Bird Art & Artists

There has to be a very special skill involved to successfully capture a creature that often moves faster than the eye can see. That's why I have a healthy dose of respect for each and every one of the bird artists featured in this group - whether professional or amateur. The media used vary from pencil, pen to watercolor and acrylics and the subject matters covers anything from the humble sparrow, the graceful kingfisher, the wise crow, the industrious woodpecker and the majestic osprey. If you have a fascination for avian wildlife, you would most likely enjoy adding this charming Facebook group to your newsfeed. On my visit, I also saw the Northern Cardinal, European Woodpecker, a humble robin in pencil, a macaw in watercolor, a Sri Lanka bush warbler, beautifully rendered in his natural habitat and a stunning Harris Hawk in colored pencils.

Members: 108.7k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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The Model T Ford Club International

When Henry Ford assembled the first Model T Ford, he created so much more than just a car. Within a decade, his vision transformed travel, leisure and work. And while many of these often mechanically-needy vehicles also became the punchline of their era, a surprising number of them have endured the century or so, that separates their manufacture from 2026. This Facebook group celebrates the iconic automobile through vintage photographs, footage from classic car shows, invitations to Ford themed events and also, through shared memories. One of the many video clip shares Mr. Ford's connection to another iconic vehicle brand, a post about a mechanical workshop that includes a module on the T's engine and a calendar post that shows off the Ford company's now-defunct aircraft division. Bet you didn't know Ford made airplanes too! Many of the black and white photographs document the Model T's incredible versatility and the improvising ingenuity of its people.

Members: 11k

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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The gorgeous photo accompanying this blog post is used courtesy of Joe Ross of Lansing, Michigan via Wiki Commons. It can be found here:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Model_T_Ford_(32460978).jpg

puzzle Lovers

Who doesn't love and hate the challenge of a jigsaw puzzle. There are the ones you do only once. They are so heartbreakingly beautiful, that you buy glue and a picture frame. Some are suspended halfway between composure and drama. Cats. Horsecarts and steam locomotives. Seasonal transitions that speak of continuity. Some inject colorful naivity into chilly winter days. There are mind-warping visual brain teasers. Dogs, cats, horses, stags and unicorns. A page out of a symphony. Astrological charts and world maps. So many Christmases (so little time). Charity shop edens that take shape piece by piece. Humorous holiday dioramas and mouthwatering treats. There's even an advent puzzle comprising of 25 different boxes of puzzle pieces. This was probably the best time to visit - as everyone was unpacking and showing off their festive season gifts and treasures.

Members: 170.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Folklore, Customs, Legends and Mythology

 Beyond the tinsel and fake, cottonwool beards, there are older traditions clustered around the observance of Yule and midwinter. Depending on where you are, the friends and fiends of the season may wear different masks and ask for (or dispense) different favors. For example, there are the thirteen unruly Yule trolls who pester mortals for almost a fortnight - each troll gets his own night - with disturbances ranging from door-banging and window-peeping to all sorts of thefts around the house (and usually the kitchen). The Gloucestershire practice of wassailing sounds suspiciously similar to caroling, albeit with a few unique twists. Frau Perchta prowls the alpine mountainsides, while the eerie looking La Guajona lurks in the nocturnal gloom of wintry northern Spain. And then there's Krampus, the Wild Hunt, the Scandinavian tomten and the gnomes to worry about. In fact, this is a great space to get acquainted with the pagan origins of many Christmas traditions. Of course, this group is hardly limited to Yuletide figures, good or bad. There's standing stones, Appalachian folk magic and Native American artefacts. A post that really wowed me featured pages from the gorgeously laid-out Enchanted Gazette, which included a pagan calendar

Members: 1.2 million.

Trigger Warnings: The occasional AI image. 

Go here to visit or join. 

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Identification of Rocks & Minerals - NO sales! NO spam

In the past, we've done bugs and feathers. Why not turn our attention to something that does not decay or scamper off to the nearest crack in the floor. Rocks carry the long history of our planet's more turbulent beginnings, when lava cooled and compacted to begin the process of forming the minerals that still nestle within its arteries. They are imprinted with struggles that were old long before the first apes came down from the tree. Found a pretty rock or mineral specimen that intrigues you? Post it here. Or scroll through other leavings and finds from around the world. Agate or opal? Unekite or jasper? Sodalite or azurite? If you geek geology, join this crew of rock detectives to help, or even just to admire some of the images posted. Tantalizingly cracked crusts. Telltale erosion patterns. An enigmatic specimen from Namibia which eludes a positive ID - but could be heterosite or purpurite. And there are helpfully educational comments, such as the finger-tip-test to determine the presence of fossil or cleaning tips for tarnished pyrite. 

Members: 232k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Card Making Community

An acquaintance recently suggested that greeting cards are slowly meandering off in the footsteps of dinosaurs and dodos, but I suspect they may be mistaken. For one, no one's told the Card Making Community of its eminent extinction yet. And if the images and posts are anything to go by, there are still plenty of free-range greeting cards to be found. Some are simple and hand drawn. Others are opulently multi-dimensional. There are pop-up cards, collages that pay homage to the Nativity, as well as fun, quirky ones featuring mischievous snowmen and reindeer. Materials are equally diverse - textured paper, cut-outs, lace, paper flowers and even real buttons. While you can probably wing it with a pinch of improvisation, it also helps to stock up regularly from your favorite craft shop. One clip shows a card being made from start to finish.  Another post asks for ideas on how to incorporate a novelty napkin into a personalized card for a friend. Another wants inspiration for an alternate advent calendar and there's a thread for random Christmas Card buddies as well. Lots of wonderful inspiration within this space, helping you to get ready for Christmas and making sure no one feels left out, but it's not all tinsel and elves. There were beautiful hand painted card motifs as well as a collection of forest fairies, just as a reminder that greeting cards are not so much seasonal as timeless.

Members: 66.6k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Stories from the Road Museum AUSTRALIA

With rapid advances being made in autonomous driving technology, a persistent rumor suggests that old school truckers are on the way out. That would, of course, be an absolute shame. There's something utterly romantic about the men and women who hoist themselves up into the cabins of 18-wheeler behemoths to transport food, furniture, toys, and so much more to shops around the world. Their service is especially appreciated in countries where long distances separate cities and regions from each other. Road Museum, Australia pays tribute to these mechanical wonders through vintage photographs and roadside snapshots. Some posts share the heart and soul of long-time truckers, such as a tribute post for Ian Castles, an Australian country music icon who was also a lifelong trucker. There's even a have-you-seen-this-truck post, on behalf of a past owner and a video clip from a truck show. If you like your combustion engines supersized and rolling, this Facebook group is well worth a visit. The Road Museum is located in Port Pirie in southern Australia.

Members: 129.1k, at the time of writing. 

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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