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February Horoscopes + Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang is a professionally certified astrologer and consultant with an international client base of individuals, small businesses, and corporations. She hosts a regular video podcast/Internet radio show called Blissen Up about astrology and spirituality. An internationally recognized speaker, her workshops, classes, retreats and meditation groups connect a diverse group of like-minded individuals. Rachel helps her clients access spiritual and astrological insights to live more successful, purposeful lives. She empowers them in decision-making processes by identifying challenging influences or blocks. Then, she maps out astrological trends and forecasts to help clients see a clearer vision of the future. In client sessions, she focuses on event planning and timing, making and timing major decisions, navigating love life challenges, helping achieve career goals, timing of legal issues, planning travel and tours using astrocartography, making financial adjustments, and more.

Aquarius: Happy birthday! This month should be the official kick-off to 2017. In fact, let’s just say that January was a dress rehearsal for the New Year. We start this month a few days after Mars enters Aries, and it’s all systems GO! You are on fire right now, aren’t you? Feeling energized? Ready to move? Of course, you are! 2017 very well could be the best year of your life, and if you feel optimistic, thank Jupiter, the planet of luck and expansion. This benefic planet has been hanging out in compatible Libra, offering you opportunities for professional and personal development, travel, and financial gifts. Under this influence, you could see the manifestation of your deepest desires.

But wait! There’s more.

If you walk into any shopping venue, you would most likely come across Valentine’s Day displays. Red hearts, pink balloons, flowers, and chocolates remind us all that February is a month dedicated to love. Romantic feelings crescendo up to February 10, when a powerful Lunar Eclipse means significant changes for your love life.

Think about the stories you tell others about your relationship (or lack thereof). Do you find yourself repeating similar themes? Maybe you’ve had a series of relationships with power struggles, ones in which you give far more than you receive. Or perhaps you deal with perpetual singledom and find yourself longing for love. Maybe you keep falling for someone unavailable. If a broken record keeps playing in your mind, it’s time to start spinning new tunes. Focus on the positive, like your own personal growth and expansion.

This same message applies to all other areas of your life. Your thoughts and words have power, and you can use them to create change. For writing exercises and more information about this, out the book “Change Your Story, Change Your Life: Using Shamanic and Jungian Tools to Achieve Personal Transformation” by Carl Greer, Ph.D., PsyD. When you focus your mental energy in new ways, you create opportunities for yourself, personally and professionally.

During the two weeks between the eclipses, February 10-February 26, you could receive powerful, life-changing guidance from internal and external sources. Pay attention to your dreams and engage in conversations with strangers. They may be angels in disguise. You might even want to keep a journal to note any new insights. You might feel inclined to share your wisdom with others; the world could use your new age ideas. After all, we are entering the Aquarian age, experiencing a radical dimensional shift. You are a leader in this movement at this time.

Pisces: Stop everything you’re doing right now. Find David Bowie’s “Changes” on your favorite music app. Listen, and then listen again. Let his words sink into your body and soul. This song could be your mantra for the month.

As someone born under the sign of Pisces, your intuition usually alerts you to impending change. It may come as a deep feeling or knowing long before any external events or situations manifest in your life. Your life changes in the instant you internally edit a belief, thought, or story about your life. At that moment, you have a shift in consciousness, and the waves of possibility start to move energy in a new direction. This is the beginning of the manifestation process.

Think for a moment about your life story. Have you been telling the same story about yourself and expecting different life experiences? Try changing things up by framing your life in a new way. Live your own hero’s journey.

This month, you can see yourself more clearly than ever before, with the illumination of all facets of your personality. It’s like the Universe is holding up a giant mirror for you, giving you opportunities to change your look or way of being in the world. Be honest with yourself about your limitations and strengths, and assess any changes you want to make. You might even start seeing a therapist or shamanic healer to help facilitate the personal transformation. On February 10, a Lunar Eclipse helps escalate this process.

By the end of the month, you might find yourself on stage, speaking about your triumphs. Now, your new story can inspire others. You have become the change you have always wanted to see.

Aries: Mars, the planet that animates desire, has just entered your sign; as a result, you might feel turbocharged and ready to charge forth into this new year. You are unstoppable, dynamic, and powerful. A real leader. Because of this, you need to be strategic about where you focus your energy. Identify one or two solid (and big) goals for the year. Then, channel everything you’ve got into the pursuit of those ambitions.

Venus, the planet of love and relationships, is also in your sign. Wait! Did you catch that? Both planets of physical (and sexual) attraction are shining favorably on you this month. Yes….yes…YES!!! How are you going to use this energy? Well, it is the month of romance, when we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Four days before that holiday, a powerful Lunar Eclipse activates your romantic side, and you could feel more sentimental than usual. Your desire for genuine connection leads to a heart expansion. Did you ever think it was possible to feel this much at one time? Even if you are single, the hope of forthcoming love awakens the feelings within. Let go of disappointment and resist negativity. In other words, don’t complain if things aren’t working out the exact way you want. All manifestations of love begin, from the inside out, and the more you can be in a state of love, the more love you can draw into your life.

Venus magnetizes; Mars pursues. Try to strike a balance between these impulses, especially if you find yourself on the chase. You might imagine yourself within a huge force field, drawing goodness, love, and abundance into your life. Go ahead and think about that for a moment. You can truly be a huge attractor for everything you want and more than you can imagine.

This month, we have two eclipses that can lead to an intense buildup of energy. Be gentle with others, and choose your battles wisely. Your words have more punch than usual, and everyone is already a little on edge. If you don’t know what I mean, just open Facebook and read any political post. We live in amazing and changing times, and, while you have the authority to lead others, leading through domination is no longer the cool thing to do. Leading through diplomacy, harmonizing division, and organizing communities is the new Aquarian way. Though we may not be entirely there yet, you can be an example of that ideal.

Taurus: “What needs to be counted on to have a voice? Courage. Anger. Love. Something to say; someone to speak to; someone to listen.”
― Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds: Fifty-four Variations on Voice

Like the little warbler flying outside my window as I write your horoscope, you have a song to sing. With the buildup of energy and intensity that has thrown us all into seismic societal and personal change at the start of the year, you have to find a pressure valve. That would be your voice. Some of you may feel a real sense of urgency to speak out on behalf of a cause or political concern right now. If you need a sign from the universe, an energetic green light…

There, you have it!

The Lunar Eclipse on February 10th pushes you out of your comfort zone in a big way for two whole weeks, a good time to use your voice. With all of this momentum, you could lead a company. Or start a movement. Your limits extend only as far as your imagination allows. Therefore, if you feel stuck, expand your creative vision.

For inspiration, seek quiet places in nature to ground and hear your internal voice. Meditation or other spiritual practices can help you still the restlessness that comes from grounding yourself. If you feel a sense of chaos, remember that the point of chaos is absolute potentiality, the formless energy that precedes all created reality. Rooting yourself in everyday joys and beauty can help you give form to something remarkable.

As one born under Venus’s sign, you have a keen sense of romanticism. However, you are also practical. If you are single, Valentine’s Day might be best spent with friends. Have fun celebrating exactly where you are at this point in your life. Relax and trust you are on your right path, and align yourself to your dreams by continuing to clear stuck energy from the past. You might also seek healing or some energy work to help speed up the alignment process. From February 10 – 26, we are in a period between two eclipses, when the power of personal change is at a high point. You can use this to make shifts in your consciousness.

If you are in a relationship, you and your special someone might plan a low-key celebration. Something quiet in a rustic setting where you can commune with nature. This stillness will draw you together. Then, you can root yourselves deeper into your relationship and grow your capacity to love.

Gemini: Have you read the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go?” If not, I recommend you secure a copy and read it at least once a day this February. I have seen young graduates or children receive this book as a gift for milestone occasions when life is about to change, and directions seem unclear. This month, you have a series of breakthroughs that may seem like stepping onto unfamiliar land, exploring new places metaphorically and literally. When pushed into a new territory, your external exploration can heighten the sensitivity of your internal compass. At this point in your life, you cannot misstep. It is impossible. Too many forces (astrologically, spiritually, and energetically) are pulling for your success. You simply have to take a step forward in the direction of your most important goal, and then assess the landscape before you. You get to turn around if you don’t like it. You get second, third, and fourth chances. You have access to miracles. So, activate your playful curiosity and GO!

Mars and Venus are both in Aries, activating your imagination. Jupiter is in your fifth house of creativity. You have the intellectual bandwidth to launch a major project or endeavor and the resources at your disposal to form strategic alliances. Therefore, dream big.

February is intense for most of us, with two big eclipses. If you think our political situation is frenzied now, wait until February 26. You can be a voice of change for others during this time, and all it takes is for you to be a little social butterfly. Sure, you can spread goodness, kindness, beauty, and all that. But also share your ideas and unique perspective. You’ve thought through everything and have a lot (I mean A LOT) to say. Speak up, especially from February 9-15!

In love, this Valentine’s Day, make deepening your commitment to your special someone a focus. If you are single, hang out with friends and enjoy celebrating the freedom you have in your single life. You never know when that special someone will show up. It always happens when you least expect it!

Cancer: “I am slowly, painfully discovering that my refuge is not found in my mother, my grandmother, of even the birds of Bear River. My refuge exists in my capacity to love. If I can learn to love death then I can begin to find refuge in change.” ― Terry Tempest Williams, Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place

The times, they are a-changing. You can feel it, can’t you? Now, being a cardinal sign, you appreciate movement in your life. You have the drive to initiate change, to take action whenever necessary, and to keep forging ahead. As a water sign ruled by the reflective moon, though, you are extra sensitive to waves of emotion that ebb and flow as changes occur. Your emotional nature can give you need for stable refuge when those emotional waters get activated. I love the above quote because there are times when deep grief and pain stretch open your heart and remind you of your capacity for love. Learning to love death means learning to love the little deaths that happen on the way to enlightenment. Even exciting new beginnings can come from loss; a new job may mean leaving behind co-workers who feel like family at an old job, for example. This month, find refuge in your capacity to love, and you might even feel it expand.

Professionally, this is the time to step out on center stage. You have the drive to achieve more recognition than ever before. Be open to a career change, as it might happen unexpectedly with a sudden offer that sends you down a new pathway. You have creative vision and the drive you need to accomplish nearly anything onto which you focus your attention. By the time the Sun moves into Pisces on February 18, you could gain an audience across international borders.

The Lunar Eclipse on February 10 illuminates some new financial possibilities. If you have been thinking about revising your investment portfolio, refinancing, or making other financial changes, let your heart and head coordinate. You need a healthy mix of intuition and figures. Seek guidance from trusted advisors and plan strategically.

Because this is the month dedicated to the heart and romantic love, you may have some questions about your love life. With the love planets in the sign of Aries, another Cardinal sign, you might feel inclined to make a bold move regarding your relationship. You can access courage unlike any time before, but discern the exact right moment. If you wait until February 22to make a decision, you could be a little too late. Act between February 10 and 18. If you are single, rather than spin your wheels trying every dating site, focus on self-love and nurture you. The deeper you fall in love with the person you are, the more attractive you will be for another.

Leo: Unstoppable. Brave. Powerful. Alive. Write down these words on post-it papers and affix them to your bathroom mirror or bedroom closet. This month, you are on fire, and your passion, enthusiasm, and momentum are contagious. Think for a moment; what intentions did you set at the beginning of the year? Your manifesting process has gotten a jump-start from the Universe. You may not have realized things would happen so quickly. All of this sudden change is indicative of bigger themes operating in our communities at this time. The universe has taken its foot off the energetic brakes; all systems have been fired up and ready to go! This is a revolution for the world and an evolution of your personal life.

Your evolutionary process is gentler than others because yours is all about stepping into your power. When you do that, any fear of failure dissipates. You may have extra momentum for creative ideas that need implementation, a drive to express yourself through the written word (even if limited to 140 characters), and all other forms of artistry. Creative blocks and resistance are growth opportunities. Once you meet them head-on, you lift any energetic veil of invisibility. In other words, if you want to be seen in a more public way, work through resistance and do not give up!

Resistance takes many forms. It could show up as procrastination, duties and responsibilities you’ve adopted for others that keep you away from your own stuff, and the list goes on. Ultimately, resistance to your purposeful creative expression is a resistance to change. For more insight about how you can move through resistance and navigate life changes, you might check out the book, “ChangeAbility: How Artists, Activists, and Awakeners Navigate Change” by Sharon Weil, another LVBX contributor.

Love features prominently in your horoscope. From February 3 to the end of the month, both relationship planets (Venus and Mars) will be in fellow fire sign, Aries. This influence can heighten your romantic desire and draw you closer to your special someone. Passion is a keyword. If your relationship has been somewhat lackluster, a profound internal transformation on February 10 could lead to a breakthrough. For those of you who are single, this is a good time to take personal inventory and make a stand for what you want. Ask, and you shall receive.

Virgo: The Internet is like a landscape for you to explore. Any one Google search could send you down a rabbit hole, into a sort of wonderland of strangeness. So, follow your curiosity for creative expansion. Allow yourself to playfully procrastinate, getting distracted by new ideas. I have a friend who has an exercise she does called “Ouija Mouse.” She will get an intuitive sense of something to look up online. Then, she clicks her search findings, and follows links until she arrives at a message from higher sources. She keeps her mind completely open, and follows the gut feeling without judgment. You might consider trying something like this early in the month, especially if you feel stuck in any way.

Your sixth sense is extra activated right now. Pay attention to your gut feelings or any direction from your internal GPS system, as they will specifically point you in the direction of more financial abundance. Follow synchronicity, and learn to read signs in your environment.

Your biggest challenge (and best opportunity) this month is to strike a balance between the day-to-day responsibilities and the creative impulses that have been activated within you. This tension culminates with the Lunar Eclipse on February 10. From this time of chaos, your inner artist been born. In this time of revolution, new forms of music, film, art, and literature need to emerge to meet the expansion of consciousness in our collective. Be that change. You have a lot to say, and new platforms upon which to articulate your thoughts. Use your voice boldly and unapologetically. You are a world-changer and thought leader.

Nothing inspires creativity like love, and this is the most romantic month of the year for you. Expressions of love like poetry are rooted in deep desire for intimacy. Though you try to intellectualize or analyze your romantic feelings, you have other forces leading you into more intense experiences of passionate desire this month. In fact, you might feel as if you can’t control your emotions. Good for you! This is part of the breakdown of your ego; your emotions are leading you toward enlightenment. They may not make sense, but that does not mean there need to be any judgment. Go with the flow, remaining open to new possibilities. On February 26, you will have a major breakthrough in your ability to give and receive love. This is a major turning point, a new beginning.

Libra: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare

As one born under the partnership sign, you tend to be more sensitive to others’ energies. When your partner is having a bad day, you feel it, too. Well, if you open any social media or read the news, you can’t help but notice the entire country is having a series of really bad days. You feel it on every level, regardless of your political leanings. We are in a time of revolution, when our artists and visionaries are being called to come out of hiding and become agents of change.

In many conflictual situations, Mars features prominently, and this month, Mars is more activated than usual. Conflicts can lead to evolutionary processes, and change. Therefore, we cannot judge them as either good or bad. You are undergoing a deeper personal transformation that may require you to enter conflictual situations head-on and serve as a mediator or healer. Keep your cool and step gently into these hot waters. You will get used to the feeling of using your voice. Be clear with your words and commit to truth.

Take your destiny into your hands by being true to yourself and asserting yourself in your interpersonal relationships, especially in the two weeks between eclipses, February 10-26. This is an intense time for everyone! Make decisions and ask for what you want! As a Libra, you have a real need to make sure you’re okay with others, but this has not always served you, has it? As a result, you’ve learned how to be more diplomatic, to say what you want without upsetting others. This month, you have a lot to say! Saturn in your third house can help you craft the right words to say in any situation, but first, you have to release your inner critic from its usual duties, especially on February 22.

For true partnership to work, you have to balance that assertive Mars energy with the harmonizing Venus energy. Venus magnetizes and attracts, Mars asserts and pursues with passion. Venus is more other-directed, Mars more self-directed. Once you find that balance within yourself, you can create true reciprocity in relationships. You cannot please another at the expense of yourself! That is an old paradigm, and you’ve outgrown it. This is the most romantic month of the year for you, and a game-changer in terms of your love relationships. With Venus and Mars both in your relationship house, and the Sun in fellow air sign, Aquarius, you could experience the joys and wonders of true love. More than simply expressing your love through song, poems, or Valentine’s Day gifts, you get to experience love to a degree that will blow your mind! Take destiny into your own hands and commit to loving you and another, in balance. You are finally ready for relationship status change.

by Mary Oliver

Not anyone who says, “I’m going to be

careful and smart in matters of love,”

who says, “I’m going to choose slowly,”

but only those lovers who didn’t choose at all

but were, as it were, chosen

by something invisible and powerful and uncontrollable

and beautiful and possibly even

unsuitable —

only those know what I’m talking about

in this talking about love.

from: Felicity: Poems by Mary Oliver, Penguin Press.

So, I know a little secret about you, Scorpio. You care more than you want to. On the outside, you may have a cool, calm exterior, but inside, wild currents of emotions stir inside. You love deeply, passionately, and intensely. And what can you do about all those feelings? This month, you might find ways to access stuck or repressed emotions. These can be transmuted in ways that heal shame, grief, anger, and hurt from the past.

We have two eclipses this month, the Lunar Eclipse on February 10 and the Solar on February 26. Eclipses are like super-powered Full and New Moons. The first enlightens our awareness, makes us see what has been hidden in shadows. This stirs within us the need for change. By the second on February 26, we cannot ignore the need for movement and change, and we tend to act according to the newly discovered truth. The window of time between two eclipses feels like a groundswell of energy. It’s intense for all of us. Add to it the fact that Mars squares Pluto on February 22, making us all ready for a battle. How can you keep your cool while honoring your passion? Turn to art.

If you are making changes to your home or making a move, clearing clutter is your theme for the month. Purge anything you don’t love or need. For Feng Shui tips about how you can use your living space to manifest more abundance in your life, read the book, “Mind, Body, Home” by LVBX Magazine contributor Tisha Morris. It is a valuable resource. By clearing your home, you create energetic shifts that ripple into every area of your life, including your relationship.

Sagittarius: How can we talk about February without talking about Valentine’s Day? This is the month in which we celebrate love, and you have a lot of love to celebrate! From your most intimate partner to friends and family and then to nature, you have had rich experiences of love. Love is the most powerful force we have for motivating action and inspiring change. In fact, it is the only emotion that can overshadow fear. Think about it. When you fall in love with someone, you are willing to risk almost anything to have that connection, that intimacy. If you have ever had a relationship of which your parents didn’t approve, you can understand what I mean. Love pumps our heart, sending blood throughout our body, and when our blood gets moving, we want to take action, to be brave. Leo rules the heart and Aquarius rules the circulatory system. On February 10, the Lunar Eclipse activates both of these points. What does this mean for you? Passion unlike anything you have experienced before.

At our core, we are connected, all citizens of Mother Earth and made up of the substance of stars. When you zoom out and see that big picture, you can see how you are one part of the beautiful, magnificent whole. There is a divine order to it all. And you have an important role to play, a powerful voice to share, and a self that wants expression. Because you were born under the fact-checking sign, you have a radar for untruth. In your personal relationships, hold others to your high standard, but keep an open mind. Some might not be clear about their own truths, and we can all have confusion from time to time. Tolerance requires compassion and the ability to see from an expanded perspective.

You have a stronger sense of purpose now more than ever. Move in the direction of your own internal true north. Your intuition will guide you in business matters, and if your gut sense tells you something, pay attention! This is especially true after February 18.

Venus and Mars are both in fellow fire sign, Aries, from February 3 throughout the month. If you are in a relationship, the entire month can be a poem in motion. Use your words, affection, and gifts to communicate your deeper desire for intimacy. However, to make real, lasting change in your relationship, focus your thoughts on the positive. What aspects of your special someone do you most appreciate? If you are single, make that question about yourself. All relationships trigger us in some ways. The key to lasting love this month is to channel your passion and internal fire in ways that bring you together. This is especially true on February 22. The eclipses catalyze change, and you will heal any blocks or barriers to having the love you want.It starts with feeling a fundamental sense of belonging.

Capricorn: Have you ever read a book that changed your entire life because it made you see things from an entirely new perspective? Stories have that kind of power. They influence us at a core level. If you want to change someone’s perspective, rather than presenting facts and figures, tug at their heartstrings. Tell your story. You could get the chance to speak up on behalf of a cause this month. Certainly, there are enough issues up for us at time to find at least one to which you align. Share your unique perspective, your voice.

On a more practical note, this is an important month for attending to the details of your life. Organize your home and go through a big purge of stuff you no longer want or need, start preparing your taxes, and take care of any family needs. These tasks provide a sense of order in a time of chaos and could give you some sense of control, especially from February 10-26, when emotions intensify and stressors run a bit higher than usual.

We have two potent eclipses. The first one on February 10 highlights your eighth house of shared resources, long-term investments, mortgages and other types of financing. If you are making a major purchase, trying to secure a loan, or adjusting any of your investment portfolio, you might receive unexpected news. If you hit roadblocks, turn in new directions. On February 26, everything could smooth out, signaling the time for a new beginning.

If you are in a relationship, you could have a few minor ups and downs, especially on February 22. Big internal shifts in awareness or awakenings, along with external changes beyond your control have more emotional weight than you may realize. Your go-to coping mechanism has always been to look logically and come up with practical solutions. However, you cannot ignore your feelings or continue to push them down without consequences. Keep a journal to record your thoughts, and try to remain positive in the midst of all this change. It’s a brief period that you will get through. And when you do, it will all be worth it. If you are single, focus your intention on what you absolutely want, without making concessions based on what you think you might actually get to have. When dreaming, anything and everything is possible.

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Oy! I don't know how I missed this, but BBC released a version of Sherlock in July and August this year! What is this?? Three ninety minute dramas with fresh new faces??? Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and Martin Freeman (Watson). Will be on PBS Masterpiece soon...

Episode 1: A Study in Pink
Episode 2: The Blind Banker
Episode 3: The Great Game

Interesting... must find online links....

Sometimes I really think Norman Jewison hit the nail on the head. Film is really going to the dogs and the television format is the future. With Game of Thrones, Boardwalk, The Borgias and Terra Nova... not to mention all the great shows already airing.. it makes you wonder why we all spend $15 for an overpriced bag of popcorn and bubble gum remakes.

If you have a particularly gifted producer / creative head, a few productions manage to select exceptionally appropriate and phenomenal music. Azure Ray's music was a great find...

Strange thing when you watch television shows you don't understand?? I've managed to find quite a few bands from Asia, Sweden.. and even North America which I wouldn't necessarily have found. I may not understand one word of it, but the enjoyment of music is universal.

TV finds..
Tearliner, The Avalanches, Adele Erichsen, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, L'Arc en Ciel, Bluedawn, X Japan, Tokio Hotel, Mika

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India begin with convincing win

Source: The Hitavada      Date: 24 Jul 2017 09:10:59

By Mukund Dhus,

 Beat Uzbekistan 92-76 in their tournament opener

HOSTS India, ranked 40th in the world, beat 58th ranked Uzbekistan 92-76 in their B division match of the FIBA Asia Women’s Basketball Cup that got under way at the Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Veteran Anita converted 6 out of her 7 three attempts to emerge top scorer with 28 points. She scored 18 of her total points in the first half to give the side a comfortable lead 43-30.

Newly appointed Serb coach Zoran Visic wisely used her in patches and she too responded well by scoring her three pointers whenever needed.
The coach fully utilised the bench by giving much needed rest to all the players.
He put 6’11” tall Poonam Chaturvedi, the tallest player of the tournament, in the third quarter and she immediately responded by converting an under basket.

She used her height well to score two more baskets to increase the lead to 69-53 at the end of the third quarter.
Anita too chipped in 8 points in this quarter. Tall and well-built opponents tried their best to stop Anita but were helpless as she scored from all angles of the court.
The winners hung on to the lead in the last quarter to emerge worthy winners.

The hosts still have to work on their defence if they are dreaming of winning the B division title. They conceded 20 offensive rebounds and this may prove them costly in close matches.
India will play their last group match against lowly placed Sri Lanka on Tuesday after Monday’s rest day.

Earlier in A division matches, holders Japan thrashed Philippines 106-55, strong contenders Australia beat Korea 74-58 and in a thrilling encounter Chinese Taipei pipped DPR of Korea 77-76.

Scores: India 92 (Anitha Paul Durai 28, Grima Varghese 17, Jeena Skaria 12) bt Uzbekistan 76 (Elvira Salavatova 15, Elena Khushnitdinova 14, Natalya Koneva 13, Aliya Samatova 12) {19-9, 24-21, 26-23, 23-23}.


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If you’ve recently found yourself in need of a new pair of headphones, JBL has just dropped a huge selection of new headphones for both the sporty and the music lover.

The new headphones come in Lifestyle and Fitness categories, with the former being more for the average user and the latter more for the fitness fan. Also launched were JBL’s Under Armor headphones; the result of a collaboration with the sports brand of the same name.

jbl heart wirless

First we have the Under Armor Sport Wireless Heart Rate headphones, which not only sport touch controls, but also in-ear heart rate monitoring and JBL’s Signature sound. They’re also sweat proof and have been tested by pro athletes so they can handle well on any workout.

Aside from those, JBL also released their Reflect series of headphones, both wired and wireless and capable of up to 8 hours of music playback. These are especially good for those owning an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, as you can pick up models that come with a Lighting connector.

Besides the fitness-centric headphones, JBL also launched their new T and E series of headphones. These new headsets are apparently designed to complement the stylish individual in your life.

The E series headphones on the other hand are slightly more standard fare but aren’t any less functional. The headsets are in line with the company’s signature sound and bass performance, with some sporting built-in mics for taking calls.

The headsets will be available from 15 November onwards, being available at authorised retailers like Harman Kardon and with Hot Gadgets and Lazada

Here are all the prices:

JBL Sport Headphones:

Under Armour Sport Wireless Heart Rate — RM959
Under Armour Sport Wireless (1.5) — RM729
JBL Reflect Contour (wireless) — RM399
JBL Reflect Response (wireless) — RM769
JBL Reflect Mini BT (wireless) — RM469
JBL Reflect Aware (wired with Lightning connector) — RM799
JBL Reflect Mini (wired) — RM279

JBL E series:

E55 BT — RM699
E45 BT — RM459
E25 BT — RM299
E35 (wired) — RM329
E15 (wired) — RM169

JBL T series:

T450BT — RM249
T450 (wired) — RM159
T290 (wired) — RM139
T210 (wired) — RM89
T110 (wired) — RM69


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Ingredients :

Palak spinach – 3/4 bowl

Khoya – 250 gms

Sugar – 200 gms

Ghee – 4 tbsp

Boondi & cherries – for decoration.

Method :

Wash and clean the spinach thoroughly.

Boil it for 3 minutes. Strain it.

Make a smooth paste.

Grind khoya to powder.

Heat ghee in a pan.

Add khoya , sugar and spinach paste.

Stir continuously, till it leaves the side of the pan.

Remove from heat.

Rub little ghee on palm.

Take a portion of the mixture and make small bowls.

Fill the green bowls with boondi.

GREEN BOWL SANDESH is ready to serve

Recipe by Supta Sarkar

5 × one =


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After reading the short but mind expanding, heart swelling, desire enhancing book on Abba Isaac the Syrian by Archimandrite Vasileios I had come in touch with a whole different reality with the literature on the Saints and the spiritual life that I had never encountered before. I had been warned by a friend before to not get too involved with the lofty "Ascetical Homilies" but instead to focus on the importance of

purification. Continuing to heed this warning I picked up this short book and was enthralled with its content, though I think the Archimandrite as an author helps with his clear articultation and understanding of Saint Isaac.  The little bit that I have read about Saint Isaac and by him through other sources has made me want to read his homilies even more.

  • If you decide you want to underline one phrase of his, you should underline them all.  All have the same weight, maturity and grace.  You will either have to underline the entire book, or leave it without underlinings.  This means that nothing can or should be given more attention than anything else.  If when you first study him you want to underline something, on second reading you feel that the passages you have left unmarked are more important than the others.
  • With him, you are at a total loss.  And you find yourself in a different climate, another logic, another world, where all things are united in fellowship.  It has a mathematical precision, a musical melodiousness, an architectural completeness, a philosophical depth, a prophetic insight and a divine humaneness.  The entire body of his words is at the same point of maturity.  It gives forth the same fragrance of compunction.
  • When you read him and come to love him, he makes you unable to read anything else.  And at the same time he helps you to understand and weigh the values of everything.  Here the light and warmth come from the Spirit who sanctifies and unifies all things.  Ho shows how all things function in a way that is theanthropic, at once divine and human; things present and things to come; what is his own, and what pertains to others.
  • You have no appetite for other nourishment once your mouth has tasted the delicious sweetness of this ripe fruit; of the heavenly manna which is formed from the substance of the earth, and leavened with the yeast of the Kingdom which is to come.  You eat it on earth, and dance in heaven.  It gives rest to your spirit and sanctifies your body.  It paralyzes you and  restores you, clothed in a new nobility and an indestructible power. (p. 14-16)
  • Do not pass on to another what you yourself have not attained, lest you put yourself to shame and your lie be exposed by a comparison with your life (p. 13)
  • When you find the one thing, you find everything. And when you lose it, you are not without it. It is everywhere. It penetrates everything.

You enjoy it better when you lose it. Because in the lack of it you experience the measurelessness of its grace. You appreciate it worth. You see it from a different angle.

As for what is false, even when you possess it, it eludes you, it torments you. Even when you possess it, it leaves you in the void.
That which is true has many meanings, with endless applications and ramifications.

You possess it, and you possess everything. You love everyone. You truly rejoice in every joy.

You lose it and it appears before you and withing you, imperishable.

You deny it, and it does not deny you. You send it away and it comes to you.

You compel it to go, and it goes (this is the ultimate courtesy). And you suffer on your own.

One who has felt that which Abba Isaac experienced and has lost it through his negligence, only he knows to what misery he has been abandoned. (p. 16-17)

  • When you desire to draw nigh to God with your heart, first show Him your yearning by bodily labours. (p. 32)
  • If you are looking for human companionship, he (Abba Isaac) gives it to you. If you need a rest, you can get it. If you are tormented by problems of faith, of existential anguish; if you are searching inwardly for the meaning of life; if many people have disappointed you and left you on your own, abandoned - make you way to Abba Isaac. He does not abandon man. Go and find him in the Church. Sit down beside him. He knows all you have to endure better than you do yourself. Everything you are going through, he has gone through before you. His love is bound up with knowledge. Mercy feeds knowledge in the soul (p. 44)
  • There is a sequence in the virtues, and whoever says impudently that it is possible to acquire the more perfect virtues before he accomplishes the elementary has, without a doubt, laid the first foundation for the ruin of his soul. (p. 23)
  • For speech that come from righteous activity is a treasury of hope, but wisdom not based on righteous activity is a deposit of disgrace. (p. 23)
  • This is not philosophy.  It is beyond philosophy, in the realm and the ease of "foolishness" (1 Cor. 1:21), of the true wisdom that saves man.  For no one is able to acquire the Kingdom of heaven by instruction.?(p. 25)

Archimandrite Vasileios, "Abba Isaac The Syrian : An approach to his world" (Alexander Press; Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Saint Isaac, pray to God for us

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JM Journeys

Gallery Tour

Wednesday, May 13, 2015
2 – 3:30 pm

Join us for JM Journeys, a program for individuals with memory loss and their family members or caregivers. Make personal connections with original works of art through discussions, art making, and multi-sensory activities facilitated by Jewish Museum educators in the galleries and art studio.

This month, please join us for a gallery tour exploring stunning portraits by various artists including paintings by Chantal Joffe and photographs by Laurie Simmons.

All Access Programs are free of charge and require advance reservation. Please contact or 212.423.3225 for more information or to register.

Chantal Joffe, Betty Friedan, 2014. Oil on canvas, 16 ⅛ × 11 ¾ × ¾ in. Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro, London. © Chantal Joffe. Courtesy of the artist, Victoria Miro, London and Cheim & Read, New York


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Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 to 2012

Will have to look back and see what all I wanted to accomplish, but happy new year! 2011 was great. Can't wait to see 2012 has in store.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

5 things I am loving right now

I love it when people tell me what they love (or hate) as it gives me a little help which as a busy mom, I can always  use.  So here are some of the things I love right now.

1.  Peas and Thank You Cookbook

What can I say about this book?  It not only has great recipes but it is a hilarious read.  I read it as a book the first time around.  The stories she tells will have you laughing out loud.  We have tried many of the recipes already.  We even made Santa Mama Pea's Sugar Cookies (and he loved them BTW).  Check out her book if you are in the market for a new cookbook (or even if you are not).

2.  Garmin 305
I have not been running as much as I would like to right now, but I got this for my birthday a few years back and I wonder how I lived without it for so long.  It is so nice to just leave your house and start running.  If I want to run 6 miles, I can just leave in any direction and after 3 miles turn around and head home.  I don't have to spend time researching routes.  And I am a numbers person so I love having the miles I ran with the time it took me to run it, etc.  Love, love, love this thing!

3.  True Nutrition Protein Powder

This stuff I have found to be the best as far as vegan protein powders go without costing me a fortune.  I couldn't find anything good at the regular grocery store (where I traditionally bought hubby's), so I ventured to GNC where I found this brand.  It was the only vegan protein powder they had, so I bought it.  It wasn't bad.  I think I paid $13.99 for almost a pound.  It was chalky and I could only get the vanilla, but I was fine with that.  I thought I couldn't do any better unless I wanted to pay a fortune, until I found True Nutrition.  You create your own combination of protein powder and it's very reasonably prices (I would say cheap but you have to pay for shipping).  I got myself a combination of 1/2 pea protein and 1/2 rice protein, vanilla flavored, and unsweetened (I wanted to be able to sweeten it myself).  I got the hubs 2 different whey proteins, chocolate flavored, sweetened with stevia.  I ended up getting us each 2 lbs. because shipping was only a $1 more if we doubled our order, making it cheaper per pound.  I was nervous when it came, but wow, it is not chalky at all.  The powder is much finer and I am very happy with it.  I got 4lbs for $44 (2 vegan and 2 whey).  The whey is much more expensive than the pea and rice, but still very reasonable.  I have only made smoothies with it so far, but I am hoping to do some baking (bars) with it soon.  Maybe this weekend.

Why the combination you might be asking?  Well I hated to just get all rice protein powder when I had the power to make any combination I could possibly think of.  I think those 2 are the only vegan options I used them both.  We also got the powder in the free bags to save money, so I had to transfer them into containers when it got here.  I may have just ended my search for vegan protein powder.

4.  The Big Bang Theory

I had never seen this show, but the hubs started watching it over Thanksgiving OnDemand (love OnDemand) and thought it was pretty funny (did I mention he has a PhD in biochemistry).  I slowly started watching a few and have since gotten into it.  They show reruns on TBS now, so we caught a few while wrapping Christmas presents late at night after the kids were in bed.  It nice to be able to watch so many episodes that I haven't seen before.

5.  Running Log Books

Because not all my runs occur on the road (and my Garmin can upload to the internet), it has been nice to have somewhere to put all my runs down on paper.  I got one of these a couple years back and used it last year.  I specifically asked for one last Christmas and hubs said it was a lot harder to find then he had anticipated, so he had to order it and it didn't make it here by Christmas.  Oops.  I like to have that one place where I can put everything and then look back and see where I have come from.  I forgot to ask for one for Christmas this year, so I guess I need to try and find one.  It appears book stores do not carry them, so I could order again, or maybe a running store?

Bonus Love:  This guy

3 days before Christmas, my little guy slept through the night for the first time.  Since then, he has only woken up during the night twice.  It has made my life so much better now that I am sleeping more.  I have so much more energy and can actually get through the day.  Thank you son for sleeping (it only took 9 months and 10 days but who's counting).

So this is what I am loving right now.  What are you into?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Starting to sleep more, and feeling better

I know, I have been terrible, but being sick, not sleeping, and the holidays, I have had zero time to blog.

2 days before Christmas the little guy slept through the night for the first time. Yay!!! Since then, he has been doing really well. He doesn't always sleep through the night, but he does most nights and when we wakes up it's not for very long. Thank goodness!!! Only took 9 1/2 months. So now that he is sleeping, I have been recovering from being under the weather. I am not sick very often and I felt like I was sick forever this time around. But with the holidays, we have been so busy. I am still cooking a lot, some days more than others. Unfortunately, I did not take a lot of pictures but some things I love to make for the holidays are my mom's pumpkin bread recipe, which she used to make all the time during the holidays. I have kept the recipe the exact same except I made it vegan (exchanged real eggs for flax eggs), but that is the only change. The recipe calls for canola oil already so I don't have to change up the recipe much which is good because I wanted to keep it similar to what she used to make. Memories!

I also make semi-homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. This was the first year I made them vegan. They turned out pretty well, but didn't rise the second time around as much as they should have so they didn't look very pretty, so I didn't want to take a picture of that either. Any tips to helping dough rise when it's cold outside?

I got a new food processor.  I have only had a junior food processor and my magic bullet and I just needed a full size one.  Now, I am not sure where I am going to put it.  Do you store your food processor or do you keep it on the countertop?  I haven't gotten it out of the box, but the box is big so I am not about storing it.

The kids had an unbelievable Christmas!

No, Santa did not give her all of those.  Santa is responsible for the dollhouse.

Being sick and tired, I have not gotten a lot of workouts in.  I have only run a handful of times and broke out the yoga dvd too, but not much.  I know I need to get back to working on my abs.  I have neglected them for too long.  I don't know if they are just weak because I haven't done as many ab workouts after the little guy compared to Hope or if my abs are just shot after carrying 2 babies.  My new goal is abs 3 times a week.

I also signed up for the GA Publix Half Marathon a while back.  I plan to do a 10 week training plan which will start in mid January.  I would like to start running again constantly before then so I am ready to train.

How was everyone's Christmas?  Were you naughty or good?  Santa knows!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Where have I been and Turkey Trot 5k

Let's see . . . kids not sleeping, crazy holiday travels which require me to start packing and prepping weeks in advance, and a tired mama.  The good part was since the hubs had only taken off 4 days all year (when our son was born), he was due for a vacation.  And surprisingly, even though I took off 12 weeks from work, I still had plenty of vaca time as well.  My dad invited the whole family (extended fam) to FL for Thanksgiving.  My brother-in-law (the genius that he is) decided we should take off the entire week and if we were going to take the whole week off, then why not leave the Friday before Thanksgiving after work.  I tell you the man is a genius.  So, the week before Thanksgiving, hubs and I started gathering up everything to pack for 8 days in FL.  So the kids and I took and picked up the hubs from work on Friday and started our way down to FL.  I was so excited to have an easy Thanksgiving.  The trip down was uneventful but we didn't arrive until 1:15am.  Yikes!  Of course both kids woke up and it took a little while to get them back down.  For all the families coming down, we had 3 condos.  So Saturday, we were able to trade off some to get some much needed naps.  The weather was ok on Saturday, overcast but in the high 60's.  We made our way to the beach to do some playing.  The ocean was freezing.
The days following were warm and sunny and we were able to hang out at the beach for some time during the day.
On Thanksgiving, we had a number of family members who participated in the 5K Turkey Trot near where we were staying.  We knew the course would be flat (hello, FL), so everyone was hoping to do well.  I finished 2nd in my age group (24:05), my brother-in-law won his age group (19:30) and my father-in-law won his age group (24:33).

Dinner was stress free and then we headed home last Saturday.

My lack of posting is from my darling son still not sleeping well and I just haven't had the energy to write or run for that matter (have not even exercised once this week and it's Thursday afternoon).  Also, since my daughter has started school, I have had more responsibility (I am the PTO President of her pre-school and chairperson for the Breakfast with Santa).  I have been cooking some, but haven't posted many recipes yet.  I took pictures, so if I ever get around to it, you will see I am still going.

I hope to post more soon.


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Monday, 26 December 2016

Flying home for Christmas

The nearest I got to a Christmas tree this year. Not mine but
at the quaint little hostel in central Uppsala
I just about made it back home for Christmas and that is a tale in itself.I arrived back in the early afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was nearly bumped onto a flight via Helsinki that would only have arrived in the evening into Riga and then another couple of hours to get home.
My chalet. It was a little chilly on the first night, but then
someone put a fan heater in my room and then it was snug

The manor house where I had breakfast. This was very nice

This was the more spacious hostel I was in the first half of
the week. It was much quieter but perhaps needing in a bit
of updating. I slept better though, as I am so used to the
peace and quiet these days
I could kick myself now for turning down the offer of £200 vouchers they offered as compensation to take the later flight but Ian had already set off from home and I couldn't quite catch where he was because of the general  noise in the airport. I didn't think until two days later that it could have come in useful for either flying to the UK next year or flying out someone from the UK to join us.
Aggie has been worrying Ian, she has a lump on the side of
her face. We will have to have the vet come out and deal with
it, but it is a worry he could do with out, especially in the damp
depressing days

How did Mari manage to get so mucky on the top of her head
I also didn't think until after the event that perhaps the gentlemen who didn't put up such a fuss had children to fly home to, they just seemed kind of stunned and resigned to it. I just hope that they would have put up more of a fuss if they did. I was just rather tired and wanted to get home, so I wasn't thinking straight. It does kind of dismay me that I was so thoughtless though.
It was a good job it was a quiet time of
the year as it allowed me to spread my
work out on the table. I needed to arrange
the work I was doing in a specific order
to organise my thoughts and the best way
for me is to print it out and then cut up all
the bits I need and arrange them

The second hostel was very Scandinavian
in style, but quaint
At least the week before was wonderful. As I mentioned last week I was very well looked after, despite the closeness to Christmas and all the family preparations. I had plenty of meetings and chats with other academics in the department, which were helpful for me to clarify in my mind the way I was thinking. It is also great to hear from people on the same wavelength that the urban and rural areas need each other and need to support each other and not just think of rural areas in terms of production of agricultural products - that will kill the very industry that is needed to make the urban areas sustainable in the long-term.
A rather nice dining area and tea and coffee was free

The kitchen was very well equipped
The best meeting though was getting out into a rural area of Sweden to talk with a gentleman who is interested in seeing slow development in his village and not the addition of 200 houses, which he estimates would increase the population of the village approximately by 50% in a very short period of time. He wants slow development so there is time to assimilate the newcomers and welcome them into village life. He also feels it would be better so that the infrastructure can develop slowly to meet the new needs. The Professor and I had a few different suggestions that he liked the idea of and so I was tasked with writing a proposal for a way to help the villagers plan a way forward. It will be exciting to see where that leads. It would be nice if I can also be a part of that process.
The rooms were tiny, but big enough. I
had to stand on the bed to get this photo
and the desk was a drop leaf attached to
the wall.

This is outside our apartment a few weeks ago, but finally
managed to get the photos off my camera because I have a
SSD slot on the computer and don't now have to find the cable
which has been lost for weeks
I bought myself a computer on the last day. I found out that it was cheaper to get it from Sweden than in the places I looked online in the UK, which seems really odd, as Sweden always used to be far more expensive. I was worried that my 6 year old MacBook could pack up on me any time, something I could ill afford to happen when I have a thesis to write next year.  Also I needed to update the software but since it was getting old and cranky I wasn't sure how well it would handle it.
It would be nice to have some snow back
with some cold weather to freeze the ground
better than all this mud
Ian taking the muck to the compost heap - such a cheery scene

While I did at least see some sunshine from my office
window, this was Ian's view. There are some sheep somewhere
in there
My MacBook was also heavy for lugging around on my travels and I just needed something lighter. I can't say I am completely enthralled by it and I it obviously is not depositing everything I want in the places I want it to, but I will get used to it in time. It does bother me though to have to buy a new gadget, I don't like the idea of buying new things, I would rather make old things work better and one day I hope we can do that. Admittedly there wouldn't have been much I could do about the weight.
Lost! Some alpacas!

Moss and lichens do kind of glow in
the low light levels though
I have to say the service though in El Giganten was fabulous. The lass who served me tried her best to get me a cheaper returned computer, but unfortunately when they do a factory reset, Pages (the Mac equivalent of Word, well sort of) wasn't on it, which she wasn't aware of and I need that programme to do some of the work I do. There was quite a bit of faffing about trying to work out why it didn't have Pages on, which entailed me trundling off to the nearby IKEA to get some lunch and of course I ended up turning the wrong way and having to go part way through the store to get out. I managed it without further purchases, but it was close, I nearly spotted something to buy but managed to avert myself at the last minute.
And the moisture glistens on the end of the branches

I still find it hard to think that this is our
Coming home in the afternoon of a damp and dreary Latvia meant that we have done without a Christmas tree this year. I would have gone out to our land with Ian if it had been dry, to get one but it was so miserable, it just wasn't worth it. It would have had to stay down in the basement to dry off before bringing it into the apartment and the next day while Ian was seeing to the animals I was busy cooking a goose and a dessert to take with us to a Christmas meal we had been invited to, so no time for putting up the Christmas decorations. I did get out the fairy lights though and hooked one lot to a curtain rail and twisted around some silver stars and hung up a star and baubles next to it and the other set of fairy lights were stuffed into a large vase and a star perched on the top. Not the most festive but it works and cheers the place up a bit.
It is not all neat and tidy forest, there is also a lot of swampy
areas where the willow ends up in a tangled mess

Moss and wood
We thoroughly enjoyed the meal with our friends. We had our first course and then went out to the land to put the animals away, some went out for a walk and some just hung around the house. We then went back for dessert. My dessert went down very well, which was a good job as it wasn't quite how I planned it. It was a sponge layer with lemon, squash cream layer (which tastes like lemon curd), followed by a layer of raspberries and then meringue. The lemon layer took longer than I anticipated to make and so I was having a hard job putting it all together. The meringue was meanwhile slowly decreasing as it was standing around. It worked though despite the hassle of making it. I know next time to allow more time to get a thickened lemon layer, although that may have been an asset in making the slightly soggy sponge layer. At least the meringue could have done with being made later.
I think we had some visitors nibbling on the bark

Not quite Thomas the Tank Engine on the telly, but GJ and Pops
We have managed to say Happy Christmas to two of our children and their little ones. Skype is so great for that. We sat and watched one of the grandkids building his lego set while we chatted. It is funny to watch the little ones interacting with us and they seem comfortable enough with us being either on the computer or on the telly even. Not as good as being there, but at least the next best thing.
Ian has found it is easier to ply two strands of wool together on
the drop spindle rather than on the spinning wheel, but then it is
difficult to make it into a ball after that, so he made this gadget
to hold the spindle and turn while he winds the wool up

One final comment. Heather and I managed to finalise the plans for our felting workshop for next year. We will put up details soon on our website, which is at Griezītes Alpakas and on our Facebook page. So on that note, I wish you all a Happy Christmas, what's left of it and a great New Year.

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PREMIERE: Soft Idiot’s new Rain Wins Another Year! LP contains deep, quiet multitudes

Soft Idiot | photo courtesy of the artist
Soft Idiot | photo by Steph Sottolano | courtesy of the artist

Prolific Philadelphia musician Justin Roth makes music under the name Soft Idiot, and his latest release is one of the project’s most ambitious yet. Rain Wins Another Year! is the new full-length from Soft Idiot, and you can hear it first right here. The new album follows stillborn, released in March, as well as a recent split with Lonely Ghost. Continue reading →

Watch Hiss Golden Messenger perform “Domino (Time Will Tell)” on Late Night with Seth Meyers ahead of their Philly show

Hiss Golden Messenger | photo by Tiana Timmerberg for WXPN

XPN favorite Hiss Golden Messenger made a recent television appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers to perform “Domino (Time Will Tell),” from their new album Hallelujah Anyhow. The North Carolina band appears in rare 10-piece form for this rendition, packing the late night stage with their magnetic presence. Hiss Golden Messenger is fronted by vocalist and songwriter M.C. Taylor, who says that the new album is intended to combat the darkness in the world with messages of hope and positivity. Watch the video below. Continue reading →

DIY scene underdogs Greg Mendez and Sleepy Freak join forces for a digital split

Sleepy Freak | photo by Emily Dubin |

There have been more than a few great splits from Philly musicians this year, and the latest, from Greg Mendez and Sleepy Freak, is really something special. Both artists are remarkably talented on their own, yet relatively quiet forces within the scene — they’ll pop up for sets at shows around town pretty often, but outside of the DIY community, they aren’t being talked about nearly as much as they should be. But the new split certainly gives us reason to talk about them. The six-track EP accomplishes what the best splits do, capturing both artists at their best and weaving their combined efforts into a powerhouse recording that’s impossible to ignore. Continue reading →

Danimakesmusic meditates on seasonal solitude with the new song “Street Signs”

Danimakesmusic | via the artist’s Facebook page

As much joy as the holiday season can bring, there’s something about those certain quiet, melancholy songs that somehow fit the mood just right. And while Danimakesmusic‘s new track “Street Signs” isn’t a holiday song, per se, it’s hauntingly sad and reflective in a way that perfectly captures the loneliness that can creep in even during the happiest of times, a soundtrack for that almost indescribable feeling of the weather getting colder and the world becoming decked in twinkling lights. Continue reading →

Grace Vonderkuhn shares new track “Worry” ahead of new LP

Grace Vonderkuhn | photo courtesy of the artist
Grace Vonderkuhn | photo courtesy of the artist

Wilmington, Delaware’s Grace Vonderkuhn transcends genre. The musician is inspired by everything from garage and psych rock to dreampop, and does it (mostly) by herself — drummer Dave Mcgrory and bassist Brian Bartling collab with her onstage and instudio to capture on record the wildly energetic essence of her favorite genres with pointed determination.

Vonderkuhn has been releasing a steady stream of songs for the past few years, and now we have a new track to soak in — “Worry” is the first single from Vonderkuhn’s forthcoming LP, due out February 23. It’ll be the artist’s first full-length, but you can find her previous releases on Bandcamp. Continue reading →

Harmony Woods debuts new song “Best Laid Plans II” live at the batting cages

Harmony Woods | photo by Rachel Del Sordo for WXPN |

Chances are you haven’t gotten tired of Nothing Special, the debut album from Philadelphia’s Harmony Woods, quite yet — there’s a reason why it was included in The Key’s Top 15 Albums of 2017. Still, it’s always nice to hear new music from our favorite artists, and this weekend Harmony Woods brought us just that, sharing “Best Laid Plans II” during their set at the Philly Gets Alternative showcase at Everybody Hits on Sunday. Continue reading →

Teenage Bigfoot covers Pulp’s “Common People” on new EP

Teenage Bigfoot | photo courtesy of the artist
Teenage Bigfoot | photo by Jaime Parker of Alpha Rabbit | courtesy of the artist

Teenage Bigfoot has been a defining member of the Philly pop-punk scene for the past several years, so it’s only fitting that the band would cover a song from a defining member of the Britpop movement of the 90s, Pulp. “Common People” is the lead single off Pulp’s 1995 album Different Class, and the Philly trio’s cover appears on their new EP the buck stops here, out now. Continue reading →

Items Tagged Philadelphia: And so it goes, some things are meant to be

Overwinter | photo by

Here at The Key, we spend a lot of time each week digging through every new release from Philadelphia that shows up on Bandcamp. At the end of each week, we present you with the most interesting, most unusual and overall best of the bunch: this is Items Tagged Philadelphia.

Oh my. Has it really been… *gulp* …43 days since our last edition of Items Tagged Philadelphia? Kindly disregard the word “weekly” in that intro blurb up there, and trust me when I say that I never stopped listening to all the amazing Philadelphia music making its way on to Bandcamp this autumn, even if I fell short on time to tell y’all about it.

Hopefully today’s installment, which rounds up some 24 releases that I dug in recent weeks, will make up for it. Continue reading →

The Key Studio Sessions: Ryan Tennis

Somewhere, somehow, Ryan Tennis is probably playing music right now. The Philly singer-songwriter has logged quite a few frequent flyer miles this year, between his summer tour in Colombia and the autumn European run he just completed with percussionist Joseph Keim. Both excursions mixed up busking shows and venue performances, and we caught up with Tennis and his band in the between-time this fall when he and his full band were home in Philly. Continue reading →

Support for The Key Studio Sessions, from Dogfish Head

Lose yourself in psychedelic tones and abstract collage on Olden Yolk’s “Takes One To Know One” video

Olden Yolk | courtesy of the artist

The soft psychedelic sounds of Olden Yolk come through in full force on the first new song the band has shared in quite a few years. “Takes One To Know One” is the lead single from the group’s forthcoming self-titled LP, and at nearly eight minutes long, it’s a thorough, winding exploration of humanity through differing perspectives.

Olden Yolk is the collective new project of a group multi-talented musicians — and though they don’t all call Philly home, they’re inextricably tied to our city in one way or another. Co-songwriters and vocalists Shane Butler and Caity Shaffer both came of age in the Philly scene, guitarist Jesse DeFrancesco lives in Kensington, and XPN listeners may be familiar with Butler’s other band, psych-folk outfit Quilt. Continue reading →


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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

46 days!

It is less than 7 weeks to the wedding now (the days seem to be going by so much faster now). I'm so happy (and I have many reasons to be). God is working out everything just beautifully. The Bridesmaids dresses are at a standstill for approximately 10 more days as we wait for two of my girls to return home from college (Praise the Lord, they both go to colleges that let out early rather than some that don't get out till closer to the end of May!). In the meantime my family is working on repainting several of the rooms in our house and I am working on slowly packing away things that I know I won't need for a couple years.

I had my pre-bridal portrait shoot done today, and it is going to drive me crazy not being able to show the proofs to My Man once they come in. But at least I'll only have to wait a few weeks instead of months. :) (I'm working on looking at the positive side of things. :) )

God is so good. I am so thankful for all the work that He is doing in my life and for how He continues to amaze me with working out little details that I never would have thought of regarding a number of different things. Without God, we are nothing, I am nothing. I can't imagine what it is like to not know God, to not be in a relationship with God. As we get closer to the wedding, I'm still not stressed or worried about anything although I know there are lots of things to do in the next 6 weeks. I'm sure that I will have moments of being stressed out in the weeks to come, but I know that God is in control, everything is in His hands, He knows what will happen, and I know I can rest in Him.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

It is now only 53 days to The Wedding. Much is happening. Scott has cleaned the carpets in the apartment (the pic's are still on my camera) and I have painted the living rm, kitchen and bathroom (with help from my lovely Aunt).

A week and a half ago my church surprised me with a shower, and as a result I have started moving little stuff over to the apartment. We were very blessed. We received lots of helpful, useful things. I can't wait to get everything set up.

My Grandparents were parked in our driveway the last 3 weeks and so my Mom and my Grandmother were able to get the bulk of the sewing done for the Bridesmaids dresses and the Flower Girl dress as well as alter my Dress. Now we're waiting on the rest of the trim to come in and for 2 of my girls to return home from College so we can finish all the dresses. They look beautiful.

I had a terrible cold/sinus infection over the past week, but the Lord helped me carry on and Scott and I were able to get lots of promotion done for the book as well as book several more events.

We have less than 8 weeks left to go, and we have much to do, but as we've seen up to this point, God has everything in His hands, and He will work everything out to the last detail, including work, the book, the Wedding, and after the Wedding as well. We know He is in control, and it is a blessing to be able to trust everything to His trusting, faithful hands.


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DPPO drinking measure goes into force

This story is over
Showing off the new signage, Sam Barstow, Anti-Social Behaviour Team Leader at the City Council, and PCSO Clare Hart

Lincoln’s new Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) goes into force from April 20.

The DPPO will give police more power to tackle street drinking within a particular boundary of the city centre, agreed by the City of Lincoln Council.

Since the City Council passed the plans in November, signs are beginning to be put up around Lincoln, warning drinkers of the new rules.

The DPPO is not a drinking ban, but a way of allowing police officers to request an individual to stop drinking if they are becoming a nuisance.

If the individual ignores the warning, an offence is committed.

The DPPO boundary is set between Newport Arch, St Mark’s Shopping Centre, Broadgate and the Brayford Way Bridge.

The original proposals between Newport Arch, South Park roundabout, the Grandstand and Arboretum were considered too large.

The city boundaries of the DPPO measure

Sam Barstow, Acting Anti-Social Behaviour Team Leader at the City of Lincoln Council, said: “The DPPO is one of a number of measures we’ve put in place to make Lincoln a safe and attractive environment.

“We work with the police, street pastors and city centre management, as well as bars and clubs, to keep people safe in the city centre, through both enforcement and preventative action, and are positive that this extra tool will help to tackle the specific problem of on-street drinking.”

Lincoln Centre Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Mark Garthwaite said: “This is good news for the people of Lincoln and those who use and visit the city centre.

“DPPO legislation is another tool which we, the police, can use to reduce the behaviour of those individuals who drink in the street and then choose to behave in an anti-social manner.

“This is not about stopping sensible and well behaved drinking, but those whose behaviour is not acceptable should at least expect to have their drink taken from them, and to be required to leave the area.”

Source: City of Lincoln Council


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Martial arts swords stolen from Lincoln industrial unit

This story is over

Police are looking to trace a set of martial arts weapons stolen from an industrial unit in Lincoln last week.

This incident took place between 9pm on June 6 and 9am on June 9 at an industrial unit off Monks Way in Lincoln.

Swords were stolen from two separate units out of the three units that were targeted in this period.

Offenders broke in through a fire exit and stole martial arts weapons.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area to get in touch.

They are also appealing for anyone who sees the weapons on sale, or who is offered them, to get in touch immediately.

See the Lincolnshire Police website for more photos of the stolen items.

Contact PC Maria Horner via the non emergency 101 number or call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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How to write a Superpoem

Chris Meade, Founder, if:book

if:book is working with the Poetry Society to develop, a site which provides both a toolkit and a platform for young writers and readers of poetry as they develop their interest at a time when all sorts of digital possibilities exist for poets to amplify their work for free.

Over the next few months if:book will be setting challenges to encourage community members to write collaboratively, script work for new media and use web tools to reach out beyond the usual circle of poetry people.

Last week Chris Meade and Kati Rynne of if:book have worked with poet Inua Ellams – and a crowd of school students and Twitter followers – on a SUPERPOEM which all wrote in response to instructions issued by Inua via Twitter. Visit here to follow the instructions yourself.

Inua writes:

The best thing about Social Networking websites like Facebook, Bebo or Twitter isn’t that all your mates are on there. It isn’t that you can contact them easily – mobile phones provide the same thing. It isn’t even really that you can share videos, pictures and photos – that is a great factor, but not the best. The best, is that you can speak to a lot of people at the SAME time. In an instant. It is CHEAP, and they can reply instantly too. In Kenya in Africa, a website ( not dissimilar to twitter was created to keep track of violent rioters and based on the text messages sent from people on the scenes, the government could decide where to send peace-keeping forces.

Poetry is not a violent activity (in most cases), but the incident in Kenya got me wondering about how to use Twitter in my practice. From this, the Poetry Twitter Workshops was born. It is a way to suggest opening lines and turning points to writers across the world, who would respond, but create vastly different and individualistic work. As a young writer, I’d champion you to think about how to use your profiles on those websites to your advantage, how to make them work for you. Online, time is infinite and the possibilities are endless!

Our theme for the twitter workshop was ‘Superheroes – not being heroic’, poems about the in-between times: Superman making a cup of tea, Iron Man brushing his teeth. We had fantastic responses from a beer-swigging Wonder Woman, to a sofa ridden Spiderman. Here are a few and the rest will be published online soon on the if:book website.

Unable to change,

ribs cracked

as if birds from

his stomach

had finally flown free-

handles his key

unlocking the door

dizzy with adrenaline,

falls to the bar

attempts to numb the pain,

quiet his anger.

The leather grips his legs,

clinging to sweat

staining his skin.

Blood running black

on the verge of collapse

he attempts to un-peel

the layers of his disguise

his bruises-

their black-blue shine

against his pale skin,

indents of bats.

Tips the gin

into a bandage,

begins to clean

the cuts on his legs,

arms, lips and neck.

As he winces

notices the bruise

that bat-winged

stamp of failure-

holds his head

in his hands,

curses the heavens

blames God.

Awakes in the

darkest hour of night,

to another screaming boy

face, aghast- pale as the

ghost from his past-

Fox news reporting

an armed robbery-

boy nine, father and

mother shot dead.

Looks down at his bruise

flashing like the signal-

raised by the police

across Gotham City.

Rises to replace

his grey body armour,

his nocturnal peace broken,

fire in his eyes- bullet torn pain

reaches for the door

swearing to avenge the boy,

restore his own honour.

– Katie Beviss

I slip in through the cat-flap,

no one home, the clock ticks,

the boiler moans to itself.

Unwrapped myself

a shine of gold and red

a hole in my boot

the superglue spits

I make the air turn blue.

Fug of steam, switching

off, my hands chop carrots,

super-speed, saucepan

splutters, I’m shifting

my feet –  too old

to get away.

Tories in power

What do you expect?

Let them march –

my invisible airplane

can’t be found. Not now.

12 and a half minutes left.

Not tonight.

I’m saving my cherry pie

and stroking the cat.

– saba z

Walking towards me, head hanging low,

His steps have no purpose and he walks so slow,

His face is pale and it’s impossible to know

Where he’s been or where he’s going to go.

He opens the door and listens to it creak,

We both sit down but neither of us speak.

He throws off his coat and looks up at me,

Looks down at this wrist but won’t let me see.

Back to normal, he gets up and turns on the TV,

But we both know he’s not what he used to be.

He sits back down and seems to drift away,

What should I do and what should I say?

The TV flashes and someone’s almost dead,

His eyes go wide and his hands are on his head.

The victims laying there, the villain simply fled.

What will he do? Go or will he stay instead?

He sits there infront of me and closes his eyes,

His body breaks down and he simply sits and cries.

Sophie McCullagh

Royal Latin School

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Acts of A King

In the year 332 B.C.E., in the process of assembling the greatest empire the world had ever seen, Alexander the Great conquered the region of Palestine. Within a short time, however, the young Macedonian died, and his remaining generals divided the empire among themselves. Naturally, this division did not occur entirely peacefully, as each of the generals jockeyed for the position of greatest power. It is in this context of war and the ebb and flow of power that the present scroll finds its most natural setting.

Alexander’s general Ptolemy came to control Egypt, while, after various battles that shall not concern us here, another general, Seleucus, took power in Syria. For the next decades, Palestine was ground between these upper and lower millstones as the two generals fought to control the region, regarded by each as crucial to the defense of his own realm. Eventually Ptolemy now styling himself king and bearing an appropriately grandiose name, Ptolemy T Soter (the Greek word for “savior”) took control of Palestine more or less permanently. The Jews remained under aegis of Egypt for virtually all of the third century, only passing to the Syrian realm in the year 199/8 B.C.E.

Using biblical imagery and cast in the form of a prophecy, this scroll seems to be describing two of the four separate occasions on which Ptolemy I conquered Palestine. Which two of the four is uncertain, not only because of what has been lost from the scroll, but also because our knowledge of Ptolemy’s campaigns is spotty and susceptible to various interpretations.

The text hegins with a picture of general conquest, apparently including the notion of God himself fighting on the side of the enemy forces (1. 5). Lines 2-4 draw their imagery from Deuteronomy 28.

Frag. 1 2[ . . . ] Egypt and Zion ~and [ . . . ] 3[ . . . For it is a grim-fac]ed nation. Then they shall consume [the fruit of their livestock . . . ] 4[All-l their [s]ons and daught[e]rs [shall be] besieged in [their settlements . . . ] sand the LORD* shall cause [His] spirit to pass through their settlements and [all of their land.. l

The focus now is on the return of the enemy forces, this time to conquer the “Temple city,” Jerusalem. Line 9 is a paraphrase of conquest imagery found in J eremiah 48:32.

6[Then] he shall come to Egypt and sell her dust and [stones . . . He shall come] to the temple city and seize it, together with all its booty . . . ] 8He shall overthrow the nations and return to Egyp[t . . . ~ 9[The destroyer shall fall] upon the vintage and the sum[mer fruits . . . And after] all these things, the children [of Israel] shall return [to the LORD . . . 1

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Sunday, September 11, 2016

Girl in the Guitar Shop

So if I am being honest with you, the past couple of weeks haven't been the easiest. While I am so proud of my accomplishments and feel empowered in my job most days. every now and again, like the tendrils of gauzy green chemical vapor that seeps through the forest floor of Fern Gully, waves of doubt sometimes creep into my day. Typically it isn't terribly difficult to push aside and simply ignore my feelings when the Tuesday loafers treat me as though I don't matter. I cling to the knowledge that my dad does value my work and opinion and he has come to rely on me to help him out in the shop whether they see that or not. Every so often though, especially when the Tuesday crowd of old men rolls in, I don't really feel as though belong in my dad's shop. Not as an equal or a useful piece of the puzzle anyway. I am sure they don't mean it how it comes across, perhaps it is a generational thing or something, but a lot of times the shop visitors treat me as though I am either not there or just something to placate; "Aw how cute, the poor little girl want's to try to use a table saw."

Now, even though I am on a roll of frustration, I am going to pause for a moment to make one constant exception. Even though he comes in crotchety every Tuesday, upset that his table is cluttered with junk, even though it always is, Herb Key is always kind to me. He comes in before everyone else to find me trying to get my work done before the crowd descends. He always takes extra time every week to share with me what guitar he is working on and how he plans to fix it. All he really needs to do it say, "I am doing a neck set on this old Gibson," when I ask what project he has for the day but he doesn't. He shows me the handmade tools he has finagled to make the job simpler for himself, explains in detail how he plans to execute his job, and shows me how to turn on the water steamer without burning myself. He always takes time from his job to share tidbits of Gibson trivia, neck reset tips, and little ideas to make repair work exciting. I appreciate very much that he always treats me with respect and kindness. That being said, not many other folks are in his same boat.

In case you were curious, here are a few of the things that have recently knocked me down: First, someone accidentally (I hope) burned the $200 worth of buffing pads I had just brought to the shop from Asheville. The guitar I was in the middle of fitting a top on was unceremoniously moved from its table and dumped in several locations with absolutely no care. (With the explanation when I returned from breakfast from my dad, "I moved the stuff with your name on it because I needed to sharpen my tools." I suppose if the guitar was stamped with Wayne Henderson's name he woudln't consider touching it) He also walked up when my dad was checking out a guitar that very clearly had my name inlaid on the headstock and said condescendingly, "Oh, Jayne, did you make that?" Next, a group of local luthiers and their friends visiting on a not so distant Tuesday treated me with as much regard and respect as they would a hangnail they had just removed and flicked away. Finally, a man stopped by the shop selling guitar sets and jacked up his prices to double their worth. I can only assume the reason is because he thought he could hoodwink a stupid little girl who doesn't know the going price for a warped set of slab-cut cherry wood.

After all that and a little bit more in a couple week span I had simply had enough. I felt deflated, like one of the tired wrinkled balloons we stuff into the sound holes of our guitars to block the inside bodies after seven coats of finish. I thought perhaps I should quit and find something else to do more suited to my educational background and gender. This story gets better though, I promise. I am finished complaining. Luckily I have an awesome cousin (more like sister) named Leah and she pulled into the shop parking lot just in time. She didn't have to try terribly hard to convince me to play hooky for the rest of the afternoon.

She drove us, along with two kayaks, some crinkly bags Doritos, and two chilled tallboys of Corona out to the bank of the Little River and shoved me, sitting in her yellow boat, out into the meandering water. (She let me have her comfy, easily maneuverable, creek boat similar to the ocean kayaks to which I am accustomed and she took her uncle's sit-on-top that she wasn't used to paddling. Side note: If you don't paddle, I feel the need to let you know that such an act is similar to offering me a Porsche while leaving her happily behind the wheel of a Yugo.) We floated down the river enjoying our snacks and laughing as we periodically spun, paddling helplessly, when our boats snagged over hidden rocks and branches rising a bit too high beneath the water's surface.

At one point Leah decided she wanted to get out and skip rocks. She slowly moved through the knee deep water searching the riverbed for flat round rocks ideal for skipping. After a few attempts she deemed 'bad' (they only skipped three or four times over the water...she is an expert, you see, expecting more like 15 skips per throw) she set out to catch minnows instead. "Look! There's one! Ooh there's a bunch! A whole school! Maybe they will just swim into my hands!" she squealed. "Yeah maybe," I halfheartedly answered, more interested in finding a shaded spot to park my kayak without having to submerge my clunky 12 year old Chacos into the dark river water. I looked over and watched her standing silently hunched waiting for an innocent minnow to swim unknowingly into her waiting trap. I managed to hook my boat to a bit of rock slightly less dappled with bird feces than the rest of its mass, dipped my toes into the crisp flowing water and watched her play. Floating in my spot that day I felt immensely more relaxed than I had the several weeks prior. While Leah patiently waited for her minnow, I thought about how lucky I was to have such a strong, smart, capable 'sister' to emulate. Sitting there on that river I reminisced of all the times she demonstrated to me that I can do whatever I want. She dressed as the pirate instead of the princess in dress-up when she was five, she played basketball and ran cross country instead of cheering for the boys who did. She plays guitar in the jam circles with the old men instead of sitting quietly alongside their wives.

You see, Leah would never let those guys in the shop belittle her. She would never stand for that. I wish I were as strong as she. But I realize now that I am. I know how to do something not a ton of women can do; I know how to safely use a table saw; I know how to sharpen my pocket knife (and use it to pick the stain from beneath my fingernails); I know how to do a neckset; I know how to make a guitar. Now please read that last sentence again. Don't think I am saying I can do those things because my dad knows how to do those things. He taught me, yes, but I now know how to do them in my own right. Please treat me as though I do.

I made this guitar for my good friend Mac.
Playing with my good buddy Mac and my hero, Leah.


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Saturday, September 27, 2008

Episode One - Show Notes - We Are "On the Air"!

Episode One - The Magical Earth

In the beginning, there were four witches - each holding the energy of one of the four directions.  They laughed, they cried, they felt every human emotion, and then they gave birth to a quadcast.  And it was .... The Magical Earth.

Greetings, Fellow Travellers, and welcome to The Magickal Earth.  In this, our inaugural episode, we take a leap of faith (empty handed into the void of the Internet) and invite you to share a moment of magical connection with us.

Intro music is a snippet by Patrick Bernhardt from his album,
Solaris Universalis.

In this episode, we open with the first part of the Gaiaist Wiccan Liturgy  - a poem by Ralph Blum (he of the Runes) that we use as a ritual greeting.

After some introductions, we learn that numerologically speaking, the recording date of this show resonates to the energy of The Heirophant.  Discover "why the Magical Earth", and meander along  with our chatter until our interview with "Small Medium at Large" Vicki Eaton.

Cliff reads a brief passage from a classic text "The Goat-foot God" by Dion Fortune and Susan shares some Sacred Poetry from her collection. (Its pretty juicy stuff!).  We close with the Rede - and look forward to the next time we gather with you at our corner of the Circle, here at The Magical Earth.

Join our online discussion group at
Communitas Paganus .  Join our Facebook group! Email us with ideas, suggestions, questions or feedback.

Cliff's Blog - Between The Ticks
Alex's Blog - A Crafty Witch
Susan's Blog - Where I Am, Knitting is Also

Jacinthe's Blog - its a mystery.

Next Episode - Samhain-ish, give or take a few days.

Join the
Pagan Bloggers Network!

Wigglian said...

Welcome to the family!

The Wigglian Way

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Tag Archives: deer valley estates

Neighborhood Profile: Deer Valley Estates, Fredericton

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Looking for that perfect lot just outside the city but only minutes away from everything?  Introducing Phase 1 of Deer Valley Estates: an amazing new sub-division located in Beaverdam, New Brunswick.  Located only minutes from uptown Fredericton in a country setting, these  beautiful wooded lots vary in size starting at 1 acre to just over 3 acres, allowing for truly unique and individualized houses and landscaping ideas.  This is the perfect place for your first home or a larger upgraded one.  With three phases planned, Dear Valley Estates has a total of 50 lots planned making this a large future community setting for families.

Deer Valley Estates Lot Plan

Location: Route 101

School: New Maryland Elementary School

  • Large wooded lots
  • Quiet Atmosphere
  • Between Fredericton and Oromocto
  • Lots Starting at $22,500.00

To book a Discovery Session and start planning your new home in Dear Valley Estates, call Jason today at 506-292-2169 or email jhaines@themartellexperience.com.

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Nineteen and a half.

This year, I would be content to just receive socks and/or nylons, stationary, lotion, and mouthwash for Christmas. Those are my ideas of great gifts.

There is nothing like a written letter or card. There is something extra special about words actually penned by someone.

But I've already told you that before.

Christmas cards, receiving and sending.

Talking in a tent with four of my best friends, tim tams, and tocolate*.

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning to get to work and then work and work and work.

Worrying about getting my Christmas shopping done for my family. Any good last minute ideas?

Thinking about all of my favorite Christmas movies I have yet to watch all the way through without falling asleep: Elf, Christmas in Connecticut (1947), White Christmas, The Polar Express, The Santa Clause, and the list keeps going.

And trying {keyword: trying, but not really close} to live up to the Katherine Heigl bridesmaid image for tomorrow.

I fell asleep during one of my finals last week and didn't finish the last three questions, but somehow I received an A in the class.

That is a DEFINITE Christmas miracle.
And that's what life should be: finding the Christmas miracles in your life, everyday.

And do not let life pass you by, because it seems like just yesterday it was my birthday and today I am nineteen and a half. So much has happened in the past six months. It is incredible how much can happen in such a short amount of time. There are times when I feel very young and inexperienced, but then there are times when I feel old and experienced. Young and Inexperienced > Old and Experienced.

*tocolate=chocolate in a retainer voice.

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Brothers Logan (left) and Josh steal a look at their big brother's banner at the Lyon County Fair. During the presentation, Gared and Brooke Moorse held brother Grady as they spent their emotions on their fallen friend, as others gathered around for support.

Family, friends, bring Donnie's memory to the fair

•A banner made by close friends set the emotional pace of the fair.

If Donnie Schuelke was here today, he WOULD have been at the Lyon County Fair.

So in a way, he was. A banner hanging in the dairy barn where Donnie would have been was supplied by Becky Moorse and her family, next door neighbors and deep friends.

On Friday afternoon Gared Moorse, a close friend and neighbor, led a group of 4-H Ambassadors in not only dedicating a bench at the fair to their fallen comrade, but also honoring him as a great fair participant.

“Some of my fondest memories of Donnie were at the fairgrounds,” said Moorse.

“His work ethic at the county and state fairs was excellent,” he said.

"It was an honor to show with him."

Gared Moorse read the poem written by his mother Becky that is displayed on the banner.

It read:

I will stand here by the gate,

For my showman I will wait.

The many hours together we had,

Practicing our art wasn't so bad.

So many awards as a team we won,

A trip to the state fair with you was so fun!

We all knew your mom was your biggest fan,

Oh, how she loved watching her fine young man.

One early Sunday morning when the sky was black,

God and the Angels decided to take you back.

I can't tell you how much this has broke my heart.

Your family and friends world has been torn all apart.

Please wait for me by show ring the sky,

We will meet you in Heaven,

Fly High Donnie, Fly High!

The bench, with salute to Donnie, sat outside the show arena, as a “forever” reminder of the kind of 4-H member and fair contestant Donnie Schuelke was.

It was a time for tears, a time for reflection — and most of all, a time for the love of Donnie Schuelke at the Lyon County Fair.

For moments after the presentation, the arena was still and all around the arena friends, family and others stood motionless, tears streaming down everyone’s faces.

He wasn’t there — but Donnie Schuelke’s presence was felt.

Then again ... maybe he was there!

Contact Us

The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492


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Carolyn Hoffmann watches the flight of her ball at the state tournament.

Big improvement by Hoffmann

Minneota golfer Carolyn Hoffmann did the best that can be asked of her.

She chopped 17 strokes off her game from the first day on Tuesay to the final day Wednesday at the State Class A Tournament.

She scored 112 the first day and came in with a 95 the second day for a two-day total of 207. Although she was Minneota's fifth best golfer, she was able to show a lot of promise for the future with her improved game.

The Vikings finished in fifth place at the state tournament.

Contact Us

The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492


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Monday, November 28, 2011

First Contest: Relaxation

Mondays seem the most tiring for me and I am in desperate need of a "couch nap." Yes, I have turned into my father with sleeping on the couch for an hour after work. As a kid, I would come home and see my dad sleeping on his side with his white crew socks knocked out. With a eye-rolling look, I vowed that I would not get THAT old.
Well now on Mondays, my couch calls me and happily answer with a greater understanding to my father's snooze.

For the contest, simply post here or on the Facebook page: What do you do for relaxation or simply rejuvenate yourself?
The contest ends Sunday, December 4, 2011  11:59pm. I'll post who the winner is and the winner can inbox or email their address. I'll mail your prize to you. Good luck and tell a friend!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

I'm giving away a Bath and Body Lavender Vanilla 6.5 oz lotion this week. Look for the opportunity to win simply by posting here or on my blog. No cost to you! Good luck!

Photo from

I created this blog for all of the moms out there who work and try to keep it together. You are not alone! Also for anyone who like prizes. I enjoy giving out prizes and most people like to receive prizes. I will do little contests that just require a post in the comments section of this blog or on Facebook. The contests can range from responding to a question to writing a simple poem. I'll post a picture of the prize, pick the winner, and mail it to you free of charge. I'll even pay for shipping!
Why you say? I say why not! People in my life have been so good to me, especially when I was a new mom, a new teacher, and a new Texan. Just my way of paying that kindness back.