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DEAR JERRY: I know the peak time for quadraphonic albums is around 1975. However, the first quad LP I bought was "Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite," the soundtrack of Elvis Presley's 1973 Honolulu concert.
Since this came out before quad's heyday, might it be the very first quad album?
I'll bet it is the top-selling quad release.
Also, did anyone ever make quad singles?
Jeremy Norbert, Milwaukee
DEAR JEREMY: There are many firsts associated with "Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite," such as:
This January 14, 1973 event is the first entertainment show of any type broadcast worldwide via satellite. Though not all countries caught it at the same time, over 1.5 billion then about a third of the world's population watched a 1973 first-run telecast. Since then, millions more viewed the DVDs and TV replays.
When the two-disc soundtrack album (RCA VPSX-6089) topped the nation's LP charts (May 5, 1973), it became the first quadraphonic album reaching No. 1.
With nearly six million units sold (platinum to the sixth degree) it remains history's top-selling quad LP, by a distance wider than from Honolulu to the mainland.
Noteworthy too is there was no set ticket price. Concert-goers simply made a donation, with 100% of the amount of ticket and souvenir sales going to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. Elvis proudly announced the total raised as $75,000.
It is one of very few albums in general distribution made exclusively in the quad RCA named it QuadraDisc format, at least until 1976. By then, the industry began phasing out the quad experiment. This and other former quad product then came out in ordinary stereo.
Inexplicably, all 1973 versions of "Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite" made specifically for the RCA Record Club (RCA R2-213736) are standard two-channel stereo, not QuadraDisc.
In May 1974, RCA issued a special 7-inch EP (DTF0-2006) just for juke box operators. This oddity was not made in quad because they created it strictly for stereo juke boxes.
Meanwhile, back on the LP front, Columbia announced in November 1973 some early yet impressive numbers for quad album sales: "Abaraxas" (Santana) 90,000; "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Simon & Garfunkel) 62,500; "Greatest Hits" (Sly and the Family Stone) 62,300; "Pearl" (Janis Joplin) 55,400; "Summer of '42" (Peter Nero) 40,200; and "Loggins & Messina" (Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina) 30,800.
Fueled by such encouraging sales, Columbia quickly began production of quad singles, the first of which was Art Garfunkel's Top 10 hit at the time, "All I Know" (Columbia 45926).
Made exclusively for radio stations, its custom sleeve explains itself:
  Dear Broadcaster:
  Because of the enormous demand for Quadraphonic sound, Columbia is proud to release its first SQ Quadraphonic single, featuring the renowned artist, Art Garfunkel.
  If you transmit in FM-stereo, you may now broadcast Columbia SQ Quadraphonic discs, both singles and albums, or your own stereo tape cartridges recorded from these discs, with no modifications to your present equipment.
SQ, or Stereo Quadraphonic, is the matrix encoding technology developed by CBS in 1970. In December that year, "The Flame," a self-titled collection of songs written by Flame co-founders Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin, came out labeled as "Compatible Quadraphonic Sound."
Produced by Carl Wilson, of the Beach Boys, and on their personal label (Brother BR-2500), "The Flame" is widely-regarded as the first quad LP.
SQ did have its audio shortcomings, so along came Japan's Sansui and their QS (Quadraphonic Stereo), an improved and competing technology.
In July 1972, at a London expo, RCA unveiled its encoded system (JVC's CD-4), and promised about 15 QuadraDiscs by the end of the year.
Other quad formats were also introduced, among them: Q4 (quadraphonic for four-track reel-to-reel tapes); Q8 (8-Track tapes); EV (Electro Voice Stereo-4); and DY (Dynaquad). Most quadraphiles regard Q4 as the best of all quad formats.
Much like the famous Betamax vs. VHS video tape battle that lay ahead, these various formats were incompatible, creating a nightmare for consumers. No matter which decoder they owned, many fine quad LPs existed that their system could not properly play.
This boondoggle is the main reason cited for the death of quadraphonic recordings, although the basic four-channel system, with a center speaker added, returned successfully in the '80s as home theater, otherwise known as surround sound.
IZ ZAT SO? Quad devotees in the '70s wanted either long-playing albums or pre-recorded tapes, not singles. Accordingly, Columbia, and later other labels, produced quad singles for two purposes: first for FM radio, then for quadraphonic juke boxes.
In 1974, right after Columbia's first batch of quad singles for radio, Seeburg wanted in on the new craze. They modified their 80-disc STD-160 and came up with the SQS-160. Unfortunately, with CBS's SQ encoding, the result was a simulated version of quad. No true quad jukes were made.
Chances are the patrons in noisy bars and restaurants never knew the difference.
(Thanks to Dan Shay and John Bliss for their contributions.)


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Who are we?
Penny DeWaal and Shani Farboud, both of whom have spent lots of time enjoying foods from around the world, concluded that Vancouver Island needed an upgrade with its variety of local spice.
Shani Farboud, a chef by trade with a passion for cooking unique and flavourful foods, created Fat Chili Farm's first ever product which is a cumin and honey based habanero sauce called: Wizards Choice. Not long after, Fat Chili Farm was born.
Penny Dewaal, self proclaimed Chili Queen of the Cowichan Valley, can be found behind the scenes crunching numbers, and in the greenhouse making sure the crops are fruitful. Whereas Shani, Penny's husband, can be found creating recipes and making the product in the onsite commercial kitchen.
All of the Chilis grown at Fat Chili Farm are grown inside a glass green house and Polly tunnels. Currently Fat Chili Farm grows 1500 Chili plants, with 45 different species.
How are Chilis' heat measured?
Chilis' heat are measured by Scoville units. Although each variety of Chili can quite easily be categorized into, mild, medium or hot, they aren't always consistently an the same rank on the Scoville scale.
Here are a few examples of Scoville ratings:
Bell Pepper 0
Jalapeño Pepper 2,500 - 8,000
Cayenne Pepper 30,000 - 50,000
Habanero Pepper 100,000 - 350,000
Ghost Pepper 855,000 - 1,000,000
Carolina Reaper 1,400,000 - 2,200,000
What's the goal?
Fat Chili Farm's goal is to create locally made hot sauces (and condiments) that everybody can have and enjoy, from the extreme heat lovers to our less spicy customers.
Fat Chili Farm also strives to find the balance between heat and flavour, to better serve our customer base, which is both diverse in taste and spice tolerance.

subset: commoncrawl


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I have been trying to understand for some time now why it would make sense to force schools to take away subjects from their curriculum, particularly at Key Stage 4. I can totally understand the financial reasons that might cause a smaller school to not spread their GCSE curriculum too thinly if it meant that staffing needs were too expensive and class sizes made it unmanageable. However, the idea that some of the GCSEs were 'soft' and therefore needed to be replaced with super tough qualifications seems ridiculous. This is particularly the case when it comes to the edging out of the Arts, Drama and PE. I wonder whether anyone who is calling these subjects soft has actually sat and observed a lesson or two in any of these subjects. I have been fortunate to observe all of these subjects in the last year and have seen amazing work going on at GCSE level. I want to speak up for each of these subjects and then finish off by speaking up for the children that would take them.
Firstly Art. I was lucky to be able to attend the Art Party Conference (@ArtParty2013) at the Scarborough Spa last weekend. It was an amazing gathering of artists and educators celebrating their talents and how important it is to have the opportunity for creative expression in the curriculum. The event was led by Bob and Roberta Smith and began with a protest parade across the sands with amazing banners shouting out for the need to have Art in education. Once within the Spa, Bob read out his letter to Gove (see photo) and explained his reasons for encouraging creativity and the diverse range of occupations that would be damaged if thwarted. The day went on with performance artists, music and exhibitions all collaborating together to show just how amazing learning about art can be. Scarborough was buzzing with artists, teachers, students, performers, who came from all over the country with placards ready to join in the protest. What added to the fun was that we were graced with the presence of @MichaelGroveMP who took part in events bringing his own creativity and humour to the proceedings. I loved the Goveshy where G(r)ove took sneaky shoots at mini effigies of himself. The atmosphere was full of joy and yet the serious message of keeping art in schools was clear.
I loved Art in school, it was a whole different kind of concentration. It allowed an expression of ideas not possible in other subjects. There is some amazing work going on in schools these days. Thank goodness that Art in schools doesn't look like Art in schools anymore. It has been opened up and the variety of artists studied, techniques developed and work produced is immense. Why there is a need to narrow that selection I do not know.
As well as observing Art I have been fortunate to observe Drama. As with Art, lesson observations are accompanied by a little hint of jealousy at the freedoms used in lessons to prompt different kinds of responses from the students. I have taught students who have gone on to be highly successful actors on stage and screen and have been proud to have been part of their educational journey. Their love of Drama began with school Drama. What I find incredible to even consider is the notion that Drama could ever be considered soft. I think in particular of an examination piece I watch a couple of years ago and yes it was A level and not GCSE, but it had required to the cast to interpret their piece and perform in the style of Brecht. During those performances I can safely say that the students were educating more than a couple of the adults watching those scenes.
Skills that are developed from lower down through GCSE to A Level include improvisation and adaptation. Even if students are not destined for a career in theatre just imagine how useful those skills are for speaking in front of others, not being thrown by unexpected events, managing people, thinking on your feet. To say that the analysis that goes on when watching professional productions is soft is another thing again. Teachers will know how difficult and demanding it is to ensure that students get good results on those aspects, because it is a very hard thing to do. The level of analysis needed is sophisticated and subtle and again is incredibly adaptable to other aspects of Iife.
Finally PE, again another subject I've been fortunate enough to observe. Now there can be little disputing the health benefits of children playing sport, but that is not what is being challenged at this particular point. What is sadly being challenged is pupils opportunity to specialise in sport. Does that make any sense? 'Oh hello young person there, you seem to enjoy your sporting activities', 'I do indeed kind sir'. 'You also appear to have a particular interest in playing sport and are able to play a couple of these sports well?', 'Yes indeed, that is correct'. 'Well', said the gentleman in the suit and glasses, 'that looks rather too easy to me', why don't you go and learn how to code with computers instead, that would be far better for your simple little head'.
Now there is no way that I am against getting students to learn code in schools. Far better that then spend endless time on making spreadsheets, but there is no way that the PE is easy at GCSE level. The opportunities for cross curricular activities with Biology are frequent and good teachers have teemed up with science staff to produce some amazing lessons which reinforce knowledge in each subject. I always tried to refer to PE as Sports Science because there was so much information on what's happening to the body, particularly for elite athletes. I saw lessons that capitalised on the fervour following the Olympics and analysed sporting performance in order to see what is needed to succeed at that level. Nothing soft about that. If you ever need convincing of the value of good PE teaching then trying to hear Alex Danson, Team GB Hockey, speak. I and all the other teachers in the room were so moved when she spoke of her love for the PE she studied at school and her desire to be a PE teacher. Outstanding.
Finally what about the students who take these subjects. I think that with a narrowed curriculum you have students who have a great range of strengths and talents all forced down similar routes. By taking these subjects out or narrowing their breadth you also take away the opportunity for those students to shine. Not everyone is interested in the same subjects. I have always been against children picking certain subject combinations because they feel they ought to. Instead I thinking there should be creativity, individuality and diversity. There are so many things in life we have to do as adults why not encourage those students who are going to do those subjects because they want to. It is so hard to discover your passion in life, a subject you love, why take away or narrow those options into unrecognisable alternatives. I'm all for individuality, who wants to be a clone? Far better to be your own person. The fact is that human beings are beautifully different,unpredictable creatures. If you want to raise standards then you need to do the hard work that teachers do on a daily basis. There are no short cuts and think about what it means when you describe these subjects as soft. Would you describe the people below as soft? No, I didn't think so.


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The following housekeeping tips and other bits of country lore were submitted by readers.
Floor Waxing Party
If you grit your teeth when it's time to wax and buff those rustic hardwood floors, you might want to try Jan Hume's system: "The Young People's Buffing Party".
"The action starts," says the Warsaw, New Yorker, "after the furniture's all pushed aside and you've laid a milky cloud of new wax across your clean floor. All you do is gather up your young'uns (along with any neighbor children you can get to 'drop over') and have the urchins dress up in woolly socks and broken-in playclothes. Then turn the little folk loose in that waxy room to do all the runnin' and slippin' and slidin' and stompin' and dancin' and rasslin' and carryin' on that you're always telling them NOT to do! The neighboring tykes will pitch right in like Tom Sawyer's cronies, and before long you'll have a human buffer over every comer of the floor.
"The next—and most vital—step," Jan adds, "is to retreat to your kitchen and mix up a batch of cookies and some cocoa. Not only will that task preserve your sanity amid the craziness of the buffing party, but the homemade goodies will likely be the only way to get the youngsters to quit before they wear your floor out!"
Chicken Catching Hook
Roy Millsap's father was tired of trying to catch scampering chickens, so the Oakdale, Connecticut homesteader devised his very own "elusive-egglayer nabber." He simply took a sixfoot length of stiff wire and bent it into a hook shape that slips easily around a bird's scrawny leg, but is too narrow for a fowl's long toes to pull free. So nowadays, when the senior Millsap wants a "Sunday dinner special", he just grabs his nabber, traipses out to the flock, and snares his meal.
Peanut Butter Goat Pills
"After spending two fruitless hours trying to restrain my ornery, worm-ridden goats, I decided to quit giving pills to the animals and try the squirtable paste wormers instead," recalls Sharon Carpenter of Sheridan, Oregon. "Sure enough, the gluey healers were a cinch to administer—just squirt 'em in the critters' mouths and the goats smack their lips—but the medicines were too danged expensive! So now I crush one of the inexpensive tablets into a tablespoon of peanut butter and use that tasty paste instead. I get the best of both worlds: relief from goat-gnawed fingers and a one-tenth-the-cost bargain!"
Improvised Sink Stopper
Lots of folks know the trick of covering your keg of homemade sauerkraut with a large plastic bag full of water, but Everett Schisler of Rio, Illinois has miniaturized the same principle and applied it to the kitchen sink. So, the next time you lose—or your dog chews up—your drain plug, says Everett, just put a little water in a plastic sandwich bag and tie the container shut. Such an improvised sink stopper—complete with its own handle—will plug your basin or tub just fine.
Tree Cutting Tips
What? You haven't filled the woodshed yet? Well, brighten up, bunky. We've got three tree-cutting tips to help with your chore:
[1] Glenn Scalise of East Springfield, Pennsylvania had a chain saw that used to sputter and fume (and so did he!) every time he went out acuttin' in the woods. Glenn wasted a lot of his "sawing time" cleaning the machine's carburetor and spark plug until he realized that his problem was caused by dirty fuel. The Keystone Stater decided then and there to lug his "firewater" in a clear plastic jug so he could see—and throw out—any fuel that became contaminated with water or sediment.
Because Mr. Scalise always keeps the jug shaded when he's out cutting—and pours the "saw starter" back into a metal container when he's done—he's had no problems with his in-the-field fuel holder. He's also had no more problems with his tree trimmer coughing or quitting. "And the exhaust ain't so blue now, either," Glenn adds.
[2] Harold Freeman from Eureka Springs, Arkansas has found a cure for another common chainsaw malady: "post-cutting drip." The oil reservoir on Harold's tree biter had the habit of leaking lubricant hours after he'd neatly stored the machine until a friendly neighbor pointed out the solution. Most chain saws use air pressure to pump the oil onto the chain, and that built-up force keeps pushing long after the saw's been switched off. But—as Harold learned—if you open the oil filler cap enough to let the pressure escape (and then screw the lid back on) before you put your wood cutter away: Presto! No more leaks!
[3] Kurt Gross—who lives out around College, Tennessee—has volunteered to share an oId-timey woods-worker's tip: Fell your timber during the waxing cycle of the moon. Kurt says trees cut during the "light moon" have less sap in 'em than do leaf-holders felled during the "dark" fading cycle of our lunar satellite. The less-juicy trees will make quick-drying firewood as well as nonwarping lumber.
Kurt adds that you'll notice the greatest sap differences in such "high flow" woods as pine, but that the moon lore has proved itself so true in all his woodcutting experience that he sticks fast to it for any kind of tree.
Elderberry Harvesting
"Elderberries have a unique and delightful flavor, yet most people let the tangy fruits go to waste," says George E. Luther of Venice, Florida. "Why? Because—although the clusters are a cinch to pick—pulling the tiny berries off all those stems is a downright wearisome chore.
"Wall, you don't have to pass up the prolific fruit again. Just put a small piece of 1/2-inch-mesh hardware cloth over a bucket or large bowl, and rub your bunches across this screen as fast as you wish. The berries will come off cleaner (and with less bruising) than if you'd picked them all by hand.
"Best of all, you'll be able to clean an entire bushel of the delicious harvest in only 15 to 30 minutes! Try this berrypicking shortcut once, and—believe me—you'll never miss a chance to gather elderberries again!"
Wax Pull Tab
Ever since we ran a tip on using soda-can flip tops as picture hangers, we've received numerous suggestions for other ways to find some good in soft-drink tabs. Jean Obrist from Fairbanks, Alaska has come up with one of the most practical applications we've seen yet: "When you use paraffin on jelly jars," Jean says, "stick one of those little rascals in with the curly tongue embedded in the wax and the ring end sticking out. Then, when the paraffin dries, you can simply pull the fliptop and the wax comes out in one nice piece with no prying, chipping, or finding wax filings in the sweets."
Jean also suggests using two "tab handles"—on opposite sides—for your large-mouthed jam jars. "Even my small children open these containers without making a mess," she adds.
Work Clothes Management
"My friends and I," says Madison, Wisconsin's Richard Zimman, "buy all our overalls, jackets, and work clothes in the fall. The new wearin's are stiff and thick, so they help keep us warm through winter. And, when those hot summer days roll around, the same—now broken-in—garments `breathe' well and keep us cool."
Corn Starch Glass Cleaner
Such a lot of readers sent in this next idea that it just plain has to work! So please believe that Linda Krosting speaks for many when the St. Paul, Minnesotan says: "Don't waste money on expensive—and overrated—commercial window cleaners! Just mix up a small amount of ordinary cornstarch in water—about a tablespoon of powder per quart of liquid—and soak a rag in the solution. Wash your glass objects with this cloth and dry 'em with old newspaper. The windows and mirrors will sparkle like they've been polished. And (unless you've used too much cornstarch) your clean glass will show absolutely no streaking!"
Knitting Tip
"Have you ever knitted a sweater, only to have one arm turn out longer than the other?" asks Knoxville, Tennessee's Laura Hendricks. "There's an easy way to insure that both pieces of anything you make in pairs—mittens, sleeves, booties, etc.—will be of equal size. Simply use a long needle and knit the two sleeves (or whatever) at the same time."
Sunflower Seed Shucking
Roger Dunton of Scotts Valley, California has devised a method of mass-shucking sunflower seeds that lets him harvest enough snacks—in an hour or so—to last all winter!
First, remove the seeds from the flowers by rubbing your thumb across the plant heads. Then briefly grind the gleanings—a handful or two at a time—in a blender. Put this chipped concoction in a large roasting pan. Cover the pieces with water, and stir. The meat will settle to the bottom, while the lighter shells float to the top. At that point, all you have to do is skim off the hulls, pour off the liquid, spread the harvest on cookie trays, and bake the kernels—lightly salted—at low oven heat until they're dry.
The California seed cracker stores his dried bits in jars so he'll have plenty on hand for salads, soups, casseroles, vegetables ... or just plain good eatin'!


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Slivers of Spring
It's coming. For weeks I've heard house finches tossing their songs into the chilly morning air. (Those are the birds that sound like they're unraveling a ball of yarn and reach a snarl at the end that makes them mad.) Most of the robins over-wintered here instead of going to Florida, but they've been singing, too.
Daffodils and hyacinths bloomed in that "huge" (see above) snowfall we had last week, but they've always been reckless fools. And as cheery as crocuses and pansies are, I hunt for less showy signs.
Willow trees are showing the faintest color. If you stare at the branches, they still look like brown wires, but if you stand back, you can see that yellow-green aura. Deep in the woods, you can spot redbuds putting out teeny purple fists, not even the size of a squirrel's ear.
This morning I drove past a tree just barely setting buds. I passed the same tree later in the afternoon. After it had lapped up hours of warm sunshine, the buds were bigger, stronger.
Yeah, that's spring we see. Every day it takes a bolder step. Let's go meet it!
Knee-deep in Retreat Love
My evenings and mornings are spent on my Photoshop Elements online class. I've learned to do the most simple tasks like resize an image, save to the web, etc. But now we are getting into the nitty-gritty techniques. The course is put together well, with examples on photos provided by the instructor. I couldn't figure out what the sample photos were for. Then I realized that everyone else has the instructional video open beside the sample photo, so they can follow along.
I am too embarrassed to admit to the instructor (but not the rest of the world, or at least the two people who read this blog) that I don't know how to use Windows. I open and close the screen 500 times. And I'm using the techniques on my own photos, or trying to. So don't tell Kim Klassen, please. I'm trying to get up the nerve to ask her where the "okay" button is once you've done a task.
Fortunately my days are spent working on something I do know and love–the material for my retreat. I spread out some of the stuff on the floor. Yes, it's only 9:00 a.m. but I already require Keebler mint-stuff-in-the-middle cookies. People who have their first drink at 9:00 can always claim it's dark under the front porch. Doesn't quite work with cookies.
The retreat–first weekend in March! in Luray!–has twenty people signed up. I'm amazed. We are covering place in fiction and memoir, with forays into deep mapping and personal geography. My biggest problem is cramming a month's worth of material in a weekend. But we'll chat while we eat and play with art journaling in the evenings, one big happy family.
In addition to the lessons I'm preparing (they will go in the vintage-y Better Homes and Gardens notebook), I'm also making a welcome package for each participant. The list of stuff I'm bringing gets longer every day. The weekend just won't be about writing–I'm hoping to create an event that will inspire people and send them home looking at the world in a new way.
I Wore My Mother's Pin
And thigh-high tights (a misnomer) that slipped down with every step. But not at the same time, thank goodness. I'm back from Roanoke and my Big Moment as Founder's Day speaker at Hollins University.
The night before the event, I was invited to dinner at President Nancy Gray's house. I wore a vintage black wool crepe jacket embroidered with jet beads, a black skirt, and, because I didn't want a wad of material around my waist, opted for the disasterous thigh-high tights. When President Gray met me in the living room, I was yanking the tights up through my skirt. She pretended not to notice and asked if I was ready for the event the next day. I told her I would wear underclothes that stayed in place. She gave a little laugh, but I suspect she was re-thinking her choice of Founder's Day speaker.
A trip to Roanoke wouldn't be complete without eating in K&W cafeteria. I love cafeterias! No, to the salads. Yes, to the desserts!
The next day I sensibly wore black slacks with this thrift shop jacket. For good luck I wore my mother's aurora borealis pin and the necklace and earrings my husband gave me for our Valentine's anniversary.
People kept asking me if I was nervous. I wasn't, actually, even though only my husband had read my speech. But I did get nervous when I was robing with the Board of Trustees. My mortarboard threatened to slip off despite my stabbing my scalp with about fifty bobbypins. My robe covered me from throat to mid-calf so I could have been wearing a sweatshirt with one sleeve ripped off and boxer shorts and no one would have known.
The senior class and guests were seated first to a Bach fugue that shuddered the walls of the chapel. Then came the processional–the faculty and the Board of Trustees. And then the person with the mace (I'm really not up on this stuff!), the chaplain, me, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. I marched through the very large chapel, praying my hat would stay on, and up on the dais.
The Hollins Concert Choir sang Mendelssohn's "Lift Thine Eyes." They stood in front of me in their long black gowns and pearls–beautiful, strong, smart, young women. I looked at the seniors in their decorated graduation robes and realized that for the first time in my life, I was actually part of an undergraduate tradition. For a few minutes, I was truly a Hollins Girl.
The Chair of the Board of Trustees introduced me and it was time for me to speak. All the preparations and thinking about this day (since last April) was finally here. I talked about the most widely-read literary alumna, Margaret Wise Brown, and how my journey to Hollins began with her. The room was very quiet. Then my twenty-minute speech was over and my hat did not fall off.
Afterwards, there was a reception. I chatted with the descendents of the founding family (Hollins was the first women's college in Virginia, established in 1842), sipped punch, and ate a grape-sized cupcake. Amanda Cockrell, director of the children's literature graduate program (my boss) and novelist, took me to dinner with her husband and other guests.
It wasn't until 2:37 the next morning when I woke up abruptly that the enormity of it all hit me. I walked down that long aisle in robes! People–lots of them!–listened to me! That was my name on the program, with an embarrassingly long bio.
On my drive back, I spotted hawks and acknowledged vultures, all of them guiding me safely home. And when I walked in the door, I found three of the vintage potholders that line the half-wall in the kitchen lying on the floor. A three-potholder trip told me I had been missed.
I re-hung the potholders, hauled in my bags, fed the cats, and went to my computer to write down the ideas that had unreeled in my head down I-81 and I-64, before my thoughts were lost.
Love Letters
Thirty-three years ago today, we were married. The Blizzard of '79 had struck and we one of the very few cars on the road. I wore boots (and I don't mean pretty fashion boots) with my dress. We were the first couple to be married on that snowy Valentine's Day morning. My husband said later the Justice of the Peace had garlic breath. The witness, the JP's secretary, sat typing in the other room and I worried our marriage wouldn't be legal because she wasn't present.
Because I had to be married on Valentine's Day, because I had to be a Bride of Snow (the title of a chapter from my favorite children's book, A Diamond in the Window), my husband started a tradition of giving me a piece of ruby and diamond jewelry, usually heart-shaped, on our anniversary/Valentine's Day.
It's been some years since I've received any jewelry. It's always been enough that we go to dinner somewhere nice or, in the past few years, to tea at Pinkadilly.
I had just dropped a lump of sugar in my Earl Grey when my husband put a card and a box on the table.
And then another card and a smaller box. Sweet tokens from the sweetest man in the world. I will wear my new necklace and earrings when I go to Hollins tomorrow. Even though he can't go, he'll be with me.
Yes, here's to another year together.
On Wednesday, I will leave Fredericksburg and drive over the mountains to Roanoke. Thursday afternoon, I'll deliver the Founder's Day address to the Class of '12. The Founder's Day convocation is traditionally given by an alumna. It wasn't that long ago that I graduated ('07) but I was beyond thrilled to be asked.
I was asked to talk about Margaret Wise Brown, the most widely-read Hollins literary alumna, and also a little about my own odd journey to graduate school. I wondered what I could say to these young girls when I had skipped undergradate school and didn't get a degree of any kind until I was 52.
Did my degrees open doors? You bet. But it was my master in children's literature from Hollins, the degree I earned "for myself," that sent me in the direction of the work I'm doing now, the work I was meant to do once I found the right door. Yet I haven't crossed over the threshold. And that's good.
Irish poet and philospher John O'Donohue says,
At any time you can ask yourself: At which threshold am I now standing? At this time in my life, what am I leaving? Where am I about to enter? What gift would enable me to do it? A threshold is not a simple boundary, it is a frontier that divides two different territories, rhythms, and atmospheres.
Every step I take, every decision I make, every word I write, reminds me I'm in two territories. I search myself and the world around me for the gifts I will need on my journey. I recognize Lima, the Roman goddess of thresholds, and ask her to protect the young Hollins women about to start their journeys, and all of us, at any age, setting off on new frontiers.
cat bliss
Persnickety is our outdoor cat. She came to us in the winter of 2004. We already had three cats in the house and none of them got along. So we kept her outside.
She's about 14 now, maybe 15. Her overactive thyroid (common in cats) keeps her thin, despite the numerous hearty meals she has every day, and her fur falls out. When I pick her up, I almost drop her, she's so insubstantial. She's sensitive to the cold, even though we heat the garage on below-freezing nights.
Then I found a heated cat bed. The answer to a shivering old cat's prayers. She purrs in her sleep. This is one happy cat.
My First Blur!
This little set of vintage tin dishes was given to me (not "gifted"!) by dear friend and fellow Hollins Girl, Christina Rukavina. That bright red and lake blue are my favorite colors! I had a notion to divide the set, displaying half in our 50s style breakfast room and the rest in my office with my other vintage toys.
But when I put the dishes down on the windowsill in my office, just like this, they said, "Leave us right here." That gorgeous blue inside the teacups exactly matches the blue I painted my old toy box and spice rack that sit just below the windowsill.
I took the above photo with the manual control on my Canon S95, using the lowest f-stop to create a blurred background. The Canon only goes to 2.0, not low enough for a macro shot, I don't think. I wanted to get rid of the houses in the distance.
In my Elements class last night (taught by Kim Klassen) we went over the Tools. I'm using Elements 10 and I discovered the Blur Tool, new to Elements 10! You have to use it in Guided Edit and it's not perfect, but I was thrilled. Now I can create pleasingly blurred backgrounds to get rid of clutter and bring the object into focus.
I was so excited last night, I could hardly stand it! (It doesn't take much.) As we delve into those confusing layers and masks (what are they for?), I know I can manage one tool in the kit, at least. If I can remember how to do it again.
Project 365, Project 52, Whatever
I lasted exactly five days on Project 365. On January 5, I didn't feel like taking pictures since life was taking a downturn. I certainly didn't want to take photographs at the hospital. I felt guilty because there went one of my "reminders" for 2012. Out the window in five days!
Then I read about the Annie Liebovitz exhibit, "Pilgrimage," at the Smithsonian. The exhibit showcases the photographs in her new book Pilgrimage. Her subjects range from Sigmund Freud's couch to Thoreau's Walden Pond, a departure from the posed portraits she is best known for.
Speaking about the project, she says there are no people, but they are present. She roamed the countryside years working on this project. " . . . It comes at a segue in my life where I'm taking care that my work feeds my head, heart, and soul." I can certainly relate to that.
Liebovitz admits, "I'm not a landscape photographer–for me, the pictures [in Pilgrimage] are more of a notebook." I love the idea of taking daily photographs as a "notebook" of my life. But I don't think I want to remember every single day in the year. Plus not that much happens in my life. I can take only so many pictures of my cat and my keyboard.
On a PBS special about her life and work, Liebovitz advises artists of all stripes that you can't plan art. But you show up and notice what is there. Little things end up making the piece but often you don't know what you have.
Which brings me back to Project 365. I've found Project 52, where people take one photograph a week and post it. That sounds more doable. And some people on Project 365 take "make-up" photos when they skip a day. The important thing is to have the camera in your hand and not just when you are going someplace special.
I haven't abandoned Project 365, just relaxed it to Project 52. Instead of posting all of my photos, I'm putting them in plastic pages in a binder, a casual sort of scrapbook. When I have January finished, I'll show you how I'm recording the year in bits and pieces, instead of 31 days of snapshots.
Meanwhile, I've started an online course in Photoshop Elements 10, and taking another online course in basic digital photography, and am still learning my new Canon S95. I'm learning slowly, my way.
Deep Longing
Once a year the Big Flea comes to Fredericksburg. Saturday we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then headed over to the Expo Center.
I'm always on the look-out for old luggage, McCoy violet pots, Kodak cameras, Coro costume jewelry, Bakelite, Swanky Swig juice glasses, 40s tablecloths and about a thousand other things. But this year I told my husband I wasn't after anything in particular. I was so laid-back, we waited in the car until the line of people went inside.
I strolled down the aisles, giving the booths a casual once-over. But then I spied a booth decked out with vintage jewelry, chenille bedspreads, compacts, purses, and fur coats. It was Katie-Bar-the-Door.
I try to control myself. Really, I do. It's just stuff, after all. I was determined not to be like those other people, the ones who were in the parking lot before we were, even (we were 45 minutes early). The ones with vanity plates like, "TY CLCTR."
But I always enter a sort of trance, filled with deep longing for just about everything on display. Several booths showcased old toys and it was all I could do to keep from Macing everyone else so I could play quietly. Or spell out my name.
I longed to heap bead bracelets all the way up both arms and drape an ermine tippet over one shoulder (I don't believe in wearing real fur but these are vintage pieces and after all, that weasel would be dead by now anyway.)
I wanted to sit on the floor and play board games.
I wanted to pack up a picnic and head to the park.
My husband and I split up. When we met at the refreshment area, he had bought me an old camera and I had bought him this Goldrush gameboard.
It was too cold for a picnic so we left, happy with our new finds, to eat lunch at our favorite place.
Retreat: March 3-4, Luray, Virginia
"When everything else is gone from my brain . . . what will be left is the topology of my childhood, the dreaming memory of land . . ." Annie Dillard
Every September I go to Bell House, the home of Alexander Graham Bell (also known as "Alexander Cram Bell" on the Christmas ornaments made as a town fund-raising project). For seven days I eat luxurious breakfasts, walk along the Potomac, listen to the locals. And I write, often coming home with nearly 100 new pages.
People say, you have a huge home office. You have no kids. You can work all day long if you want. This is true, but not exactly. All of us who work at home know we stop to toss in a load of laundry, start supper, vacuum when we can't stand the cat hair another second, sheet the bed, run to the store, the library, the cleaners, back to the store for something we forgot. A freelancer's day is not one long uninterrupted idyll.
Which is why we need retreats. And why I'm thrilled to be teaching my very own retreat: "The Landscape of Your Past: Place as the Basis for Memoir and Fiction." I'm all the time going on about how important place is to our work. Now I get to put my money where my mouth is. For two days, I will show people how to mine their pasts for subject material, using specific images (not ideas) from our lives, based on place.
We tend to forget we're impacted by our geography, past and present, and that the landscape of our lives gives rise to our work. In this retreat we will learn to create personal maps to serve as the foundation for memoirs, stories, and longer fiction.
The path to place-based writing came to me in part as an offshoot of creating mixed-media art. The first thing I learned in my early days of scrapbooking was that while my hands were busy with memorabilia and paper, the back of my brain was chewing over a writing problem. Soon I began creating projects directly relating to my work.
When I wrote my thesis memoir for Hollins, I created nearly twenty mixed-media projects to help me push past difficult places in my past. In the retreat, we'll explore art journaling and map-making. The emphasis will be on reaching for deeper meaning in our work, not making beautiful projects. As much as I admire the gorgeous art journaling I see in magazines and on blogs, making beautiful pages serves no real purpose to me.
We'll be using the simple materials I use, nothing intimidating. I'll also bring the resources I use in my own novels, including the trespass-photo board I made for the novel I just finished. (I've reached a new level in place-based fiction, one that may involve getting my you-know-what shot off, but hey, it's for my work.)
If you've signed up for the retreat and are still on the fence, get in touch with Valerie Patterson, my friend and classmate who has set up this whole thing. You will come away with new friends and renewed energy for your work. We're meeting at the Mimslyn Inn in the Shenandoah Valley, where my family has lived for ten generations.
Spring will just be waking up in the Valley. The perfect time to get together and write and talk and enjoy each other's company.


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First, Variations on the Classics:
- Almond butter and jelly
- peanut butter and thinly sliced apples
- peanut butter and sliced grapes or raisins
- pimento cheese
- blue cheese, sliced fruit, and lettuce
- curried egg/tofu salad
- Niçoise egg salad with cooked, marinated green beans, chopped olives, and capers
- tomato and fresh herbs
- tomato and cucumber
- hummus and (pre-made) stuffed grape leaves
- chopped marinated artichoke, cheese, lettuce
- fried pepper, avocado and sliced potato
- pureed bean spread with lettuce and/or tomato
- sandwich-sliced dill pickle, red onion, lettuce, tomato, and mustard
- lentil-walnut-onion pate
- avocado, fresh herbs, and mung bean sprouts (crunchy!)
- cheddar cheese and sliced pickles
- avocado and sauteed mushrooms
- baked, marinated tofu drizzled with a peanut sauce, hot mustard, or pesto
- scrambled eggs and thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers
- leftover salad
- leftover dinner (curry? thick pasta sauce?) plus lettuce!
And then there's my Mother's Best picnic sandwich, adapted for my vegetarian self. I grew up with this sandwich and when we go on a trip to the beach or a concert in the park, this is what I always make.
Picnic Submarine Sandwich
long, crusty Italian loaf/ loaves (French is too thin, but you don't want the bread too much wider)
two or three kinds of vegetarian meats
green olives stuffed with pimentoes
a yellow onion
mayo (or Vegenaise)
good-quality whole grain mustard
fresh lettuce
fresh tomato-on-the-vine
one or two kinds of sliced cheese, optional
- First you have to slice the loaf carefully. You cut it into about 6" lengths. Then you slice it lengthwise so it opens but the two halves remain firmly attached to each other.
- Next you carmelize the onion. Slice the onion into thin rounds, heat up a fry pan with a little oil, and when it's hot, add the onion and slowly cook it on medium-low heat until it's golden brown, kind of sticky and oozy and sweet. This will take about 30-45 minutes. You can speed it up if you cover the fry pan.
- You probably want to toast the bread so it will remain firm after it's packed. If you prefer your cold sandwiches with melted cheese, put the cheese on one half now while you slowly bake it at 300 degrees. It's done when the cheese bubbles and develops the good kind of brown spots.
- You absolutely have to bake the vegetarian meats as well. With the rare exception of some Tofurkey meats, they need to be slowly baked/ toasted to taste good and develop a pleasing texture. I like to bake mine on the bread, but you can also put it on a baking sheet or some foil.
- With a small sharp knife slice a bunch of green olives. Slice the tomato thinly. Wash the lettuce and tear it into pieces.
- Assemble the sandwich! Mayo and/or melted cheese goes on one side and mustard slathered on the other. Then you embed a layer of sliced olives into the mayo/melted cheese. You add lettuce to both sides to keep the sandwich from getting soggy. Now on one half you pile on a combination of various meats and unmelted cheeses. Finally add sliced tomato and carmelized onions.
- With the utmost care and delicacy, close the two halves! Pack it tightly. Maybe stick a toothpick in to hold it together.
- Eat it with big, toothy bites. Rawrmrawrumfchompchompchomp*gulp*aaahhhhhhh.


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Do you think that big companies with big group tours are not for you?
Well, try a private tour, just you/your friends and the local guide who knows all about best MTB trails in Prague's surroundings and best bike parks in Czech Republic.
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Why us?
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We keep in touch with all our customers to make their stay in Prague more comfortable.
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link to this page: http://www.allpraha.com/d/36442/BiHi_Prague-_private_MTB_tours_in_Prague_and_surroandings_/
Link to this page: http://www.allpraha.com/d/36442/BiHi_Prague-_private_MTB_tours_in_Prague_and_surroandings_/
© 2019 AllCapitals :: last update :: 25 May 19 | About AllPraha.com | Why Register? | Promote your Resource | User Agreement | Links | Send us Your Feedback!


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What the hezzy and fa-sheezy!!! This government intervention crap has to stop. They are so all up in the family business that pretty soon children will be hiring lawyers to take their parents to court to litigate time outs and groundings.
"Your honor, the plaintiff, 9-year old Bobby contends that his mother, a frustrated and overly concerned derelict is unduly stalking and harrassing him causing serious mental distress by constantly inquiring about the status of his homework and chores. She is also being charged of unlawful search and seizure of his property, which is listed as exhibit 1 (a nintendo gameboy) and exhibit 2 (a nintendo x-box 360). The charges of wiretapping (interrupting his phone calls to call him to dinner) and slander (telling his father about his so-called bad behaviour) are being contested by the defendant. We call our first witness, Bobby 6 year old sister Janey to the stand."
The source of this particular rant comes from a news article that you can read below:
These kids were 10 and 12, which means they can walk to school by themselves, walk to the store by themselves, even to Timmy's house but they can't be left in a populated downtown area to drive around the corner to teach them a lesson? This is just another incident to destroy the influence parents have over their children. To undermine the authority of the parent in the life of the child. This kind of thing drives me crazy.
…and Allah's help we seek.


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Hi Guys!
Today I'm finally doing a international post again because love is universal and Valentines day is the perfect moment to spread a lot of it.
What's different about this post is that it's Extra Extra Large, this means that I will be adding all the aspects of different types of Highlight posts into one really big one. For the unregular readers this means comedy, beauty, fashion, a few interesting facts and of course a whole lot of love! So if you are unsure what to do or who to spend your Valentine with: No worries, happy single or happily bound, Highlight is going to give you some tools from the first hand to make your Valentines Day the most memorable you ever had!
Happy happy Valentines Day in advance everyone!
Don't hope your Valentine turns out as In-Grids relationship, but I'm happy hers turned out that way though, I've been loving this song since it came out! Enjoy!
Three things you should know about Valentines Day
So what do we really know about Valentines Day? Most people know
that you can exchange cards, giveaway a rose or a bouquet, or bribe someone to love you by giving them too much chocolate… Let's see how strong your Valentines knowledge is!
- Did you know that in the Middle Ages, men and women drew names from a cup to see who their Valentine would be? They would wear those names for a week on their sleeves for everyone to see. In the English language you can find the traces of this old habit in the phrase- "to wear your heart on your sleeve".
- An old superstition says that the type of bird that you see on Valentines Day predicts the personality of your future husband.
Starling: a poor man
Goldfinch: a millionaire
Blackbird: a priest or spiritual man
Crossbill: an argumentative man
Robin: a man who fights crime
Owl: no man, you'll be an old spinster
Seeing pigeons on Valentine says nothing about the kind of man you'll marry, but it is a prelude to a long and happy marriage.
- The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were tortured. There is one legend that says hat Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he forbade marriage for young men. Valentine, realized the injustice of this decision, and secretly continued to perform marriages for young lovers. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he should be put to death.
Valentine Comedy
Sit back, relax, have a great laugh and get into the loving mood because Highlight is just getting started!
Making Valentine memorable
A bit nervous because it's your first Valentines Day actually being bound to someone? How exciting! Congrats! So now you must be thinking, "Great great, thanks a lot, but give me some proper advice on what I could do to make it a memorable day Highlight", you could have guessed that was exactly what I was thinking too! I'm a romantic at heart, so I did some work for you guys because I hope your Valentine turns out wonderful.
Playing the Game
How you choose to celebrate your Valentines Day depends on your character and your lovers character of course. I decided to do give you tips on three types of dates, the Classic date, the Adventurous date and the Romantic date. Surely there are many other types of dates, but I'm focussing on these three because I think almost anyone would enjoy at least one of the three.
Classic Date
I'm started off with the Classic date because it's safe and hard to mess up. There are two ways of doing it: Going out for dinner or Cooking dinner at your home.
- Going out for dinner
Guys please, bring your A-game and look sharp. Make sure your hair is cut, your facial hair is trimmed, you have your cologne on, and your clothes are appropriate. Pick your girl or boy up in time, if there is one day we do NOT want to be waiting it's Valentines Day. Reserve at an intimate restaurant, and make sure it fits your budget but especially your personal taste. Plan a fun surprise for during the dinner, like a little firework or a song you've written yourself to play. I'm just brainstorming with you, it's up to you to make it memorable.
- Cooking dinner at home
You first have to decide how you are going to do it. Are going to do a surprise dinner? Or are you going to cook together and then enjoy the meal, either way should be fun. Make sure the setting is romantic by switching off most lights and lighting the whole room with candles. Add a nice little musical undertone, and I think you can't go wrong, enjoy!
Adventurous Date
I guess you guys like some action and want to be original for a change, you're not just doing a dinner.. NO, you are going all the way.
If you got the money to spend you could do a trip with a air balloon and make a nice picnic basket with some home made treats, don't forget to bring some roses too!
You could also decide to spend your date with other couples you are befriended with and go for example for a paintball fight! It's fun, interactive and very adventurous, I know I wouldn't turn that offer down! So go get yourself a little dirty and enjoy a good meal afterwards, that's one Valentines Day he or she will never forget!
Romantic Date
I guess the Romanic date and the Classic date are similar, but the Romantic one is for the people who really want to stand out. By that I mean, be original, show him or her that you really tried to make some effort. Take a boat ride or dine on a floating ship and let them play his or her favorite song whiles you hand out your present, or blindfold your partner and take them to a surprise place where you have like written a message with rose leaves (just brainstorming). Cancel all your appointments and sweep her/him of their feet and take them away for a long weekend… Just popping some ideas here, and I hope you will continue my brainstorm. I'm sure you'll make it the most romantic Valentines Day ever!
Does all the above not apply to you? So what! There are so many other things you can do on Valentines Day, don't forget Valentines Day is also a moment to be thankful for your friends and family. Write them a card, give them a box with chocolates or just be a good friend and go for a visit. Maybe you can cook dinner together and watch a corny Valentine Movie on TV, and who knows who you'll be with next year this time. You are single and fabulous, never forget!
Highlight's Upcoming Youtube Talents
All the regular Updaters know that I love to promote talented singers from all around the globe with my Upcoming Youtube Talent posts. I've chosen three covers for you to listen to, for a change I'm not showing multiple covers of the same song, but multiple songs and just one cover of each. I hope you enjoy!
Get the Valentine Look
One of the things that can make or break your Valentine Date is the way you look. You can call it superficial or something, but let's be honest it's flattering if someone really tries his/her best to look gorge for you. Because we all know how awkward it is to come underdressed I'm going to help you get the party started!
Hi lovely guys, struggling with a great outfit? Take it from me, there's a right outfit for every event and I'm going to help you style your look!
First of all, where are you going? Cooking diner at home or dining in a restaurant? It's very important that you make the right impression and the right look could help. Make sure you know what attire is appropriate for your event. Click below to see some pictures to get your ideas going.
I've realized that there are a whole lot of beauty tutorials out there and I started to question myself: Isn't there something like that for men? Well, there is! I did a little research and a found a mens-style guru, who's tips I'm happy to share with you. You needn't take everything he says literally, but I think he says some really sensible things overall. I hope this will help you chose an outfit that will enhance your features and complement your build.
Haha this is how not to prepare yourselves guys!
Hi beautiful ladies! As you all know you can only make a jaw dropping entrance once, so when you do it, do it well . I've looked up a few cute looks that can get your idea flow started, but whatever you do: Keep it classy!
Here are two make-up tutorials, the first one is by a aspiring beauty-looks tutorial maker: And this is her very first video! Give her some support and check out her channel.
I've actually chosen these two because all the make-up is low budget, you can look great at any price, always keep that in mind!
Thanks for visiting Highlight!
I'm very happy you all tuned in for my Valentines Day XXL post, and I hope to see you around some more! Comment below in the comment box if you enjoyed the post and would like to see XXL posts more often or if you have some great topics I could post about for a next time. Have an amazing time lovelies!
Bisous de moi!
One of my favorite tunes, enjoy!


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Rope Runners
Age:6 - 16 years
Address:Kelvedon Hall Ln, Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood CM14 5TL, Великобритания
Rope Runners was founded by Kevin and Jo Ellis, a husband and wife team who discovered parcours in France - we loved it, our kids loved it and we were hooked. In England, parcours is called High Ropes Adventure so we decided to set one up near our home.
Our backgrounds in outdoor education and business, combined with a passionate belief in providing people with an opportunity to grow and develop whatever their age or stage of development has resulted in a unique adventure experience in the heart of Essex.
Our philosophy is to encourage people to participate fully in high ropes adventure. Whilst our instructors are all fully practiced in rescue techniques we encourage clients to problem solve for themselves whilst out on our adventure courses. We are always on hand to give advice if required.
Feedback and comments:


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Typing may never be the same again, thanks to a new mobile phone application that knows what to say before you do.
Swiftkey, developed by a British company from London, can predict entire messages on the basis of a user's previous texts and emails. Analysis of what a person has previously written on Google Mail, Facebook or Twitter allows the software can work out what an individual is likely to say in future. As the software continues to be used, its understanding of writing subject and style also evolves.
The manufacturers of Swiftkey claim that 84 per cent of all words typed are correctly predicted after the user has typed just one or two letters. Approximately a third of all "second words" is predicted without a single character being typed.
Swiftkey was initially demonstrated at Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. Its new version incorporates the analysis of a user's vocabulary and style from Gmail and others, and also offers a new focus on tablets. The aim is to make the software more attractive to users who tend to hold a tablet computer horizontally and type with two thumbs. The traditional 'Qwerty' keyboard layout is split down the middle with a number pad in the centre.
Swiftkey is built for Google Android and is embedded into the new INQ 'Facebook Phone'. The makers were also the only British company to be chosen by Google to demonstrate some of the features of its new Android Market. Interest has also reportedly been expressed by other major manufacturers who are all keen to differentiate their tablets from other Android models.


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Friday, May 26, 2017
Happy Life - March 2017 Hip Kit - Stuck sketches
13 comments:
This is gorgeous! LOVING that photo, the colors, the flowers and the masking!!!!!!!!!!!ReplyDelete
Lynette this is beautifully designed and a wonderful take on the sketch. I love your creative flair.ReplyDelete
This will also be perfect for one entry as an anything goes creation for our challenge below.
{ATG with a CREATE WITH TLC Element}
{Doing Life – my personal blog}
A gorgeous page to showcase your love for each other and your philosophy on life. Love the colour combo and the stencilling. Thanks for joining us at Stuck?! Sketches!ReplyDelete
Oh this is so LOVEly! the photo is so beautiful and tender and love the soft colors you have used and each and every embellishment is sitting in the perfect spot.. another beautiful layout celebrating the special moments in your life.. and love the sketch too!ReplyDelete
Your work is always so perfect and so refreshing~ Miss chatting wit you!ReplyDelete
Awesome page ... I will share my page which I did using your page as inspiration.ReplyDelete
I JUST LOVE this photo of you and Mr. K.
Oh Wow! This is a gorgeous layout, you have scrapped the photo beautifully, with a great colour palette and perfect embellishing. Thanks for joining us at Stuck?! Sketches!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous page for a gorgeous photo! Thanks for joining us at Stuck?! Sketches!ReplyDelete
Absolutley stunning Lynette, each and every detail is perfect! Thanks for joining us at Stuck?! Sketches!ReplyDelete
Great take on the sketch Lynette, and I agree about Laura's sketches...they are the best.ReplyDelete
Hi Lovely Lynette, I'm always so inspired and awed by your layouts. Love your work. HuggiesReplyDelete
A gorgeous layout! The colors are lovely...love your take on the sketch.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 13, 2017 at 5:12 AM
Hi, just wanted to tell you, I likled this blog post.ReplyDelete
It was inspiring. Keep on posting!


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juniorpharon tours is an Egyptian Tour operator and A specialized Travel Agency in tours & travel packages to Egypt, including Egypt Nile Cruises.
Our services include variety of Tours and Travel packages to Egypt . Egypt Tours including Cairo Tours & Sightseeing , Pyramids & Sphinx Tours , The River Nile Cruises starting from Luxor and Aswan ,in addition to Egypt Beach Holidays& Diving Tours at Sharm El Shiekh , and Hurghada ( Red Sea Tours ) , with excursions to Alexandria , Saint Catherine and Abu Simbel .
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Check within a wide variety of quality Tours to Egypt , including Classic , Ancient and Culture Sites , Vacations & Holidays Tours and packages - choose the tour that closest matches your request , then click the Online Booking button for reservation.
juniorpharon tours is an Egyptian Tour operator and A specialized Travel Agency in tours & travel packages to Egypt, including Egypt Nile Cruises.


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The Robinson R22 is one of the most successful helicopters in production today, serving as training, law enforcement, livestock mustering, pipeline patrolling and general aviation platforms. With its large windows and cheap operating costs, the Robinson R22 is an excellent choice in the light helicopter market.
Designed by Frank Robinson in 1973, the Robinson R22 made its first flight on 28 August 1975 and has been in production since October 1979. Powered by a 93kW (124 hp) Lycoming engine, it drives a semi-rigid two-bladed main rotor. No hydraulic assistance is available, and combined with the low-inertia rotor system it gives a very light feel on the controls. Fitted with skids, the Robinson R22 can also be fitted with floats as the Mariner version. The fuselage is of a chromoly steel construction, covered by aluminium and fibreglass.
To date, more than 3,600 Robinson R22's have been built.


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Browse, search and watch Doctors Without Borders audio, videos and more at WWL Radio.
northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon. The general says among the wounded are Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross. This is believed to be the first time Nigeria's military
If Russia is using Iran to launch planes to Syria carrying bigger and more dangerous payloads, will this threaten our special force advisors on the ground? This hours guest: Bill Danvers - Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress (national security) Peter Brookes - Senior Fellow , National Security Affairs, Heritage Foundation
at a hospital run by the Doctors Without Borders , a medical charity, even though ..... according to the report. Doctors Without Borders contacted coalition military ..... report said, describing Doctors Without Borders by its French initials
agency that ran the facility, Doctors without Borders , has condemned the bombing ..... Obama has apologized, but Doctors without Borders is calling for an international probe. Doctors without Borders officials say the U.S
S. airstrikes. During the fighting, a U.S. airstrike hit a hospital, killing 22 people, including 12 Doctors Without Borders staff and 10 patients. Beyond the recent security troubles in Afghanistan, U.S. commanders have also expressed
to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Campbell offered details about the airstrike on a medical clinic that Doctors Without Borders ran in Kunduz. He said a U.S. Special Operations unit that was close by was "talking to the aircraft that
to what officials said was an Afghan request, a U.S. gunship on Saturday fired on a medical clinic run by Doctors Without Borders in Kunduz. Afghans are battling to recapture the city from the Taliban. More than 20 people have died from the


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|Captain Couples, undefeated.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
2011 Presidents Cup - Post Mortem
Posted by Average Golfer at 12:18 PM
Labels: Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Presidents Cup, Tiger Woods
4 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 21, 2011 at 8:31:00 AM EST
Regarding Norman's comments, what's he going to ask for next, two a side to even things up? Just get better players and the competition will be more compelling. The Prez cup is a minor league event compared to Ryder and exists to leverage Ryder for a little off-season buzz and some extra cash. Great summary, thanks!ReplyDelete
Just swapping Vijay for Allenby would have helped a ton.ReplyDelete
Thx for the look!
- AnonymousNovember 21, 2011 at 9:16:00 AM EST
Yes, the team selections, especially the captain's picks are not merit based but designed to generate more buzz (Tiger for the U.S. and Allenby as the hometown boy.) Norman could have taken Vijay and Couples, Bradley, but again, it's about generating buzz/TV ratings and making money. The Ryder teams, both Euro and US are more about getting the best/hottest players on the course at the right time.ReplyDelete
True, no gravitas compared to Ryder. Still, decent spectacle, great course other than some edginess with the set up.ReplyDelete


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Sexy Hip Hop Esther Baxter was born on September 25, 1984, in Miami, Florida. Her childhood was a normal one, and surprising as it may seem, Esther spent the majority of her adolescence thought of as just one of the guys. But her tomboy status didn't last long, as she found herself developing at a much faster rate than her peers.
Though she was initially irked by the change, Esther came to appreciate her buxom qualities. She discovered that she had a newfound power over the opposite sex, and began using that to her advantage.
esther baxter's humble beginnings
Esther initially had no thoughts about a career in the world of entertainment, and actually began working as a kindergarten teacher once she was finished with school.
It wasn't until her brother introduced her to an agent that Esther realized that she had just the right look for music videos and magazine spreads, and it wasn't long before Esther had booked her first gig. She toiled as a background dancer in several videos before coming to the forefront with an irresistibly sexy appearance in Petey Pablo's now-infamous video for "Freek-A-Leek."
esther baxter as miss freek-a-leek
It was because of her unforgettable work in that Pablo clip that Esther came to be known as Miss Freek-A-Leek, and quickly found herself in high demand for a variety of other hip-hop videos.She went on to appear in spots for such notable artists as Ludacris, Will Smith, Ghostface Killah, and Chingy, and began pulling down massive amounts of cash for just a few short days of work. It was around that time that Esther began to branch out into magazines and calendars, racking up appearances in XXL, Vibe and The Source.
esther baxter in workout plan
Though she continues to pop up in high-profile videos, such as Kanye West's "Workout Plan" and Ja Rule's "Caught Up," Esther has made it clear that she has ambitions beyond the glossy world of MTV and magazines. She would like to appear in a film and has stated that she would like to give singing a shot at some point.
Having gotten married and divorced before she turned 21, Esther seems to just be enjoying life right now.
Even if you don't recognize the name, surely you recognize the face (and body). Esther Baxter is generally considered the most bankable figure in the world of hip hop, stemming from her appearances in videos by Nelly, The Roots and Ghostface Killah.
Esther Baxter Quote
" I am just not the type of person to get naked and be like, `Hey! Look at all my body parts.', on why she'll never take her clothes off for the camera."
Well, this one's a bit of a no-brainer. With her insanely curvaceous body and hypnotic features, it's not difficult to see why Esther has become one of the most alluring figures to hit the scene in a good long while. Though one can't help but be initially drawn to her hourglass figure, Esther's irresistibly attractive features -- including her wide, inviting eyes and plump lips -- are what truly make her the embodiment of sexiness.
Though she's a relative newcomer to the scene, Esther has quickly established herself as a seemingly ubiquitous figure in hip hop. She's won the respect and admiration of both her peers and fans, and her hard-working ethic has effectively cemented her status as a reliable and responsible role model.
And although she's not quite at the point where folks instantly recognize her name, she's surely recognizable on her looks alone. Look for that to change as Esther takes a stab at acting in the future, as well as a leap into the world of singing.


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Set your budget, organize your shopping list, share with friends and family and get alerts when they buy something off the list. Use the barcode scanner to add items and manage multiple shopping lists.
List Ease is a beautifully simple free shopping list app. Create a free shopping list, grocery list, to-do list, or any other checklist and share it with family and friends! As seen on Forbes 'The Best Apps For Smart Black Friday Shopping' and CNBC 'A Stress-Free Holiday Is Only One App Away', Grocery Shopping List Ease is the best shopping list app around! Features of Free Grocery Shopping List Ease: - Share your free grocery list, checklist, or to-do list with family and friends with real time syncing – be someone's "grocery pal"! - Sync your grocery list app to share coupons across several mobile devices - Receive push message alerts when other shoppers on your shared list are purchasing checklist items or groceries - Be reminded of shopping list items in-store by inMarket's BLE beacon (ibeacon) technology – increase your "grocery iq"! - Add groceries into our shopping list app easily and instantly using our barcode scanner - so you always "remember the milk"! - Add groceries from history – bring items from your last shopping list to your new list with just one tap - Browse a variety of new coupons added daily to help you save money - Simplify your life and save money by keeping track of already purchased items in your pantry – never run out of milk, eggs of bread again! - Manage multiple shopping lists –flip between grocery and pantry lists in seconds - This shopping list app is perfect for all event planning and holiday grocery shopping - Add quantities, measurements, prices, and additional notes to your food list items to keep your recipes perfectly organized - Mr. Listo, our free free app's mascot, is your shopping list maker companion- at home or in the supermarket! Additional keywords: shopping planner, grocery organizer, shopping manager, supermarket list, groceries list, free groceries list, groceries list app, shopping checklist, grocery shopper list, holiday shopping list, shoping list, free grocery app,free list, free grocery list / shopping list, beacon, ibeacon


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Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad has been named president of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment said Wednesday.
Belgrad, 48, will continue to report to Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures, and retain his position as head of the Columbia unit.
Belgrad's promotion to the newly created position comes as Sony Pictures, a unit of Tokyo-based Sony Corp., continues to work through a cost-cutting initiative announced last year.
The film and television studio has said it will slash at least $350 million in overhead, and has been laying off employees.
In his new role, Belgrad will help oversee Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group's various production banners, and take on new responsibilities in business affairs and music. He will also supervise Sony Pictures' overseas local language production operations.
"Doug is an outstanding leader with a deep understanding of the motion picture business," Pascal said in a statement. "He has a rare combination of taste, relationships, experience and business judgment."
Sony has made other changes to its entertainment executive ranks in the last year. In May, Nicole Seligman was named president of Sony Entertainment, the parent of Sony Pictures. In 2013, Sony Pictures named Mike De Luca co-head of production of the Columbia unit.
Belgrad began his Hollywood career in 1989 when he joined Columbia's executive training program. He became co-president of production at Columbia in 2003 and was named president of the label in 2008.
During his Sony tenure, he bought, developed and supervised films such as the "Men in Black" franchise, "Karate Kid," "American Hustle" and "Captain Phillips."
For more news on the entertainment industry, follow me @saba_h


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Craft claims a need exists for civil disobediance in women's movementActivist Nikki Craft spoke on civil disobedience and her personal involvement in the feminist movement last week. Pro-femina sponsored the lecture.
"Civil disobedience is a very important option," Craft said. She has been arrested 34 times on a variety of charges. Women would not have been granted the right to vote had it not been for "a few women willing to illegally enter the voting booths," she said. "We take what we learned from the non-violent movement and apply it."
Getting arrested, however, "is only a small part" of the women's movement, Craft stressed. She believes that her actions are "filling a void that needs to be filled."
Craft has founded numerous activist groups, including:
O+ Women Armed for Self-Protection: "A small group of women committed to becoming proficient in the use of various weapons, who called for immediate and drastic retaliation against rapists by their victims."
O+ The Kitty Genovese Women's Project: Craft led a group of women into the Dallas County Records Building. After months of research, they compiled the names of approximately 2100 indicted sex offenders and printed over 25,000 copies of the list.
O+ Preying Mantis Women's Brigade (PMWB): This group's statement of purpose claims, "... We refuse to hold mankind's laws, objects, and positions of power to be sacred, and vow to ... create havoc and ... topple the empire that profits from the rape, death, and psychological destruction of 53 percent of the population."
The primary target of the PMWB was Hustler magazine and its publisher Larry Flynt. An open letter to Flynt from the brigade accused Hustler of providing "a slick support network for men who commit countless atrocities against women ... you routinely make a laughing matter of sexual torture."
Members of the PMWB went through Santa Cruz, tearing up copies of Hustler in stores and boycotting all places that sold the magazine. Their protest resulted in the removal of Hustler from 28 Santa Cruz stores.
A Pro-femina flyer stated that its opposition to pornography is not based on any personal distaste for the material. Rather, it said that the distribution of these materials results in violence to women.
"Women's safety and our very lives depend on challenging these women-hating, slanderous lies that pornographers are marketing about us," stated the "Outlaws for Social Responsibility," another group that Craft founded.
Craft led a campaign against Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione and numerous photographs which depicted apparent acts of violence committed against women. Craft showed pictures which appeared in the magazine such as a woman hanging from a tree, a girl tied to the outside of a house, and a female figure dashed against the rocks on a seashore.
"I do not want to hide these images," Craft said. "[We must] get them into media. Whenever we tear up magazines we do not do it because we think that to tear up the images is going to help anything; we tear it up in retaliation. We are not going to respect these images as women. [It is] a symbolic act of expression."
Craft presented several caveats for the women's movement. She warned the audience against allying with right-wing groups in the fight against pornography. "At every demonstration we have `We do not oppose nudity' signs. We feel it is very important not to ally with the right-wing on this issue. [We have to] force them to deal with the topless rights."
The "Cross-Your-Heart Support Committee" fought for the right of females to appear topless in public. Craft and eight other women have been arrested nine times in Santa Cruz and are taking their case to the state Supreme Court.
Craft stressed that although the right to appear nude in public is not the only goal the committee is fighting for, its symbolic value is great. "It is as trivial as where you sit on a bus," she claimed, comparing her struggle in Santa Cruz to that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Montgomery, AL.
Craft plans to be arrested in Cape Cod in the summer for appearing topless on the beach. She invited the audience to attend. "If I can turn one woman into a criminal, then I have done my job here."


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Public Alliance for Community Energy
Heating Homes. Powering Communities.
ACE, the Public Alliance for Community Energy, marked its 20th year of participating as a natural gas supplier in the Nebraska Choice Gas program in April of 2018.
ACE formed out of a strong desire by a small group of communities to provide competitive natural gas rates, local control and a possible revenue return to Nebraska communities. Those remain as ACE cornerstones today.
"PACE will ensure competition in the marketplace and give communities the chance to exercise control over natural gas prices," said the late Gary Lay, director of member services and marketing, back in 1998 when ACE (formerly known as PACE) began.
Shortly after forming, many more communities joined, boosting membership to more than 50 charter communities. ACE's membership today stands at 72 communities and one public power district.
"There was a lot of unrest with the gas business in the state of Nebraska, cost-wise and distribution-wise – the cost was sky-rocketing," recalled Paul Markowski, utility superintendent for the City of Ord, Neb., an ACE charter member. "At that time the local gas provider decided that they were going to come up with a choice program... a few of the communities got together and saw an opportunity within NMPP (Energy) of adding competition."
To get ACE off the ground as an organization, communities paid a start-up fee, which was reimbursed to the communities after just five years.
"At that time, the city council and city fathers thought it was important to the city of Ord to provide competition for our gas supply to try and get cheaper (gas) for our community," said Markowski.
"Sitting in on the start of it and looking at it now, there's no way we even dreamt we would still be in existence," he said. "We started from scratch and a lot of other communities liked what we were doing and then it progressively grew. Nowhere in our imagination we would have dreamt that we would have the membership that we do now."
In addition to providing competitive rates and local control to residents, ACE serves as an advocate on behalf of Choice Gas customers and provides a possible revenue stream back to Nebraska communities, instead of having profits go to out-of-state shareholders like an investor-owned gas supplier.
The ACE Board of Directors recently approved returning $300,000 back to member communities, bringing the total revenue returned to Nebraska communities more than $2.38 million. These funds have been used over the years to fund a variety of community projects such as parks, playgrounds, youth programs and infrastructure improvements.
Through the years, natural gas suppliers competing in the Choice Gas program have come and gone, but ACE and its mission has remained a constant, serving as an example of communities working together in a grassroots effort to benefit consumers by ensuring competition, local control and keeping money in Nebraska communities.


text: 3.1 Phillip Lim is a highly acclaimed contemporary line from designer Phillip Lim and his partner Wen Zhou. Blending clean, chic aesthetics with a cutting-edge, contemporary feel, the label offers up wearable yet subtly unique pieces. Minimalism features prominently, while edgy cuts and luxe leather accents provide a dramatic twist. Capture a cool, city-girl look with this luxurious collection of 3.1 Phillip Lim backpacks. Expect sumptuous grained leather in unusual, imaginative shapes, with embossed detailing and pops of colour for a pure fashion-forward statement.


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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Hauneted Design House 100th Challenge Blog Hop featuring Varying Visages of Vincent
39 comments:
Oh my, that is absolutely lovely. I just love this challenge. So looking forward to what everyone creates!!ReplyDelete
So excited!!
This is seriously amazing. I so so so so love it xReplyDelete
Donna this is glorious! :DReplyDelete
Hi Donna,ReplyDelete
You are a master at this style of card. An amazing creation.
Fiona x
WOW hun - soooo cool!!! Loving the mask, and that quote is just the job!ReplyDelete
OMG! That quote is sensational!! And the images amazing!! :D XXXReplyDelete
Love the coffin idea... and the images of Vincent are awesome.ReplyDelete
That is totally awesome!!! I love him as a Zombie!!! awesomeness!!!ReplyDelete
Love your coffin! I especially love that quote inside.ReplyDelete
oh holy smokes donna this is beyond fabulous ! i love love love this! ive been a huge vincent price fan since i was a very little kid and my daughter became one too she would absolutely die for this! you simply amaze me. btw the inside quote is one of my favorites and a belief ive had for many years. did i say i loved this already? ;) thanks for sharing your "shtuff" with us, hugs!ReplyDelete
wow awesome coffin card. Vincent himself would be impressed:)ReplyDelete
I love your project, and I especially love the quote on the inside. Great work!ReplyDelete
This is so great! I love it all - I've never seen the quote before, it's perfect! Great job.ReplyDelete
I love this! That inside image is to die for. =)ReplyDelete
Awesome - love it! :)ReplyDelete
This is FANTASTIC!!!!ReplyDelete
Ha ha ha! I love it!! You are the Queen of macabre.ReplyDelete
What can I say? Brilliant! Love the life (really?) mask and the cool schtuff you Cricutted onto the front. I have the zombified Vincent saved in my google pics too. Love the colors - perfect for a tattoo. LOL!ReplyDelete
Oh Wow Donna! This is something else!!! I love it, the quote inside made me go all soppy inside :)ReplyDelete
Fiona. x
What a cool tribute to VP...love the coffin box!ReplyDelete
OMGoodness Donna - that is a Masterpiece.... work of genius Girl... you rock !!ReplyDelete
Ike xxx
oh that face..give me the creeps...ReplyDelete
Ooh, Donna! I love this! How creep-tastic! Love the quote on the inside. Amazing job!ReplyDelete
ooooo...this is frickin' AWESOME!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the front and I agree...had he chosen to be buried, you probably could have made the prototype coffin for him with this! LOOOOOOOOOOOVE it and loved Vincent Price! I could never get enough of him when I was growing up. Hugs!ReplyDelete
Love this project and Vincent Price! RFSReplyDelete
Wow you are so creative! This project is totally cool!ReplyDelete
I love your Vincent Price coffin! It's creepy....he would have approved!ReplyDelete
Awesome! Vincent Price never looked so good!ReplyDelete
AWESOME coffin, I have a few small ones...maybe I'll choose that for my project as well, but I kind of have another idea started. IF I get to make something this will be my first time doing a MM challenge!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the extra info about the infamous VP!
This is incredible! What a fantastic tribute! I may be bugging you in the future for some cricut tips, so be warned. LOL!ReplyDelete
I love this project - and that sentiment is just awesome. I have always loved his voice and that laugh that would send chills down your back.ReplyDelete
I LOVE Vincent Price and this project is awesome! The top photo of him looks like one of the holograms at the haunted mansion in Disneyland!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 4, 2011 at 5:24 AM
CREEPY COOL! Looooovvveeee the ornate coffin!ReplyDelete
Unbelievable as usual Donna! I love the death mask!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 6, 2011 at 1:55 AM
Great coffin box.ReplyDelete
a life mask that looks like a death mask. This is slightly creepy I think.
wonderful coloring on making mr. price a zombie! the coffin is awesome!ReplyDelete
That coffin is to die for (pun intended) Donna! Love the inside pic & the really creepy one on the outside. Beautiful!ReplyDelete
WOW. Loving the spidery web look on the coffinReplyDelete
this is so cool! I love...everything about it!ReplyDelete


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A couple of season finale reviews have cropped up in the past 24 hours—all these guys who got that fancy press package that some people have drooled over.
Our first review comes from David Hinckley of the NY Daily News, who gave the episodes in general a 3 out of 5. He is pretty positive about it, and explains of course the unusual crowd of adult fans behind it. All in all, he says it's good. You can read that article here.
Then we have Maxie Zeus from Toonzone. This review I'd call 50/50, as it's not overly positive nor negative (in my opinion). The article starts off more or less stating that the reviewer knows very little about MLP. It makes no mention about the community behind it. They call the script generic, but most of us know that tends to be the case sometimes, claiming that the script could be used for any cartoon. Either way, you can read this article over here on Toonzone. (Ironic, a site called Toonzone knows nothing about a cartoon…)
[Sources: NYDaily: The Round Stable | Toonzone: RGB]


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You are the weakest link, Good-bye.
Let me start off by saying that I like open-source and Ubuntu very much, and after trying Ubuntu 10.04 and seeing the rapid pace of improvement in Ubuntu 10.10, I can say without a doubt that by the next LTS (Ubuntu 12.04, which will release roughly the same time as Windows 8 ) will be a vastly superior desktop class operating system than anything else on the market. That being said an operating system's primary purpose is to run applications and so an operating system is only as good as its apps, which has always been Linux's Achilles heel (that and multimedia but that is directly related to lack of apps and vendor support). Yes I know none of this is Linux's fault, it's the fault of third-party software vendors not supporting it. But at the end of the day if an operating system doesn't have the apps people want then it's useless. Now that doesn't mean Ubuntu can't take on Windows 8 come 2012, there may be a window of opportunity as the desktop market is being marginalized back to the realm of corporations and geeks thanks to the iPad and coming onslaught of tablets that are proving popular with the non-tech savvy consumer crowd. Being Ubuntu is aimed squarely at the consumer crowd and Microsoft apparently can't make a consumer OS to save their life, then they have a chance to sway the remaining consumers, but to do so Ubuntu needs to start courting third-party software vendors (if they haven't already) and independent developers to develop for Ubuntu. I have talked with many people who have heard of Ubuntu and would like to switch but at the end of the day it comes down to apps and vendor support.


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Haley Durell is a math teacher from Westerville, Ohio. She attended Wittenberg University where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Spanish. She loves watching students make connections between their classes as well as with their life experiences.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, running and reading. One of her goals is to visit all 50 states and has made it to 31. So far, her favorite is California where she can visit her grandma, the beach and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Favorite Book: All seven Harry Potter books but especially The Half-Blood Prince
Favorite Animal: Monkeys
Favorite Food: Ice Cream -- I love Young's!
email@example.com | @Durell_GISA