Just do it!

This has been floating around on Facebook, I thought it needed to be shared......

Just had to share this!

I want to share a blog with you today

Not just any old blog but Lea White's blog
Living Life now in Kiwi Land (click on the bold letters)

Lea organised a Funrazor event to raise money and awareness for the Child Cancer Foundation, a cause close to her heart.
Quote: " They were with us from the very first day we received the devastating news that our nearly 4 year old was diagnosed with cancer. And our little girl endured 830 days of treatment. During this time she collected more than 1,300 Beads of Courage. Each bead represents something that happened on Bianca's journey. So doing something like Funrazor gives us a chance to help raise funds for the Child Cancer Foundation who gets no government funding and this is our chance to give hope to all the other families who are currently walking this journey and sadly who will tomorrow and the next day and the next day still walk this journey."

I just wanted to send my congratulations to Lea for a job well done and how can anyone look that gorgeous after having their hair shaved off.

Go and have a read and then when you're done, make a donation, I will be today.

♥

Lest we forget!

Every year, on 11 November at 11 am – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we pause to remember those men and women who have died or suffered in all wars, conflicts and peace operations.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. Lest We Forget.

Thoughtful Thursday........

A question that was posed to the Dalai Lama,

“What thing about humanity surprises you the most?”

His answer "Man."

"Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present. As a result he doesn't live in the present or the future. He lives as if he’s never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived."

Judging at the Women Institute AGM

A friend of mine belongs to the Womens Insitute and last Monday was the WI Waikato Regions AGM. A few weeks back she asked if I would mind judging the craft entries. I was also able to bring along a second judge to assist. I asked City Sue to come with me as she is very creative and knew she would perfect for my right hand man!

The theme was buttons and beads categories were:

Knitting needle holder
Flower/table arrangement
Craft, beaded bracelet
Baking
Overall table presentation

Apologies for the poor picture quality, but the new handy sized camera recently purchased just isn't anywhere near as good as my SLR

City Sue showing off the rather wonderful knitting needle case that we chose as overall best entry, the attention to detail and beautiful handiwork was unrivalled

Best table, including best beaded bracelet and best baking. Overall winner.

Best flower/table arrangement (top right)

Me posing by the tables, sadly only four tables, but enough for me to cope with!

After announcing the winners we were both pressnted with a fruit bowl by way of thanks

After meeting and chatting to some of the lovely ladies I'm going along to a meeting this week, just to see what becoming a member of the WI involves. I'll report back on that later in the week.

Woohoo! Frugal Queen is staying put!

The other day I blogged about Frugal Queens decision to stop blogging here

She had so many emails etc of support that she decided to continue blooging but any followers would need to be approved be FQ.

However today I read this

Great news for all of us who love her blog, she's here to stay!

Good on you Froogs for not letting the b*stards grind you down!

Why I don't send Christmas cards and a gift for you

Why Christmas cards are an environmental disaster, Click here

Please think twice before sending any cards next year. Thank you.

A present for you

I bought you all a gift, well I bought you two actually, but I knew you wouldn't mind if I gave them to someone who really needed it...

Feed a family with a nutritional garden

and

Train a farmer

In a world where we have so much and others have so little I buy gifts from Oxfam Unwrapped All these people want is to be able to provide for themselves, maybe I can make a difference...maybe you can too.

John Lennon MBE (9 Oct 1940 – 8 Dec 1980)

Thirty years ago on the 8th of December at around 10:50 pm on 8 December 1980, as Lennon and Ono returned to their New York apartment in The Dakota, Mark David Chapman shot Lennon in the back four times at the entrance to the building. Lennon was taken to the emergency room of nearby Roosevelt hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:07 pm. Earlier that evening, Lennon had autographed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman.

The following photos are of my Uncle Don sitting alongside John Lennon at the BBC studios. John Lennon being the perfectionist he was had arrived early and they were working on setting up camera angles in readyness for a live TV performance that was broadcast in 1967.
My Uncle died in 1990 just before our wedding.
May they both rest in peace, both losses felt in many ways.

Here is the resulting video fimed Live at the BBC in 1967
with extra footage, I've never seen before. enjoy

The Girl Effect

I saw this on Caitlyn Nicholas' blog this morning. Excellent video and worth sharing.

Football World Cup fever

Not quite a week into it and already I have lost the will to live, I had to go to bed the other night as the sound of those Vuvuzela horns were driving me to the point of madness, I thought I was going to go cry. It's one of those sounds that I think if I had tuned it out at the beginning it wouldn't have bothered me, but I didn't and so now when I hear it it's like some subliminal stimulii telling me to go and strangle someone or at the very least shove said horn where the sun doesn't shine! I hope they know a good proctologist!
Anyway I may have a solution......

Anzac day - Lest we forget (click the title for info)

Lest We Forget

Lest we forget . .
He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the RSA
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honour
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days..

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Pass On The Patriotism! A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank cheque made payable to 'Australia', 'New Zealand', 'Canada', 'Great Britian', 'The United States' or any other God fearing country for an amount "up to and including my life". That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this WORLD who no longer understand it.

Two lovely surprises

I really enjoy blogging and reading other peoples blogs. What started out as a web log/diary to let family and friends keep up to date with our life in NZ seems to have grown. I did stop posting on for a while no-one was leaving any comments and it's always a bit disheartening when you've spent your time writing and loading pictures and not knowing if anyone was actually reading it.
But then I discovered more things to do with the blog, with add-ons and all the little gadgets made it much more fun. The best thing I think was the counter that let me know how many people were visiting, so I added the neo-counter that tells me what countries those visitors are from, it was really cool stuff. But it didn't stop there, I installed the Feedjit live traffic feed which told me exactly where the visitors were coming from, so now I was inspired and began posting much more on the blog, it's rather lovely knowing that there are people from around the world reading your blog and that some of those people come back or choose to 'follow' you. So when I checked the comments left this week I was chuffed to find I had been given two awards by two lovely ladies who follow my blog. It's enough to know that people think what you have to say is interesting enough for them to want to follow you in the first place but to give you an award because you brighten their day really is such a lovely thing to do.
So without further ado here they are:

Firstly a big thank you to Jo, of Jo's Health Corner who gave me a Beautiful blogger award here
The rules for accepting this award:

1.Thank the person that gave you the award

2.Pass this award on to 15 bloggers you've recently discovered
and whom you think are fantastic!

3.Contact the Bloggers you pick to let them know they've won

4.State 7 Things about yourself!

1. Thank you Jo xx

2. I give the awards to:

1) Jo's Health Corner
2) Lally
3) Critter Cottage
4) The Whites in New Zealand
5) On the way to Critter Farm
6) Journeys into Juneyville
7) Caitlyn Nicholas
8) Our Wee Farm
9) At the Good Life
10) Homemade Serenity
11) Heather at Home in the Townships
12) Bless you Homestead
13) Girls Wear Blue too
14) Aileen Clarke Crafts
15) It Blows Here

3. Pending!! Done! At last! Man that was a mission, but worth the effort! :D

4. 7 things about me:
1) I will have been married to Joe for 20 years in October this year
2) Our son Michael turns 18 in June this year
3) I love blogging
4) I am living my dream
5) I breed Boer goats and enjoy showing them
6) We also have dexter cattle, kune kune pigs, Jo-Jo the sheep, chooks, 3 dogs and 3 cats on 8 acres of land
7) I never thought I would be doing all of the above :D

My second award came from Rina at Our slice of heaven

Thank you Rina, you brightened my day for sure.

The Rules:
1. Post the award (Done)
2. Pass on to 12 bloggers that brighten your day
1) Our Slice of Heaven
2) Making Good
3) Lindercrofts Homestead
4) The Narrow Path
5) The Cottage Garden Farmer
6) Mels Backyard
7) Rural Writings
8) Kismet Farm
9) Kaz's Journeys
10) Little Cottage in the Country
11) Talisman Farm Sport Horses
12) Unbought Delicacies

3. Link to nominees. (Done)
4. Link back to givers. (Done)

Once again, thank you Jo and Rina. And thank you too to fellow bloggers for sharing your world. I've tried to give you all an award, so apologies if I've missed anyone, some blogs would open! :( But to you all, you're all award winners.

Was sent this in an email today

And thought that was a good code to live by......

A true talent, Kseniya Simonova winner of Ukraines got talent

No it isn't a joke, this is just amazing and very moving. I saw it this morning on a forum I belong to Over the Gate. Jay one of the members posted a link to a You Tube video and put this:

Dont miss this amazing Video Clip . . first read it properly.. then click the link at the end of the description.

This video shows the winner of " Ukraine’s Got Talent", Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.

The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about £75,000.

She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated.

It is replaced by a woman’s face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman’s face appears.

She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.

This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house.

In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.

The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine , resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.


Kseniya Simonova says:
"I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there’s surely no bigger compliment."



Please take time out to see this amazing piece of art.

Tuesday 5th January - Some words of wisdom

Just in case I don't get chance later to do a post later today, here are some words of wisdom for you. I find that by keeping these words in your daily thoughts they help you through the day!!

Quote of the day!

'Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.'

Armistice day - Lest we forget

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the signing of the Armistice, on 11th November 1918, to signal the end of World War One.

At 11 am on 11 November 1918 the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years continuous warfare.

What is Remembrance Day?

Remembrance Day is on 11 November. It is a special day set aside to remember all those men and women who were killed during the two World Wars and other conflicts. At one time the day was known as Armistice Day and was renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War.

Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is usually the Sunday nearest to 11 November. Special services are held at war memorials and churches all over Britain.

Ode of Remembrance” is an ode taken from Laurence Binyon’s “For the Fallen“

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
We will remember them.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Lest we forget
We will remember them.

Whatever you are doing today, stop for a moment and remember the men and women who have fought and died for their country, honour them and remember them.

The images I've used I have taken off Google images, there may well be a copyright on them, I hope the image owner doesn't mind me usung them.

Practice makes perfect and a quote

I was reading Rhonda Jeans blog, Down to Earth and thought, gosh that's been me in the past, always wanting everything 'perfect'. But is there such a thing? No of course there isn't and it's taken me a long time to realise that. I've always wanted things 'done yesterday' but that just causes grief and is far too stressful, things will get done when they get done. If I whinged constantly about sticking to our deadline regarding the renovations, then I would either be in a loony bin by now or 'composting' somewhere! Because Joe would have hit me over the head with a spade!

There is always a quote for almost every occasion and I found this one that suits..

“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds.”
Winston Churchill

Don' break the elastic

I was sent this today in an e-mail, I'm pretty sure I've seen it before. But I took the time to read it properly and thought what was said was so simple and yet so meaningful, I felt like sharing it:



In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'
Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:
'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back....'


'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'


'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one..'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'


'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'



To be sure that it was at least someway authentic I did a Google search on Maya Angelou and found her Official site

The e-mail included this also :
Please send this to five phenomenal women today... and back to me if you think i'm one also.
If you do, something good will happen: You will boost another woman's self-esteem..
If you don't...the elastic will break and your underpants will fall down around your ankles!
Believe me, I didn't take any chances on MY elastic breaking....I sent it to a lot of special women I care for.

So I thought I would pass it on big time, no chance of my elastic breakin' now!

If you achieve nothing else today, at least be a little inspired, have a great day.

I think a trip to the library could be in order I think I may like to do some reading.