Weekly Uplifting Stories - February 13th, 2023

It's that time again! Weekly Uplifting Stories are here to brighten your day and help you start your week off right.

This week, we have a rare walrus visit in the England town of Scarborough, a group of Florida firefighters saving a family of ducks from a storm drain, a firmer commitment to renewable resources and a guerilla street artist creating beauty where once there were potholes. 

Have a great week, everyone! 

Fireworks Cancelled for Rare Walrus

Scarborough, England is used to seeing seals on their shores - but not a giant male walrus! Local wildlife experts believe it's the same walrus, Thor, they spotted in southern town Hampshire earlier that month. It looks like he is taking a well deserved break on his journey up north to the Arctic.

"You respect nature when you see something of that size. Its tusks are bigger than my arms." Richard Coulson, local resident.

The town's New Year's fireworks display was canceled after the advice of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue suggested to not disturb Thor, and that the spectacular light and sound show could cause him distress. 

Read more about Thor here.

Florida Firefighters Save Ducklings Using Cell Phone Video of Mama Quacking

Firefighters rescue eight little ducklings from a storm drain at a Florida country club using a cell phone video of their mother quacking!

When the ducklings slipped into a storm drain, mama duck kept close watch on the firefighters as they hung upside down to rescue her family. The firefighters lured the baby ducks out with the calls of their mom, captured on a cell phone video. 

The family was reunited in a freshwater area.

Watch the whole video here.

Renewable Energy Will Be More Popular

More countries are working towards accelerating the installation of renewable energy.

It is expected that over the following five years, the majority of global electricity will come from renewable sources. 

The addition of renewable power capacity in Europe is anticipated to double between 2022 and 2027 compared to the preceding five years, driven by both energy security concerns and climate objectives. - CleanTechnica.com

Joining Europe, China The US and India are all expected to be major contributors to the 'upward revision' in renewable power growth, which will make the world less reliant on fossil fuels, turning toward renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. 

More here.

Mother's Reaction to Daughter is Priceless

Do you ever wonder how someone really feels about you? Try catching them unawares - the way they react to seeing you will probably reveal a lot! 

This video on Reddit captures the adorable reaction of a mother after her daughter ran into her while shopping for housewares. 

There's really nothing more pure than seeing someone's unfiltered and delighted reaction to seeing you. This short video captures a mom's unfiltered love and joy that comes from seeing her child. 

Watch the video here.

Anonymous Street Artist Filling Potholes with Artful Mosaic

A Lyon-based street artist is filling potholes with colorful mosaics, making the streets safer for pedestrians.

Ememem, an incognito artist, was inspired to create what he calls, "flackings," a play on the French word for puddle, flaque, when he saw a pothole in front of his workshop. 

“I made a kind of mosaic, self-tailored plaster for it, without premeditation,” he explained. “Looking at this first ‘flack’ and the effect on people around, I knew I was going to fill holes for the rest of my life.” - Positive.news

While many of his work have been seen around Lyon, France, he says you can also spot his flackings in Germany, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Ireland and Italy.

Get the whole story here.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio