New Year's Eve and Outhouses

Today, New Year's Eve, is a day for looking back at the year that was and looking forward to the year to come. As I look back at 2010, I feel very thankful for my Squidoo community, and especially the writers here at Squidoo Lens Reviews.

It was sometime in February that I received an email from MiMi, founder of Squidoo Lens Reviews, asking me to be a weekly writer. I remember feeling very honored and a little intimidated, but jumped right in. I have had the good fortune to write alongside some of my favorite wordsmiths, Holley, Carrie, Nicki, Bev, Crystal, Pam, Mandee, Kathy, etc., and I learn from each one of them.

My first post was about the lotus flower, which included the following quote,

“Each person has the inherent ability to reach his or her full potential, and therefore, bloom in the midst of the muck.”

Today I would like to pay tribute to the woman behind the scenes, MiMi, who keeps the gears turning, while also providing constant support and encouragement to the writers here and elsewhere on Squidoo. She has to deal with a lot of muck sometimes and, I think in the last few days especially, yet she continues to bloom with grace and dignity.

Which is why I chose this outstanding article of hers to highlight today, The Outhouse Remembered.

All of MiMi's pages invite reader participation, and she starts this one by acknowledging that many of us have memories of outhouses and are even nostalgic for them. Outhouse decor has become very trendy. MiMi makes it clear, though, that her memories of Grandma's outhouse are not fond ones. She dreaded having to visit the outhouse, and even wrote a short story describing her feelings perfectly.

Yet, she also has a fascination with outhouses, having discovered that there is an outhouse museum, and that outhouse digging has become a popular sport. For those who are nostalgic for outhouses, she provides songs about outhouses, outhouse art prints and books, and Linda Spivey outhouse decor.

MiMi obviously touched a chord with this page, as you will see when you read all of the wonderful outhouse stories remembered in her comments, which was its purpose.

Thank you, MiMi, for all you do and for the great writer you are.

Image Credit: OUTHOUSE by ImpressImages

Year's End At Squidoo Lens Reviews

A few notes about 2010 and 2011...

These last days of 2010 have been filled with getting things better organized for 2011. And of course, that includes Squidoo Lens Reviews.

This blog has been missing a very important part for quite a few months now -- the ability to browse by category. After much frustration, but with many thanks to Alex, Drifter0658, I checked my plugins and found a new one to replace the permalinks one. Loving my new Custom Post Type UI plugin!

Check out the new categories at the bottom left column in all pages. We now have it so that you can see all of the interviews done from the blog's early days, and you can also read the questions of the Week and Day from way back when. Still a bit more cleaning up to do with the categories, but at least now you can click through.

I went through a few of the QOTD and QOTW (Question Of The Day/Week categories) as I was working here and found the responses still to be mostly pertinent. Go ahead and answer some of them if you want to. :)

Also, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the writers here. Without the Authors, this community site would not be nearly as rich. Thank you, BevsPaper, DecoratingforEvents, dustytoes, KathyMcGraw, and kimmanleyort. Your weekly work here is a testament to the value you place on giving. I appreciate it; I know our fellow lensmasters do as well. Thank you.

A shout-out of thanks to the Contributors, and to the previous writers: 24websurf, bethd821, clouda9, Ecolicious, inkserotica, LeanneChesser, luvmyludwig, OhMe, Sylvestermouse, Waxing_Lyrical, and WordCustard.

Pam (dustytoes) is leaving this year, and I wish her well and prosperous in 2011. In her place on Thursdays will be Wednesday_Elf. Pat is wonderful; she served a voluntary stint as proofreader at Professional Squids, and her lensography is full of her own great writing. We are blessed to have her here promoting the best of Squidoo. Welcome, Pat! Look for her first post the second Thursday in January.

Last, but not least, to the readers that love us enough to add us to your feed readers, thank you. Thank you for being interested in your fellow lensmasters, for making great lenses yourself, and thank you for being here.

Wishing you a Year 2011 filled with abundance and love.

New Year 2011 red black Note Card by floatinglemons

Did You Forget Something?

Some days I need a good laugh to keep me going and I got that today when I came across a humorously written page about forgetfulness. The writer, whose name is "seedplanter", has chosen a subject that most everyone can relate to in some degree or another no matter what their age. In fact, if you are worrying that you might be "losing it", read the page, Help! I've Lost My Hippocampus, and you'll feel better, or at least you won't feel so alone. (Not everyone who has these forgetful moments is getting Alzheimers, which is serious stuff, and this page is not talking about advancing memory loss, just the everyday crazy things we seem to do more often as we age.)

It seems that most people, if they were honest, could tell you of a time when they did something dumb due to forgetfulness. In fact you may want to share your "senior moments" in the section near the bottom that already lists some hilarious stuff, like the person who said: "Lost glasses. Found: on my face!" And the person who admitted to talking to her neighbor and found out five minutes later that it wasn't her neighbor, but a look alike stranger! I particularly enjoyed reading those comments and wanted to add one of my own, but I couldn't remember any! The funniest part of the page for me, was seedplanter's story about trying to remember the name of an acquaintance named Natalie. I won't spoil it for you, but I wondered why she had chosen a picture of acrobats to tell it.

The whole page is filled with humor, from beginning to end, thanks to the pictures, comics and most of all seedplanter's writing style. She admits to being 58 and not exactly excited about being able to snag a deal on "Senior Tuesday" at the local store. She says that when the clerk handed her the brochure with that good news, she said, "I restrained myself from doing backflips across the parking lot. Not good on the wrists, you know." We all need to be able to laugh at ourselves. In fact a video on the page is an interview with a doctor who says that stress will have an impact on your ability to remember later in life - so calm down people! We can not afford to lose our sense of humor, or our hippocampus.



Image Credit: brown string reminder mousepad by camerabag

How to Entertain and Educate Kids During Winter

Winter-it barely started, but with the blizzards in the Eastern part of the United States, and all the crazy weather all over the world, you would think Winter has been here much longer! And it will be here for the next 3-4 months.

I was thinking of my friends that are snowed in, and found an article by Evelyn_Saenz, a retired teacher and homeschooling mom on Wintertime Activities for Kids. I love the creativity of the activities. Evelyn makes learning fun, and this article is just one great example.

Wintertime Poetry, games to play with mittens, activities with fake snow and activities outside in real snow are just a few of the Wintertime activities that Evelyn writes about. Her article is such a great resource for not only homeschooling moms, but anyone that has children stuck in the house because of the weather.

With the long dark nights and cold days parents and anyone that has kids around will appreciate having a variety of activities to do. Older kids can help younger kids if you aren't into the whole "entertaining the kids" thing. Activities like "Winter Time Penguin Math" to Discovery Bottles are ones that I am sure any young child would like.

Regardless of if you yourself are interested, let your kids read the article. The stories Evelyn suggests can be read by you or you can modify the activities to fit your family's lifestyle. I guarantee there is at least one Winter Activity that can save your sanity when the kids get stir crazy!

Image Credit: Let's Read a Story Magnet by evelynsaenz

A Celebration Of Tea

Are you aware that January is National Tea Month here in the United States? I'm not really certain how I came about knowing this little bit of trivia but somehow it became a little piece of information stored in my memory banks. So, for my last post of 2010 and to get you prepared for any Tea Celebration you might want to have next month; I went in search for something about Tea.

In my search of a neat lens about tea, I stumbled across one done by Noobeegin. I figured Celebrating Tea would be a good place to find some interesting information about tea. I wasn't disappointed in what I found. Noobeegin tells us about the types of tea that we can enjoy drinking. She also shows us some most delightful and unique teapots to brew or serve our tea in. Her recommendations of books about tea, including some mysteries, just sound really intriguing. Noobeegin even gives us a primer on reading tea leaves. And if you have been thinking of using tea as a dye, you will find some tips on how to do that. Reading her facts and fun tips is really well...totally tea!

My beverage choice is usually a cup of coffee, but after reading "Celebrating Tea" I think I may try to drink a little more tea during January. I do love a nice cup of Earl Grey once in a while. I know green teas are pretty popular and have some health benefits. I didn't realize that white tea actually has more antioxidants until I read Noobeegin's article.

How about you? Will you be celebrating tea next month by having a "spot of tea" more often? Perhaps if you are already a tea drinker, you might consider trying a different type of tea or a new blend. Maybe you can treat yourself to a new teapot or a pretty cup and saucer to enjoy a cup of tea in.

I do think that you will enjoy the information and suggestions found in Noobeegin's article, Celebrating Tea.

Image Credit: Teapot Card by FunGraphix

Memories in a Suitcase

My mom has a cedar chest. It has seen more residences than most people in their lifetime. It has been hauled from one coast to the other and back again, as well as hanging out in the middle of the courntry. If only it could talk...

It has taken turns in different rooms -- the living room, mom's bedroom, the family room, the foyer -- but always been apart of our furnishings. What's in it? That's simple -- our life.

Things like: my baby sister's Holly Hobby costume mom made, a picture of my brother graduating from college, my other sister's 1st grade drawing of her family, unused postcards from our time on Guam, ticket stubs from a Barry Manilow concert, birth announcements and baby books, grandparents funeral notices, a yellowed newspaper article when I was Homecoming Queen, dad's letters of commendation from the US Navy, mom's baby pictures -- momentos of our life together as a family.

As many of you know, I am passionate about memoir writing. When I came across d-artist's lens titled "My Life Story in a Suitcase, I immediately thought of that old, beat up cedar chest. It's full of memoir opportunities.

Delia tells of a suitcase that is home to memories and family heritage; a suitcase her mother always had close by. This suitcase travelled extensively and was lovingly added to by it's owner. When d-artist's mother passed away, she decided to keep the suitcase because of its' uniqueness and her mother's initials engraved on it, but what she was really keeping was her families' history.

She tells of being a child and how she was annoyed that her mother was always snapping pictures and added them to the suitcase. Today, she wishes there were more photos. Her suitcase is filled with passports, telegrams, oceanliner tickets, circus flyers, marriage certificates, letters and tons of photographs -- each one telling its' own story, following her family through time.

While it's not necessary to save every scrap of everything we do in our lives, Delia points out that these items represent "Who you are". She says, even if you are not interested today or tomorrow, one day you will be thankful to have them.

Delia is a very talented artist. She started painting a series representing memories from her past. Some are copies of photos from the suitcase others are pictures of memories from her mind's eye that she transfers to canvas. One day in the future, someone in her family will be so greatful that she took the time to write and paint about her life and memories. It's a legacy that should be passed down. The good and the bad, the happy and the sad -- together it equals the life we live.

Do you have a cedar chest, suitcase, file cabinet, or someplace full of momentos from your life?

Image Credit: Vintage Trunks by RebeccaBrittain

The Night Before Christmas for Soldiers

Many of us in the Christian tradition will be together with family or friends this evening, safe in our homes, reciting the most famous poem of this day, Twas the Night Before Christmas.

It is important to remember, though, that not all will have this luxury. People estranged from their families, people living on the streets, and soldiers deployed in different parts of the world will all have very different experiences.

While looking for a page related to the night before Christmas, I found this extremely well done and touching tribute to soldiers, a rewrite of the Night Before Christmas poem,

Twas The Night Before Christmas - A Holiday Tribute To Our American Soldiers
by Crystal_Booth.

Crystal received this poem via email and felt compelled to share it with as many people as she could by creating this page. Whatever one might think of war, it is still a fact that many soldiers will be apart from their families this Christmas and it is important that we remember both them and their families at home.

The poem was written by a soldier, Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt, and was originally titled, A Soldier's Silent Night. It might be a good poem to recite with your family this evening. Or you can play the video included in the lens, where the poem is recited along with pictures of soldiers. And, of course, Crystal hopes that you will also share this poems with others.

Besides the poem, Crystal provides all kinds of other ways to pay tribute to soldiers, such as adopting a soldier through the organization Soldier's Angels or by visiting the site, BringHimHomeSanta.com, where proceeds from sales go to St. Jude's Hospital. There is also a song about soldiers by country singer Toby Keith.

Thank you, Crystal, for reminding us that not everyone is together with their family for the holidays.

Image Credit: Deployed this Christmas Star Ornament by usmcgals

Little Christmas Stories

Lately I tend to be more of the Scrooge type at Christmas time, rather than the joy-filled, jolly person. Since it is close to Christmas day, I wanted to review a holiday related article and found one that has lifted me from my Scrooge-like way of thinking.

Christmas at AJ's was not exactly the story I expected it to be and this Scrooge ended up smiling. The page is long and full of many stories that are humorous and sweet as AJ recalls things like the wild winters she experienced as a kid, and hanging her dad's own stockings at the end of her bed because they couldn't afford the fancy red ones.

Each section of the page is different with stories from her kids thrown in for a glimpse into what Christmas means to them. What a great idea for a keepsake to pass on to their children. The stories are interspersed with music by Nat King Cole and the Monkees (I especially loved that one, and yes it is Christmas related) and a video of Elton John in 1977 on the Morecambe & Wise show, which I've never heard of. AJ lives in England and I find her writing interesting even if I don't know how high a six metre snow drift is and have never heard of the some of the places she mentions. It really doesn't matter because it's all fun to read. I assume it was an article that was as fun to write, as she recalls a time when she was young and it was so cold in her bedroom that the windows had ice on the inside. I learned that, like at my house in the U.S., Father Christmas added an apple or orange to the toe of the stocking. You will enjoy the rooster story as she appears to have been a little confused as a kid, and managed to ruin a nice Christmas lunch with two words!

The page is about a family that has each other and gets together to remember, eat and watch special television shows and make more memories. Maybe her family is a lot like your own, or maybe it isn't. Either way, the stories are honest, down to earth, and from the heart which makes them right for any time of year. As I've said this is a full page, and what that means to me is that AJ has had a full life. I urge you to read it, especially if you need to get rid of any Scrooge-like tendencies this holiday season.



Image Credit: Vintage Christmas Tree & 3 Kids by thepapershoppe

Moxie~Inspiring and Motivating Qualities

The year 2010 is finally beginning to wind down. Some of the Holidays are over, Christmas is 3 days away, then finally New Years Eve. This has been a tough year for many, all over the world yet somehow we have managed to make it through. Moxie! An Unbreakable Spirit.

When I first saw Michelle known as
a_willow come out with her Moxie Line I was immediately drawn to them. Just the word Moxie seemed to sum up the attitude that I knew so many had to have to make it through tough times. But when I saw this particular saying...well, I had to have it. So I went to the Zazzle store and bought 2 of Michelle's Moxie~ Unbreakable Spirit Mugs. Two just in case one broke, like our spirits might do during rough times. But the funny thing is mine hasn't broken.

I am sending the other mug to a friend on another writing network. A friend that has experienced the loss of her best friend, health issues, etc. yet has reached out to people all over to help everyone "pay it forward". True Moxie spirit....the ability to overcome adversity and keep moving forward; courage to follow your dreams, and permission to be different or stand out from the crowd.

Michelle has done several posts introducing girls to the newer line of Moxie Dolls, but this one was the first I had seen Moxie Girlz - It's OK to Stand Out and be Unique! I love the saying, the message, and to expand on this Michelle designed several Moxie lines in her Moxie Gifts Zazzle store including the Moxie~Unbreakable Spirit cup that I use everyday.

Everyday I am reminded that we can overcome adversity and to appreciate the unique characteristics of not just people, but experiences. Appreciate them and look forward to what lies ahead.


An article about a doll lead to a coffee cup that inspires me everyday, that is why I chose this post to review. Moxie will get us through stressful times, and help us as we are getting closer to the New Year. With a positive attitude we can make 2011 anything we want! With a positive attitude and a big dose of Moxie for the challenges that might be thrown our way!

Image Credit: Moxie - Unbreakable Spirit Mug mug by Willowdesign

The Art Form of Zentangle

Have you seen the art form of Zentangle? These doodles with a purpose just fascinate me to no end. I can sit for hours and pick out different patterns in these little pieces of art and then I'm just in awe of the people who create them.

There is another gal who is also a Bev who does remarkable work as a Zentangle artist. You might know her as TheRaggedEdge. This other Bev must have gotten the artist gene that flew around my gene pool and decided not to stop. She tells us about how to create a Zentangle in her article Zentangles: Examples, Ideas, And Materials. She explains about these designs that look rather complicated and gives some pointers on how to get started. Bev also gives some advice on what materials to use and some examples of her own work. I must say, she really has created some spectacular designs!

Bev tells us that this doodling with intent is calming and a bit like a form of meditation. Looking at her designs, I can see that. Keeping a work in progress at hand and going back to it every once in a while would be calming. Just freeing your mind and letting inner patterns come through to the paper from your hand. Finding your Zen from the tangles of pen marks. That is really pretty cool, if you think about it. I'm not sure my inner artist could ever create the complex designs that Bev does but it sure is tempting to give it a try.

I think when you visit Bev's article you will be not only impressed with her instructions and designs but you will also see and feel her passion for this art form. She has certainly planted a seed in my soul to see if I can let my inner doodler out with a pen and some paper. Go on over and take a look and let her know that the "other Bev" sent you. I think she'll get a kick out of that. By the way, the image included in this review was also done by Bev "TheRaggedEdge".

Image Credit: Xen Tangle MM4 by theraggededge

The Gift of Joy

I can't believe it is Monday of Christmas week, 2010. The days and months and years are flying by. When I was growing up and complained about a week dragging by, my dad would laugh and tell me not to wish my life away. He'd say "As you get older, it goes faster. Enjoy it." All I can say is Daddy was right!

The holiday season goes faster each year -- it's Halloween, then Thanksgiving and before I know it, Christmas arrives -- ready or not. Sunday night I was floating around Squidoo visiting lenses, taking quizzes and voting in polls when I ran across the title; The Gift of Joy - A Gift to Share. I was intrigued because it was listed as a Holiday Gift Guide. I clicked.

As I read the introduction, I knew I was going to enjoy this lens. It's by a wonderful lensmaster most of you know very well, Joan4. Since I "met" Joan through the Open Mike Blog Talk Radio Show, I have been a fan. She is funny, upbeat, positive and encouraging. This lens was no letdown.

She opens by writing about how "joy" is sometimes lost during the holiday season due to pressures of shopping, finances or other outside influences. Then, she boldly proclaims:

"Let's bring some Joy to the season!!"

I can just hear her saying that with conviction in her sweet Southern accent. And, the lens proves she meant what she said.

About her third module down, Joan shares what brings joy to her. Simple caring, sharing, gestures; her family; friendships and more. My favorite is the first item on her list: Dancing with hubby in the kitchen for no reason at all. It reminds me my childhood and the joy I got watching my parents dancing across the living room when they heard a pleasing tune on TV, the radio or stereo.

Joan's lens is a reminder of what the holiday season should be about:

During the holiday season, focus on the moments. It does not matter if your tree is perfect, or your front door is the prettiest on the street. What matters is that you enjoy the moments with the people that you love -- and then spread that joy as far as you can, with thanksgiving that you have it to share.

Whether you are "hiding a dollar bill on a grocery store shelf", happy to be living or counting your blessings in family and friends, bringing "Joy" into your holiday celebration is a must! Thanks for the reminder and the wonderful example you set, Joan!

Image Credit:"Joy to the World" - Christmas card by colourfuldesigns

When Strangers Become Friends

As a photographer, I love to get outdoors and shoot nature and landscape. It doesn't move (except if it's windy), it doesn't blink, and it doesn't talk back. In other words, it's safe.

Photographing people is not something that appeals to me, yet maybe I am missing out on a whole new area that might help me grow as a photographer.

Photography projects do appeal to me, and I have to admit that I was fascinated when I found this page,
100 Strangers: a Photography Project, by Jimmie. What is so great about a page like this is that it's very personal. Jimmie shares her own experiences, both positive and negative, in photographing 100 strangers.

Right from the start, Jimmie declares her motives - to develop her street photography and portrait skills through practice and to learn how to approach strangers. Her goal is clear - 100 strangers - and she has rules; they must be strangers and she must ask their permission to be photographed.

The stories about how she meets each of her subjects and how they get to know one another is unique and fascinating. She learns something about each person and, through her photographs, honors who they are. Several of these strangers have stayed in touch with her and even become friends.

Of course, there have been negative experiences too, which Jimmie describes under the heading "Photography Disasters (or people who get angry)". Many people are suspicious of people with cameras and are adamant that they do not want their picture taken. One woman said that foreigners only want to take pictures to sell. It is important to respect their wishes in these situations and not take it personally.

As a way of helping others who might try a project like this, Jimmie offers etiquette advice, such as offering to send the person a picture and how much of their time you take up. She also posts links to articles that will help with the technical aspects of street photography.

To see the complete set of pictures, visit the 100 Strangers Set on Flickr.

---

Image Credit: HUMANITY by PerGis_NOSaints

Uilleann Pipe Music

The wonderful thing about music is that we don't have to understand anything about it to love it. I can't read music or play any instrument, but I love all types of music. I've found an interesting article with many lovely sounding videos of musicians playing the Irish Uilleann Pipe. Writer, Swisstoons, or Tom, is better known for his cartoon illustrations, but he has given us something different to appreciate on this page entitled "Traditional Irish Uilleann Pipes - Best Celtic Music on YouTube".

The Uilleann pipe is a traditional Irish bagpipe that is played using a bellows under the arm and on the wrist. There is no need to blow into the instrument as you see Scottish bagpipe players do. Among the videos posted, Tom says that his favorite is of piper, Jim Carroll who plays an old Irish song entitled, "One Starry Night". That performance was taped in the man's own living room. And what a performance! Another video with music by Davy Spillane, shows the Ireland countryside with some interesting footage of men cutting and stacking blocks of peat. If you are homesick for Ireland, be sure to watch that one, and you'll feel even worse!

Tom explains that playing the Uilleann pipes takes years of practice and beginners learn to play on a simplified version of the pipes. It is quite a talent to be able to master them. Tom mixes his love for the pipe music with his humorous side in his questionnaire asking the reader if he's a fan of the Uilleann pipes. The first choice in the answer section is,
"If someone twisted my arm I would probably sound either like the Highland Pipes or the Uilleann Pipes and I don't like the sound of either!"
But no one has yet chosen that answer, and the readers of his page will no doubt appreciate the music he's chosen to share with us.

---

Image Credit: Uilleann pipes by GreeneKing

---

Visit: Traditional Irish Uilleann Pipes - Best Celtic Music On YouTube

BPD or Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms

Holiday time is supposed to be joyous, at least that's what the media wants us to believe, and for many, if not most, it is. One of the things about the holidays is friends and families gather to celebrate, or just to spend time together. Well, not all families have a good time when they get together, and some fight without even knowing what the trigger was that set someone off. Borderline Personality Disorder can't be seen, and the manifestation of symptoms can be very unpredictable. But what is Borderline Personality Disorder, also know as BPD?

What happens when one of your family, or friends has unpredictable behavior? Maybe they are really friendly sometimes, but at other times they argue with everyone. Othercat wrote a very powerful article explaining the various symptoms and behaviors associated with BPD.

This article, Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms Explained is a raw look into the life of someone that has this disorder. Often people will see some of the symptoms like when they are in a manic state, or when they are in any of the others like the angry one, without any real understanding.

I had a friend that had BPD but I didn't really understand the symptoms or the mood swings. I just knew that a talented friend some days was full of energy and fun to talk to, and other days would fly into a rage for no apparent reason. The yelling and destructive behaviors were hard to handle, and it got to the point that I would walk on egg shells during the angry period. It wasn't until years later that I knew about BPD.

Othercat has done a fantastic job with her article explaining the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder by not only giving the symptoms but has also shared her own experiences. Like I said it is a raw, powerful article, and she just asks one thing of anyone reading, "please don't judge me!"





Image Credit: MOM & DAUGHTER Stick Figures by abstractalexandra
See more Stick Stickers

Folk Art From Norway: Rosemaling

For many years, I've been intrigued by the folk art from Norway called Rosemaling. The funny thing is that I never knew that is what it is called. I've admired these lovely designs on trays, boxes, and a variety of other pieces and wished that I had the talent to create such articles of beauty. The charming colors and the bold strokes form delightful designs that really appeal to me.

I ran across a wonderful article by Paula Atwell who is known as lakeerieartists that explains about Resemaling and its origins in low land areas of eastern Norway. This lovely art form came from the poorer people who traveled around painting churches and homes of the wealthy to earn some money or room and board.

Paula explains that the styles that we are familiar with today were so named from the areas of Norway that seemed to favor a particular style. Not only does she explain what makes a style a Telemark, Hallingdal, Valdres, or Rogaland but she shows us an example of each. She gives us further explanation as to background colors typically used in each style and also what would be used to make a piece fit into each style.

We also learn that the Norwegian immigrants brought their folk art techniques to America but did not practice this art much in the beginning. It was the generation in the 20th century who began to admire the articles of their ancestors that brought rosemaling back into favor.

Isn't that the way with many cultures? Folk art or treasures from the poorer classes are often not appreciated for a while. Perhaps they don't see the beauty because they relate it to being unworthy of esteem because it came from adversity. Thank goodness there are people who come along a generation or two later and rediscover the charm of the artwork from the cultures of their ancestors and begin to share their heritage with folks like us. I believe you will really enjoy Paula's piece about the decorative folk art from Norway called Rosemaling.

Image Credit: Norwegian Rosemaling Scandinavian Folk Art by cowboyannie

The Chemistry of Hope

At SquidU, Megan Casey started a game she called "Virtual Jenga - A Coop Quest" a Squidoo version of the popular game titled Jenga. In this virtual adaptation of the game, Megan explains:

"The goal is to see how many lenses we can stack in this game of virtual Jenga. The more lenses the group stacks up consecutively, the better everyone's chances at winning. Because if the community stacks 50 lenses successfully, everyone who participated gets a trophy."

To date, there have been 17 challenges issued and 16 wonderful lenses produced. We are currently waiting on the newest challenged lensmaster to complete her lens. Although all the lenses have been informative, helpful, fun and teaching, I found one that really touched me. chemknitsblog, a biochemist PhD candidate, was challenged to make a lens about chemistry and hope. Rebecca rose to the challenge with her lens titled The Chemistry of Hope.

In the intro, she points out that scientists are often depicted at intellectual, emotionless people that know big words. But, in reality, she says:

"...the life of a scientist revolves around hope and imagination. Hope is composed of dreams, optimism, belief and imagination. These are all components that are essential for any researcher."

She bridges the gap between how society percieves scientists and what it is really like to be a scientist. It is fascinating! Throughout the short lens, she considers the juncture of chemistry and hope. The world and life of a science is brought to us through the eyes of a scientist. One of my favorite sections is where she attacks the question with her scientific mind -- breaking down the chemical composition of hope.

If you were to break hope apart into it's most fundamental components, you would find optimism at the center suspended in a solution of dreams. If you stir in an aliquot of imagination, suddenly things start bubbling out. The final ingredient in our synthesis is belief. With this all mixed together, you have hope.

Rebecca shares a personal story of hope that makes me smile and believe in my fellow man/woman. The lens is beautifully put together, has a touch of teacher-humor and a large serving of wisdom that can be applied to life in general. I complemented Rebecca in the Jenga thread and she said she was blushing. I told her to blush as much as she wanted, it wouldn't change the fact that this lens renews my sense of hope. Does it renew yours?

Image Credit: Inspirational Word "Hope" Poster by donnabellasangels

Who was your Favorite Literary Pet?

It is amazing how often animals become beloved characters in classic children's books and even movies.

When I came across this page, Famous Literary Pets, by lemonsqueezy, I realized that I had fond memories of many of these four or more legged creatures.

Her page begins with the line, "My first pet was found in a book."

My favorite literary pet growing up was actually a cartoon pet, the infamous beagle Snoopy. I got a kick out of how he seemed to rule everyone else, like most dogs do. As a skater, I loved all of the skating scenes in Charles Schultz' cartoons, and seeing Snoopy gliding across the ice always gave me a laugh.

More recently, I remember my daughter Kelly, and her Babar, the elephant phase. She was totally obsessed with Babar, and elephants in general for a very long time. The thought of an elephant coming to the city and being "civilized" and then going back to teach the other elephants is a little bizarre. Yet this story has endured for more than eighty years.

Besides the memories this page brought up, I was also struck by its well-designed layout. You will not find a lot of written content here, yet what is written is strategic and helps conjure up those memories.  Lemonsqueezy uses quotes or short anecdotes to remind us of why we loved these amazing creatures. For most of us, we know these characters already and the quotes trigger happy memories.

Following the quotes, she uses bolded words to highlight links to games, activities, and learning resources for each character and sometimes includes a video. And then, of course, she has links to the books these characters came from.

After the presentation of the literary pets, there is a quiz to test your memory  and, finally, a poll so that you can tell the world your favorite. Which is your favorite literary pet?

---

Image Credit: monk Tee by monkeys_r_us

The Oak That Holds The Spanish Moss

I can appreciate the beauty of Florida since I lived there for most of my adult life. Although Disney may be the first thing that comes to mind when Florida is mentioned, the state is full of amazing wildlife and vegetation including a famous type of tree.

Flipflopnana has written, "Under The Mighty Florida Oak", and shows us just how mighty this tree is. You'll see live oak trees in movies with their low, sprawling limbs draped in Spanish moss gently swaying in the breeze, and I think that the trees mean "the south" more than any other landmark. It's not only found in Florida, but her writing is about some famous large Florida specimens. I never knew much about the trees except that they were Live Oaks and flipflopnana says the name comes from the fact that "the leaves stay green throughout the winter when most oak trees go dormant."

Her pictures are beautiful and she has a nice photo gallery showing the moss and low hanging branches. My favorite photo on the page is of the "Treaty Oak" in Jacksonville which has a circumference of more than 25 feet and that one has an interesting, short story attached to it. In fact many of the old oaks - they can be 400 years old - have been named and preserved from the widespread development of the state.

The article brought back memories of my own southern yard where I had two of these beauties sprawling over the landscape and shading my grass. My daughter and I used to pull the Spanish moss off the low hanging branches and feed it to our goats. What better tree is there to climb or hang a swing from? I saw my own beautiful trees become skeletons of what they once were when hurricane Charley came through in 2004. My yard was totally covered by the broken branches of the oaks and it broke my heart to see the landscape changed so drastically. Flipflopnana mentions research that was done after the 2004 hurricane season and the resulting find was that the Live Oak is one of the trees most likely to survive such an event and is the "most wind tolerant shade tree".

She doesn't mention it in her write up, but the trees are havens to many creatures including snakes, owls and racoons and certain bromeliads can grow on their limbs. They are mighty trees for many reasons.

If you need a break from winters cold blast, take a walk under the mighty oak and watch as the warm breezes sway the Spanish moss overhead.

---

Image Credit: LOUISIANA LIVE OAK TREES by PerGis_NOSaints

---

Visit: Under The Mighty Florida Oak

America's New Angel Jackie Evancho

Last week I wrote about a particular song and I guess music is on my mind, or in my soul lately so this is another music review.

When it comes to Squidoo a few names come to mind that are either musicians themselves or write about music, but only one name comes to mind for bringing me back to his article over and over again. I don’t think there are more than a handful of articles that I can re-read, or re-visit for no other reason than they have what I like.

Richard, who writes under the name of Waxing-Lyrical has one of these articles. I jokingly told him that he needed to start serving coffee as I spend so much time there. A good cup of coffee is perfect for reading and listening to his Jackie Evancho article and songs. What an Angel! What a voice! If we could put these articles on our phone's speed-dial Richard's would surely be on mine.

I remember watching America’s Got Talent when this tiny little girl came on stage, so innocent looking. Apparently the show had decided to look for talent in a different way than they had, and this little Angel was found on YouTube. She had a huge following, and unbelievably she is only 10 years old. As this cute little blond haired, blue eyed little girl stood on the stage I doubt anyone knew how she would capture our hearts. That voice, as Simon said, was the voice of an Angel. It was really hard to believe that any little girl could sing like that. YouTube had millions of hits after that to see this little girl sing, and I have had several, although not a million, to Richards article as he has all her videos, including the one of her singing her new song from her new CD-O Holy Night.

Richard writes a lot of music articles, and I must admit not all of them are my style, but this one is.Why don't you join me for a cup of coffee over at Richard's article, I am sure you'll enjoy it!



Image Credit: Angel Photo Sculptures by AngelCountry

Santa's Reindeer Team

As the story goes, Santa's Reindeer Team helps him travel the globe on Christmas Eve leaving presents for all the good little boys and girls. Everyone, I'm fairly certain, knows Rudolph the little guy who has a nose that glows red lighting the way for Santa and the rest of the team to make that magical journey. The reindeer have become a sweet part of the enchanting story of Santa and his role in Christmas. Although Santa gets most of the press around this time of the year without his team of flying reindeer he might just be another guy in a red suit. He needs his team to get the job done.

Do you know the rest of the reindeer team that works tirelessly each year with Rudolph and Santa on the most magical night of the year? I ran across an article by lisadh who tells us about the reindeer team. Her delightful piece, Santa's Reindeer, Reindeer, Reindeer! tells us the names of the other flying creatures and how they have become a symbol of Christmas. Lisa takes us on a little journey showing us some whimsical reindeer gifts. She gives us a recipe for reindeer food along with a poem that can be given as a gift. Lisa has even included a fun little craft idea that we can do with our children or grandchildren during the holidays. It is just a delightfully fun article for this time of the year. I truly believe it will bring a smile to your face, today.

I love the story of Rudolph. The new little guy that was different and not accepted by his peers, at first. His sweet nature and special gifts are noticed by someone and are nurtured and acknowledged. That silent little message that it is OK to be a little different. The message that everyone has a special gift to share, everyone deserves respect and to be loved.

Reindeer, real ones, are really magnificent little creatures. One of my favorite things during the Christmas Season is the two men dressed as elves leading a real reindeer along the sidewalk for children to pet. I'm the biggest "child" out there every weekend in December when they come strolling down the street. Something magical happens. The Spirit of Christmas is in my heart all year, but when I get to touch that reindeer's nose and look into his eyes my inner child awakens. I can feel her begin to glow inside me and the magic of the season glistens all around me.

Image Credit: Baby Rudolph Christmas Card by icunow

Building a Cat House

After my dear friend Wednesday_Elf (Pat) emailed me with the link to a lens she was impressed with, I visited.

Build Your Own Cat House by sharpturn is a tutorial for, well, building a cat house.

I was immediately reminded of the "How-To" project from Professional Squids last month. Paula had challenged members to write a concise, easy to follow lens teaching the reader "how-to" do or make something and convert sales. The only difference is this lens doesn't sell anything. As a matter of fact, it is very green as sharpturn suggests using left over or found materials to complete the project. It is a near perfect example of a tutorial lens.

I love a lens that teaches me something, is well organized and is personal in some way. I write and read memoir and enjoy learning about other people. In the introduction, sharpturn tells the reader he will be teaching him/her how to build a cat house, inexpensively. That was the teaching part. The personal part comes to play in these three sentences from the introduction:

I wanted to design and build a home for an outdoor cat that belonged to a friend of mine. My friend loved her cat but didn't want to spend $50 on a pre-built cat house found in many pet stores. It is a lot of money to spend on a box made of plastic."

This did it for me. Especially during the holiday season, I love to read of small, selfless acts that help others. He wanted to help a friend save money and provide shelter for an outdoor animal. His motivation was pure and simple. By sharing this experience with us on Squidoo, he takes it a step further, teaching others.

The lens itself is easy to follow, with concise instructions and images for each step in the process. The layout is easy on the eye with its color scheme and the small cat borders add some whimsy. It is a simple vehicle that he uses to convey his message.

He says in the intro "you don't have to be a master carpenter or building designer" to build a cat house. From the comments left by others visiting the lens and this lensmasters perspective, it's true. This is one of the best how-to lenses I have found on Squidoo. From the tools and materials to the design and process of building, he is gently leading every step of the way.

You may not have a cat or need a cat house but I'm sure you can appreciate a job well done. Teaching, being a green project and helping a friend (and her cat) are all good reason to visit Build Your Own Cat House.

Image Credit: Jenny by byrdgirl13

Remembering the Smothers Brothers

If you are a baby boomer like me and you hear the phrase "Mom Always Liked You Best," most likely the Smothers Brothers will immediately come to mind.

A musical comedy duo from the 60's, the Smothers Brothers, like John Stewart today, brought comedy to the news of the day. Their TV show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, thrilled audiences for three years before controversy resulted in their firing by the network, CBS.

When I came across this page on The Smothers Brothers by sheilamarie, it was a fabulous trip down memory lane. She writes about the controversy in this excerpt.

At first look, their humour appeared to be childish banter of the "mother always liked you best" variety. But these silly moments would inevitably shed light on attitudes and prejudices that always remained covered up in other media, attitudes about race, war, gender, and political corruption that would be blurted out the way a child would blurt out what adults would be embarrassed to say publicly.

Dick Smothers was the older brother, always politically correct before the term was popular. Tommy was the silly younger brother, who always made mistakes and blurted out things that people were thinking but not necessarily saying. Eventually, the two started pushing the edges in a way that made the network uncomfortable. Watching the old videos, their banter may look tame according to today's standards, but in the context of that time, criticizing the government and the war was not looked on kindly.

Sheila provides videos of some of the Smothers Brothers funniest performances as well as other musical guests who appeared on the show. I was mesmerized by the closeup shots of a young Paul McCartney singing "Hey Jude."

If you have not heard the Smothers Brothers, you are in for a treat. If they were as much a part of your life as they were of mine, I hope you enjoy this blast from the past.

---

Image Credit: Mom Always Liked You Best by Tragetees

Friends, Food and Fondue

Tis the season to party, and my favorite type of party has always been getting together with a few close friends. This is the ideal setting for having a fondue party.

I hadn't thought about my parents old, bright orange fondue set in years and then I came across the page "How to Entertain With Fondue Parties" and found that it is still a popular way to share a good time. The writer, and fondue expert, is rtabel and he sure seems to know everything about making a fondue party successful.

Hosting any type of party can be stressful for the host or hostess who must make sure that the food is hot and ready to eat and pleasing to the guests. Instead of taking her (or him) away from the guests during the party, they can be enjoying themselves right along with everyone else because the food will be prepared ahead of time and everyone will literally make their own meal.

Included in this article are recipes and the items needed for cooking and serving, as you would expect, but rtabel also covers the etiquette involved in eating this unique way and he brings up some great points that you may never think of until you are sitting in front of a fondue pot. He even includes a list of cheeses that could be used together for making a cheese fondue, saying that only cheeses of similar characteristics should be combined. He advises using certain types of pots for the various oil, cheeses or chocolate, and helps with tips on figuring portions needed to supply just the right amount of food according to the number of guests.

A brief history near the beginning of the page tells the reader where the idea to eat this way came from and then at the end of the page he tells us of some cute traditions which could be incorporated into your party to spice up the evening! (Read about those in the "Fondue Etiquette" section of his article).

If you are looking for ideas for a different type of gathering during the holidays, or at any time of year, consider the fun of fondue.

---

Image Credit: Fondue Party Invitations - Cheese by CustomInvites

---

Visit: How To Entertain With Fondue Parties

New Christmas Song: Jingle Maria

In America we used to start the Christmas Season the day after Thanksgiving, plus stores were actually closed on the Holidays. That's how it used to be! Fast forward to today. Christmas Music was playing on Thanksgiving on some radio stations, stores were opening at 10PM instead of the next morning for early deals, and cities already had their decorations up. Yes, retailers have a tendency to keep pushing the envelope earlier and earlier to get us in the mood for Christmas and Shopping.

Christmas Music is a big part of the Holiday Season. All those favorite songs played from Thanksgiving until Christmas helps set our collective mood, and we are very blessed to have several wonderful Singers and Songwriters on Squidoo including Lisa Marie Gabriel.

I love Lisa's songs, and am patiently (NOT) waiting for Amazon to release her new CD even though it doesn't include my favorite song, Jingle Maria. This article of hers tells the story of how she came to record Jingle Maria -A Happy Song For Christmas.


Jingle Maria is about a little girl who is as excited as she can be about the real meaning of Christmas. It was because of this article that I found her other songs, and a new favorite Singer.

I had not remembered the intro, or very much from the article except the beat of the song and how it made me feel. In fact until I went and re-read everything I didn't even realize the religious part of it. The song just made me feel happy...that's all I remembered. That's all I needed to know, but not everyone is like me and you will learn a lot about Lisa and how she composed Jingle Maria from her article.

I asked Lisa how she writes her songs and this is what she said:

"Sometimes life moves me in some way and something inside wants to come out. What takes the most time is the techie stuff - arranging, recording and mixing. The song is a gift from God - or Spirit if you like. I think the hardest thing for a songwriter to do is just let it come out - not get in the way. You can always refine it later."

Finding jewels on Squidoo is fun, and I am so glad I found Lisa's articles! I hope you like her song Jingle Maria, and you will find more of her music in other articles she wrote.

---

Image Credit: One Eye Open by persimew