The holiday season is just around the corner and because I will not be spending the next 3 weeks with my husband, I decided to put up the tree a little early this year.  I was playing around with some of the ornaments, taking pictures, and here is one of my favorite ones.  Amazingly my cat Stormy sitting on the other side of the ornament played into part of the black background.  So to all of you far and near, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!

by Abby Ferguson
Staff

The winter season is fast approaching and both the Transylvania men’s and women’s basketball teams are preparing for the upcoming season. Since both teams had successful seasons last year, they are banking on the fact that this year will be even more successful.

“Preseason No. 1 in conference is a nice gesture from the league coaches but we all know that postseason rankings mean a lot more than preseason,” Men’s Head Coach Brian Lane said. “(We are also) No. 28 nationally in the NCAA D3Hoops.com preseason poll.”

Although conference player of the year Jackie Distler graduated from the Pioneers’ squad last year, the women’s team believes they have returning strength in other players.

“We do return a trio of talented guards in seniors Brittany Henderlight and Ashley Pait with the help of junior Olivia Akridge,” said Head Coach Greg Todd. “Junior forward Holly Milburn is expecting to do big things this year as well.”

The team is looking forward to what the players can do on the court.

Todd believes, “If we can stay healthy and continue to improve, we can battle toward the top of the Heartland Conference.”

For the men, they know that this year is just like every other year in that they will be in the running for the top spot in the conference.

Coach Lane knows that non-conference play is just as important for the men as conference play.

He explained, “We have a grueling non-conference schedule that hopefully will get us ready for conference play.”

Like the women, the men are looking to their upperclassmen to lead the team.

“We really put a major emphasis on our upperclassmen leading our team. Blake [McCowan], Tim [Tierney], and Matthew [Parton] are all seniors that have played a lot of ‘big’ games for us,” said Lane.

The men believe these players, along with several others, will step up and play some valuable minutes.

The Men are also looking forward to their first-year class.

Lane stated, “We have a really deep class of quality (first-years) that have made our practices more and more competitive.”

Lane has a lot of faith is his young guys. He sees them as a way of getting back into the national top-20 rankings.

“How quickly our young guys figure out how hard they have to play defensively, the sooner we can see ourselves back in the top 20,” he said.   

Coach Lane believes, “The Transy community will once again see a group of guys playing very unselfish and working extremely hard.”

It’s November and was only 27° this morning so I started to feed the birds. I had made up some suet about a month ago and kept it in the freezer to use this winter.

The birds seem to like my homemade suet much better than the store bought kind.

Although we don’t eat much bacon, I save the grease in a can in the fridge to use for making suet. When I have a full can, I add it to store bought fat (beef usually) and melt it on low heat. Then I add peanut butter, and whatever else I have to bind it together – such as old bread, cornmeal, crackers, cereal, etc.

I’ve found that using a disposable tin pan is best, since clean up can be a chore, and a nice square or rectangular one is perfect for cutting the suet (once it’s cold) into the right size for my feeders.

This Suet is Homemade

I don’t add seeds of any kind to my suet as it is intended mainly for woodpeckers. I put out plenty of sunflower and thistle seeds for the seed eating birds so I don’t waste it in the suet.

Homemade Suet

A tail prop feeder works best for woodpeckers since they use their tails for balance. Also the upside down suet feeders are good for keeping the squirrels from chowing down.

I wrote up a Squidoo lens last year which is all about my suet making with links to buying suet online and much more. You can view “Make Your Own Suet and Feed the Birds” by clicking this link.

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“Winterizing a House”

Do you find yourself punching holes in the walls when the heating bill comes in? This winter, do something to reduce your heating costs and make your house more energy efficient!

Furnace and Water Heater
Change your furnace filter once a month for a more energy efficient home. Have a professional come inspect your furnace. If your furnace is fairly old, you may want to consider replacing it for a more energy-efficient model.

Insulate your water heater with an energy-saving foam or fiberglass blanket. Wrap the blanket around and then fasten it with some water-proof duct tape. Keep your water heater set at 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Winterizing Windows
Check for any air leaks in your windows, such as through panes of glass or around the sides. Caulking and weatherstripping your windows is easy for you to accomplish. Apply caulk in dry weather that is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees Celsius). This will prevent the caulk from swelling with moisture as well as ensuring that it adheres and sets properly. Weatherstripping is vinyl, metal, rubber, felt or foam that is applied between the window sash and the frame to seal the area from air leaks. Simply cut it to fit between the sash and frame and drill pilot holes; next, use a screwdriver to screw the weatherstripping in to place.

Doors
Take a look at your door; can you see light coming through the cracks or can you feel wind gushing in? Weatherstripping is your answer. It’s also relatively easy to winterize your doors.

The idea is to install weatherstripping along the sides and top of the door and a door sweep along the bottom of the door on the inside. If your door threshold (or saddle) is rotten, you’ll want to get a professional to replace it first.

Measure and cut the door sweep to fit along the bottom, drill pilot holes and then screw the sweep to the door.

Then open the door to measure for the weather stripping. Cut the weather stripping with a hacksaw. Drill the pilot holes and then use a screwdriver to attach the stripping. Install weather stripping on the sides and top of the doorframe.

Roof
An efficient roof is the best weatherproofing you can get—it will greatly reduce your heat costs. First, you need to check the roof from the outside with binoculars. Use a pair of binoculars and stand far away enough from your house to get a good view of the roof. Here’s what you should be checking for:

• gutters should be fastened securely to the roof
• check that the flashings, metal plates patching any interruptions in the roof such as pipes or chimneys, are intact
• make sure roof is not missing any shingles, tiles, slates or nails
• take a look at the caulking to make sure it doesn’t need to be re-touched
• look for any warped or darker areas on the roof

If you’ve noticed any problems with the roof, it’s time to call a roofing professional to take a look and assess what needs to be done.

Walls
Check your electrical outlets for any spaces by taking off the outlet plate. You can buy foam that is fitted to the outlet that is easy to install.

You also need to check the outside walls of the house. Walk around the house with a caulk gun and caulk around pipes and spouts.

Basement
Be sure to caulk any drafts in your basement, such as around your dryer vent.

Taking some of the above tips on winterizing your home will save you lots of money on your heating bill! You’ll also save a lot of money by lowering your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop it by ten degrees during the night or while you’re away. You can purchase and install an automated thermostat in order to wake up to a warm house.

– http://www.repair-home.com/

On the left you will see the original chart, provided by the chart maker known as Chartfag. On the right, quick choices based on the descriptions (or past knowledge on series). But either way I’ll end up checking out at least the first two episodes, maybe even three. Well, depending on two things: if I can find subs or if it’s on my other list…

Aoi Bungaku (ep 1) review tomorrow morning.

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Why post so late? Well, Verizon is shit and I can only really do anything early in the morning or late at night. That other list is the ‘There is no fucking way I’ll ever touch this unless I get paid” List.

PARK BOM GOES SOLO!

2ne1’s lead vocalist, Park Bom releases her first song and MV entitled <You and I> entering the music scene by herself. The song was a hit, as it ranked first throughout music portal sites such as Melon, Dosirak, Bugs and Cyworld.

What’s more impressing is that she competed with other idol groups such as (BEAST/B2ST, MBLAQ, SHINee, SS501) and veteran singers (Ivy, Baek Ji Young, HwanHee, Kim Tae Woo) yet she herself, without the help of her 2NE1 members, have been able to dominate amongst them.

2NE1 have proved to be worthy of taking the title “rookie of the year” as they have numerous hit-songs already, listing Fire, I Don’t Care, Sandara’s Kiss, and now Park Bom’s You and I.

2NE1 is currently preparing to hit back the music industry as a group, with their new album.

WONDER GiRLS OFF THE BiLLBOARD CHART!

Although they’re the first korean artists to ever break into the TOP 100 in the whole existence of the billboard chart, their success was only for a short time.

Will they be able to produce a bigger hit this time around? Only time will tell, however JYP insists on focusing all his energy on the US market as he stated during their press conference in Korea on the 23rd, that the Wonder Girls donot have futer plans in Korea at the moment. JYP plans on bringing the girls back to the states soon to completely focus on the US and European markets.

BiG BANG HEATS UP THiS WiNTER SEASON!

Big Bang being the endorsers of the clothing line NII, they pose with poise! (man! they’re so hot! lalo na si T.O.P! xD)

here are their pics! enjoy ladies! )

My shop is now ready for Winter season. I think I’m going for yellow gloves this year… They don’t have to match the rest of my Winter outfit, actually that might be the whole point of it.

Have a great Sunday everyone. I’m gonna spend the rest of mine with my phone switched off watching old “James Bond movies”

I came across this story a long time ago but recently someone has presented it using the powerful approach of multimedia. Some of you may have heard this before.

The story is about a teacher’s experience of not judging student by their appearance but to take time to understand and love the student. You can hear the story here http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/ or you can watch this video here

To me, it is more this story says, to me it is about taking time to know the person. Because, knowing where that person comes from can shape your perspective of that person and thus building relationship or encouraging growth. I do that this story or the video would be a catalyst to shape how you see people differently.

As for me, I have learned to see my wife, my three children, people in my cell group,and people around me differently.

Switzerland is an incredible ski place known by the majestic Swiss Alps. The winter months presents the opening for beginner and experts skiers alike to carve up some of the best white powder on Earth!

If you’re searching for Switzerland hotels to enjoy your vacations in unbelievable slopes, Switzerland ski resorts and ski holidays may be the one for you. At switzerlan-trips.com you will get one in all services. Many individuals will concur that Switzerland doesn’t only have wonderful heights and slopes; it also has other breathtaking places, chiefly shopping attractions and night spots. Perhaps, the only cause why many are scared to go to this countryside is that they suppose that everything is costly in Switzerland. In truth, however, there are many winter Switzerland hotels near the best ski resorts in the country that are both wonderful and reasonably priced.

In Switzerland-trips.com, you will discover not only one of the oldest ski resorts in the planet, but also the one that presents the most trendy site for ski resorts. Here in this website you can catch also home to the oldest ski school in the globe. Even though Switzerland is a stunning destination all through the year, summer is most appropriate if you are seeking ahead to spend some time outdoor and pamper in outside activities. Being the peak vacationers period, during this time around you will find an intense crowd of sightseer and visitors. Prices of Switzerland hotels soar very high, so accessibility of hotel rooms’ dip and places of interest becomes packed out. So contact www.switzerland-trips.com for less crowded places of interest, restaurants, hotels and location during all seasons of the year.

Call us to know more about Switzerland ski resorts and Switzerland hotels or visit us at:
http://www.switzerland-trips.com
switzerland-trips@live.com
Switzerland

By: Tiffani Haynes

Now that it’s been officially fall for a while and most of us in the northern states are experiencing the brisk air and strong winds we love so much, it’s time to bring out the fall wardrobe.

Yes, a coat, hat and mittens (yes, mittens) are important, I love scarves. They are the easiest way to stay warm and accessorize your look. Also, they protect an important part of your body that’s often exposed, your neck and chest.

There are varying lengths and weights depending on your preference, yet the best part about scarves are the random colors and patterns they come in.

Which one is your favorite?

Hi all we are hosting Glamorgan WFU’s November meeting confirmed to speak is Dr Glenda Thomas FWAG we are working on the rest of the line up and it will be posted before the event

please put the event in your diary now Wednesday 25th November

Some info for you to read up on the subject below or please  just come along and ask questions

http://sustainablog.org/2009/07/30/putting-the-carbon-footprint-of-farming-in-perspective/

http://www.fwagcornwall.org.uk/main.aspx?sectionID=178&subID=272

http://www.farmersguardian.com/calculate-your-farms-carbon-footprint/11056.article

Originally uploaded by wynj2
Hi All ,

It is time to shut for the season this weekend being our last 27th September.

We are still open for bookings for events,conferences,children’s parties and plan some Christmas festivities which will be posted shortly.

Thanks to all those who shared the handful of sunny days with us this season and those fisherman that braved the weather on the others.

will be back with more news shortly -Don’t forget the MacMillan coffee morning- all donations to MacMillan - refreshments provided free.