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The old model of autoimmunity involves having the genetics for autoimmunity and experiencing a trigger. These days we know more about the root causes of autoimmunity and what we can do about it to live a full and rewarding life.
Genetics is much more complicated than just having a gene for an autoimmune disease. Due to our understanding of epigenetics – how our genes are changed or modified – we can change the way our genome is expressed.
According to Dr. Tim Gerstmar in an interview with Mike Mutzel, the new model to treat autoimmunity involves identifying and reducing the environmental triggers that drive the inflammation and modulating the immune system so that it does not overreact. Here's how to do it.
Healthy gut bacteria eat sugars, starches and fiber. Most fibers are FODMAPs – fermentable oligo and di-sacchrides, monosaccharides and polyols. Bacteria like to eat these foods but many people cannot tolerate too many FODMAPs (or any).
Evidence suggest that we need fibers in the diet in order to feed the gut bacteria. We can get these form fruits, vegetables and certain starches.
Current recommendations are for 35 grams of fiber a day. It has been estimated that prehistoric peoples ate up to 100 grams of fiber a day.
Jeff Leach of the American Gut project has been living in Tanzania for over a year and studying the Hadza. The Hadza are one of the few thriving and surviving hunter/gatherer tribes left on this earth. They have a lot of fiber in their diet and an amazingly diverse microbiome.
Current studies show that diversity is the key to a healthy microbiome.
However, people with digestive problems and autoimmunity (or SIBO) may have difficulty with fiber because these fibers feed the pathogenic bacteria.
The microbiome can change very rapidly depending upon what is eaten. The goal should be to try to eventually move to a higher fiber (FODMAP) diet because those are the foods that feeds a healthy and diverse microbiome.
Polyphenols like spices can be beneficial for bacteria. For example cocoa powder has been shown to boost levels of bifido bacteria.
Berry powder, hawthorne, blueberries and other fruit and spice powders like tumeric can be helpful for the bacteria and have also been shown to be healthful as powerful anti-oxidents. Vinegar (balsamic) can also support some strains of bacteria. Some can tolerate these types of fibers even though they cannot tolerate FODMAPS as food.
Curcumin is highly anti-inflammatory and supports the liver and the detox pathways. There just doesn't seem to be anything negative with tumeric/curcumin. You can cook with it and/or take it as a supplement. It works as a food for the microbiome and as a source of polyphenols. So either way, it works well.
In this discussion of autoimmunity, Dr. Gerstmar shared his viewpoint towards treatment which I found to be extremely positive. Most patients go to alternative practitioners because they think/hope they can get off their medications and that is their primary goal. Dr. Gerstmar tries to put it in a different light – he suggests that the patient will become much healthier from the treatment and will have a much better quality of life. That right there is a success.
If that then allows the patient to lower or go off medications and still have the good quality of life that is a second success.
Of course one wants to stop taking medications but it has to come when the patient is ready and able because they have started making major changes in their diet and lifestyle as indicated above and they have stabilized the immune system.
There is always an emotional component with autoimmunity. Introspection and/or spiritual discovery should be part of every healing journey. Psycho-neuro-immunology (PNI) is an emerging field and the interaction between these systems in the body is scientific fact.
Additionally, adding downtime, or play, into your life can help you on your healing journey. In fact, for some, this may be the missing link.
I found this interview very interesting. You can hear a lot of fascinating interviews, with Mike Mutzel from highintensityhealth.com.
See more about Dr. Gerstmar here. He will send you a free ebook on autoimmunity.
Inspire Your Real Food Healing Journey with my FREE Grain-Free Meals e-Cookbook and Getting Started email series and newsletter! Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy


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If you make some art and share it online, seeking approval from your peers or via social media can be seductive. The ding of acceptance and seeing rising numbers makes the ego/mind happy. The approval is shown in a physical, measurable way so if the numbers are high, you feel good. And higher numbers are better aren't they??
"Fame in a world like this is worthless." — Marcus Aurelius, 121-180 A.D
But those numbers are a distraction, empty of real meaning and approval. We chase the numbers because we believe they can evaluate our art and give us external validation – the permission to continue to make if the feedback is good. But if the numbers are small, or the feedback is not so good, does that mean you feel disheartened about your art? Do you judge your own enthusiasm, enjoyment and self-approval on the judgements of others? And if so, why does their opinion count more than your own?
Seth Godin argues "The narrative of social media grooming is a seductive one, but it's as much of a dead end as spending an extra hour picking out which tie to wear before giving a speech." Spending more time grooming an online image is time and energy consuming and can keep you from making the art. Creating art in secret may be a more nourishing way to tap into creativity by distancing yourself from seeking others approval or permission.
But if you do decide to share online, know that the numbers can never make you happy. They will never be big enough for your mind to be content and the joy comes from the physical act of making your art.

subset: commoncrawl


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6AB in Dublin (April 5th – 12th, 2018)
4. April 2018 abgelegt in: Allgemein | Project Week | RSS von:
"Dublin is a city apart, a place of whimsy, imagination and enormous fun. Here the word craic is supreme in all its forms – spoken, written or sung." (source)
Students of 6A and 6B, together with their English teachers Mag. Angela Stadlmann (6B) and Mag. Johannes Eichhorn (6A), hope to experience the great "craic" – and YOU can do so, too.
Join our travel blog and comment on our experiences. DUBLIN BLOG
By the way, click here to see what's the craic !


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Introductory Program in Mindfulness & Meditation
Join us for a ninety-minute experiential workshop into Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga. This MM&Y workshop is designed to help participants understand and cultivate moment-to-moment awareness through gentle movement, focus on the breath, and the encouragement of a kinder, more compassionate way of relating to their mind and body.
During this Workshop, participants will learn how to...
Time and Location:
Every other month, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the University City location:
5060 Shoreham Place, Suite 330, San Diego, CA 92122
9-10:30am (20)


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People are very interested to know the Singapore Condo Prices. People want to know the exact prices of the condo because they can know what is the exact prices and what they have to earn. The Singapore Condo Prices are very important information that tells the person that what is an affordable price for the luxurious living in Singapore. The condo provides the different living in comparison to the HDB flats. As different facilities are attached to the condo and different to the HDB flats. The facilities like gym, swimming pool, BAR-B-QUE pit, and other facilities are attached to them. Through the condos, people are offered with the high living standard. The condos nowadays are high tech condos, this shows that Singapore condo prices are high as compared to the no tech condos. The tech condos include the technology like auto lock door. I am going to discuss the Singapore condo prices. The price differs according to the different condo types.
The price of the one bedroom condo is 670,000 dollars. The Singapore condo prices increase from here. The 2 bedrooms apartment costs 895,000 dollars. The Singapore condo prices for the residential unit consisting of the 2 bedrooms and a study room is 980,000 dollars. The residential units consisting of 3 bedrooms and the Singapore Condo price of this residential unit is 12,80,000 dollars. The condo that contains the 3 bedrooms and one study room and its price are 1,450,000 dollars. The 4 bedrooms unit of the condo and its price is 1,800,000 dollars. The 5 bedrooms unit of the condo and its price is 2,200,000 dollars. The Singapore condo price of the penthouse is above 3,000,000 dollars. The prices of the condos go up and up with the increase in the facilities attached and the number of rooms it. The price of the condo depends on the following factors:
- A total number of the bedrooms contained in the residential units.
- Facilities attached to the condos.
- The area covered by the condo.
- Location of the condo.
Location matters a lot in the decision regarding the price of that property. If the location of the condo contains all the related facility like the hospital, school, shopping malls, colleges, gym, playground, recreational facilities, and the superstores then the Singapore Condo prices are greater. These condos have more prices in comparison to those which have no facilities attached. In the year 2017, we have heard much good news about the real estate market.
The prices of the condos in Singapore in the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2017 shows a rise and this rise is 0.7 percent. This increase is caused followed by the periodical decline in the prices of condos in Singapore. The Singapore condo Prices are declining for 15 quarters consecutively. In 2016, the house price declines by 3.1 percent but this price again rises by 1 percent in 2017. The sales volume of the private property is increasing and its supply is decreasing in 2017. In 2018, the total growth rate in the prices of a condo in Singapore is 3 percent to 8 percent. This increase in Singapore condo prices is due to certain reasons:
- Better conditions of the condos. They are now well-managed.
- Due to the pent-up demand.
- The land prices are aggressive.
- En bloc
- Return of foreign interest.
The prices are at the peak in 2013 but then these prices decrease by 12 percent. An average Singapore condo price is 900,000 dollars. This is the average price is for the condo that consists of 2 bedrooms and 2 study rooms. People can also take a loan from the bank. This loan is equal to the 80 percent of the total market value of the property. The total time period of this loan is 30 years. The loan to value ratio is applied to this loan which is taken for purchasing the condos. The condo that has an area of 947 sq ft which consists of 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms costs 1,468,000 dollars. The condo that also covers the area of 946 sq ft that consists of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms cost 1,150,000 dollars.


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To make this popular Homemade Turkey Soup lower in saturated fat, prepare it ahead of time to cool and skim off the fat that rises to the top.
6 pounds turkey breast with at least 2 cups meat
2 medium onions
3 stalks of celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1/2 pound Italian pastina or pasta
Place turkey breast in a large 6-quart pot. Cover with water, at least 3/4 full. Peel onions, cut in large pieces, and add to pot. Wash celery stalks, slice, and add to pot also. Simmer covered for about 2-1/2 hours.
Remove carcass from pot. Divide soup into smaller, shallower containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator. After cooling, skim off fat.
While soup is cooling, remove remaining meat from turkey carcass. Cut into pieces. Add turkey meat to skimmed soup along with herbs and spices. Bring to a boil and add pastina. Continue cooking on low boil for about 20 minutes until pastina is done. Serve at once or refrigerate for later reheating.
Nutrition Information
Recipe makes 16 servings.
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 226; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 93mg; Sodium: 217mg
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About Us
Aerospace Technical Services is proud of our reputation for honesty, innovation, and quality in all the services and products we provide to our customers. Our core competencies - aerospace systems engineering and engineering management - are grounded in over a decade of experience in Air Force, Navy, and Intelligence Community acquisitions. This experience provides the foundation upon which we are able to support the various phases of major acquisition programs from initial concept and requirements definition, to acquisition, development and deployment, to operations and maintenance.
Customer Satisfaction
Our success is based on total customer satisfaction. We have extensive experience in building coalitions across the government as well as developing tools, products, and processes that integrate complex programs and systems. We strive to identify and offer possible solutions to issues to our customers to enable them to make sound decisions in a short timeframe. Our goal is to build lasting partnerships across the government enterprise focused on mission success.
Corporate Culture
We believe in building an environment of trust and individual empowerment. The Aerospace Technical Services team believes in bringing its full talent to solving tough customer issues and moving forward. The team lives by "One Team – Endless Possibilities" in everything it does to include work, family, and community. We promote continuous learning opportunities for everyone on our team to continue growing and bringing ever improving value to our customers. We also believe in being an integral part of our community through volunteering or charitable contributions.
Our Founders
Aerospace Technical Services was founded by Richard and Susan Kim in June 2015 as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC).
Richard Kim holds a B.S. in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), M.B.A from California State University, Long Beach, M.S. in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Ph.D. in operations research from Stanford University. Richard has had extensive experience in digital signal processing, optics, algorithm development, acquisitions, space systems engineering, and engineering management for the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Intelligence Community.
Susan Kim holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a M.A. in education from Pepperdine University. Susan has held various positions in administration and marketing since 2004.


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A patient in a private hospital room was having trouble sleeping.
Fortunately there's a nurse who can discretely help..
Handjob / Pole lick / Blowjob / Deep throat / Face sitting girl on top / Reverse cowgirl
Seen from the POV of the patient.
800x600 resolution 24fps movie
Total length: 10 min 44 sec
Character voice: Aya Kuchitani
Looping Flash clips included!


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ryan norgren
About Mr. norgren
Mr. Norgren has been teaching at San Juan Hills since 2008 and is very excited to be a part of this incredible school. He previously taught at Marco Forster and Vista del Mar middle schools. He lives in San Clemente with his wife and two children. Mr. Norgren currently teaches Digital Photography, Yearbook and AP Studio Art: 2D Design. Feel free to email him if you have any comments or questions.


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Mommas I got you! One of my best talents is helping people tell each other what they really want in #bed. And guess what? Lots of mommas are doing thangs they don't want to do. Except for Melania, most
When you do something courageous, people who love you get awe-struck. And that sense of awe makes their love for you expand. Think about it. Even YOU love yourself so much more when you're brave enough to go after what
Wassup Lovas? Today, and everyday, know that you are LOVED by at least 2 people! You and Me. For real, I LOVE you. And that's why I've been MIA all year. I know you didn't really need me when you
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/sexinsouthbeachwithdrsonjia/Love_ala_Mode_a_strategy_fro_modern_relationships.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSSAre you a boss in love with another boss? It's easy to see why successful professionals often fall for other successful people. But often, sexual relationships between
When you hear about Breast Cancer, do you think of an extraordinary woman? I do. And I think SHE deserves comprehensive care that considers HER holistic health – her mental, physical, spiritual, and sexual well-being. Fortunately, early detection and effective
I've been called the UTI whisperer. Every single week, I meet someone with a urinary tract infection resulting from a romantic rendezvous. Usually, a student or colleague comes to my office and tells me their plight because they know I can help: "I
A spicy date is hard to find… especially when you're in a relationship with someone! Since you already know ALL about them, and what they did today, and what their plans are for tomorrow, dating your long-term lover can get kinda boring. UNLESS you
Let's show MEN some LOVE! June is Men's Health Month! And today, more men are suffering from depression than ever before. Since half of all depressed people have sex problems, more depressed men means more depressed sex lives! Of course
Is yo suga too sweet? Most women don't realize sex could be better until the day they wish they were wetter. And most men believe their penis is perfection until the day they can't get an erection. This often happens
Attract Men, Repel Bugs In 2011 I went through a 'finding myself' phase. I was 37, just got married, and living with my husband for the first time. I did a lot of funky stuff trying to figure out who


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A University of Southampton diagram of the UK's first totally implanted hearing aid. The Otologics 'Carina' middle ear implant device consists of a rechargeable battery, a signal processor and a microphone which are all implanted under the skin.
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10,000 2-3 year olds are on psychotropic drugs for 'ADHD' – A Sott Exclusive
Outrageous!!! I agree that, "they should be subject to malpractice" ………..
………… "Dr. Lawrence H. Diller, a behavioral pediatrician in California, thought the news was outrageous:
"People prescribing to 2-year-olds are just winging it. It is outside the standard of care, and they should be subject to malpractice if something goes wrong with a kid." ……..
To read the full article go to


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A partnership between the Kadoma community and Friends of the Environment is set to transform swathes of degraded land into green belts in a move aimed at restoring forests destroyed through human activity.
Through a joint partnership re-aforestation programme involving the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the Kadoma Community Revival Club and Nyaradzo Group, a number of designated areas in Kadoma urban and in the outskirts of the town are set to be turned green.
Secretary of the Kadoma Revival Club, Mrs Mary Chirombe said the onus is on the community to leave a good legacy underpinned by a culture of sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
Nyaradzo Group Kadoma branch manager, Ms Mercy Terera pledged her company's continued support for programmes meant to promote the environment.
The organisation set in motion its campaign through a tree planting programme at the Rimuka community library premises.
EMA district officer for Sanyati, Mr Knowledge Kabesa bemoaned the high level of deforestation in Kadoma and surrounding areas, saying loads of firewood are smuggled into the city in the early hours each day as poachers try to evade detection.
Notable areas that are being targeted by wood poachers around the city of Kadoma include Bluegrass, Gazmark, Charama and the forest area around claw dam.


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Vars girls volleyball falls short against the Lincoln Mustangs
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The Cardinals were defeated 3-1 by the Lincoln Mustangs on Sept. 28. Prior to the game, both the Cards and the Mustangs stood undefeated this season.
The first set began on even ground. The Cards seized an early lead through some solid serves by junior libero Kailee Bumanglag. However, as the Mustangs' defense closed and their serves started to land, Lowell began to lose its edge. Lincoln quickly gained the lead, and for a time looked in a position to win the set. As the set went on, however, a burst of vitality and several excellent blocks by sophomore middle blocker Alina Qi allowed Lowell to catch up. An invigorated defense by the Cards continued to prevent Lincoln from claiming the set, and the Cards eventually won the set 25-20.
Lowell again took an early lead as the second set began. Senior outside hitter Eunice Go scored several points for the Cards, leaving the Mustangs racing to catch up. Lowell held onto its lead for a time, but it was fairly short-lived. Despite a number of strong serves by senior setter Sinead Beaupain and a formidable defense by sophomore middle blockers Kenedi Edmunds and Mariko Tanaka, the Cards found themselves unable to score. As the set drew to a close, the Cards managed to regain some momentum but not sufficient for securing their victory and they lost the set 23-25.
With the two teams tied, the tension grew immensely as the third set began. Tanaka scored for Lowell several times through a dink, bypassing the Lincoln defense, while senior middle blocker Betsy Li took over blocking the Mustangs' shots. The Cards' teamwork was impeccable and they held onto the lead for the majority of the set. As the set went on, however, it became clear that Lowell's midcourt was lightly defended and Lincoln scored again and again. Though the Cards made a very strong showing, Lincoln eventually won the set 25-22.
The fourth set was difficult for Lowell. The Cards struggled to block Lincoln's incoming shots as the Mustangs' lead continued to grow. While brutal hits by Qi and a powerful serve by junior libero Kimberly Yee allowed the Cards to close the gap, Lowell's defense was not enough, and the Cards lost the set 25-16.
The team's next game will be against the Mercy Skippers on Monday, Oct. 15 at 5:15 p.m. at home.
Lee Wilcox is a sophomore at Lowell High School. In the past he has covered sports and contributed to the "A City Divided" cover piece, primarily serving as a researcher and statistics interpreter. A member of Lowell Model United Nations and the Policy Debate Team, he also spends his time languishing over fictional texts, writing his own, and getting far, far too invested in meaningless debates.
As an appreciator of the work of photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Richard Avedon, I have and continue to be fascinated with the faces of people—their expressions, their environment, and how best to represent the essence of their identity in a two-dimensional snapshot. Generally, you will find me at the movies, the art museum, or a record store. I am a lover of old and foreign films with captivating cinematography and generally, any horror movie I can get my hands on. My favorite film to date would have to be La Dolce Vida and favorite novel— The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. In terms of music, I enjoy punk rock and my taste in art varies—whatever can stir up my emotions.


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Item number:JYW1486178801493Payment method:
Port:Delivery time:
1. Usage: The film can protect the surface from scratch or dirt during the interior decorations or transportation or installation. Acrylic material has excellent weather-resist, heat-resist character, gloss character and transparency.
2. Advantages: It can be easily applied on the surface and removed with no damage or residue left behind.
3. Film type: Polyethylene film made with environmentally friendly, acrylic water based adhesive or solvent adhesive.
4. Color: Transparent, milky, black & white, blue, black, green
5. Printability: Able to print Logo on the film surface
6. Thickness: 30-100um
7. Length: Flexible, up to 2000 meters per roll
8. Width: Flexible, up to 2000 millimeter
9. Adhesive strength: 50-400g/25mm
10. Tensile Strength (N/25MM): Transverse > 8; Longitudinal >15
11. Elongation (%): Transverse > 300; Longitudinal >180
12. Price: Negotiable
13. Packing: Kraft + air bubble film/pallet/carton 15 tons for 20ft container; 25 tons for 40ft container
14. Delivery time: 7~40days after deposit received


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(This is Part Two of a two-part series. Part One posted yesterday.)
The Bible teaches us that all people are sinners from birth; we have inherited the sin nature of Adam. "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 6:12). We know this is true because even infants die.
When Jonah proclaimed the need for repentance to the Ninevites, 120,000 of them are described as "not knowing their right hand from their left" (Jonah 4:11). This is a description of young children unable to understand their standing before God. The Lord views them as "innocents" and claims them as His (Jeremiah 2:34; 19:4). He takes special notice of their mistreatment, abuse or death. Young children are not held culpable in the same way as those who understand their sinful state and willingly rebel against God. This includes children even of unbelieving parents or in heathen cultures. Children are not held accountable for the sins of their parents or vice versa. Each person will give their own account to God for how they lived (Romans 14:12).
Ezekiel 18:20 provides the principle, "The soul that sins shall die." So if the Lord does not hold infants and young children culpable for their sins, when does He? No specific age is given in Scripture. However, the Hebrew culture understood young people to be morally mature by age thirteen and able to understand their accountability to God.
What is the eternal destiny of a child whose earthly life has ended? What about the millions of babies who do not reach term due to miscarriage or abortion, who are stillborn, succumb to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), or who live for several years and die due to accident or illness?
The Bible provides comfort for us in the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:16-23). David lay on the ground fasting and praying for his sick infant son. The elders of the household attempted to raise him from the ground but he refused. Neither would he eat. On the seventh day when the child died, the servants were afraid to tell David since he had been so despondent. They feared he might take his own life. But David perceived what had transpired when he noticed the behavior of the servants and they confirmed his suspicion. However, his response was not at all what they had expected. David rose, cleaned up, changed his clothes, went into the house of the Lord, worshipped and ate. The servants questioned him regarding the turnabout in his behavior. He no longer wept and fasted but arose and ate food. David responded by saying that when the child was alive he prayed that the Lord would show mercy, but now that he was gone he could not bring him back. He was comforted in knowing that the child would be in the Lord's presence and that he would be reunited with him in eternity. Verse 23, "But now he has died, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
David and Bathsheba mourned the death of their son but not as those around him expected. David's grief dissipated with the assurance that the child had left the earth to be with God in Paradise. David was greatly comforted by this. He knew that he would be reunited for eternity with this son.
However, years later David would lose another son – Absalom, who tried to wrest the kingdom from his father. David was greatly distraught upon this son's death crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18:33b). It might have seemed that David would have been relieved to have his kingdom restored and the threat against it removed, but his greatest concern was for his son. He knew that Absalom lived in rebellion against man and God. His deep grief and anguish were over the eternal destiny of his son away from the presence of God. David's chief concern was that he would one day be reunited with his loved ones in God's Kingdom. The stark realization that Absalom would not be there was the greatest grief his heart could bear.
Do you know someone who is grieving the loss of a child? Care for them. Only they can determine the length of their grieving over such a profound loss. However, comfort them with truth and pray for their hearts that they can be encouraged in knowing that children who die go immediately into the presence of God as do all believers. They fall asleep until the Lord resurrects them and reunites all believers for all eternity. Help them understand their own eternal destiny before God. Have they personally believed on the saving grace of Christ for their own salvation?
Jesus Christ will once and for all be victorious over sin and death. Pain and sorrow will be no more. "And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4).
Let us be encouraged and strengthen one another in this marvelous hope!


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The day we came to Cusco was the day we'd been in a bus for more than 22 hours. As you may imagine we were very lazy and tired, especially me cause I hadn't slept at all that night. We arrived in Cusco around four O' clock and barely managed to eat before we went to sleep.
Cusco is a lot prettier than Lima and it was really fun spending a few day's there. There were a lot of markets where people, mostly women, were selling souvenirs. Some of the stuff was just junk but a lot of it was very useful two. We went to one market pretty often and now just call it our market. We bought a lot at the market and it turned out to be quite a problem because we couldn't fit it all into our bags… We also bought some souvenirs from small kids that were walking around the street but only if they weren't to persuasive.
From what I'd seen of Cusco the day before seemed pretty old fashioned and remote to what I've seen. Lima was a bit like this but there seemed to be less stress in Cusco. I'd managed to sleep a lot that night so I was very excited to go and explore the city.
Our hotel wasn't far from the main square so it was easy to walk. When we got to the main square we saw hop on hop off buses and decided to go on one of those to get a better feeling of the city. I wasn't thrilled about going into a car but it didn't take that long to drive around and we stopped a lot so it was fine. Cusco lies in a valley and in the tour we drove up one side and saw over everything. Cusco is really pretty and you saw that almost all the houses looked the same. They all had the same roof but were painted differently.
The next two day's we took a trip out of town to see the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. These two days will be in different blogs.
We arrived at our hotel pretty late after a long day in Machu Picchu. The next day we were tired so we just relaxed and had a lazy morning. In the afternoon we'd decided to go to a chocolate museum and learn about chocolate. We chose to do a workshop called "beans to bars" and in that we learned the process that it takes to make chocolate. What surprised me the most was that chocolate comes from a fruit. The seeds from the fruit are dehydrated, roasted and melted so you never know if you could make something from the seeds of oranges or melons.
At the chocolate museum I had a moment of fame when a group off kids and grownups all wanted a photo with me. They stopped me when I was walking out of the museum and constantly took photos of me for about five minutes. It was really funny and weird but I could understand it because I was much taller than all of them.
On our last day in Cusco we took a trip around Cusco again but saw different things than on the hop on hop off tour. The most interesting were the ruins at Saksaywaman.


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An Oasis of Traditional Village Life - Going Foam Free with the Church Flower Committee
We had been living in our village for just over a year when I was invited to the annual meeting of The Church Flower Committee. When I first wrote a post about our arrival I noted that we were viewed by the residents here in much the same way as the newcomers in Marghanita Laski's "The Village" . Essentially people wanted to know: who were we, where had we come from, and what benefits could we offer to the village? Charles, by far the more extrovert of the two of us, has been happily singing in the choir and directing traffic to the car park on such occasions as demand it, whilst I quickly discovered that living in cottage so set back from the road that no courier company can ever find it, is no deterrent to being fished out of the kitchen by more determined members of our community. A friend recommended Agatha Raisin's adventures to me, and I laughed my way through many hours as I not only realised that many villages are in fact quite similar in their archetypal residents, but mainly as I recognised myself as the newcomer who missed the anonymity of London whilst also taking comfort in a more relaxed existence in the countryside.
And so I found myself at my first ever Committee meeting. It was largely as I had imagined it would be with tea and cakes and a very efficient looking agenda. Rotas for the year were discussed, as was the annual Flower Committee outing, and I successfully kept my head down until the subject of flower equipment and specifically floral foam came up. Complaints were made that it was being reused and perhaps not stored in the tidiest way possible and solutions were being sought. I asked if we really needed to use floral foam at all. I'd been working up to asking the question anyway, but feared it might be an unpopular one, but when the opportunity presented itself to gently enquire about it, I couldn't help but ask. I talked a little about why it really wasn't good for the environment, trying to engage rather than to lecture. To my surprise, no one was against the idea of doing away with the nasty green stuff, but on one condition - that I should give a demonstration of working with chicken wire on an appointed date.
I mentioned to the lady behind the No to Floral Foam account that I had been asked to make this presentation, and she asked me to let her know how it went and if I had any thoughts afterwards. So the purpose of this post is really to share some thoughts with anyone thinking of doing the same thing. It was definitely a worthwhile thing to do and I'm very grateful to the Flower Committee for coming along and taking the time to listen to my thoughts and suggestions. That said, there are a few things it's worth knowing before embarking upon such a venture.
At the outset, it's probably worth starting by perhaps stating the obvious. A Flower Committee is quite unlike any other audience I've had. I knew it might be a tough gig for a numbers of reasons. Firstly, many of the ladies there have been doing the flowers for a lot longer than I've been posting on Instagram - many remember using chicken wire when Constance Spry first made it fashionable and before the availability of floral foam. So I tried to remember this at all times as I made my creations - respect is definitely key. No one wants a young pretender telling them with a flourish things they might have known for decades. So far so good, I like to think I gauged this part correctly.
As this was something I was doing for the Church, rather than an exercise in which I hoped pay myself money, as I might ordinarily hope to, affordability was key. There are many ways in which this can be approached. A small contribution was sought by the Head of the Committee from those attending with the majority/deficit being paid by me as a donation to the Church. To try and keep control of costs, as well as buying local flowers from growers, I spent many hours foraging in nearby hedgerows having been given kind permission by the local landowner (who is conveniently married to the Head of the Flower Committee). In total it was effectively two days' work and cost me a little over a hundred pounds. Looking back, I can see that if I had asked for help in certain areas, I could have been more effective in controlling this. If I were to do the event again (which I'm not, but you might be thinking about it), I would definitely ask more forcefully for help with getting everything set up and also I would ask those who had beautiful gardens with flowers growing in them to bring anything that they could spare. Had I made those requests, I'm sure I'd have been met with a positive response, but because I was much in the same mindset as I would be when doing a normal class for which I was charging, I didn't adopt a more collaborative approach. But I should have done.
Thirdly. Doing a demonstration in front of a group of people who know each other well, have not had to travel far, and in some cases are attending because they had been asked to, is not the same as doing one in front of a typical class who will be more heavily invested. When teaching the latter, attendees will have made a specific decision to pay money and travel to hear what you have to say. As such, they are likely to be very engaged as you arrange - though hopefully with some friendly chat, no one likes those first ten anxious minutes as everyone is concentrating so hard that they don't say a word! However, an event like a gathering of the Flower Committee - on this occasion hosted in the most beautiful Vicarage with tea and a delicious gluten free, potato based, lemon cake on a sunny afternoon - is a rather different affair. Some people really will be very engaged and join in, other people will be excited to see one another, have news to catch up on, things to talk about and so on. For me it was a good lesson in carrying on regardless of distractions going on around me - I also picked up far more information than anyone realised as they all assumed I couldn't hear as I was so engrossed in my flowers. Luckily for them, I'm terribly discreet.
So, caveats aside, what did we actually do? I opted to demonstrate two types of arrangement - one urn type one, and one longer one that might go, say, in a window sill at the side of the Church. I used a Beswick vase that had handily been rescued from the Vestry, plus a zinc window box brought along by one of the attendees. I purchased chicken wire and floral tape which, at the end of the afternoon, went to live in the supplies cupboard in the Church for future use so that as each team did their own flowers, they had everything that they needed.
As I didn't want it to a "preachy" affair (preaching is for Vicars after all, and not florists) I tried to focus on the positive reasons not to use floral foam. Of course I touched briefly on why it isn't good for human health or the environment, but I also presented it as a cost saving opportunity. Chicken wire can reused over and over again which means that the cost of buying floral foam is no longer an issue. Additionally I focussed on the fact that putting the stems directly into water meant that a broader range of flowers could be used, as softer stems which wouldn't necessarily withstand being poked into floral foam, in fact sat very nicely in wire. As well as demonstrating that this meant more natural looking arrangements with more movement, I also focussed on how a wider range of foraged ingredients could be used. I took some philadelphus that was growing at the side of a road and plucked of nearly all the of the green foliage, to show it then looked more like a focal flower. This, I am reliably informed, is the thing that most people planned to take away from the afternoon (as well as cake and scandal, one assumes!). I also acquired some pot plants such as begonias and petunias, which I guessed might be on some people's patios, to show how these could also be used as cut flowers too. In doing so, I focussed on saving money as well as the environment, and this, I think, went down well.
As to the end result? Well, overall I think it was a success. There has been a clear out of the church flower cupboard, which is now equipped for chicken wire arrangements. There may well be some who choose to stay true to their foam based arrangements, but the large majority seem to be giving this technique a good go, which is as much as I could ask. If we are all really serious about trying to eliminate (or vastly reduce) the use of floral foam, and we are doing it not just for the sake of a hashtag but for the greater good, then maybe it's worth sparing a bit of time to help spread the word amongst those who wouldn't typically attend a workshop that you might be running. As mentioned above, it's possible to be more efficient with time and cash than I was (as in so many other areas of my life!), and it might just help to reduce the community's footprint that little bit. If you're lucky like me, you'll also get some excellent cake and maybe a few other juicy titbits too! Hilda fulfilled a year long dream of an afternoon spent rolling on her back on a croquet lawn she'd been desperate to investigate further, so from her point of view, that's as good as a summer afternoon gets.


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17 Responses 💬 to Someone Asking What's Wrong 🤔 ...
Don't you hate when you're just sitting around, minding your own business, and someone walks up to you and asks what's wrong. If you're actually in a good mood that day, you'll be insulted. Even if they hit the nail on the head and you're genuinely upset, you probably won't want to talk about it. So here are a few responses to use the next time someone asks you what's wrong:
Even if you're happier than you've ever been, people will still ask what's wrong, because you naturally look miserable. It's not your fault. It's just your face.


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I had forgotten how easy it is to hard-boil eggs in my Oster Steamer. Just fill with water, 8 eggs and set the timer for 30 minutes. After the eggs have finished cooking, remove the steamer container (using oven gloves) and immerse the eggs in cold water for about 10 minutes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 8 hard-boiled eggs (minus 4 yolks)
- 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- Add peeled hard-boiled eggs to a medium bowl, discarding 4 yolks. Mash eggs.
- Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until combined.
- Serve on bread as a sandwich or over crisp lettuce as a salad.
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It's been awhile since my last entry. We've had another marbling workshop since then at the Hive, this time with a clothing up-cycling theme. Again it was fully booked! No better way to spend a Saturday afternoon, what with all that warm, happy, creative buzz when you bring a whole bunch of people together, all passionate about textiles craft. Pictorial documentation of our happy day here!
I've been working on a small personal collection of limited one-offs.
'Fragments make one whole' is the theme for this collection, inspired by a quote from Anais Nin.
"There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic."
Somehow, that really struck a chord. The process is fragmented, like our experiences in life, but the teaching and final coming together, is illuminative. The way I envisage the collection is a patchwork of disparate, handcrafted elements, all coming together in their slightly fragmented rough-hewn, slightly imperfect way for a beauty that is ephemeral.
This will be a capsule collection of classics utilising handcrafted fabrics, with marbling and shibori natural dyeing techniques, with some collaborative haute-couture embroidery! Very excited. The outcome should be precious. A sneak peek here with some pictures of the process...


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NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund 2019 – 2020
About NYDA
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is a South African agency founded with aim to address youth development issues at National, Provincial and Local government level. Some of these issues include poverty, inequality and joblessness and poor health.
NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Scholarship Fund offers scholarship to youth under 35 years old who wish to study at public universities or university of technologies across South Africa. The Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund's objectives include providing financial education support for increased access to quality higher studies, increasing chances of youth employability, empowering youth and contributing to critical and scarce skill solution. The NYDA Scholarship Fund covers tuition fees, accommodation and meals costs and study books/equipment allowances. About 150 students will benefit from the scholarship fund starting in year 2018.
The scholarship is awarded for the duration of your studies but is renewable subject to student's academic performance. Starting 2018 academic year, only South African public Universities and Universities of Technology will be accepted and TVET College studies will no longer be considered for the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund.
NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund Requirements and Eligibility
- A 1st year full time student for a degree/diploma applying for admission to one of the public universities
- High school learners who plan to attend one of the public universities or universities of technology
- Meet university Admission Point Score and with an average of 70% in the National Senior Certificate exams
- South African citizens under 35 years of age
- Proven financial need with combined household income of less than R15 000 a month
- Residents of rural/semi-rural places
How to Apply and Application Details
You can apply through either of the following methods:
- Solomon Mahlangu Online Application: Register an account here at: https://studentfundingportal.com/sfp/
- Download and complete the NYDA Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Bursary Application Form (pdf format)
- After completing the application form email it to: [email protected]
Attach the following supporting documents:
- Certified copy of matric certificate
- Proof of Household Income
- Certified ID of Applicant
- Certified ID of parents/guardians
Faxed or direct submissions to NYDA offices will NOT be accepted.
Closing Date
Postal/email applications: 15 December 2017
Online applications: 16 January 2018
Contact Details
Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund
Address: Vdg House 8 Victoria Road Plumstead Cape Town 7945
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 2000 476 / 087 2300 194
2 Comments


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My family had a vacation together this weekend. We went up to Big Bear to find fall and bask in its silvery cold air and collect burgundy and orange leaves on long family walks. Now when I say long I don't mean in distance I mean in time, because the time it takes to gather 7 young children into strollers with all of the bags of items and walk half a block, is like moving a strategic fleet of navy missiles for the amount of coordination and chaos required. One bag per child, one stroller per child, three beanie options per child, 7 coats, 7 backup coats and a handful of toys for good measure. In the case of the apocalypse or the breaking of the san andreas fault and being stranded with nothing but our bags we would still have survived, we could eat apple goosh bags for at least a month, warm ourselves with the excess clothing options, shower with the cases of wipees and drink from the eternal fountain of juice. It will be the watkins clan, the cockroaches and the cats left…we will survive.
Despite our preparedness we always made it home to a house that was full of the crazy noise of family and laughter and tiny little maniacs dancing to Justin Beiber (Trever included). We ate huge fabulous meals and relished in the moments of quiet in the spa during nap time. We stayed up late watching Christmas movies, eating pumpkin cookies by the fire and thawing little red cheeks and noses after completing a scavenger hunt in the sunset and chilling air. We came down the mountain to find vacation blues, 90 degree weather and a quiet home, hearts and stomachs full.
Here are some of our favorite vacation recipes:
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas
My brother-in-law Taylor's Zoupa Toscana:
-4 large russett potatoes thinly sliced in rounds
-1/2/ bunch Kale spine removed and roughly chopped
-1 lb Spicy Pork Sausage
-6 Bouillon Cubes
-12 Cups Water
-2 Cups half and half
-1 Large Brown Onion
-3 Cloves Garlic
-4 Slices Bacon
Chop raw bacon and cook it in a large pot(dutch oven preferably but any pot will work) until crispy, remove and set aside. Add raw sausage to bacon grease and cook until cooked through and remove and set aside with bacon. Add chopped onion and garlic to bacon/sausage grease until onions are cooked down and tender (about five minutes). Add bullion and stir. Add water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but not falling apart. Add back in sausage and bacon, add half and half and kale and cook for another five minutes to allow for the kale to cook down a bit but still have some crispness. Serve and enjoy!


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Rachel Dolezal and the Performance of Blackness
By now I'm sure you've heard about Rachel Dolezal. If not, just Google and read because there is an astounding amount of commentary about it. But it boils down to a white woman pretends to be a Black woman and is president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP. Not an Onion article. Not a joke.
I had a 4 hour car ride with my mother to discuss it and I think most of my anger has subsided. And now I am left with a question: How does one perform Blackness?
For Rachel Dolezal that meant textured hair in ethnic styles, tanned skin, Africana studies and the NAACP. Is that the Blackness starter pack? Methinks not. For some folks, Blackness is Blonde weaves, Jordans and front stoops. For others, its red clay roads, tent revivals and biscuits and gravy. And for others, its cotillions, Black social organizations and etiquette classes. And for many, it's a mix of all of these and so much more.
But Rachel knew that in order to be undetected she must craft an identity with an undeniably Black aesthetic. And to this I say shame on us! Shame on the content creators that have been so historically lazy, showing a monolithic Black experience that this person was able to pull from Black trope column A and Black trope column B and present to the world Rachel, Woman in Black.
I did an interview for TCG's blog and I talked about diversity being a major issue (I'm always talking about diversity in American theatre). We need diverse representation! I will say it again, WE NEED DIVERSE REPRESENTATION! We need to see alternative Black girls and nerdy Black boys, Queer Black Folk and Black folk with disabilities, Black folks that agree and disagree. We need complex Black characters that both live up to stereotypes and completely shatter them at once. No one should be able to don some Senegalese twists and Kinte cloth and think they have the right to claim Blackness. It is more than that. I am more than that. And it's time that we show that!


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Thu 16th May 2019 - 7:30 pm
ActionAid Australia presents Frocking Hilarious: a night of laughter for women's rights.
ActionAid Australia and the Sydney Comedy Festival are bringing together a line-up of Australia's funniest women - yes, all women! - to raise funds and support ActionAid's work on women's rights around the world.
Following 6 massive galas, Frocking Hilarious, now in its seventh year, returns to it's inner-west roots and is set to rock the foundations of the iconic Enmore Theatre with one of it's biggest line-ups yet, featuring:
Judith Lucy
Fiona O'Loughlin
Nikki Britton
Lauren Pattison (UK)
Zoe Coombs Marr
Demi Lardner
Steph Tisdell
Demi Lardner
Chris Ryan
ActionAid works to empower women living in poverty around the world to stand up for their rights. These women are brave, resilient and, in spite their struggles, often draw on the strength of laughter. Let's laugh with them!
All proceeds from ticket sales will support ActionAid's work with women around the world.
More Information About This Show :


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I need to pick songs for the DJ in the next month or so. So I thought I could pick 7 song ideas every day, then either my fiance or Fresmom can narrow it down to 2-3 songs.
I'm nervous about my music tastes… and I've no idea what songs work for a wedding dynamic, either… would it be love-themed songs? Or would it be songs about:
- happiness
- positive futures
- interconnectivity
- good families
- stuff like that…
I'm not so much worried about "is this an appropriate wedding song?" as I am "is this a song that'll instill celebration?"


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Today, 12 June, Safe Passage secured a major political win. Working in partnership with Lord Dubs and a cross-Party group of MPs we campaigned to ensure the EU Withdrawal Bill bound the UK Government to negotiate a new deal for child refugees in Europe seeking to reunite with family in the UK after Britain's departure from the EU.
Currently, the majority of children Safe Passage assist are helped to reunite with family in the UK through this EU route, and its closure would have been catastrophic for refugee children and their families post-Brexit.
Lords amendment 24 that protected the right of children and adults seeking refugee protection in Europe to reunite with family in the UK was won in the House of Lords last month and returns for debate in the House of Commons tomorrow, June 13th. In response on Friday the Government proposed their own amendment that will bind the UK Government to negotiate for unaccompanied children to join parents, adult siblings, grandparents and spouses, but crucially omitted reunions with aunts and uncles – which make up over half of Safe Passage cases.
However, following sustained campaigning from Conservative MPs and Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Yvette Cooper MP, Brexit Secretary David Davis signed amendments by Yvette Cooper to include uncles and aunts in the proposal.
Safe Passage will continue to campaign for the rights of children to join siblings under the age of 18 (currently provided for under the EU regulations) and support Yvette Cooper's amendment to add in this category to the Government's proposal.
Beth Gardiner-Smith, Head of Campaigns, said:
"This marks a significant step forward for unaccompanied children in Europe. For the first time, we have some certainty that a vital route for refugee children to reunite safely with family in the UK will not be closed down because of Brexit. We welcome the Government's movement on this, and will continue to press for children to be able to join minor siblings, as well as for spouses and other family members who currently have rights under EU law."


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A few days ago we reported on the increase of graduate applications at U.S. institutions from international students. There was one field of study, however, that didn't see such optimistic numbers—the field of business education.
According to the Council of Graduate Schools press release and to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the 25 largest U.S. graduate business programs saw a 4% decrease in international applications in 2011. Across all U.S. business schools, the number of foreign applicants was up 4%, small gains compared to the 12% increase seen by U.S. engineering and physical and earth sciences programs.
Other indicators for this lack of significant growth include the fact that GMAC only sent 78% of its scores to U.S. schools in 2010 compared to 83% in 2006. Also, in 2009 and in 2010, the number of international students taking the GMAT was more than the number of U.S. citizens taking the test. In other words, international interest in business school is up…just not at U.S. programs.
Plus, the most recent Financial Times rankings indicate that 24 of the top 50 business schools are on American soil. In 2007, this number was at 31.
"Schools throughout Europe, Asia and Australia have made huge investments in graduate education in general—more specifically, business school," said James Wimbush, an Indiana University dean.
Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best


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Come along to Cabragh Wetlands at 8 p.m. on the 1st of November and celebrate the festival of Samhain
All are welcome
The Heritage office are on the final leg of the River Suir Heritage Audit County Tipperary. This year is from Cloghabreedy bridge outside Cahir up to TwoFords Bridge.
An information meeting will take place on Wednesday 23rd May at 7 p.m. at Cabragh Wetlands Centre Thurles with the aim of meeting people from along the study area that have an interest in the River and have stories or information in relation to the built or natural heritage.
All are welcome
Saturday 14th April 2018 @ 10.00am – 4.00pm
Sumi-e: Japanese Black Ink Painting is a unique art form using only black ink, handmade paper, and a special brush. It is calming and relaxing and is an excellent activity for reducing stress.
Learn brushstrokes and techniques for painting grasses, flowers, trees, mountains and landscapes through a series of Sumi-e Workshops for Beginners.
Workshop Details:
Saturday 14th April: One-day Workshop (Adults) 75.00Euro.
10% discount if payment is complete at booking.
50.00Euro deposit to secure place.
Booking Deadline: Thursday 12th April.
10.00am – 4.00pm with one hour break for lunch. Tea and biscuits supplied. Please bring your own lunch (Cabragh Wetlands has kitchen facilities available).
Advance booking is essential as places are limited.
To Book, please call or Email Karen on: 087-638-4195 email@example.com
Come along and visit the "Cosmic Walk" at Cabragh.
The cosmic walk is a brief history of the
birth and development of the universe. It's the story of the
unfolding universe, planet Earth, the emergence of life and
our own evolutionary story. It helps us to experience that
story and to awaken in us a sense of beauty and mystery of
what we are part of; evoking a sense of awe and wonder,
gratitude and compassion. It enables us to make sense of our
own lives and our place on the planet.
Follow the link for a booklet
Cosmic Walk
Join us for Irish Night at Cabragh on Feb 7th at 8p.m
All are welcome
A talk will be given at Cabragh Wetlands by Dr. Jo Tiedeken in conjunction with the All Ireland Pollination Plan on March 22nd @7:30 p.m. Free event donations welcome.
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The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.


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Day 4 (Term 1): Memory/
Today's lesson ends with a name: Ole Kirk Christiansen. Don't forget it!
It started with me taking in homework. When I suggested they did some grammar exercises at home, some students rebelled, saying 'that's what we always do'. Instead, they suggested practising the same language via writing. So they wrote their answers to a set of questions that they'd discussed in class. As I took in their work, I felt they'd been vindicated, with lots of meaty answers to read through.
The central activity was the listening from Unit 1 in Beyond, a talk about ways to improve your memory. Most students said they had trouble remembering names, and were curious to find out how to improve that ability. And as memorising information for exams is a key part of their lives, they all had lots to say about how they do it. It was also fun to be able to tell them how I went about remembering their names - by really listening first time and trying to associate their appearance with their name in some way.
The class ended with a twenty minutes on one my - and their favourite classroom websites - lyricstraining.com. If you're not familiar with it, it shows videos of songs along with their lyrics, but with some words taken out. How many depends on the level you choose at the start. You play the song and a volunteer comes to the keyboard to fill in the gaps with help from the rest of the class. It's noisy but fun, and only English is used.
Finally, that name. Can you remember it? Do you know who it is? I told students their Edmodo task would be to find out about him, and on Monday I posted The LEGO® Story on Edmodo along with the questions below. You have to watch the first 6 minutes to answer them. (Thanks to Robert Campbell for recommending the video.)
1 Who was Ole Kirk Christiansen?
2 What two misfortunes did suffer at the start of the story?
3 How did he become successful again?
4 Where did the name LEGO come from?


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Ever have one of those weeks?
Over scheduled. Too busy to just sit and 'be'? No time to just get out and ride? So you schedule a ride day for yourself. You feel just a twinge of guilt as you dodge some commitments.
You need this, though.
To stay sane. To be able to keep on keepin' on. The anticipation of the day keeps you motivated to get through the week. Will the rain let up? Does it matter? Nothing will keep you from the trails. It has been too long. This ride really isn't for anyone, but you. No responsibility. Just ride. Be free.
The Huckwagon is loaded and has several stops to make as it heads north. It is like a bus tour…pick up riders, buy icy beverages for the top of the climb, a quick swing by Skagit Cycle for a new pump…gas…and finally we are at the Galby lot. It is mostly empty, but the sun is coming out!
We head up to the towers. Amazed at the logging activity. It really has been too long! We climb, we break. We catch up on the latest with our friends. Did I say it had been too long?!
At the top comes the surprise
Homemade barbeque pork sandwiches and icy Sierra Nevada. We are all hungry and feast on this treat (thanks Gary!) And then, we fly!
It is spring! No one wants the day to end. The extra hour of daylight is a gift and we are kids again! Our ride becomes epic.
And, as daylight finally wanes, we roll into the parking lot. Muddy. Tired. Satisfied. We are the last two cars.We are renewed.