Having just enjoyed a fantastic turkey feast and a good beer, I’ve plonked down on the sofa in the company of family, music, and some long-desired moments of care-free thought.  I like this time of year.

Even though a lot of people consider New Year’s a time for contemplation and change, I find that Winter is naturally my favorite and most thoughtful season, and it usually begins for me around Thanksgiving.  This holiday, as I mentioned in my previous entry, lends itself to taking a moment for contemplation.  But not in a sad way.  In a joyful way.

I’m contemplating, right now as I look out the living room window at the beautiful mountains calmly fading into night, just how much I have to be grateful for.  So much has gone right for me and I know, despite inevitable setbacks and challenges, I have a bright future.  Maybe someone older or more experienced would consider that a naive sentiment, or even unrealistic, but I think it is probable and born out of a healthy optimism.  Oftentimes, if we believe the positive reality we create in our minds, we will bring that reality into existence in our lives and the lives of others.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” is perhaps an overused quotation, easier said than done, but if I put those words into practice on a personal level, I believe I will reap the benefits in the long-term.  It is certainly easier to criticize what we see wrong with the world and in our own lives than to enact change.  But if we take the time to consider where we are and where we could be, if we are willing to work, I find myself pleasantly surprised to find there are far more dreams within my reach than I ever realized before.

But more importantly, I am grateful for what I already have.  To be in a place of contentment, and yet still yearning for new adventures and discovery in life, is a fine balance for me.  It provides me with satisfaction with where I am, but encourages me to never settle for what is easily attained, when some of the greatest experiences in life can be achieved by those who push their boundaries.

I have previewed Chio’s new season collection, and it is hot.  Their cover-ups this year are realy something!  Famous especially for their high class bikinis, Chio has again delivered the glamour we have come to expect from them.  Hopefully I will have some individual suits to review soon.  In the meantime, you can check out their site at www.chio-online.com.  I can’t wait to get into review their new season!

easter eggs over green grass

easter eggs over green grass

These days, it seem like more and more brides get married during spring and summer months. But if you’re a bride who has chosen to tie the knot during winter time, there are cool new ideas to bring the season into your nuptials. Toss aside the pale color palettes and spring blooms, because winter weddings have a style that’s all their own. Read on and use any one of these ideas and add some magic to your winter wedding.

Start with a Theme-

Winter weddings are best when a theme is incorporated into the festivities. Winter white, silver and gold, blue Christmas, an evergreen or a snowflake theme are some great places to start. Lush velvety fabrics and rich shades of color are also very fitting for winter weddings. If the wedding takes place during the holidays, don’t be afraid to add traditional touches like candy canes, stars or ornaments into the mix.

Go with Greenery
Instead of only using traditional wedding flowers for your winter wedding, add some wintery touches with greenery. Natural additions like pinecones and greenery like holly leaves or evergreens give seasonal flair to ordinary bouquets and centerpieces. If you use pinecones, keep in mind that they can be painted nearly any color and sprayed with glitter or faux snow. You can also mix greenery with flowers for a unique and textured look. Soft white roses flocked with fir tree boughs makes a beautiful seasonal centerpiece.

Dress for the Occasion
When you have a wedding during the winter season, your wedding attire should be influenced by the time of year. Bring rich colors or pale metallics into your palette with bridesmaids gowns in deep purple, tuxedo vests of sparkling gold or festive red accents on your wedding gown. If you prefer to wear all white, bring in rich shades with accessories like jewelry with colored gemstones or colored stitching on a veil.

Add the Season into your Ceremony
Getting married during the winter also means that you can add touches to your wedding ceremony to reflect the season. Research songs and readings that fit the time of year. If you’re writing wedding vows for your ceremony, you can add words and phrases that fit with the season. For holiday weddings, don’t be shy about using a few favorite Christmas songs or poems for your ceremony.

Serve Seasonal Food
During the winter, people generally want to eat things that make them feel warm and comfortable. Bring these feelings into your wedding reception by using comfort foods and warm hors d’ouevres. Mini macaroni and cheeses, chicken pot pies and french onion soup are a good start. Instead of classic cocktails, mix up the drinks and serve peppermint martinis and hot chocolate with liquor. If you’re getting married around the holidays, serve home cooked traditions with a twist like turkey with chestnut stuffing and sweet potato souffles.
Now that you have some fresh ideas, your winter wedding will be nothing short of spectacular. The more you bring the season into your ceremony, the more special it will be. Have fun with your planning and stay warm!

Commercial Advertising tells us that there are sales to be had the morning after Thanksgiving, on Black Friday! Wow, I say “Fuck You” Commercial Advertising. It’s bad enough that Saint Macy’s tells us we need to start buying for Christmas, by showing Christmas themes during an urban display of Corporate Pride. This Parade is shown on TVs across the USA on the day of Thanksgiving, a Holiday in it’s own right!

I like that Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey as America’s symbol, instead of the Eagle. I even respect my Founding Fathers, the Pilgrims, in their early days as they tried to get along with the ‘Natives’ in order to survive, and therefore tolerated their ’savage’ company in order to be fed well, and give ‘thanks’ before over-breeding, and pushing them into virtual extinction on the East Coast.

I don’t need to eat Turkey on Thanksgiving, as part of the ritual. I am thankful for any quantity of food during this Season, as it is the last Harvest Festival of the year. To be full of food, and not starving is satisfaction enough for me. Not to mention, being accepting of vegetarians should be part of the ceremony as well.

The Crone will get her due, all Winter long. There is no rush. The Lord of Darkness will rule again soon enough, until Spring.

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leia mais sobre a série clicando abaixo

Smallville é baseada na história do mais conhecido super-herói da DC Comics de todos os tempos, o popular personagemSuperman. A série mostra a vida do adolescente Clark Kent, que vive e cresce em Smallville. O seriado mostra como Clark lida com os problemas enfrentados durante a adolescência de qualquer humano comum, somando-se ao fato de, enquanto isso, manifestar novos poderes anormais, o que traz o lado dramático ao formato desejado pelos produtores: mostrar a vulnerabilidade de um pseudo-humano enquanto ele é completamente invulnerável. A idéia geral no seriado é a de que Clark seja assim, uma pessoa também vulnerável, principalmente quando está próximo das pedras de Kryptonita (pedaços radioativos de seu planeta-natal) e dos problemas emocionais com os outros personagens. A idéia original dos produtores era distanciar aquele conceito de imortalidade criado em cima do Superman, coisa até certo ponto entediante, para trazê-lo mais perto ao telespectador comum. Identificar e empatizar-se com aquele super-herói, também comum e vulnerável, era a missão chave da primeira temporada de Smallville e seu episódio Piloto. Apesar deste lado humano e fraco dos sentimentos humanos, Clark Kent também tem de passar a imagem do super-herói mais poderoso do universo DC, a tarefa talvez mais difícil do seriado. Como dito antes, uma de suas fraquezas são as Kryptonitas, diferentes Kryptonitas afetam Clark Kent de maneiras diferentes: a Kryptonita Verde enfraquece-o fisicamente e possivelmente pode matá-lo se ele for exposto a ela durante muito tempo. A Kryptonita Vermelha faz com que Clark deixe de lado os seus padrões morais e aja motivado pelos seus impulsos e desejos sombrios. A Kryptonita Negra divide Clark em dois seres distintos que exibem as suas duas personalidades (Clark Kent e o mais sombrio, Kal-El). A Kryptonita Prata (que nas histórias em quadrinhos não existia) é criada somente por Milton Fine e faz Clark sofrer de alucinações. A Kryptonita Azul anula os poderes de Clark.

ART INDIA brings to you news and festival schedules from the ‘Madras Music Season 2009-2010′ Visit this link: http://artindia.net/madras09/index.html for details.

Madras Music Season 2009-2010

It’s All About Jesus!

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — Nov. 26, 2009:

I am liberating those of you, My people, who have a desire to be free. I’m releasing all who really want breakthrough, but remember that it is a narrow and righteous path and not the broad way of the world. Therefore, I will cause you to look and consider carefully your circumstances and encounters in this season. It is vital that you yield to correction when it comes, for it will produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness, says the Lord.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

One may have awakened around 2 AM and worked on several assignments.  At 3:00 AM, one began to clean the bathroom while attempting to confess one’s sins.  When the bathroom was clean, one came out, logged onto one’s computer and read the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin.

At 3:30 AM, one began to praise the Lord in one’s prayer closet with song.  One finished confessing one’s sins, thanked the Lord and prayed for the sick.

One prayed with all one’s heart for the Lord to reveal a passage from the Bible to one, of His choosing, that revealed His heart and that would encourage one.

One may have opened the Bible and one’s eyes fell on Malachi 2.  One may not ever remember Levi being described in the Bible this way.  “Wow!”

One thought to speak in tongues the remainder of time.  While speaking in tongues, one decided to search the Bible for another passage.  One may have opened it with eyes closed and let one’s finger run down the page and stop.

The Bible fell to the floor.  One took that as a sign to continue to speak in tongues and not read any more passages of scripture.

At 4:30 AM, one left one’s prayer closet.  One logged onto the website to pray for outstanding prayer requests.  Thank you Jesus!

Today I have again the honor to show you one outfit of the Winter 2009 collection of Inga Wind Clothing.

The Minuet here shown in blue:

For me it is an awsome casual outfit that perfectly fits the cold days we have at the moment. The colors show again that not only black and white are the colors of the season. A strong bright blue pullover fits perfectly to the black pants. Lets take a closer look at all the great details:

First your eye will notice the sweet hat. This really catched my attention. The prims are very nice formed and give a real look with the great texture that makes it to a totally highlight. Further down you can see the great attached prim jacket. As we know Inga for she make it with love to the detail. The collar is very detailed and even little lines give you the feeling you just put out that great west of your RL closet. It lays perfect on your shoulders and round your waist and even if you walk it don’t sticks in all parts of your upper body. Well done! But thats not all…we go on with the belt. Look at the folds..so great and then the buckle that holds the belt together. There again the blue of the pullover  is repeated, as it was in the jacket! And finally the boots – yes they are part of the outfit too!!! Classy black boots that give another eye catcher how they round the lower leg. Again take a closer look and you will see all the great ruffles and folds that makes it also to a real Inga Wind Clothing. I have to say I got addicted to Inga’s Clothing with all the great details and little things that she designs so well!
Again and again I am imppressed by Inga Wind Clothing - you should take a look at Inga Wind’s Mainstore…then you will understand why!

Details:
Outfit: *IW* Inga Wind Clothing - “Minuet” in blue
Skin: Staged – PreReleased “Judy” Skin
Hair: Vintage Wear – “London Impact”/black
Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin

The days are getting colder, the shop shelves are bursting with Christmas goodies and the party season is kicking off with gusto, but it’s still only November. So what are we foodies to do? Are we to wave a dismissive hand at the mince pies and eat as healthily as possible before the onslaught of artery-clogging Christmas delights? I just don’t know whether it’s too early for my favourite festive quip, ‘Oh go on then, it’s Christmas!’

My work as an assistant food stylist sees me cooking and trying to make food look beautiful months before it is in season.  This is all so that images and films of the food are ready for the eye of the consumer at the right time. For instance, I had already cooked five complete Christmas dinners by September for various film and still shoots, and now work is revolving around healthy food for the New Year.

It’s all very confusing. I was gearing myself up for Christmas months ago, humming Slade as I munched on a left-over turkey sandwich from a shoot and submitting myself to the joys of festive over-indulgence. But now, whilst working on recipes designed to help us beat the bloat, I’m stumped – I feel like the party has finished early and the gastronomic bubble has been burst.

We all know of course that we are bombarded with diet tips and healthy food ideas come January, but it’s just no fun to be aware of it when the festive fun is only just beginning. I don’t really want to know about calorie counting, spinach and quinoa at the moment, I want to be indulging in warming, hearty stews and soups, crumbles with custard and Christmas party tipples…. hmmm, maybe I’ll just feign ignorance until the New Year.

By Emily Jonzen: From my Kitchens

In the future the holiday season will continue to start earlier and earlier. Eventually it will take place in four parts over the course of the entire year. Each quarter will have entirely new traditions and consumer expectations. Santa now comes four times a year. In each quarter he has a different helper.

Winter: The season of light, in which electricity is celebrated. In this season people stock up on lights, video games, movies, and appliances. People decorate their homes with elaborate light displays. Santa’s helper is Jesus.

Spring: The season of sex, in which chocolate, baked goods, flowers, contraception and intimate toys are all the rage. People decorate their homes with music and genetically engineered flowers that glow in the dark. Santa’s helper is the playboy easter bunny.

Summer: The season of fire, in which flames and fireworks are endlessly exploding. People decorate their homes with torches and flame-throwers then go to monster truck rallies, demolition derbies, and rocket launches. Santa’s helper is a cutified Satan.

Autumn: The season of death, in which candy and meat are gobbled up in massive quantities. People decorate their homes with carcasses and wear costumes for the entire season wherever they go. Santa’s helper is a zombie turkey.

Gradually, over the course of the next centuries these holidays are decomercialized as individuals begin to band together and effectively compete with corporate sponsorships of the major Christmas seasons. Homemade goods replace store-bought ones and society becomes more environmentally conscious. Corporations are forced to move off-world where they will take Christmas to other planets and make tons of money off of them.

Father Christmas will be immortal, adapting from culture to culture (much like Horace became incorporated into some of Jesus’s traits).

From http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

It may be called Turkey Day, but the U.S. Thanksgiving Day is about more than just the bird. Learn about a holiday myth—the first “real” Thanksgiving wasn’t until the 1800s—and how we celebrate Thanksgiving dinner today.

Key to any Thanksgiving Day menu is a fat turkey and cranberry sauce.

Some 250 million turkeys were raised in the U.S. in 2009 for slaughter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Those birds were worth about U.S. $4.5 billion.

About 46 million will end up on U.S. dinner tables this Thanksgiving. (See the Green Guide’s suggestions for having a greener—and more grateful—Thanksgiving.)

Minnesota is the United States’s top turkey-producing state, followed by North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and California.

These “big six” states produce two of every three U.S.-raised birds, according to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.

U.S. farmers will also produce 709 million pounds of cranberries, which, like turkeys, are native to the Americas. The top producers are Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

The U.S. will also grow 1.8 billion pounds of sweet potatoes—many in North Carolina, California, and Mississippi—and produce 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins.

Contrary to legend, the amount of the organic protein tryptophan in most turkeys isn’t responsible for drowsiness.

Instead scientists blame booze, the sheer caloric size of an average feast, or just plain old relaxing after stressful work schedules.

What Was on the First Thanksgiving Menu?

Little is known about the first Thanksgiving dinner in the Plimoth (also spelled Plymouth) Colony in October 1621, attended by some 50 English colonists and about 90 native Wampanoag men in what is now Massachusetts.

We do know that the Wampanoag killed five deer for the feast, and that the colonists shot wild fowl—which may have been geese, ducks, or turkey. Some form, or forms, of Indian corn were also served.

But Jennifer Monac, spokesperson for the living-history museum Plimoth Plantation said the feasters likely supplemented their venison and birds with fish, lobster, clams, nuts, and wheat flour, as well as vegetables such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and peas.

If you want to eat like a Pilgrim yourself, try some of the Plimoth Plantation’s recipes, including stewed pompion (pumpkin) or traditional Wampanoag succotash.

Where Did Thanksgiving Come From?

American Indian peoples, Europeans, and other cultures around the world often celebrated the harvest season with feasts to offer thanks to higher powers for their sustenance and survival.

In 1541 Spaniard Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and his troops celebrated a “Thanksgiving” while searching for New World gold in what is now the Texas Panhandle.

Later such feasts were held by French Huguenot colonists in present-day Jacksonville, Florida (1564), by English colonists and Abnaki Indians at Maine’s Kennebec River (1607), and in Jamestown, Virginia (1610), when the arrival of a food-laden ship ended a brutal famine.

But it’s the 1621 Plimoth Thanksgiving that’s linked to the birth of our modern holiday. The truth is the first “real” Thanksgiving happened two centuries later.

Everything we know about the three-day Plimoth gathering comes from a description in a letter wrote by Edward Winslow, leader of the Plimoth Colony, in 1621, Monac said.

It had been lost for 200 years and was rediscovered in the 1800s, she added.

In 1841 Boston publisher Alexander Young printed Winslow’s brief account of the feast and added his own twist, dubbing it the “First Thanksgiving.”

In Winslow’s “short letter, it was clear that [the 1621 feast] was not something that was supposed to be repeated again and again. It wasn’t even a Thanksgiving, which in the 17th century was a day of fasting. It was a harvest celebration.”

But after its mid-1800s century appearance, Young’s designation caught on—to say the least.

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day a national holiday in 1863. He was probably swayed in part by magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale—the author of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—who had suggested Thanksgiving become a holiday, historians say.

In 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt established the current date for observance, the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Turkey-in-Waiting

Each year at least two lucky turkeys avoid the dinner table, thanks to a presidential pardon—a longstanding Washington tradition believed to have originated with U.S. President Harry Truman.

Since 1947 the National Turkey Federation has presented two live turkeys—and a ready-to-eat turkey—to the President, according to federation spokesperson Sherrie Rosenblatt.

“There are two birds,” Rosenblatt explained, “the presidential turkey and the vice presidential turkey, which is an alternate, in case the presidential turkey is unable to perform its duties.”

Those duties pretty much boil down to not biting the President during the photo opportunity with the press.

In 2008 the vice presidential bird, “Pumpkin,” stepped in for the appearance with President Bush after the presidential bird, “Pecan,” had fallen ill the night before.

After their presidential encounter, the birds share the same happy fate as Super Bowl winning quarterbacks.

“For the last five years,” Rosenblatt said, “They’ve gone to Disneyland”—living out their days at Big Thunder Ranch in the California theme park’s Frontierland.

Talking Turkey

Pilgrims were familiar with turkeys before they landed in the Americas.

That’s because early European explorers of the New World had returned to Europe with turkeys in tow after encountering them at American Indian settlements. Indians had domesticated the birds centuries before European contact.

A century later Ben Franklin famously made known his preference that the turkey, rather than the bald eagle, should be the official U.S. bird.

But Franklin might have been shocked when, by the 1930s, hunting had so decimated North American wild turkey populations that their numbers had dwindled to the tens of thousands from a peak of at least tens of millions.

Today, thanks to reintroduction efforts and hunting regulations, wild turkeys are back.

(Related: “Birder’s Journal: Giving Thanks for Wild Turkey Sightings.”

Some seven million wild turkeys are thriving across the U.S., and many of them have adapted easily to the suburbs.

Wild turkeys, Meleagris gallopavo, can run some 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 kilometers) an hour and fly in bursts at 55 miles (89 kilometers) an hour. Domesticated turkeys can’t fly at all.

Pass the Pigskin

For many U.S. citizens, Thanksgiving without football is as unthinkable as the Fourth of July without fireworks.

NBC Radio broadcast the first national Thanksgiving Day game in 1934, when the Detroit Lions hosted the Chicago Bears.

Except for a respite during World War II, the Lions have played—usually badly—every Thanksgiving Day since.

Consumers Rejoice!

For those who love marching and music, turkey takes a backseat to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, originally called the Macy’s Christmas parade because it kicked off the shopping season.

The tradition began in 1924, when employees recruited animals from the Central Park Zoo to join the parade.

Helium-filled balloons made their debut in the parade in 1927 and, in the early years, were released above the city skyline with the promise of rewards for their finders.

The parade, first televised nationally in 1947, now draws some 44 million viewers—not counting the 3 million people who actually line the 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) Manhattan route.

Thanksgiving weekend also boasts the retail version of the Super Bowl—Black Friday, when massive sales and early opening times attract frugal shoppers.

The National Retail Federation reports that some 130 million Americans, give or take a few million each year, brave the crowds to shop on Black Friday or on the following weekend.

Planes, Trains, and (Lots of) Automobiles

It may seem like everyone in the U.S. is on the road on Thanksgiving Day, keeping you from your turkey and stuffing.

But just 33 million of about 308 million U.S. citizens drive more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from home on the holiday, according to the American Automobile Association.

Thanksgiving North of the Border

Cross-border travelers can celebrate Thanksgiving twice, because Canada celebrates its own Thanksgiving Day the second Monday in October.

As in the U.S., the event is sometimes linked to a historic feast with which it has no real ties—in this case explorer Martin Frobisher’s 1578 ceremony, which gave thanks for his safe arrival in what is now New Brunswick.

Canada’s Thanksgiving, established in 1879, was inspired by the U.S. holiday.

Dates of observance fluctuated, sometimes coinciding with the U.S. Thanksgiving or the Canadian veteran-appreciation holiday, Remembrance Day—and at least once it occurred as late as December.

But Canada’s colder climate eventually led to the 1957 decision that formalized the October date.

I know this is late but congrats to the West DePere Phantoms on a fine football season.  The D3 championship game didn’t end with a victory, but the Phantoms were one of fourteen teams to make it to Madison for their final game of the 2009 season.  Final record of 12-2 and going further than any team in school history is something to build on.

Image via Wisconsin High School Helmets (www.mghelmets.com)

West De Pere will have to replace several players that helped make this run to state possible, but there is no reason why it can’t start to make Madison a realistic destination now and into the future.

Phantoms coach Bill Turnquist said afterward he will return for a 36th season next year. He would miss his players too much, and besides, why leave now with the program enjoying its most successful season ever?

“I hope we can continue (our) success that way,” Turnquist said. “If you look at our schedule in the tournament, we still have those teams. You need some breaks along the way.”

These moments, even while coming in a loss, should be viewed as positive building blocks at West De Pere.

The Phantoms now know what it takes to be a winning program.

A program can’t start to win until they learn how. West De Pere has learned how at this point.

“(Defensive coordinator) Jack Batten and I were just talking outside my office about that,” West De Pere principal Russ Gerke said a few days before the title game. “Just talking about how winning does breed more winning.

“It’s easier when you make that first step, it’s easier now to say to kids, ‘Hey, we are working out today from 3 to 4.’ That becomes more important. That open gym from 6 to whatever becomes more important. Kids know that there is some more ownership that needs to be taken.”

A great experience for the Phantoms to make it to state.

No team ever is happy ending its season with a loss. But when Turnquist hoisted up the second-place silver ball on Friday, there was nothing but a smile on his face. There were several more from some of his players. (Source: Despite loss, Phantoms can build on successful season – GBPG)

And perhaps next year the Phantoms can do what Reedsburg did this year after losing in the championship game the year before – return to win it all.

In other pressing matters, tomorrow is thanksgiving and with this long weekend holiday we start the holiday season that ends only after New Year, so I feel today is a great day to think about what we are all Thankful for, those of us who are lucky enough to have jobs should be grateful for that, those of us who have health should be equally thankful, the most simple stuff  internet access, education, light power, knowledge, family , friends, values, we should be thankful we have all these blessings and are privileged over many people who strive to have clean water to drink. Instead of searching for the best turkey recipe or struggling and complaining about tomorrow’s dinner, be grateful you have someone to share it with. Instead of complaining how much you have to cook, worry and share with those who are homeless and have nothing to eat. Happy thanksgiving to you and your Family!

http://www.thanksgiving-day.org/thanksgiving-day-celebration.html

http://www.usathanksgiving.com/

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/f_thanks.htm

Popular teen-themed channel 4 television show Skins is due to begin broadcasting its fourth series in January 2010. The show, which began broadcasting on digital station E4 in 2007, has built up a large number of devoted fans. Every two years the cast is replaced with a new set of core characters. About A Boy star Nicholas Hoult starred in the first series as Tony Stonem. The new series will be the last featuring the current cast, which includes Kaya Scodelario as Effy Stonem. There will be eight episodes in the new series. The show is also a hit in the states where an American version, set in Baltimore, is currently in development. A big screen version may also soon be made as it was announced, in May 2009, that Film4 and Skins production company, Company Pictures, are in preliminary talks about producing one. I’m looking forward to the new series and will be disappointed if it proves to be the last one they make. Thanks for reading.

I can already feel the pressure in the atmosphere with the approach of the holiday season.  A woman waved me by in a parking lot yesterday with a frantic arm and scowl.  I took a deep breath and sent her love.  Just like she was my best friend having a bad day.  I treat everyone on the highway as my best friend.  It’s amazing how friendly folks are then.  Since advertising and consumerism have their own agenda for the holidays, the only way to survive an American holiday is to step out of the box and prioritize what you really want.  I got all my gifts and cards mailed the day before Thanksgiving, so that I can spend the holidays task free to dance and be with those I love.   What a burden off my shoulders!!  I have set the template for a stress free holiday.  Phew! 

 Not only that, but I am scheduling  extra meditation time to help reduce the stress in my community and those around me.  Now, what better gift can I give than that, and no body even knows about it!  Then when someone cuts me off on the highway, I will be so filled with love, that it will be no problem to love them back.

 But most important, I will continually throughout the day fill myself with thoughts and feelings of gratitude.  Now, that’s where you come in.  Ever think about who you are?  And, then recall this incident with your dad, that event with your mom, a situation with a sibling, a friend, a boss?  Remember a powerful life changing book, or a work shop that opened your heart and mind?  All of these experiences, everyone whom you have known is part of who you are.  We are all part of each other.  You are a mini matrix of the quilt of humanity.  I am part of the Indian woman who walks for one day to fill jugs of water for her family.  I am part of the war in the Middle East.  I am part of the joy of my neighbor and you are part of my joy. 

 For every person who has worked with me throughout the years to heal a physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual imbalance is part of me now, and I am part of them.  After twenty years of practice, my personal matrix has been enriched by you, and I thank you and love you. 

 Happy Thanksgiving.

While fashion jewelry sets are always welcome, and would most certainly look good on a woman, it is still important that you use the right set for every season. Much in the same way that summer clothes would look – and feel – uncomfortable during the cold seasons, fashion jewelry sets meant for summer should not be worn during the winter.

Here are some tips on what kind of fashion jewelry to wear for every season:

Spring

Spring is all about new life, freshness, and delicate pastel colored designs. This means that accessories and jewelries that would work well with the spring season must include aspects inspired by nature. Ideal designs are butterfly pendants, flower shaped earrings, wooden bangles and bracelets. Spring jewelry is perfect as companions clothing with printed floral designs.

Summer

Summer jewelries should perfectly represent the upbeat, fun, and bright atmosphere of the season it was intended for. The styles that should be used should match or at least complement the colors of the ocean and the clear blue skies. Ideal for these sets are brightly colored beaded necklaces that are a little bit on the long side, which could be enhanced with additional sterling silver chains. Sea-themed accessories are also perfect compliments, such as corals and turquoise-colored natural stones which come in the form of necklaces and earrings. In direct contrast with the appropriate clothes, summer jewelries can be heavy and bulky.

Autumn

Contrary to what most people would expect, when it comes to fashion and colors, the antithesis of Summer is Autumn, when the fall season starts to wind down and the atmosphere favors warm, subdued, and deep aesthetics. While sterling silver jewelries could work in autumn, a better option would be earth-colored accessories that would not stand out and look awkward when buried beneath a blend of complimenting earth tones.

Winter

Winter seasons bring with it cold, snowy weather and the color of the environment tends to lean more towards the white spectrum. Sterling silver would look best for this season, as the sparkle of silver accessories will be reminiscent of glistening snow and ice. On the more practical side, necklaces should be on the shorter side in order to mesh well with turtlenecks, instead of drawing attention to the cleavage area (which is more often covered during the winter season)

Mix and match

Of course, jewelry sets would be a waste if you can only use them during certain parts of the year, which is why it is ideal for you to mix and match accessories, and find items that can be used and would apply to other seasons. For instance, spring jewelry that contains nature-themes would work well during the autumn, and would work well in crafting a nature/environment themed set. On the other hand, pearl jewelry that is used for summer sets will also work and blend in well with the predominantly white-colored winter jewelries. Remember that one of the major aspects of fashion is creativity, so go all out and be creative with your jewelry sets!

The Tyrants began their BUAFL season on Sunday 15th November with a disappointing loss Leeds Metropolitan Carnegie.  In a slow start that saw both teams finding their feet, and only a handful of rushing yards for the Tyrants.  The team took a blow when rookie Ed Perara dislocated his shoulder early in the first quarter and was sent to hospital.  The Tyrants struggled to regain composure and in the second quarter , Carnegie put numbers on the board with a touchdown pass, followed by a second minutes later just before the half-time whistle.

After words from Head Coach Graham Roberts, the Tyrants came out with refreshed minds in the second half with some great runs by tailback Ari Brosowski pulling up 21 yards through the game.  Carnegie punished however, with two more touchdowns in the third quarter and only a few offensive yards.

The Tyrants finally began to gel as a unit in the 4th quarter with interceptions and fumble recoveries in great effort from the defence providing the offence with exceptional field position.  The offence then returned the favour with a pin-point 19 yard pass from David Ramsden to Wide Receiver Steven Spence to run into the end zone for the score.  The drive fell to late however as the officials signalled the end of the game moments later.  Final score: Manchester Tyrants 6 Leeds Carnegie 28.

The Tyrants will be looking to bring the motivation they found the fourth quarter when they play the NTU Renegades on Sunday.

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, it’s time to think of those lovely winter warmers, such as velvety throws, warming soups and cosy fires. Loupe Images has recently updated it’s collection all sorts of lovely photographs to inspire thoughts of long nights and log fires this season.
The new collection covers various wintry themes that include: Pumpkins and Squash, Soups, Curry, Fabric Inspirations, Scandinavian Country, and we’re now featuring Jane Packer’s Flower projects and Ross Dobson’s Market Vegetarian recipes…we’ve even got some ideas for knitting and crafting projects.
So let’s keep wrapped up nice and warm, be inspired and perhaps knit or bake something special!

To view more warming images visit us at http://www.loupeimages.com. To follow our tweets on more inspiring ideas we’ve found go to: http://twitter.com/LoupeImages.

I’m trying to keep in mind that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and my blog stats will go down.  SIGH

Since we’re in the season of food and more food and I’m back on sack lunch duty, I thought I’d share the experience of making Francy’s sandwich. If the photos are mildly out-of focus, I’m sorry, the LG976 has a great camera for a mobile, but I took the shots at 6:50 this morning.

Step One

I wake up early with very little difficulty.  Possibly because I mentioned someone might be more specific in their sandwich needs, I found this note on the kitchen table.  Yes, I’m 38 and shouldn’t go weak in the knees over it, but I see the word baby (in reference to me and not ‘let’s make a baby’) and I can’t say no.  The note specifically requested I put Swiss cheese on his sandwich today.

If the sandwich del giorno will include 2 meats, it’s critical to align the meats so that each bite will offer Francy the fusion of their flavors.  Today we went with lardo pancettato (lard cured like pancetta-a.k.a. slice of fat) and salame milanese.  With this the positioning of the aforementioned salame will be obvious.

Next, the cheese needs to be placed (strategically I might add) in the middle.  By doing this we achieve 2 things:  1) the cheese softens up slightly and 2)every bite of sandwich will contain cheese.

Follow the last 3 steps and you’re on your way to being a sandwich artist worthy of preparing Francy’s lunch.

Fold sandwich and make sure that there is as little as possible sticking out the sides.

Using either aluminum foil (in which case you can skip step 5) or baking paper, carefully wrap the sandwich burrito style.  Think oragami!  Pull up the bottom triangle, then the 2 side corners and fold over the top flap.  Doing this ensures that there will be no complaints of “My hands got dirty eating lunch”.

Voila!!!!!!

Wrap the paper-enclosed sandwich in plastic wrap since the paper won’t stay closed by itself.  Remember that step five is only necessary if you run out of aluminum foil:)

BON APPETITO!!!

I hope .