Wednesday 19 August 2009

BIRTHDAY SPECIAL !!

Why Unicorns Eat Lavender
- Written by Rosemary Kahn, Illustrated by Annie Pigott








In Honour of the Birthday of the Author, this delightful book
"Why Unicorns Eat Lavender" is being sold at the Special PRICE of ONLY US $ 7 instead of US$ 10.
The US$5 for shipping still remains.

If you would like to benefit from this special birthday price, please place your order any time between 19 and 21 August 2009.

To benefit from the special rate, please click on the wording
BIRTHDAY SPECIAL

Hurry Along now to make your purchase as there are limited copies available.

Friday 14 August 2009

Feedback to the Wave Pictures

Wave Photograph by Clark Little

It is always nice to receive positive feedback. After receiving an uplifting email of some stunning photographs, we obtain permission to post them on this blog. Having a few items listed on an Etsy Store, we decided to share these beautiful images with fellow artists on Etsy.

Here are just a few of the comments received from those who looked at the link.

We hope that you have enjoyed these and other inspirational images on this post. Do let us know which you enjoy and please share the link with your friends.

Living in a world where much of the news in the media is negative, it is special to have something good and beautiful to share.

Ericalev says: Amazing

Photomenagerie says: Those are stunning photos. Thanks for the link!

Mostlyart says: Those are the prettiest pictures I have ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing ♥

Kymsart says: Beautiful! Made my day!!!

Amyblandford says: amazing photos! thanks for sharing!

Modflo says: wow, gorgeous photos!

Snowdropsense says: love them!

Elizabellajewelry says: wow! they're beautiful.

Jeniferdenispotter says: So beautiful! And he must have a waterproof camera! Love those, thanks for sharing.

peacefrogdesigns says: WOW. Just WOW. :) Thanks for posting.

Artistically speaking says: Crabs and fish see this stuff every day ... now we humans can enjoy the beauty of surf, sand, and sky from a whole new perspective.

Glad you brought this to brighten our day.

What do you say? Take a look at the post immediately before this one, and let us know which one you enjoy the most and why.

Wave Photographs by Clark Little

These exquisite photographs were sent to me by a good friend who herself is a wonderful photographer. We so enjoyed the images that we contacted the photographer Clark Little and requested permission to share them with you, the reader of this blog.

We are very grateful to have been granted permission to share these images. Please do visit Clark Little's website for further information about his work. If you do visit his site, you will read how he came to begin photographing waves. As the website explains, his wife had wanted some beautiful art for her walls. Being in Hawaii he decided to please his wife and went out with his camera to photograph. The results were so well received that he has continued to photograph waves, becoming an expert in this type of photography.

It is inspiring to see a live example of the saying "seize the moment". When opportunities come knocking at your door, follow through with them, you never know where it might lead to. Seeing these photographs it is evident what beauty is possible.

Sun . glints off wave
Clark Little/SWNS


Sand . in surf
Clark Little/SWNS


Tubular . shining
Clark Little/SWNS


Beach . surf crashes down
Clark Little/SWNS


Molten . liquid gold
Clark Little/SWNS



White . tumultuous water

Splash . stunning shot
Clark Little/SWNS


Break . wave crashes down
Clark Little/SWNS


The Sea-Through Sea Shell

Friday 7 August 2009

Snow Sculptures

Snow, as it settles, can give a beautiful effect to the landscape. The image above with the sunlight peeping above the trees, on its own is a stunning image. Did you think snow can become even more beautiful?

Sculpture is a medium of art that one usually associates with marble, wood or another form of stone. In more recent years, man discovered that other solid materials can also be used to form sculptures. Hence the incredible effects using butter, sand and more.

Making sculptures out of snow originated in Mandschu. In 1963 the first exhibition was held and in 1985, an annual festival began. This has developed to become a mass event attracting tourists from around the world.


Each team is given a snow block of 3 x 3 meters. Here we see these snow blocks being prepared.

Take a look at the incredible effects possible with snow. Since the temperatures remain below freezing for half of the year, these sculptures are able to last for quite some time.










Incredible to see the buildings created out of snow.
Gives a new meaning to the igloo.

Sunday 2 August 2009

The Magic of Bananas


The article below was forwarded to me. Since my father loves bananas I began to realize there is good reason to.


I thought this was quite informative. A very inexpensive supplement.

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain.


Read on:

Never ever, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.


Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.

No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.


Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.


PMS:

Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.


Anemia:

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.


Blood Pressure:

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.


Brain Power:

200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.


Constipation:

High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.


Hangovers:

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.


Heartburn:

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.


Morning Sickness:

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.


Mosquito bites:

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


Overweight and at work?

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.


Ulcers:

The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.


Temperature control:

Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.


Smoking &Tobacco Use:

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.


Stress:

Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.


Strokes:

According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40% !!!


Warts:

Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape !!!


So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. Maybe its time to change that well- known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'


PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

PS:

Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time !!!

I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes??

Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth.


Bananas are the most amazing fruit !!!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails