Lady of the Lake in Swan Heaven

Coming Attractions

2012-02-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember .. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks. 'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?' 'Sure..' 'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks. 'No, I can remember it..' 'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?' He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.' 'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks. Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!' Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment.'Where's my toast ?'

The Innocence of a Child!

2012-01-29T12:18:00.001-08:00

The Innocence Of A ChildWe were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi there." He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray. His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled with glee. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat, dirty, greasy and worn. His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi there." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence, all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him,Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor-gently, so gently, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest-unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

Lessons to be learned :• As the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover, a man by his looks.• True love sees no sin, make no judgement and be touched by the heart.A short story written by unknown.

Life lessons

2012-01-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

Written by Regina Brett aged 90 "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. Change the way you think.4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family 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. Release your children when they become adults, it’s their life now9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay cheque.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.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. Just because you believe you are right, doesn't mean you are. Keep an open mind.23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.24. The most important sex organ is the brain25. 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. Your job is to love your children, not choose who they should love.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."

Roger Williams

2011-10-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Autumn Leaves' pop pianist found commercial success

Between 1955 and 1972, Roger Williams had 22 hit singles — including 'BornFree' — and 38 hit albums.

Roger Williams, a pianist who was one of the most popular instrumentalistsof the mid-20th century and who hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1955 with hisarpeggio-strewn "Autumn Leaves," has died. He was 87.Williams died Saturday at his Los Angeles home of complications from pancreatic cancer.

"The biggest thing I have to offer," Williams told Time magazinein 1968, "is emotion. I think I play with more feeling than any other poppianist."

"Autumn Leaves" was the most successful song of Williams' career,and the first No.1 instrumental song on the Billboard charts of the rock era,according to "The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits."

Mr. Williams played for every commander in chief from Harry Truman to GeorgeH.W. Bush. His last trip to the White House was in 2008, when he performed at aluncheon for then-first lady Laura Bush.
Mr. Williams was good friends with Jimmy Carter, with whom he shared abirthday. When the two men turned 80, Mr. Williams played a 12-hour marathon atthe Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta,with the former president in attendance.

Born Louis Wertz in Nebraska,he started playing piano at age 3. By age 9 he was prolific with severalinstruments and could play anything by ear.

Mr. Williams became a popular guest on the top television shows of the timeincluding "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Perry Como Show" and"The Steve Allen Show."

(inf. and quotes from L. A. Times)

Church made into a home..

2011-09-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

At least your neighbors are quiet

A couple purchased an old church in Kyloe, Northumberland, in PA.

They invested a lot of money on the interior, but the exterior remained almost completely intact.
They did more of a restoration, rather than a renovation, which would have cost them 3 times less. If they had not purchased the old church, who knows what would have happened to it, as it was in very bad shape.
The couple however, adapted the interior, while leaving the outside with the minimum appearance of a house.

How cool is that?

Making choices

2011-09-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor ofhis plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely lifewith his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but heneeded to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he couldbuild just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but intime it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted toshoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way toend his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect thehouse, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This isyour house," he said, "my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his ownhouse, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the homehe had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting ratherthan acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we donot give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation wehave created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If wehad realized, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day youhammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the onlylife you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that daydeserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says,"Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of yourattitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result ofyour attitudes and the choices you make today.

Author Unknown

More about HELPING HANDS collaborative contribution kit

2011-08-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

QP by LilyBelle Designs

(Dolls from Bernie's collection)

This QP was made by LilyBelle
for donation to anybody purchasing
HELPING HANDS
a collaborative collection contribution
by LilyBelle Designs (Fay Burnett)

along with thirteen other designers

The Helping Hands kit is on sale in the Ivy Scraps Store, and LilyBelle has been kind in offering some Qp's to those that have bought the kit. All you have to do is go to the LilyBelle Blog, which you will find listed on the side of my Blog and it will be explained in her blog. I have bought the Helping Hands Collaborative Collection Contribution Kit, and it is absolutely beautiful and fourteen designers have contributed to this kit, so nothing is lacking. Hope you all go look it up and take advantage of this generous offer. I used one of the QP's by LilyBelle, and there are three more that I just know you will love if you take a peek.

Helping Hands Charity Kit

2011-08-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

HELPING HANDS CHARITY KIT--WE NEED YOU!

From spring through early summer of 2011, parts of the U.S. were ravaged by unexpected and devastating weather. Fires, floods, tornados and other disasters struck the country in the north, the south, the east and the west. And Samaritan's Purse was there for communities in Missouri, North Carolina and Alabama.

With your help, Ivy Scraps will be there with "Helping Hands" for Samaritan's Purse! Fourteen designers, some established, some new, some who sell, some who otherwise offer freebies only, contributed to this colossal kit. Perhaps you'll recognize some of the design names:

Atria's Creations
December Daydreams
Designs by Gloria Val Verde
Designs by JMDT
Diane's Designs
DigiDes Designs
LightningBug Creations
LilyBelle design
Made from Scratch Mostly--LLG
OsDesigns
Phoenyx Flower Creations
(The) Quilted Pixel
Scraps by DonnaW
Waite for the Moment Designs

In a palette that speaks of the best of spring and summer, the Ivy Scraps Helping Hands Charity Kit, for Personal Use only, weighs in at over 550 MB and contains 83 papers, 173 elements, 2 full alphas with some special characters and punctuation. Digiscrappers, this is the kit to have in your collection to scrap all those memories you've been hanging onto.

100% of the proceeds from this collaboration will go to Samaritan's Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) in support of families and communities nationwide, especially in hard-hit eastern NC, Tuscaloosa, AL and Joplin, MO. Thank you so much for lending YOUR Helping Hands in this effort.

Made using the Helping Hands Charity Kit available ONLY AT IVY SCRAPS

Read all about it--RAKScraps challenges

2011-06-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

The challenges are up for the month of June, and I must comment on the beauty of the prize kit offered by LilyBelle for the journaling challenge. Hope all of you that use RAKS or want to join will take a look and see what you should do to receive this wonderful gift. It has so much to offer and can be used many times over.

LilyBelle has also offered to host the sketch challenge for June, and she has made a special kit for the prize that she will be offering. If you go over to the forum for RAKScraps you will be able to read the details of how to win these lovely prizes, plus many more are offered also. Join in the fun with us, and here is the preview of the sketch mini kit that will be offered.

Pope Formosus (891-896)

2011-05-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

There were even Pope Scandals way back then. This poor guy really didn't have a chance.

It is hard to tell which is worse: what this guy did while he was Pope, or what was done to him after he died. Here are the facts. Formosus was elected Pope after what was a rocky relationship with Rome. He was eligable to be Pope as early as 872, but he had some political squabbles and left Rome. he was ordered to return upon the threat of excommunication, and was accused of conspiring to harm the church. Formosus died only five years after assuming the Papal responsibilities, and his corpse was brought to trial, dressed in his papal vestments, and convicted as guilty. They tore off his Pope robes, cut off the three fingers he had used in consecrations, and they threw his body into the Tiber. A monk pulled the body out of the river, he was buried again, but Pope Sergius III had Formosus exhumed AGAIN, tried him AGAIN, found him guilty AGAIN, and cut off his dead head. Harsh.

Do you remember---------------

2011-05-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

The Sneeze

2011-05-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

THE SNEEZE

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the alreadycrowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditionalcaps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would NOT pray during the commencements, not by choice, but becauseof a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelinesallowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but noone mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduatesor their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech received astanding ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silentfor just a moment, and then, it happened.

All 92 students suddenly SNEEZED!!!

The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said:

'GOD BLESS YOU'!

And he walked off the stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating classhad found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or withoutthe court's approval.

Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your friends...and

GOD BLESS YOU!!!

This is a true story; it happened at Eastern ShoreDistrict High School in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia.

I hope this goes around Canada,the USA...andthe rest of the world too!!!

In the house

2011-05-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

As the cat said to the mouse---------

"Mouse, mouse, get out of my house!"

The Old Man

2011-05-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

After a few of the usual Sunday evening Hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening.

In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.

At that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.

"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast" he began.
"Suddenly a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three people were swept overboard into the ocean as the boat capsized."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in the story he was telling.

The aged minister continued with the story, and grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating and heartbreaking decision of his life: to which boy would he throw the other end of the life line. He had only a few seconds to make the decision, and the father knew that his son was a Christian and he also knew that his son's friend was not.

The agony of his decision could not be matched by the severity of the waves. As the father yelled out "I love you, son" he then threw out the life line to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the wild and raging sea, never to be seen again.

At this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth. "The father," he continues, "knew his son would spend eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus." Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend.

How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us, sacrificing his only son that we could be saved. I urge you to take the offer and accept the life line he is tossing in your direction.

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his pew as silence filled the room.

The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit, delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end, to which no one responded.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story" one of them politely stated. "But do you think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian?"

The old man replied "Well, you've got a point there." Glancing down at his worn bible, a big smile came across his face and he once again looked up at the boys and said "it sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that story is what gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up his only son for me."

"You see, I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."

(Author of this writing is unknown, but it is a very profound story and thought it worth putting here on my blog)

The son's friend

2011-05-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, The Church's Pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the Pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening.

In the introduction, the Pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.

With that, and elderly man stepped up to the Pulpit and began to speak.

"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific coast" he began. "Suddenly a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high that even though the father was an experienced sailor he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

The aged Minister continued with his story, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: To which boy whould he throw the other end of the life line? He only had seconds to make the decision. the father knew that his son was a Christian and he also knew that his son's friend was not.

The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out "I love you, son!" he threw out the life line to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old Minister's mouth.

"The father, he continued, knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into eternity without Jesus--therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend."

"How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us? Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His only Begotten Son that we could be saved. I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line he is throwing out to you in this service."

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

The Pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end. However, no one responded to the appeal.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," politely stated one of them, "But I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."

"Well, you've a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up at the boys and said , "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to up his Son for me."

"You see............

I was that father and your Pastor is my son's friend"

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Wishing a Happy Mothers Day to all mothers world wide. May it be a happy day for all.

(Kit used for paper and elements--December Daydream)

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. On this Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For Catholics, Easter Sunday comes at the end of 40 days of prayer, fasting, and alsmgiving known as Lent. Through spiritual swtruggle and self-denial, we have prepared ourselves to die spiritually with Christ on Good Friday, the day of His Crucifixion, so that we can rise again with Him in new life on Easter.

Background paper for this card by LilyBelle Designs

Earth Day

2011-04-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, called for an enrironmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated that year, and Earth Day is now observed on April 22 each year by more than 500 million people and several national governments in 175 countries.

Canada earth day logo

Here are a few ideas for making our world a little greener today:

Adopt Something

Avoid Fast Food

Ride Your Bike Instead of Driving

Collect Aluminum Cans

Donate Toys to a Worthy Cause

Don’t Buy Aerosol’s

Plant a Tree

Recycle Everything

Earth Day Anthem

Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment
Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world

(compiled from brochures and posters)

Comfortable

2011-04-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch. Unfortunately, after just a few years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull so that they can breed their own stock. Upon leaving, the brunette tells her sister, "When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I'll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home." The brunette arrives at the man's ranch, inspects the bull, and decides she wants to buy it. The man tells her that he will sell it for $599, no less.

After buying the bull, she drives to the nearest town to send her sister a telegram to tell her the news. She walks into the telegraph office, and says, "I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I've bought a bull for our ranch. I need her to hitch the trailer to our pickup truck and drive out here so that we can haul it home."

The telegraph operator explains that he'll be glad to help her, then adds, "It's just 99¢ a word."

Well, after paying for the bull, the brunette only has $1.00 left. She realizes that she'll only be able to send her sister one word.

After thinking for a few minutes, she nods, and says, "I want you to send her the word "comfortable." The telegraph operator shakes his head. "How is she ever going to know that you want her to hitch the trailer to your pickup truck and drive out here to haul that bull back to your ranch if you send her the word "comfortable?"

The brunette explains, "My sister is blolnde. The word is big. She'll read it slow--

com-for-da-bul."

In honor of an upcoming Royal Wedding

2011-04-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

It is the red, white and blue giveaway from The Ribbon Girl . It's a fabulous prize , go take a look at The Ribbon Girl

http://ribbongirls.blogspot.com/

Coffee Filter Sunflowers

2011-03-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

What you need

5 (per flower) - basket type coffee filters 2 - crayons (yellow and brown) 1 - pair of scissors (or safety scissors for small children) 1 -Glue stick

Cover table with newspaper, plastic tablecloth or even an old shower curtain to

protect work area. Gather all supplies and them all within arms; reach. Could cover children's clothes with a smock or old t-shirt.

Now to begin making the coffee filter sunflowers.................

1. Lay 4 coffee filters on a flat surface and color the sides of each one yellow (leaving centers white).

2. Layer your yellow filters one on top of the other, fold in half and in half again. Use a crayon to draw the shape for the petals, as shown. Cut along this line--save your scraps!

3. Color the circle in the center of the remaining filter brown and cut out. Set the brown circle and discard the excess that you've cut off. Open the filters and layer one on top of the other, turning each flower slightly. this creates a layered petal look. You don't want each petal to line up perfectly with the one underneath.

4. Using your glue stick, apply glue to the center of each layer and glue one on top of the other.

5. Turn the brown circle over, and apply glue to the back. Scrunch up some of the scraps you have and stick them to center of the circle. These scraps will be the stuffing for the center of your flower, and will make it appear 3D. Leave a small margin so that the glue will stick to the flower

6. Apply glue to the center of your flower. Turn the brown circle over and glue into the center of your flower, pressing the edges down. If there is any white showing from the center, just touch up with your yellow crayon. Well, you can hang them on the walls, windows, or glue a magnet to the back and stick it on your fridge. Stick them to gift wrap to make a present look extra special!

By Barbara Holliston

Sweet flowers

2011-03-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

LilyBelle has made the most beautiful kit including lots of beautiful QP's, plain pages, flowers and elements etc. Go to this site to check it out, you will be happily surprised at the beauty of the kit and also her other kits. http://lilybellscraps.blogspot.com/ Click on picture for larger view. QP and elements from Wearing of the Green 2011 By LilyBelle Designs (Fay Burnett) Word Art, multi color flowers--Bernie

Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Taylor was born in London to American parents in 1932. Her parents moved the family to Los Angeles, Ca. just before the full outbreak of World War II. There, she was cast in the Universal Pictures film There’s One Born Every Minute at the age of 9. Universal chief Edward Muhl terminated her contract after just six months, but this allowed Taylor to get her first starring role in MGM’s Lassie Come Home.

She landed her first starring role in 1943’s Lassie Come Home, when she was just 10 years old. Taylor continued to act for nearly 60 years, taking roles in everything from Oscar-winning films like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf to TV hits like The Simpsons.

Elizabeth Taylor was probably the last and maybe also the greatest of the old Hollywood stars.

QUOTES OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR

"I've been through it all, baby, I'm mother courage."

"I've been through it all, baby, I'm mother courage."

"I've only slept with men I've been married to. How many women can make that claim?"

"It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting."

"I don't think President Bush is doing anything at all about Aids. In fact, I'm not sure he even knows how to spell Aids."

"I have a woman's body and a child's emotions."

"If someone's dumb enough to offer me a million dollars to make a picture, I'm certainly not dumb enough to turn it down."

"So much to do, so little done, such things to be."

"I suppose when they reach a certain age some men are afraid to grow up. It seems the older the men get, the younger their new wives get."

"When people say, 'She's got everything', I've got one answer - I haven't had tomorrow."

Mystery and Fun

2011-03-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Wipso and Twiglet are having a celebration prize draw at their blog shop
Sisters Crafty Creations. Go to following link and take a look at what they have to offer and how the prize is offered. It is a parcel that will be full of Mystery and Fun!

http://sisterscraftycreations.blogspot.com/

Their mystery goodies will be of excellent quality and really pretty and full of fun, just like everything they have on sale there. I'm definately taking part in this draw, and hope you will also?

A senior moment!

2011-03-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

A little silver-haired lady calls her neighbor and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."

Her neighbor asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The little silver haired lady says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."

Her neighbor decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says,

"First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

He takes her hand and says, "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then," he said with a deep sigh ............

(scroll down)

"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

The River runs green!

2011-03-18T07:53:00.001-07:00

For the past 43 years the Chicago River transforms into a bright green shade that masks its typical murky green color. The story goes that a Chicago plumber was wearing white coveralls when he noticed that his pants were stained a perfect shade of bright green. This was the year the city began enforcing water pollution controls and discovered the dye was used to detect leaks by turning the river a bright, bright green. He suggested to the authorities that the whole river be dyed for St. Patrick's Day. Thus, the tradition to magically turn the river green was born.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

This beautiful design deserves the credit to be given to LilyBelleDesigns made for Wearing of the Green Kit. I thank her for the beautiful greeting.

LILYBELLE SCRAPS: RAKSCRAPS MARCH MEGA KIT

2011-03-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

LILYBELLE SCRAPS: RAKSCRAPS MARCH MEGA KIT

I am posting the link on my site for all that would like to go to LilyBelles Blog site and see one of the most beautiful kits you could ever find. Please click on the link and it will take you right there, and I promise you that you won't be disappointed. Thank you for looking.

Nuclear power

2011-03-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

(Germany closes 7 aging Nuclear Plants)

Many countries are now thinking and rethinking nuclear power plants and the danger and disasters that they thought they had planned so carefully for are now proven to be otherwise. Just some quick reading about Germany and the lower paragraph refers to U.S.

Germany has temporarily shut down seven nuclear power plants that began operating before 1980, and the government has promised to study ways to speed up the adoption of renewable energy in the wake of the catastrophic events in Japan's Fukushima nuclear power stations. After an emergency meeting of senior energy officials and industry representatives on Tuesday, European Union members have agreed to conduct earthquake "stress tests" of nuclear plants across the EU. Besides seismic activity, threats from tsunamis, terrorism, technical failures and heat waves will be examined.

The U.S. should close all our nuclear power plants immediately. Nuclear power is very expensive and can take 10 to 20 years to construct one plant. Instead we can construct a solar power plant, wind farm, or geothermal plant in 18 months at a fraction of the cost. The nuclear waste that takes thousands of years, to not pose a danger to the environment, is the biggest problem. Yucca Mountain Nevada said no to storing nuclear waste. That means the Federal Government will have to force some poor state to accept and store nuclear waste and leave it for generations to enjoy long after we are dead. In addition, a terrorist can hijack a plane, crash it into a nuclear plant, and cause a poor country the same misery that Japan is now suffering with potential deadly levels of radiation leaking. Also. two nations at war, could bomb each others nuclear plants, and cause a worldwide spread of deadly nuclear radiation. How many nuclear plants are sitting on the San Andreas fault line in California waiting for an earthquake like Japan experienced? Three Mile Island, Chernoble, and now Japan have demonstrated that nuclear power is not safe and poses a great danger to mankind. Instead we should decentralize our electricity production by putting solar power and small wind power on every home, building more large solar power plants, wind farms, and geothermal plants, and closing all nuclear, coal, and natural gas plants. It is time that we generate our electricity in a responsible intelligent way.

Observations from Brian T. and Ferrell B.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

The Little Girl

2011-03-15T17:00:00.001-07:00

Japan--earthquake, tsunami, nuclear plants

2011-03-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan early Friday morning approximately 250 miles northeast of Tokyo, sparking a tsunami that caused major destruction in northern Japan. According to news reports, the death and injury tolls could exceed 10,000. The area remains on alert due to powerful aftershocks, which may last for days.

"I've worked around radiation, and it's scary," a retired nuclear physicist with General Electric, was quoted as saying.

"You try to be careful, but it sure isn't easy and it sure isn't fun. These people are working a disaster within a disaster. They got clobbered. First the earthquake, then the tsunami took out their generators. You can be sure they feel a huge sense of responsibility to fix this, but they are in a tough spot. They're professionals, but they're probably terrified too."

About 170,000 people within a 30-mile radius of the plant have been evacuated. The U.S. Navy today recommended that personnel and families stationed at two bases in Japan take precautions after detecting low-levels of radioactivity, including staying inside. Japan has announced an 18-mile no-fly zone around the plant to prevent planes from spreading the radiation further afield.

But the workers at the plant have little protection.

"They're liable to receive high doses of radiation," said a professor of
nuclear physics at the University of Manchester in the U.K. "They will have to be closely monitored once this is all over."

More than 850 nonessential personnel have left the plant's control room and other areas of the facility, and those who are left are "having to work outside the box in conditions they never expected," quoted from a former senior reactor operator at a nuclear power plant in Missouri.

"The worst place to be is near the reactor when you're trying to open some vents." "That's stressful because that's when hydrogen explosions can result."

And even though television viewers see men in white haz-mat-type suits and gas masks directing traffic around the Fukushima plant, the technicians inside don't have the luxury of such gear because it can get too hot and cumbersome.

"They'll be wearing reasonably protective gear, but if you wear too much you'll have a problem with heat exhaustion," said John Sutherland, the former senior health physicist in charge of radiation protection at Canada's Point Lepreau nuclear facility.

AOL World News

HOPING THAT EVERYBODY WILL REMEMBER OUR JAPANESE FRIENDS AND THEIR COUNTRY IN OUR PRAYERS FOR THEIR SAFETY AND WELL BEING.

Unhappy with Googles changes.

2011-03-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

Well, google has decided to change and without my touching any new buttons, symbols, icons, it has decided to change my whole blog around. Guess what google, I don't like it, and just thought I would let the world know that you have an unhappy person here. From what I gather, they have changed my format, and I thought a person had to give approval to do that. Evidently not. So, if I don't get back to wherever I want to get, or find what I want to find--I think I will just blame our big time friend GOOGLE.

Zuma, the reporter

2011-03-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

I was born in Wisconsin on August 29, a day when the sunwas shining and it was nice and warm. I have four sisters, Crystal, Ruby, Topaz, and Opal, and 3brothers, Nugget, Silver, and Nickel. In the world of dog language, we are whatis called “litter mates.” My parents were called, mama and pop. Our humanscalled them, “Good Mama” or “Sweet Lady”, “Good O’l Boy” or “Champ”. Those arethe names I know them by….

I am a female and have been told by humans that Iam very attractive. I have been known to flirt with the guy dogs includinghaving a short romance with Martin Buser’s famous lead dog, D-2. Alas, D-2 wasfickle and the relationship soon faltered. We are still friends, just not theboyfriend/girlfriend kind of friends.

I have many friends, K-9 and human. I am 6 yearsold and shall always remain forever young.

I decided quite early in life to become ajournalist.

One of the questions I am often asked is, “Whydid you become a reporter?” My mother and siblings say it was a natural for meas I’ve always been curious about things. I loved chewing up things, chasingbugs into holes, watching the birds fly and then trying to jump up and see if Icould do it, too. I was always the one asking questions and sticking my noseinto trouble as a puppy, so I’ve always enjoyed finding out about new andinteresting things. The more I discovered how much humans enjoyed my reports,the more serious became about continuing my education and becoming a reporter.

I attended the K-9 University of Alaska inAnchorage (K9UAA) and received my degree in K9 Journalism. I was hired rightout of school by the Iditarod Trail Committee to write a column for theirwebsite. I named my column Zuma’s Paw Prints. The column has becomepopular among mushing fans world wide and I receive a lot of e-mail from allover the world. I am able to type on a specially built larger key board usingmy nose and my paws.

Going to school wasn’t easy, but I now have myown column, Zuma’s Paw Prints, on the Iditarod website. I am able to type, bythe way, by using an extra large keyboard that was special designed for me. Iuse both my nose and paws to type.

Even though I am quite famous now, I have notforgotten my friends both K-9 and human. Friends and family are more importantthan being rich or famous.

My favorite food used to bepizza. But since being back at K-9 University working on my advanced degree injournalism, I am learning all about healthy living choices. Boys and girls, itis important for all of us to learn about what we can do to stay healthy andlive a long life. SO, I am working hard at eating exactly what a young K9journalist my age should be eating— more canine meals and less, less, lesshuman food. I’m thinking about nutrition, getting proper exercise, and gettingenough rest. I want to live a long, long, long, and very happy life. So far,this renewed diet is working, too! As far as exercise goes, I’m trying for10,000 steps a day! I’m getting plenty of sleep! I love my ‘dog’ naps. Theright food choices and the right exercise makes a big difference! I feelGREAT!I also like to travel and fly around the state in small aircraft. I oftengo out in the bush with the humans to fish. I have to teach them the best methodsfor landing a fish and then they do just fine.

I love children and puppies. One summer, my bestK-9 friend, Lakota, had five puppies and named me as their God-Dog. I wouldspoil them rotten if Lakota didn’t stop me. My friend Joanne, has BostonTerrier named Holly who has come to the office most days since she was a littlepuppy. She is cute, but I don’t think she would be of much use as a sled dog.Her legs are only about 8 inches long!

I love to travel. When I am not in school orreporting along the trail in Alaska,you’ll find me traveling any chance I can to any place I can. Although ‘Alaska’ is my officialhome, my home is where I am at the moment. Taking the advice from Martin Buser,my favorite place is where I am at the moment.

I like meeting new people and learning new thingseven more. I meet new people every year because of the Iditarod. I am very fondof children. I enjoy talking to them, getting special hugs and pets, and askingthem questions about the things human children like to do. Often children bringme snacks.

Try to remember, I don’t run the Iditarod or anyother race, but sometimes I do go out with some of my friends on training runs,so I get to meet new K-9 friends, too. In fact, I wish I could spend more timewith them.

I also like playing in new snow and being thefirst one to put footprints in it. I make snow dogs on the front lawn too.Winter is my favorite time of year but I enjoy all the seasons!

My favorite color — I guess I’d have to say Ilove the rainbow and all the colors in between! Why smear the colors alltogether and— they become the northern lights. Let me change my answer, myfavorite colors are those found in the rainbow and in the northern lights.

My favorite season is IDITAROD season! I alsolove all the seasons in between!

I have many hobbies: reading, writing, traveling,meeting people, and going on long hikes are just a few of my favorites.

My human works for Iditarod, so I am very luckyto get to spend as much time as I can around HQ.

Well, Boys and Girls, enough about me!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Rolls-Royce

2011-03-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine having the same car for 82 years?!!!
I guess it was no longer under warranty...
"How Long Have You Owned a Car?"

Mr. Allen Swift ( Springfield , MA.) received this 1928 Rolls-Royce

Picadilly P1 Roadster from his father, brand new - as a graduation gift in 1928.

He drove it up until his death last year.....at the age of 102 !!!

He was the oldest living owner of a car from new. Just thought

you'd like to see it.

He donated it to a Springfield museum after his death. It has

170,000 miles on it, still runs like a Swiss watch, dead silent at any

speed and is in perfect cosmetic condition. (82 years)

That's approximately 2000 miles per year...

Fiancé

2011-03-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

After Leslie brought home her fiance to meet her parents, her father invitedthe young man into his study to find out more about him.
"What are your plans?" he asked Joseph.
"I'm a scholar of the Torah," Joseph replied.
"Well, that's admirable," Leslie's father replied. "But whatwill you do to provide a nice house for my daughter?"
"I will study, and God will surely provide for us," Josephexplained.
"And how will you buy her a nice engagement ring?"
"I will study hard, and God will provide for us."
"And children?" asked the father. "How will you supportchildren?"
"Don't worry, sir, God will provide," replied the fiance.
The conversation continued in much the same fashion. After Joseph and Lesliehad left, her mother asked her father what he found out.
The father answered, "Well, he has no job and no plans, but the goodnews is that he thinks I'm God."

Source: Cornstock / Thinkstock

A good mother!

2011-03-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

Seeing as I am a great lover of cats, I couldn't resist printing this story. At the time that this happened, it enveloped all our news channels, newspapers, chats, as well as blogs and other means of communication. Something very short and to the point, which would probably be a good story for all parents to read.

Scarlett: The UltimateMom

She’s not a beautyqueen, but that’s OK, because her injuries are signs of amazing bravery andlove. In 1996, she carried her five kittens out of a burning building, one at atime, before collapsing. Firefighters rescued the brood, and Scarlett, who wasbadly burned, became the subject of worldwide attention. Her kittens allfound homes. And Scarlett herself, who passed in 2008, lived in luxuryfor the rest of her life with her own adoptive family.

The Unknown

2011-03-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

The Rocky Path leads to

"The Unknown"

The battle is on

The days are getting short

Are we in for a con

Or will be abort?

Time hangs heavy in the air

He's trying his best

but I don't really care

He thinks he's the one, but we are the rest!

Many of us work, and wait andwonder

Just what the day will bring

the lions roar and the skies thunder

And this little man decides to sing

Wait for me to get a good deal

Wait for me to get my price

Wait for me to realize it's real

Wait for me, aren't I nice?

Who cares if people put theirlife on hold

It's only a man in charge I amtold

He's not happy and never will be

He wants out, of that we can see

But at what price is he keepinghis friends

Oh sorry, that probably has all reached an end

Some of us will go about ourbusiness

And think of this man less and less

And it wouldn't take much for us gals to travel on

When one door shuts, anotherwill open

He can go on with his merry song

But how long is he going to keep hopin'?

Hang on girls, and don't fret

We can all scat out of here if we aren't happy with theresults

We mustn't deal, corrupt or bargain as of yet

If anything happens, we will believe or we will doubt!

It's not about us to make anddecide

The decision that will supposedly let him keep pride

We will have the upper hand inthe end

Because if he ignores us, he will have to defend.

By Bernie

Button Picture Frame

2011-02-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

Frame a picture withpretty buttons to create a special gift.

To make this craftproject you will need a heavy weight piece of paper or cardboard, andassortment of flat buttons, tacky glue and scissors. To begin take yourscissors and cut out two pieces of paper or cardboard in the size and shapethat you want your picture frame to take. Put one aside. Take the other and cutout the center in an attractive form leaving the edges for you to cover withbuttons. Glue your buttons to this piece covering the border. Let dry. Now takeyour picture and glue it to the center of the piece of paper or cardboard youput aside. Next glue the button covered frame over the picture and let dry.Attach a ribbon to the back if you want to hang it up. Enjoy Crafting!

The traveling couple

2011-02-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

The traveling couple!

A marriedcouple is traveling by car from Victoria to Prince George .
Being seniors, after almost eleven hours on the road, they were too
tired to continue and decided to take a room. But, they only planned
to sleep for four hours and then get back on the road.

When they checked out four hours later, the desk clerk handed them a
bill for $350.00.

The man explodes and demands to know why the charge is so high. He told
the clerk although it's a nice hotel; the rooms certainly aren't worth
$350.00 for four hours. Then the clerk tells him that $350.00 is the
'standard rate'. He insisted on speaking to the Manager.

The Manager appears, listens to him, and then explains that the hotel
has an Olympic-sized pool and a huge conference centre that were
available for us to use.

"But we didn't use them," the husband said.

"Well, they are here, and you could have," explained the Manager.

The Manager went on to explain that the couple could also have taken in
one of the shows for which the hotel is famous. "We have the best
entertainers from New York , Hollywood, and Las Vegasperform here,"
the Manager says.

"But we didn't go to any of those shows," the husband said.

"Well, we have them, and you could have," the Manager replied.

No matter what amenity the Manager mentioned, the husband replied, "But
we didn't use it!"

The Manager is unmoved, and eventually the husband gave up and agreed
to pay. As he didn't have the check book, he asked his wife to write
the check. She did and gave it to the Manager.

The Manager is surprised when he looks at the check. "But ma'am, this
is only made out for $50.00."

"That's correct. I charged you $300.00 for sleeping with me," she
replied.

"But I didn't!" exclaims the Manager.

"Well, too bad, I was here, and you could have."

Don't mess with senior citizens..... They didn't get there by being stupid.

It's a spring thing!

2011-02-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

Pretty soon spring will be here, and as far as I'm concerned it just can't get here fast enough. Snow has been much more than the usual this winter, and now it's time to think of another season. I've had this little craft for children and have taught it to children myself, and it's very easy to do, and most of all you would be putting those old egg cartons to a recycled use instead of just tossing them out. Here's the project--super simple!

The Craft: MakeDaffodils From Recycled Egg Cartons

1. Cut the cups out from an egg carton. Lay them in abowl. Cut yellow daffodil petals from yellow construction paper and place in asecond bowl. Place green pipe cleaners in a third bowl. (The children reallyseem to enjoy seeing the elements of their artwork laid out as individual unitsprior to creation.)
2. Invite your child to paint the inside and outside (but not the bottom)of all the egg cups yellow. It's fun touse yellow tempera paint mixed with a yellow glitter paint.
3. Glue the cups on top of yellow daffodil petals.
4. As these dry, cut 10 pieces of wire “stems.” Hide the wire by weavinggreen pipe cleaners around it. (The wire will make the flowers strong enough tostand upright in a vase. If you just want them pasted to the wall or a picture,you can use pipe cleaners on their own.)
5. Once all the glue has dried, tape the stems to the back of theflowers. If you want to place them in a vase, tape the stem first and then gluea piece of yellow paper over the tape to hide it.

It's a crafty thing--

2011-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

These are certainly in vogue with the weather that most of the United States has been having, and many youngsters would find these fun to make and fill in an otherwise boring afternoon. Give it a try, they are easy to make, and then--well, hang them around the house!!!

Snow

2011-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

Snow

The snow is snowing

The wind is blowing

And we are having a storm

But for us all, this is just the norm.

The trees are so pretty

The streets are untouched

The sidewalks are slippery

And the work ahead will be much

Get out the shovels

the boots, mittens and scarfs

It all seems so much trouble

But we start with a laugh

Snowblow the driveway

Shovel the steps

Clear off the walkway

We don't want anybody to slip

Clear off the cars

Neighbors helping each other

We soon see near and far

We are so cold, we certainly won't smother

This is a good old New England storm

Which arrives on it's own time

A snowman takes shape in it's form

And everything ends up just fine.

By Bernie

2011-1-12

Big Dig

2011-01-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Boston, Massachusetts had a world-class trafficproblem, an elevated six-lane highway called the Central Artery that ranthrough the center of downtown. When it opened in 1959, the Central Arterycomfortably carried about 75,000 vehicles a day. In the early 1990s it carriedupwards of 200,000 making it one of the most congested highways in the United States.
Traffic crawled for more than 10 hours each day. The accident rate on thedeteriorating elevated highway was four times the national average for urbanInterstates. The same problem plagued the two tunnels under Boston Harborbetween downtown Bostonand East Boston/Logan Airport. Without major improvements to the Central Arteryand the harbor crossings, Bostonexpected a stop-and-go traffic jam for up to 16 hours a day - every waking hour- by 2010.
The annual cost to motorists from this congestion - in terms of an elevatedaccident rate, wasted fuel from idling in stalled traffic, and late deliverycharges - was estimated at $500 million.

And traffic wasn't the only problem the old Central Artery caused in Boston. The elevatedhighway (which displaced 20,000 residents when it was built) also cut off Boston's North End andWaterfront neighborhoods from the downtown, limiting these areas' ability toparticipate in the city's economic life.

The project's two major components:

Replacing the six-lane elevated highway with an eight-to-ten-laneunderground expressway directly beneath the existing road, culminating at itsnorthern limit in a 14-lane, two bridge crossing of the Charles River. After theunderground highway opened to traffic, the crumbling elevated was demolishedand in its place is open space and eventually modest development.

The extension of I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) from its former terminussouth of downtown Boston through a tunnel beneath South Boston and BostonHarbor to Logan Airport. The first link in this new connection - the four-lane Ted Williams tunnel under the harbor - was finished in December 1995.

.
The Ted Williams Tunnel beneath Boston Harbor opened on scheduleand within its $1.3 billion budget 15 years ago today, December 15, 1995.

The Boston Red Sox legend himself joined the official opening ceremonies onthat day.
The Ted Williams Tunnel completion doubled Boston's cross-harbor tunnel capacity fromfour lanes to eight.

The .75-mile underwater part of the 1.6 mile tunnel was built using a dozensteel tube sections, each longer than a football field, that were sunk into atrench on the Boston Harbor floor and connected together.

Take a tour

2011-01-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Tour duration: September 14, 2010 to September 11, 2011

Never before seen by the public; An 18th-century compound in a hidden quadrant ofthe immense imperial complex, the Qianlong Garden (also known as theTranquility and Longevity Palace Garden), is part of a decade-long,multimillion-dollar conservation initiative undertaken by the World MonumentsFund in partnership with the Palace Museum, Beijing.

Ninety objects of ceremony and leisure — murals,paintings, wall coverings, furniture, architectural elements, jades andcloisonné — unveil the private realm of the Qianlong Emperor (r.1736-1796), oneof history’s most influential figures. In his time, he was among the richest,most powerful men in the world. A connoisseur, scholar and devout Buddhist, hecreated a luxurious garden compound to serve throughout his retirement as asecluded place of contemplation, repose and entertainment.

The exhibitiontravels to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Milwaukee ArtMuseum. The exhibition and national tour are made possible in part by generoussupport from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and American Express. Additional support has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts,ECHO (Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations) and the EastIndia Marine Associates of the Peabody Essex Museum.

TOURING SCHEDULE

The Metropolitan Museum of Art |www.metmuseum.org | Feb. 1 - May 1, 2011

Milwaukee Art Museum | www.mam.org | June 11 -September 11, 2011

(Information from local newspaper)

Wishful Thinking

2011-01-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

ToBe 6 Again...

A manwas sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife, who was
looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not
far off he asked what she'd like to
havefor her birthday.

'I'd like to be six again', she replied, still looking in the mirror .

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl ofLucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day!He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall
of Fear, the Screaming Roller Coaster,everything there was.

Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was
reeling and her stomach felt upside
down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal withextra fries and a
chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favourite candy,
M&M's. What a fabulous adventure!

Finallyshe wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed
exhausted.

Heleaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, 'Well Dear, what wasit like being six
again?'

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.

'Imeant my dress size, you retard!!!!'

The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening,he is gonna
get it wrong.

How old is grammy?

2010-12-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

Stay withthis -- the answer is at the end -- it will blow you away.

Draft dodgerswere people who closed their front doors when it was evening.

Time-sharingmeant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends - notpurchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters,yogurt, or guys wearing earrings

We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches onour radios. And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listeningto Tommy Dorsey.

If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk.

The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.

Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.

We did great things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides ona streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. And if you didn't want to splurge,you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail one letter and twopostcards.

You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, but who could afford one? Too badbecause, gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day, "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink,"pot" was something
your mother cooked in, and "rock music" was your grandmother'slullaby.

Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office, "chip" meant apiece of wood, "hardware" was found in a hardware store and"software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed ahusband to have a baby.

No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is ageneration gap.

And how old do you think grandma is???

Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the sametime.

This is something to think about. How time has changed....

Grandma is 64 (born 1946)

LilyBelle Christmas 2010

2010-12-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

LILYBELLE SCRAPS: CHRISTMAS 2010 - STASH PACK 3C

LilyBelle's Christmas stash packs are absolutely gorgeous, and thought some of you might want to check it out. Just follow the link, and I think you will be greatly surprised at the beauty of her kits.

LilyBelle's snowflakes

2010-12-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is a card made for winter--either the holidays or just because of the season.

Paper--Lilybelle Birds and Blooms created by LilyBelle Designs (Fay Burnett)

Icy Flakes, ribbon, word art--By Lilybelle Desgins (Fay Burnett) for Icy Flakes Kit elements 2

Loyalty

2010-12-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

Sounds silly, but through life, some of the most loyal friends that many people find are their pets or their neighbors pets. We have come across so many friendly dogs and so cute in their little antics, and these are just some of the pictures I've happened to have taken over the years. I was just looking back at some of them and thought I would share, just for the purpose of letting somebody else have a look and possibly a laugh. Enjoy!!!

Winter Christmas Cake

2010-12-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

If you hope and pray each year forthe first snowfall to arrive just in time to usher in a "whiteChristmas," then boy, have we got a Christmas cake for you. This WinterWonderland Cake -- a snowy scene with cartoonish blue accents, evergreens and awell-dressed snowman -- is reminiscent of the original Frosty the Snowman movie.Even if mother nature doesn't grant you a white-blanketed outdoors, you cancertainly have it on your dessert plate.

To make this cake, start with a batch of Fluffy yellow cake mix and one batchof Buttercream frosting for decorating. Follow the cake recipe according toinstructions, but instead of one pan or cupcake pan, pour the cake batter intothree round cake pans (8, 6 and 4 inches in diameter), until all are evenlyfilled. Bake the three cakes according to the directions in the recipe. (Ifusing store-bought frosting, I recommend Duncan Hines, which has a goodconsistency. Do not use whipped topping, which tends to droop.)

Gather the following supplies, then get started:
-Large marshmallows
-Orange Tic Tacs or similar small candies
-Miniature chocolate chips
-Small pretzel sticks
-Colorful fruit chews such as Starburst or AirHeads
-Chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, in both regular and miniature size
-Sugar cones
-Pastry bag with cake tips (#21 or #22, #4 or #5, and #10)
-Rolling pin
-Toothpick
-Scissors
-Parchment or wax paper
-Metal spatula

1. Prepare and Combine Cakes: During the baking process, the cakes might come outslightly mounded. Cut the cakes flat before continuing. Stack the three cakeson top of one another, starting with the largest at the bottom, and applyingicing between each layer. (This will help the layers adhere to one another.)(*Option: to make an even taller cake, with more differently-sized layers, maketwo batches of cakes.)

Prepare Frosting: Mix 3 to 4 cups frosting with blue foodcoloring. Mix 1 to 2 cups frosting with green food coloring. Leave remainingfrosting white.

Ice Cake: Ice and smooth entire cake with blue frosting.(*TIP: Lightly wet the spatula to make frosting easier to spread. You will haveto wet the spatula a few times during the smoothing process.)

Draw Snowy Hills: With pastry bag and #10 cake tip, pipe whitehills around each cake layer. Smooth.

2. MakeTrees: Gently trim sugar cones tothe desired height for each tree, and press into the cake, pointed end facingupward. Using the pastry bag and a star-shaped cake tip, cover the cone withgreen frosting to create a tree.

3. Repeat to make as many trees as you want.

4. Make the Snowman's Body: Gently push two pretzel sticks into each side of a largemarshmallow. Place onto top tier of cake.

Make the Snowman's Head: Using a toothpick, gently make twoholes for eyes and one for a nose into another large marshmallow. Insert twoupside-down miniature chocolate chips into the holes for eyes, and an orangeTic Tac or similar candy into the other hole for the nose.

Attach Head to Body: Put a little dollop of frosting on thebottom of the snowman's head and attach it to the "body" -- themarshmallow already on top of the cake.

Make Snowman's Scarf: Roll out fruit chews (such as twoStarburts or an Airhead) between parchment or wax paper until fairly flat. (Ifusing Starburst, roll them tightly together, since the rolling action willcause them to join as one.) Cut a 1/2-inch wide by 3-inch strip from the rolledout fruit chew. Using scissors, cut slits on each end to make the fringe forthe snowman's scarf. Drape scarf over the snowman's pretzel arms.

Make Snowman's Hat: Gently separate an Oreo or chocolatesandwich cookie. Scrape any remaining sandwich filling off one half of thecookie. Apply a small dollop to the middle of the Oreo cookie half, and press aminiature Oreo onto it. This is his top hat. Put a small dollop of frosting ontop of the snowman's head, then stick his hat on. He's alive as he could be!

5. Add Final Snowy Touches: For the finaldecorating touches, pipe snowflakes and snow flurries onto the cake whereveryou choose. To make snowflakes, use apastry bag and cake tip (#3, #4 or #5) and draw three straight lines thatintersect at their mid points. Then dot the end of each line. For those who aren't as crafy (or have asteady hand), just draw as many single dot slow flurries as you like.

2010-12-09T17:57:00.000-08:00

Check this out!

2010-11-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

Made with Toucan Scraps Thankful Kit, and if you haven't checked out her site and blog, now is the time. She has so many wonderful kits that I'm sure a lot of you would enjoy.
I thank Toucan Scraps for sharing her wonderful talents.

http://colestoucan.blogspot.com/

William and Kate

2010-11-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

Wills and Kate:

Royal Wedding Trivia

Theabbey has been the preferred sight of royal coronations since William theConqueror won the throne in 1066. It's also the final resting place of 17monarchs.

The current building was begun back in 1245. It can hold about 2,000 people,but, as the BBC noted, tiers and galleries were installed during QueenElizabeth II's coronation to accommodate 8,200. So it shouldn't be a problem ifWills and Kate's guest list gets a little long.

Here's some more royal wedding trivia:

1. William and Kate -- excuse us, Catherine -- haven't named a dateyet, but British Prime Minister David Cameron has declared that the wedding daywill be a bank holiday – meaning the nation gets a day off work.

2. Despite all the fuss about William choosing a commoner, there's no rule thatsays the king has to marry a fellow royal. King Henry VIII married six times,and four of his brides were commoners. Two of them were beheaded (Anne Boleynand Katherine Howard), one died of complications from childbirth (Jane Seymour)and the last (Catherine Parr) survived him -- and went on to marry again. Herchoice was Jane's brother Thomas Seymour, and they did not live happily everafter.

3. The king can marry a commoner -- but not a Catholic. That's specified underthe 1701 Act of Settlement. It's not a problem in Middleton's case, but itcaused a wrinkle when William's cousin Peter Phillips married Canadian-bornAutumn Kelly in 2008. The bride, who was raised Catholic, converted toAnglicanism before the wedding, and Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, did nothave to give up his place in the succession rights. (He's currently No. 11 inline to throne.)

4. Eight is the preferred number of bridesmaids at royal weddings. Who will beMiddleton's attendants? The chief bridesmaid is likely to be her youngersister, Pippa, 25. William's cousins Zara Phillips, 29, and Lady LouiseWindsor, 6, may also be in the wedding party.

5. What about William's best man? At a royal wedding, the groomsmen are knownas "supporters." Prince Harry is likely to stand up for his brother,but other possibilities include William's good friends Thomas van Straubenzeeand Hugh and William van Custem.

6. A royal bride takes her husband's rank upon marriage, so Miss Middleton willbecome an HRH -- Her Royal Highness.
One glaring exception: When King Edward VIII gave up his throne to marryAmerican divorcee Wallis Simpson, he became HRH the Duke of Windsor. KingGeorge VI refused to grant Simpson those coveted initials -- a slight the duke(and probably the duchess) never forgave.

7. Royals don't use last names, so don't expect Kate to start signing herself"Catherine Windsor" after the day. Both Prince William and PrinceHarry use "Wales"as a surname in the military. Their grandfather, Prince Philip, was born aprince of Greece and Denmark but gave up his rights to those throneswhen he married then-Princess Elizabethin 1947. His surname, Mountbatten, is an anglicized version of his mother's. Agreat-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, she wasPrincess Alice of Battenberg (a German title) when she married Prince Andrew ofGreece.On his marriage, Philip was created Duke of Edinburgh.

8. Talk about an heir and a spare! When Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarenceand second in line to the throne, died in 1892, his younger brother Georgeinherited both his place in the succession and his fiancee, Princess Mary ofTeck. The new couple went on to become King George V and Queen Mary -- and thegrandparents of Queen Elizabeth II.

9. The last foreign princess to marry into the British royal family wasPrincess Marina of Greece.She married Prince George,Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George V, in 1934. They had threechildren. He was killed in a plane crash during World War II. She died in 1968.

Franklin Park Zoo

2010-11-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

There isa tropical forest building at the Franklin Park zoo in Boston, and during this past week a babyWestern Lowland gorilla was born. Thebaby is the third child of Kiki and her mate Kitome, whose handlers call Kit for short. The couple already have two daughters, Kira is 11 years old, andKimani is 5 years old, if the facts are correct.

The baby, gender still unknown, was the first tobe born in the indoor habitat for the gorillas, which was built in 2007. This tropical forest is warm and open allyear. It's like being outside while yourindoors, and if local residents want to watch a baby gorilla grow up, go to theFranklin Park zoo.

As faras condition of the baby, looks good, reaching and stretching and moving it'sarms and legs, and the mother Kiki appeared calm and relaxed and was doingeverything a mother should be doing, gorilla or otherwise. There will be an upcoming naming of thegorilla baby contest as soon as the gender is known.

Picture 1--Kimani facing the audience
Picture 2--Entrance to the Franklin Park Zoo
Picture 3--This is Little Joe

Comedy of Errors

2010-11-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

FuneralWith Honors

Asa bagpiper, I play many gigs.

Recently,I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homelessman.

Hehad no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetary inthe Kentucky backcountry.

AsI was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, Ididn't stop for directions.

Ifinally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral director had evidently gone

andthe hearse was nowhere in sight.

Therewere only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

Ifelt badly and apologized to the men for being late.

Iwent to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault was already inplace.

Ididn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

Theworkers put down their lunches and began to gather around.

Iplayed out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.

Iplayed like I've never played before for this homeless man.

Andas I played "Amazing Grace," the workers began to weep.

Theywept, I wept, we all wept together.

WhenI finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car.

Thoughmy head hung low, my heart was full.

AsI opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say,

"Inever seen anything like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for20 years!"

Retirement in a child's eyes!

2010-10-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Written by a third grader, on what his grandparents do.

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

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school. One child wrote the following:

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

We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live in a big brick house, but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona. Now they live in a tin box, and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on their bicycles, and wear name tags, because they don't know who they are anymore. They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now, they do exercises there, but they don't do them very well. There is a swimming pool too, but they all just jump up and down in it with hats on. At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out, and go cruising in their golf carts. Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And, they eat the same thing every night - early birds. Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck. My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and, says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

PRICELESS

LILYBELLE SCRAPS: HALLOWEEN MAGIC

2010-10-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

LILYBELLE SCRAPS: HALLOWEEN MAGIC - ELEMENTS 2

I am so excited about LilyBelle's Halloween kits that she has been making, and they are absolutely fantastic. Anything and everything you may have ever wanted relating to Halloween she has included and I know if you check the above link and then follow her blog, you won't be disappointed. She has certainly covered all phases of this upcoming holiday that is a fun time for our children here in both the U. S. and Canada--I don't know what the rest of the world does, but those of interest, take a peek. You will be pleasantly surprised!

This link takes you to the last page, but if you follow the "older post" at the bottom right, you will find it goes for about 7 or 8 downloads. Have fun

Fall is in the air!

2010-10-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins at the farms, at the pumpkin sales, at the stores, churches, the mazes, and on top of it all--the beautiful autumn scenery that only nature can supply in her fullest beauty. A few pictures to enjoy------------

Chili Miners

2010-10-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

SinceAug. 22, when a narrow bore hole broke through to their refuge and the minersstunned the world with a note, scrawled in red ink, disclosing their survival,their families have been exposed in ways they never imagined. Miners had todescribe their physical and mental health in detail with teams of doctors andpsychologists.

Rescuers finished reinforcing the top of the 2,041-foot(622-meter) escape shaft Monday, and the 13-foot (four-meter) capsule descendedflawlessly in tests. The capsule — the biggest of three built by Chilean navyengineers — was named Phoenixfor the mythical bird that rises from ashes. It is painted in the white, blueand red of the Chilean flag.

Chile has promisedthat its care of the miners won't end for six months at least — not until theycan be sure that each miner has readjusted.

Psychiatristsand other experts in surviving extreme situations predict their lives will beanything but normal.

As the world watched and waited and prayed, all 33 mencame to the surface and in amongst all this a lesson has been learned and weare all thankful for their safety.

Eddie Fisher

2010-09-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

Pop singer Eddie Fisher passed away Wednesday night at hishome in Berkeley of complications from hipsurgery, his daughter, Tricia Leigh Fisher of Los Angeles, told The Associated Press. Hewas 82.

"Late last evening the world lost a true America icon," Fisher's familysaid in a statement release. "One of the greatest voices of the centurypassed away. He was an extraordinary talent."

In the early 50s, Fisher sold millions of records with 32 hit songs including'Thinking of You," "Anytime," 'Oh, My Pa-pa," "I'mYours," "Wish You Were Here," "Swannee," "Quarterto Nine," "Lisa," "Red Red Robin," "Heart,"and "Lady of Spain."

His clear voice brought him a devoted following of teenage girls in the early1950s before marriage scandals overshadowed his fame.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

2010-09-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 teaspoon yeast extract spread, e.g. Marmite/Vegemite
1/2 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 potatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 1/4 cups broth, yeast extract, lentils and barley. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine remaining 3/4 cup broth, carrot, onion and walnuts; cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash.
Combine flour and water and stir into carrot mixture; simmer until thickened. Combine carrot mixture with lentil mixture and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over lentil mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 136| Total Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Lasagna Alfredo

2010-09-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Lasagna Alfredo

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
3 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
2 (16 ounce) jars Alfredo-style pasta sauce
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 pints ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken and one jar of alfredo sauce, stir together. In a separate bowl, combine ricotta and drained, cooked spinach, and stir.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, place one layer of lasagna noodles, edges overlapping. Pour chicken and alfredo sauce mixture over noodle layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over chicken mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Spread spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Pour 1/2 of remaining jar of alfredo sauce over spinach mixture, spread evenly. Sprinkle another cup of mozzarella over sauce, lay on the final noodle layer and top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 954| Total Fat: 57.7g | Cholesterol: 157mg

Girlfriends Lunch Out

2010-08-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

A group of 40-year-old girlfriends discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally, it was agreed upon that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the waiters there were very good looking.

Ten years later at 50 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food there was very good, the wine selection was good also, and the waiters were cute.

Ten years later at 60 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they could eat there in peace and quiet, the restaurant had a beautiful view of the ocean, and the waiters were sweet boys.

Ten years later, at 70 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the restaurant was wheelchair accessible, they even had an elevator, and the waiters were kindly.

Ten years later, at 80 years of age, the group once again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they had never been there before.

I'm sure some of us can relate to this, and some can't---------yet. Anyway, I thought it was good for a chuckle!!!

L-O-V-E

2010-07-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore and

Love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart and please don't break it
Love was made for me and you

This LO inspired by "Scrap it with a Song"--week 14

L-O-V-E

So Happy Together

2010-07-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

So happy together

If I should call you up, invest a dime
And you say you belong to me and ease my mind
Imagine how the world could be, so very fine
So happy together

I can't see me lovin' nobody but you
For all my life
When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue
For all my life

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together

I can't see me lovin' nobody but you
For all my life
When you're with me, baby the skies'll be blue
For all my life

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
The only one for me is you, and you for me
So happy together

So happy together, How is the weather
So happy together, We're happy together
So happy together, Happy together
So happy together, So happy together

This LO was inspired by Scrap it with a song--week 13--So Happy Together
Paper and elements from ToucanScraps My Story kit;
Alphabet letters from ToucanS_Worn Well Kit

I can see clearly now

2010-06-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day

Oh yes, I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day

Look all around, there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead, there's nothing but blue skies
Real, real, real, real bright, bright sunshinin' day
Yeah, hey, it's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day

Where does Grandma Live?

2010-06-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

A six year old was asked where his Grandmother lived. "Oh''" he said, "she lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go to get her. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

I'm solo

2010-06-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yeeeeeyeeeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine,
I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky,
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm ridin solo, solo.

Yeah, I'm feeling good tonight, finally doing me and it feels so right, oh,
Time to do the things I like, going to the club everything's alright, oh,
No one to answer to, no one that's gonna argue, no,
And since I got the hold off me, I'm living life now that I'm free, yeah,

Telling me to get my self together now I got my self together, yeah,
Now I made it through the weather better days are gonna get better
I'm so sorry that it didn't work out I'm moving on,
I'm so sorry but it's over now, the pain is goooone,
I'm putting on my shades to cover up my eyes,
I'm jumpin' in my ride, I'm heading out tonight,

Now I'm feeling how I should, never knew single could feel this good, oh,
Stop playing miss understood, back in the game, who knew I would, oh,
So flex how I spread my wings, loving myself makes me wanna sing,

RAKScrap problems

2010-06-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody, it seems that I just read that somebody else, as a matter of fact, 4 or 5 members, are having trouble getting into the RAKCenter on the RAKScraps sight. I for one am not even able to get into the forum page or the gallery and all my pictures as well as everybody else's does not come up, even though I have been told by others that everything is there. Now, I thought it was only me, but now I'm beginning to wonder, and who knows if I and the others will get full use of the RAKScraps site back again. I have written to a few that I thought could help me, but I know they are very busy, and haven't heard anything yet, and this happened to me on the 16th (June 2010) and it seems that is the last dates I see posted if I can get that far.

Speak about frustration, and I wonder to myself why bother. If just a word was written at least there would be hope, but not hearing anything at all really makes me wonder.

So, all I can say to everybody if I'm missing that is why, and maybe I'll get back and maybe I won't.

Bernie

We were both young

2010-05-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

This LO was inspired by Scrap it with a Song. The song "Love Story" is the song of the week, and this couple has been a very happy couple through both their romantic younger years and their many years of a very happy marriage, and still share a great "Love Story" into their retirement years--could say it was a marriage made in heaven.

"We were both young when I first saw you"

True Colors

2010-05-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

This LO was inspired by Scrap it with a Song. These colors were brought out where this picture was taken and the star of the show really showed her true colors. All her insecurities have left her when this show was finished, and she has been entertaining on stage for one thing or another ever since. Yes, we certainly see her true colors showing through.

Lena Horne

2010-05-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Lena passed away Sunday at the age of 92 at the New York Presbyterian Hospital. In the 1940's, Lena Horne was one of the first black performers hired to sing with a major white band, the first to play the Copacabana night club, and among a handful with a Hollywood contract. She played in the movie musical "Stormy Weather" and her rendition of the title song became a major hit and her signature piece. She was at home vocally with a wide musical range, from blues and jazz to the Rodgers and Hart songs "The Lady is a Tramp" and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered."

I shall miss Lena Horne--she was always tops in my book!

National Scrapbooking Day

2010-04-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have used Christina's sketch and made the above LO for her challenge for National Scrapbooking Day.

The papers and the Elements are from Toucan Scraps Weathered Kit and from Toucan Scraps 2010 Blessings Kit.

I was amazed at myself for taking pictures through wire enclosures or through glass, and I thought it would make an interesting LO. I enjoyed using the muted colors from Toucan Scraps Kits.

Once Upon a Dream--A Never Ending!

2010-04-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

I know you I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once the way you did once upon a dream

Once upon a time, I dreamed we'd be together...
In love forever. Once upon a night,
I was wishing for a never... A never ending.
Once upon a time, once upon a night,
Once upon a wish, once upon a dream...

I know you I danced with you once upon a night
there we were wishing that this dance would last forever all time
I hope it's true this vision is more than what it seems.
Cause if dreams come true I know what we'll do,
We'll dance once again the way we did then upon a dream

Once upon a love. Once upon a dream

Your Song

2010-04-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

Elton John

Flower and lace by Toucan Scraps from Toucan Scraps ATC Digital Scrapbooking kit.

Music notes and scrap art from Dover

Font--Isabella

Contract news

2010-04-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/Blotter/Palin%20contract2.pdfhttp://a.abcnews.go.com/images/Blotter/Palin%20contract2.pdf

Supposedly, this is the contract found in the waste basket. Just a few days ago it was reported the former Alaska governor has made an estimated $12 million-plus since resigning last July.

Robert Culp

2010-03-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

Robert Culp, who rose to fame as an actor, thanks to his Kelly Robinston role in "I Spy" in the '60's, died on Wednesday after the 79 year old actor hit his head during a fall near his Hollywood home.

According to the LA Times, Culp hit his head after falling while walking on Wednesday morning and was found by a jogger who then called 911 shortly after 11 a.m. Culp was pronounced dead shortly after at Queens of Angels hospital. The LA police department told the LA Times that the actor's death "is accidental and there appears to be no sign of foul play."

Moringa oleifera tree

2010-03-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

A widely cultivated and useful tropical tree may provide a solution to the diminishing supply of safe drinking water in many parts of the world, a researcher says.

The seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree, which grows in tropical regions, could be used to provide a 90 percent or more reduction in bacterial contamination without any extra equipment.

The World Health Organization estimated in 2004 that diarrheal disease due to unsafe water resulted in 1.58 million deaths a year, mostly of children in developing countries. Many people in those areas don't have enough fuel to regularly boil their water.

The Moringa oleifera tree, shown here, has been called "The World's Most Useful Tree." In addition to producing oil, fertilizer, rope and paper, the tree has seeds that can purify water.

The process of using the Moringa seeds, first discovered by women in water-starved Sudan, is technically complicated but practically simple. A compound in the seeds acts as a chemical coagulant that draws impurities out of the water. Effectively the process is as simple as crushing the seeds and mixing them into the water.

The idea works similarly to the process of sedimentation: letting turbid water sit to allow a large percentage of solids and bacteria to sift to the bottom. But using the Moringa seeds cuts the time required from a day to an hour.

From a cost-on-the-ground standpoint, this is the cheapest method of household water treatment; this is not a moot point for the poorest of the poor.

The protocol is not technology so much as process, and it is believed that the main method for spreading knowledge will be word of mouth.

Water purification isn't the only use of what some have dubbed "The World's Most Useful Tree." Other uses include oil for lighting, fertilizer, rope, paper and leather tanning. "Trees for life," a nonprofit based in Kansas, has been working for 15 years advocating the leaves as a micronutrient-rich diet supplement that can be dried and added to food year-round.

They began by planting trees in India, then realized the real struggle would be educational rather than physical. Physically, you can only plant so many trees. We realized that people would only change their dietary habits if they became aware of the benefits themselves, in their local communities.

As one hopes that the new method for water purification will increase the spread of the tree, but cautions that change in these parts of the world is slow. To be honest, from field experience, positive change is measured in decades.

Time to look into the Moringa seeds on a more serious basis, as it could be a real asset to our future generations. Information can be found under health and sciences.

Flowers of spring!

2010-03-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

It's time, it's time

for a little spring fling

Pretty soon the flowers

will be all the thing!

We wait and we persevere

the winter months that we share

But after they hang on longer than we care

We look for the flowers wherever we dare

The crocuses sometimes hide under the bushes

And sometimes they are seen all around

We have to clean away the waste and the brush

That have all fallen down and wait on the ground

The bulbs take a turn, they notice the weather

Sometimes they have been confused as of lately

But they have held soil and want to let go tether

And they will come up and be quite stately

Ah yes, hoping the snow is all gone and those days past

With spring around the corner we think of the days

That will be nice and hopefully will last

And let us all go out and have fun and play!

The flowers are all waiting with their natural beauty

A wonder we have every year to share with our friends

It's a natural thing and we expect it as a duty

Of the wonders we all share right up to the end.

(by Bernie)

Taxes

2010-03-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

Taxes, Taxes, They'll get you in the end!!!

Tax his cow, tax his goat,

Tax his pants, tax his coat.

Tax his tie, tax his shirt.

Tax his chew, tax his smokes.

Teach him taxes are no joke.

Tax his oil, tax his gas.

Tax his notes, tax his cash.

Tax him and let him know,

After taxes he has no dough.

If he hollers tax him more.

Tax him 'til he's good and sore.

Tax his coffin, tax his grave,

Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,

"Taxes drove me to my doom"

And after he's gone, he can't relax..

They'll be after inheritance tax!!!

Irene Lander

Year of the tiger

2010-02-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

The Chinese calendar is made up of a cycle of twelve years, each of them named after an animal. According to Chinese astrology, every person is born in a year represented by an animal and his behavior and traits are tremendously influenced by the animal sign ruling the year. Here is a list of the animal signs under which the years past, present and future fall. Know which animal year sign you were born under. May everything be to your wish in the coming year.

Credits go to Wan Shi Ru Yi!

Rat	Ox	Tiger	Cat (Rabbit)	Dragon	Snake	Horse	Sheep (Goat)	Monkey	Rooster	Dog	Pig
1900	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910	1911
1912	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923
1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935
1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947
1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971
1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019

This year the Chinese New Year falls on February 14, 2010