The Beauty of the Lotus Flower

Welcome to Friday’s Feast for the Eyes, where I will point you to some of the most visually appealing lenses on Squidoo.

Last fall, an artist friend told me that I just had to go to a pond nearby to photograph the flowers blooming there. So I drove to this pond, located between a strip mall and a bank, to find the most amazing explosion of beauty. This pond was teeming with blooming lotus flowers and I spent an incredible hour enjoying and photographing their beauty. I’m not sure if people shopping or banking nearby even noticed or, if they did, it added a nice visual surprise to their day. I do know that these flowers sent my spirit soaring.

What is it about the lotus flower that it has this effect? Well, I knew that the lotus was an important symbol in Eastern spirituality of beauty and openness, often seen in the hands of Buddha or a goddess. But when I visited the lens “The Beauty of the Lotus Flower” by LotusMalas, I learned so much more.

For example, did you know that the entire lotus flower (petals, stamen and root) is edible? Or that while it looks so delicate, it can survive almost anywhere and its seedpods plant themselves far from its source? The lotus is a symbol of enlightenment and LotusMalas writes, “Each person has the inherent ability to reach his or her full potential, and therefore, bloom in the midst of the muck.” The next time you're in the midst of the muck, remember that!

LotusMalas is new to Squidoo (only joined this month!) and has already created twenty-two lenses that are a feast for the eyes and the soul. This lens is visually appealing for its beautiful selection of images as well as her lens design and writing style. She provides information on buying and planting lotus seeds, a selection of lotus-inspired décor, and even a recipe for lotus root. I would highly recommend that you visit some of her other lenses as well.

Visit: The Beauty of the Lotus Flower

Image Credit: Lotus Flower Painting Art Photo Sculpture by JUDERM

Picking Strawberries

Here in the South, we are hoping that spring is just around the corner. Even as I am typing, I am watching the snowfall in Atlanta, GA, of all places.

One of the things I enjoy in the spring is planting my garden. Of the assortment of fruits and vegetables I will plant, the one thing I truly love is strawberries.

They are easy to grow from year to year as the last season’s plants and leftover berries are just tilled back into the soil. Since the seeds are on the outside, they will help produce more plants the next planting season. I simply buy fewer plants each year.

This sweet, succulent berry is perfect for desserts, jams, jellies, preserves, and just popping into your mouth like candy.

Family trips to pick strawberries can be fun. Children love nature’s candy and will eat them right off the plant if not carefully watched. I have been known to do the same.

Lensmaster, Shajo, has recounted her family’s strawberry picking trip and offered up some information on how to choose the right berry, how to handle them and where to find these pick it yourself farms. You will also find a wonderfully delicious suggestion for serving these beauties. There are even some videos on making other desserts with strawberries. Do you need to know how to make strawberry cheesecake?

Have you ever noticed that strawberries are shaped much like Valentine’s hearts? That one perfect strawberry can say, I love you or be mine if used in a romantic recipe or dipped in chocolate and fed to your significant other.

When the time comes to pick them, I will have a freezer and refrigerator full of these beautiful, sweet and versatile berries to share. Would you like to share some strawberries with me?

Visit Strawberry Picking

Image Credit: Retro Strawberry by trendyteeshirts. Design a bag on zazzle.com

Living With Leukemia (Leukaemia)

Waxing-Lyrical, aka Richard has written one of the most heart-felt and sincere lenses I have read in a really long time. Living With Leukemia chronicles the story of Richard's first wife's battle with leukemia. He takes us on his journey from the onset of her symptoms. His words also translate his fears and concerns. The journey is filled with ups and downs and Richard eloquently describes each bump in the road. He shares his fears and feelings of helplessness so well, you just want to reach out and hug him. This story has a special meaning for me as I, too, lost a spouse to leukemia. Even though my husband and Richard's wife had different types of leukemia, the similarities in their stories is amazing.

What is leukemia? Simply, it is cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Blood tests are performed to assist in the diagnosis. Generally, an extremely high white blood cell count is indicative of the disease. A normal white blood cell count is 5000-10,000. In leukemia, the white blood cell count can easily reach 100,000 or even higher. Blood cells are formed in the bone marrow, primarily in flat and long bones. The iliac (hip) bones are prolific cell makers. In leukemias, the blood cells are released into the blood stream before they are mature. These cells are referred to as blast cells. So not only are there too many white blood cells, many of them are blast cells and are ineffective. This super production of cells by the bone marrow causes severe pain. It is a similar effect to over-working muscles during exercise. Leukemia is most widely known as a childhood disease. However, about 2000 adults are afflicted with the disease annually and the numbers are growing. Leukemia is first divided into acute and chronic types and then further subsets occur. Read more about leukemia at Wikipedia.

The only cure for leukemia is a bone marrow transplant. Richard shares the heartbreaking story of the failure of his wife's bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow transplant is one of those treatments that is difficult to choose whether you want one or not. The beginning of the treatment involves destroying the person's own bone marrow. They need to be in protective isolation so they don't become exposed to any germs. Because their bone marrow has been destroyed, they have no way to fight off infection. The donor's bone marrow is infused like a blood transfusion, through an IV. There are medications given to prevent the recipient from rejecting the new bone marrow. Bone marrow donors are needed all over the world. You can check in your area hospital for information about bone marrow donation or visit the Bone Marrow Registry.

There is a happy ending to Richard's story. He met his present wife, Bonnie, aka JustBon Creations while doing work for bone marrow awareness. To quote Richard, "Every cloud has a silver lining".

Visit: Living With Leukemia.

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Image Credit: UNITE BELIEVE CURE Leukemia by awarenessgifts. Design refrigerator magnets at zazzle

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I Love Making Collage!

For the last couple days I have been searching Squidoo for lenses about creativity because is seems as though my "creative gene" has taken a leave of absence without permission. I have found many great lenses about creativity and art, but I Love Making Collage! by sandralynnsparks has really inspired me.

The introduction of I Love Making Collage! immediately captured my attention because it was both informative and personalized.   I could almost feel sandralynnsparks love for collage as I read her words.

Normally I am not a huge fan of the wikipedia module, but it was used seamlessly in this lens. Sharing the history of collage near the beginning added so much to this lens because it really forced the reader to get into a mindset that collage is an art form and not just an art project for elementary school children.

Collage can be whatever the artist wants it to be. It can be sophisticated, it can be cluttered, it can be beautiful, or it can be faded. Like any other art form, collage is limited only by the artists imagination.

The stars of this lens are not the words, although the words are necessary and well written, the stars are the examples of collage that has been presented. The artwork is simply amazing! Viewing the different collages was inspiring for me. They really got my creative juices flowing some, and I can feel my creativity slowly finding me again. I think my favorite one is "Wolf Moon". The colors and contrast of shapes is so appealing to me that I am planning an art piece for my new home that uses that shape combination.

This lens is perfect for anyone who loves or is interested in collage, anyone who admires and appreciates art, and anyone who needs a little inspiration.

Visit: I Love Making Collage!

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Image Credit: Willow Collage #15b by Doctorfree

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Repairing Books

Do you have some books on your bookshelves that need repair? Maybe the spine is broken or the cover has broken away from the pages. Did you know that you can usually repair them yourself?

Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, my favorite day in elementary school was the day that we were allowed to visit the Library. The librarian taught us to always be gentle with the books and not to drop them or to break the spine in any way.

In High School, I volunteered to work in the school library and that is where I first learned to repair books. As an adult I have worked in two different elementary school libraries with one of my duties being repairing the books that could be repaired.

Today, I am a seller of used books and I am constantly amazed at the condition that the books that are brought to me are in.  Since I'm going to try to resell these books, I don't consider the ones that can be repaired as going through the repair process would actually detract from the value of the book.

However, there are times that it is a good idea to repair a book. How do you determine whether the book is repairable? I ran across an article  that Mickie_G wrote about on Squidoo that will give you some answers.  In her delightful way with words, Mickie tells us that one good reason to repair a book is to help save the environment. She tells us how she became interested in repairing books and how to determine whether a book should be repaired or just thrown away. Mickie shares with her readers some tips that they can do themselves to repair their beloved book and gives an incredible diagram showing the names and parts of a book.  Please take a few minutes to stop by Mickie_G's article Book Repair and find some very useful tips for repairing your books. You won't be sorry that you did!

Visit: Book Repair

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Image credit: Old Book Store by Alleycatshirts
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Dove Cottage Awaits You

Would you like to be transported to a time when life was simple, loving was easy, and believing was as natural as breathing? Returned to a time when the world looked safe and kind? A time when childlike imagination was encouraged and nurtured in the mind and heart of every man, woman and child?

An invitation to breathtaking landscapes and literary history can be found in Wordsworth's Lake District.
As Whitemoss describes this enchanting area, it is easy to see how this glorious beauty can inspire such poetic phrases as “Vainly Morning spreads the lure, Of a sky serene and pure;“

That is indeed the fate of the reader. You will be lured by the pictures of a sky serene and pure. You will wish to “wander lonely as a cloud that floats o’er vales and hills” and discover “a host of lovely daffodils.” No doubt you will find yourself in a pensive mood, daydreaming of a place with quiet, graceful rolling hills, tranquil waters and peaceful, gentle breezes where a day passes without the world’s interruption or the chaos of a busy schedule.

The villages of Grasmere and Rydal beckon you to journey in the past where you can sleep in the surroundings and walk the path that once was trod by a most beloved poet. Immerse yourself in the history of the life of William Wordsworth. Hear about the places and people who inspired his words and writing. See the serene settings he speaks of so eloquently in his poetry. Let your heart be touched by the solemnity of this heavenly haven.

If you are intrigued by history and you are inspired by the beauty of nature, you will relish the opportunity to read about Wordsworth's Lake District. But beware, you might just find yourself making your own travel arrangements. I hear it is quite lovely in the spring.

Quotes from “The Kitten and Falling Leaves” and “The Daffodils” by William Wordsworth

Visit: Wordsworth's Lake District

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Image Credit:Wordsworth Country - customisable Art Card by whu_wei. More Landscape Cards

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If Your Cat Could Speak

I know I'm not the only cat lover around here. Actually, I would agree that all animals are awesome, but I do have a special place in my heart for tabby cats. As does Addy (AddaptAbilities), who is 'ruled' by a tabby by the name of CC.

Now, if you were wondering what your feline friends would say if you asked them for advice on cat care, CC is ready to give you all those answers and more in Taking Care of Tabby. Oh yes, this cat is on a mission to create better-informed cat owners (she describes her own human staff as 'mostly adequate'). In a beautifully-illustrated guide, CC first introduces us to a variety of tabby cat varieties, followed by some advice on choosing the right cat for your lifestyle. She also explains a number of ways in which cats are like people, but points out that there are also some pretty major differences between feline and human needs, diet being one example. CC has a social conscience too, and brings her paw down firmly on issues such as the importance of neutering our cats, and the harm of declawing them.

This is by no means all that CC has to say to us on behalf of her fellow tabbies and the feline race in general. She also lets us peek inside the mysterious mind of the cat with a small dose of feline psychology, and lets us know in no uncertain terms about the hazards we need to be aware of, no matter which side of the backdoor our cats are on.

CC's tabby cat care guide manages to be both entertaining and sensible, but then we should expect that if we take advice from a cat, right? Compliments go to Addy for her secretarial skills in transcribing CC's vastly superior knowledge and opinions and presenting this in article format for us all to read. Although I have no doubt that CC had the last word. This is a 'purrfect' read for anyone who has ever been owned by a cat, or who hopes to be.

Visit: Taking Care of Tabby.

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Image Credit: Tabby cat mousepad by ronnie44052
View more Cat Mousepads

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Top Tips for New Squidoo Lenses

Are you new to Squidoo? Do you just need a little help making your pages better and/or increasing your traffic? Angela Alcorn, aka Smange, offers excellent advice on "how to write a Squidoo lens". Her tips are very organized, thorough, and written in easy to understand language. She covers topics from making smaller focused pages to optimizing SEO and tagging. She doesn't claim to know it all herself, but offers links to pages that reinforce what she teaches. Offering these links to other tip pages increases her credibility and creates backlinks to her own page. She has even added ways to promote both in and outside Squidoo. Getting found on the internet is the goal of everyone who writes a blog or has a website. Angela's site can help you get found.

Angela has formatted this information into a top ten list. Her photos are relevant to the topic being covered, thus enhancing the information offered. She creates an easy to follow guide to create a really great website. These tips can be used by writers in other venues as well. Her tips are about basic writing skills and research related to getting found on the internet. She explains the difference between tags and keywords. Emphasis is placed on making sure you use all the keywords (tags) you have listed. If you didn't use it, don't list it. Or, if you listed it, make sure you use it in your content. Sound advice, for sure.

Nothing has been left out of this guide and anyone should be able to write great content after reading it and applying Angela's techniques. You will learn something from this article whether you are a newbie or an experienced lensmaster/blogger. See for yourself.

Visit: Top Tips For New Squidoo Lenses

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Squidoo Postcard by SquidGear
Get a Post card on zazzle

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Squidoo Lens Reviews Authors

For the past week, Squidoo Lens Reviews has been making its move to WordPress. What I figured would not take too long turned into sleepless nights, long days, and too much fluids.

Slowed down at every turn, my plans were eaten up by php, mySQL, and themes. One thing would break, then I'd fix that and break something else. Whew! Quite exasperating at times!

This time consumption led to my not being able to have everything ready when I sent invitations to the writers I wanted to join me here. So, I cobbled a personal invitation from my hastily-written notes and sent it to the five people that had been on my mind all week.

Now let me tell you. These ladies can write! And that's why I invited them. And you know what? A week's worth of three steps back for every one forward started synchronizing. Almost right away, I got an acceptance. Long story short, all five accepted in less than 24 hours.

What does that tell you? Well, for me, it says that I chose the right people. And what's right about them you might ask.

It's simple. They are as passionate as I thought they were to make this blog a place to see "the best of Squidoo."

And I don't know about you, but I can't wait to read their posts.

So, without further ado, here are five great writers getting ready to write about Squidoo's best.

1. 24websurf — Thursdays


2. BevsPaper — Tuesdays


3. kimmanleyort — Fridays
   


4. luvmyludwig — Wednesdays


5. WordCustard — Mondays

Welcome again, ladies. I am very proud and deeply honored to have you here.

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Image Credit: Writer. by TerryBain
Design personalised mugs with zazzle.com

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A Linchpin Like Me

I didn't think I'd be doing another Linchpin review since I just did one yesterday, but when a fellow Squid has seen and heard Seth Godin speak, well, you just have to tell others about it. Enslavedbyfaeries met up with Seth at his Lunch With Seth Godin in Salt Lake City. This adventure inspired her to write, A Linchpin Like Me.

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Calender Design:
Life is Wonder Full 2010 Calendar by inherview
More calendars available from zazzle

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A True Linchpin: Doc Hellams

Nancy (OhMe) presents us with the story of her husband's wonderful life. Doc Hellams is a beautiful story of a life well lived and just might leave you with a few tears in your eyes.

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Sunshine Apron by ohmeakanancy. Many more apron designs at zazzle

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New At Squidoo Lens Reviews

Welcome to the new website for Squidoo Lens Reviews!

It's a lot different, huh? Well, I've been quite busy this weekend and have just now gotten it ready for a post — of some kind, anyway. I just figured I'd better get something in here before too many folks start wondering about all the redirects and such I had going on these past couple of days.

Well, I hope you like it. Please bear with me the next few days as I get it tweaked and polished up.

A very happy Presidents' Day to those celebrating and a very happy Monday to all.

Fattoria Voltrona

So in need of a vacation! The lens, Fattoria Voltrona: Stay at a Working Farm in Tuscany, from Lensmaster KimGiancaterino, is the next best thing.

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Tuscan Magnet Design:
Tuscan Scene by reniebritenbucher
More Landscape Magnets

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Writing For Squidoo

Among others things, lensmasters use the SquidU forum to seek answers. Too often the questions about why Google won't hurry up and index their lenses come from writers who have "written" lenses along such lines as making dollars without expending any energy, or clearing up skin blemishes, or an herb that "cures all."

You'd have to be a mighty fine wordsmith to get folks even remotely interested in these topics. Wondering if Google feels the same way...

Maybe MikeMoore has the best answer with Writing for Squidoo.

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Wordsmith Mug Design:
Wordsmith by alternateworlds
Create a custom mug on zazzle

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Duct Tape Roses

Scenario: Your car has a flat, and you flat out forgot a Valentine's Day gift for your beloved. Valentine's Day is today, and the quickest gift delivery is tomorrow! That just won't do. So, what do you do? "Nothing," you say? Pshaw! A winner never quits and a quitter never wins. Get on with it. Break out the duct tape and make some Duct Tape Roses. Lensmaster Xasper8ing will be cheering you on.

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Duct Tape T-Shirt Design:
Tweet's Duct Tape by creedpit
Create custom t-shirts with zazzle

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Five Great Ways to Use Seven Great Modules

When it comes to writing helpful lenses for lensmasters, Five Great Ways to Use Seven Great Modules is a winner from Lensmaster MerryM. Merry skillfully lays out her great tips and recommendations in a classic and clean style.

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Learning Card Design:
Life Experience Card by floatinglemons
See more Hand Cards

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Homespun Yarns

Wednesday_Elf says, "Let me Spin You a Yarn." She takes you on her crafting journey from its beginning to its current state of Etsy sales, consignment shops and craft fairs.

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Crochet Cats Card Design:
Swinging by pattihaskins
Browse Cats Cards

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Doing the Laundry

JaguarJulie takes a mundane chore and makes it fun to contemplate laundry and what you might find in it. See Doing the Laundry -- Some Fabulous Finds.

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Laundry Card Design:
Country Wash Day by ElaineOriginals
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Under The Mighty Florida Oak

Readers looking for interesting tidbits and a bit of history about Florida's oak trees will find it Under The Mighty Florida Oak, from Lensmaster flipflopnana.

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Acorn Card Design:
Cute acorns by Earthly_Goods
View more Acorns Cards

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48 Ways to Earn Extra Money

Hot off the presses, Lensmaster kiwisoutback gives us 48 Ways to Earn Extra Money.

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Entrepreneur Card Design:
100 Percent Entrepreneur by professions
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Menopause: You Need Some Laughter!

At the forum, aj2008 mentioned Menopause: You Need Some Laughter!, from Lensmaster clouda9, as a great lens to visit. AJ also mentioned that today is clouda9's birthday...

Happy birthday, Correen!

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Birthday Card Design:
happy birthday : giant cupcake : by occasionINVASION
Browse more Happy birthday Cards

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Unique Gifts for Couples

Here is what Treasures-By-Brenda had to say about Unique Gifts for Couples from Lensmaster stargazer00:

I think it is absolutely beautiful and it is a sales-oriented lens. Just makes you want to rush out and buy some of those fun gifts.

Image credit:
Stick Figure Boy and Girl by White_Wedding