Reason #10: Swimming Pools Reason #9: More Hours of Sunlight Sunset in Lido Beach, Fla. (Image: Francescocece/iWitness) Reason #8: Colors Come to Life Botanical Garden at Meramec Community College in Kirkwood, Mo. (Image: salwpw/iWitness) Reason #7: Spending Time on the Porch Reason #6: Water Parks Reason #5: Beaches iWitness contributor Ronman says 'Aruba always holds my heart.' Reason #4: Baseball Reason #3:4thof July Reason #2: Summer Thunderstorms Top Reason: Puddles The Storms Leave Behind ...

Urban food forests are a new idea, but the plans for the one under construction in Seattle may be adopted elsewhere. (Beacon Food Forest/Facebook) Foraging a city block for free fruits, vegetables and nuts is a misdemeanor in most cities, but it will soon be encouraged in Seattle. The Beacon Food Forest is a seven-acre plot in downtown Seattle that will hold enough food for the city's families to stop by and take what they need -- for free. Born...

Beach houses are where the squawking of seagulls pulls you out of bed in the morning, while the ocean's waves lapping onto the shore lull you to sleep at night. These homes come in all shapes and sizes, from seaside shanties to architectural gems with cliff-side views. (PHOTOS: ) No matter the shape or size, these homes serve one purpose: relaxation. The slideshow above features some of our favorite beach houses from around the world. (MORE: | ) If you...

Normally when people sniff flowers, they expect a pleasant smell. But the Titan Arum produces the opposite effect - it smells "like a dead rabbit that has been lying in the sun for two weeks," said botanist Bart Van de Vijver in an interview with NBC. Also known as the 'corpse flower,' the blooming of this massive plant at the National Botanic Garden of Belgium drew huge crowds despite the stench. The plant blooms so rarely that whenever it unfurls...

This week, a stifling heat wave is taking hold of millions of Americans from the Great Lakes into the Ohio Valley and New England. True, it's July, and we expect hot temperatures; but as weather.com digital meteorologist Chris Dolce explains, this particular heat wave is, making for a very uncomfortable summer week. Temperatures will finally give way when a the stifling regions by the end of the week. Even once the heat wave abates, we'll still be left with typical...

Courtesy: NLÉ A floating school in Lagos, Nigeria could be setting the standard for the future as architects, designers and city planners look for sustainable housing solutions. (MORE:) Ever-changing water levels have forced the fishing community of Makoko to build its structures on stilts. Despite sitting on stilts, flooding remains an issue because heavy rain and rising sea levels still flood homes. In 2011, Nigerian architect and founder Kunle Adeyemi visited Makoko. As he spoke with members of the community,...

Former owner John Milkovisch covered the outside on the house with siding made of cut and flatten beer cans and garlands made from the lids. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) HOUSTON — A child of the Great Depression, John Milkovisch didn't throw anything away — not even the empty cans of beer he enjoyed each afternoon with his wife. So, in the early 1970s when aluminum siding on houses was all the rage, he lugged down the cans he had stored in...

Since the beginning of time, mankind has searched for ways to escape the brutal summertime heat. From cavemen to modern times, we've used the latest tools and technology to make it comfortable in our homes. But until this century, and the invention of the air conditioner, there wasn't a foolproof way of cooling down in scorching temps. Here's what life was like before the air conditioner. Cave Dwelling, Pit Houses and Dugout Homes The first version of "air conditioning" was...

Gregory Kloehn speaks to a reporter outside his 'dumpster home' in the Red Hook neighborhood of New York's Brooklyn borough. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) A California-based artist no longer has to shell out money for a hotel when he's visiting . Instead, he lives in a Dumpster that he's turned into a home in . (PHOTOS: ) "It just hit me. That's a nice shape for a home," Gregory Kloehn The Daily Mail the Dumpster cost him $2,000. He took six...

East Sister Rock Island, Florida This one acre island with a main house, guest house, and two docks could be yours for a mere $12 million. (Courtesy: Privateislandsonline.com) What do Johnny Depp, David Copperfield, Richard Branson and Celine Dion have in common? They all own private islands. And you could join their ranks by owning an island of your very own. Even though the most popular markets for secluded islands are tropical climates, these private strips of land are nestled...

The leaf design helps deflect the sun in this hot, humid climate. (Image: Mareines + Patalano Arquitetura) The shores of Angra dos Reis, Brazil, about an hour south of Rio de Janeiro, are a tropical paradise lined by gorgeous beaches and warm waters of the southern Atlantic. (MORE: ) Here in this sultry paradise you'll find the . Mareines + Patalano say the design was inspired by weather conditions, as well as a desire to "enhance the interaction between man...

Reporters crowd the waterfront to see the 59-foot tall rubber duck at Beijing Garden Expo Park on September 6, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) Beijing's International Garden Expo had a super-sized draw this week: a 59-foot rubber duck. The duck is the latest creation from Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the same designer who created a . The new duck featured at Beijing's International Garden Expo this week was actually to the organizer of Beijing Design Week,...