At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.
My house will go dark tonight....I always keep minimal lights on and try to save the energy. Will one household make a difference....it will if everyone makes the effort.
In mainland China, 84 cities have committed to go beyond the hour this Earth Hour, with major urban centers from the southwest to northeast switching off their lights and taking action for the planet.
Beijing’s most famous landmarks including the Olympic sites – Bird's Nest and Water Cube - have turned out their lights off for an hour. This is in addition to the China World Trade Centre Tower 3, the tallest building in Beijing.
The League of Cities and League of Municipalities ensured an overwhelming turn-out for Earth Hour in the Philippines by signing up 1661 cities and communities for the event. WOW
Next year I think I will try to be more involve and promote it in my community.....
Back by Popular Demand last year I organized a hooking retreat to a beautiful resettled island off the coast of Newfoundland and Labarador. It was a wonderful experience and I met so many talented hookers! So this will be the second annual and here is all the info I have on it if you would like to go a a retreat!
Woody Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
September 30th to October 2nd, 2011
Price All Inculsive Accomodation, Meals, Entertainment and Transportation to and from Garden Cove, NL Canada
(Departure time may vary slightly, but you will be informed at time of booking).
Prepare for Departure
Safety Procedure
Depart Garden Cove. The trip begins with a forty minute boat ride via a narrow, sheltered inlet on the Coast Guard approved M.V. “Merasheen”.The crew will invite you to have a tea or coffee with fresh homemade tea buns, and you can relax in the heated cabins or take in the fresh sea air on the flybridge as you begin your journey.
As you leave the wharf, look to the left – the grassy knoll is known as Bloody Point, where two pirates are believed to have fought to the death.
As we cruise up this beautiful inlet, you can see that this stretch of water is nestled between the hills of SoundIsland on the left and the BurinPeninsula on the right. This sheltered inlet is less than half a mile wide, and as the route to Woody Island is only a couple of hundred feet from shore all the way, you have no worries of encountering rough waters. Get your cameras ready as bald eagles often nest on SoundIsland and we may see a mated pair.Straight ahead WoodyIsland comes into view and off in the distance is Bar Haven, another resettled community.
Approaching the dock at WoodyIsland, you can see the four lodges of Woody Island Resort overlooking Old Cove as well as the stages, wharves, and cabins of fishermen who return each spring to pursue the cod, scallop and lobster fishery.
Disembark. You have a couple of hours before dinner to acquaint yourself with our house, the staff, and Old Cove.
Supper is usually pan-fried cod, vegetables baked and boiled, homemade bread, grandmother’s favorite cottage pudding, complete with a complimentary glass of wine.Don’t be shy – ask for a second helping or more if you wish.
Hooking at Ocean Side Lodge or explore the many natural attractions that the island offers.About a five-minute walk from the lodges and through the scenic village of Old Cove, you come to a beautiful Sandy Beach.If you follow the path to the right, you can’t miss it.Looking over the water from the Sandy Beach, you can often see huge oil tankers coming in the bay, fishermen tending their nets, or in the distance, the resettled islands and communities of Merasheen, Brule, Long Island, Spencer’s Cove, and others.
It’s time for some music and while “Live Entertainment” is not guaranteed on the first night of a Two-Night stay, perhaps a guitar or accordion will set your shoes to tapping and your voice to song.Or, you may want to listen to some of our tape music (please feel free to take along your own tapes, or CDs).Some may just want to curl up in front of the fireplace or sit on the verandah to view the moonlight shimmering on the harbor, listen to waves as they lap gently on the shore or watch the twinkle of a million stars which are so visible in this remote locate.Sleep comes easy as you get ready for the next day’s adventure and a live Newfoundland Kitchen Party tomorrow night.
DAY TWO:
Some are already up and soaking up the sweetness of the early morning air as it drifts across the ocean.
The smell of toast and bacon stirs the morning hunger. Bacon, eggs, juice, tea or coffee, and heaping plates of toasted homemade bread make up a hearty breakfast.
Two-Night/One-Day Agenda-Page 2 of 2
You have a full day ahead of you to HOOK work or projects or take some of the classes that may be offered– interrupted only by a lunch of steaming bowls of thick delicious pea soup, fresh homemade bread just out of the oven – enjoy as much as your stomach can hold. Top it off with toutons smothered in molasses and a cup of tea or coffee.
A 45-minute walk along the old WoodyIsland road to the left of the main lodge will take you over gently rolling hills and grasslands to the resettled community of Jane’s Cove. You can go off the main trail and visit the old graveyards, hike along the beaches or visit the ruins of the church and schoolhouse.If you are not in the mood to walk, perhaps there will be enough interest to take a wagon ride (see pay per use activities below).If you would rather hang around the lodge and keep Hooking no problem.
Pay Per Use Attractions:Although a trip on the bay is not included in the two-night package, for a small charge, if the boat is not filled, you can tag along with the group scheduled for that day.
You may want to try our fish again or perhaps we can have our staff cook up a delicious meal of baked chicken complete with all the trimmings.
You've finished a relaxing supper, and it's that time of the evening when the sun starts to fade and the sounds from the ocean draw you outside to catch the remnants of an unforgettable day.Hooking will continue at the Ocean Side Lodge.
Get ready to party.There will be live entertainment and you can dance the night away or sing along to your heart’s content.You may learn how to do the “Virginia Reel” or you may just wish to sit and relax in front of the fireplace and listen to the music.Please feel free to take along your own musical instruments and join the “kitchen party”.
DAY THREE
Enjoy a delicious breakfast on the last day of your WoodyIsland experience.Bacon, eggs, juice, tea or coffee, and heaping plates of toasted homemade bread make up a hearty breakfast and helps ease the disappointment of leaving this beautiful island.
8:30 a.m.
Depart WoodyIsland for the return trip where we may have the opportunity to see whales, dolphins, and other natural inhabitants.
9:15 a.m.
Arrive in Garden Cove.Farewell to new friends and get ready to plan next years Woody Island Hooking Retreat!
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.
May you live as long as you want....and not want as long as you live!
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!
Today looms before me and I want to spend it outdoors. Me, hubby and the dogs are heading out for a hike in the woods and a boil-up....yesterday even tho it was so cold and crisp it felt like spring....water running, the earth peeking through on the sides of the trail, lots of bird calls and a few busy squirrels and lots of activity at my bird feeder. Gold Finches, Blue Jays, Junkos, Chickadees, Starlings, Evening Grosbeaks and a little Red Poll who waited around to get his picture taken.
We just downloaded Netflick last night and oh all the wonderful movies I can watch while hooking.
I have a new piece on the frame "Spring".
I had a lovely chat with my friend Anne yesterday and she is busy hooking also.
My latest piece... Horses have always been a big part of my life and this is my first hooking of one. This was inspired by a picture posted on Facebook by one of my friend's of another friend's horse :-)
Hows that for confusing.
"Jelly Bean" is a well fed! dappled grey....isn't she beautiful!
Thoughts of Spring anyone?
According to my lastest hooking it must be on my mind....and somehow there were alot of the number 3 in this design that I didn't realize til I posted the picture...this was inspired by my garden.
Three types of Veggies, three clouds, three worms, three blue yarns in the sky, three browns in the earth, three colors of green in the leaves and grass and three roots on the veggies...and it was my 13th hooking....none of it planned....guess the right side of my brain does its own planning.
Anne that carrot reminds me of the whopper carrots you had last fall!!
So I have these Sharp Skin Hawks who think they have found a home with me....and I posted on the NL Birding site on what to do to make them move on....I have hundres of birds here and the Hawks like to dine and dash :-(....nature I know...but still..
Anyways...a Birder and Wildlife Photographer makes contact me and wants to shoot some photos here as he has never seen one of the Hawks in person....so this is what my place looked like today...they were rewarded for their hours early morning drive by being greeted by one of the Hawks who was having a disagreement with a crow (they arrived here 8:15 and I already had the feeders full and the drive shoveled ..Saturday MORNING, I might add)
They got some awesome shots....loved the variety of birds I have here. I had a Nut Hatch here today....some cute!...little birds that love the peanuts....we had wonderful discussions or a warm up cup of tea on birds, seeds, what to feed, and I had a peek at some of the amazing shots.
Of course then it was my turn to show them my passion and this is the project I did last weekend and it was a Winter Robin...how appropriate :-)
THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE MAN IN THE COFFEE BEANS: Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, the right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, the right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger!!!
And, yes, the man is really there!! The right side of my brain is alive and well!! How is your right side??
The weekend is mine.....I have the time to hook all I want this weekend....well after some chores and 5 k hike with the dogs (if I don't exercise them they won't let me hook) and I have to get my run in....
I have completed two new projects and still have to bind them....really procrastinating on those and yesterday I put a new design on the frame and stayed up hooking until 2:30 *YAWN* really.....it seemed like a good idea at the time and I was on a roll.
I joined a new hooking site Rug Hooking Daily http://rughookingdaily.ning.com/profile/PaulaFlood and I have to say there is quite a nice community there :-) and lots of ideas. Now they got me thinking about borders!
I had two new birds show up in my front yard trees yesterday which I hope I DON"T see again. Two Sharp Skinned Hawks who don't come to feeders to feed on seed. I know its Nature....but....
Ottawa Race Weekend here I come....my training has started for the 1/2 Marathon on May 29th 2011....I ran the same race in May 2007 and when I crossed the finish line after 21.1 kms.....I thought "ok been there done that!" The training schedule is four months-six days a week. I find with Running I need a goal and when there is a race involved you stick to the schedule. In the four month period I hve 504 kms to run to train for the big day! and I still have to find time to hook! Wish me luck :-)
At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour. 
