Teaching Your Kids To Cook

I'll never forget the day I realized my oldest son Kenneth was learning how to cook. We were in the grocery store so that we could buy the ingredients needed to make chili and he just took over saying things like "We need onions and peppers.", "Don't forget the beans.", and "Do we have the meat?". I let him do the shopping that day and I didn't have to remind him of a single ingredient.

On the way home I began thinking of all the times he'd come whisking into the kitchen as I began to cook, always having the same question for me. "Whatcha cookin'?" If my answer was something he really loved like chili or my special dip he'd reply with "I wanna help." I thought about how much fun we'd both had preparing meals, and just how many questions he asked while we were cooking. It was time with him I cherished.

I still cherish the time I spend in the kitchen with my kids. Kenneth knows how to cook a few meals, but I'd have to say his favorite thing to cook is a grilled cheese sandwich. Chrystian, my three year old, is in the kitchen whenever I am and I always find a job for him even if it is just washing off the top of a can or fetching something from the refrigerator.

I was reminded of the shopping trip with Kenneth this morning when I discovered Teaching Your Kids To Cook by ReluctantGourmet. It's a fabulous lens that urges parents to cook with their children. The ReluctantGourmet gives suggestions for getting children to try new foods, and even shares some great child friendly recipes. If you are reluctant to cook with your kids, I'm sure you will have a change of heart once you have finished this engaging and personal lens.

Visit: Teaching Your Kids To Cook

Image Credit:Kids Monkey apron by slamdunksapparel

Attracting Hummingbirds To Your Garden

There is something almost magical about the tiny little Hummingbird. They are such a small little bundle of energy with the capability of beating their little wings around 90 times in one second. I'm always thrilled, as I'm sure most people are, when I encounter one of these diminutive creatures of nature. Such a beautiful curiosity to behold! Do you know that there certain colors that attract these miniature birds to an area?

If you enjoy seeing one of nature's tiniest of birds, you can create a habitat that encourages them to come visit you on a daily basis. Many people think that they can just hang a hummingbird feeder out and that will do the trick. I'm afraid most will be disappointed with the results. I found an article by ElizabethJeanAllen that gives really great advice on how to Plant A Hummingbird Garden. You will find very good suggestions on what types of flowers to have in your garden and how long your blooming season should be. It is most probably longer than you would imagine. Elizabeth also shares other tips for attracting the remarkable little hummingbird to your home. She explains about the water needs and other plants that are needed to be inviting to hummingbirds. You will find that although small in stature this bird is one of the pickiest birds around.

I invite you to visit this wonderful article that is not only informative on the proper things to have in your Hummingbird Garden, but also the visual appeal of the article itself. ElizabethJean Allen has created a colorful display that will delight your eyes almost as much as seeing a garden full of hummingbirds.  You will delight in the pleasing way she shares her knowledge in creating a habitat that should bring you joy for years to come.

Visit Plant A Hummingbird Garden

Image Credit: Ernst Haeckel - Trochilidae Hummingbirds by LisasLair

Creating Perfect Memories

For all its risks and sorrows, we still live in a wonderful world, and with modern transport we can be whisked within hours to new and exciting places. Whether we are intrigued by ancient monuments or astounded by magnificent landscapes, foreign travel rarely disappoints those who journey with both mind and eyes open.

One of the greatest things about travel is sharing special moments on our return. We want other people to see what we saw, to know that, yes, it really was as beautiful as we described it, as awe-inspiring, colorful, serene. After time, when memories begin to fade, we want these reminders for ourselves as much as for others.

This is surely why one of the first items in a tourist's travel bag is a camera. It's such an essential part of any journey that many of us don't even need to write it on our packing list, it's already right there next to the passport.

Of course, even today's cameras with all their wizardry can only do so much, they still need a photographer to seek out scenes and objects that tell the tale of the journey. And even then, there is an additional step, one that we sometimes forget and which results in a sinking feeling once we view our photos and find none of the magic that we saw with our own eyes. This step is the composition of the photo and is about framing the elements of the scene in a way that looks as great in a 2-dimensional image as it did when we were right there.

Fortunately, this can be learned. I was delighted to find a fantastic guide to composition put together by Sibelius. His article is entitled Learn Techniques of Travel Photography for GREAT Vacation Photos and is full of top tips for getting the perfect shot. Photography is of course a visual art, and this helpful tutorial is packed with images that show us composition in action. Read it before you travel, or even on your next day out with your camera, and banish those photography blues with images that really do live up to your memories.

Visit: Learn Techniques of Travel Photography for Great Vacation Photos

Image Credit: Palenque, Mexico by AndyPo

Gratefulness

To say that I am inspired by the new authors here at Squidoo Lens Reviews would be such an inadequate statement.

As you may or may not know, this blog has become a multi-author blog, and if you read back through the past month's reviews, you'll see that it was the best idea I've had for Squidoo Lens Reviews yet. I just don't know how I could top it.

The great reviewers who have signed on amaze me every day with their passion for great Squidoo articles and lenses!

I am so happy they are here, working together to do what one person could never do -- bring you a diversity of Squidoo lenses that not only highlight a topic but show other writers the possibility of making something uniquely their own.

Thank you once again, Squidoo Lens Reviews Authors and Contributors!

Yellow Daffodils in a Window by EHPlesser

What's On Your Bucket List?

Do you have a bucket list? After the movie, The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson came out, bucket lists were hot. For those who do not know, a bucket list is an itemized list of things that you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t for one reason or another. At some point in your life, whether faced with an incurable illness, nearing retirement, or just aging, you start to wonder where the time went and when you’re going to get around to doing those things.

Fortunately, my health and my husband’s health has been good, but we are thinking about retirement in the not too distant future. I have never written down a bucket list, but this page, My Bucket List, by ArtByLinda got me thinking about it. There are several Bucket List pages on Squidoo, but this one drew me in because of the incredible photographs and the fact that many of the items on Linda’s bucket list could be my own. What I love about creating a bucket list on Squidoo is that it can be continually updated. I now know that Linda has learned how to pan for gold, visited Canada, and seen the Grand Canyon. She would still like to see her son and daughter get married, visit the Pyramids in Egypt, and see a manatee in the wild. What makes her page extra special are the beautiful photographs. The first step to making a dream come true is to visualize it and she has done that on this page. I also like the fact that she and her husband have set a timeline for their lists. They each pick one item from their list to accomplish each year.

This page got me thinking about my own bucket list and, last night, I asked my husband and daughter what would be on theirs. Two of mine are to visit Newfoundland, the only province in Canada I have not yet experienced, and to see Chris de Burgh in concert.

What’s the number one item on your bucket list?

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Visit: My Bucket List

Image Credit: Dreams Are Meant to Happen (bright) by 101dreamscometrue

Yo Ho - A Pirates Life For Me

Many of us fantasize and romanticize about pirates. We write and read about pirates and long for the days of the open seas and the carefree lifestyle we think they led. Some have a need to feel the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces as we steer our ship toward the loving arms of a home country that we may not have seen in many months. We picture our native shores as they come into view just over the horizon and the hearty welcome we might receive upon landing.

Some find excitement in the battles to be waged and booty to be looted. For others it is the thrill of the chase at sea, whether they are the rabbit or the hunter.

Movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean only increase the romantic daydreams of becoming a pirate. The popularity of the movie and its later installments show this to be true.

Currently I am writing a novel about pirates of the 1700s. Therefore, when I happen upon a lens that gives information about pirates I have yet to meet in my travels through time, I stop and read.

What were the real pirates of old like? Why did they become pirates in the first place? Did you know there were women pirates also? These questions and many more are answered in the lens Pirates Worthy of Note. Lensmaster Stargazer00 tells us of many of the real pirates behind the myths.

We live in a world where there are still dangerous pirates sailing the seas. Luckily, we have the Navy to protect our shores. This well respected lensmaster is an extremely proud US Navy mom!

Today’s question is if you were a pirate or even a privateer in the 1700s, what would you have named your ship?

Swashbuckler by SillyShirts

Artist Vic Barr

Recently I lost my step dad to cancer, so I wanted to honor him this morning by sharing a lens that reminded me of him when I first discovered it. My step dad had a special talent for woodworking. He made his living with his hands by building cabinets and furniture. He was good at what he did, and he loved it more than most anything. As a hobby he made jewelery boxes, wooden puzzles, and other small woodworking projects. Our whole family looked forward to Christmas because we knew we would receive a special gift that he had made with his own hands.

When I first discovered Artist Vic Barr by GroovyFinds I was captivated by the odd shapes and unique designs, and I fell in love with the jewelery boxes. They reminded me so much of one special jewelery box that I received from my step dad several years ago. It is impossible to describe how beautiful these boxes are, they are just amazing.

The interview with the artist is what takes this lens to another level with one statement standing out above all others, "The thinking part of what I do is often the most exciting element in the work." You can just feel the passion Artist Vic Barr has for his craft, and immediately you know that no matter what is going on in his life, woodworking brings him joy when nothing else can.

Visit: Artist Vic Barr

Image Credit:#1 Dad on Wood photo frame by xfinity7

Learning Something New Every Day!

My step mother passed away last Sunday and I have really been thinking a lot about her. One thing that continued to come to my mind was her Tulip Tree that she insisted on planting when she and Dad got married. They lived just up the hill from me so I would see the tree everyday and when it bloomed, it would just take your breath. It was gorgeous with it's pink and purple blossoms. I don't think that I had ever seen this tree before or if I had, I had not taken notice. My Step Mother loved beautiful things especially if it was pink.

The year that my Step Mother moved to the Nursing Home, I took a picture of her tree and made a card for her. Since then, I have made products on Zazzle with that same photo. So you see, it was a very special tree. The people who purchased their home cut down the tree and it just made us sick.

All of this has been going around in my mind and then today I received a note from Lensmaster Sylvestermouse telling me that she had posted my Southern Magnolia Tree lens on the plexo on her new lens about her Jane Magnolia Tree.  I was so surprised to find out that it looked just like my Step Mother's tree that she called a Tulip Tree. Her lens is beautiful and she shows various photos of her tree at different stages until it is in full bloom. It is like you are watching it happen right before your very eyes. Amazing.  Check out this beautiful lens and see if you think the Jane Magnolia is the same tree that we called a Tulip Tree (photo above).  Sure looks like it to me.  Thanks, Cynthia!

I especially enjoyed this lens because for one thing, it is beautiful and it reminded me again of my Step Mom's tree but I also enjoyed it because I learned something new. I never heard of a Jane Magnolia, and I do love learning new things.

Visit: Jane Magnolia

Image: ©Nancy Hellams (OhMe)

Sacajawea Native Woman In History

Most of us learned about Sacajawea in our lessons of history when we were in school. She was the Native American woman who led Lewis and Clark on their expedition of the west.  So, for my last March post I decided to talk a little more about this remarkable woman of history.  Not many women would have been selected as a scout to go on an expedition back then. Why this woman? What was so special about her that she would be chosen to journey west with these men? Did she go on her own free will?

I did some digging around and found an interesting article written by EveryDayMiracles about The Survivor: Sacagawea. The author tells some interesting facts about this remarkable and brave woman that I didn't remember learning all those years ago in the history classes that I took. For instance, did you know that most probably Sacajawea didn't choose to go on this historical journey? Lewis and Clark were pretty smart men and knew that they couldn't actually hire a Native woman to be their scout. So, they did the next best thing! They hired her husband who was a French Canadian trapper. They needed someone who could translate for them and to guide them along their way. That would not have been the abusive man who was married to this Shoshone woman but he would definitely take her along on the trip. Lewis and Clark needed her so they hired her husband.

Sacajawea was four months pregnant when the journey started and she actually gave birth while they made this historic trek across uncharted lands. Actually, they were uncharted by the white men; the indigenous peoples knew the land quite well. Many tribes of Native Peoples had what were known as Singers. The singers were people who had a gift of learning how to find their way around the land by singing directions of navigation. Sacajawea was a Singer in her tribe. It was her status as a singer that not only helped the men along their journey but also what kept them from being attacked and probably killed when they encountered Native Peoples. This remarkable woman could speak with the other singers and teach them her songs while she learned their songs about the journey ahead. I invite you to read the article about this courageous woman of our history. It is a pretty fascinating read!

Visit The Survivor: Sacagawea

Image Credit: Native American Woman by nancycalcuttstudio

The Trail As Life

In our busy, non-stop lifestyle where we can work, shop or chat around the clock, it's only too easy to forget sometimes our connection to the outdoors world. But head out into nature and you will find peace, a refuge, a chance to grow or to just 'be'.

Disconnecting from the digital world and taking time away from your business or lifestyle for more than a couple of days can seem like a daunting prospect. We see it as 'time off' -- in other words, time that has been borrowed from other, more pressing activities. Sure, most of us would love to have the luxury of an extended journey, but when? How? For some of us, at this moment in our lives, it can only be a dream.

This is why I love to read the experiences of someone who did make that break, and shares the lessons that she learned with us all. In 2001, MysticTurtle hiked the mighty Appalachian Trail (all 2,100 miles of it) and in her own words found it "a life-changing experience". In Life Lessons from the Appalachian Trail she bears witness to the idea that from the greatest challenges come the greatest opportunities to learn.

Far from isolating herself on her lone trek, she found her life touched by the kindness of strangers and by the temporary but sincere camaraderie of other hikers. Social niceties were stripped away, laying bare the things that truly mattered. And she learned plenty about self-sufficiency into the bargain.

This inspiring account of MysticTurtle's hike is presented as a metaphor for life. She ends the article with the words: "...when you think you've got nothing left to give, the passion will pull you through to the end, and you'll find you're stronger than you ever dreamed you were".

If you need some encouragement to tackle a task you've been putting off, even if it's not one that involves walking 2,100 miles, take heart from MysticTurtle's accomplishment. After all, she would be the first to admit that, through thick and thin, she could only take it one step at a time. And that's a lesson that holds true for us all.

Visit: Life Lessons from the Appalachian Trail

Image Credit: Not All Who Wander Are Lost by AlliCo

Breaking The Silence Between Us

I am hurting, but no one feels my pain,

I am crying, but no one dries my tears,

I am screaming, but no one seems to hear.

I am praying, but I don’t know who cares.


Words like these are written every day. We live in such a fast paced, selfish world that we don’t even notice how often someone we pass by feels this inner turmoil, needs just a loving word spoken, a gentle touch from a caressing hand or just the encouragement to face another day. We walk right past the pleading eyes and look away and tell ourselves we did not see, but we know we just ignored.


The spoken word is heard, but we refuse to accept its meaning. Someone is losing hope. Despair and agony are winning, we know this, but we will not face it. It is too hard to look into the eyes of the homeless and hear their pleas for help.

Why do we not look?


Sometimes it is because we don’t want to be touched by it, their tragedy. Most of the time, we simply don’t know what to do and we don’t like feeling helpless ourselves. Their pain is so real. Their hope is so fleeting. Anger, dejection and fear are their constant companions and we feel desperate to figure out what we can do to change things. Thus, we all become a part of this dejected state of mind. At least, for most of us, it is a state of mind. For them, it is a state of being.


For just a moment, let’s try to look at it from the perspective of the homeless. Let’s try to grasp what their everyday life is like and then, let’s join together to find a way to really hear their pleas and come to their aid.


No one is more keenly aware of what it is like to be homeless than Kylyssa . You will definitely want to read Why Homeless People Don’t Use Shelters. But don’t stop there. She also tells us what we can do in How You Can Help the Homeless without Spending a Dime

Visit: Why Homeless People Don’t Use Shelters


Image Credit: Emotions-I wept by WhiteOak50

Visual Statistics Work

Contrary to what you might think, this review is not about autism. It is about presenting statistics in interesting, even cool ways. For me, a visual person, this image is very effective. I will always remember that one in one hundred and fifty people have autism because this image is now burned in my mind.

One of my favorite photographers, Chris Jordan, likes to bring attention to how much waste we humans produce. At first, he would take pictures of things like plastic cups, and then say that one million plastic cups were used on airline flights in the U.S. every six hours. Then he had the idea to actually visualize one million plastic cups by combining smaller pictures of stacks of plastic cups. The visual result was staggering and really brought the statistic to life.

So, I was delighted to find this page called Interesting Visual Statistics by Heather aka hlkljgk. Heather provides many different examples of statistics presented visually in novel ways. You will see the difference in sugar content between a rice cake and a chocolate shake. There is a visual guide to the federal budget that shows where your tax dollars are going. That's a little scary! And you can find out why a salad costs more than a Big Mac. But my favorite visual is from a site called Flowing Data, where data is presented with animation. In this particular one, we see the growth of Walmart from 1962 to 2006. It is fascinating to watch! And, if that weren't enough, you can also watch a Radiohead video called "House of Cards" in which no cameras or lights were used.

There is a quote in this lens that states, "The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see. (John W. Tukey)" Since we are bombarded with so much information every single day, these creative visuals really help us to cut to the chase, and understand what the statistics really mean for us.

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Visit: Interesting Visual Statistics

Image Credit: Autism, 1 in 150 by jillgo4th

The Story of Us

Love. Just that one single word has inspired poetry, works of art, novels and yes, even war. Young girls everywhere dream of the romantic or courtly love like those of Chaucer’s writings. However, the enormous white wedding and the handsome prince fairytale of our Cinderella fantasies are soon replaced by reality.

Though that reality may be the one we want, it is never perfect. Obstacles such as unplanned parenthood, lack of money and not knowing how to run a household are all too often the pitfalls of marriage. Finding a way to overcome these hurdles is the key.

Lensmaster j_barnhart4 has a story to tell. The Story of Us gives us a hero and heroine that you cheer for, cry for and pray for. You see, Cinderella got to go to the ball in this story, but she was already 5 months pregnant.

I have read this lens time and again. I am not ashamed to say I have shed tears every time. There is nothing more touching than a true to life, forever and ever, Amen, love story.

A young couple, high school sweethearts, begins life together under already tough circumstances. It’s a story we hear over and over, but too many times the ending is not a happy one. We hear it from our parents and other adults that marriage takes work and patience and love. It is not until we actually make the commitment to this partnership that we realize just how much of each of these things it really requires. Many cannot or will not commit that much. With the divorce rate as high as fifty percent these days, it is rare to see young couples make it who start out already behind the eight ball.

Does this young couple manage to come to grips with life’s harsh realities? Read this lens and see. ETOOT!

Visit: The Story of Us

Image Credit: Platinum Love Rings Postage Stamp by JoyOfLife

Homework Tips From A Teacher

Every parent has experienced the nightmare of homework at one time or another. For some it's only a nightmare once in a while, but others experience the nightmare on a nightly basis. I've experienced both.

Homework time for us used to be nothing short of chaos. There was screaming, yelling, and more than enough frustration to go around. Homework would drag on and on and on. It was horrible. Some time ago I took a close look at our homework routine and tried to fix some of our problems, but at times we still have tough nights.

Yesterday I followed a comment on one of my lenses and I discovered an absolutely wonderful lens. In fact, I think it was a godsend because lately I've strayed from some of the homework tips I have recommended myself, and I needed a reminder.

Homework tips from a teacher! is full of tips for any parent who struggles with homework time. Who better to get homework tips from than a teacher? Some of the tips I had already implemented into our homework routine, some I have been lax on and need to revive, and then some caused me to have one of those ah-ha moments.

Teacher2 gives us practical ways to help our children succeed in school by making homework a more pleasant experience for the whole family. She throws a lifeline to those struggling with homework, and gives us tools to improve not only our childrens education, but our relationship with our children as well.

Visit Homework tips from a teacher!

Image Credit: Student Studying Hard by BackToSchoolDays

One Woman From The Old West

The Pioneer women of the Old West were some of the most brave women that I can think of. Many faced unimaginable perils as the men in their lives moved them from the comforts of their homes and family in the eastern parts of the United States to desolate places where there might not be any other people around for miles. These woman aren't individually named in the annals of history. We get glimpses of many of them through the stories of the men in their lives. We sometimes get an overall view of what their lives might have been like with articles about pioneer women in general. Rarely, do we read about a specific woman, yet these women paved the way for the life we have now.

One woman we do know something about is Annie Oakley. Her real name was Phoebe Ann Oakley Moses and before she became a celebrity as a female sharpshooter she helped her widowed father put food on the table by shooting small game around their Darke County home in Ohio in the 1860s. Not exactly a chore we would think of for a young girl of nine.

Annie wasn't your typical pioneer woman who spent her days with the endless food preparations or the sewing of clothing for the entire family. Her destiny took her away from the drudgery of pioneer life to become a star in a man's world using skills that most women probably had. The pioneer women would have had to know how to shoot and ride horses; they just didn't take it to the level that Annie was able to do.

Yvonne, known as naturegirl7, has written a delightful article about Annie Oakley Little Sure Shot telling us about this remarkable woman of the old west. In the article, Yvonne also reminds us of a woman in the 1950s who became the idol of many of us little girls on television. Gail Davis portrayed Annie Oakley and made this woman real for little girls when we were young.

Annie Oakley might seem like an odd choice for me to make when discussing women's history. What I like about Annie is that she conquered an area that was dominated by men at a time in history when that was extremely difficult to do. Discovering this remarkable woman when I was a little girl made me realize that women can do anything we set our minds to do. I hope you will find out more about Annie by visiting the article by Yvonne.

Visit Annie Oakley Little Sure Shot

Image Credit: Miss Annie Oakley by CircusArt

Desert Island Books

We've probably all longed at one time or another to escape to a desert island, a daydream that soon leads to wondering just what we would take to keep us entertained as we lounge on tropical sands, shaded by a palm tree. Here in the UK, we even have a long-running radio show that asks celebrity guests this question. Naturally, the focus is on finding out which eight songs and musical compositions the guests consider essential companions in their exile, so that these can be played during the show. In this way, much is revealed too about the life and personality of the castaway.

This idea of narrowing a lifetime of enjoyment to just a handful of choices is one that has captured the imagination of jennysue19. As a writer and poet herself, she has changed the rules to put the emphasis instead on books, and in My Desert Island Delightful Books she presents us with the nine books that have above all others held the power to captivate, teach and entertain her during her own life.

These nine choices are all classic works and will no doubt be old friends to many of us. From the wonderful world of Tolkein's Lord of the Rings to the haunting Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, the masterworks of two of the Bronte sisters, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, and a bit of light relief in the much-loved form of Winnie the Pooh, this is a fascinating collection. Add to this the enduring Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, an Englishwoman who left a privileged upbringing to be a nurse during the First World War, which robbed her one by one of her brother, fiance, and friends; plus the story of prisoners of war in World War Two from an Australian woman's perspective in A Town Like Alice, for which Jennysue gives a particularly compelling review. Finally, the more light-hearted adventures of Swallows and Amazons and this book's personal connection to the reviewer round off a selection which, while full of personal significance, each individually offer so much to any book lover.

As Jennysue has discovered, although our favorite books are treasured for the tales they tell, they also become interwoven into our own lives, becoming part of who we are. She has got me thinking about my own nine books. How about you?

Visit: My Desert Island Delightful Books

Image Credit: Pleasures of Reading by AmyVangsgard

How to Reuse Paper Rolls

A couple of years ago, when I was still a newbie to Squidoo, I noticed a lens called How to Reuse Paper Rolls. I found it so useful I added it to my favorites. Time and time again I have gone back to this lens to look for toilet roll crafts I can share with my kids.

Yes, I am one of those people that just can’t throw the toilet rolls away. I save them for projects like the ones on this lens or I give them to my kid's teachers when they ask for donations like these to do crafts in their classrooms. Right now I have another bag full of Seventh Generation rolls to eco-craft with (I have a family of five so this happens) and my most recent use for some of these rolls was seedling pots. Which reminds me I need to water them…

So how useful is this lens and why do I like it? To start, the corny YouTube Video at the top of the lens is a perfect fit for this lens and it does bring up a good question, “What do you do with toilet paper rolls?” The rest of the YouTube videos on the lens are also a great fit for this lens and I love, really love, the toilet paper roll ornament idea on the last video. What a clever idea!

The next thing I noticed was the clever household tips for extending the vacuum cleaner with a paper towel roll and for keeping electrical cords organized. These tips are as eye opening, simple and practical as the first two. I am grateful for the crafty links that follow too. As a parent of three kids that love art, this is most useful.

I’m not at all surprised that this page has made Lens of the Day and more. If I had the power I would give it five green thumbs for being so Ecolicious. Even most of the products advertised on the page relate to the recycling theme.

The only thing I would like to see changed on this page is the introduction. It is not as fun, strange or unique as the rest of the lens. I’d like to see it improved to measure up to the rest of the lens, but besides that this lens is practical, eco-friendly and parent-friendly. We need more lenses like it. Hats off to a_willow for putting together all these great ideas into one place.

Visit: How To Reuse Paper Rolls
Image Credit: Necessity by kittytrishia

A Little Irish Music

What do Van Morrison, Enya, and U2 have in common? I’m sure many of you guessed correctly that they are all Irish musicians who have been wildly successful internationally.

Traditional Irish music can be hauntingly sad, reflecting a troubled past that includes the potato famine and troubles in Northern Ireland, or rollicking and joyful. Irish musicians have much to sing about and they still do in pubs throughout the island, often in their original Gaelic language. I had the chance to visit Ireland a couple of years ago and loved the fact that the musicians would often casually sit at a table in the pub and play their music. One evening a lone accordion player had the whole pub entranced by his song. You could hear a pin drop in the room.

This traditional music exerts its influence on all Irish musicians, whatever their genre. And you can see this clearly at a wonderful page called Irish Music for St. Patricks’s Day by Richard aka Waxing-Lyrical, a Brit, now living in the United States. Richard writes about music on the Squidoo Music Blog at Crabbysbeach and his passion for music shines through his writing.

On this page he tells us about Irish musicians from many different genres, including rock (Thin Lizzy), pop (The Corrs) and folk music (The Chieftains). Each musician or band has achieved success well beyond Ireland’s shores. Richard calls it “a collection of some of the finest Irish musical artists that the Emerald Isle has to offer.” See and hear videos of Thin Lizzy singing “Whiskey in the Jar” or Celtic Women sing “Danny Boy.” Or how about the pop group The Corrs singing “Breathless” and U2, Ireland’s most famous rock band, singing “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” Richard has highlighted his write-ups on each musician or band beautifully with green rounded borders and a little shamrock.

I hope you have a happy and musical St. Patrick’s Day!

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Visit: Irish Music for St. Patrick's Day

Image Credit: KRW Irish Music by KRWDesigns

Moved by a Magnolia

Have you ever been blessed to be in the presence of a Southern Magnolia in full bloom? Those enormous white blooms open up beautifully to welcome you under its graceful yet sturdy sheltering branches. Its scent floats on the spring breeze and gives you a sense of comfort and home. No matter where you are in the southeastern United States, you will find these trees of wonder. They seem to live forever. Generations upon generations have enjoyed and beheld the glory of the Southern Magnolia.

Here in my own hometown of Jonesboro, GA, the home of Gone with the Wind, there are still hundreds of these magnificent beauties lining the yards of some of the oldest homes in the county. When you pass one of these homes and its tree-laden acreage, you are beholding the same scene that many generations past also witnessed. I can almost picture Scarlett and Rhett standing on the front lawn.

In the small town of Pendleton, SC there lives a Southern Magnolia by the name of Nancy Hellams aka ohme. When she speaks of her hometown as she often does, the love shines through as beautiful ray of light. You can feel the pride clear to your heart.

In the lens Southern Magnolia Tree, Nancy shows us her favorite Southern Magnolia, the tree she grew up seeing on her path to school. I will leave it to this wonderful lenmaster to tell you just how long ago that was.

The pictures she presents are so clear and so temptingly gorgeous; you can smell the blossoms and nearly reach for them. I can envision her sitting on Aunt PittyPats porch having lemonade and gingerbread on a warm summer afternoon with the breeze gently blowing. All the while those magnificent blossoms sway on the branches of a regal Southern Magnolia tree.

Can you see it?

Visit: Southern Magnolia Tree

Image Credit: Magnolia Blossom postage by ohmeakanancy

The Story of Indian Weddings

One of the movies I most love to watch is Monsoon Wedding, directed by Mira Nair. The film follows the final preparations for a wedding that has been arranged between a girl of good family and a successful young Indian man who has come home from America to meet his bride. However, as in all good plots, there are many obstacles that threaten their future happiness.

Coming from a very different culture, the story is as fascinating to me for the time-honored engagement and marriage traditions as it is for the very modern family drama. Each time that I watch it, I am captivated by the explosions of song, dance and whirling color that make an Indian wedding such a joyous occasion.

Of course, a film director will always have her audience in mind and Indian cinema has a rich tradition of its own where on-screen action blends truth with fantasy. So, to learn more about the reality of an Indian wedding, I found an article by divacratus, who describes herself as 'a high spirited woman from India'.

In The Big Fat Indian Wedding, divacratus give us an insight into a world of arranged marriages. Starting with the making of the match, often using the services of marriage bureaus, matrimonial websites, or the traditional marriage brokers, she takes us on a fascinating journey through courtship and pre-wedding excitement, to the day itself. Don't miss the enchanting real-life Indian wedding video that would rival a professional music video or movie montage.

Sadly, this fairytale wedding of a wealthy and very happy young couple is as far from reality for some as the Bollywood movie scenes it aims to reflect. Divacratus ends with a stark revelation of the horrors that await the bride who has been given in marriage by a poorer family along with the promise of a dowry that they cannot afford or fail to pay. A reminder that societies from all parts of the world have their problems, and for many it is the cruel grip of poverty that will end all hope of a happy-ever-after.

Visit: The Big Fat Indian Wedding

Image Credit: India bride by butterflieskiss

How Does Color Affect You?

Recently, I painted two rooms in our home a pale green. One was the room where I do most of my work and I wanted an environment that was calm, yet inspired creativity. It was also a good background for my nature photos. This choice of color was intuitive and I couldn’t really explain why it was a good choice for me. Laniann’s page, Reaction to Color helped me to understand.

She says that color has a magical way of producing emotional responses in us. Because of that, color in design – for home, office, clothing, etc. – has become a big business. Colors inherently produce certain universal responses. I would guess that a color’s prevalence in nature has something to do with that. For example, the color blue is THE favorite of a majority of people, probably due to the fact that blue water and blue skies are so calming. Our reaction to certain colors, though, can also be shaped by unique, external events. If a person who was very special to you wore a certain color, you might have a preference for that color because of the memories it evokes. On the other hand, a color may be associated with a painful event and it might provoke revulsion in you.

Laniann provides some interesting results from studies on color, for example, babies cry more in a yellow room and people eat less on a blue plate. I think I need to get some blue plates! She also highlights some videos about color theory that explain the color wheel and how you can choose colors for decorating that complement or harmonize with each other. All in all, this is a very colorful lens!

Do you have a strong emotional response to a certain color?

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Image Credit: Color Wheel Explosion by NickOfTime

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Visit: Reaction to Color

Is Your Dog Part of the Family?

Man's best friend is also one of the cutest and cuddliest! I love dogs! All sizes, shapes and colors can be adorable when they look at you with those eyes that say “I’ll love you forever and I’ll be loyal to you.” It is so hard to resist the beautiful faces and sweet kisses they want to give.

Strays always seem to find me. They approach as if they have known me all their lives. Even wild animals are not afraid of me, as the current reigning queen of my house has shown. She is a wolf mix that found me in the North Georgia Mountains. Shadow will be 8 years old in September.

My son and father call this the “Snow White” syndrome, where birds fly down and sit on your shoulder. Go ahead and laugh, at least it is the worst they have done to me.

When I speak of my animals I don’t like using the words “pets”, they are my family. They provide love and comfort, loyalty and a listening ear when no one else has the time or inclination.

Like lensmaster lakern26, I have a problem saying no to bringing another one into the house. Nevertheless, sometimes I have to.

In the lens A Dog Lover’s Tale, this lensmaster introduces her babies, the pups as she calls them. Each pup has a different “dogonality” and way of doing things. I have a favorite, and I am sure you will too!

She explains why people should look to the animal shelters if they need a companion. In choosing a dog to love and to have love you back are you also ready to put up with their bad habits and antics? Can you afford to feed another family member? There is food for thought in this lens.

Visit: A Dog Lover's Tale

Image Credit: Husky Puppy Postcards by Petcetera

Looking at the Scene Through the Artist's Eyes

Have you ever seen a painting that is so breathtakingly beautiful that you what to reach out and touch the image in reality? A painting that is so detailed and brilliant that you think you are standing inside the picture instead of observing it from afar. You shiver from the cold simply because you see snow or you squeeze your toes in the sand of a sparkling beach as you anticipate the ocean wave washing in just close enough to rinse your feet and make you dance.

It is truly a miraculous gift when an artist can transfer what he sees in nature to a canvas in such a vivid rendition that a touch of fear tingles down your spine because you feel the natural fear of being too close to a couple of circling tigers. Or you wait to hear the haunting “who” from a solitary Snowy Owl sitting on a fence post, searching for the slightest movement. You know you have been completely immersed in the scene when you believe you can hear the moose’s lonely cry for his mate to join him across the water.

Beautiful Art from Richard Burns introduces us to the aforementioned paintings and more. His wife, Heather426, has graciously shared his work and the inspiration behind the featured selections. Some of his art can even be found on posters and in calendars. Imagine flipping the page each month to a new vision of beauty that captures the serene settings of one of these lovely paintings or waking each morning to the greeting of a stunning sunrise over a lovely cottage. Take note, there is always a welcoming light in each of his lighthouses or homes.

To find a piece of art so magnificent, one that you could own and bring into your own home, is indeed a rare discovery.

Visit: Beautiful Art from Richard Burns

Image Credit: Northern Guest by Heather426

My True Miracle: My Daughter, Evelyn

As a mother of a premature child I know the fear that goes through your heart when you're faced with a circumstance that has the potential to end your child's life.  At that moment there is nothing else that exists in the world, it's just you, your family, the doctors and nurses, and raw emotions.  The swirling thoughts that go through your mind will drive you crazy if you let them, and the knot deep down in your stomach just won't go away.

Although I know that feeling, I know nothing when compared to EverydayMiracles. The name "EverydayMiracles" suggests that Rebecca (Becki) is someone who loves life and sees the value in life and in the small unexplained acts that make our lives better from day to day.

In My True Miracle: My Daughter, Evelyn , Rebecca (Becki) shares with us what it's like to be on the receiving end of one miracle that will be with her the rest of her life. By all reasonable accounts it seems as if her baby girl, Evelyn, was not meant to be in this world, but thankfully and God willingly she is very much here.

Rebecca (Becki) went through more in her pregnancy than any woman should ever have to deal with. She fought for her unborn child from the very beginning of her pregnancy till her baby drew in her first breath.  She takes you through every step with writing so skilled that you won't look away from the screen until you reach the end, even then you will probably sit there staring at the screen for a moment to regain your composure.

Visit: My True Miracle: My Daughter, Evelyn

Image Credit:Miracles Happen by poppyroseproductions

From The Annals of History Jeanne d'Arc

March is Women's History Month. So, for my next five Tuesday posts  I will be choosing articles about famous women in the history of our planet to review. Women who made a difference in the world by the way they led their lives, their accomplishments, their heroism, or whatever put them in the annals of history.

It is a little difficult for today's young women to relate to the remarkable women of the past. Society treats women differently today than it did even 50 years ago. We sometimes forget the struggles that women had in centuries of the past. Many cultures considered their women property. Women were not educated, as a whole and rarely were valued for their intelligence. It is with this frame of thought that I am on a quest to share some truly remarkable women with you. These women rose above the prejudice of their time and are remembered for their strength, their humanity, and the gifts they gave to the world.

One such woman was Jeanne d'Arc of France. We know her more commonly as Joan of Arc or Saint Joan of Arc. This young woman has a remarkable story of heroism that is compelling to men and women alike. Jennifer Tanabe who writes under the name of jptanabe has written a beautiful tribute to Jeanne d'Arc. Jennifer shares with us the story of this courageous teenage girl who at the age of 19 had done more in her lifetime than many of us will ever do. How many girls of 19 do you know that could lead an army on horseback to victory?

Joan of Arc rose above her poverty and stood firm in her beliefs. So firmly that it cost her the precious gift of life. She was found guilty of heresy even though she was a young woman of unwavering faith.

I encourage you to read the history of Jeanne d'Arc as Jennifer writes about so passionately. Find out why this young girl who died in 1431 is an inspiration to jptanabe and others of the world.

Visit Jeanne d'Arc

Image Credit: Women of America Save Your Country Vote Tea Party by LibertyJane

Move Update

Moving Squidoo Lens Reviews has been an education. So far, I've learned quite a bit about WordPress. But, alas, not enough to get the email working or the BuddyPress going... So, there's still a lot of things to do...

The main thing is that we now have a better place to come to find the best lenses that Squidoo has to offer. And the thanks for that goes to the new writers here.

Thank you, ladies.

Without you during the past two weeks, I would certainly be a little more wacky than I usually am. While I've been under the hood, you've stayed out front and put your heart and soul into reviewing the works of our fellow lensmasters -- showing us the heart and soul that they put into their work. That's most appreciated. I cannot thank you enough, and I am sure that our readership thanks you too.

While I'm out from under the hood, I'd like to quickly point you to a story I ran across last night from KarenTBTEN: Memoir Of A Hyporesponsive Child Wonderful writing. If she wrote it, I'd love to read the book. :)

How To Make A Flower Lei

Have you ever been to Hawaii? I haven't, but it is easy to imagine it as a warm and welcoming place. After all, how could it be otherwise when the Islanders have a tradition of greeting visitors with a flower lei?

It is a custom that began during the early 1900s as the first wave of tourists arrived on cruise liners and were greeted by local people bearing these beautiful flower garlands. On departure, the tradition was to toss the lei from the ship back into the ocean. The waves would return it to the Islands, and the visitors hoped that likewise they too would return one day.

Whether you are looking to recapture your own special memories of Hawaii, or are going to a Hawaiian style party or luau, you may be interested to know that you can make your own lei from fragrant flowers.

In How to Make a Flower Lei, we are guided through the process of making a fresh flower lei by azpoppy, using blooms gathered from the garden or bought from a local florist. She made her own example lei in just 10 minutes, although I suspect she's already something of an expert! Nonetheless, her step-by-step guide has thought of every detail and is accompanied by her own photos of the entire process, so there are no worries here about doing this wrong.

As well as demonstrating how she made her own lei from 40 large plumeria blossoms (in the end she opted to wear it as a delightful hair garland, or haku as it is called in Hawaiian), azpoppy shares lots of handy hints and warnings on the construction of a flower lei. She also provides some important etiquette tips on the correct way to accept and wear a lei, and what to do with it when you wish to remove it.

I'm sure you will agree that the flower lei made by azpoppy is simply beautiful, and the perfect way to add the finishing touch to any Hawaiian-themed occasion.

Visit: How to Make a Flower Lei

Image Credit: Tropical Art - Flowers by tpeters7