’ jackets during the meal. First-time eaters are coached to breathe in through their mouths and out through their noses when eating it. After a few times, some get hooked on this dish.

Canine protection: Unbeknownst to his parents, a little boy from St. Louis, Missouri (U.S.), wandered away from home one morning. In bare feet and wearing only his pyjamas, Kh’amorion Taylor quickly became lost. However, a stray dog came to his rescue, staying by him as he toddled through unfamiliar streets. An anonymous woman noticed the duo, and started knocking on doors to see if anyone knew the boy. Eventually, after seeing a post on social media, the boy’s father was alerted, and a joyful reunion resulted. The story shows how protective a dog can be towards a human who is in trouble.

Different ice cream: The ice cream in Turkey isn’t the Western-style cold, smooth scoop in a cone. Called dondurma (which means “freezing” in Turkish), the ice cream in this transcontinental country includes the usual milk and sugar, as well as two unique ingredients: mastic, a resin from the mastic tree; and salep, powdered orchid bulb. The former makes the ice cream stretchy and sticky, and the latter is a thickening agent. Dondurma comes in lots of flavours and doesn’t melt as quickly as regular ice cream. One type, called Mara¸s dondurma, uses more salep, and diners use a knife and fork to eat it.

Tall hedge: In Scotland, a huge hedge is deemed to stand higher than any other hedge in the world. Called the Meikleour Beech Hedge, it is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi.) north of Edinburgh near the village of Meikleour. Standing 30 metres (100 ft.) high and stretching for a length of 530 metres (one-third mile), this hedge has been growing since 1745. It is quite a sight, especially in spring, when light reflects on its new green leaves, and in fall, when it turns to rust and gold. The hedge is trimmed about once every 10 years, requiring the efforts of four workers over a period of about six weeks using hydraulic lifts and cutters.

Fantastic flowers: Stress at her job as a civil engineer drove Luciana Gonzalez to a new career, one she could not have imagined. The Brazilian woman became an artistic confectionery master, making art out of food. Her specialty is making sugar flowers, and her creations look so real that viewers can’t believe the bouquets are edible. She did not get into her new job because of a love of cooking; rather, it was because the Senac Campos do Jordão school of gastronomy was nearby, so she took some courses. Although only working for a short time in the industry, Gonzalez has gained a well-known reputation.

Fine art: Using coloured pencils, Australian artist Shaun Mckenzie creates portraits that, when complete, appear to be photographs. Known as NeeYellow on social media, Mckenzie has great patience, working for an average of 60 to 80 hours on each of his pieces. One portrait of Jim Carrey realistically reveals the comedian’s iconic grin, while another of actor Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, seems to show every strand of his messy red hair. This talented artist likes to share some of his tricks on social media, including time-lapse videos that show a portrait coming to life.

White cukes: Most vegetable gardeners are familiar with green cucumbers, but not many may be aware that there is such a thing as a white cucumber. This type is known by many names, including White Wonder, White Albino, Ivory King, and Jack Frost. This cucumber was first developed by a seed company in the United States in the late 1800s. It took the company several years to test and evaluate the fruit before commercializing the seed. While their foliage is green, these cucumbers have white skin, and the fruit is crisp and delicious.

Treasure hunt: A jeweller and his wife from Macomb County, Michigan (U.S.), were having a hard time making ends meet during the COVID-19 shut down. So Johnny and Amy Perri decided to close their shop and bury (or otherwise hide) all their merchandise in dozens of places around the state. The couple is holding a series of treasure hunts; contestants must buy tickets to obtain clues, riddles, and maps leading to the locations. Treasure that can be found includes diamond rings, silver bars, necklaces, and prospector coins. The couple is calling their adventure Johnny’s Treasure Quest.

Some like it hot: When the temperature is hot, people like to jump in a lake or find an air-conditioned place to escape from it. But some tourists visiting Death Valley National Park in the southwestern United States get out of their cars to snap selfies beside the Furnace Creek Visitor Center’s digital thermometer. The numbers might read as high as 132° F (56° C). These tourists often post photos on social media about surviving such severe heat, even if their air-conditioned cars are only a few paces away! Death Valley is one of the hottest places on Earth and the driest in North America.

Face painting fanatic: Hannah Chilton, known as “Hannah Grace” on social media, is a makeup artist with great skill, and she uses that skill to turn herself into different things. Chilton, who lives in the UK, applies body paint and makeup to her face. When complete, she may look like a dinosaur, a skull, or a mummy, to name just a few. When she finishes a creation, she takes pictures of herself to post and then washes the paint off. She has quite a following and hopes to one day make her living using her craft, which she began learning just for fun during time off from her job as a chef.

Golden sandwich: College students who eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to save money will have to stay away from a restaurant in Chicago, Illinois (U.S.). Called PB&J (which stands for Pizza, Beer, and Jukebox), this restaurant’s version of the sandwich costs $350 (USD). Called Golden Goose, the sandwich is made from a whole loaf of bread that contains edible gold leaf. Inside is an extremely expensive kind of red current jam, with currents that were hand-seeded with goose quills. It also contains manuka honey from New Zealand. Surprisingly, the peanut butter is an off-the-shelf variety.

Phone fraud: A man in Moscow, Russia, is very angry with his bank. Vladimir Volokhovich lost his smartphone, and the thief who found it was able to use Volokhovich’s bank app to take out a loan. The bank is charging him interest, claiming that he did not report the loss in a timely fashion. This crime victim is livid, as circumstances made it impossible for him to do so. The thief, pretending to be a friend, sent a message saying the phone had been found, so Volokhovich thought all was well. What makes him mad is how easily the bank allowed a stranger to take out a loan, with no paperwork required.

Covering up: A Vietnamese tattoo artist creates unique designs for a purpose: she wants to help people with scars or birthmarks to regain their confidence. If someone has scars from an operation or a burn, or if they have lived with a noticeable birthmark all their lives, the tattooist, known as Ngoc, will come to the rescue. Ngoc has a knack for figuring out what design to use to cover up her clients’ imperfections, whether large or small. She might ink a vase of flowers over an appendectomy scar, or a mountain range over a burn mark. Some consider her to be a bit of a magician for her skills.

Shattered glass: A couple of kids are in a lot of trouble with their parents right now! The family was in the Shanghai Museum of Glass in China and were viewing a glass castle worth about $64,000 (USD). The castle, on permanent display at the museum since 2016, was made by Miguel Arribas, a Spanish glassblower with Arribas Brothers. He created his masterpiece, which had approximately 30,000 parts, in the form of Cinderella’s castle. The children were playing chase and they ended up accidentally knocking the sculpture over. When travel is allowed again, Arribas Brothers says it will come to repair the damage.

Slithering pets: Choosing a pet is usually not difficult. People usually pick a poodle or a kitten, or even a parrot, as a new family member. However, a teenage girl from Purworejo, Central Java, Indonesia, keeps six pythons as pets. Chalwa Ismah Kamal has no fear of the big snakes as she plays and cuddles with them. She even bathes them. Her younger brother likes them, too. The 14-year-old received attention for her strange pets after she posted some videos on social media, where thousands of people have viewed them. Some viewers express concern, but she explains there is nothing to fear because her pets are tame.

Rare road: In Osaka, Japan, a 16-story building has a unique feature: a highway off-ramp runs right through it. The Gate Tower Building and its highway ramp were completed in the early 1990s. The employees working in the building don’t have to worry about excess traffic noise because noise-proof walls and floors were used in the construction. Plus, the off-ramp doesn’t actually touch the building. Visitors to the building will notice that the elevator doesn’t stop at floors five, six, or seven because these floors provide the space for the road.

Camel comes home: There are stories of dogs and cats coming home after being lost or given away, but it’s rare to hear about a camel doing something similar. That’s what happened in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The camel’s owner, Temur, sold his camel to a friend who lived 100 kilometres (62 mi.) away. After spending the winter in its new home, the camel ran away, eventually finding its way through desert and mountains to its old home. Temur and his wife were moved to see the animal’s devotion, so they arranged to keep it. They sent a younger camel to the new owner as a replacement.

Away from home: When thinking about wallabies, Australia and Tasmania come to mind. However, France should be included. That’s because a colony of wallabies lives in the forest near Rambouillet, west of Paris. About 150 of the creatures have lived there for over 40 years. Ancestors of the current colony escaped from a zoological reserve in the 1970s. While some were caught, others found a home in the forest and have been living in the wild ever since. Authorities have even posted road signs with pictures of wallabies, so drivers would be aware of their presence.

Makeup madness: Elliot Joseph Rentz (a.k.a. Alexis Stone) of London, England, is a makeup artist with incredible talent. He has worked with many famous people, but he also likes to work on himself. He uses makeup to transform himself to look like celebrities, and then he posts photos on social media. For his temporary transformations, he uses makeup and costuming items, such as wigs, jewelry, and false eyelashes. He has made himself resemble Kevin from Home Alone, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Billie Eilish, to name just a few.

Scenery swap: With the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down world travel, people grew tired of the views from their own windows. With that in mind, Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam, a couple from Singapore, created “WindowSwap.” This website encourages people from around the world to submit short videos of the views from their windows. Visitors to the site can look at views from abodes in far-off cities and towns, and they can upload their own to share. Viewers can see a wide variety of scenes, from mountains to city streets, and from rainy backyard gardens to seaside views. Watching the windows can be mesmerizing!

See it here...  

Much ado about nothing: Some people may wonder what the social media world is coming to after they hear about a video posted by Muhammad Didit of Indonesia. The young man decided to post a video of himself doing absolutely nothing. He shows himself sitting on a couch and staring into the camera for over two hours! He meant to record himself doing nothing for only five or 10 minutes, but after he started, he kept going. The weird thing is that the video has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and has motivated other people to do the same thing for even longer periods of time.

Pie queen: A baker from Seattle, Washington (U.S.), has become a pie-baking celebrity. Lauren Ko once worked as an executive assistant in education, but now she bakes pies with such intricate geometric designs that people flock to see her creations. Grandma’s pies may have tasted delicious, but Ko’s work also appeals to the eye. One blueberry pie, dubbed “flour power,” uses dozens of six-sided dough bits to hold blue petals. Others feature swirls of food-coloured dough strands or shapes that are formed into unbelievable patterns. The resulting pies are almost too incredible to eat! See her pies here:  www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Dish decorations: Collectors of porcelain might have a cabinet or two filled with interesting finds, but a couple of cabinets would not nearly be enough to hold the collection of Nguien Van Truong of Kieu Son, Vietnam. He started collecting porcelain dishes back in the 1980s, and he became so obsessed that he soon had nowhere to put all of his acquisitions. He took some mortar, applied it to the walls of his home, and began the process of embedding the dishes into his house. Now, the inside and outside of his house are covered in about 10,000 pieces of colourful dishware.

White deer: The northern part of the state of New York (U.S.) is home to a rare white-tailed deer called the Seneca white deer. The animals of this type carry a recessive gene that makes their coats white instead of the usual brown. The herd was protected for many years by the Seneca Army Depot. When it closed in the 1990s, volunteers took over the care of the animals. No hunting is allowed in what is now a sanctuary for the deer, but their stark white fur makes the animals an easy target for predators. Today, the private owner of the property plans to continue to protect the herd. See these beautiful creatures here:  www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra