Jesus Loves Me This I know..

For the Bible Tells Me So.
May God Wrap His Loving Arms around Each and Every Person  affected by this tragedy.

Lights On, Lights Off

December 2012

PCCrafter is GONE GONE GONE

I had mentioned in previous posts about the state of pccrafter ( http://chocolateonthekeyboard.blogspot.com/2011/12/tis-sad-day-comingpc-crafter-is-closing.html )  and its closing. But this week it became official. Now if you click on ANY bookmarks or links you and or "I" may have included in blog posts or webpages I have made - that were linked to pccrafter  - the link will take you to an error page, and/or provocraft.com.   

So if you didn't download ALL of your purchased downloadable content, in the past almost 2 yrs we've known the place was closing down, you have now lost that ability.

Please make sure that if you do have pccrafter collections installed on your computer that you BACK THEM UP!!!  You can use an external drive, a thumb drive - which can be bought in 8gig to 64gigs worth of storage capability.  I always back up my graphics collections to multiple locations. I use portable external drives to back up my computers : documents, photos, graphics, music and video.

I like using thumb or flash drives (usually 16 or 32 gigabyte size) to store or backup/copy to - entire specific collections:

I save my entire PC HugWare folder - to a thumbdrive (since I have over 18gigs worth - I use a 32 gig thumb/flash drive for that)  - the PC HugWare folder contains all of my "INSTALLED" collections. So when I need to copy to a new computer, I just copy over that entire folder.  I also save other large specific collections I might buy from certain places online, such as DAISIE Company, or NitWit Collections etc.  I've invested a lot of money in clipart I've bought from those sites, so its important to me to back them up. But remember any drive can fail, your computers hard drive, an external drive, thumb/flash drives etc are all vulnerable to failure. So if something is important, irreplaceable, or that you would be heart broken to lose - back it up to more than one place.

I also use the ClickFree.com C6 model external drive to back up my "entire" computer. The C6 model backs up not only all the usual stuff, but also my Software Programs that are installed, and my computers operating system. (Currently all of my computers are running Windows 7) 

You can also use Online Backup Storage sites such as Carbonite or Mozy

Sites such as Carbonite and Mozy would be most valuable to those who fear a disaster - where your home is destroyed and your computers with it, (sadly what many are going through now after Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the USA), or if your computer is stolen. Having your computers, documents, photos, graphics, music and video in "Cloud" storage, could be worth its weight in gold.

PCCrafter at one time in their 10+yr run on the internet truly was the best source of downloadable Clipart.  Their artists, and the varied styles offered to us through the years was amazing.  I personally own over 600 complete clipart sets, called Creatables, and Scrapables, Cardables. and then I have several months worth of the Monthly HugClub content - which included Paper Dolls,  scrapbook/card toppers, home helper sets - which had blank calendars, recipe cards, note paper etc.

A very select few artists that once upon a time sold their art in downloadable form at pccrafter - do continue to sell their artwork online.

Laurie Furnell sells at Etsy and at Aimee Asher.com

Tammy DeYoung sells at Aimee Asher.com

Joy Hall sells at Aimee Asher.com

Tammy Sherman sells at Aimee Asher.com

http://www.aimeeasher.com

Gina Jane (Johnson) sells at DAISIE Company,com

Shelly Comiskey sells at DAISIE Company.com

http://www.daisiecompany.com/storefront.php

Check my side bar listing of Clipart & Printables resources (under the "freebies" listing) to find websites that sell downloadable clipart.

from the inside looking out ;-)

When the sun comes pouring in the kitchen window every morning, I feel blessed to begin a new day.

Outside my window

This morning the pond was very busy with Egrets, and Turkey vultures - here's just a 4 image collage-sampling of the 100+ photos I took

This day in History Oct 14, 1947

Oct 14 1947 Chuck Yeager breaks sound barrier

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yeager-breaks-sound-barrier

**The Quest for Mach One is available online or probably at your public library** 

My Uncle Jack was part of that historical day. I only had one Uncle and one Aunt. My mom was an only child, and my dad had just one sister. She married a handsome young man Jack Russell in 1941. Uncle Jack and his brother with only their high school diploma's from Buffalo, NY's Burgard Vocational High School, started working for Bell Aircraft in Buffalo. Soon my Uncle was off to California to work on projects at Edwards Air Force Base. 

He later had my Aunt come out from Buffalo with 3 other wives, they drove from Buffalo, after getting as many gas ration coupons they could gather up for the trip out west.  My Aunt described the living conditions and the sparse desert area that would become their home as dismal and lonely, but she was determined to make the best of their lives and opportunities. They first lived in railroad Boxcars!! Then 3 couples eventually rented a 3 bedroom home.  My Uncle worked as part of the team that was working on then "secret" projects. He ended up at the young age of 26 being the Crew Chief for test pilot Chuck Yeager.  On that Oct 14th day - my uncle was on the B29 aircraft that launched the X1.

He had a tiny part in the movie The Right Stuff. In the first few minutes of the movie, where the character (actor Sam Shepard) that plays Chuck Yeager - hurts his ribs, his friend Jack Ridley needs to use a portion of a broom stick to fashion a handle that Chuck can use to close the hatch after climbing in the X1. My Uncle plays the janitor, Jack Ridley walks up to him and says "Mr Russell can I borrow your broom". My Uncle didn't have any lines (that ended up in the movie), but he and Chuck Yeager were consultants on the movie set.
 My Aunt and Uncle met most of the "real" astronauts that trained at Edwards. Oh the stories my Aunt has in her memory banks of those years when Jack was working at Edwards for NASA.

The following Excerpt is quoted from this page

http://derekhorne.tripod.com/X1A.html

Yeager flies the X-1A

Chuck Yeager first flew the X-1A on November 21st 1953, the flight was perfect and Yeager flew on out to Mach 1.3 at 45,000 feet. The airplane flew beatifully and exactly like the X-1 and Yeager felt right at home.

Two more flights on December 2nd and December 8th produced speeds of Mach 1.5 & Mach 1.9. Yeager had told his crew chief, Jack Russell, "Hey, you sumbitch, if I get a fire warning light, I'm gonna strap you in my lap on the next ride and let you deal with it." Russell and the rest of his ground crew knew Chuck's neck was on the line and kept the rocket chambers so clean that they were germ-free!

See too this website: http://www.mach-buster.co.uk/#/yeager-the-bell-x-1/4532734274

Here's a >> link << to a photo of Jack in the Rocket Shop from 1956 from NASA's gallery

http://www.nasaimages.org/luna/servlet/view/all?os=100&pgs=50&sort=date

In later years, Jack and Chuck Yeager helped with the delivery and installation of the X1 in the Smithsonian Museum.  

My Uncle worked at Edwards Air Force Base, for many years and when he retired they gave him a portion of the engine of the X-15. 

In Buffalo NY, my Uncle was given the honor of being inducted into the Buffalo NY Air Museum Hall of Fame. http://wnyaerospace.org/

See too http://buffaloah.com/h/aero/bell/index.html

Uncle Jack passed away in 1996 - I really miss him. For only having one Uncle - I certainly had a most wonderful and interesting one.

My Aunt who is now 93 still lives in the home they bought 45 yrs ago. On a trip to California with my sister Carol in 2008, she took us to the small town where the test pilots lived in the 1940's and she and my Uncle had  their first home nearby. The area Willow Springs is almost like a ghost town now, and the family that "owns the town" hopes someday to make it a tourist attraction or something along those lines. She told us stories that I only wish I had "taped" and/or kept a diary of. But I'm sure I'd have to keep them secret.  Those test pilots partied like Rock Stars!!

related youtube videos about breaking the sound barrier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGqig1EYBhI
and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoMijlGRb04&feature=related

Movie The Right Stuff excerpt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uXoQ7cIDXg&feature=related
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congratulations to Felix Baumgartner on his Accomplishment today Oct 14, 2012  (65 yrs later) - of skydiving from an altitude of 24 miles above the earth - in his own quest to be the first "human being" to actually break the sound barrier in a free fall to the earth.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/14/felix-baumgartner-jump-redbull-skydive_n_1965299.html

Hugsister Messageboard Contest thread Oct 13th

October 13th on the Hugsister messageboard in the Over theFence  forum community – I am posting a thread, where if you make “one” comment (you only are allowed “one” comment, on this particular thread) – then you might be chosen to win a Serif Software CD that contains 5 software programs. I got the CD with a recent printer purchase but already have similar or the same programs on my computers.

The rules for entry are that when you comment, it must be about what’s going on in your life, tell us about a craft project you’re working on, if you haven’t ever posted or haven’t in awhile, tell us why and or if we can do things differently on the message boards to make them more welcoming etc. If you’re a regular who posts all the time I welcome your input and tell us something we may not know about you, etc.  You only get to comment on this one thread, once, BUT you can comment on any other threads, you can start threads of your own etc.

What I’m hoping my little one day thread will do, is entice enough hugsisters to at least COME ON OVER to the Messageboards, and look around, visit the other subforums that we have, read through them, see what’s going on in those other forums etc. etc. And or contribute to those other forums with new posts of your own. 

If we can get more than 32 out of the 1000+ who have registered on the Hugsister Messageboard since its inception in Dec 2010,  - in a 15 minute time window – then we will finally break the record: Most users ever online was 32 on Jul 28 2011, 07:43 PM

The messageboard counts all registered visitors on the entire message board, not just in individual forums, and it counts in 15 minute increments. So within any 15 minute increment on the 24 hours of Oct 13^th – the goal is to have more than 32 looking around the place at the same time.  My one thread is only a small “incentive” or drawing card, that I’m hoping will bring about a bit more activity.  Plus my thread is also meant to be an encouragement for newbies, oldies, and those who just read and run..to read a bit about us, catch up with us and our lives – all in one thread. Kinda like a Sketti night with the theme being, with just one post/comment on one thread – tell us what’s going on in your life, share a craft tip, a photo, a recipe, - just make the post something of “substance”.

At  11:59pm Eastern USA time, on Oct 13 – I will draw a name from all those that commented, and then when I get their mailing address, I will send them the software CD to do what ever they want with.

If gals continue to comment on that one thread after the drawing, they are most welcome to do that, but the contest or entry period for the cd will be for only those comments posted, from midnight 12am Oct 13 – East Coast USA time to 11:59pm East Coast USA time Oct 13.

Details:
On October 13th a No Tricks ~ just a one Treat Drawing.
Any one that posts "one" post/comment to the tread that will be started at Midnight 12am Eastern Time, Sat Oct 13 will be entered into a drawing for the Serif Complete Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite DVD, that I got included with a recent printer purchase. I have no need for this CD, so thought it would make for a fun giveaway. Plus we'll see how many Hugsisters we can get to post on one "particular" thread over the course of one day.
The rules for entry: You must post One Comment on this single thread which will have in the Subject line
No Tricks, just a Treat CD Giveaway
In your comment you must tell us what you've been up to lately or how you're doing in life, and/OR give us a craft tip, tell us about crafts you're working on etc. (post pictures if you can or want to)
Please don't ask questions on the thread, and please don't just post saying you'd like to enter for a chance. And don't post saying thank you for offering the giveaway but that you don't want to enter, and just wanted to post a comment. Remember even if YOU personally do NOT want to win this, you could use it as a Gift/Giveaway yourself, put it in some ones stocking or a greeting card. Only one entry allowed per registered HugSister on the thread - so say as much or as little as you want to in that one comment.

At 11:59pm - October 13th, eastern USA time, I will draw a random number from all the qualifying posts to the thread and that person will receive the Arts and Crafts software programs DVD. I will mail it out to them after receiving their mailing address information.

Serif Complete Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite all programs on one DVD **Please note: this is compatible for Windows 7, Vista and XP users, but if you are a MAC user, you can always give it as a Gift to your Windows friends **  

NOTE : THIS DVD CAN NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE!!!!  I'm trusting that the winner will accept this as a personal use only & gift, from me.

The following "complete" programs are on the DVD

Craft Artist Greeting Cards: http://www.serif.com/AllProducts/Software/...eetingCards.htm

Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 : **no longer available at Serif website http://www.amazon.com/Serif-Digital-Scrapb...2/dp/B00355R03W

Page Plus Essentials: http://www.serif.com/pageplus/essentials.aspx

PhotoPlus Essentials: http://www.serif.com/photoplus/essentials/
this is NOT the latest version that Serif has out now - this is description stated on the CD
"PhotoPlus Essentials is the fast and user-friendly photo editor that makes printing and uploading pictures as simple as can be. Ideal for photo enthusiasts who want to be able to organize their image collections as well as add stunning creative effects, with PhotoPlus Essentials, photo editing has never been so easy."

Scan Stitch and Share http://www.serif.com/scanstitchshare/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI
Serif Support & Community http://www.serif.com/Support/
If you need help, you have come to the right place. Whatever the question, chances are you’ll find the answer within these pages. Everything from help with your Serif software to managing your Serif account to accessing the Serif community forums – it’s all covered.

Free Downloads: http://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/ If you don't win this Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite, you can still download and have some fun with the Free programs that Serif has available.

Serif main page: http://www.serif.com/

Serif Blog: http://www.serif.com/blog/

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If you are unfamiliar with the Hugsister Community / Messageboard here is some background information:

The messageboard was born Dec 19th 2010, when a generous hugsister Lynne, a.k.a. Blondemoments saw a need for each of us to stay connected.

 We had for the most part all been registered members of the pcCrafter.com messageboard community. PC Crafter.com was a website (its still online but doesn't sell anything, any longer) that sold the most amazing Clipart sets, done by the some of the most talented artists you'd ever want to have something of theirs in your clipart stash.  pcCrafter.com came online in about 2000, they sold clipart CDs in some stores, but they wanted to expand, and start selling Downloadable clipart sets - they called their 30piece clipart sets "Creatables" - for all the things your could Create with the clipart.  Then they started a monthly Club - called the HUG CLUB. For one low price each month, you would receive 2 - 30 piece clipart sets, plus a bunch of other goodies, such as printable paper doll sets, candy bar wrappers, home helpers - which were blank calendars (done with clipart), lists, recipe cards, etc. Toppers for scrapbook pages or cards etc.  and a mid-month snack consisting of 5 extra graphics that went with the "main" 30 piece clipart set of the month (they had a main 30 piece set and a 2nd bonus - 30 piece set) The 2 - 30 piece sets were eventually put up for sale to the general public at a later date. But those 5 extra graphics, and all the other CLUB content never was offered to the public (it was only available to monthly club members). 

Then every Thursday (up until Dec 2009) pccrafter released 2 completely new 30 piece clipart sets to the public. And throughout the year they offered different sets, Scrapables, Cardables, etc.  Life for a Graphicoholic didn't get much better.  And over on the pccrafter Messageboard - gals began to become friends, and have long running threads and conversations - about everything and anything. And of course we talked a lot about what we did with the graphics, and how much we looked forward to the NEW stuff coming out weekly and in the CLUB.   Hugsisters come from all walks of life, and from around the world.  Some have had meet ups, and its always a thrill to meet in person, folks you've only known via the internet. We've shared our lives, our joys, our sorrows, our problems etc.  PCCrafter stopped releasing new sets on Thursdays in Jan 2010, and only had the Club offerings, but they gave members "3" 30 piece clipart sets, plus all the regular Club content. The 3 - 30 piece sets were eventually put in the store for the public to buy. But in Jan 2011, any new clipart releases and/or club content ceased. The store remained viable for a few months, but eventually the shopping cart no longer functioned. The Messageboard was taken down from the pccrafter servers in April 2011.  So when we could see the handwriting on the cyberwalls that pccrafter.com was going to be no more...Lynne stepped to the plate and found a free online host invisionfree.com and created a New Meeting place for Hugsisters.  Its taken awhile to catch on, but we do have currently 1000+ registered.  Nothing can ever be like pccrafter's messageboard community. PC Crafter and the Clipart sold, the array of artists and various styles etc. was just awesome. But in the last few yrs of the pcc messageboard's life...things really had slowed down. Hugsisters moved on, grew bored of the community and/or even angry/hurt over some posts/threads etc. Many hugsisters found Facebook to be a good alternative to staying connected.  And on Facebook there is a group just for pccrafter messageboard Alumni.  **I belong to both the Hugsister Message Board and also the pcc Alumni group. (to join the Facebook group, you have to be of course on facebook, and be a friend of one of the pcc alumni group members, and then they can "add" you to the closed group)

Want to learn more about Hugsisters and our online messageboard:

Here is  the Hugsister Community forums registration information and some of the neighborhoods in the community

Here is the info you need to register over at the New Hugsister forum -

 the link to the registration page for the new hugsister forums:

http://z15.invisionfree.com/HugSisters/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=00

you will receive an email back after registering and then should be good to go 

The "main chat" area is called "Over the Fence"

Other forums of interest

Welcome introduce yourself after registering

Crafter's Marketplace
A place to post what you'd like to buy from a Hugsister, and Items a Hugsister is selling

Over the Fence
General Chit Chat - where we hang out.

What's Cooking?
share your favorite recipes

The Craft Room
What are you working on? What do you want to share?

The Craft Room ARCHIVES
Here is where you will find all those great projects previously created by our members

Crafty Links
Crafty ideas and projects from the web

Photo Album
Got a picture to share?

Hugs and Prayers Needed
Need a hug? Need a Prayer? Thats what Hugsisters do.

Yard Sale
Everyone loves a Yard Sale - got stuff to sell? Post here but please remove when it is gone.

Computer Help
Questions and answers to your computer problems

The Toy Box
What new crafting toys do you have or ideas for the toys?

Shout outs
Need to shout out a birthday, anniversary, or special something. This is the place.

Swap Meet!!!

Scrapbooking

Sewing/Quilting/Plastic Canvas and other Needle Arts

 

Steals and Deals
Check "Everyday" to see whats dealing today
Freebies, Craft coupons, restaurant deals, etc..

Our Daily Clicks

Health Forum
A place to share good information

Helpful Sites and Links - Keeper's Forum
a place to find links that we remembered seeing in posts but could no longer find

I hope you'll come by the place on Oct 13th and if you want, take a chance to win the Software DVD, and also read the many threads on the messageboard, and a long the way, get to know some of us a bit better.

Hugs, Mary a.k.a. LibMary 

What's on the Keyboard tonight...yum

Pumpkin Kisses

Outside my window...

Not loving Pinterest much these days

Over at the pccAlumni Facebook (for pcCrafter Hugsisters) page, there are a bunch of recent posts and links to Pinterest Boards that are "pinning" copyrighted images by many many of our Favorite former pcc artists, such as Laurie Furnell, Shelly Comiskey, Carolee Jones, and on and on. Annie Lang and several other artists aren't spared either.

There are also plenty of Boards that PIN digital stamps or black and white line art that is copyrighted by my favorite artists.

Many of us are posting comments on the Pins found on the BOARDS we find with these graphics or digital stamps pinned. But it would keep any/all of us busy 24/7 to keep up with the rampant digital piracy and illegal file sharing that is out there. Not just on Pinterest but at other sites as well such as Picasa, and Photobucket too - way too many to constantly find and then try to contact the artist themselves - hoping they can take action. Artists want to spend their time Creating not chasing down these types of Boards or websites or file sharing sites etc. Some of the FREE DIgi Sites I share on this blog may have in the past or currently be sharing illegal images, I don't visit them all every day, but I'm hopeful that the majority are doing things legally.

And as soon as one or more images or complete graphics sets are removed from Pinterest, or Blogs and Websites, I and others come across MORE!!!

Pinterest just happens to make this type of thing "EASY" to do. And most gals who PIN and Re-Pin these "darling, and cute" clipart images, haven't the foggiest idea that they are doing anything wrong. After all, they see the IMAGES everywhere on Pinterest or Online - and they think if its FREE for the Snagging & Downloading, its FREE for the Sharing. And most offenders will not have a clue where the "Original" image came from. Even ones that the pin says was "user uploaded" - might be by someone who snagged the image from another place Online, saved it to their computer and then uploaded to their PINTEREST pages for all to ENJOY

The really bad folks are the ones that DO KNOW who owns the Copyright to these image and what they are doing is ILLEGAL and against the Terms of Use from the websites they either bought them from or found for FREE online at legitimate Free image sites (but that the owners specify - for PERSONAL USE Only and that they aren't to be Shared or "PINNED" without the orginal website owners permission) or were illegally shared the images from a friend or website they trusted.

Back in the day when PCCrafter was selling clipart sets (Creatables) and had their monthly HugClub offerings - there were actual "Groups" formed, where gals each chipped in a little bit (maybe a dollar or less) of money each month, and one person would buy Graphics sets or the Monthly Club content - and then Share their information with the *Group* and each of the group would go in and grab everything!!! OR they would upload their bounty in zipped files to an online file sharing sites like 4shared and then share that link. Its still going on today with other sites that sell clipart sets now. I find digital scrapbook freebie sites with entire or partial kits by former pccrafter artists offered online almost weekly. Many of these sites are owned by gals in foreign countries, who don't think that our US copyright laws or any copyright laws or terms of use "apply" to them. They just want to be "liked" by being so generous in giving away stuff.

I came across a Blog last week, created by a very nice lady who lives in the mid-west USA, who was giving away "digital scrapbook layout" pages for others to download. But most of the pages she made and offered for free download, used clipart from pccrafter or other sites, that don't allow for such usage. I was going to email her, but thought - I'm tired of being a monitor or catcher & notifier of these types of goings on. And really, the images themselves on the layouts, would be difficult for anyone to separate them from the backgrounds and do anything with. And I have no idea if this woman, got those images online for free or if she bought them online and just feels she can do what she wants with them, all in the spirit of being "nice" to others. And she thinks she is just using her talents and creativity in her spare time to freely share with her visitors to her blog.
It's just that pccrafter and/or their former artists - DO NOT allow in their terms of use, for templates or their clipart copyrighted images to be used in creating such items as digital layouts for others to just put their photos in, shared for free or for a price, in any way ONLINE, period!!

On Pinterest, I have found wonderful ideas, creativity and just about any topic/theme, I might be interested in, shared on created Boards. I FOLLOW quite a few Boards - (but I personally do NOT create any Boards of my Own)...so I know it has its GOOD SIDE and good Intentions of most of its users. But it really has left a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to Clip art *pin* filled Boards and/or on any Pinterest Boards that don't give credit to the Original sources of *each* of their PINS.

I also want to admit that I personally have in the past been cited myself for posting something I shouldn't have or did not have permission to. I was notified by the either Google or website owners etc. and asked to remove my posts or links or images etc. So I'm not all goody two shoes myself. I didn't do things deliberately . There used to be a service, its probably still around that allowed you to "share it" - and so I would, but I didn't always choose wisely on what I shared. Some websites were appalled that such a service existed and was allowing anything from their websites or blogs to be "shared" just by pressing the button on our internet tool bars and then the item was automatically shared on my blog. And I am not talking about websites that have their own "share it", "like it", "pin it"and every other type of sharing buttons that are available to blog and website owners that they place themselves on their sites, so that they can spread the word about their site or business. I was using a 3rd party utility that put a button in my tool bar, and I could share anything I wanted easily and it would come through on my blog, without me seeing if the website owner allowed such sharing of website content, posts, or if images were watermarked or gave credit to original posters of the images etc.

I just wasn't doing things the right way and should have known better and should have absolutely asked first a website owner, before "I Shared" a post or link or image. And I'm sure there are plenty of "me's" out there too, who aren't trying to do things the wrong way - but we need to shape up, and pin / post / fly right/write!

Ok I'm now off my digital soapbox. Happier posts coming soon :-)

Origami Box - Happy Folding

From Cutout and Keep.net

See Christmas Origami Box and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

Happy Chocolate Wafer Day

Personally I LOVE Chocolate Wafer Cookies...and have no problem with "Celebrating" http://nycfooddays.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/july-3-national-chocolate-wafer-day/

Outside my window..

 

growing old, but having fun too

My "May" Birthday was wonderful...it's been truly a Happy Everything Month

I'll never be a featured Blogger

But I absolutely enjoy visiting others' Blogs, and discovering new ones daily.

Just read the latest issue of The Casual Blogger Magazine
http://www.casualbloggermagazine.com/2012/02/spring-2012-issue.html

Formerly it was known as "The Barrel of Blogs"
so scroll down the page and read past issues of this online ezine.
http://www.casualbloggermagazine.com/

Happy Easter everyone :-)


For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES in him should not perish, but have Everlasting LIFE. John 3:16
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)

Playing in Photobucket

and did this today to a photo of a couple of birds hanging out at the pond. I cropped the original photo, increased the hue/saturation, added the photo corners border, and resized it. I don't use the many features of Photobucket often, but do have fun when I remember I have an account there.

Just testing Blog this feature of Picasa

 

 

 

I don't use Picasa very much.
It has lots of useful features, so it could be worth my while
to learn more about it, and or take advantage of the functions.

This post is an example of just clicking on photos in an album on my computer and from the Create dropdown menu, choosing Blog this.
The photos were taken a few weeks ago, and are of birds feeding in the wee pond out back of my house here in Florida.

I imagine that most folks who have a Blogger account also have Picasa on their computers.  Don't know why I haven't used this feature in the past, it sure does making posting lots of photos pretty easy and quick to do. 

For anyone who hasn't yet downloaded the Free utility of Picasa, what are you waiting for??
http://picasa.google.com/
Have fun exploring all your options with this utility.

Today would have been my husbands 67th Birthday

Happy Birthday to my Angel in Heaven.

Can't believe it's been 4 yrs since we celebrated your 63rd. We went to Olive Gardens with our dear friends. My best friend, who introduced Paul to me in June 1965, and her husband. It was such a delightful evening.

My cousin John (I only have 2 cousins, John and his brother Jim), also shares the same birthday.
Paul and John were both born in Buffalo, NY on March 5 in the same year, John at Millard Fillmore Hospital and Paul at south Buffalo's Mercy Hospital. John who grew up in California, his dad, my uncle - was the crew chief for the test pilot - Chuck Yeager...so in the 1940's there was lots going on out at Edward's Air Force Base - breaking sound barriers and all.

John eventually in his adult life ended up living on the East Coast in Long Island, and got a job being a crew/manager for a guy that owned pleasure and racing yachts...one of which my cousin managed.

Even though John and Paul only had seen each other on a few occasions in our lives...they quickly became friends. John really liked Paul.

In 1997 - John called Paul asking him if he wanted to be a crew on the Yacht he managed, helping sail it from its winter home in Tortola back to NYC. John said the trip could take 9 to 20 days depending on the weather and all. Unfortunately Paul didn't have that amount of vacation time available - we had other plans already in the works. Paul wondered if John would ever ask him again. And thankfully in 1998, Paul finally got his chance. It was a thrill of a lifetime for Paul to sail & crew for John on the trip up the east coast. And Paul was lucky enough to crew a few more times, one trip in 2002 he crewed on the sail from NY to Antigua in January and then got to crew/sail it back in the spring.

This is one of my favorite photos
John is second from Left and Paul is 4th from the left
- this was taken in May 1998.
Happy Birthday Paul
Love You Everyday
Miss you in Every way!

This is the Card I gave to him on our 18th Wedding Anniversary
photo taken - the island of St. Martin in October1985

Ever have one of those days

Where you planned that you were going to do this or that around the house, and ended up at 4pm in the afternoon, having accomplished "NOTHING"!!! I had simple goals for today, set up some shelves in the garage, attach wheels, and then start loading them up. Well - I did manage to get 2 wheels of 4 on one set of 3 shelves. Then I got side tracked by a phone call, a salesmen at the door, and playing on the internet.

On Facebook - a boutique hotel in Buffalo, NY named "The Mansion on Delaware Avenue"...is running a one day contest - you have to make the comment on their facebook page -"Tom doesn't know what he's missing" - and then tell all your friends to go to that MoDA facebook page, find your "Comment" and LIKE it. The person who gets the most likes by the beginning of half time for the Super Bowl on Sunday Feb 5 - on "their own" comment - wins a night at the Mansion and some extra goodies.
You see Tom Brady the QB for the New England Patriots - who will be playing in the Super Bowl - made a comment last week about the Hotels in Buffalo NY and that he didn't think they were very nice...Of course Buffalonians took offense at that - and so for fun the Mansion on Delaware is having this contest...not only to see how many people will visit their Facebook page, but also to have some fun with Tom, and show how many Likes people will get for even commenting "Tom doesn't know what he's missing" . So I of course had to enter, so far I've got about 6 likes - on my own comment. Let the most liked "commenter" win...I appreciate the chance to enter and "maybe" win a night at the Mansion, it was something my late husband and I had always wanted to do.

If you want to like my comment - before halftime of the Super Bowl visit
https://www.facebook.com/themansionondelawareavenue since so many people are entering the contest, my comment is probably gonna be one or more pages back. Thank you for your "like"

The Mansion on Delaware Avenue is a beautiful example of what can and should be done with some of the amazing homes that still exist in the "City" of Buffalo. I remember growing up and seeing all the Mansions that lined Delaware Avenue - it really was a place for the wealthy and they were Beautiful. Then in the late 50's and 60's - folks moved to the suburbs, and many could no longer afford to maintain them - so many were torn down, converted to offices or other uses. Delaware is still a nice Avenue to walk down. The hospital I worked at for 23 yrs was on one of the "Circles" that Frederick Olmstead designed in Buffalo, and the circle took you around "Gates Circle" but it was in the middle of "Delaware" Avenue. So I walked along on Delaware often...just looking at the "Mansions" that still remain. The surrounding streets of the neighborhood are pretty amazing too with grand homes as well.

So doing those few things...seem to have let the hours go by with not much to show for it. Tonight I'm catching up on some reading. But now its 4:30pm and I'm going to see what I feel like fixing for supper.

Go Giants!!

Yahoo..it's National Chocolate Cake Day

January 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day – Yahoo!!
Read all about it
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/288862/20120127/national-chocolate-cake-day-2012.htm

Find lots of photos to drool over via the PINs on Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/search/?q=chocolate+cake
and/or
Find recipes here
http://www.cacaoweb.net/chocolatecakes.html
and here
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipe-collections/chocolate-cake/index.html

The Joy of "Real" Books

My daughter and my granddaughter are both now reading via a Kindle or an IPad...I'm still going with the Real thing. I like going to Libraries, and Book Stores, I subscribe to magazines in "print.
And I even love watching You've Got Mail over and over again...with its subplot of Book Stores big and "small"...Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are easy on the eyes too.

Here's a Cute video on YouTube that a couple put together: The Joy of Books: Enjoy