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Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Spotlight Author: Lauren Hunter

Author Lauren Hunter was gracious enough to be one of the donors of my Very First Giveaway! Here is a little more information about her and her book, The Coffee Shop. I highly recommend this book, as it is one of my all time favorite romance books out there!! If you haven't read this book, you are definitely missing out!! So, go get it while you can ;)

The Coffee Shop

If Derrick thought experiencing alternate timelines and glimpses into the future was strange, then he had no idea it was about to get a whole lot more strange.

When Derrick Sloane meets Annie Maddock and falls madly in love, he believes he's met the girl of his dreams. Only he then awakes to discover she is exactly that...nothing more than a dream. Disheartened, he goes to the first coffee shop he can find and there he meets Annie. She is at the same table, reading the same book, and he fast realizes his dream has shown him his own future. But when a misstep alters that perfect future he tries to fix it, every attempt only making it worse.

Dreaming the future can be a nightmare when you see what's coming...and can't do a thing to change it.

The Coffee Shop is rated #11 on 'The Very Best Time-Travel Romance' list at Goodreads!
If you want to help her get in the top 10, go vote here

“I want to be with you. I want to spend every possible second I can with
you. Is that so terrible?”

She didn’t say anything.

“If that makes me selfish, then I’m the most selfish man in the world
right now. Because that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to spend every
waking moment telling you I love you, and kissing you, and holding you.
And never letting go.”

For a complete list of where you can purchase this book, please check out her blog

For more information on Lauren Hunter you can check out her publisher.

1 comment:

  1. Hi! Great post, I voted! I love time-travel story, looking forward to read more of it! Great teaser... not fair actually! LOL

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Little notes

Dear Santa Barbara:You're beautiful.

Dear Veterans and current armed-services members:
Thank you for the sacrifices you made (and continue to make every day) to make our country free.

Dear every single Starbucks store ever built:
Who the heck thought up the arrangement in your baño? And then who voted to standardize it for all Starbucks' everywhere? I can only speak for myself, but I'm beyond weirded out that you put the mirror directly across from the toilet. No one needs to see themselves pee.

Dear "everything-proof" cameras:
Oh man you have opened a can of worms. Husband is obsessed with testing your claim. I'm starting to worry that women see your commercials and go "oh, that's cool", and men see them and go "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED". $100 bucks says I'll find it in the freezer next.

Dear Bargain Tuesdays:
Thanks for a cheap date night at the movies the other day! Nothing says Summer like a cheap movie during the week. Also? (aside: If you haven't seen Avengers yet, RUN don't walk to fix that).

Dear Memorial Day Sales:
Bless you. Husband's mind was blown when I showed him my receipt at the fabric store. "How did you SAVE seventy bucks when you only SPENT forty?!?". Be patient, my young padawan. You have much to learn.

Dear friends (that means you!):
Could ya help me out a teensy bit? I'm trying to win a gift for husband (don't worry, he hardly reads this thing, knock on wood). If you've got a free second, go to this webpage and "vote" (by Pinning) for #15? You'd need a Pinterest account; if you don't have one and want to vote, leave a comment telling me so and I'll send you an invite (the email shows up on my end only, don't worry)! If you want, you should totally enter the contest, I won't be offended at all, just vote for us both :)

Have a great Friday!

  1. i will vote, but ONLY if you stop calling Tim HUSBAND

  2. yay for little notes! love this! and i've only been to santa barbara once! but oh so gorgeous!
    xo TJ

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Which Way to Woofstock?!

Leeroy: "Hey, Rup...how do we get to Woofstock?"
Rupert: "Um... I think it's this way but I think we need to go in the car..."
Leeroy: "Hmmmm...I think it's THIS way."
Rupert: "We better leave it up to Kellie, she said it's in Toronto and that we get to stay the whole weekend of June 6th, 7th and 8th! We get to stay in a hotel and everything!"
Leeroy: "A hotel? I've never stayed away from home overnight before..."
Rupert: "Ooooo...it's SO fun - we can even order room service!"
Leeroy: "I'm down with that..."
Rupert: "We'll also see LOTS of other doggies and see what things we can buy! I can't wait!"
Leeroy: "It will be awesome making some new friends! Hey....other dogs should let us know they are going...ok, all you out there that are going, tell us! Maybe we can meet you! You can leave a comment here or even email Kellie and let her know!"
Rupert: "Yippee! Dog Party!!!"
Leeroy: "Wait! Look at this week's painting - it's "La, La, Lieba!" It's a BIG painting of an adorable girl in Westboro! Isn't that neat how she can sit pretty like that? I've been practicing but I just can't get it right."

Rupert: "I don't know how Lieba does it! She is amazing and beautiful! Look how tiny you look next to the painting! heeheehee!"
Leeroy: "I was trying to sit pretty but I could only get one leg up."
Rupert: "One leg up, eh.....just make sure it's not the back one!"

No comments:


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How to Make Natural Food Colouring

Never again do you need to buy food colouring, or use artificially created colours.  Growing and making your own natural food colouring is incredibly easy with edible flowers.

Children love toFairy cakes with natural food colouring decorate cakes and biscuits with brightly coloured icing but you do not have to use shop-bought or artificial colourings for exciting and vivid colours.  Try these easy to grow flowers for nearly every colour in the rainbow; Cornflower Black Ball (actually makes purple), Cornflower Blue Ball, Cornflower Red Ball, Calendula Bon Bon Orange, Calendula Bon Bon Yellow.  Cornflowers are particularly well suited to making cakes as their mild flavour means you can add vibrant colour without changing the flavour of the cakes or icing.  Calendula has a more distinct flavour and so it best used in savoury cooking or perhaps to add colour along with stronger flavours such as citrus.

  1. Pick flowers on a dry day, as soon as they are fully open.Mixed Calendula petals drying before being ground to make natural food colouring
  2. Dry flowers by hanging upside down in loose bunches, or remove the petals and spread finely on a plate or tray.  Leave in a warm, dry location.  Inspect daily to check for spoiling and remove affected flowers.
  3. As soon as petals are fully dry (about a week later) they are ready to be ground.  You will know that the petals are fully dry when they are light and crisp to the touch.
  4. Grind petals using a pestle and mortar, or a clean coffee grinder.  Using a pestle and mortar requires a little elbow grease but it does work eventually – I promise!
  5. Keep working the petals until you have a fine dust.  The finer the bettGrind up your dried petals to make an easy to use natural food colouringer.  If you are happy to have a speckled effect from your colouring then do not worry if you have a few a few small unground petal fragments remaining.
  6. Either use the powder immediately to add to icing, custards or other foods, or add to a clean, sealable jar and keep in a cupboard until you are ready to use it.
  7. Alternatively, for colouring which can be used immediately, soak your petals in a little water and stir.  After a few minutes the water will pick up the colour of the petals.  Strain the petals and use the coloured water to add colour to your food.

Fairy cake decorated using blue cornflowers

Happy colouring!

  1. missy urquhart says:

    O my, these are revolutionary and stunning too. What beautiful colours x

  2. susan's special cupcakes says:

    Can you dry in a dehyradator?

    1. Hello Susan, yes you can dry in a dehydrator. Try using the herb setting if you have one. This is a good way to dry your petals as it keeps the colour, unlike drying in the sun, which would fade those beautiful colours.


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Coming to Kindle and Smashwords

Coming to Kindle and Smashwords
November 2013

Sep 20, 2012

Fiona Apple busted in Texas for possession of hashish

[Video Link] Police officers in Sierra Blanca, Texas made the world safer by arresting Fiona Apple for possession of hashish. She was scheduled to play in Austin.

Urban Camouflage Artist Body Paints Women & Stages Them Around London For a TV Show Promo

At London’s Portobello Market
To promote the new season of television drama series, Covert Affairs, the UK channel Really commissioned make-up artist Carolyn Roper to camouflage woman in body paint so that they would blend into London’s scenery. One of them has been painted as vegetables and staged on the veggies stand at London’s Portobello Market. The new season of Covert Affairs premieres September 19, 2012 on Really and the full image gallery can be found at Huffington Post UK.
Here’s a fun ‘making-of’ video that describes Roper’s process on this project:

images via

The Viral ‘Charlie Bit My Finger’ Video Gets A Horror Film Remix

The insanely viral YouTube video Charlie Bit My Finger, that was uploaded 5 years ago and now has over 480 million views, is back and was given a haunting remix as a horror film trailer thanks to What’s Trending. Little Charlie is not so innocent anymore.

my little pony.........yikes

Wrenniepooh isn't your typical bronie. In 2008/9, Wrenniepooh created a series of custom My Little Ponies, including this rather magnificent specimen, dubbed Eyeball Creep.


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Our Team

Flynn and Associates was founded on the idea that a boutique law firm could be different.

We’re rooted in the premise that we can produce great law without a rigid corporate atmosphere, without neckties and pant suits, and without the pomp and circumstance that traditional law firms embody.

We built a team, not a firm.

And what we found was that a small team of dedicated, creative, and hard working professionals can have a big impact.  Our collaborative office approach allows us the liberty to think freely and act decisively.  We are discerning about who we represent because our team works best when the client becomes a part of the team.

Be it a litigious or transactional matter, our approach delivers results.

Education:  Sean attended the University of Washington for his Bachelor’s degree.  He holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Clark University.  He also holds a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law.  While in law school, Sean founded the Real Estate Law Student Association and was chosen by his classmates to deliver the commencement address during the graduation ceremony.

Role:  Sean owns Flynn and Associates and is the team captain.  He is actively involved in all aspects of cases and coordinates both litigation and transactional work.  Sean is the team’s grand strategist and as such, Sean loves it when a plan comes together.

Interests:  If not the office, Sean can be found via VHF, traversing the Puget Sound on his sail boat, Cecelia.  Sean lives for Family, Friends, and BBQ.  He is regularly the mixer of hardwood smoke, bourbon, and good times.  Sean is the firm’s unofficial Pitmaster and Skipper.
Email Sean

Education:  Connor is a graduate of Gonzaga University and holds a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law.  During law school, Connor spent a summer practicing maritime law in New Orleans, and he focused his coursework on trial litigation.

Role:  Connor is one of the team’s associate attorneys.  He is the litigation lead and handles mostly litigation aspects of cases.  He is our team’s Wartime Consigliere and Demon of Discovery.  Connor ensures the team fights every motion like it could be our last.

Interests:  Maybe it’s his love of the game or his Jesuit education, but Connor follows Gonzaga Basketball with religious fervor.  An avid angler, he frequently nets the teams lunch and can be often found fishing for salmon and trout in NW waters.
Email Connor

Education:  Billy holds a B.A. from the University of Nevada, Reno and a Professional Certificate of Business Administration from the University of Washington.  His career and education has focused on marketing, corporate events, and business development.

Role:  Billy is the team manager, and he heads our business planning and development.  He is tasked with both day-to-day management and long-term planning.  Organizationally, Billy beats out the team’s rhythm. He continually and passionately reminds us what could be over the horizon and challenges us to go there.  Billy is our Coxswain of Operations and Oracle of Possibility.

Interests:  Billy likes sharp knives and detailed tattoos.  He is a gourmet home chef and the designer of personalized tattoo art.  Billy enjoys running and can do more push-ups than any other team member (we had a contest).
Email Billy

Website Design


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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Birthday Stamp Camp Sneak Peak

Hey there stampers! Thanks for stopping by!
Today's card is a sneak peak from my upcoming Birthday Stamp Camp and a total CASE (copy and share everything)from the Stampin' Success magazine-an exclusive publication for demonstrators.  I did change the colors but other than that it's about the same!  Thanks SU!

  1. Start with a Whisper White card stock base.  Add a panel of Kraft card stock with a panel of Thoroughly Modern DSP and Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Ribbon tied in a knot.
  2. Emboss a piece of Rich Razzleberry card stock using the Big Shot and the Elegant Bouquet Embossing folder.  Add to card.
  3. Using the 2 step Bird Punch punch out the bird in Bermuda Bay and Kraft card stock and the branch in Old Olive card stock.  Adhere to Rich Razzleberry panel using a Dimensional for the bird's wing.
  4. Stamp the sentiment from the Starring You stamp set in Basic Black on Whisper White card stock and punch with the Word Window Punch.  Adhere to card with Dimensionals.

  • STAMPS: Starring You
  • INK: Basic Black
  • PAPER: Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, Kraft, Thoroughly Modern DSP
  • ACCESSORIES: Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Ribbon, Dimensionals
  • TOOLS: 2 Step Bird Punch, Big Shot, Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Word Window Punch

1 comment:

  1. I love this card, it's making me think of warmer weather and it has such a rich vibe - beautiful!


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January 29, 2011

BYOG- Bring Your Own Gloves

We just got our oil tank completely filled up.

My wallet is gasping for breath.

No wonder we keep the house at 55 during the winter.

Excuse me while I go get a hat and put on my fuzzy blue robe.

1 comment:

  1. Ha! We have only had ours partly filled and my bank account SCREAMED! LOL! Hopefully winter will end soon.


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Busted!… New Republic's "Shock Troops" Shocker Is BOGUS!

** Let me be the first to confirm it… “It’s Crap!” **
…And, I say that knowing that I have more facts here in this post and these links to back me up than The New Republic does from their source, Scott “skull-head” Thomas!

Pathetic!… Another Leftist Media Outfit, The New Republic attempted to degrade our troops and our military.

Today it was confirmed that the New Repubic’s reports were just another bogus liberal attempt to harm our military. –Figures!

The Weekly Standard has been leading the efforts to find the truth behind these disgusting anti-military hit pieces.

This whole thing started when the Weekly Standard Blog started asking questions about this suspect antiwar article “Shock Troops” that was published at The New Republic this week:

The New Republic runs a piece in this week’s issue titled “Shock Troops” (sub. req.) and authored by Scott Thomas–described by the magazine as a “pseudonym for a soldier currently serving in Baghdad.” “Thomas” is the author of two previous dispatches from Iraq for the New Republic, both of which recount deeply disturbing anecdotes (in one, an Iraqi boy who calls himself James Bond has his tongue cut out for talking to Americans; in the other, dogs feast on a corpse in the street). His latest piece is even more disturbing. It recounts several instances of gross misconduct by the men in his unit, some of which are, to echo the title of his piece, deeply shocking–If they are true–a big if, according to several people with experience in Iraq. One described it to me as sounding like a “pastiche of the ‘This is no bullshit . . . stories soldiers like to tell.”

…We contacted the New Republic in order to get any information that might help us to verify the authenticity of “Thomas”‘s disturbing account, and the magazine, while insisting that it had promised to protect the identity of the author to shield him from retribution by the military, did provide us with some additional details. “Scott Thomas” claims that the incident at the chow hall occurred at Forward Operating Base Falcon. And the mass grave, he says, was discovered a couple miles south of Baghdad International Airport in farmland. We have also contacted the Pentagon in the hopes of getting more information to either corroborate or disprove “Thomas”‘s account.

The Weekly Standard Blog has several posts on the bogus events HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Howard Kurtz mentioned the controversy today at the Washington Post.

** But, the latest WSB posting they have from Matt Sanchez confirms that the stories at the New Republic are crap!
Sanchaz wrote in with this:

Per COL Boylan’s request, I have prepared the following:

1. There was no mass grave found during the construction of any of our coalition outposts in the Rashid District at any time. Such a discovery would have prompted an investigation and close attention paid at levels higher than ours to making sure that the victims were properly interred and attempts would have been made to determine their identities. It is difficult to fathom that a unit’s leadership would condone Soldiers disrespecting the remains of anyone in the fashion described.

2. Due to the threat of IEDs, our combat vehicles are driven professionally and in control at all times. To be driving erratically so as to hit dogs or other things would be to put the entire vehicle’s crew at risk and would be gross dereliction of duty by the noncommissioned officer or officer in charge of the vehicle. Drivers aren’t allowed to simply free-wheel their vehicles however they see fit, and they are *not* allowed to be moved anywhere with out a vehicle commander present to supervise the movement. Therefore- claims of vehicles leaving the roadways to hit animals are highly dubious, given the very real threat of IEDs and normal standards of conduct.

3. As for the alleged woman with severe burn scars, we have nobody matching that description here at FOB Falcon. As Soldiers, we practice the value of Respect: “Treat people as you want to be treated.” If the blogger and his friends can’t live the Army value of respect, I have little doubt that someone around them who does would have made an on-the-spot correction. The Falcon dining facility is not a spacious one. Anyone being rude, loud or raucous calls immediate attention to himself. It is hard to fathom that anyone would be able to get away with such callous behavior without somebody intervening and stopping it from happening.

Major Kirk Luedeke
Public Affairs Officer
4th IBCT, 1st ID

There you have it!
Another bogus attempt to blast the military by an anti-war Leftist media organization is put to bed!
This posted at TNR today DOES NOT COUNT:

Several conservative blogs have raised questions about the Diarist “Shock Troops,” written by a soldier in Iraq using the pseudonym Scott Thomas. Whenever anybody levels serious accusations against a piece published in our magazine, we take those charges seriously. Indeed, we’re in the process of investigating them. I’ve spoken extensively with the author of the piece and have communicated with other soldiers who witnessed the events described in the diarist. Thus far, these conversations have done nothing to undermine–and much to corroborate–the author’s descriptions. I will let you know more after we complete our investigation.

–Franklin Foer

Other blogs that are all over this today:
Michelle Malkin
More from Hot Air
Little Green Footballs, which did so much to debunk the “Fake but Accurate” 60 Minutes story.
Confederate Yankee
The Bull
winkle Blog

The Tank, which smelled something fishy with this even before the WWS.
The Jawa Report
Villainous Company
The Corner
Mudville Gazette
Michael Yon chimed in
Ace of Spades
Dean Barnett

Q and O
Haft of the Spear

William Kristol writes today about the tragic realization that a majority on the Left really do not support the troops:

How can you say with a straight face that you support the troops while advancing legislation that would undercut their mission and strengthen their enemies?

The “Scott Thomas” fiasco is just another example of this.

Update: Dan Riehl and Outside the Wire are following the trail of clues to Scott Thomas.

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Castro Already Makes Demands On US: The Blockade Must Cease

Today Barack Obama normalized relations with Communist Cuba.
The president said the current policies were not working.

Castro already is making demands from the US.

The blockade must cease.

Castro also gave a speech today in response to the announcement.

As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or just generally being a jerk. Enforcement of this policy is at the sole discretion of the site administrators and repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without warning. Guest posting is disabled for security reasons.


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Town in Switzerland Bans Burqas IN BLOW OUT VOTE

Apparently, the Swiss people aren’t cool with having their country turned into an Islamic state. In a blow-out vote yesterday, one Swiss town banned burqas.

Breitbart reports:

The town of Ticino in Switzerland approved a referendum to ban burqas, after the Swiss parliament decided a ban would not “violate the country’s federal law.” Women could receive a fine up to £6,500 ($9,828.84) if caught wearing a burqa, which covers their entire body from head to foot.

“Those who want to integrate are welcome irrespective of their religion,” explained Giorgio Ghiringhelli, who wrote the proposal. “But those who rebuff our values and aim to build a parallel society based on religious laws, and want to place it over our society, are not welcome.”

The local government also wanted to ban masks, but the members of parliament decided to limit the law to burqas “to avoid putting that on the same level as hooligans and masked demonstrators.” However, tourists are not exempt from the law.

It’s good to see at least one European country standing up to the Islamic State.

Image: (Breitbart)

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Ann Coulter Slays Amnesty-Loving Senate Democrats Over #SchumerShutdown

Conservative firebrand and twelve-time New York Times bestselling author, Ann Coulter, took Senate Democrats to task Saturday for shutting down the federal government over amnesty for illegal aliens.

“Why don’t Dems want it known that they’re shutting down the govt over amnesty? I thought “the polls” showed voters LOVE about amnesty?” Coulter tweeted.

“You can tell what’s popular by what politicians lie about. Dems don’t want ANYONE to know they’re shutting govt down to force thru an amnesty.”

Coulter kept the punches rolling, tweeting, “Step 1) Make Americans think they must be nuts by citing phony polls showing voters LOVE amnesty; Step 2) Don’t let anyone know Dems just shut down govt over amnesty.”

According to a Fox News poll from last September, 83% of voters support a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens.

The same poll claims 63% of Trump voters favor “granting Dreamers citizenship.”

However, a poll conducted by Morning Consult and POLITICO tells a different story about how Americans view granting amnesty to “Dreamers.”

Breitbart News reports:

In a new poll by Morning Consult and Politico, just 29 percent of Americans said allowing illegal aliens on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to permanently remain in the United States and receive a pathway to citizenship was a priority.

Support for amnesty for DACA illegal aliens has dropped 10 points among Americans since Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in September on behalf of President Trump’s administration that the Obama-era program would ultimately be ended in March 2018.

Even among Americans who are Democrats, support for an amnesty for DACA illegal aliens has fallen to less than 50 percent. Only 44 percent of Democratic voters said giving amnesty to DACAs needed to be a priority for Congress.

As laid out in a GOP email sent Saturday morning, a large majority of Americans agree with President Trump that it was wrong for Democrats to shut down the federal government over DACA.

Per the email:

1. More Americans polled said avoiding a shutdown is more important than continuing DACA.

“A majority of Americans, 56%, said approving a budget to avoid a government shutdown was more important for Congress to do than passing a bill to maintain the DACA program. Only one in three Americans, 34%, said they prioritized a DACA fix over avoiding a shutdown.”

2. Independents agree with Republicans on these issues

“Most independents fell in line with Republicans on the crucial choices facing both parties as a government shutdown approached. …a majority of independents, 57%, said they prioritized avoiding a government shutdown over finding a DACA solution. Only 34% said a DACA solution is more important.”

As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to edit or remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, anti-Semitism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. The same applies to trolling, the use of multiple aliases, or just generally being a jerk. Enforcement of this policy is at the sole discretion of the site administrators and repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without warning. Guest posting is disabled for security reasons.


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Why Are You Writing/Reading YA?

Over on her blog, India has asked an interesting question: why are you writing/reading YA?

I find it easier to answer why I *read* YA rather than why I write it. I don't really like the labelling that goes on (YA, MG, etc.); I have to follow the rules while querying (and will certainly have to do so if I get published and start marketing), but it seems to me that the best books are loveable by everyone. Adult critics read these books and other adults - whether parents or not - read their reviews, if not the books, so why do we bother with labels at all? Among others I'd recommend The Lord of the Rings or Charlotte's Web or Anne of Green Gables, not to mention The Giver or The Wind in the Willows, to readers from 7 to 77! Someone said something about YA books being shorter - what? Shucks, the longer a book the better, and that's how I felt when I was a kid too!
None of that quite answers why I read it, however. I think I appreciate how clear cut the morals are. I like the way experiences and adventures seem new to the characters; I like watching them discover the way the world works. That said, I certainly don't pigeonhole my reading by category - I read 'em all.
And why do I write it... I certainly didn't start out writing YA. I wrote short stories when I was younger but my first two novels were romances. Somehow I gravitated towards YA. I wish I had a better explanation than "the characters that spoke to me were young" but that's essentially what happened. The "moment of change" aspect is probably the most compelling reason. Here's a good summary of the beginning from Paul Auster:
"Well, the fact is I never know where my books come from, and I never go out looking for ideas. It all seems to happen in a way that has nothing to do with me. One day something is there that wasn't there the day before. If that something is interesting and compelling it tends not to go away. Generally speaking, I'm looking for a way not to write the book. Only something that is so powerful, forceful, and overwhelming to your imagination that you actually want to live inside this idea for months or years to come is going to hold up. So you keep pushing away at it, and if it doesn't fall down it usually starts to grow."

Aubrie said…
I love YA. I started writing an epic fantasy and everyone told me to make it YA. All of my writing tends toward YA, and I love reading it.

It's a wonderful genre.
India Drummond said…
It's still not really my thing, but I tell ya, I learned a lot from the responses to that post!

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Whazz Up?

It has been a flurry of activity around here for months.  Here's what I've been up to:

  • Apparently I was passed up on the May 21st rapture.  That's ok.  I have more Real Housewives series to catch up on.
  • I did a 3-day juice cleanse.  I was hungry. I lost 3 lbs (which was not my goal) but BONUS.  My life was not transformed in the way some have written about.  I did feel like it helped me to get back on track following a Disney week-long diet of foods I don't usually eat. And I reaffirmed that beets are on the very short list of foods I can't choke down even if my life depends on it.
  • I've decided to take up drinking bourbon.  (Not as a hobby, just on occasion.) Every interesting cocktail recipe I see lately contains bourbon.
  • Speaking of bourbon, this is my new favorite grown-up milkshake to serve at parties...
Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Milkshake

Serves 1-2
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups premium vanilla ice cream
2-3 tablespoons pourable caramel sauce1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon

Mix in blender and serve.
    • I've gone viral!!!  I did a few months of work testing products and creating recipes for Duncan Hines commercials and campaigns.  If you go to the Duncan Hines Facebook page you can watch the commercial.  After the commercial you can click on any of the desserts and watch videos of me demo'ing some tips and techniques.  To find me, look for these "kitchen timer" icons...

     Click and there I'll be...

    Don't I look joyful and perky?  Don't judge.  I was very excited to show home bakers how easy some of these professional techniques are to do at home.

    • I also developed new burger recipes for Vlasic pickles.  Click here and try some of these recipes out.  My personal faves are the Zesty Garlic Guacamole Burger and the State Fair Fried Pickle Burger.  My family loves the BBQ Bread and Butter Burger.
    So there you have it. (Which I say far too often in these videos.  Not really the catchphrase I dreamt of being associated with...) That is what I've been busy with.  How's things with you?

    1 comment:

    Anonymous said...

    The only thing I would change about the bourbon drink is increase the bourbon to one cup and add a splash of seltzer thereby making it a bourbon egg creme. Sort of.


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List Price US $599
Nidecker Legend Review And Buying Advice
Overall Rating
Riding Style Freeride
Riding Level Advanced - Expert
Fits Boot size (US) 8-10, 10-12
Manufactured in Tunisia
Shape Tapered Directional
Camber Profile Hybrid Camber
Stance Setback over 20mm
Approx. Weight Feels Normal
Powder Excellent
Turning Experience
Carving Good
Speed Great
Uneven Terrain Good
Switch Average
Jumps Average
Jibbing Poor
Pipe Poor
On Snow Feel

Turn Initiation

Skidded Turns

Edge Hold

Icy Snow

Nidecker Legend 2014 - 2010 Review by The Good Ride

2014 Nidecker Legend

The Nidecker Legend was discontinued in 2013 which I thought was kind of a shame but it came back in 2014 with an entirely new design. It’s kind of an Arbor A-Frame Rip but it does look good.  I haven’t tried this because Nidecker hasn’t been selling their boards lately in the US or sending them to me for demo.  The only boards they still have in the US are the Megalight and Ultralight. The older Legend with camber was an exceptional longer freeride board and then the Camrock (hybrid camber) version was exceptionally fun too.  The new Legend has a much more surfy look and has a different shape to it.  The sizing is similar but the waist width is a little larger as the sizing goes up and the taper is almost the same.   I haven’t ridden this board but based on the wider waist width I would probably prefer the old camrock model because I could get the 174 and ride it really quick edge to edge with my size 9 boots.  Now the larger sizes like the 168 and 174 are more mid/wides.

2010-2012 Nidecker Legend Review.

The Nidecker Legend is one of the most unknown and underrated freeride boards US. This Swiss company has been at it since the 80’s, take their craft very seriously and should never be ignored when shopping for a board. They make some great freestyle boards but developed a best in class reputation in the freeride and big mountain world. There are many boards in this category but nothing handles like this. Its sad that people in the US don’t know about Nidecker. For 2012 The Legend changed to hybrid rocker and this is exactly what we were hoping for.  It has some drawbacks compared to older camber model but the positves far outweigh the negatives.

Days Used- 20+
Bindings Used- Burton Cartels
Boards Tried 168 and 164

There were 5 major boards in this small catagory of cambered slightly tapered freeride boards that all compete directly against each other.  They are the Salomon Burner, The Burton Supermodel, Supermodel X and The Nidecker Legend.  As of 2012 the Supermodel and Supermodel X have been discontinued and the Legend has upgraded to hybrid camber so this comparison is lost.  The only one in the Legends category now is the Burton Barracuda and it has a different hybrid design.  Out of the boards the Nidecker Legend is incredibly underrated in the US and is argueably the best in it’s class. This board can ride nimble and quick for it’s size but at the same time give you a lot of float in powder.  It’s like having a high performance long board that can do short board moves.  The boards with Ultimate Grip will have some of the best edge hold a tapered board can have while it’s new.  After a while the ultimate grip will be tuned away but it will still have a very good edge hold. The one small issue with this board is the stance width.  It definitely has the euro narrow stance going for it.  Most freeriders don’t mind this but some of the people who prefer a wider stance might not be too stoked on how narrow it is compared to most US boards.

This board is made for groomers as well as its made for steep and deep.  It is super fun to make mellow turns or get euro carvy if you are in the mood.  Anything you do on a groomer from straight lining to carving will work rather well.  Both the Camrock and Camber are a delight to ride on groomers and
Powder: This has a short contact length, a big set back, a slightly bigger nose than the tail and a deep side cut. As of 2012 the Legend changed to camrock which made the float more effortless.  It turns very well for a board it’s size but where it really shines is getting you out of those flat sections that the fishes and small boards slow or stop in. Get use to passing people in the flats back to the chair. No matter what kind of powder you are in this will board will hold it well. We haven’t been stuck yet on this board or had issues turning in tree situations despite it’s size.
Speed: Very fast base and a very fast board in powder or groomers. If you choose straight line a run it will be just as fun as making make quick turns in the steep stuff. There are faster boards out there but this is in the top 10%.  If you keep it waxed it will treat you well.
Weight- This board is very light.  Probably in the top %5. The 164 feels like its a 156, the 168 feels like its a 160 and the 174/175 like a 166. If you want to take a long hike worry about the other gear you bring and not the board.
Turn Initiation and Carving: The turn initiation with camrock is easier than the old camber board but like the camber it still takes more work than the other hybrid camber or hybrid rocker boards out there. Still for a board of this size it’s pretty easy.  You still can make the tightest turns when your life is on the line and also allows you to make fun wide radius easy turns. The carving was better with camber but the camrock is still very good either.  It just turns like it’s shorter than it’s size now.
Edge Hold: This board does well with out ultimate grip but with ultimate grip its outstanding. The ultimate grip is very unique. Its hard to notice untill you look up close but between the bindings there is a serrated edge that really holds well in ice and hard pack. Its also great to have this type of edge hold when your terrain shifts on you. If you happen upon ice under powder your rail won’t slide out. Its not always going to be a powder day so Nidecker figured out how to make this board great when its time for groomers.
Stiffness- This board has a medium/stiff flex which is perfect for what it needs to do. Its soft enough to turn and stiff enough to stay chatter free at high speeds. Nidecker knows how to make both the camber and camrock handle chatter very well.
Rails and Boxes- Don’t go there
Jumps: Most likely you’ll just want a nice method or a 360.
Pipe:Pipe is not this boards cup of tea.

This is one of those boards that should be in the US everywhere but instead is just barely here. This is one of those boards we keep coming back to and always want to own for deep days and freeride moods.

Nidecker Legend Past Reviews

Nidecker Legend Specs

Nidecker Legend Images

We try to get as many images of the Nidecker Legend, but forgive us if they're not all there.

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Monday, November 29, 2010

Hana Fresh

Hana Fresh's seriously has the cutest little fruit and veggie stand on island!
Everything always looks so colorful and fresh! It's impossible to resist....
Big Island Macadamia Nuts
Beautiful Mixed Greens...
Juicy rainbows of Tomatoes
Dried Tropical Fruit and Nuts
And each morning I grabbed one of these....
A vegan "Tropical Smoothie" made with Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Strawberry, and Ice.
Hana Fresh also offers: Dairy based Smoothies, Coffee, Banana bread, Grilled paninis ( Carlos had a "Cuban" ), super fresh Ahi Steaks, Chinese Chicken Salads, Fruit Bowls, and bags of Mixed Nuts.
Luckily you don't have to drive all the way to Hana to enjoy the produce grown at Hana Fresh. I've seen their products at Whole Foods and Mana Foods to name a few.......
I bought a ton of these guys to make a fabulous Tomato Salad when I returned home!
Hana Fresh's Tomato Salad-vegan
2 large red Heirloom tomatoes
2 med orange Heirloom tomatoes
5 small yellow Heirloom tomatoes
(cut all tomatoes into wedges)
1/3 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 cup ( or more! ) Kalamata olives
1/4 cup minced red onions
1/2 lemon juiced
2-3 Tb Meyer lemon olive oil
2 Tb red wine vinegar
couple pinches of flaky sea salt ( I used Cyprus )
couple of twists with the pepper mill
( FYI-I didn't actually measure everything out but I'm pretty good at guessing portion sizes. However, taste as you go and go with your gut as always )
I paired this with some Kalamata Olive Bread and some creamy Goat Cheese for a perfectly simple dinner.
And for dessert.....
A freshly picked Orange Jamaican Lilikoi....The best Passion Fruit out there!
Enjoy and Aloha!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Saturday in Hana

Carlos at Hamoa...
lava rock walls
Alau Island
Red sand at Koki Beach
Pretty home near Kipahulu...
Country roads
Carlos hunting Apple-Banana.....
Hana Bay
baby cats
Snack time at Hotel Hana-Maui
Dashwood New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
"Grilled Raisin-Poi Bread with Maui's own Surfing Goat Dairy Goat Cheese and Local Honey"
Ummmm HELLO!
How delish is this!
Be back soon with produce from Hana Fresh....

Thanksgiving in Hana, Maui

Pre-dinner downpour....
Wine from Argentina.
Backyard Raw Honey
Sweet Potato
My girl Carla's incredible "Passion Fruit, Orange, Cranberry Sauce"!
Elizabeth's gorgeous Black and White Garlic Rice with Kale.
Garden greens....
Crispy Pahole Ferns
Summer Squash and Green Beans
Red and White Quinoa
Thai seasoned Turkey with coconut milk, lemongrass and chilies. I didn't have any turkey ( obviously ) but it looked and smelled wonderful.
Sooooo much food!!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!
I'm full again just looking at it all!
Be back soon with surfing at Hamoa and Hana Fresh.


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Monday, February 27, 2012

It's incredible to see how the Lord works

Dear Houston,

So I realized with my transfer news last week, I didn't tell you anything about the changes in Owen Sound! Apparently they're pretty historic, so here's the deal for y'all to be jealous of my exiting historic mission! They rearranged the stakes here and created a new Barrie Stake. It's interesting, because they changed 4 stakes...and ended up with four stakes. The area authority who was explaining said the felt like it was shuffling deck chairs on the titanic, but that's what they and the first presidency felt prompted to do so they did it. I guess the members here have been talking about the day the Barrie stake would be formed for about 20 years now, so everyone was really excited. The stake conference they announced it at was awesome, they explained the new boundaries and then had various members either being released from or receiving a stake conference bare their testimony. Our bishop was called to be the new 2nd counselor for the Barrie Stake, and gave an amazing testimony about how the Lord makes us able to serve the callings we're given. The spirit was so strong, I loved it, and it made me even more excited for general conference in March!
This also means I'm in the new Barrie Zone and in a new district, which has been fun. Along with keeping my tradition of international companions, I also seem to be setting a trend of always having an Elder from my MTC district in my district- I had Elder Jensen the last 2 transfers, and now I'm with Elder Kenning! Of course, this means we have an even longer drive to district meeting- instead of an hour to an hour and a half, we now have 2 or 2 and a half hours to drive! At first they said we'd only be able to go once a month, but we got permission to continue going every other week.
This week has been pretty exciting to see things happen. You can tell Sister Arnold and I are the ones who are supposed to be here this transfer, because all the people Sister Tuisku and I felt strongly about but have been trying for weeks to get a hold with no success suddenly became available and we've been able to see! It's incredible to see how the Lord works, it's so clear that this is His work and NOT ours- if we ever plan to teach something that He wouldn't have us teach or bring members who aren't supposed to be there, appointments fall thru until we admit that we're not listening to prompting and change our plans- then we start seeing them again. And now, when we were trying so hard to see people before we got split up we failed, but now that Sister Arnold and I are working to contact it manages to happen. It's just reaffirmed to me that we have so little to do with this work, it will go on with or without us, but when we strive to remain worthy of and listen to the spirit we're allowed to assist in the work.
And Melissa, I feel your pain about showing an area, I have gotten lost several times while trying to direct Sister Arnold. I really got used to just letting Sister Tuisku drive and zone out thinking about things and I'm now regretting it because I'm back to staring at maps trying to remember where everyone lives.
I had the most embarrassing moment so far of my mission! We were walking down a street towards this couple, so we stopped them to OYM (already this most awkward thing in the world, right?) and I took a step back so we wouldn't be too creepy and stand in their bubble. So right as I'm explaining that we're missionaries, I step on ice and just eat it! I landed flat on my butt and this couple just stared at me, I probably looked like a lunatic. Sister Arnold tried to save the conversation but there was no way. And then we had to go OYM someone else who had obviously watched the whole thing go down- epic fail. Now one of my investigators has been lecturing me on how to take care of the sore wrist I caught myself on and I feel like Dad is here in Owen Sound, so that part is actually pretty fun.
Well, glad all is well. Sister Arnold has a pretty back track record of her companions having family crisises while she was assigned to them, so be extra careful for the next 6 weeks please. Especially avoid horses it sounds like. Love you all and will talk to you in a week!

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 "> Akal Dev Sharonne, Musician - Healer

Akal Dev Sharonne flutist

Akal Dev Sharonne, Musician-Healer
Flute Instruction
Healing Touch
Dances of Universal Peace
The FlutistMs. Sharonne wins accolades wherever she goes. From the mountains of Southern France, to major metropolitan centers, to the coastal plains of North Carolina, audiences are moved by her powers of expression, beauty of tone and delightfully engaging manner. She is equally at home as a recitalist in Boston’s famed Jordan Hall; as a soloist with the Boston Pops; as a chamber musician in Carnegie Recital Hall. She was on the roster of North Carolina’s prestigious Visiting Artist Program for three years and has toured throughout the Carolinas. Ms. Sharonne has appeared as soloist with orchestras in New York, Massachusetts and North Carolina. Her versatility extends to expertise in East Indian music and other genres of musical improvisation. She has been the recipient of Meet The Composer grants, in recognition of her improvisatory compositions, and has received fellowships from the Regional Artist Project of NW North Carolina for innovative proposals. Ms. Sharonne is the artistic director of "A Musical Feast," a chamber ensemble of outstanding musicians who perform in venues around western NC. She maintains a private teaching studio in Boone, NC, accepting a limited number of talented and dedicated students each year.

Sonata in F minor, Op. 120, No. 1

Allegro Appassionato (8:02)

Rasalila by D. B. Rama (12:48)
She displayed a virtuosity and mastery of her instrument that was truly wonderful.”

“Ms. Sharonne’s flute playing was superb.”

Healing Touch
Healing Touch is a powerful form of energy healing. Using gentle touch, the practitioner removes stagnant or blocked energy, allowing clients to catalyze their own innate healing capacities. Healing Touch has catalyzed self healing in ailments ranging from life-threatening illnesses to the common cold, fatigue and stress.

Clients are assisted in creating a regimen for healing on all levels of their being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Long distance healings are also available. Akal Dev is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner. Her exquisite flute playing at the end of the session brings the healing to a still deeper level of integration.
Clients Say...

" I have not met anyone who personifies the true nature of a healer as you do.
Thank you.”

“Your session resulted in the best visit with my
mother-in-law that I’ve had in years!”

“After battling stage 4 cancer for eighteen months, I came to see Akal Dev. Five Healing Touch sessions later, a bone scan and CT scans revealed that all the metastases were gone. I am healed! I believe that prayer and Healing Touch were the key catalysts for this miraculous healing.”

has been practicing and teaching yoga since the 70’s. She has taught at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, UMass Amherst and Appalachian State University. Integrating traditional Hatha Yoga with flow sequences and Kundalini practices, her classes are a delightful blend of challenge, humor and wisdom.  Currently she teaches at Neighborhood Yoga, Studio Elenas, and through the Senior Centers in Boone and Cove Creek. A special treat is her exquisite music played on a gold flute to relax and calm the body, mind and spirit.  Class Schedule

Students Say...

“Akal Dev is a yoga teacher extraordinaire.”

“Super excellent. Wonderful, knowledgeable
and fun!”

“Akal Dev teaches more than yoga. Her classes
offer tools for living a joyful, balanced life.”

Dances of Universal Peace
From the beginning of time, people have come together with sacred movement and song to celebrate seasonal ceremony, life passages and daily renewal. The Dances of Universal Peace are part of this timeless tradition. Sacred phrases are repeated to the accompaniment of live music and simple movements. This embodiment of the sacred phrase evokes feelings of peace, joy and love.

Ms. Sharonne is a Certified Dance Leader. She has led Dances at the Omega Institute, Southern Dharma Retreat Center and other centers. She founded and has been leading the Boone Dance Circle since 1998. Upcoming Dance Retreats

Home | Concerts | Weddings | Flute Instruction | Yoga Class Schedule

 Copyright © 2012 The Healing Muse Updated:

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Tag Archive for Going

Your Editor Going off Grid . . . Almost

As many of our fellow Insiders and regular readers have noticed I’m sure, I haven’t kept the information flowing as fast as you are use to.

I have been following the Controllers and their pals slowly take our country towards their so-called New World Order since I was in my late teens and I have been trying to educate others as to my findings for the past 20 some-odd years. I am now 70. It’s time to think of me and mine. It’s past time to get out from under their control, so we have decided to get as close to that day as possible. With that in mind. I’ve been spending a lot of time setting us up to get off grid as much as possible.

I will be away from any internet connections until I can rectify that, but do plan on coming back on-line as soon as I can.  In the mean time, our buddy Rick Osmon will post from time to time and if worst comes to worst you can always go through our extensive Archive locate in the right hand column.

Dennis Crenshaw EDITOR

UPDATE: Judge Goes Nuclear On Obama (+) Fox Hosts Tear Into ‘Misleading’ Eric Holder, Question If He Lied Under Oath About Going After Press (Video Reports)

Featured image: Communist Obama Credit: WND

From youtube uploaded by BirtherReportDotCom on May 19, 2013

Judge Goes Nuclear On Obama: Why Do You Apologize To Muslims And Lie To Americans

From youtube uploaded by MichaelSavage4Prez

Eric Holder - CaricatureBy DonkeyHotey SOURCE Flickr Public Domain

Photo: Eric-Holder-Caricature. By DonkeyHotey. SOURCE Flickr (Public Domain).

Fox Hosts Tear Into ‘Misleading’ Eric Holder, Question If He Lied Under Oath About Going After Press

Published on May 28, 2013

5/28/13 – In light of the matter involving the Justice Department and Fox News reporter James Rosen, the Fox & Friends crew went after Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday morning, questioning whether he may have been dishonest under oath when asked about DOJ targeting. Despite what he said, the hosts argued, it’s clear he was involved.

Obama Birth Certificate Story Not Going Away

From The Western Center for Journalism APRIL 22, 2013 BY

“According to lead Obama investigator Mike Zullo . . .

“Disinformation and the intentional dissemination of false information to protect Obama, will not survive in the face of what Zullo is calling a 100% fabricated document. He listed the following tactics used to discredit the research of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse: media black outs; ridicule of opponents; infiltration and domination of message boards; setting up straw men to create an argument to chip away at the truth and simply ignoring the facts. “All we ask [is that Obama] bring forward the real original document,” said Zullo.” . . . . Read Complete Report

Obama's Claimed Birth CertificateAccording to expert examination this “birth certificate” was generated on a computer. There were no computer in general use when Obama was born. As we all know the original of Obama’s birth certificate would have been typed on a typewriter. There are other problems with this document besides that. Obama we want some answers. . . EDITOR

Pot Civil War Update 4/2/13: going Legal (Video Reports) (+) Cannabis Culture News LIVE: The Fine Art of Bong-Making (Video Reports)

From youtube IAMHEMP420  on Apr 1, 2013

Published on Apr 1, 2013

from youtube uploaded by PotTVNetwork

Cannabis Culture News LIVE: The Fine Art of Bong-Making

POT TV – Watch Cannabis Culture News LIVE every Friday at 4PM PT for the latest news and views on pot politics and the marijuana community.

Honduras: US “Drug War” Aid Linked to Death Squad (+) Going Undercover as a Mexican Drug Lord (Video Report)

Drug War History ~The first major step in the ever escalating ‘War on Drugs’ in America was the passage of  the Harrison Tax Act of 1914, which restricted the sale of heroin and eventually cocaine.

Photo: 1914. Federal Agents confiscating some of the first “illegal drugs.” SOURCE: Library of Congress

From The Intel Hub

WW4 Report

March 26, 2013

Officially, US State Department aid to the Honduran National Police must bypass units under the direct supervision of the force’s overall commander, Director General Juan Carlos Bonilla AKA “El Tigre”—who in 2002 was accused of three extrajudicial killings and links to 11 more deaths and disappearances in so-called “social cleansing” operations. He was tried on one killing and acquitted; the other cases were never fully investigated.

But an investigation by the Associated Press, based on interviews with unnamed Honduran officials, finds that all police units are actually under Bonilla’s direction. Speaking on record was Celso Alvarado, a criminal law professor and consultant to the Honduran Commission for Security and Justice Sector Reform, said the same. “Every police officer in Honduras, regardless of their specific functions, is under the hierarchy and obedience of the director general,” he said. . . . Read Complete Report

From youtube Uploaded by vice

Going Undercover as a Mexican Drug Lord

Published on Oct 2, 2012

Former undercover DEA agent, Celerino Castillo III, tells us about training death squads, blowing up cocaine labs, and how the cartels are controlling both sides of the border.


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The Info List - Baliceaux

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BALICEAUX is one of the Grenadines
islands which lie between the Caribbean islands of Saint Vincent and Grenada
. Politically, it is part of the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
. This island was the site where the English army banished about 5000 Black Caribs following the defeat of Carib Chief Joseph Chatoyer in the 1790s. Half of them died in this concentration camp. The others were deported to the island of Roatán, Honduras. Their descendants live today as the Garifuna people
Garifuna people
in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and in the USA. As a mark of respect, Baliceaux is visited yearly by Caribs and Government officials to remember.

Coordinates : 12°57′00″N 61°08′45″W / 12.95000°N 61.14583°W / 12.95000; -61.14583

This Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
location article is a stub . You can help by expanding it .

* v


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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

The JOLT Playlist, July 8, 2015

Hour 1
Glitterball - Sigma with Ella Henderson
Erotica (Division 4 Mix) - Madonna
When Love Takes Over - David Guetta with Kelly Rowland
Glitter in their Eyes - Patti Smith
Mister Sister - Kate Pierson

Hour 2
I Just Want to Dance - Alison Jiear
What You Don't Do - Lianne La Havas
A comversation with Michael Hill and Chase Maggiano about the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington's tour of Cuba
Path of the Right Love - Gloria Estefan
Without You - Anne Steele

Hour 3
SummerThing! - Afrojack with Mike Taylor
A conversation with Emmett Lundberg about the second season of the web series, Brothers
Next to Me - Emeli Sande
Love is Free - Robyn with La Bagetelle Magique
A conversation with Jenni Pulos about the new season of Flipping Out on Bravo
Heroes - Mans Zelmerlow

Hour 4
More than Silence (Roland Faber Mix) - Culture Club
Favorite Song (Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Mix) - Huey Mack
A conversation with Nick Sandow about the current season of Orange is the New Black
Fire Under My Feet - Leona Lewis
Anus - Alaska Thunderfuck
Love Slave - Pearl

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Tag Archives: 3d

Time to get personal

Tekken 7 may present an accessible entry to the franchise for players of all skill levels. With Tekken 7, the developers    ... more

Holographic electronics

Holographic technology is a concept which seems to be straight from science fiction the way it projects 3D light images. These    ... more

The future draws near

The medium of video games might capture the imagination of players through the worlds they might explore, the characters they meet    ... more

Sing with one voice

Paris based animation studio Illumination Mac Guff, a subsidiary of Illumination Entertainment, may have produced several notable feature films since their    ... more

A splash of colour

Over the years Nintendo may have accumulated a collage of mascots, some which sprawl generations of consoles. From home to mobile    ... more

Credit @Bungie.Activision

A date with destiny

Master Chief, the green-clad space marine which may stand as the mascot for console gaming first found success in his debut    ... more

Creativity goes 3D-tastic!

By Yasmin Giannini, aged 10 years Whooo-hoo! One minute we’re all watching, colouring and creating on a flat surface and everything    ... more

A hologram existence?

Current string theory describes the universe as being made from indivisibly small vibrating strings which exist across many dimensions, which in    ... more


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Jumat, 14 April 2017

 Sink Unit with Integrated Dishwasher Unit  The Olive Branch Kitchens

Cooking area Island Designs: How To Pick The Right One

Kitchen Island styles are important to think about if you believe a kitchen island would certainly suit well with your existing arrangement. If you have actually made a decision that a kitchen area island is a smart idea (and it usually is, if you desire even more work room and/or eating room), below are some things to consider so that you select the right one for your demands as well as design:

Kitchen Island With Sink Dishwasher And Seating

Kitchen Island With Sink Dishwasher And Seating

1. Establish just what you're going to utilize the island for.

Compact SmallSpace Dishwasher Fits into Kitchen Sink Slot

Compact SmallSpace Dishwasher Fits into Kitchen Sink Slot

When selecting an island design for your kitchen area, among one of the most efficient actions is to figure out the function of the island. Will you utilize it purely as an area to eat as well as talk? Will you utilize it for a microwave, fridge, or sink? There's no "appropriate" or "incorrect" function of your kitchen island. Rather, it's important to determine exactly how it could enhance your time in the kitchen.

How To Build A Kitchen Island With Sink And Dishwasher Kitchen Ideas

How To Build A Kitchen Island With Sink And Dishwasher  Kitchen Ideas

2. You could add cooking surface areas below the island.While cooking becomes part of any type of kitchen, it's not the most exhilarating view for others to see. Thankfully, you can develop degrees of preparation locations below the island's surface area. This enables you to do whatever cutting, blending, and other tasks you have to do-without everybody seeing the mess.

3. Offer enough clearance.

That ought to suffice area in between your island and kitchen cabinets. Particularly, three to 4 feet is generally sufficient. If you remain in question, offer more area, to ensure that your family members will be comfortable around the cooking area island table. On top of that, when you put in your island, see to it you determine to ensure that you sure you have enough clearance. This will certainly aid stop blunders or accidents because there are points that are also near the kitchen island.

4. Select the appropriate surface area.Depending on what you make use of the island for, you will certainly should choose the best surface.

5. Take a look at the big picture.

Related Video with Sink Unit with Integrated Dishwasher Unit The Olive Branch Kitchens

When you select a style for the cooking area island, take a look at the remainder of your cooking area design. Depending upon just what you want, you could match the island to your kitchen area decor, or you could contrast it with it, as long as it chooses your general theme. For instance, you could make your island match your kitchen cabinets exactly, or you can contrast them and also match them to the kitchen table chairs in your kitchen area rather. This is among the a lot more prominent patterns in modern-day kitchens, as a matter of fact, to match the kitchen area island to the furnishings as opposed to to the cupboards, so be sure to take notice of the kitchen table chairs also.

6. Should your kitchen area island be "post legs" open style, or closet style?

Both of these designs can aid to complement any kitchen. When picking either design, make certain to think about the type as well as feature of your island. For instance, if you're using the island for more than a table, then the cabinet style island would certainly be a smart alternative. Nevertheless, if you want the island to be a location purely to consume and chat-then take into consideration one with message legs.

A good kitchen island could help your kitchen look even much better compared to it is. It's essentially a means to add additional "furniture" your kitchen for much-needed extra space, to ensure that you can have extra seats or a larger food prep location. Whether you need more eating area, more cooking space, or both, a good kitchen island can meet your requirements for you.

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Monday, August 24, 2015

We're famous!

Okay...not really, but Aspen and I were on TV a couple of weeks ago. The owner of my gym sent out an email looking for moms with babies to join her for a pre/post natal segment on Fox 10. I took the morning off so Aspen and I could go. It was really cool to see the news from behind the scenes. Surprisingly there are a lot fewer people working then you would think. In the room where the morning show was filmed, it was the two hosts and one camera man. That's it. Kinda crazy. Aspen and I helped show an exercise you can do with your baby. She did great and was smiling during it.  The segment was right before she was due to eat so it could have gone bad but she was an angel. I had a lot of fun spending a little extra time with her in the morning. To be honest, I never workout with my kids because I do it while they are still asleep. I think we still set a good example though because Everly knows when we have come back from a run. She has also seen me play soccer and finish races. For me, working out with my kids just doesn't fit our schedule but for other people I know it is the only option so do what you gotta do! We also recorded it so Everly could watch it that night but here are some pictures from the morning:

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Getting ready and the Simpson's statues in the lobby
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See what I mean??? Not a lot of people behind the scenes.

A clip Justin took.

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Spring Training 2018

Last night we finally made it to a Spring Training game this season. It actually ended up working out really well. The weather was beyond pe...


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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Efficient Teaching Ideas for Busy Homeschooling Mothers Part One

I am going to share a couple of ideas with you. These are things I have done for many years with my own children.

Part One

I will describe how I taught my children some of their reading and writing skills, using 1800’s curriculum – The McGuffey Readers. I will first offer the “assignment” and then the “explanation.”

McGuffey Readers:

1. Read the lesson out loud.
2. Copy it (exactly) into a notebook.
3. Use the vocabulary words in a sentence.

1. I started Rachel (my oldest) on the 1st Reader. (I did not begin using the McGuffey’s until she already knew how to read.) We would go over lesson one. She had to read each sentence perfectly. I would show her the commas, periods, question marks, etc. I expected her to “pause” at a comma and change the tone of her voice for questions or at the end of a sentence. I had to read the sentence for her and then have her repeat what I said. This is how she learned to read very clearly. This is excellent for “speech” training.

I was able to quickly correct her if she got any words wrong. I could also explain definitions. This helped build her vocabulary and comprehension.

If she got any words wrong, or did not read the sentence correctly, I would (cheerfully, patiently and lovingly) teach it to her again. She was not allowed to move on to the next sentence until she got it right. But I encouraged her and praised her as we went, to help keep her motivated.

[This took anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes (depending on the length of the lesson). I could work with her while nursing a baby, washing dishes, or sitting at the kitchen table sipping on tea. It happened at any time during the day or evening. There was no set time for reading to me.]

2. She had to copy the lesson into a notebook. I expected to see paragraph indentations, the use of margins, and a clear title and page number. I made sure she did not rush through this. She had to spell everything right (by looking at the lesson), use proper punctuation, etc. Her handwriting had to be very neat as well. This was how she learned to write and compose her own sentences. She was copying excellent literature and it was absorbing into her mind.

[She did this without my help, but I checked her work and corrected it when she finished. While she worked I may have been folding laundry, watching a movie or sitting on the couch resting.]

3. At the end of the lesson, there is a list of vocabulary words. I gave her a verbal spelling test. If she got any wrong, I would (neatly) write them down. She was expected to practice saying and writing them for the next day. She had to write those 10 or 20 times and say them as she wrote.

She also had to write sentences. She could only use one of the vocabulary words in each sentence. I told her to make them funny and interesting. I would not accept two word sentences (such as “Come back!”). I also wanted to be entertained. This helped her to be creative. She loved to see my reactions to what she came up with. (As she got older I had to make some rules, however. She was not allowed to write any swears or anything vulgar. –smiles)

We never, ever, ever went on to the next lesson until she did it perfectly. She had to read clearly, write neatly and spell all the words without looking. Once she mastered this, she was able to move on to the next lesson. There were times she had to do the same lesson every day for a week, but that was okay. She was learning and improving.

What subjects have we just covered with McGuffey? We have studied Speech; Reading; Vocabulary; Creative Writing; Penmanship; Spelling; and Grammar.

How long did it take? We managed to efficiently teach for only 15 to 30 minutes.

In Part Two I will explain how to teach your student to enjoy editing and proofreading. This will greatly help improve writing skills.

In Part Three I will explain how to develop fun writing ideas for your students. We will use nothing more than a notebook, pen and a dictionary.

In Part Four, I show you How to Teach Mental Math Skills.

Mrs. White

Tristan said...

Thank you for this post. I am still reading and trying to decide how to use all the EES stuff. I think I like your way but my DD would probably revolt.

A question - was your oldest just fairly easygoing on needing to redo the writing it out part? That is really where I see my oldest rebelling. She does not like to write a long time, and rewrites can bring tears(part of it is how she holds her pencil I think - it makes her fingers hurt fairly quickly - we need to work on that). However, if I had her do rewrites the next day for round 2 of the lesson and just keep at it until she finished all 3 parts, it might work. Hmmm. Thinking about this.

Beth West said...

What good ideas!

Mrs. White said...

Tristan. There is no re-writing on the same day. She just had to try again, starting over the next day, as if she had never done the lesson at all. (A fresh start each day.)

When I corrected her work, I would use my pen and explain things like, where the Capital letter should have been, or where a comma was needed. But she didn't have to re-do her work.
We just went over the corrections verbally and with me marking her paper.

If she is easily frustrated, I wouldn't have her do it all at once (in one sitting). She could do Item 1 in the morning; Item 2 before lunch; and then Item 3 in the evening. Unless she was up to doing it at the same time, taking short breaks to play or have a snack.

Just take it at your own pace. You could break it up into three days (1 for each step) if that is better for your child. Do whatever works best in your situation.

The lessons in the 1st reader are very short and there are only a few vocabulary words, so it shouldn't take her too long to do the daily assignments. It gets progressively harder as she moves along. But take your time. It is important not to rush through the readers. The purpose is to master the skills, not necessarily to get them done.

Something to consider: There is nothing more important than learning to read and write. All other school work should be limited so the focus can be on Language arts. Otherwise, the child will be overly tired and overwhelmed.

For example: I had a student (not one of my children) who knew Science and names of many animals. She had an incredible memory from all the videos and lessons she had gone through in her homeschool. However, the child could not read or write at all. The time spent in school, in her case, should have had a heavier focus on reading and writing.

midwest mama said...

I agree that reading and writing are indeed the most important skills...once you have those mastered it is very easy to pick up facts and information by, you guessed it, reading and writing.

I'm looking forward to your post on editing and proofreading...this is a sticking point with my oldest.

Hillary (fellow Crew mate) said...

I love how you shared what you have done. It makes it seem so easy when I was wanting to make some long difficult thing neither of us liked. Thank you!

mommyx12 said...

I have used McGuffey for years and I love them. In fact I am on my third set!!

Michelle said...

Thank you for writing this post! I used McGuffey's for awhile and although I did some of what you did, I did not incorporate all which you did! You have included some great tips!

The Crazy Mom said...

Lovely as always!!!

Your biggest fan! :)

Kimberly @ RaisingOlives said...

Thank you for explaining this. I'm going to be using McGuffey with my children age 9 and younger beginning next week.

I think it will work perfectly with Madsen.

Again, thank you!!!

Kelly Land said...

Hi there. Thank you so much for your post, it has been a great help. I do have some questions though.
I noticed that you also had the kids write a story every day or several times a week. Was that also with the copy work, sentences and spelling that they did? Did that ever get to be to much writting for them? I think that would send my daughter over the edge... I have one who loves writing and one who hates, but that does seem like a lot of writting for one day. maybe I'm not doing enough though...?

Amy said...

Thanks so much for these practical ways to use McGuffey's. We're going to start using them with my *very* beginning reader once Christmas is over.

We already use Ray's Arithmetic! Great series, thanks for sharing!

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Good Wife

Married Student Studies as His Wife Serves Dinner to their Daughter

In the old days, Mothers used to hold a special place in the home for Fathers. The children were taught not to sit in his chair. They were taught to serve him first. They were taught to respect their Father as the head of the home.

But somewhere along the way, Mothers became more independent. No longer would they be like Edith Bunker, who did everything for her husband, during the height of the women's lib movement.

I like to think I take good care of Mr. White. I like to think I am a good wife. But yesterday I noticed something had been forgotten. I noticed him on edge and unhappy. I realized it was my fault.

I had been talking too much about the children's problems. I had been discussing money and bills. While these conversations have their place, it should not be the all-consuming - day-in-day-out focus of our home life.

When I realized this was happening, I remembered the old farm wives who used to make large meals and feed their weary husbands. They worked tirelessly for the comfort of their men - the providers.

I remembered sweet women, who were wives of great ministers - like Mrs. John R. Rice. I thought of her favorite book, which I have read numerous times. It was something she kept by her bedside and loved dearly. It was called, "God's Ideal Woman," and was written in 1941. Mrs. Rice wrote the foreword for this book. Then I thought of another amazing book, from the same publisher, called, "Beautiful for Thee." This one was published in the 1970's. Ladies, these kinds of books were written before Women's Lib changed a culture. These old books teach us how to be good wives and mothers.

As I thought about these books, I knew what I had to do to cheer up my husband. I asked him if he was comfortable and I resolved to be silent. . .

I would be meek and submissive and concern myself only with the moment, and Mr. White's happiness here at home. This must be a place of refuge for him. It must be a place of peace and rest. So I went into the kitchen and made a delicious supper.  Then we both sat together and quietly read the newspaper. I kept all my opinions and thoughts to myself. I had to learn the art of silence. I had to learn that my husband needed quiet so he could recover from his own worries.

I think Mrs. Bunker had it right all along. She wanted to make sure Archie had his meals and his coffee and his special chair. She created a home for him, a place he wanted to be, despite the feministic pull of the world.  She created a place where she served him with love and devotion, and did her very best not to cause him any additional worries.

Mrs. White

Inspired to work hard - What I Learned from My Husband's Weariness.

I Need to be Here - The Home Must Be Occupied.

A Little Visit - A Cozy Morning at the White House.

An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email.

Kelly Howard said...

This is SO very true! You really hit the nail on the head here with me...I have to work diligently to balance keeping him informed but not over burdened. We have been married 28 and a half years, and I still try harder every day to become a better wife. Love your blog!

Cindy said...

Great post and one I am so glad you shared. I'm a firm believer that when women's lib came along, it changed our society and our place as women. Oh how I wish we could turn back the clock but it doesn't work that way.

My goal and ambition in life has always been a good wife and mother, it was my dream as a little girl and even though I am no where near that age now, I still have the the same ambition.

It saddens me that our younger generation sees being a homemaker as "something as less than". To me and for me, it has ALWAYS been such a wonderful honor.

I love your blog, and btw, I am going to look into those books you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.

Debbie S. said...

I LOVE this post. Such a great reminder to me that I need to be a better wife. This is the second thing I've read lately, that reminds us to make our homes a safe haven for husband and children.
I think I'll keep this in the front of my mind and strive to make my home more of a sanctuary.

Thank you so much for writing about old fashioned values. We need more women like this:)

The Miller Seven said...

Thanks so much for the reminder. This has been an area of struggle for me lately, and this was just what I needed to hear (read!). Christ came to serve and not to be served. He is our example, so we should be serving the man whom He gave us, and the children that He blessed us with, and teaching them to do the same. The man is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church. Thanks again!!!

Amanda said...

Thanks for that post. I needed to b reminded of those truths you wrote.

Have a blessed day in THE LORD!

Matthew 6:33

Julianne said...

I loved reading this post, I too need to learn to keep my mouth shut more often. Our words have the ability to help and our words have the ability to hurt. And I believe it takes a really strong woman to be able to hold her tongue when necessary. It takes strength to be selfless in our selfish society. Christ was our prime example of selflessness, and if we follow his example then there is a peace and a joy that comes.
PS, I love the pictures you find to put in your posts!

Farrah said...

This is a great post! Thank you!

boastinginmyweakness.com said...

Great post!! I loved it and so agree. I feel so blessed to have a husband who is my best friend too - and loves talking to me. I think he likes to talk more than I do! lol!

Stopping by from the HHH!

Far Above Rubies said...

Good post. Thank you.

Sherry said...

God has been teaching this very same thing to me! In my practice of silence, I have also become more peaceful in my own heart!

Thank you for your special post.

Large Family Mothering

Anonymous said...

Great post! I am always amazed at how I can unintentionally fall into this world's feminist thinking even though I am very strongly against feminism. Thank you so much for the reminder and gentle nudge!
As to reply to Brit's comment from above. I can understand how you feel (I once thought the same way) but maybe you could think about how Edith was portrayed and treated in that TV series. It was so grossly exaggerated and manipulated to show that an obedient, submissive wife was not something to aspire to and, in fact,something to avoid. Whenever I have had those thoughts of "Why should I be the one to. . . instead of him?" the Holy Spirit always whispers "Because it starts with you". This is not a criticism, Brit, just some thoughts that I just wanted to share. Take care all of my sisters and keep fighting the good fight!
Blessings, Jennifer

Robert said...

I echo Jennifer's comment, "Because it starts with you," and want to add that as I am struggling with this, I am burdened by the idea that I do not have the patience and faithfulness in PRAYER for my husband that I should. Rather, I feel the need to be the one to correct everything that I believe needs to change, rather than praying and waiting for it to be a stirring in his soul that prompts the change. Thank you for a wonderfully insightful post!

Anonymous said...

Um, the above comment was left by someone else's account by accident (shared computer, oops!).

Jami Balmet said...

What a wonderful post!! I love to hear other woman in this day and age speak like you. So often we are afraid to voice this {especially on the internet!!}. And yet if we are to have a Biblical marriage and a loving home then we should be talkng about these thnigs all the time. What a beautiful reminder to all wives out there. I am humbled by this message all the time and try to make a peaceful home for my hubby to come home to. I'm so happy I came across your site today. I will be back to read more :)

Stopping by from the Raising Homemakers Link up

Jami @Intentionally Living

Ehrica said...

Thank you so much for reminding me of what is really important. Our lives can be filled with so much stress when focusing our attention on bills, money and chaos. My husband and I are going to sit down today and see what things we would like to change and work on in our home, we are also going to focus on the positive things that we can build upon. Thanks again!

Jodi said...

Very encouraging thank you. I needed to hear this. I will look for these books on Amazon or e-bay right away, what a blessing it will be to have these. I appreciate you mentioning them!
In Christ, Jodi

Dimple said...

I have to remember to hold my tongue regularly. I have been married 30 years, by God's grace. I spent the majority of those years speaking my mind, correcting and demeaning my husband. I'm thankful we are still married!

The gentle quiet spirit which is so valuable to God is also valuable to my husband, and when I succeed in acting according to that spirit I find peace, and support which is better than that provided by people.

Thank you for visiting my blog today, it was nice to see your name in my inbox!

Lindsay J said...

I am a newly married gal who just had our first baby. Despite having a rebellious, "independent" mother and having come from a generation that strives to see both genders as no gender and label it equality, I am looking for different female leadership. It's been stuffed down my throat my whole life that being domestic in any way is practically agreeing to slavery.

This blog is shocking to me and refreshing. As much as I like what I read, it makes me nervous to imagine myself so wholly dedicated to serving my family (even though that desire is what brought me to this page). Even though my instinct is to care for my husband and family, I have to unlearn all I've been taught (kitchen = jail cell; and while you are working in there, do it with resentment).

Thanks for the perspective on homemaking that I've needed and searched for.

Homeschool Mom said...

Thank you for this wonderful post. I think "Eve' has fallen for the Serpent's lies once again in believing that her role is to serve herself. Although I work outside the home, I believe and live the role of the "helpmeet" as best I can. As wives, we take care of our husbands and children so that they can take care of the family as the earthly head of the home. I am not diminished nor turned into a second class citizen by doing their laundry or cooking for them. Those tasks are my true vocations. Sadly, our culture has rejected this and girls today will not experience the satisfaction in keeping the home and nurturing the family.

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09 April 2015

'This doesn't encourage integration, this encourages separateness': Local council slammed for asking non-Muslim women to wear hijabs to raise awareness and combat Islamophobia

A local council has created controversy by asking non-Islamic women to wear hijabs in a 'social experiment' to increase awareness and education.

The City of Greater Dandenong Council in Victoria to wear the religious headdress for three hours today, as part of its plans to celebrate 'National Youth Week.'

The event, which will also be filmed, has been designed to 'provide awareness, insight and education' for the community.

However, critics of the plan said it will create further division in the community, according to the Herald Sun.

'If we're going to have people dressing up as Muslims for three hours, why doesn't the council encourage people to dress up as Christians,' Institute of Public Affairs executive director John Roskam said. [Daily Mail] Read more


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27 May 2016

Iranian Students Lashed 99 Times Over Coed Party

More than 30 college students were arrested, interrogated and within 24 hours were each given 99 lashes for attending a graduation party that included men and women, Iran’s judiciary has announced.

The punishments, which were believed to be part of a wider crackdown by a judiciary dominated by hard-liners, were meted out in Qazvin, about 90 miles northwest of the capital, and were carried out in record time, Mizan, a news agency affiliated with the judiciary, reported on Thursday, citing the city’s prosecutor.

The Qazvin prosecutor, Esmail Sadeghi Niaraki, said that more than 30 female and male students — the women were described as “half naked,” meaning they were not wearing Islamic coverings, scarves and long coats — were arrested while “dancing and jubilating” after the authorities received a report that a party attended both by men and women was being held in a villa on the outskirts of Qazvin.

An arrest warrant was issued, he said, and the defendants were sentenced to 99 lashes after being questioned. “We hope this will be a lesson for those who break Islamic norms in private places,” Mr. Niaraki said. [NYTimes.com] Read more


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Country Dance and Border Country available as 99p Kindle ebooks throughout May

Library of Wales treats for you all: Border Country by Raymond Williams is just 99p as part of the Kindle 100 promotion for the whole of May 2013 as is Country Dance by Margiad Evans
Border Country
'I do not think I have ever been so moved by a modern novel... It has made me take stock of my own position.' - Dennis Potter
When railway signalman Harry Price suffers a stroke his son Matthew, a lecturer in London, makes a return to the border village of Glynmawr. As Matthew and Harry struggle with their memories of social and personal change, a beautiful and moving portrait of the love between a father and son emerges.
About the author:
Raymond Williams was born in 1921 in the Welsh border village of Pandy. He taught at both Oxford and Cambridge, and in 1974 was appointed as Professor of Drama at Cambridge. His best-known publications include; Culture and Society (1958), The Long Revolution (1961), The Country and the City (1973), Keywords (1976) and Marxism and Literature (1977).
Country Dance:
"Phenomenon in border country writing, and pretty rare in any writing."
- John Powell Ward
"Written with terse incisive power... the novels of Margiad Evans glow with a dark... passionate light."
- Derek Savage
At the heart of Country Dance is Ann Goodman, a young woman torn by ‘the struggle for supremacy in her mixed blood’, Welsh and English. In this story of passion and murder set in the border country, the rural way of life is no idyll but a hard battle for survival.
About the author:
Artist and writer Margiad Evans (Peggy Whistler) was born in Uxbridge in 1909. Her work includes Country Dance (1932); The Wooden Doctor (1933); Turf or Stone (1934), and Creed (1936), as well as non-fiction, short stories, autobiography and two collections of poetry, Poems from Obscurity (1947) and A Candle Ahead (1956).
See all of the books in this month's Kindle promotion:

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Liebster Award

Good Morning !
I am really honored to be nominated for the Liebster Award.

I will go ahead and post Sewing Mama RaeAnna's description, since it was very well put.

What is a Liebster Award??????  Here is the description:

"The Liebster Blog Award is an award given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers, most of whom have less than 200 followers (or have been blogging for less than 6 months). It is to show newer bloggers that they are appreciated, and to help spread the word about new blogs. It was created to promote appreciation and recognition among the blog world. Liebster translates to “dearest” (or favorite/best) in German. It is also known as the Love Blog Award."

 rules :
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2.  Answer the 11 questions given by the nominator.
3.  Create 11 new questions for those you nominate.
4.  Choose 11 new blogs and link to them in your post.

It was so kind of RaeAnna to nominate me, and in order to accept that nomination, here are 11 Random Things About Me.
1. On my blog I use my middle name, Mae, rather than my first. I have always wanted a nickname but never really had one.
2. I have been sewing all my life, but I still feel much like a newbie!
3. If I had any sort of style, I would probably call it "practical." Otherwise, I am inspired by many different styles.

4. I am constantly told that I'm well organized and not a procrastinator but I feel like that's totally not true!

5. I began getting back into crafting by creating pop up cards for my students, family, and friends. In those days it was computer paper folded in fourths, crayons, and felt tip markers.

6. I prefer stripes to polka dots.

7. My favorite toy to play with my daughter is her vintage polly pockets that were given to us by a friend. Those things rock.
8. I leave my phone sitting outside, a lot.
9. I can play the flute and piccolo. I also dabbled with the bass guitar for a while.

10. I really enjoy sign language and have taken many classes on it while working in the school system. My daughter did her first sign at 6 months and continued until her signing vocabulary was well over a hundred words.
11. My husband and I have made the decision for me to continue homeschooling my daughter into elementary school. I am absolutely ecstatic that I have the opportunity.

Here are the questions RaeAnna gave to us:

1. Bias tape - buy it from the store or make it yourself? I totally buy mine, or have it given to me by family & friends who find it in their attics usually leftover from their grandmother. :)
2. How do you drink your coffee? As black as it comes with lots and lots of creamer.
3. If you were a Muppet, who would you be? Hm. This ones a bit of a stumper. fozzy? he was generally good tempered and silly. that sounds about right!
4. Best party dance - Cupid Shuffle or Electric Slide? Cupid shuffle? I'm not a huge fan of either!
5. If you could create a machine to do one menial sewing task, what would it be? RIP MY SEAMS! What a horrible punishment for making a mistake.
6. Peanut butter - crunchy or smooth? I like both.
7. What is your favorite style of music? I really enjoy dj's like skrillex& bassnectar. Very heavy on the bass.
8. What are some of your favorite recipe websites? and I commonly search on pinterest too.
9.  Favorite reality TV show? My husband despises reality tv so I rarely watch it. I use to like teen mom in the first seasons. Now I'd say the closest to reality tv is judge judy.
10. Tell us something cute that one of your kids has recently done! Ha, my daughter has such awesome language skills. (she's 4.5) Today she kept calling everyone an impostor, and finally after lunch she stopped to ask me what it was.
11.  What is your favorite crafty/sewing blog? (excluding mine, of course! hee hee!)I have quite a few great blogs that I follow, yours being one of them. <3 Another would definitely be Dana's over at Dana Made It.
My Questions:
1. Who is someone you admire and why?
2. What are your favorite pair of shoes?
3. When do you find is the most inspiring time of day?
4. Do you have any pets?
5. Why did you initially start blogging?
6. What are your three favorite tools for sewing/crafting?

7. How long have you been blogging?
8. What is your favorite book or book series?
9. Do you look around for the closest parking spot or take the first one you find?
10. Do you have any strange habits or routines?
11. What are you currently working on?

I am nominating the following blogs:

1. Jolene at who has gorgeous photos as well as amazing inspirational posts about becoming a new mother & all things baby
2. Heidi at who won me over in the last season of PR&P
3. Karen at has inspired me as a secular homeschooling parent.

4. Clare over at she has such beautiful cards.

5. Caila from for all her lovely sewing inspiration.

6. I use this site quite a bit for embroidering tutorials. Anyone else an embroidery fan like me?

7. Paul at is a newer blog that I have stumbled upon. He is a children's illustrator and has a new book available in stored on Jan. 29 called Perfectly Percy.

I hate to leave it at seven, but I also don't want to nominate blogs just to do it... these guys all have great blogs that I truly enjoy looking at for inspiration, or reading for their insight, or they are just plain interesting.

Thank you so much again for stopping by.

1 comment:

  1. I can't wait to check out those other blogs! :) I had fun learning more about you! We use signs with our kids too - my best friend is an interpreter and I would love for her to teach my kids when they're older! We plan to homeschool too - I haven't decided if we want to do our own thing or school under the state umbrella (if we go with the state they send all the resources!) I'll look forward to maybe seeing some homeschool posts in the next few years?! :)

I appreciate and read each and every comment... thank you!


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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup butter, melted
2 TB. white sugar
3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
¼ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
Whipped cream
Caramel ice cream topping (I used Stonewall Kitchen’s Coffee Caramel Sauce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together the graham crackers, melted butter, and 2 TB. of sugar until well combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and 1 inch up the sides. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in sour cream, espresso, white chocolate chips, and vanilla. Pour batter into the baked and cooled crust.

Bake cheesecake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, then turn the oven off, partially open the door and allow the cheesecake to rest for 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack to room temperature, then cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours.

To serve, cut the cheesecake into wedges and garnish each slice with whipped cream and caramel sauce. ~ Serves 12

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Summer Sunset

Summer Sunset over Upper Naukeag Lake

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.     ~John Lubbock