Pikelets for Sharon

We were feeling like something sweet, and we don't keep anything too tempting in the house, so I made a batch of pikelets again today.

I remember when we lived aboard (yacht) if I saw someone coming towards us in their dinghy, I could whip some up and have them ready for morning or afternoon tea by the time they arrived.

Ingredients:
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar added
2 teaspoons butter
Method
Sift flour and bicarb, add sugar, egg, milk, mix in blender etc.
Melt butter in pan, add to mixture and blend.
Place by dessertspoons in pan heated to 380 degrees
Cook till bubbles showing, turn and brown.


Top to taste, traditionally strawberry jam and cream, or anything you like.

Greek yoghurt and pure maple syrup...Yummmm
Enjoy!

Hands Across The Border

Hands Across the Border Peach Arch Celebration is today! The theme this year is"Past to Present" to incorporate Girl Guides of Canada – Guides du Canada and Boys Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary.

The International Peace Arch stands near the western end of the unfortified Canadian/American boundary, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.


It is an exciting day of international friendship and fun and youth participants parade through the arch carrying flags from the 145 World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) countries.
 
Yes The Peace Arch Border crossing (between Interstate 5 on the U.S. side and British Columbia Highway 99 on the Canadian side) is a major border crossing and yes both Northbound AND Southbound temporarily closes to ALL vehicle traffic beginning from 11am until 3pm.  Motorists are however diverted to other border crossings, with the Pacific Highway crossing the closest at about a mile away and even though drivers will need to allow extra time to get through the border as a result of this event; it is really a minor inconvenience.  The Hands Across the Border event is a celebration of peace between the two countries and it symbolizes the friendship between Canada and the United States ... something, I believe, most worthy of celebration.
 

My girls and I have crossed the Border into the United States more times than ever before these past few years .... never during a Hands Across the Border celebration ..... pity!

Hope everyone has been enjoying a wonderful weekend.  Would love to hear from you.

Sharon

People Deserve Better! | Canadian Labour Congress

People Deserve Better! Canadian Labour Congress

From June 25-27, Canada is host to the G8 and G20 Summits. These events present a unique opportunity for Canadians from all walks of life to make their voices heard. It is a moment for Canadians to join collectively, with people across the globe, to tell the Canadian government and world leaders that in these troubled times People Deserve Better!

Worth It

Miracles are Everywhere

I've borrowed this from a post on Multiply:

Miracles are not only
ecstatic visions or holy interventions
visited upon the chosen few.
Every moment we are alive
is full of reasons to sing
out in joyful gratitude.
Every breath we are given
is a reminder that
the glory of life is at hand.
In the people we love,
in the beauty of nature,
in the golden sun
that rises each morning -
miracles are everywhere.

(author unknown)

Love, Jan, have a lovely weekend.

5 Minutes for Happiness

Just read something well worth considering ....

Devoting time each day for happiness will change your day and change your brain chemistry.

Alone, we can enjoy an aromatic cup of our favorite tea, take a stroll through the garden we have created, write about the day's events in a journal, doodle while daydreaming, or breathe deeply while we listen to the silence around us.

In the company of a good friend or treasured relative, we can share a few silly jokes, enjoy a waltz around the room, play a fast-paced hand of cards, or reconnect through lighthearted conversation.

Thanks for the invitation Jan

thanks for the invite Jan! I hope you are all doing well..

Old Time Family Dance

We are going to an old-time family dance out at a country hall tonight (Saturday). It is so many years since we did anything like this. We've been going to classes lately, and we are all going together.  We haven't learnt many dances yet, it is slow getting new stuff into our old heads.... LOL
Still we will be doing the barn dance, pride of erin, canadian threestep, gypsy tap etc. 
I'll be wearing a skirt, but we don't have to get dressed up too much.
Wish us luck!!!
Have a pleasant weekend!!

(pic from Internet)

Meatless Monday

Earth Day has come and gone for 2010. Hopefully we all took a moment to think about this little rock we call home and hopefully we even talked about it with other members of our families and with our friends. By now most have probably tossed aside the ecological towel and have all but forgotten about it.

I have been reading and hearing about a quiet movement called "Meatless Mondays". You see, reducing your meat intake makes sense not only for your own health but for the health of Planet Earth too!

Meat comes with a substantial environmental cost and researchers say that the effect of eliminating meat from our diet just one day per week would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of driving 1,600 kilometres less per year.

Beyond the environmental consequences of meat production, however, is the association between red meats and cancer in general, and cured meats and colon cancer in particular.

I am going to try Meatless Mondays and I hope you do too. I like to keep things simple so most likely will start off with an omlette with sauteed veggies and maybe some whole-grain toast this Monday.

Look forward to reading your menu suggestions for Meatless Mondays!

Don't tell your family it is good for them and you may be surprised just how much they love it!!!!!!!!

Cinco de Mayo - May 5

Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. It marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Althought the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

I am not sure about the rest of you but to me now-a-days anyway this conjures up vivid pictures of a Fiesta Extraordinaire! Fiestas are feasts for our senses .... all the colour, the smells, the sounds! Latin America really knows how to party and the rest of the world could learn a lot from their zest of life.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Global Love Day

Today May 1st is Global Love Day. Be a part of this global day by choosing love, compassion, peace, and unity. We are one humanity on this planet. All life is interconnected and interdependent. Embrace diversity.

How do you define love?

The Bible does a great job of it .... Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - translation of 1 Corinthians 13:5-7

Remember the Beatles?? "All You Need Is Love" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the "Our World" live television spectacular performed by the Beatles in June, 1967. 400 million people around the world saw the program. The number was included on the Yellow Submarine album.

Love is a decision and the opposite of love is fear .... think about it!

Have a great day!

Giant Flower to Bloom

 Good news for fans of the smelly titan arum or the 'corpse flower' as it is better known. It is set to bloom later this week.

A rare behemoth flower — dubbed the "corpse flower" for its rotting-meat smell — is set to bloom at Western Illinois University this week. It's one of a small group of these flowers that have bloomed in cultivation since the 1880s.

As of Monday, the mega flower (one of four in the university's greenhouse), was 44.5 inches (113 centimeters) tall, having grown nearly 4 inches (about 5.7 cm) in 24 hours. In the wild, the plant can grow as big as 20 feet (6 meters) tall and 15 feet (4.5 meters) across.

If you believe you can, you are right. If you believe you can not, then you are right, too.

The bumble-bee cannot fly. According to the theory of aerodynamics, and as may be readily demonstrated through laboratory tests and wind tunnel experiments, the bumble-bee is unable to fly. This is because the size, weight, and shape of his body, in relation to the total wing-spread that he has, make flying impossible.

But the bumble-bee, being ignorant of these profound truths, goes ahead and flies anyway, and manages to make a little honey every day!

Princess Anne

Princess Anne has begun a visit to Newfoundland and Labrador with military events high on the royal agenda.

The princess was welcomed to St. John's by Premier Danny Williams.

While in St. John's, she presented new colours to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (http://www.heritage.nf.ca/greatwar/articles/regiment.html) on Saturday.

The famed unit earned its royal title for its service during the First World War.

On Sunday, she wraps up her trip with a ceremony to honour those who died in the First World War.

Anne is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth.

People do the strangest things

Bryan Berg, a Guinness world record holding card stacker (for the tallest and largest houses of freestanding playing cards), is at a local mall, Woodgrove Centre in Nanaimo, BC, Canada, attempting to create a replica of New York City's skyline using more than 22,000 recycled gift cards collected from Woodgrove retailers. Construction began on Earth Day (April 22) and ends on May 1.

What will they think of next????

Water - A Fundamental Resource

Do you have a rain barrel to collect water to irrigate your lawns and gardens? Do you use waste water from your sinks and/or washing machines and reuse it to water plants?

If your answer is NO please make this year the year to start some type of water conservation plan and do please share it with us and ask all your friends to do the same!

Sharon

Fun Family Hobby

Just read about a local family who spends quality time together out in the sun with a metal detector, shovels, etc. Father and sons head out to local beaches in search of buried treasures.

Sounds perfectly delightful, don't you think? So far they have found several coins and unidentified "odds and ends" ....

I think this would be a great idea for a birthday party!

Thought for the Day

If you feel you are down on your luck, check the level of your effort. ~Robert Brault

A Phrase A Week - Household words

Household words


Meaning

Words or sayings that are in common use; names that are familiar to everyone.

Origin

Who coined the term 'household words'? The most common answer to any question beginning 'Who coined the phrase ...' is William Shakespeare and, as so often, the bard doesn't disappoint. This one comes from the celebrated Saint Crispin's Day speech in Henry V, 1598:

He that shall live this day, and see old age,

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,

And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'

Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.

And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'

Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,

But he'll remember with advantages

What feats he did that day: then shall our names.

Familiar in his mouth as household words

Shakespeare was in full creative flow at that date and also coined 'stiffen the sinews', 'like a greyhound in the slips' and 'once more unto the breach' all within the space of a few pages.

A 'hold' or 'holding' was the tenure or ownership of a domestic property. This persists in words like 'freehold' and 'smallholding'. 'Household' was the word for things held by a house, i.e. the people and chattels that were normally at home. John Wyclif appears to have been the first person to have set down the word 'household' in print, in his 1382 translation of the Bible, in Ezekiel 28-13:

And take pertenaunce of houshold and substaunce.

Shakespeare seems to have enjoyed the word 'household' and used it no less than 23 times in his plays - often referring to 'household stuff', by which he meant the Tudor equivalents of bathroom fittings and white goods. Despite his efforts, 'household' didn't take off as a commonly used word and, apart from its use to refer to the Royal household, lay pretty much in the linguistic attic until it was dusted down by another literary giant - Charles Dickens.

By 1850, when the magazine Household Words was first published, Dickens was a very successful writer. He had been frustrated by earlier publishing enterprises, in which he thought interference by the publishers had stifled his creativity, and he decided to fund Household Words himself. This gave him free rein to indulge his view that the general public could and should be uplifted by his artistic musings on the stuff of everyday life - hence the title.

In the 16th century, the French landowner Michel de Montaigne retired to his chateau to write down and publish his thoughts and inadvertently invented the essay. In the 19th century, the wealthy author Dickens financed a journal to do much the same which also had the effect of bringing the magazine format to the general public. Now we have blogs. Easier and cheaper for us all to have a go, which is excellent - but I can't help feeling that standards have dropped rather.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You Know You're a Blog Addict When

You know you're a Blog addict when... All of your friends have funny names. Not only is your computer in the center of the room, it's set up to allow bloggin' from your couch, as well as your desk chair. Sleep and nighttime are no longer irrevocably linked. When you read a magazine, you have the urge to click on the underlined passages. You arrange to get e-mail access no matter where you go. You can remember your web address faster than your phone number.

Iceland's Volcano

Iceland's Volcano

Caristales River in Columbia, South America

The river shown in the photographs is the Caristales, which is located near the town of La Macarena in Colombia , South America .

The river, world famous for its colorful display, has been called:

"the river that ran away to paradise",

"the most beautiful river in the world"

and "the river of five colors".

During Colombia 's wet season, the water flows fast and deep, obscuring the bottom of the river and denying the mosses and algae that call the river home the sun that they need. During the dry season there is not enough water to support the dazzling array of life in the river. But during a brief span between the wet and dry seasons, when the water level is just right, the many varieties of algae and moss bloom in a dazzling display of colours. Blotches of amarillo , blue, green, black and red - and a thousand shades in between - coat the river.




The part of the river where the colourful blooms occur is quite isolated and is not accessible by road. Adventurous tourists can now fly into La Macarena and then make their way to to the river site on foot as part of guided tours. The site was effectively closed to tourists for several years because of guerrilla activity in the region along with concerns about the impact of unregulated tourist traffic. However, the site was re-opened to visitors in 2009.

So far, some 1,000 people have visited Caristales, including around 100 foreign tourists.

The tours will follow four clearly marked and authorized paths and one is no longer permitted to stay overnight or cook, as this was ruining the area previously.

Caristales River in Columbia, South America

Very Meaningful

This is something we should all read at least once a week. Very meaningful.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:



1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone....

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful,beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26.. Frame every so-called disaster with these words'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything..

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Just For Fun

           

 

 

            Remember...

Once you get over the hill, you'll begin to pick up speed.

I love cooking with wine. 

Sometimes I even put some in the food.

 ...If it weren't for STRESS
I'd have no energy at all.

Whatever hits the fan..

Will Not Be Evenly Distributed.

Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don't have any film.

I always know...

God won't give me more than I can handle

There are times I just wish He didn't trust me quite so much.

Dogs Have Owners ~ Cats Have Staff

If the shoe fits... buy a pair in every color.

Never be too open-minded, your brains may fall out.

Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian.

Not any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Bills travel through the mail...

at twice the speed of checks.

If you look like your passport picture...
you probably need the trip.

Some days are a total waste of makeup.

Men are from earth.

Women are from earth.

Deal with it.

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.

Middle age is when broadness of the mind 
and narrowness of the waist change places.

Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

Junk is something you've kept for years 
and throw away three weeks before you need it.

Experience is a wonderful thing.

It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.

Learn from the mistakes of others.
Trust me... you can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

I've tried!!

Have A Wonderful Day!

Chat

Chat 101

Here are some common chat abbreviations


AbFab: absolutely fabulous!

AFK: away from keyboard

anklebiters: kids

BBL: be back later

BBS: be back soon

BC: because

BECUZ: because

BF: best friend or boyfriend

BF: breast feeding

BIL: brother in law

BRB: be right back

BTDT: been there, done that

BTT: back to the top, bring to top

BTW: by the way

Cackleberries: eggs

CG: computer generated

CTMH: close to my heart

CWYL: chat with you later

DD: dear daughter, darling daughter

D/L or DL: download

DA: dumb a$$

DB: dear/damn brother

DboyF: dear boyfriend

DGS: dear grandson

DH: dear or darling husband

DS: dear son

DSD: dear step daughter

DSS: dear step son

DSIL: dear sister in law

DSO: dear significant other

DW: dear wife

FIL: father in law

GC: gift certificate

GF: good friend or girl friend

GFY: good for you

GM: good morning or grandmother

GJ: good job

HTH: hope that helps

IMHO: in my humble opinion or in my honest opinion

IRL: in real life

IRW: i remember when

ISO: in search of

JMHO: just my humble opinion

JMTC or JM2C: just my two cents

JSYK: just so you know

Kidlets: children

KISS: keep it simple, stupidBR> KWIM: know what i mean?

KWITCHERBITCHIN: "Quit Your Bitchin'

Liddle Skiddles: toddlers that keeps you on your toes.

LMBO: laughing my butt off!

LOL: laughing out loud

MAMBI: me and my big ideas (also a name for a scrapbook site)

MB: message board

MB: made by

MIL: mother in law

MOOK: mother of older kids

MOYK: mother of young kids

OMG: oh my goodness or oh my god

OP: original poster

PIF: pay it forward

PC: personal computer

PO: post office or pissed off, angry

PJ: pjamas

PT: peeping tom

PU: something that stinks

PI: private investigator or private eye

PIMP: peeing in my pants

QT: cutie

QTP: cutie pie

RAK: random act (of) kindness

ROFL: rolling on floor laughing

ROFLMAO: rolling on floor laughing my a$$ off

Ruggies: children

Rugrats: children

SAHM: stay at home mom

SAHW: stay at home wife

SIL: sister in law

TFL: thanks for looking

TFS: thanks for sharing

TIA: thanks in advance

TMI: too much information

Troll: loser, someone who wants to stir up trouble

TTFN: ta ta for now

TYVM: thank you very much

UL or U/L: upload

URW: you're welcome

WAHM: work at home mom

W2G or WTG: way to go

X or XH/XW: ex, ex husband/ex wife

XXXX'D: crossed out

YW: you're welcome

Things to Think About

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:

LOSE ONE.

The origin of this letter is unknown,
But it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.

Remember....

Hold on tight to the ones you love!

Helpful Hints

How to get rid of ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it back to the nest, and die because they can't digest it. And they feed it to the queen and she dies and the next dies.

Here's another idea. When you see an ant hill sprinkle it with a good dose of talcum power. It drives ants crazy. And, like cornmeal, it's cheap and non-toxic.

And for those of us in Florida it really does a number on fire ants.

Crochet Crafts

Hearts Doily




Materials: Crochet Cotton 350 yds Red and 200 yds White Crochet Hook Size 9



Approximate Finished Size 13 inches Diameter



Rose Center:



Rnd 1: With red, ch 8, join to form a ring, ch 6, (1 dc in ring, ch 3) 7 times, sl st to join in 3rd ch of starting ch-6.



Rnd 2: Sl st into ch-3 sp, ch 1, (1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in ch-3 sp) rep in each ch-3 sp around, join.



Rnd 3: Ch 5, (sl st in sp between next 2 sc sts, ch 5) rep around, join.



Rnd 4: Sl st into ch-5 sp, ch 1, (1 sc, 1 hdc, 5 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in ch-5 sp) rep in each ch-5 sp around, join.



Rnd 5: Ch 7, (sl st in sp between next 2 sc sts, ch 7) rep around, join.



Rnd 6: Sl st into ch-7 sp, ch 1 (1 sc, 1 hdc, 7 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in ch-7 sp) rep in each ch-7 sp around, join.



Rnd 7: Ch 9, (sl st in sp between next 2 sc sts, ch 9) rep around, join.



Rnd 8: Sl st into ch-9 sp, ch 1 (1 sc, 1 hdc, 9 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in ch-9 sp) rep in each ch-9 sp around, join, fasten off red.



Rnd 9: Attach white in sp between 2 sc sts, ch 1, (sc in sp between 2 sc sts, ch 6, dc in center 5th dc of next petal, ch 6) rep around, join.



Rnd 10: Sl st into ch-6 sp, ch 3, 5 dc in same ch-6 sp, (6 dc in next ch-6 sp) rep around, sl st to join in top of ch-3; draw up a lp, remove hook and set aside, do not fasten off.



Heart Motifs: (make 8):



Note: When working heart pattern, do exactly what the pattern indicates. Row 1: With red, ch 2, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, turn. (3)



Row 2: 2 dc in first sc, dc in next sc, 3 dc in last sc, ch 3, turn. (7)



Row 3: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 4 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (10)



Row 4: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 7 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (13)



Row 5: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 10 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (16)



Row 6: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 13 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (19)



Row 7: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 16 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (22)



Row 8: 2 dc in first dc, dc in next 19 dc, 3 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn (25)



Row 9: 1 dc in first dc, dc in next 22 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (26)



Row 10: 1 dc in first dc, dc in next 23 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (27)



Row 11: 1 dc in first dc, dc in next 24 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (28)



Row 12: 1 dc in first dc, dc in next 25 dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 3, turn. (29)



Row 13: 1 dc in first dc, dc in next 11 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in next dc, hdc in next dc, dc in next 11 dc, sk next dc, 2 dc in next dc, ch 2, turn.



Row 14: Sk first dc, hdc in next st, dc in next 8 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next 3 sts, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next 8 sts, sk 1 st, hdc in next st, ch 2, turn.



Row 15: Sk first st, hdc in next st, dc in next 7 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next 3 sts, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next 7 sts, sk next st, hdc in next st, ch 2, turn.



Row 16: Sk first st, hdc in next st, dc in next 6 sts, hdc in next st, sc in nex st, sl st in next 3 sts, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next 6 sts, sk 1 st, hdc in next st, ch 1.



Edging: Rnd 17: Sc evenly sp around entire outer edge of heart, sl st to join, fasten off.



Joining Hearts to Rose:



First Heart:



Pick up dropped lp of white cotton attached to rose, ch 6, with right side of first heart facing, sl st in end sc of heart (at base by Row 1 of heart), ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot), *sc in next 2 sc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, rep from * around heart, ending with sl st in same st as first sl st on heart, ch 6, sk 12 dc of Rnd 10, sc in sp between dc sts.



Second Heart:



Ch 6, with right side of 2nd heart facing, sl st in end sc of heart, ch 3, picot, (sc in next 2 sc, picot) 5 times, sc in next 2 sc, (ch 3, sl st in corresponding sc of opposite heart, sl st in 3rd ch from hook for joining picot) 4 times, (sc in next 2 sc, picot) rep around rem of heart, ending with sl st in same st as first sl st on heart, ch 6, sk 12 dc of Rnd 10, sc in sp between dc sts.



Attach next 5 hearts in same manner as 2nd heart.



For 8th heart, rep as for 2nd heart until 2nd edge of heart, attach 2nd edge of first heart in corresponding sts at side edge , after ch-6 at base, sl st to join in starting st, fasten off.



Edging:



Note: Edging involves working in sps between the 2 sc sts between picots of each heart.



Rnd 1: Attach white in centertop of any heart in sc between picots, ch 1, *sc in sc, ch 4, sk 2 picots, dc in sc, (ch 6, sk 2 picots, dc in sc) 3 times, ch 6, dc in corresponding sc of next heart, (ch 6, sk 2 picots, dc in sc) 3 times, ch 4, sk 2 picots, rep from * around, sl st to join in starting sc.



Note: On Rnd 1 at the point of the asterisk to start a rep, you will be at the center top of a heart. Rnd 2: Sl st into ch-4 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, (work 6 dc in each ch-6 sp and 4 dc in each ch-4 sp) rep around entire outer edge, sl st to join.



Rnd 3: *Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next 2 dc, rep from * around, join, fasten off.



Weave in loose ends.

Musical Instruments

What would the world be without music? I love all kinds of music and am fascinated by all the different instruments there are. Do you have a favourite type of music, favourite musical instrument, do you play an instrument? Share your musical stories here with us and help make the world go round with music!

The Man From Snowy River - Banjo's Poem

A favourite Poem in Australia is "The Man From Snowy River", and a contact here posted the video yesterday. The scenes are from the movie of the same name.

National Parks - Kakadu Australia

Do you have National Parks in your area...... Australia has many, and the most famous is Kakadu. I have not been there, perhaps one day!!!

"Kakadu National Park an Australian Natural Icon covers almost 20,000 square kms and is 257 kms East of Darwin the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Kakadu National Park is a World Heritage listed area that has been listed for it's cultural and natural heritage and Kakadu is the largest terrestrial national park in Australia. Life in the park depends on the water, also in respect to the tropical monsoon climate that produces the downpours of the tropical humidity of the "wet" season, and the milder weather of the "dry" season. 

Kakadu is the second largest national park in the world and and is home to approximate number of species: Mammals: 62, Reptiles: 123+, Birds: 280, Freshwater Fish: 51, Insects: 10,000, Frogs: 25, Plants: 1,275. (many are rare and occur only in Kakadu)" 
See more

News about David Attenborough

News that may be of interest:

(Pic from web)

David Attenborough trapped in Arctic after Iceland volcano grounds all flights (but he did reach the North Pole at the age of 83)

Click here


Google David Attenborouh for more stories.

"Life Begins at Forty"

OK, this is my first post and was asked to post by Jan.


Life begins at forty

Meaning:    Life begins to be better in one's middle age.

Origin:

The notion that 'life begins at forty' is a 20th century one; prior to that it was more accurate to say 'death begins at forty' as most people didn't live much beyond that age. Life expectancy in mediaeval England was around 25 years and only reached forty sometime around the turn of the 20th century. By the 1930s many, in western societies at least, could expect a decent spell of reasonably affluent retirement, free from work and the responsibilities of childcare. Household gadgets like washing machines and vacuum cleaners were becoming more widely used and had begun to relieve women's drudgery and offer them increasing amounts of leisure time as compared to their Victorian mothers.

In 1932, the American psychologist Walter Pitkin published the self-help book Life Begins at Forty. Pitkin stated confidently:

Life begins at forty. This is the revolutionary outcome of our New Era. Today it is half a truth. Tomorrow it will be an axiom.

Pitkin is often attributed with coining the phrase and, while it is true that his popular book was the cause of it becoming part of the language, he wasn't the first to express the idea, or even the phrase itself. The take-up of the idea was rapid and 'life begins at forty' appears many times in newspapers and other printed records from 1932 onwards. This was propelled further into the American consciousness in 1937 via a recording of the song 'Life begins at Forty', written by Yellen and Shapiro and sung by Sophie Tucker.

However, we need to go back a way to find the origin of the phrase. The great 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer came close to it with his view:

"The first forty years of life give us the text: the next thirty supply the commentary."

In keeping with the reduction of the toil of domestic work and child rearing that began freeing up women's free time to some extent at the start of the 20th century, the first reference to life beginning at forty refers specifically to women.

Mrs. Theodore Parsons was Physical Director of Schools in Chicago and, in 1912, wrote Brain Culture Through Scientific Body Building. It wasn't a runaway best-seller, but the arrival of the USA in the First World War in 1917 gave her views a new lease of life. In April of that year The Pittsburgh Press printed a feature on Mrs. Parsons and her no-nonsense opinions about the benefits of a brisk exercise programme that she acquired from her soldier husband (Mr. Theodore Parsons was, sadly, recently deceased - presumably from exhaustion):

"The average woman does not know how to breathe, sit, stand or walk. Now I want women to train for the special duties which may devolve upon them in war time. Death begins at thirty, that is, deterioration of the muscle cells sets in. Attention to diet and exercise would enable men and women to live a great deal longer than they do today. The best part of a woman's life begins at forty."

What special duties Mrs. Parsons had in mind, stationed as she was in Chicago, isn't clear. The paper was good enough to include a graphic of the dynamic couple, demonstrating their method in action, so you can give it a try and see if it works.

Life expectancy has continued to move on and forty now seems no age at all. In 1991, the New York Times printed this opinion:

All our age benchmarks, which used to seem solid as rocks, have turned into shifting sands. 'Life begins at 40? More like 60'.

15 Cute animals to beware of.

The secret weapon: Cuteness

They might look sweet and innocent, but many of nature's cutest creatures are deadly. As a reminder of that important principle, here's our list of the 15 cutest animals in the world that could kill you. (Text: Bryan Nelson)

 

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/pets-animals/photos/15-cute-animals-that-could-kill-you/the-secret-weapon-cuteness

World Voyage

As this is a WWW blog, let me remind you about Jessica Watson the 16 year old Australian,  on the home leg of her solo circumnavigation. She has hit the most severe conditions so far here in Australian waters in the last few days. I know I was sceptical about her  being allowed to undertake this voyage, but she has done a magnificient job of it.
Here is the link to her voyage

Vancouver Canuks

You are never too young to be a hockey fan!

The Vancouver Canucks are a British Columbia's professional ice hockey team of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are in a playoff game tonight. Go Canuks Go!

What kind of sports do you like?

DID YOU KNOW????? Hockey is basically known as the “ball and stick” game and it was played since ancient times in places diverse as Rome, Scotland, Egypt and South America. The NHL Hockey history actually begins with the NHA’s beginning in 1910 based in Canada.

How well I remember those words -- Hockey Night in Canada -- broadcast from television sets and radios in the fifties, sixties and even the seventies on Saturday evenings. Quite the contrast to the past several years where it seems hockey is always on -- sort of takes the pleasure out of it .... that is just my opinion, what do you think?

Sharon

Baseball Cookies

Baseball Cookies





These no-bake cookies are almost as fun to make as they are to give. They are quick and easy to assemble and they look great! What you need1 12-ounce box wafer cookies, crushed 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate 6 pieces red string licorice 16 ounces white chocolate wafers.





What you do .... The chocolate does dry fast, so make sure to place the licorice pieces on right after dipping. If the melted chocolate starts to harden, simply reheat for a few seconds and continue dipping. Line a work surface with waxed paper. In a large bowl mix together the condensed milk, crushed cookies, walnuts, and unsweetened chocolate. Take a tablespoonful of dough and roll into a ball. Place on the waxed paper and flatten gently. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the cookies one inch apart. Cut the licorice into 1 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. Melt the white chocolate until smooth over a double boiler or in a microwave, stirring frequently. Dip the cookies into the chocolate using a fork and quickly, before the chocolate dries, place two licorice pieces on the cookies to form the baseball threads. Let dry thoroughly before packaging or giving. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

"Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,

I don't care if I never get back,

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game."

Do be sure to ask Daphne about the cookies we made up at her birthday party!!!! They were made with wafer cookies and a "secret" ingredient!!!!!!!!!!

Sharon

Immigration/Emigration

Today is Thursday, April 15th and it has been a beautiful day here on Paradise Island. Busy but delightful week and I hope each of you are enjoying the same.

Seeing as how we are such a diverse group I thought it would be a great time to discuss Immigration. Are you an Immigrant in the your country of residence?

Probably a good idea to define Immigration:

"the movement of non-native people into a country in order to settle there"

and Emigration is:

"to leave one's country to permanently resettle in another country."

What country do you live in? Did you emigrate from another country to live there? Did your parents? Do you know of someone who has immigrated into your neighbourhood?

From what I have researched most people immigrate seeking a better life in another country and I think it must take unbelievable strength (physical and mental) to successfully accomplish this. It is difficult to imagine not only the cultural differences immigrants encounter but also language barriers which make daily communication a struggle.

I would like to share an experience I had with you. I went on the most memorable trip last fall to visit with Daphne and her family and friends in Argentina, South America. Regretfully I did not make the effort to learn Spanish before I undertook this adventure and I deeply regret that I had not.

I was in a very different land ... so very far from home. I felt at times that I was deaf and unable to speak because I could not understand the language being spoken around me and people could not understand me so in a strange way it was like I was unable to hear or speak. This could of resulted in isolation but I was blessed to be surrounded by many of the nicest people on this Planet.

People who loved to laugh and hug and their kindness translated (without words) into acceptance. Speaking of translation ..... these ongoing displays of acceptance re-inforced a very important lesson in life -- the power of kindness.

A second lesson would be that of courtesy .... if you are going to another country which speaks a language other than your own -- take the time to learn the basics of that language!

I do digress ..... sorry.

Back to Immigration and Emigration. Have you ever thought of selling off everything and starting fresh in another country? Where would you go and why? If you have immigrated -- are you glad you did?

hasta luego

Sharon

Hi Everyone! It has been a while .... too long. I just do not seem to have the time to publish a newsletter but I was hoping we could each publish articles about what is going on in our corner of the globe here on the blog. Can't wait to hear from you. Sharon