text:
The Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park World Heritage Site Blog. iSimangaliso Wetland Park elephant Coast South Africa
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Whale Watching season
The 1st Humpback Whales have been spotted off the coast .
This is the time of the year again when the whales migrate along this
coastline to breed and calf .
Please again like every other year just make sure your clientele goes with a
LEGAL BOAT - BASED - WHALE - WATCHING permit holder , in the event of ANY
accident no client will have any claim whatsoever if they were on a illegal
vessel .Even an unknowing client is entitled to be charged if they are on an
illegal vessel .
There is ONLY 9 LEGAL Boat Based Whale Watching Permit holders in South
Africa , of which ADVANTAGE CHARTER in St Lucia is currently the ONLY LEGAL
permit holder in KZN allowed to approach the Whales as close as 50m's .
You can go onto the web page www.cometcorp.org to see who the 9 LEGAL
operators are in South Africa , and to read the Marine Living Resources Act
on Boat Based Whale Watching .
Legislation will soon be gazetted as well to restrain anybody from
advertising Dolphin or Whale Watching if they don't mention which permit
holder they are advertising for .Dolphins are in fact toothed whales , and
the Whale Watching Permit will soon become a Cetacea permit , including
Dolphins , Whales and Seals .
All law enforcement authorities will be enforcing the law on any illegal
operator throughout the season , especially law enforcement officers from
Marine and Coastal Management . The same as the entire tourism industry
being concessioned and permitted on public transport , game vehicles ,shark
cage diving operators , diving concession operators , adventure activities
etc , - tour operators , lodge owners , booking agents should know to
always book their cleintele on LEGAL permit holders throughout the industry
Please feel free to ask for an operators permit at any time , and also proof
of their public liability insurances to cover yourself and your clientele .
Warm Zululand( iSimangaliso ) Regards
Riëtte Bennett
St Lucia Tours & Charters t/a Advantage Cruiser CC
web site: www.advantagetours.co.za
e-mail : email@example.com
+27 (0)35 - 5901259
+27 (0)35 - 5901053 (fax)
cell : 083 487 2762
THE 2007 iNCEMA HARVEST AT ST LUCIA AND UMLALAZ
MEDIA RELEASE No: 2007 - 06
THE 2007 iNCEMA HARVEST AT ST LUCIA AND UMLALAZ
For immediate releaseEndsEzemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) and the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority (WA) announce that the annual harvest of iNcema rushes (Junkus kraussii) will take place at St Lucia Estuary from 2 - 16 May 2007 with a collection ticket price of R5।00 per bundle - the same as last year
The severe drought has badly affected the iNcema stock at Umalazi Nature Reserve and no harvesting will take place there - there is a good stock of reeds (Phragmites australis) however, and these will be available for harvests
EKZNW and WA expect a huge demand for iNcema rushes during the short harvesting season in May at St Lucia, with stocks looking promising in spite of the drought of the past five years and recent heavy rains
Due to heavy utilisation and development in many areas where iNcema historically occurred, the rushes are now virtually commercially extinct outside KZN's protected areas
Although it is generally against Ezemvelo KZN policy to allow commercial exploitation in protected areas, controlled harvesting is allowed inside the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park and Umlalazi Nature Reserve as iNcema is so important to Zulu culture
The harvest is allowed in demarcated areas, leaving adequate unused areas, and the timing is such that the resource is at its best and the harvesting will have least impact on the plants and their environment।The annual harvest of this resource has been allowed around St. Lucia and Umlalazi for several decades
The rushes are used to make a wide variety of traditional Zulu artefacts but particularly the sleeping mats important in marriage and funeral ceremonies. Most products are still used for cultural occasions but an increasing proportion are now made for the tourist trade
Many people trek to St. Lucia from all over KZN for a few days to collect the raw materials that they will use for the year's craftwork, underlining the critical economic importance of iNcema to many rural communities.This year EKZNW and the WA are handing over an increased amount of the iNcema harvest administration in the St. Lucia Eastern Shores area to the Land Claimants Committee in a ground-breaking joint management initiative
The EKZNW and WA staff determined the area of harvest, the amount and timing of collection but the Claimants Committee will do the rest
They will sell tickets, monitor the harvest and also help with control and transport of the resource.In a further move towards wise management the authorities are implementing rotational harvesting on the western shores at St. Lucia so that the area traditionally harvested is given a rest.Meetings have been held with representatives of the local users to work out the details of the harvesting and it is hoped that the season will be a good one for the users as well as the managers.
AJG/ Media Release No: 2007 - 06 26 April 207
Monday, May 14, 2007
Re: Simangaliso.Co.Za
For Trade enquiries please contact Petrus Viviers on 0835847473
Environment & Tourism
Press Release:
New Name for SA's first World Heritage Site
South Africa's first World Heritage Site, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park,
has a new name that better reflects its unique identity and sense of place.
After an extensive consultation process, the name has been approved by the
National Cabinet and was gazetted on Friday 11th May 2007 in terms of the
World Heritage Convention Act and will be effective from the 1st of November
Minister Van Schalkwyk said "We are delighted to have a new name that will
take the Park into the future. The new name is iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
This will be integrated with the launch later this year of our new branding
linked to specific marketing, advertising and public relations activities."
The Minister initiated public discussion at Indaba 2005 to find a new name.
This was followed by advertisements in the local, provincial and national
media requesting proposed names for the Wetland Park and advertised public
meetings which were held at Mtubatuba, Mbazwana and Durban. 10 000 briefing
documents were widely circulated amongst the tourism trade, local
communities, Park user groups and members of the public. There was also wide
coverage on radio and in newspapers. In addition, a series of
pre-consultation meetings were held with land claimants, traditional
councils and local municipalities. Input was also requested from historians
and linguists. Over 60 proposed names were received.
The proposed names were considered by the Board of the Greater St Lucia
Wetland Park Authority. In accordance with the World Heritage Convention Act
the matter was then referred to the Minister who, after consultation with
the KZN MEC for Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs, and MEC
for Agriculture and Environment, referred it to National Cabinet for final
The Minister said "We believed the 220 000 hectare Wetland Park had outgrown
the name of St Lucia, linked to the town and lake of the same name. The
consolidated boundaries of the park now include a third of the length of the
KwaZulu-Natal coastline, and destinations such as Kosi Bay, Lake Sibaya,
Sodwana Bay, uMkhuze Game Reserve, False Bay, Fannies Island, Charters Creek
Lake St Lucia, Cape Vidal and Mapelane. In addition, internationally, the
island of St Lucia in the Caribbean, with its own newly–listed World
Heritage Site, has a very strong market presence, which dilutes the brand
value of our St Lucia Wetland Park.
"In the broad consultations throughout the past two years it was clear that
there was overwhelming support to change the name. It was widely accepted
that the description of Wetland Park be retained and be linked with a
descriptive indigenous word. The word iSimangaliso has rich historical
context. Ujeqe was King Shaka's insila (aide who keeps all the King's
secrets and gets buried with the King when the King dies). He fled after
uShaka's death to avoid the customary burial with his master. He wandered
into Thongaland, present-day Maputaland, and came back, saying: I saw
wonders and miracles in the flat land and lakes of Thonga. From that follows
an isiZulu saying that if you have seen miracles, you have seen what uJeqe
saw: Ubone isimanga esabonwa uJeqe kwelama Thonga." Ujeqe might just have
been one of the first tourists to visit what is now the iSimangaliso Wetland
Media Enquiries:
Blessing Manale
Chief Director: Communications
083 677 1630
Riaan Aucamp
Ministry: DEAT
083 778 9923
Pontso Pakkies
Media Officer
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority
wetlandmedia@ mweb.co.za
Friday, May 04, 2007
BOATING ON St Lucia Estuary
There are new rules for piloting power craft on inland waters including estuaries.>From the 1st of April 2007 all people piloting a vessel must be in possession of an Inland Waters Skippers Ticket. They must be a member of a registered boating or yacht club. The vessel must be registered with the club and the club`s safety officer will check all the safety equipment on the boat before registering it. This equipment includes the following which must all be clearly marked with the club number.- SABS life jacket for each person on board.- 1 handheld Smoke Maker.- If the boat has only one motor then there must also be a pair of oars.- 1 water tight capsize bottle.- An anchor with 3 metres of chain and 50 metres of rope.- The vessel must have 30% bouyancy.- The boat trailer must be clearly marked with the owner`s name, cellphone number and boat name.
Article by: Rhino Club
Thursday, May 03, 2007
April 2007 Feed Back
Since the mouth opened and Harlekyn breached the gap, many boats have followed in his wake. This last weekend of April up to 27 boats launched a day, putting St. Lucia ski boat club in the top for popular launch venues. St. Lucia Ski Boat Club as upgraded and is once again a radio controlled launch site. The Safety officer on duty is Ian and skippers can contact him on 073 393 5710 for more information regarding safety and regulations.
Before launching, it is advised, that skippers familiarize themselves with prevailing conditions. Friendly local skippers are a good source of information and remember conditions changes daily according to tides.
Launching fees are R35.00 and this includes the washing facilities for boats and the use of fish cleaning facilities for the launch day. Club facilities are also open to people using the launching facilities of the club. The club is also the official Jet Ski launch site.
The Club consists of bar facilities, restaurant, kiddies play era and a swimming pool. The games room and pool tables are for club members only. Renier and his well-trained staff serve an excellent spread and Jabu and his team will quench your thirst.
Weekend Catches:
Ski Boats:
King and Queen Mackerel and full quota bottoms where caught all weekend long।
Estuary Boats:
Some Grunters, breams and small perch
Shad and Grunter. Quantities – Bag limits where reached.
Please focus on this spot for updates on the annual St. Lucia Snoek Derby.
Venue: St. Lucia Ski Boat क्लब
Date: 23/24 June 2007
Happy angling to all.


text:
Currently Reading: Finished Jean Joachim/Ben Tanner's Love Lost and Found and loved it! Now I want to go to St. Thomas (pout!). Recommended Read:) Also finished Amber Skyze's Pretend With Me, and discovered when my Sony locked up, I was only 3 or 4 pages from the end! Still, it was nice as I skimmed, refreshing my memory about the story line. This one is also a Recommended Read:) As soon as I recharge my Kindle, I'm going to curl up with Carol Preflatish's A Kitchen Affair, which I've been dying to read for 3 or 4 years! (see Monday's interview...)
Print-wise: Finished both This Calder Range and Calder Pride. TCR I mainly skimmed, and as I said earlier, I'll probably pick this one up in ten or so years and read it cover to cover. Just wasn't that interested in all the details. And CP I read all the way until 3/4 of the way through, then began skimming when I realized the blatant plot. Another one to put away for ten years.....And am now engrossed in The Perfect Father by Peg Sutherland, one of my favorite HQ authors. I had an eye-roll moment when I realized the 'mistaken identity' part, so am interested in seeing how this plays off. I hate it when characters don't talk to each other and base everything on assumptions....but that wouldn't keep us turning pages, would it? But I don't like to read and yell at the characters.
Jan 1993:
The mother of the 5 y/o I was baby-sitting was having money issues, and decided to quit paying for the day care, and so would drop him off at my house every morning at 5:30am before going to work. Little B was still sleepy, so I'd get up, welcome him in, lay him down on the couch with a blanket, and go back to bed myself for two more hours. Baby T didn't arrive until 7:30, and my now-toddler K was usually up by 7, so this worked well. My spouse left for work between 7 and 8, so I'd turn on PBS kids while I fixed breakfast for the two boys. I'd then leave them eating cereal and go get dressed while T rolled around the living room floor with his toys. We'd then turn off the TV and color, play games, and play with toys.
It was somewhere during this month that K took it upon himself to feed T spaghetti dinosaurs. T was now nearly 6 months old; my lunchtime routine was this: Get K and B settled at the table with their lunch while I changed T's diaper and put him in the high chair. I'd then mix up T's cereal and baby food. One day as I had my back turned, I heard B try to stop K, then heard my name being called. I turned around just in time to see K put his spoon in T's mouth. Knowing the pasta wasn't going to hurt him, but he could possibly choke, I sent K back to his chair, and watched T's reaction. Sure enough; soon he spit out the pasta T-Rex and grinned at me. Since his mom and I frequently spoke on the phone, I called her and related the event. She got a good laugh out of it!
The afternoon routine was enjoyable. I let the kids watch another Barney episode and at 1:30 would get everyone settled down for a nap; T in the crib; K on my bed; B on the couch. I should also point out B was legally blind, so taking off his glasses ensured two hours of sleep, no matter how hard he protested, and it usually took 20-30 minutes before he'd settle down. I dimmed the lights and turned on some soft classical music. 2-4pm was 'my time'. I'd settle on the floor with a notebook and pen, with the coffee table as my desk, and worked on Keri's story or Gretchen's while everyone slept. Then it was change diapers, feed T a bottle, and start dinner. T would be picked up around 5:30, and his mom usually stayed around to talk some more before heading home. My spouse was usually home at that time also, but B's mom sometimes worked until 9 or 10pm. So B would often eat with us, and I'd give him a bath with K. On her early nights, B's mom would sometimes eat dinner with us also. She was a paramedic, and worked long shifts with only a bite to eat here and there, and appreciated a hot meal when she came to pick up her boy.
Next Month: That moment when you realize your day care kids listen to you more that their own moms.
Present Day:
I am sooooo sick of the latest 'news': Who cares about Kim K's pregnancy? Who really gives a shit about Lance Armstrong's confession? And why are we speculating soooooo much on Manti Te'o? So what if he got caught up in the hoax? Maybe he continued the farce to save face? Or who cares if it was all a cover up to hide his sexuality? I. Don't. Care! Let the guy have his privacy, for god's sake! He needs time to deal with this, not having every news and entertainment show shoving cameras in his face.
Rant over; here's what I plan to sing at karaoke tonight:
Do That To Me One More Time-Captain and Tenille
Do Wah Diddy-Manfred Mann
Do You Know The Way To San Jose-Dionne Warwick
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me-Culture Club
Do You Want To Know A Secret-Beatles
Two more, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart and Do You Want To Touch Me by Joan Jett need more practice. I may even save these two for when we sing at Cincy Saloon again. The Railroad Inn is more suited to country and oldies; it's an older crowd. Toward midnight, we can get more into the rock and roll!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Enchanted Chapel
Carla from Mooi Photography and Plank Kreatief was inspired to do this extraordinary shoot at Bosjes that they titled, "The Enchanted Chapel". With a variation of textures, lines and warm colours of red, black and gold, creates a very extravagant atmosphere. They explain all the details of the shoot below.
Inspired by the striking architectural curves of the iconic Bosjes Chapel, this shoot focused on modern lines and bold colours. Soft textures were used to compliment the structural designs. The chapel and surrounds offer a wide range of artistic masterpieces, the aim of the shoot was to play within the natural and constructed beauty of this environment.
We decided on alternative flower and decor to suit this alternative new chapel. Dried branches served as bouquet and base of the table arrangement. The bouquet was then further dressed with small red origami flower petals to complement the paper theme and create a sense of cohesion throughout the shoot.
The same effort was put into the table scape with dried leaves, dried herbs and black sprayed flowers to imitate the strong lines found in the art of origami. Layers of black and grey velvet and soft grey tulle was the perfect base for the matt black plates, cutlery and black glassware. The goal was to create a moody and bold table scape with dark colours and flashes of gold and red.
Venue: Bosjes
Photography and Image retouching: Mooi Photography
Coordination: Blank Canvas Event Design
Flowers and Table Decor/Styling: Kadou Floral Design
Hair & Make-Up: Skoonlief
Paper Accessories and Decor: Plank Kreatief
Cakes: Crumb Cakes SA
Dressed by: Cindy Bam Couture
Stationary: Lieflingkind
Chairs & Tables: Grand Style Hiring
Table Linen: Tablecloth Hiring Company
Gold & Black Cutlery and Black Crockery: Two Birds at The Dairy Shed
Black Glassware & Vase: Function Hiring 4 U
Model: Listelle Visser
Model: Nina de Waal
Model: Poppy the bunny (Photographer's fur baby and house pet)
Model: Daisy the bunny (Photographer's fur baby and house pet)
Photographer's Assistant: Marinda Labuschagne
Styling a Luxe Boho Meets Lavender Wedding
Adorn Invitations enlightened us with this beautiful styled shoot, put together with industry experts, renowned stylists and wedding dress designs by Maggie Sottero and Nicole Spose, they have brought to life a beautifully styled shoot set amongst alluring lavender fields.
The talented team who helped to bring this elegantly ethereal vision to life have written up a style guide so that you can all take something away from it and use it as inspiration for your own magical day.
Influences & Inspiration of the Theme:
As you'll find with your wedding, you'll start off with an idea but you will witness it beautifully turn into something beyond your wildest expectations and so different, in a good way, to how you originally wanted it to be. When we started planning how we wanted this shoot to turn out, we had our hearts set on darker and moodier – think rich plums and velvet reds, set in an enchanting forest with that wild, untamed spirit of the boho couple.
Our ideas were ever changing, but at the heart of it all, we wanted to create something that wasn't a copy of something that's been done before. We took inspiration from images we had seen online and ran free with it, letting it take a life of its own. We found it organically move towards more earthy tones and we found ourselves then wanting to achieve a more feminine, fairy tale theme with the incorporation of our stylist's own individual touch.
She defines her personal style as boho and hippy and soon realized it is hard to separate yourself from it all, just as you as a bride will find it hard to not bring into your wedding day you and your partner's own personality and lovable quirks. You want to make the experience personal and you want to have a connection with it. You have to make the day well and truly yours.
In the end, it unexpectedly but pleasantly turned out to be a boho meets soft purple with that much-needed elegant touch brought in by the gold accents.
Location: Picking the (perfect) location is one of the most important parts in wedding planning because once it's locked in, you can plan all the finer details around it. We looked at the possibility of hosting this shoot at a beach or forest until we realized that we would have to change our themes and colours slightly based on the location. Consider the surrounding and the lighting, we chose this location because it was stunning throughout each hour of the day!
Colours: Shades of purple ranging from deep to pastel blended with soft pinks will add that feminine feel while coupling that with crisp whites and creamy colours along with gold will contribute that perfect touch of contrast and highlight. The green adds that sense of vibrancy and should be present through the floral arrangements and natural surroundings so as to not overdo it. Adding touches of metallic throughout your special day will add that sophisticated and modern element.
Décor &Texture: A traditional wooden table adds that charmingly rustic, relaxed and countryside elegance feel and it allows for an intimate gathering that isn't overly formal. Set against it lightly washed lavender fabrics for that soft, romantic feel. For that hippy, casual feel that really welcomes your guests, go with an elaborately unique patterned rug to set the base, then layer it with fur rugs, sequin and tasseled handmade throws, a range of cushions inspired by Moroccan prints, thickly stitched accessories and metallic gold ottomans. Find inspiration from the heart of Morocco and bring it into the 21st century.
Florals: Ask your florist for a blooming, elaborate arrangement that will speak for itself – leafy greens and succulents with pastel pink roses and lavender sprigs decorated throughout. Pay attention to detail and serve your guests a soft purple beverage in crystal glassware with real lavender sprigs for a thoughtful touch. Let the floral arrangement be unstructured and messy, the greenery is necessary for breaking up the richness of the purple. You want an effortless, natural, organic-looking and free-flowing arrangement that will steal the show.
Tablescape: Decorate the wooden table with the geodes and gems that will well and truly stand out – think purple, rose or clear quartz and amethyst. For that structure, add geometric vases and candleholders. For the platting, go with white gold edged paired with gold cutlery wrapped in ripped soft lilac silk ribbon with gold scripted ink name tags layered on a lilac cloth.
Indoor Tablescape: The main difference with the inside setting is that it was more elaborate and formal.
Centerpiece & DIY: Dare to be different and to really leave an impression on your guests. Cow skulls may seem a little too eccentric, but you can glam it up to your own liking and add your own touch to it. We purchased one from the $2 shop for $50, spray painted it white and the horns gold, glued on the lace and embellished it with pearls, diamantes, jewels and a sparkling earring dropping from its forehead. We made it romantic and feminine in our own way.
Food: All of your guests will be eagerly awaiting dessert, so continue the theme and make it extra special for them! Go with the crowd favourite: macarons and sprinkle some gold glitter and flakes onto it. Add berry filled desserts for that rich contrast of reds and purples. To continue through with that casual vibe, you can't go wrong with a high tea spread.
Lighting: The daytime will give you that soft natural lighting, but you'll be celebrating far into the night, so keep the atmosphere inviting and romantic and hang some lights from the tree above. Tie the glass candle holder to a thick rope and here's our key piece of advice: go with electronic candles which should be easy to source from the local discount store. Surround your guests with a warm glow and even go with dressing the tree with fairy lights!
As relaxed as this wedding theme is, you do want to really draw your guests in with that luxe element. We recommend gold foiled and laser cut invitations, a favourite amongst the most stylist and modern of couples. Featured in this shoot was our elaborately detailed gated card with you and your partner's personal monogram laser cut into the fold out and held together by a sweet lotus flower sticker. For a less over the top and more chic invitation, there is the floral framed laser cut design that has a more bohemian feel.
Beauty & Fashion
Makeup: You'll be outdoors so keep it light and natural. For the base of your face, think dewy and luminous skin kept glowing with highlight or strobing. Top it with a baby pink or peach blush paired with rose gold or copper colored eyeshadow. For that contrast and move away from the glossy, keep the lips light and matte with a nude and neutral color.
Hair: Have your hair rather loose and free, think effortlessly natural hair-down waves or go with natural braids wrapped with real lavender sprigs and decorated delicately with handmade flower crowns or pearl and crystal embellished head wear that will really make a statement.
Wedding Dress: Picking the dress is perhaps the biggest moment for you in all of the wedding planning. The Nicole Spose gown with the lace backing, features a subtly embellished bodice with an illusion neckline, beaded floral embroidery, and delicate lace appliqués that cascade into a tulle skirt for the bride who wants to really make a statement.
The Sottero and Midgley gown is a chic lace wedding dress; accented with spaghetti straps; demure illusion back and V-neckline, finished with delicate pearl buttons is for the bride who wants something soft and light.
The long-sleeved Maggie Sottero gown classic sheath wedding dress features embellished illusion lace over jersey & atop a feminine sweetheart neckline and long sleeves with hand-placed lace appliques is for the bride who wants a boho meets elegant look.
Henna Stand out, get unique and go with white henna on your arm for that true bohemian feel that is coming up big in the wedding fashion industry! Embrace this extra touch to a modern wedding and make it extra special by having the design imitate the lace print of your wedding gown.
Kids in weddings:
There are always fun and creative ways to include children in weddings! Dress them up playfully and allow them to run free on the day and join in on the celebrations. A perfect way to make them feel included is to go with the held-up signs reading statements like "Here Comes The Bride" and "Don't Panic Ladies, I'm Still Single."
Flowers: Babylon Flowers | @babylon flowers
Food: Mary Eats Cake | @maryeatscake
Invitations: Adorn Invitations | @adorninvitations
Dresses: Raffaele Ciuca | @raffaeleciucabridal
Headpiece and Jewelry: Love On Jewellery | @loveonjewellery
Photography: Sephory Photography | @sephoryphotography
Models: Caity Caarels | @caitycaarels
Carl Zvekan
Pastel is on point
Pastel was the latest wedding colour trend for 2014, which is great because pastel suits everything from outdoor garden weddings to beach weddings in our sunny climes. This pastel-coloured inspiration shoot is filled with hues of gorgeous soft, pastel colours and amazing floral inspiration. This shoot was styled to showcase the feminine beauty of the winelands, especially with all the blossom-filled orchards and blooming surroundings. We wanted to inspire everyone with some colours, textures and creative ideas – whether for a tea party, kitchen tea, wedding, or even just something beautiful to add to your dining room table.
Photography: Christine Meintjes
Styling: Anneke Roux & Nicola Pretorius from The Pretty Blog
Venue: Brenaissance
Flowers: Fleur Le Cordeur
Dresses: Rosenwerth
Make-up: Alicia Buckle
Hair: Ida Webster
Jewellery: Hoodoo
Cake: Laura Michell Cake Couture
Cake stand: In Good Company
Plates, glasses & vintage props: Nest Vintage Shop, Stellenbosch
Stationery: Cottoncloud Letterpress
Models: Kim Rose and Carla Bester from ICE Genetics
Bohemian Rhapsody
A team of top wedding suppliers came together to create this gorgeous, bohemian-styled shoot. The day was filled with rich reds, purples, greens and golds. Our aim was to inspire you with a relaxed vibe and rustic feel, with lots of colours and textures and gorgeousness. This is what we came up with….
The make-up by Michelle was clean and classic, giving the impression of effortlessness. Her inspiration was that it was to be light-hearted and fun.
The gown, from the Dimity Collection by EcoBride, is a Chantilly lace and silk chiffon illusion dress with pleats. All of the gowns in the EcoBride collection are created from vintage or organic natural fabrics and handmade laces. The Chantilly lace used in this gown is a lace from the 1960's which suits the bohemian theme exceptionally well.
Bridal fashion is currently enjoying a pink tinge as a refreshing change to the all-white gown, which brings romance and girliness to the story. This shoot has brought together a wonderful mix of suppliers, and the decor elements and carefully selected flowers complement the EcoBride gown and groom's attire perfectly.
Pistachio Designs were hugely inspired by geometric patterns and shapes together with bold colours and touches of wood. The wood gave an earthy, natural feel, and the colours with the geometric shapes made the stationery vibrant and fun.
The wedding invitation is engraved wood with a subtle printed envelope, and the wood theme is carried through to the little arrows on the menus, the table numbers and table decorations. The laser-cut words are custom-made and add a special touch. The rest of the stationery has a rich green printed colour.
The inspiration for styling of the flowers and décor was the rich jewel tones so often associated with the bohemian style, rich fabrics and patterns providing a striking aesthetic. Different jewel tones are incorporated throughout the crockery and Indian ottomans and embellishments.
Deep red proteas mixed with rich purple sweetpeas and soft touches of pink, all brought together with greenery, created a look of romance and grandiosity. It is also important to bring in different textures, such as wood, ceramics, fabric and flowers, to stay true to the nonconformist approach.
All in all, it is all about colour, natural elements and happiness – which is what a wedding should be about!
Photographer: Laura Leigh
Decor & flowers: Eco-Chic Weddings
Stationery: Pistachio Designs
Dress: Dimity Collection, EcoBride
Make-up: Make-up by Michelle
Cake: All Things Nice Bakery
Models: Soula and Rynhardt from
Ice Model Management
Beach Beauty
The concept and design for this shoot was to remind ourselves of the unruly nature of the ocean, mixing smooth and raw textures together. The look we decided on was natural, romantic and feminine, since most brides give a description of their ideal wedding make-up containing at least one of these words. See how we pulled this whole look together.
Before the shoot took place Roné from Desert Rain Photography put up a mood board on Pinterest with images of looks that she would like for the shoot. She says: "This is a preferred method of working with clients – I always ask for images or a visual description of a look they would like to achieve."
For this natural, romantic and feminine look, creating a flawless and dewy skin was very important. Suzanne used the Temptu Airbrush make-up, rather than ordinary foundation. Temptu Airbrush make-up contains silicone and is water- and heat-resistant – perfect for an outdoor shoot.
"The colour pallette I used on her eyes contained liquid eye shadows in nude, pearl, champagne and shimmery gold. I emphasised our model's eyebrows to frame her face, and completed her eye make-up with a few subtle lashes applied to the outer corner of her eyes to elongate the eye shape and give a dreamy look.To enhance the glowing look I applied a shimmer blush and powder to her cheekbones which would catch the light and give a lovely, soft glow to the cheeks. I also chose a nude lip and applied light gold pigment mixed with a clear gloss on top.For our model's hair I wanted big, soft curls that could be worn up or down. For the upstyle I created a loose, textured bun. This was achieved by using salt spray, and suited the coastal wanderer theme perfectly."
The blushing radiant skin and windswept hair with hints of gold reflecting the natural rays of the sun evoke the sense of an early-morning stroll at the seashore. Take a step back to pause and be mesmerised by nature, focusing on the treasure of colour found at the seaside – sandy hues mixed with mysterious deep blues and contrasted with white pearl.
The dress evokes the image of tiny open shells being woven together, fluttering like a chime in the wind.
Photographer: Rone de Bruyn – Desert Rain Photography
Dresses: Teresa from Gelieft Bruid & Prêt-a-porter
Make-up & hair: Suzanne from Skoonlief
076 926 8001
Palm bangle: Kooky from Kin Shop Kloof
Model: Lauren White from Topco Models


text:
Director Jang Jin's first romantic comedy presents a rare love story between a once famous baseball player and his ardent lover. Dong Chiseong (played by Jeong Jaeyeong), a star baseball pitcher in high school and college, hurts his shoulder, and is replaced as an outfielder. What is worse, he experiences a constant nose-bleeding and hears from the doctor that he has only three months to live due to a malignant tumor in his lung. Deeply depressed, he goes to a bar to drink away his sorrows until he falls asleep. A pretty bartender Han Iyeon (Lee Nayeong), finds him passed out and picks him up and carries him home.
MoreLess Releases


text:
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Time is a precious item
Andrew was in a coma for seventeen years. When he woke up, he figured it would take him too much time to catch up with his old friends, so he decided to make new ones.
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 8:53 PM 157 comments:
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Unanswered questions answered (III)
— What is the single most disgusting combination of two words ?
— "Spider sushi".
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 1:16 PM 4 comments:
Unanswered questions answered (II)
— Did God create the world ?
— No, He just found it out there.
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 1:15 PM 3 comments:
Unanswered questions answered (I)
— Is there life after death ?
— Yes, but it's very short.
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 1:09 PM No comments:
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The boy-meets-girl scene as seen through the eyes of an idiot
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 8:09 AM 5 comments:
Thursday, April 17, 2008
On "A fairly good impersonator"
Several readers have complained about the previous joke "not being that funny". I'll simply remind them that I specifically mentioned that Edgar's impersonating skills "...would lead to all sorts of hilarious situations". Should I have added an exclamation mark ?
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 4:01 PM 4 comments:
A fairly good impersonator
As he struggled with puberty, Edgar found out, quite accidentally, that he had been gifted with a unique talent : he could impersonate absolutely anybody's voice. By the time he turned 14, he had us all fooled : whenever the phone rang, we could never be sure that the caller was the actual person we'd been expecting a call from (let's say, the Czar)... or just Edgar, pulling yet another practical joke on us. As you may well imagine, this would lead to all sorts of hilarious situations.
Posted by The Baron of Laughter at 12:33 PM 6 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Build the general strike.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
New PCWC poster for #occupyphoenix
Posted by Phoenix Insurgent at 1:54 AM
Labels: anarchist, anti-capitalism, occupy phoenix, occupyphoenix, october 15
1 comment:
- Thane Eichenauer said...
Really? A noose? Folks, MSNBC called to say your French revolution is showing.
- October 7, 2011 at 12:32 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm | Sat 9am-1pm AEST
LOGIN or MANAGE YOUR BOOKING
Our latest offers direct to your inbox. Sign up now!
Discover MSC Grandiosa with a special 5% discount*
Discover the Voyages Selection
Experience benefits
Benefits may vary depending on the itinerary.
°Available for adults only
*The drink package refers to All-inclusive restaurant &bar drink package or All-inclusive classic drink package, following cruise destinations
**For further details, please refer to the Booking Conditions on msccruises.com.au
***For further details, please refer to the Booking Conditions on msccruises.com.au
****Fantastica Balcony and Fantastica Suites Guests only, as well as Wellness Experience Guests, on board MSC Opera, MSC Lirica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia will have My Choice dining style. Wellness Experience Guests on board MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview will have My Choice dining style
MSC YACHT CLUB - Exclusivity and privacy in a world of choice
MSC YACHT CLUB WELLNESS*** DELUXE SUITE - Available only on MSC MERAVIGLIA
* Not included into the cruise fare
** In addition to the standard MSC Yacht Club benefits
*** Available until Winter 2019
⁰ Adults only
Booking number


text:
Time To Ketchup On All Things kerry
The fireworks continue over at ....
Kerry's House of Ketchup!
I'll do my best to present a philosophical and generally conservative look at current events and life, the universe and everything. Readers are invited to take all that's posted herein with a grain of salt. or if they prefer, a grain of salt, a slice of lime and a shot of tequila.
Greetings and welcome. My name is Steve, I'm 35 years old and I work for the US Army as an Operations Research Analyst. Hence my blog title Knight Of The Mind.
The fireworks continue over at ....
Kerry's House of Ketchup!
As you may or may not already be aware, members of the Watcher's Council hold a vote every week on what they consider to be the most link-worthy pieces of writing around... per the Watcher's instructions, I am submitting one of my own posts for consideration in the upcoming nominations process.
Here is the most recent winning council post, here is the most recent winning non-council post, here is the list of results for the latest vote, and here is the initial posting of all the nominees that were voted on.


text:
In 'Using online to get offline' I briefly mentioned Meetup.com Founder, Scott Heiferman, and his talk in London about the importance of meeting offline.
Scott shared that he really began to experience the power of community in post 9/11 New York when people began again to rediscover the importance of looking out for each other. I was in London during the bombs on the underground and on a bus on 7 July 2005 and saw many people going out of their way for others in a similar way.
Scott shared that the idea for Meetup came from that time and he wanted to create a site to help strengthen community. To give people the opportunity to use the Internet to get together in local communities each day with the goal of improving themselves or their communities. Their mission today is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.
As Scott said it's about "Using the Internet to get off the Internet!"
A great insight into how to use Online Social Media and Networks in your Business Networking, a subject I addressed more fully in this article:
'10 top networking tips to increase business with the effective use of offline & online networks'
Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Results found at > Home > Business Networking > Business Networking Groups > Conversations > How Networking Works > Networking Relationships > Networking Tips > Offline Networking > One2One > Online > Online Networking > Trust > Using the Internet to get off the Internet
Friday, April 16, 2010
Using the Internet to get off the Internet
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
First off, panic attacks are very common and most people will experience at least one in their lifetime. That being said, they are a terrifying experience, especially the first time they happen. The most important thing to know about panic attacks is that they are almost always triggered by totally normal body sensations that are misread by the person as a sign that something really bad is happening to them.
Getty Images
Expert advice from our partner ChickRx.
Q: The other day, I suddenly stopped being able to breathe properly, my heart was racing, and I thought I was going to pass out. Is that a panic attack? How can I make sure I don't get one again?
First off, panic attacks are very common and most people will experience at least one in their lifetime. That being said, they are a terrifying experience, especially the first time they happen. The most important thing to know about panic attacks is that they are almost always triggered by totally normal body sensations that are misread by the person as a sign that something really bad is happening to them. If you are "stressed" or anxious, you are more likely to misread your body sensations and experience a panic attack than someone who is calm and relaxed.
A common scenario: You may be a healthy young person and perhaps experiencing a period of elevated stress during your life. Possibly while not doing anything out of the ordinary, you suddenly notice your own heart rhythm. Maybe it seems to be going a bit more quickly than usual or you noticed a skipped beat, both of which are normal and harmless. You then begin to have worried thoughts that this is a sign that something's wrong, which causes your body to start releasing adrenalin. This "fight or flight" hormone is triggered in any fear state, whether the danger is real or imagined. To create as much strength as possible, your heart rate rises to deliver maximum blood flow to the arms and legs and you begin to breath quickly to deliver increased oxygen to your muscles. Your pupils widen to increase alertness and allow you to see as much of your surroundings as possible. In creating these bodily reactions, adrenalin also produces "side effects" like light headedness, racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath, unusual visual changes, and feeling out-of-your-body or unreal, among others.
Read more at ChickRx:
- How can I get over social anxiety?
- Is it possible to develop ADHD later in life?
- How can I get my temper under control?
So while you can see how adrenalin would be useful in confronting a real danger, its effects can be really scary when you aren't confronting a real danger. The effects of adrenalin can also cause more fear, which leads to more adrenalin surges and further increases your heart and breathing rates. This panic cycle can be intense, but it's usually limited to 20 minutes or less and its effects on the body are typically harmless.
It's extremely common for first or second time panic sufferers, convinced they're having a heart attack or stroke, to visit the local emergency room, where they're almost always reassured that there's nothing physically wrong and are typically sent home with a sedative to calm their nerves. For most people, knowing that nothing is physically wrong is enough to prevent a panic attack from occurring again.
But for a smaller percentage of panic attack sufferers (about 1.5 to 5 percent of the population), this may not be enough to stop the attacks. There are those who suffer from an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and seemingly out-of-control panic attacks, called Panic Disorder. These people tend to be over-thinkers, perfectionists, and the like who aren't satisfied with an easy answer. Individuals with Panic Disorder experience intense fear and dread that they're dying or going crazy with each panic attack. They begin to fear having panic attacks between episodes and alter their lifestyles to try to prevent them from occurring. Panic Disorder is a psychiatric condition that may need to be addressed by psychotherapy or psychiatric medications.
For others, though, what seems like a panic attack could be a physical issue like an asthma attack or heart rhythm abnormality, so make sure your physician has performed a general exam on you to confirm your "panic attack" may not be something more serious.
If what you experienced was in fact a panic attack, and the attacks persist, this may indicate an elevated stress level or anxiety disorder that should be addressed. Whether you experienced a normal panic attack or you suffer from Panic Disorder, you should focus on minimizing your overall stress level to decrease the likelihood of another panic attack. Get at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three times a week, decrease caffeine and alcohol intake and regularly sleep seven to eight hours a night. In some cases, your doctor may also recommend psychotherapy or medications to minimize the attacks and teach you how to deescalate and prevent them.
Expert answer by: Melanie Zermeno, MD, a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, Calif., and an assistant professor of Psychiatry at UCLA. Read more answers to this question, or ask your own.
This article originally appeared on ChickRx


text:
I won't be coming to my hometown in the first week of raya. Maybe in the third or fourth week instead.
Mother, with her mother's instinct, sent me a text asking about how am I doing, what's for iftar and subsequently, asked me about my raya plans.
I told her the sad news. Then I asked her about my other siblings, whom all should be nearer to her than me. She said she didn't know about their plans yet.
She also told me about my cousin who recently got married and is already pregnant. I guess her family is really fertile. Her sisters, one is older than me by one year, one is 3 months older than me, were also pregnant very early into the marriages.
When Father was still alive, he used to say, despite the wealth and rezeki we were blessed with, "Tapi kita ni miskin anak," he said.
I guess, what he said is kinda true. So far, since after his passing, Mother still only has three grandchildren. When there was only one, we had to wait for 9 years for another to come by. Now that all of her chidlren are independent and married, none of us shows any signs for more babies. Yet.
My husbsand I rarely quarrel. If we got into a big fight, it would be once in the blue moon. I love this relationship and I love my husband so much.
I think he is the main reason behind the low quantity of bickering. I respect his high tolerance level towards my erratic, irrational behaviours.
When he explodes, he would tell me about what I've been doing and how he's been patient with me. That would make me realize that I am far from being the perfect wife and I would cry.
He would leave me for no more than two hours and he would embrace me back into his arms, telling me how sorry he is, even though everybody in this world knows he is not to be blamed.
Such a sweetheart.
I am so lucky to have a husband who
- sends things I forget to bring to work
- carries my heavy bag to work, even though I am perfectly fine and healthy and so not pregnant
- brings back the bag from work to home because I refuse to carry it, it's so heavy!
- brings me the food of my choice like a delivery guy
- lets me stay friends with my friends
- consistently mops and sweeps the floor and washes the dishes
He's such a gem and I'm such a spoilt princess. Haha.
He comes by to my workplace so often, even the cleaning ladies recognize him!
As you know, I am preparing for a trip, which is different from the normal vacation that I would usually have.
So, I've been filling up forms, for insurance etc.
At first, it feels kinda weird because my next-of-kin is no longer Father.
It feels weirder because if it was not Father, I would usually nominate Mother as my next-of-kin, but now, it's my husband.
I now belong to my husband.
If Father was still alive, I think I would still comfortably name him as the first person to contact if anything happens to me.
I have a new staff, I need to train him a lot.
He is also playful. On the other hand, I am trying to be the fierce boss. So that my staffs would be scared to approach me and make my life carefree because I would be having less people asking me about petty issues.
Like, "Benda macam ni pun nak tanya saya ke?!"
I've been establishing the reputation as the fierce but sweet, fierce but still approachable, fierce but still teaches you and has good intentions kinda boss, which I so enjoy.
As expected, I have less people calling me and they would rather call my colleagues if there was a slight problem. In the end, my other colleagues always need to stay back late after the office hours!
But this new staff that I need to train, he's somewhat different because he is not scared of me!
He bravely answers me back. When I am annoyed, he'd say something like, "Jangan marah-marah, bulan puasa ni tak baik marah. Ke, awak tak puasa hari ni? Hahaha..."
I can still tolerate him because at least, he is eager to learn. Whenever there's something that needed to be done, which is new to him, he would volunteer to do it despite not knowing a thing. I take that as a good thing.
Yesterday, we were attending a client. He selambe badak je pergi cakap dekat our client, "Pakcik, kitorang ni semua baik-baik. Kecuali boss saya ni. Dia selalu marah-marah saya."
Pakcik: Oh, ye ke...? Nikah dah ke?
Staff: Nikah dah...Ada dua anak dah...Hahaha...
Me: ......
Pakcik: Oh, dua dua ni nikah dah? (Pointing at both of us) Baguslah. Comel dia ni...
Me: Pakcik! Saya dah nikah, tapi bukan dengan dia!
Then I left the scene leaving my other colleague to supervise them. Gila awkward and uncomfortable...
Anyway, that Pakcik was quite funny. He's quite fluent in English, so I was curious.
Me: Pakcik, dulu Pakcik kerja apa?
Pakcik: Pakcik dulu tangkap orang jahat.
Me: Ohh...(Thinking he was a policeman)
Pakcik: Pakcik dulu umur 12 tahun dah kena mengajar.
Me: Ohh...(Patutlah pakcik pandai speaking, cikgu rupanya...)
Staff: Pakcik ni cikgu ke, kerja polis?
Pakcik: Pakcik tangkap orang jahat. Pakcik tangkap komunis!
Haha! Comel gila pakcik tu. Then he said we are a friendly lot. I guess, no other people tried to make conversation with him before this.
1 day ago


text:
Ok, sorry for the lack of blog love these days. I am off today and enjoying a few minutes of quiet time around the house so thought I would share a new area of interest (ie passion, ie time waster of mine!) It's called Pinterest. Oh "she" is a gem, a gem which hosts your internet quandaries and searches and keeps it all in a nice little spot for you. You can then come back and search for that new recipe you saw or that organization tip or craft for Valentine's day, etc, etc.
This kids bedroom (above) looks oh so cute. This website had step by step instruction on how to create it.
And this recipe...Parmesan crusted Tilapia, sounds delightful. I actually did a modified version of this last night with chicken breasts. So yum!
This was one of the first pins I made in my "My Style" board: a great DSLR tutorial. I learned some stuff and sent it on to a few people I thought might enjoy learning something too about shooting in manual mode.
I made these "7 Up" biscuits last week, had sprite on hand, and they turned out so incredible! And were oh so easy!
And I have saved tons of photo ideas as well. Like this one, so cute!
So come on join in with me in this super fun Internet adventure...it's not quite as bad as being hooked on a Francine Rivers book...well...not...yet at least!


text:
Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) has issued a recruitment notification for the recruitment of Project Assistant through recruitment notification. Candidates who have completed M.Sc can apply for the new recruitment notification from Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI)
Eligible candidates can apply online/ offline for the Job Project Assistant on or before 22/05/2015. Find more information about the vacancy like Age limit, Selection Process, Qualification, Application fee, How to apply etc can be found below.
Company Name : Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI)
Vacancy Name : Project Assistant
Educational Qualification : M.Sc
Total No Of Vacancy : 02 Posts
Salary : NA
Job Location : Mysore
Last Date To Apply For This Job : 22/05/2015
Address For The Job Vacancy : CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore – 570 020, Karnataka
Detail Of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) Project Assistant Recruitment:
CSIR- Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore a constituent national laboratory of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research Institute (CSIR), invites applications from eligible candidates for recruitment of 2 [two] positions of Project Assistant (Level-II) on a temporary contractual basis in the research project (GAP 0469) funded by Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India, New Delhi tenable at the Lipidomics Centre, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore, Karnataka.
- Essential qualification: First class M. Sc. in Biochemistry/Microbiology/Genetics/ Bioinformatics with good academic record and preferably with experience in molecular biology techniques and basic knowledge of molecular biology and biological chemistry
- Age Limit: The upper age limit for applying shall be 28 years (as on 22-5-2015), which is relaxed for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Schedule Tribes, Women, Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and OBCs as per GoI norms.
- Terms & Conditions: 1. Suitable candidates as required for the project will be called for an interview. 2. The engagements of Project Assistant are exclusively for the above mentioned project. 3. The engagement will be contractual and on purely temporary basis in the project funded by DST, Govt. of India for a maximum period of one year and is co-terminus with the project, if the project terminates earlier. 4. The engagement under externally funded project does not confer any right/claim whatsoever either explicitly or implicitly on the appointee for regular appointment in CSIR/CFTRI, against any post or otherwise under any legal conditions precedent.
Selection Procedure For Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) – Project Assistant Post:
- Candidates can apply on or before 22/05/2015
- No Detailed information about the selection process is mentioned in the recruitment notification
How To Apply For Project Assistant Vacancy in Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI):
No TA/DA will be given to the candidates for attending the interview. Eligible candidates may send their complete Bio-data with e-mail address/contact phone number along with attested copies of the necessary certificates through post to Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Lipidomics Centre, Department of Lipid Science, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore – 570 020, Karnataka (email: email@example.com) on or before 22-5-2015.
Applications received after the due date (i.e., 22-5-2015) will be summarily rejected. The short-listed candidates will be informed about the date of interview and the venue through e-mail/post. CANVASSING IN ANY FORM AND / OR BRINGING IN ANY INFLUENCE, POLITICAL OR OTHERWISE WILL BE TREATED AS A DISQUALIFICATION FOR THE POST APPLIED FOR. INTERIM ENQUIRIES WILL NOT BE ATTENDED TO.
Important Dates To Remember :
Last Date to Apply for this job 22/05/2015


text:
Members Present:
Mr Jimmy Hood, in the Chair
The Committee deliberated.
Convention on the Future of Europe: Ms Gisela Stuart, a Member
of the House, and Mr David Heathcoat-Amory, a Member of the House,
the Commons Representatives to the Convention on the Future of
Europe, were examined.
[Adjourned till tomorrow at half-past Ten o'clock.


text:
Do you get tired of fixing the same things over and over for dinner? I certainly do. While grocery shopping at Aldi yesterday, I noticed they had some really nice looking baby back ribs that were super reasonable. They were $9.00 for a rack of ribs. I don't ordinarily buy ribs because I think they are way too expensive for what you get. Sometimes it seems there is more bone than meat. Well, these looked really good, so I bought some. It was a wise decision.
While cleaning up my paint brushes from the furniture painting session, I decided it would be ribs for dinner. Yesterday, I cooked a bit pot of fresh green beans with new potatoes and a big pan of fried corn. Both were fresh from the farmer's market. Can I say Yum? Yum! There was also a fabulous cantaloupe in the fridge that I had sliced. Excellent! All I had to do was cook the ribs and reheat the vegetables. I LOVE when that happens.
To cook the ribs, I decided I would put a dry rub on them and cook them in the oven low and slow first. Then, we would put them on the grill for a bit, just to get them good and brown. I made up my rub using spices that I had on hand and I had to write it down tonight so I wouldn't forget it because I will be using it again. These ribs were so juicy, tender, and flavorful that we could not stop talking about how good they were. Fortunately, there are some left for tomorrow. Yay!
Here is what I used in the dry rub.
2 tsps salt
1 tsps fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsps Mexene chili powder (use your favorite, Mexene is mine)
2 tsps paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly and rub on both sides of the rack of ribs. (This was just enough for one rack of ribs. Increase the amounts by doubling or tripling if you are planning to cook more than 1 rack.) I let the ribs set out for about 30 minutes so they would come to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. It's all about low and slow. After the ribs have set out for about 30 minutes, place them on a baking pan with sides. I used a sheet cake pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the pan in the oven. Cook the ribs for 2.5 - 3 hours on low heat. They smelled so good while they were cooking I could hardly wait to eat them. For the last half hour, remove the foil and let the ribs continue to cook.
When I removed the ribs from the oven, I cut the rack in half to make them easier to handle on the grill. Dan put them on the grill for about 10 minutes because I did not want them to dry out. They were just perfect when he removed them from the grill.
This post is mainly so I remember what I used in the rub, but I also wanted to share the recipe with you. This rub would be good on just about anything, but it made these ribs some of the best we have ever had.
Give it a try, I think you will certainly enjoy the end result.
Everyday Donna
Things to Remember:
Summertime bounty makes meals so enjoyable. Support your local farmers! donna


text:
Home » Android Games » Marble Heroes 1.1.2 APK
Marble Heroes 1.1.2 APK
Marble Heroes is really good and a twist on classic marbles. If you like RPG take turns battling games for simple fun, then this mobile game may just appeal to you. Just shoot you marble monster at the enemies and watch them crumble under your might. A little confusing at first on how to power up characters, but once you figure it out you can't stop playing.
Here's a quick look at the features of the game, which you can download for free on the Google Play Store.
• Intense Multiplayer Action
Join forces and ally with your friends to earn better item drops and more Gold! The more players you get together, the more fun everyone has!
• Lightning Fast and Fun Combat
Featuring a painstakingly developed drag-and-release combat system, it only takes a single swipe of the finger to vanquish entire mobs of evil enemies! Ricochet shots off the walls to take foes by surprise, and bounce off allied marbles to unleash powerful "Friend Skills"!
• Aggressive Attacks and Vivacious Visuals
Activate each Marble's unique skills to turn the tides of battle! Set off massive explosions, fire powerful laser beams, bombard enemies with fleets of guided missiles, and much more!
• Endless Strategic Possibilities
Develop unique tactics galore to unleash your hidden power! Maneuver your marbles into just the right spot to defeat waves of minions and massive Bosses!
• Assemble an Unbeatable Team
With more than a hundred unique Marbles to select from, level up and evolve your favorite Marbles to create your very own army of elites! No one will be able to defeat your mighty warriors!
Marble Heroes has great graphics, original gameplay and a good mechanic of aiming and killing opponents. While the game is free to download and play, be aware that it also contains in-game purchases. And if you can't grab this game on the Play Store, you can download the latest Marble Heroes APK below.
Download APK
Requires Android: 2.3+
{ 0 comments... Views All / Send Comment! }


text:
Representative of an Overseas Business visa happens to be a suitable road for companies to use when they wish to establish a commercial presence in UK.
Through the medium of this visa overseas companies are permitted to send one representative to UK in order to set up a branch or subsidiary office, including carrying out market research, registering the company in the UK and negotiating with suppliers and customers.
What you need to be eligible for the Visa Program?
Basic Requirements
How Representative of an Overseas Business visa works?
The prospective candidate has to submit the visa application along with all the required documents. The most integral step while applying as a representative of an overseas company is to provide a full description of the parent company's activities, including details of assets and accounts along with a letter confirming that the overseas company will establish a wholly-owned subsidiary or register a branch in UK in the same business activity as the parent company. Besides this, the applicant is also required to provide their biometric details (fingerprints and photographs) when applying for this visa.
How much time does the process takes?
The duration for visa processing depends upon the particular case lodged and is based on personal circumstances.
A time period of 3 months or above on average is taken to process this visa application for overseas applicants if all the requirements are met.
Benefits of Representative of an Overseas Business visa
Fill in your details for a quick call back


text:
via candies.com
The sad part is, when I tried to find the shoes somewhere, anywhere, I couldn't. They aren't on the Candie's site, aren't on Kohl's site (where the brand is sold). What do I do? Maybe they just haven't been released yet. I just have to hope that if I do get my hands on a pair, people don't say "Hey, aren't those the shoes from that creepy Britney Spears commercial?"


text:
2016 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Exhibition
Monday, February 01, 2016 — Saturday, February 06, 2016
Place: Second Floor Lobby, Free
In observance of Black History Month, the Library of Virginia and Dominion Virginia Power honor eight distinguished Virginians in this traveling exhibition as the 2016 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History for their contributions to the commonwealth and the nation. Through education and advocacy, they demonstrate how African Americans have actively campaigned for better lives for themselves and their people. For a schedule of this traveling exhibition, please visit: www.lva.virginia.gov/public/smw/2015/exhibit.htm.
Virginia General Assembly in Session. Parking at the Library will be very limited.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016 — Saturday, March 12, 2016
Please note that the Virginia General Assembly, the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World, will be in session for 60 days beginning January 13. Parking for Library of Virginia patrons will be very limited during that time.
Remaking Virginia: Transformation through Emancipation
Monday, July 06, 2015 — Saturday, March 26, 2016
Time: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Place: Lobby and Exhibition Hall, Free
Even as the Civil War was still being fought, the status of almost a half-million African Americans in Virginia began to change. No longer were they someone else's property—they were free. They anticipated the promise of change from their former status as slaves: the promises of education, political participation, and full citizenship. Yet, in their struggle to achieve these goals, freedmen and freedwomen faced the hostility of their former masters and the society that had long benefitted from their labor. Union troops and U.S. government officials reconstructing the Southern states were often indifferent. What challenges did African Americans face in their struggle to achieve what they believed freedom would bring them? What obstacles blocked their efforts to gain citizenship? How successful were African Americans during Reconstruction in claiming their objectives? Did the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution significantly aid them in their struggles? The Library of Virginia's exhibition Remaking Virginia: Transformation through Emancipation offers a look at the changing world Virginians faced during Reconstruction. Radio One is the exclusive radio sponsor for Remaking Virginia.


text:
There are many herbal teas that are made from ingredients that you can grow in your garden easily: sage, ginger, apple mint, saffron, chamomile flowers, peppermint, dandelion, lemon balm, fennel, and lemon thyme among others, all make good teas that can be blended for their unique flavor and restorative properties. When planning your herb garden this year, don't forget to make a spot for tea ingredients.
Luckily, many of these plants are hardy perennials, coming back year after year without much effort from you. Watch for future blogs that will give you some great tips for planting a tea garden, as well as recipes that will make good use of your crops. In the meantime, order your free herb catalogs so you can get an early start on spring planting. Visit my free herb catalog list to put in your order. Free Herb Catalogs
Happy shopping.


text:
*subscription purchased by me*
This months Ipsy might be my favorite because of the cute leopard and neon bag!! I haven't really liked any of the past bags as much as I love this one! I'm crazy about leopard and neon- and make up bags ;)
Also included in this months Ipsy:
NYX cream blush in Tickled - I love NYX blushes - def think they give MAC a run for their money :)) it's a gorgeous peach with a golden glow!
Psssst dry shampoo - can never have enough of these- especially during summer!
Cailyn gel eyeliner in Purple- have not heard of this brand but am excited to try new brands, and a purple gel liner.
JCat cream sparkle palette- not to excited about this since 1. I would not put this much glitter near my eyes 2. The reviews I've seen/read in this ate not to great. It's streaky and messy. Looks nice in the package but not for me:/
Starlooks Tickle Me lip pencil- another new brand. I've worn this several times already, alone and with a gloss. So creamy and applies like a lip stick. Excuse my dry lips in the picture, but the color is gorgeous!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Ipsy June 2013
Posted by yessie (cinnamonandzoeykisses) at 2:58 AM
2 comments:
What's IPSY? I need to order some NYX cream blushers. We can only get them online so it's a shame I can't swatch first but I know I'll love them xReplyDeleteReplies
Ipsy (also known as myglam- they changed the name recently) is a monthly subscription but contain only makeup/beauty products. whereas Other sub boxes may contain everyday/skincare items. Hope that makes sense- I may be over describing it;)Delete
I will def send you some of my fave NYX blushes on the next parcel i send you. I only have 3 but they have been used (major pan)! I'll do a post and hopefully the pictures will be ok! xx
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
In addition to Hebrew language instruction, and Independent Study Projects (in Hebrew) students have various internship or volunteer opportunities from which to choose (also in Hebrew).
The program location at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) provides an effective and authentic immersion experience.
The BGU campus – known for its strong and active Student Union – offers regular activities such as performances at the Student's House, shows, day trips, and various cultural events.
- american men ukraine women dating
- Sex chat with no creit card
- Bedava webcam sex
- online qatar dating sites 2016 to 2016
And every natain has its culture, its traditions and customs.
Quite naturally, marrying a representative of anynationality, russian women should understand and accept the characteristics and lifestyles of the family in which they will live. More than half of marriages of russian girls and citizens of Israel are made in the period of study in Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian universities.
Other Israeli men met their wives in business trips to Russia.
Here's a guide to all the quirks of multi-cultural dating, relationships and picking up girls and guys around the world.
Israel is a state in the south-west Asia, at the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The largest cities of are Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa.
The population of the country is 7.587.000 inhabitants and the area is 27.800 Israel is a country of high technology and infrastructure.To get here is a dream of many russians and ukrainians. Here are the representatives of more than 50 nations.Connected to the local community through various social programs, Ben-Gurion University serves as a bridge to the local community and it actively supports and facilitates the students' connection and integration in the local community.While Beer-Sheva is a rapidly developing city, it is not subject to throngs of tourists, as are Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and it is unlikely that you will hear English spoken in the city.The School in Israel offers academic rigor, cultural engagement, and freedom to explore in an authentic Israeli city recently branded as "Israel's Opportunities Capital".There are many motivations to travel – adventure, learning, culture – but, hey, a little loving on the way helps.


text:
My sense is that many Democratic observers are skeptical, right out of the gate, of Obama's attempts at outreach to evangelicals, and were quick to read this as a setback for Obama. My off-the-cuff response when I first saw this news item was, Phyllis Schlafly is past her prime, and in a battle of the titans, my money would be on Rick Warren.
Sure enough, Warren responded politely but firmly, and and the bottom line is that Barack Obama is still invited to Saddleback. This article tells us that while Obama is in SoCal he's going to squeeze in an appearance on the Tonight Show. Rick Warren didn't just fall out of a tree, and he would have to be real afraid of Phyllis Schlafly to diss a Tonight Show guest. He's not that afraid of her.
One of my points here, to channel Amy Sullivan for just a moment, is that your average journalist or Democratic politico has a view of evangelicals that's stuck in the past. Writers like Eric Kleefeld attach a lot of weight to names they recognize: Falwell, Schlafly, and Robertson. None of those three is a heavyweight contender anymore. Rick Warren is a contender, Richard Land and James Dobson are contenders. Ted Haggard was a contender until recently.
Another news story that caught my attention this week is that the president-elect of the Christian Coalition has opted not to take the job, because of the resistance he encountered in wanting to broaden the Coalition's focus:
"My position is, unless we are caring as much for the vulnerable outside the womb as inside the womb, we're not carrying out the full message of Jesus," he said in a telephone interview yesterday. "They began to think this might threaten their base or evaporate some of their support, and they said they just couldn't go there."
The Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson's onetime base of operations, is circling the drain. This is because of garden-variety institutional stagnation, and also because (my second point here) pro-life politics are in trouble. (Note the setbacks on Election Day: the abortion referendum in South Dakota, the stem-cell referendum in Missouri.) An overwhelming focus on protecting the unborn and harassing gays, to the exclusion of every other issue, makes the Schlafly types look out of touch and mean. The future of evangelical politics is global humanitarian issues and the environment, and Barack Obama may be onto something.
Update, 12/4/06: The text of Obama's speech at Saddleback


text:
I have just had one of those annoying wastes of a couple of hours when something which worked on my computer suddenly decided not to, for no apparent reason.
In this particular case it was that my e-mail client, Mozilla Thunderbird, suddenly decided not to send e-mails. It would receive them fine, but not send them. Instead, it would display a pop-up box asking for the password to the server, but when I entered it, it simply repeated the request. If I cancelled the request, I got a message saying it could not connect to the SMPT server.
I tried the Thunderbird Help Forum, and Googling things like "Thunderbird cannot send e-mail asks for password", and all combinations in between. I found numerous similar complaints and requests for help going back over the years, all from people who'd been using Thunderbird and who suddenly found they could receive, but not send, e-mails, and that repeated attempts to enter the password were refused.
Well, I finally worked out a solution. I am not sure if it is a wise one, but it works for me, so along with my advice on Installing FAX services for Windows XP, I offer it as a 'public service'.
1. Open Thunderbird
2. From the menu bar at the top, click Tools> Account Settings> Outgoing Server (SMPT) [from left hand menu in the new window]
3. Highlight the account currently in use (or the one you wish to use) and select Edit
4. In the box which opens, under Security and Authentication unclick Use name and password
5. Click OK
6. Try sending again
It works for me. If it works for you, leave a message.John Richardson
(PS: I just tried doing the reverse on my wife's computer, setting it to use the name and password, and sure enough it locked up. I have set it back!)
When posting your comments please give a full name and location. Comments without this information may be deleted.


text:
Talk to a Designer
Glen Ellyn Bath Design & Remodeling from The Kitchen Master
For a custom bath designs in Glen Ellyn, along with other home interior design and renovation services, The Kitchen Master is the only name you need to know. Since 1977, we've helped homeowners in Glen Ellyn and all over Illinois improve the look and feel of their baths with our personalized renovation work. For every project we take on, we create a custom design specific to homeowners' needs. The Kitchen Master team specializes in kitchen renovations and design, as well as cabinet installation, refacing and more. Our team is proud to stay up-to-date on all the latest trends to create stylish and contemporary spaces.
Who to Call for Bath Design and Remodeling Services
When you work with The Kitchen Master, our team will listen to you to help develop a bath renovation design that's exactly what you've been dreaming of. We'll create a remodel that's specific to how you and your family use the space, and we'll do it within your allocated budget. Our team of employee craftsmen and award-winning kitchen and bath designers in Glen Ellyn will build your bathroom exactly as we promised, and we'll stay on the job until you are completely satisfied with the final result.
Fully Customized Bath Remodeling Services in Glen Ellyn
At The Kitchen Master, we follow a simplified process called The Master Plan. This is our signature procedure designed to make the bath renovation process organized and simple for you from beginning to end. The Kitchen Master team can complete everything you need for your project, including:
In addition to bath remodels, we can also complete renovations for other rooms in your Glen Ellyn home, including kitchens and other rooms, such as laundry rooms or home offices.
Consult with a Reliable Experienced Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Company in Glen Ellyn
To learn more about The Kitchen Master's custom remodeling service in the 60137 or 60138 or to schedule a free consultation, contact us today!
Projects in Glen Ellyn and Surrounding Western Suburbs


text:
I have had alot of fun ideas for Christmas candles and tarts swirling around in my head for months. I finally got a chance to create one of them today and I am thrilled with the results.
These little guys are so festive and they smell SO good!
They come in a white bakery box with ribbon, too darn cute!
Tell me what you think!
Friday, November 13, 2009
New Christmas Mini Muffin Soy Tarts
Posted by Wendy The Candle Lady at 7:07 PM No comments:
Labels: candles, christmas, mini muffin tarts
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Illegal migrant Carlos Montano has killed Virginia Nun Sister Denise Mosier while driving drunk. Montana has two previous drunk driving charges.
Carlos A. Martinelly Montano
The crash at around 8:30 Sunday morning killed Sister Denise Mosierand injured two other nuns as they were driving to a retreat at the Benedictine Monastery in Bristow, Va. The two injured nuns were in critical but stable condition late Monday, according to St. Gertrude High School in Richmond run by the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia.Apparently ICE policy does not include retention of those determined to be in the country illegally, even when the offender has been previously arrested. The death of Sister Denise Mosier, and the critical injuries of two other Nuns is on the hands of illegal migrant policies.
Sister Denise Mosier
From Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY-5th):
"I have been saying for months now that this administration's new policy of concentrating almost solely on 'criminal aliens,' and not enforcing the laws by deporting known illegal aliens, would have devastating consequences. Now, we see the tragic results this 'virtual amnesty' policy of the Obama administration has caused," said Rep. Harold Rogers of Kentucky, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations homeland security subcommittee.The Washington Times:
In a June 30 memo, John T. Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for ICE, said agents should focus their capture and deportation efforts on illegal immigrants who were suspected of terrorism, had been convicted of violent crimes or were repeat offenders, gang members or "aliens who otherwise pose a serious risk to public safety." He did not define what rose to the level of serious risk.
The latest ICE statistics show that the agency has stepped up deportations of criminals, but has slowed deportation of other illegal immigrants. The agency also is holding fewer illegal immigrants at any one time than it did last year, according to the statistics.Every drunk driving charge should be penalized with a day or two in jail. Perhaps neophytes, who would rarely drive drunk, would be convinced never to do it again, but once driving under the influence is a second offense, there should be no mercy. Carlos Montana deserves to spend the rest of his life in an American prison. Prayers for Sister Denise and the injured Nuns.


text:
|"Believe" - New Pattern
Pillow and 2 Ornaments
Thursday, July 12, 2012
20 comments:
- Cathy F.July 13, 2012 at 10:54 AM
I Believe!! The pillow is delightful. Thanks (again) for a chance to win.ReplyDelete
I love this pillow as well as, all of your designs !! Hope I win.ReplyDelete
- LouiseJuly 13, 2012 at 3:38 PM
Oh...thank you for making me think of December. It is pretty hot here right now (well, I'm in Redding and it is only 99 degrees so I guess I shouldn't complain). I feel refreshed looking at this very pretty design!ReplyDelete
- Wanda BJuly 14, 2012 at 5:41 AM
Thank you for the opportunity to enter to win this pattern. What a wonderful addition to Christmas decorations!ReplyDelete
I love this pillow pattern and all things Santa. I have made your Christnas stockings and this pillow would look great along side. I would love o win! Thanks!ReplyDelete
YOUR RIGHT,,,NEVER TOO EARLY TO START THINKIN AND STITCHIN FOR CHRISTMAS...LOVE THE DESIGN.ReplyDelete
I love these faces. Super colors also.ReplyDelete
Love you new Santa pattern!! Would be fun to get a head start on christmas!ReplyDelete
This is so cute. I would love to win it. Christmas is the very best season to create forReplyDelete
Very cute and festive pattern. Christmas is my favorite season, especially for wool projects.ReplyDelete
- jolyn bJuly 14, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Always enjoy your pieces. Enjoy adding to my collection.ReplyDelete
Love your patterns; they are so much fun.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 14, 2012 at 1:49 PM
please sign me up for patternReplyDelete
Gloria Bladel 707 987 9365 firstname.lastname@example.com
thank you Reet
Gorgeous wool...lovely patterns!! Thanks for the chance to win!ReplyDelete
That Santa is so cute! Thanks for the chance to win it. Hope to see you at Expo in Portland, Oregon.ReplyDelete
LOVE - LOVE - LOVE your patterns. Believe me if you walked in my home you would see that lots of my money has been spent on your website. You do an AWESOME job and I must admit I love your new Santa. It would go so great with all the stockings and Santa's I have made over the years. Hope you have a great time in CA!ReplyDelete
Way cute! This is a fantastic Christmas pattern. I have several friends who are going to want this one!. See you at a show somewhere, sometime.ReplyDelete
I always love every one of your patterns......but this one is just tooooo wonderful. :-) I especially loved the little angel. Maybe if I actually got going now I could have enough for a tree in December.ReplyDelete
I am a follower too!! I love the extra details on your patterns....the little bells, etc. I have so many of your patterns.....this would be an awesome addition! thanks!Delete
Hi Reets! This Santa is wonderful!!! I would love to win one! Glad you are busy working on fun things! Wish I could come to Long Beach. Tx.ReplyDelete


text:
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
7 comments:
Beautiful sunlight coming through the trees. I also like the light and the colours of flowers. It makes you walk all worth while.ReplyDelete
I've been neglecting my morning walks, too! But I stopped stressing about it and have given myself permission to be okay with not walking until after the holidays ... too much going on!!!!ReplyDelete
Lovely photos.
Have a great week!
diane @ aug's blog
It is so easy to let this habit of a daily morning walk slide - but just looking at your morning images makes it much easier to remember the benefits of getting out there with the golden morning light. Beautiful!ReplyDelete
Looks like a beautiful morning. I really love those little red thingies!ReplyDeleteReplies
Bottle brush- an Australian nativeDelete
aren't the mornings so great? I love the light at this time, these are lovely shots.ReplyDelete
I love bottle brush but didn't realize it was an Australian native. We used to have one years ago at my home in California and it was always a favorite. I love the idea of early morning walks but have never been good at actually doing it. Perhaps I can turn over a new leaf?ReplyDelete


text:
Well, here we are backwards and rotated left and I don 't know how to straighten it out. This is a drawing that we reversed to make a T shirt print, but if you tip your head and play with the reversed label I think you get the idea. It has been that kind of year. I lost my wife to smoking. But she did pretty good--81 years. Maybe more than a lot of others. I can still sail the laser several times a week. I live in Florida so that goes on 12 months a year. I signed up to go to the gym and we will see how that turns out. No New Years resolutions. I will just follow my nose.
This afternoon and tomorrow afternoon we will have a "last day" sail in 2011 and then tomorrowa "first day"sail in 2012. No big deal.
I just checked and 120 people looked at this blog yesterday. Hey, check in. Just a hello in the comments! Maybe I need a contest with prizes like Tillerman.
I will make more posts, so just keep coming.


text:
Kagoshima First Flush officially started on April 6; the very first shincha lots were produced during the last few days of March, but those were quite plain and we did not accept them. We came to visit Mr. Nishi-san on April 13, during his first harvesting of shincha from one of his Sae Midori fields. This was his first field to flush this year. Mr. Nishi-san has many small fields in Kirishima Mountain and he cultivates 14 different varietals, which all flush at different times, so each day or so after his first Sae Midori flushed, other shincha lots came out.
April 13th, we unwrapped the Sae Midori field selected by Mr. Nishi-san for the first harvest of the year.
This year, we chose a superb lot of Yabukita Shincha, which was handpicked on April. We'll be offering many other First Flush micro-lots later in the season from Mr. Nishi-san, after the First Flush is totally completed and we can choose.
Mr. Nishi-san's gardens are located in Kirishima Mountain, which is at a much higher elevation than the rest of Kagoshima's tea fields, so his teas always flush later than other areas of Kagoshima. This year, we are very lucky because none of Mr. Nishi-san's farms were affected by frost or cold damage that harmed and even killed so many others earlier this year. During our visit, we could see that his tea fields appeared strong and healthy.
Below is an interview conducted over many days of hanging out with my friend, Mr. Nishi-san.
Mr. Nishi-san is a very serious guy and usually he is not so willing to be on camera much less interviewed by a foreigner. Seeing him smile after our first of many interviews was refreshing. Mr. Nishi-san, Rishi's long time friend Mr. Kotaro Tanimoto-san who is the President of the Japan Tea Exporter's Association and Joshua along one of the trails in the organic tea fields.
Josh: Hello, I'm here in Kirishima Mountain in Southern Japan with one of the true artisan masters of sencha green tea, Mr. Nishi-san! Thanks for welcoming Rishi to visit you again! How long have you personally been working with tea?
Nishi-san: I started working with tea from a young age with my father, so you could say at least 40 years.
Josh: How long has your family been cultivating tea?
Nishi-san: I am the 2nd generation in my family working with tea.
Josh: How many family members do you have working with you and what kind of work do they do?
Nishi-san: Our major focus is tea and we produce all kinds of local organic produce like Satsuma Imo (local sweet potato), mushrooms, fruits, herbs and honey. We also grow the majority of our own food. My wife, my two sons and my daughter and other family members all work together with my staff to cultivate and process tea.
Josh: Of all the teas you produce, which tea is your personal favorite?
Nishi-san: Handpicked, First Flush Sencha, but I have no specific favorite varietal. Each year the weather presents different conditions and my favorite this year may be different next year.
Josh: I knew you were going to say that and I am glad you did, because so many tea drinkers in the US are fixed to one flavor, and year after year, they always have to get it, and many complain when the tea is a bit different. But it is my opinion that we must embrace change, and the beauty of our teas is that they reflect the changes of nature. That's what makes specialty tea a specialty and not a standard!
Josh: What percentage of your teas is handpicked, vs. machine harvested?
Nishi-san: About 2% of our teas are handpicked. The cost is about five times the cost of machine harvested, but we can only sell the handpicked tea for two times the price of our machine-harvested tea, so we only make it available in our local retail shop, give it away as gifts, or sell it to special customers like Rishi Tea.
First day of Mr. Nishi-san's First Flush harvest in Kirishima Mountain on morning of April 13th, 2010.
Josh: What makes your tea farm so unique, and why are there so few organic tea farms in Japan?
Nishi-san: We embrace the balance and harmony offered by nature, making use of what's in our environment. Not just Japan, but most of the world relies on chemically invasive, unbalanced agriculture to maximize yields and prevent or kill pests and that's where we are different. Our method is all about natural balance and we only use what we can find in our natural environment. We separate our farms in the mountain with natural buffer zones of thick forestry and bamboo stands to keep the balance of the local environment.
The qualities of the tea we cultivate are also very different. Unlike other gardens that focus on a single varietal or only Yabukita, we are cultivating many tea varietals—14 to be exact—and they all flush at different time periods and have different flavors and attributes, so as the weather and conditions change each year, we can have many options to make our teas stand out, and our customers can choose various varietals to make specific blends that can be adjusted from year to year in response to the weather situation. We have varietals with deep color and rich umami and others with specific aromas and various degrees of sharpness. We can adjust our tea blends with the season according to our method and the choices at hand and that is also quite unique from other farms I've seen. Our farms are in Kirishima Mountain, which is at a higher elevation than most other Kagoshima areas, and our teas tend to flush a bit later than the usual Kagoshima First Flush, so we don't get too much frost damage.
Nishi'san's organic philosophy of organic tea cultivation is all about balance and harmony
Josh: I saw the unique style of composting you use and Mr. Nishi, I must say that your soil appears alive and so rich. Most organic tea farms have significant nitrogen deficiencies and look unhealthy, but your gardens look so strong. Must it be the composting methods?Nishi-san: You could say we assist nature to make our own organic fertilizer. We dry, bundle and age straw in covered piles, which attract bacteria, and then we mix the straw with soil from our Kirishima Mountain, crushed bamboo, and decomposing wood from our shiitake mushroom farms, and let it weather in piles for three years. During this composting time, the bacteria act to microbiologically ferment inside the compost pile and we add this special compost to our tea farm soil and it gives our gardens all the nitrogen and nutrition the tea plants need from the soil. We also don't weed and allow nitrogen-fixing herbs to grow between the rows of tea bushes, which aerates the soil, enhances the nitrogen absorption and provides the proper medium for earthworms to thrive, which are nature's organic fertilizer producers. You saw how many worms are in my soil? Japanese tea varietals are bred for high amino acid content and low caffeine and catechin so they must obtain a great deal of nitrogen to produce amino acids. We rely only on these natural methods to enrich the soil and boost the nitrogen that our tea plants require.
Nishi Organic Compost Pile
Josh: What are they key organic methods you use for pest control?
Nishi-san: Water, wind machines called "mini-hurricanes," killer bees and spiders, but the key is the water and wind. We have so many spiders in the gardens and they love to eat the pests of the tea bushes.
Josh: They like to eat me too. I got a small bite yesterday in the Yabukita garden!
Josh: Are there any recent technological advancements in the harvesting machines or organic cultivation practices you can share with us?
Nishi-san: I think you saw all of our special harvesting machines, the kabuse applicator, the different kabuse wrapping colors we use for different conditions and our processing lines. The most recent innovation we use is the powerful wind blowers to remove pests, called small hurricanes. We are also using mist sprinklers and fans to prevent frost damages to our tea farms.
Some of Nishi-san's tea fields are wrapped a few days before harvest to enhance the green color of the leaf and to enhance the umami flavor. The shading blocks sunlight and slows the conversion of amino acid to catechin making a sweet and smooth tea without sharpness.
Josh: Most teas in Japan are made with Yabukita but Mr. Nishi-san is famous for growing many unique varietals in addition to Yabukita. Japanese tea varietals are so unique from other types of green tea bushes; how do you describe the general difference between Japanese varietals and other tea bush varietals?
Nishi-san: Japanese tea bush varietals are bred for making sencha green tea and they have low caffeine and catechin but much higher amino acids and theanine contents when compared to other nation's tea varietals; therefore you could say our breeds are designed to be less bitter and astringent but much more umami, sweet and smooth with vivid or fresh green color. Japanese tea bush varietals have the potential for a much more true green or rich green color that is well suited to the sencha steaming process and this comes from a balance of breeding, cultivation techniques and our unique Japanese withering and leaf steaming procedures.
Josh: According to your own philosophy and experience, what are the virtues of steamed green teas, vs. other styles of green teas?
Nishi-san: Compared to other methods of green fixation, steaming quickly and efficiently kills enzymes in the tealeaf to prevent oxidation, and preserves the fresh green color of the leaf. The fresh green color and contents of steamed tea are quickly extracted when brewing within two brief infusions in various water temperatures. Pan-fired, roasted and other types of green teas need hotter water, longer infusion times and multiple steepings to release their contents and benefits into an infusion.
Josh: The harvest season, the tea bush varietal and the harvest region define the character of sencha, but basically, sencha is categorized by its degree of steaming. There is light steamed sencha called "asamushi," mid-steamed sencha called "chumushi," and deep-steamed called "fukamushi." Many books and seminars on sencha claim that there is some set time for steaming, like asamushi for 30 seconds, chumushi for 60 seconds and fukamushi for 90 seconds, but is that true?
Nishi-san: That sounds like a general range for First Flush Yabukita and very general. The degree, timing and pressure of the steaming depends on how course or tender the leaf material is and that depends a lot on the seasonal condition of harvest and the varietal of tea bush. We cannot say that there is a set time for asamushi, chumushi or fukamushi. It depends on the tea maker and the leaf status. It also depends on the customer's needs. Like for your tea, we make chumushi, or mid steamed, but each year we have to adjust the time based on the leaf character.
Perfect shot of Mr. Nishi's organic planning and healthy tea bushes shows the rich soil, blooming beneficial bacteria of soil health and thriving nitrogen fixing herbs set against the back round of thick stands of evergreen trees that serve as natural buffer zones that surround and protect the organic tea farms from wind shift contamination of industrial and urban toxins. Buffer zones like these trees are so important for organic cultivation.
Josh: We know the varietal and season of harvest is the major influence of amino acids, catechins and caffeine contents in a tea, but does the degree of steaming also affect the level of caffeine, catechin and theanine in the tea?
Nishi-san: No, it does not. The varietal and season of harvest are the major factors that define the amino acids, catechin and caffeine in the tea. Some varietals have very high amino acids wile others maybe lower. The various tea breeds, harvest season and soil types influence such factors.
Josh: Over many years, I have studied Japanese green tea and through my travels to many tea-producing countries, I can compare processing of green tea and I have the opinion that Japanese green tea is the greenest tea. I see this is true from varietal breeding, cultivation and steaming, but most impressive to me is the controlled withering. So many countries wither their green teas in ambient conditions but you control your leaves from the time they are loaded onto the truck to the time they enter your factory's withering chamber and through the whole process, the leaves never rise above a certain temperature before and after steaming, to keep the fresh green character. Could you tell us why withering control is so important?
Nishi-san: Withering preserves vitamin C and other contents in the tea leaf. When we make our green tea, we must control the leaf temperature and moisture content. The leaves should not get too hot or reduce their moisture too fast or they will become yellow and lose their good contents, resulting in poor color, flavor and mouthfeel. Proper withering increases amino acids and theanine in the leaf and converts carbohydrates in the leaf to complex sugars. Proper withering is very influential for the flavor, mouthfeel and amino acid taste (umami) of green tea, and that is why we developed a withering condition that controls the leaf temperature and humidity. Even our trucks that transport leaf to our factory have fans that circulate fresh air so the leaves don't get too hot and begin oxidizing.
Josh: At our last company meeting, we had everyone state their favorite tea. Your First Flush Sencha was the most mentioned tea and our customers also love your tea. Thank you for always making the great sencha for us!
Josh: You are like a rock star in the organic tea trade, especially in the US, where so many appreciate your unique quality of sencha. Do you have some message for all of our friends that love your tea?
Nishi-san: Thank you for enjoying our organic teas from Kirishima Mountain. Please try our multiple varietals each year.
Hiroki Nishi, Mr. Nishi-san's son: Thank you for choosing our family's tea! We know it is important for our planet and for our customers to make teas that are ecologically and environmentally balanced and safe, using only organic methods. We will continue growing our organic teas and sharing with you. Thank you very much!
Josh: Thanks for your time and welcoming me into your home, Mr. Nishi-san, and for sharing so much great information and superb food with me! Good luck making teas this year! See you again soon.