The Rose and The Thorn (MacPherson Brides) Book Review

I was initially drawn to this book because of the title, The Rose and The Thorn.  I was not familiar with the author, but decided to give the book a chance.   After all, I needed a new book to read and the title piqued my interest.  Since it was in the romantic Christian fiction category, I felt pretty safe. 

As it turns out, I am really glad I took a chance and read this book!  I finished reading it last night and immediately downloaded the next two books from the series.  I never want to be without a book and finding a series I enjoy is always exciting! 

It turns out that the book title was a play on the main characters names, Sarah Rose Greer and Thornton MacPherson.  Unlike many of the Christian fiction books I read, this book delved into some really painful experiences including rape and spousal abuse.   As a rule, I prefer books to be more lighthearted.   I have oft said there is enough sin and pain in the real world, I don't want it in my entertainment.  But, this book was more insightful about the impact of those actions on the victims.  In my opinion, the author struck just the right balance.  Nothing got too graphic to handle and the victims weren't wimpy, whinny little creatures.   They were strong women with real issues that they confronted.

Synopsis of "The Rose and The Thorn"

The book takes place in the 1800's when women were not considered equal to men.  It was also a time of arranged marriages, or at least marriages that were established based on social and economic background.  Marriages that were beneficial to families and not founded on love were much more commonplace.  Such was the marriage that was forced upon Sarah.  

 The Rose and The Thorn (MacPherson Brides Book 1)At 16, Sarah's parents died.  She and her little brother moved in with her wealthy grandfather who immediately made marital arrangements for Sarah with an older man who was deemed a good business partner for her grandfather.  Against her wishes, she married a stranger who turned out to be a real monster behind closed doors.  The inescapable marriage lasted 13 years.  After her husband was murdered by the mother of one of his rape victims, Sarah, her brother and the child she adopted, moved away from her grandfather and Boston.   As the named heir to her husbands wealth, Sarah was able to purchase a home for her little family and start a new life in the small, but growing, mining town of Central City.

Unfortunately, her brother still worked for their grandfather.  Not because he wanted to, but because it was his "duty" to expand their business into Central City.  Even though he was out of his grandfathers home, he was still controlled by him through his grandfather's manager, Stanley.  

Stanley had plans himself for the new wealthy widow.  He knew that if he married Sarah, he would not only control her money, but he would have equal standing with her grandfather, not just his employee.  His scheming backfired on him though and Sarah ended up being forced to marry Thornton, but this time it was a decision she made to protect her reputation and her adopted daughters future.  However, Thornton was just as much a stranger to her as her first husband had been when they "walked the aisle".

The analogy of the rose and the thorn became obvious almost immediately after Mr. and Mrs. MacPherson were united.  Both Sarah and Thornton had survived their previous spouses, but they still struggled with issues from their past.  Those experiences tainted and affected their relationship.   

Conclusion 

As I have previously stated, Christian fiction is my preferred genre, but I am often annoyed by how an author will present life as being easy for Christians.  They want readers to accept that God is going to make everything wonderful in their lives and that everyone will live happily ever after.  Since Christianity is not a fairy tale, neither is the life of a Christian.

I appreciated the fact that this author, Mischelle Creager, did not paint a fantastical life around her characters.  As a reader, I may not want to be bludgeoned with horror and gore, but I also don't wish to be assaulted with stupidity and completely unbelievable characters.  For the most part, this book was realistic without being too real.



The Rose and The Thorn (MacPherson Brides) Book Review & Recommendation Written by:

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Action Movies for Bored Cats (A Review)

Dandy and Oreo, my cats watching
their favorite action movie.

Is your Siamese sad? Tabby troubled? Burmese bored? If your cat needs entertainment, it's time to check out these action movies for bored cats, made just for them!

Believe it or not, cats love action movies. Specifically, they enjoy watching DVD's starring birds, squirrels, mice, gerbils, chipmunks, butterflies, and more, all in their natural habitat. At our house we call these DVD's "bird movies."

Meet Oreo and Dandy, our (now dearly departed) sibling cats, inside cats who never had the pleasure of partaking in the pursuit of winged prey. They were certainly attracted to birds, though; that was obvious whenever they watched them through the window. So we bought them a bird movie - and they loved it!

I laughed when I read the warning on the DVD label advising you to make certain that your TV set is secure because your cat may try to get inside the TV to get to the birds and squirrels. As you can see in the picture below, that was good advice.

My cats loved the video at first and would watch it every day, but then they figured out that they weren't going to catch those birds and tired of it. That's why I recommend that you choose a couple of different movies, to provide some variety for your precious feline friends.

Yes, even cats eventually tire of reruns.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.

Try as she might, and she did try, Oreo never caught
any of the birds in her "bird movie."

The DVD that I bought for our cats is no longer in print, but there are some great, highly-rated alternatives. The "Cat Dreams" DVD has received great feedback from cat owners. The video is on a 90-minute loop, shot from a cat's perspective, and includes lots of movement, definitely an action movie that cats enjoy.

"Cat Sitter" is a trifecta of action movies for cats, available three in a package or singly if you just want to try one to see if your felines are interested (I'm betting they will be). All of these action movies include nature sounds which, actually, provide enjoyable background sounds for humans who are stuck inside and would rather be out, too.

EBay has an excellent selection of DVD's for cats, quite a few different titles, with great prices. Or try Amazon if you're interested in checking out more customer reviews of cat movies.

If you have a cat that lives indoors, I highly recommend trying one of these "bird movies" to bring a taste of outside action inside. The cats will have fun and you'll be entertained just watching them watch it!

P.S. Don't own a cat? Bet you know a cat lover who would love to have a movie for their bored cats. Why not share this information with them?

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews.

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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Lady Bugs are So Cool

Now you must admit, this little red and black bug really is quite cute to look at!  When I review the benefits of having these Lady Bugs in the garden, I can't help myself, I am happy, and smiling.

These little bugs are the kind that you want to see in your garden! They are wanted for their ability to eat immense numbers of "bad bugs" that gardeners and farmers all over the world seem to have. Surprisingly, they are fairly long lived as bugs go! They have a life span of 2 to 3 years. Did you know that? According to the National Geographic that's what a lifetime for a lady bug is!

Others tend to think that lady bugs live a few months to a couple of years, I've never been able to follow just one to find out for myself which estimate is correct!

From the time I was a young girl (not so many years ago) I have always loved these little critters. I did not know then, that these were some of the best bugs to have around. That was long before I became a gardener or had any inkling of getting my hands dirty!  I just know that I liked them even when I was younger.   If one would happen to land on me, my day just seemed to be great!

Lady Bugs are Beneficial to Gardens

While most bugs in the garden tend to hide, these little guys just seem to scream, "Here I am!"

I can remember my sister and I going out to the garden to hunt these lady bugs and see who could get more of them........It was a game that we would play for hours. When we had enough of them gathered in a jar, my mother would immediately take us out to the tomato garden and watch us release our beauties right there. She would be pleased as punch that she now had her own "army" to do some of the gardening work!

My sister and I wouldn't mind either, because we could go out and watch them all day long. Now that I am all grown up, I think back to those Lady Bug hunting days with a smile on my lips, because I still go out to my garden to look for my little lovelies! But, I also look for ways to encourage them to stay in my garden! That means planting things that will in effect also draw aphids. That is not hard to do, because aphids have got to be one of the biggest garden pests going and they are attracted to many different kinds of flowers, including roses. So if you are a lover of roses, you just might want to also become a lover of Lady Bugs!

Lady Bugs are a favorite for many people.  There are many different items available with lady bugs as their motif.  From jewelry to coffee mugs. games and books, all use the lovely red/black and white coloring of the lady bugs to enchant and captivate their audience. I think that's one of the reasons you will find them in so many places.

I can remember when we first had our children. My sweetling ( one of hubbie's pet names)  was a budding carpenter (woodworker) and decided that he would build our baby's crib! He did a great job and while it was painted a very plain white, we wanted something to brighten up the new baby's bedroom. Well,  of course I went out looking for lady bugs! Truth be known, at the time they were hard to find, and I didn't trust my artistic ability. We searched and searched and searched (this was pre-internet days) and could not find what we wanted.

The baby's grandparents were on the way to Switzerland and there they found some beautiful ladybug decals. So, when they were back home, the decals were the first things to find a special place, and that was on the headboard and foot-board of the new crib........ Today I would have found some pictures and painted them on the crib myself, but like I said earlier, I didn't trust my artistic abilities at that time. How things have changed. Since that time (almost 45 years ago) lady bugs and insects in general have been given a whole new spotlight on the decorator's radar. You can find all kinds of bugs, beetles, insects and more to decorate your child's room. Not to mention flowers, and trees and a host of other "earth friendly" decorating ideas.

The Charm of Lady Bugs 

Lady Bugs are considered to be good luck, so if you get one to visit you, you are lucky too! There is something charming about Lady Bugs, and I don't really know why they stand out. It could be their color as those cute little red, black and bits of white, just make me smile. Maybe it's the whole idea that they are beneficial bugs that makes them desired, all I know is that,every time I wear my  Lady Bug pin, someone comments on it. There are rhymes that are told about Lady Bugs, stories that are written about Lady Bugs and a whole lot more. The bottom line is that lady bugs with their primary colors are wonderful ways to get children involved with their surroundings and get them thinking in earth friendly terms. I think the earth would appreciate having some youngsters interested in keeping the world green and healthy!
>
Start small and work your way up to some real Earth Friendly activities! Budding entomologists, scientists, gardeners, are being formed just by awareness, and you can't start too early for that.

Get your little ones started on the road to learning about the earth and it's bugs with - a host of stories and books about the critters around them!

A deep love for all things of the earth are possible if you take the time to encourage that activity. Children are a natural place to start, because their curiosity is boundless.

Feed that curiosity with books, games and puzzles and who knows, you just might be encouraging the next generation of "earth sciences" scientists.


Even grown ups love lady bugs, so let your inner child out and enjoy what you did as a child.  Lady bugs are not just for kids to enjoy! If you loved them as a child, there is nothing stopping you from loving them now too!


Grammie Olivia loves to write on Review This, and offer a few suggestions for you to enjoy with your youngsters.  She is an Amazon Affiliate and if you click on her links, she will be paid a small commission. And because she loves LadyBugs so much you just know she will have them on her website`s banner!http://grammieknowshow.com/

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Reviewing Garbage Disposer Cleaner By Glisten

Keeping Your Garbage Disposal Unit Clean

I think it is safe to say that most of us run our garbage disposer more than once per day. I would also venture to say that most of us don't give much thought as to whether we are keeping it clean enough or not. I know it wasn't something that I had given much thought to until I had to replace my old disposer unit with a new one. 

I always figured that by running the garbage disposer it was keeping itself clean. Well, it sort of does but there is a build up that can occur over time that can get pretty nasty and run the chance of having a clogged drain if we aren't careful. There is also the chance of having rather unpleasant odors emanating from the disposer. I think we have all had that happen once or twice. Both of these situations can be avoided if we clean our disposal unit out about once per month or so. I now use Glisten Disposer Care to clean mine out.

Glisten Disposer Care

It is so very simple to use and only takes just a few minutes to do. After the blue foam recedes back down into the disposer, the kitchen smells so clean and refreshing with the scent of lemon!

This video gives you an idea of what I am talking about.

A few tips for using your garbage disposer

Did you know that you should use cold water when you turn your disposer on? It should be a strong stream of water and it should be cold instead of hot or warm. The cold water helps to solidify any grease that might be in there and makes it easier to grind. Using warm or hot water melts the grease and pushes it on down the drain where it might become solid and clog your drain later on. 

Placing potato peels down your disposer is not a good idea, either. The potatoes contain starch which can build up as a paste in your disposer and may prevent the blades from working properly. It is a good idea to grind small hard materials like eggshells, small chicken bones and small fruit pits once in a while. These materials create a bit of a scouring action that can help clean the walls of the disposer. 

It is never a good idea to put corn husks and silks, celery, onion skins or any other fibrous material in your disposer. The fibers can get entangled and actually jam the motor along with possibly clogging your drains. 

Maintaining  and cleaning your disposer may not have occurred to you but I think you can see that proper use and the occasional cleaning of it can most probably extend the life of your garbage disposal unit and prevent costly plumbing bills in the future. 

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The Best Air Freshener for People with Sensitivities

Peppermint

I have had to think a lot about air fresheners.  At work I share a small office area with three other offices and a public bathroom.  The space is a confined area in an old building. The windows are painted closed and there is no bathroom vent.  So, you can imagine why I've been thinking a lot about air fresheners lately. I want to avoid as many chemicals as possible but remove as many odors as possible. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that two of us have chemical sensitivities. Even in light of all of this, I have found the perfect air freshening solution.

New-to-Me DIY Natural Air Freshener

I get severe migraines that are often triggered by chemicals and scents. My office mate has asthma that is easily triggered. We are finding that we are triggered by opposite things. For example, original Lysol, in small amounts, doesn't trigger my migraine but causes breathing problems for her.  She can tolerate one of the other scented sprays (I can't recall the brand) but it triggers a migraine for me. As I mentioned, due to the layout of our office area, we both are adamant that an air freshener is mandatory. We are just having trouble finding something that suits us both.

As I move toward more natural cleaning supplies in my home, it was automatic to do some research about natural air freshening solutions.  I am always one step behind the times, so you probably have already heard of using baking soda and essential oil as a natural room freshener, but this was new news to me.  And I'm thrilled.

I immediately got a small glass container at work and a glass jar at home.  I purchased peppermint essential oil and made my own room freshener in a matter of moments. So far, so good. No migraine and no asthma attack for my friend at work. 

This natural and effective solution is amazingly quick, easy, and inexpensive to make.

my simple baking soda and peppermint air freshener

The items needed:

• baking soda
• essential oil (scent of your choice)
• a jar
• decorating supplies (completely optional)

The how to:

Pour some baking soda into the jar.  I used a couple of tablespoons. Some folks fill the jar halfway.  

Sprinkle a few drops of essential oil onto the baking soda. Stir or shake.

If using a lid (mason jar, paper, or cloth lid) place the lid onto the jar.  I am using a lid only if I want to interrupt the air freshening. Otherwise, I do not place the lid on the jar.

Essential Oil Reviews

Years ago, I had a friend who taught me a very small bit about essential oils. She used peppermint oil on me when I had migraines (she is a masseuse). So I knew that I'd be okay with peppermint oil and that is what I purchased locally for my first attempt at making my baking soda and essential oil room freshener.  

In the meantime, I am studying about different brands of essential oils. Peppermint oil is not my first choice for a room freshener.  I will switch over to a floral or citrus oil.  

I have found a detailed review and essential oil comparison that has been very helpful in narrowing down the brands I'd like to purchase. Now, the only problem that remains for me is narrowing down which scents to purchase. There are so many wonderful scents to choose from. 

Essential Oils from Plant Guru

CAUTION: There are children who have been poisoned when they have ingested essential oils or have been over-exposed via direct contact with essential oils.  Please read about the dangers of essential oils and children and keep your essential oils out of the reach of children. 

Related Links:

Tidy Mom shows us how she uses spray paint and scrapbook paper to make pretty jars to hold her baking soda and essential oil air freshener.  Such an easy and good looking project - I wish I had thought of it. 

Homemade Gifts Made Easy explains a few ways to dry lavender.  If I am successful with growing lavender I will dry some in order to make a lavender, lavender essential oil, and baking soda air freshener. 

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The Oster Griddle and Why I Love It - A Review

Oster Griddle via Amazon

The biggest reason we have a Griddle in the house is to make pancakes.

For decades home-made pancakes have been a staple in our home and when we're in-between grills, pancake breakfasts usually hit the skids.

Well, we've been in the 'in-between' stage for about a year or more, so just recently I decided a new Griddle was in order.

What's nice about a Griddle is the convenience for breakfast! My fourth son is now 16, still in high-school, and I make it a habit to prepare him a decent breakfast before school. That breakfast usually ranges between:

• Free-Range Eggs, Spinach & Kale fried in Coconut Oil and Sliced Oranges, or
• A Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Sliced Oranges or Bananas

What Do I Love about The Oster Griddle?

We've had a Griddle in our home for decades, and I do have a good amount of experience determing whether a grill passes the 'pancake' making test.

When I tried the Oster Griddle for the first time, I knew instantly, by how the pancakes browned, whether I had a winner ... and yes, according to my pancake making judgement, this grill is a winner.

Here are the points about the Oster Griddle that I appreciate:

• It's ceramic non-stick coating is fantastic for non-stick performance. For the first batch of pancakes, I always put a bit of butter on the grill (even with a non-stick griddle) just to be safe. But with this grill, although I haven't tried it, I believe the butter was unnecessary. However, for the other three batches of pancakes, I did not add any butter whatsoever and the pancakes didn't stick at all!
• The size of the grill is nice - I was able to make six good sized pancakes at a time.
• The surface is scratch resistant and less likely to peel or flake. I haven't had ours long enough to give it the scratch test, but based on the durability of the surface, I can believe it.
• The ceramic coating is free of PTFE & PFOA chemicals.
• Food cooks evenly
• It does cook faster and thus I imagine that will save energy over time
• It looks nice on my counter and it's a snap to clean

I plan to use it frequently for breakfasts and it's situated conveniently beside the Vitamax and Coffee Machine (the two other appliances that get the most use).

Using our Oster Griddle for Grilled Cheese
Photo by Funkthishouse.com

Enjoy My Pancake Recipe:

Well, it's not really mine, it was my Mom's and before Mom, Grandmothers :)

• 1 Cup of Flour

• 3 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar (Optional)

• 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt (Optional)

• 1 Egg

• 1 Cup of Milk

• 2 Tablespoons of Melted Butter or Oil

• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Mix all of the ingredients together (manually). Don't over mix it of course. Let the Mixed Batter sit for five or ten minutes or even longer if needed. Then, using a ladle, scoop onto your grill ... greased with a little bit of butter if you like.

On the Oster Grill, the temperature between 265 and 300 degrees seemed to work fine for me.

The secret to good, fluffy pancakes is to only flip them once.

You'll know the first side is cooked when there are 'bubble-holes' peeking through the uncooked side. However, you can usually tell by the smell, or just take a little peek to be sure they're the color of golden brown that you like.

Flip them over, let the other side cook for a few minutes or less, and they're done.

Because we are so many in our family, and everyone has there own preference for the fixings they like inside their pancakes, I'll add the items to each pancake on the uncooked side one at a time, while the one side is cooking. Tip: When you add the food item to the uncooked side, gently spread some of the batter from that uncooked side over the food item - that way when you flip it over, you'll have batter cooking on the grill instead of the chocolate chips, blueberries or whatever you added hitting the grill directly (which could burn).

Popular flavor additions in our home are chocolate chips, fresh raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. This morning it was chocolate chip pancakes and blueberry pancakes.

So yes, I recommend this grill, we love it!

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Reviewing a Set of Basic Classic Legos

The Lego Building Bricks

Source: Wikipedia

We all know the Lego toys, beginning from our own childhood experiences, and on to the toys we gave and are giving our children and grandchildren today. The Lego, described as a construction set toy, began as a wooden toy by a carpenter (Ole Kirk Christiansen) in Denmark in 1932. He eventually called his company LEGO, from the Danish phase leg godt, which means "play well". 

When plastic was introduced for toys, the Lego Group company began the basic interlocking brick design (based on the traditional stackable wooden blocks of the time) that we know today as the LEGO.

Lego pieces are universal in that each piece remains compatible in some way with existing pieces. Also, each Lego piece is manufactured so precisely that when two pieces are put together, they fit firmly, yet can be easily disassembled.

Lego bricks from 1958 still interlock with those made in the current time, and Lego sets for young children are compatible with those made for teenagers. Six pieces of 2x4 bricks can be combined in 915,103,765 ways.~ Source: Wikipedia.

The Lego toys have evolved into a large variety of themes based on popular games, movies, books and more, such as Star Wars and Disney.  Themed sets can be found from individual vehicle sets with less than 75 pieces for under $10 to really large sets with over 900 pieces and prices over $100.

Grandson David's Birthday

(c) Wednesday Elf

Last week my grandson David celebrated his 7th birthday. David (like most kids, including all five of my grandsons) has been a Lego fan for several years and has collected several sets which he plays with almost daily. One of his favorites is a Star Wars set. 

When I asked his parents for a birthday gift suggestion, my son said that a Basic Lego set would be perfect because David, while enjoying his themed sets, has a vivid imagination and wanted to make his own designs out of Lego pieces (difficult to do when a themed set only goes together one way).

LEGO Classic Creative Supplement Set

The set of Legos I sent David for his birthday last week is this LEGO Classic Creative Supplement, which has 303 pieces in 20 different colors and includes a brick separator. It also features 2 sets of eyes for building all kinds of creatures and different shapes to use for animal arms and legs.  The set comes with an Idea book, and more ideas can be found online at LEGO.com/classic.  All models pictured can be built from this set simultaneously. 

(c) Grandson David, Age 7

As you can see by the first toy David made with his new set (a Dragon created within minutes of opening his gift), he LOVES his basic Lego set, an ideal supplement to all his other Lego collections.

Turned out to be the perfect birthday gift from Grandma.

Quick Links:

• LEGO Classic Creative Supplement on Amazon

For more Lego Reviews, check out

ReviewThisReviews: Legos

(c) Wednesday Elf - 5/14/2015

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Review of "The Huntsman: Winter's War" A Captivating Movie

In 2012, the movie "Snow White and the Huntsman" was released in theaters.  It seized the childhood fairy tale and brought it to an adult audience.   That movie focused on the evil queen, Ravenna, sending the huntsman to kill Snow White after the infamous mirror on the wall informed her there was "another destined to surpass" her beauty.

"The Huntsman: Winter's War" gives the background story of the huntsman in the fairytale.  He was raised to be a warrior in the kingdom ruled by the Ice Queen, Freya, who was Ravenna's sister. 

The movie started a little slow.  Plus, after 4 years, I found myself struggling to remember if we had ever been introduced to Freya before.  However, I did finally settle into watching the drama of the Ice Queen unfold before me and frankly didn't care whether we knew the queen from Snow White had a sister.  Once I was able to set that aside, I very much enjoyed the movie.

 

About The Huntsman: Winter's War 

Freya, the Ice Queen

Unlike her selfish sister, Ravenna, who had schemed and murdered in order to become queen and to take control of a kingdom, Freya was a sweet girl content with a more common life that included love and a family.  It is well known that Ravenna, the queen, is a sorceress.  We learn in this movie that her powers are not even conquered by death. 

Ravenna had often admonished Freya that she should seek her own supernatural powers, embrace them and become powerful like herself.  When Ravenna discovered she had a new rival, her diabolical actions cost Freya everything that was ever important to her, including the life of her only child.   Once Freya's daughter was murdered, she turns ice cold toward everything and everyone.   She is immediately overcome by anger and hatred.   Her entire body becomes a vessel for evil and wickedness.  She finds her supernatural power in being able to literally freeze anyone and watch their bodies shattered as broken ice.  This ability reflects her frozen heart and she feels nothing but disdain for anyone who loves.  She sees it as a great weakness that should be eliminated.  

Freya leaves her sister's kingdom to establish her own domain.  

 

The Huntsman:  Eric (Chris Hemsworth)

 

Freya conquers region after region in order to build a massive kingdom.  She spares the lives of the children and brings them to her castle to train them as warriors.  She also strives to eradicate love from their lives.

As you may have guessed by now, Eric is one of the children she "captures" to train as a warrior.  He and Sara, another child captured in the same raid, excelled as warriors.  They also fall in love with each other, a sin punishable by death in the Ice Queen's kingdom.

The Ice Queen forms an ice wall between the couple as their comrades carry out orders to attack and kill each of them.  After watching Sara's murder through the ice, Eric is rendered unconscious and thrown into a river by his "adopted" brother.  He survives, but ends up in the land of Snow White mourning the death of his beloved wife. 

My Opinion and Recommendation of The Huntsman:  Winter's War

 The Huntsman: Winter's WarTo be blunt, I liked this movie a lot better than it predecessor, "Snow White and the Huntsman".   

It is easy to accept Charlize Theron as the gorgeous queen whose beauty cannot be surpassed.  As always, her performance was exceptional!  How someone can be so beautiful, and yet be the face of evil at the same time, is quite fascinating.

Emily Blunt was Freya and did an outstanding job of playing the part of a fractured soul struggling to survive an unimaginable experience.   Her facial expressions throughout her reign as the Ice Queen revealed just enough to make you wonder if she struggled with her determination to extinguish any semblance of love. 

These two woman on the screen together are quite impressive.  They are both beautiful woman with regal carriage.  Their acting is superb, and their costumes in this movie are exquisite.  

To the naysayers of this movie who bemoan the fact that Kristen Stewart (Snow White) was not in this movie, I have to say I disagree.  She was not needed, nor was she missed.

As far as the huntsman and the love story in this movie, Eric and Sara were easy to like.  Their relationship and the evolution of romance shows that regardless of laws and hardships, people still care for each other.  The human desire for love and natural response to love cannot be exterminated.  

I also really liked the ending of the movie, but you will have to go see it yourself to know what happens.  Actually, you should go see it for yourself!  Don't let the negative press and reviews that are just plain wrong keep you from going to this movie.



The Huntsman: Winter's War Movie Review & Recommendation Written by:

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Review of Tips on Photographing Backyard Birds

American Goldfinch

My husband and I both enjoy watching the birds in our backyard.  Our kitchen table sits in front of our sliding patio doors and gives us a great view of everything in our backyard.  I also enjoy photographing the birds and in this article I will give you some tips for photographing birds in your backyard.

Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

In order to photograph birds in  your backyard you first want to attract the birds to the area where you want to photograph.  Last week Review This contributor Susan wrote a great article on attracting birds to your backyard in her article Backyard Garden Birds: Springtime Review .  In order to attract birds you need to have things birds will enjoy like feeding stations, birdbaths and perches.

When you are wanting to photograph birds, you need to go a step further and analyze where you have placed the places where birds will land.  For example, you will want to look at what is behind the bird feeder that might also get into your photo.  Do you have an unattractive trash can or some other distracting article in the background that you will want to make sure is not in your photograph?  In my case I had my finch birdfeeder on a shepherds hook that I thought looked great, but when I looked through the viewfinder on my camera I realized the top of the hook went just over our back fence.  What I captured when I zoomed in on a bird perched on top of the hook was an ugly pipe sticking out of my neighbors roof.  With a little rearranging I was able to move the feeder a little closer in and now I have just the white fence as the background.

Fuscia Basket

I have found that adding some colorful floral baskets around the area where the birds perch also makes for some attractive photos.  I have a fuscia plant hanging near my hummingbird feeder and it helps to attract the hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are just starting to come to our area, so I'm anxiously awaiting to find a hummingbird on one of this beautiful flowers. 

Getting Ready to Photograph

In order to get good bird photographs on a regular basis you need to

•  Be Prepared
• Be Patient 

 We have a table near our sliding camera and I make sure I always have my camera sitting there and ready to shoot.  One of the best times to photograph birds is in the early morning hours.  They are most active the first few hours after sunrise, so in the evening I set up my tripod in front of our sliding doors so that I am ready to shoot in the morning.  You can photograph birds with a hand held camera, but if you want to capture those birds in flight or get a great closeup a tripod and a remote shutter release are very helpful.  I had both on when I captured the photo below.

To capture birds in flight, set you camera on a tripod and focus the camera just off the feeder.  This way you will be able to photograph the birds as the fly to the feeder or when they are leaving the feeder. Now comes the second part, you sit quietly and wait for the birds to fly into your focus area.  I often click the shutter several times before I get a bird all the way in the photo.

Look  for Interesting Habits

I have found the bright yellow Finch that come to our feeders to be especially interesting.  Sometimes we have as many as eight on our feeder with several more perched on a nearby hanger or on the fence waiting their turn.  I like the birds in this photo, note how the one on the feeder seems to be warning the approaching bird to stay away.

Backyard Goldfinch

Best Time of Year to Photograph Birds

Although you can photograph birds all year long, I find the springtime and winter to be two of the times when I am able to capture my best bird photos. 

•  In the spring the bright yellow finches are in abundance in our area and are very enjoyable to watch and photograph. 
•  A bit later in the spring and summer the hummingbirds will start to flock to the area.  They always make for some great photos
• In the winter, my favorite birds to photograph are the Cardinals.  I love the way their colors stand out on a drab winters day and when it snows they puff up and look so majestic.

Pair of Cardinals at Icy BirdFeeder Card by mbgphoto
Create unique personalized photo note cards from zazzle.com.

I enjoyed making cards out of my bird photo's.  The one above is of a male and a female Cardinal sitting on an icy birdfeeder.  The card below depicts the American Goldfinch photos.

American Goldfinch Card by mbgphoto
View Goldfinch Cards online at zazzle

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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BlogJob in Transition: A Review

A Review of the BlogJob Blogging Community in a Period of Transition 

When I first joined BlogJob in October of 2015, I was very excited about the community. I believed BlogJob was the writing community that had it all. It not only provided free WordPress hosting and a ready-made audience, but also issued points just for posting blogs. The points could be redeemed for gift cards or deposits of cash into PayPal. What was not to love?

I immediately set up six new blogs. I started to earn points. One could earn the most points for a blog post, because it was important to keep people writing on the site. One could also earn points for interaction with others in forums and groups, for making a new friend, and for commenting and answering on blog posts. Hosting was free, the community was active, and the sky was the limit.

Well, not quite. New members who hadn't completed any projects yet could only earn 150 points per day. If one posted three blogs, that used the point limit. No more points for interaction that might normally be earned would be issued. If you had earned your daily limit, your point pot for the day was full. If you had 125 points already and posted a blog post, 25 of your fifty points would just be overflow that would not help you in any way. It would be like pouring water into a full bottle. The rest would run over the sides and be lost. Nevertheless, members just tried to be careful not to earn above their daily limits and most people were quite content.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

We were disappointed when BlogJob stopped accepting new members shortly after I joined. Referring new members was an important step in completing the first project. Finally the administration removed that requirement and we were OK with that. They said the reason was that referrals weren't being credited properly and they needed time to fix it. I saw that as a tiny red flag. By May, 2016, the door opened to new members again. More of my friends joined.

Then, on April 26, BlogJob members logged in to discover their daily point limit had decreased. Suddenly, I could only earn 100 points a day, not 150. This didn't trouble me too much, since I had enough to do on my own sites that I never reached my limit anyway. Those who depended on BlogJob most for earnings were hurt much more than I. But I began to worry a bit. I had formerly been a happy member of Bubblews, a site that showed similar signs that it might be in financial trouble and later closed, denying payments that members had earned. But they tried to keep members in the dark.

The adminstration of BlogJob has been upfront about what's happening, and membership has closed once more. The site had just been migrated to a new server and had been down more than up for several days. Once it was back up and new members started arriving, the loss in traffic white the site was migrating had affected the advertising rates. It takes time for traffic to build again.

On May 4, 2016, just as everyone was in gear again, the administration said they would have to stop issuing points until enough traffic returned to generate enough income to start the earning process again. The administrator said those who had enough points to redeem would be paid. Many people were paid if they were eligible. But no one is earning points again yet.

Image photo courtesy of  Pixabay, text added on PicMonkey

What's Next for BlogJob Members?

Current members find themselves in a dilemma. Do they stay, and wait? Or do they stay and participate as usual, even without earning points? Or do they take their work and move it elsewhere? Almost everyone at BlogJob had once been on Bubblews and was wondering if BlogJob would also go under. Do you cash out and leave? Or stay and hope the site will come back and do all you can to help make that happen? Different members have chosen different paths.

I have six blogs on BlogJob that I worked hard on. I was planning to move more there from other sites. Now I'm not sure that's wise. Although those with BlogJob blogs are allowed to monetize them, it's not as easy as it is on a self-hosted site. An affiliate marketer will do better with a self-hosted site for reasons I explain here. It's also true that one depending on third-party hosting never knows when she will wake up one morning and discover the site is gone. I don't think BlogJob will close its doors without warning, since it has been upfront with us so far.

It seems some of the traffic loss was due to an attack from Romania, and that it has now been dealt with. The site is faster now. Hope is building that points will start being issued again soon. I believe it's too early to tell. Who knows? Maybe the very act of my posting this will get the ball rolling, as per Murphy's Law.

Most BlogJob members who are still posting in forums are taking an optimistic view, believing problems will be resolved and the giving of points will return. No one has had their point balance erased. Payout requests from those with enough points are being honored and paid. I don't think this is Bubblews II. People who monetize their blogs will still be able to earn independently of BlogJob points. They can still enjoy socializing with each other as they do on other sites for free. Many members are putting in more time on myLot, which most of them also belong to and which does pay for participation.


Hope Springs Eternal Mug
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Like other BlogJob members, I sincerely hope the site will soon  be issuing points again. I think maybe those points should not be given as freely for actions like creating groups and making friends, since that rewards actions that are often abused on the site. I'm looking forward to the next act in this drama. I hope it all ends happily for the BlogJob members who depend on this site for income. I do believe the site owner will do all in his power to keep members informed and start letting them earn again. I believe his intentions are good. I hope he has the skills and the knowledge it takes to carry out those good intentions.

Update, March 1, 2019

I closed my BlogJob account several months ago. More and more bugs appeared that made posting hard. My ads were not formatting properly, and I was tired of fighting with the editor with no real hope left the site would ever pay again. I have backups of all my work and will gradually be moving it to other sites. I do not expect BlogJob to last much longer. I talked to a still active member today and she shares that opinion. She is also beginning to move work to other sites. 

When something seems too good to be true, it often can't last. That's why I advise bloggers, especially affiliate marketers, to self-host. There's no such thing as a free lunch. 

See Why It's Important for Affiliate Marketers to Self-Host WordPress Sites

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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