Flashlights come in all sizes, colors, and price range, but I have one I would recommend above all the rest!
My husband has always "collected" flashlights, therefore I have been exposed to a wide range of flashlights. When I need a flashlight, I want one that is going to light up my world. I have no use for a soft-light, delicate, cheap plastic flashlight that requires 2 or more D batteries. Nope, give me a torch!
I want lightweight and small, but I don't want to give up real lighting ability to get something easy to hold. Fortunately for me, with the Halo 800 Lumen Handheld Flashlight, I can have everything I want and need in a very compact, lightweight flashlight.
Halo 800 Lumen Handheld Flashlight with Rechargeable Battery
When I tell you, the 800 Lumen Halo flashlight is the best flashlight I have ever owned, I am not exaggerating at all. At first glance, it may seem a little pricey, but it is well worth every cent!
I can stand against the back wall of my bedroom and the light beam can easily shine through and light up all the rooms inside our home. It is a bright light and I can clearly see across the entire house without having to move.
Outdoors, it will light my up my backyard so I can easily spot the pup that thinks he is hiding from me at the back fence.
You know those horror movies where the woman carries a dimly lit flashlight and is practically face to face with the villain before she sees him? Well, if she had the Halo 800 Lumen Flashlight, that would never happen! She would see him coming 1000 feet away. That would greatly increase her chances of either getting away from him or in better preparing herself for his fiendish actions. He might even tuck tail and run like a spotted squirrel. After all, his sneaking around would certainly be thwarted.
Frankly, you need two of these flashlights. One for your home, and one for your car. Consider being stranded on the side of the road at night with a flat tire. No wolf would sneak up on you and have you over for dinner. When you hear the rustling in the bushes, cast your Halo 800 lumens in the general direction and Mr. Wolf would feel the burn of your current day torch. (figuratively speaking, of course!)
Hiking in the woods and out past nightfall, fear not! Your trusty Halo flashlight will help keep you on the path and lead you to safety. This is where I should mention the SOS mode. You can set your Halo Flashlight to flash the Morse emergency distress signal instead of a constant stream of light.
Rechargeable Battery (wall charger & car charger included)
3 hours of use before recharge needed
Water Resistant (you can use it in the rain!)
Impact Resistant
Wrist Strip included
The Perfect Gift for Anyone
Christmas is coming! You can search high and low, but you're are not going to find a better gift suggestion anywhere regardless of the gender of the recipient. Excellent for almost any age too. With the push button switch it is extremely easy to turn off and on.
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.”
On a crisp fall morning in mid October several members of the O'Fallon photography club took a trip out to Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum in St. Louis. This historic old cemetery was a wonderful place to explore and take photographs.
History
The Bellefontaine Cemetery has been in operation since 1849 and contains over 160 years of history. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery contains the graves of many of the men and women who shaped the history and culture of St. Louis. To find out more about the people who have graves and mausoleums at Bellefontaine you can click on this link to their website. Bellefontaine Cemetery There are brief life stories of many of the influential people who are in the cemetery as well as a detailed history of the cemetery through the years. Before the 19th century cemeteries were mostly in church yards. When Bellefontaine was first started there was a movement to provide peaceful parklike settings for burial places.
Architecture
The architecture and art in Bellefontaine Cemetery is truly amazing. There are many different types of architecture including Classic Revival, Romanesque, Gothic, Egyptian Revival as well as mausoleums and statues with Western influence. The first mausoleum in the photograph below is one that was constructed in 1921 and is an elaborate Gothic Revival style. The details on it are truly beautiful. You can't tell from the photo, but when I looked in the front doors I saw beautiful stained glass windows on three walls.
You can see from the next three photos that there are a wide variety of different styles of mausoleums at the cemetery.
There were also many statues throughout the cemetery. A lot were of angels and crosses were carved into many of the stones.
There were beautiful features in the windows of many of the mausoleums. Above you see a stained glass window and below is a photo I took from inside one of the mausoleums. I really liked the details on the window.
Nature
Bellefontaine is also an arboretum that has over 500 trees and woody shrubs throughout its 314 acres. These come from over 200 different species and when we visited in mid October some of the leaves had turned and others were still green. This made for a beautiful mix of colors among the old stone tombstones and mausoleums.
We walked around the cemetery taking photographs for over 2 hours and only saw about 25% of the area. I'm looking forward to going back and exploring more. It was truly an interesting place.
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.”
When our hearts are especially thankful, we can often express our thanksgiving and praise best with music. Even when our hearts are heavy, music can remind us of all God has done for us and help us remember his faithfulness during times stress. Songs of praise can often bring gratitude back to our hearts. Today I'd like to share some music and verses that help my own heart give thanks for God's many blessings.
Prepare Your Heart to Praise the Lord with Music - Photo Courtesy of Pixabay
Let's get started with a song I first heard back in the seventies when I had many albums by the St. Louis Jesuits. I think I had all of them. Even though I'm Protestant, the Catholic Church was more innovative in writing music that expressed what was in my young adult heart. Here's a sample I found on YouTube so you could hear the complete song, "Glory and Praise to Our God."
Even though I'm now old, I still appreciate the simple melodies and beautiful harmony of many of the St. Louis Jesuits' songs.
The Music in This Thanksgiving Album Has All I the Qualities I Want
When I started searching Amazon for some of my favorite songs of thanksgiving and praise, I wanted to find an album with a variety of styles and artists. If I'm going to listen for a while, my attention wanders if the voices or music styles don't change periodically. It's especially important to me that the rhythm changes. Even creators of albums by a single artist try to vary the rhythms as they put an album together.
I also wanted music with understandable words. All you need to do is listen to YouTube for a while to know that some choirs and smaller groups enunciate their words more clearly than others. It's wonderful that some videos show the words as they are sung, but most of us aren't able to watch our music on video when we are driving or doing the dishes. I don't know about you, but I normally listen to music to keep from getting bored while I'm doing some physical task
My personal music preference is songs with strong melody that beg me to sing along, and at least some harmony as the music flows. I want music that will lift my spirit, and tunes work with the words to do that.
This album meets all my criteria. There are a few songs included I wouldn't buy separately, but they work in the album to vary the styles and rhythms. Click through to see a complete listing of all the songs and sample them right from the page. Although the thumbnails featured on the videos show different covers, the songs are the same ones by the same artists you will find on this video. OCP puts many of the songs in several different albums. If a song is only from a different album, I will tell you.
What's in the Glory & Praise: Third Edition, Vol. 26 Album?
Here are some of the videos I've found that will let you hear more complete recordings of some of the artists featured on the album. Most of the traditional hymns included are sung by the OCP Session Choir. Here is their YouTube presentation of one of the most popular Thanksgiving songs you will find in the album -- "Now Thank We All Our God." It dates all the way back to Pilgrim times and I grew up singing it every Thanksgiving.
I'll be the first to admit that the cover of this album is not very exciting, but one isn't going to listen to the cover.
There are also many songs associated with the St. Louis Jesuits which you can stream or still get on CD's. Among them was the song in the first video I showed you above. This next one, also on the album, is by Bob Dufford and the St. Louis Jesuits. I'm giving you the visual version here. It's prettier than the album cover.
The album also features another of my favorite Thanksgiving songs: "Let All Things Now Living." It's sung to the popular folk tune of "The Ash Grove" by the OCP Session Choir.
The songs by Grayson Warren Brown are a bit slower and reflect a different cultural style. Here's "Been So Busy." This artist was new to me.
If you'd like to sample more of this artist, which I did, you can not only steam his music, but also buy his CD. I like that, because I don't have an MP3 Player. Actually, I do, but it's ancient and I never figured out how to work it.
While checking out all this music, I see that to get the music I really want to buy and play it in a portable form I may need to invest in an MP3 Player. I'm checking out this one.
Still More Songs to Check out from More Artists on this Album
"Grateful" by Tom Tomaszek is also included in the album. Here it is complete. It's yet another style.
All these new styles are getting to me. I need to calm down a bit with another traditional hymn by the choir. Here's another of my favorites: "All Creatures of Our God and King." It dates back to St. Francis of Assisi in 1225 and was translated into English by William Draper in 1926. It appears some of the words have been modernized since then. The tune dates back to 1623. This version is from the Cambridge Singers and a different album, but the song is also sung by the OCP Session Choir on the Glory and Praise Album linked to above. I put this version here because I like the extra organ and trumpet music in many of the selections.
The O Praise the Lord of Heaven album it comes from features only a couple of the Thanksgiving hymns in my featured album. Most of the selections in O Praise the Lord of Heaven will appeal more to those who are "high church" or who enjoy classical music. If that's you, try the downloads from this album.
We've almost got this album covered. I haven't shown you all the songs, but you can sample the rest on the Amazon site. I do want to leave you with one last song from the album by an artist who was new to me and I'm glad to have met. It's another song I love, "Alle, Alle, Alleluia" by Richard Ho Lung. It will wake you back up if the slower songs were making you drift off.
If you enjoyed that song, you might want to check out others by the same artist and a couple of others on Working for the Lord. Most feature the faster rhythms, and some of the songs include female vocalists.
At least we've reached the last song from it I want to share with you in video. This is the version you will find on our featured album. The hymn has been around with many different tunes. The English translation by Jane Campbell has been around since 1861. This version of "All Good Gifts" is by Kevin Keil.
I hope you've enjoyed our video tour of Glory & Praise: Third Edition, Vol. 26. If you'd like to purchase the album or individual songs just click the link to see the Amazon listing where you can listen to parts of each song. You can stream 13 of them for free if you Try Amazon Music Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial. That membership will also allow you to listen to many of the songs in the other albums featured here. If you'd like to do that, I'd really appreciate it if you'd click the affiliate link above to look at the offer instead of the one on whatever Amazon page you land on if you go to look at the music.
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.”
It is that time of year again, we are all looking for gift ideas. Today I would like to review the classic game of Jenga for you to consider as a gift for a child or the entire family. We love to play games in our house. Board games are fun but when the entire family gets together some of those are too difficult for the little ones to play. Not all of the adults like playing the simpler games like Chutes and Ladders or Candy Land so the the youngest can play along. That is why I love the Jenga game. Even the littlest family member can play. We have one who still delights in losing by pulling out a block and causing the tower to fall. She used to clap and say, "Do it again, do it again" or "I did it! I made it fall!" She has reached an age now where she understands that the object is to remove a block without making the tower crash and has become more skilled at playing. She is a little like her Grandma in not being too awfully competitive; losing doesn't bother her like a few of the adults who get perturbed when they lose. I think that is one of the reasons that I have always loved to play games with the children. It is fun to show them what it feels like to win but it is just as important (in my humble opinion) to show them how to lose gracefully. Depending on who is playing at the time, sometimes the kids see an example of what it looks like to be a "sore loser" and that is important for them to see, too.
It is a fun and inexpensive game that is easy to play although it does provide some chances for skill and strategy as the tower grows and it becomes less and less stable. Because the blocks are made of wood; it isn't going to break and it is extremely easy to store away when the game is over. We've even played with the blocks like building blocks from time to time instead of playing the actual game.
If you are looking for a gift idea for a child, I recommend that you consider the game of Jenga. Both children and adults can enjoy playing it and it never goes out of style.
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.”
As the season of serious gift shopping fast approaches, I want to bring attention to these personalized and meaningful gifts. In this review I will show you gifts that are not mass produced, are handmade, and are personalized to your specifications. These are gifts that are meant to last through the years. Earlier this year I ordered custom metal garden tags from SimplyYoursByDesign and was extremely pleased with both that shopping experience and the quality of garden tags I received. I expect that the experience with their gift items would be the same.
Engraved Double-Sided Cuff Bracelet
This lovely double-sided cuff bracelet is stamped with one word on the top side and is personalized on the inside. This example shows the top side word as "blessed". That word can be exchanged for a word of your choice. The inside is a list of names separated by hearts. Perhaps the names of someone's children? Or a proud grandparent's grandchildren? The top side could be engraved with the word "remember" with an important quote on the inside. Or perhaps "never forget" on the top side with a date or memorial on the inside. These bracelets can be as personal and unique as you can imagine - within the character limits of course. And they are available in several different metals.
Engraved Metal Ornaments - Personalized for Your Family or Theirs
Many families have ornaments that they use year after year. And eventually pass down through the generations. A wonderful tradition that is even better when the ornaments don't just say "Baby's First Christmas" but also includes baby's name! My readers are probably more imaginative than I am and can probably come up with some fantastic ideas for ornaments. These are the ideas I've had for meaningful ornaments:
gift for grandparent with the grandchildren's names
baby's first Christmas
special dates or events that have occurred
family name ornament
parent ornament listing the children's names
memorial ornament - to always remember
ornament for pet
couple's first Christmas together (imagine the same ornament of a different metal each subsequent year!)
As I mentioned, I had ordered personalized garden tags earlier this year (see that review here) and as a result, I continue to recommend SimplyYoursByDesign.
When you order your personalized item, remember that this is a small family business and the items are engraved by hand. If you are a last-minute shopper and desire instant gratification, these are probably not the gifts for you. The folks at SimplyYoursByDesign list the current production time on their policies page, so be aware of that when you are considering ordering.
If you are looking for a special and personal gift for someone (or maybe for yourself) these may be just the things you were looking for.
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.”
Cat lovers are so much fun to buy for! And there seems to be an endless supply of funky cat gifts to choose from.
Only true cat lovers understand the connection between feline and human. We've heard all the reasons why; they're independent, when they want love they'll let you know, and yes they're smart. Whatever it is that forms that connection, it exists and it's deep.
This set comes in three sizes, Twin, Queen, and King and consists of a duvet cover, a flat sheet and pillowcases. However it doesn't come with a comforter insert, so you'll have to acquire that separately if needed.
The material is a blend of fifty percent tencel and fifty percent cotton, making it not only a funny choice but also a comfortable one.
Best of all they're affordable. At the time of writing, if you're looking for a gift under twenty dollars, these will fit the bill. Note that prices can change, and although the price is under twenty dollars at this moment, it could go up or down.
The photo of the pillows shows three kitties but the price only includes one. When you visit the link you'll see there are two cat pillow choices, versus three depicted here.
The price of these pillows make them a good multiple gift purchase. Acquire several and keep them on hand for housewarming or to give to the kids of the household you're visiting.
A Freaky Kitty Mug
This freaky kitty cat mug is perfect for that quirky friend who enjoys a gift that's funky. This kitty mug literally stands out; look at the cat stretch.
Again, at the time of writing, the mug is currently under twenty dollars. Of course, that can change but for now it's ideal if you're looking to spend money within this price range.
Give this one as a teacher gift, an office party gift, a hostess gift, gift for the kids of the home you're visiting, or give several of them as set to make a main gift for that special cat lover in your life.
So whether it's bedding, pillows or a mug, these are affordable gifts to stay under a hundred dollars, and even under twenty dollars.
Novelty gifts are remembered and laughed about for years, so don't hesitate to choose one.
Happy Shopping!
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.”
If you love reading murder mysteries in coffee shops then Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse books are ideal for you. Well maybe not the one where the caramel chocolate latte is poisoned, but.....
I do like murder mysteries - both the easy to read cozy mysteries (which Cleo Coyle's ones are) and the grittier ones by the likes of Ruth Rendell or Kathy Reichs.
The Coffeehouse books are a little different in that they involve coffee - yes a whole series of books that unite both coffee and murder, want to know more?
Let's review the series of The Coffeehouse Mysteries, be warned this could become almost as addictive as your morning cup of Joe!
Clare Cosi is the Star of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
A Coffee Lover & Sleuth Too!
Clare Cosi is the heroine of these murder mysteries and she works as manager (soon to be partner) of The Village Blend a coffee shop that has been in Greenwich Village, New York for decades as it was started by her ex-mother-in-law, referred to simply as Madame!
As well as being the manager Clare seems to somehow have a connection to murder on a regular basis and then wants to solve the case - her ex-husband (and soon to be partner in The Village Blend) claims she has a Nancy Drew fixation ........and he might not be wrong.
Throughout the book Clare shares little tidbits about coffee - making it, the differences between beans, coffee folklore and more. To give you some background Clare moved away from New York with her daughter Joy when her marriage ended and only recently returned to New York for the first book in the series - On What Grounds. During the time she was away she worked as a food and coffee writer so has all of this knowledge which gets sprinkled through the books.
Clare has a good relationship with her ex, but the man she'd like in her life is a Police Detective called Mike Quinn which is pretty handy when you're after details of a case as well. Clare also has a good relationship with her ex-mother-in-law who is also a little nosy and loves to help Clare out when she's trying to solve a case.
The murder mysteries always seem to have a connection to The Village Blend Coffeehouse which could give you pause before drinking there ....... unless you like puffer fish that is. For those of you who don't 'get' that sentance then you need to read book #3 - Latte Trouble!
What sets these books apart from other whodunnits is the coffee. As I mentioned before sprinkled throughout the books are little bits of coffee trivia which I found really interesting. The trivia didn't detract from the story line, but it did add another layer to the story which I enjoyed.
To further seal the coffee influence with these books you'll find recipes from the stories at the end of the book. If you're in a book club you could recreate a Caramel Chocolate Latte to drink while you discuss the ins and outs of Latte Trouble to really get in the mood.
Who is Cleo Coyle?
The Author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries
Cleo Coyle is actually two people, husband and wife writing team - Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini. They released the first book - On What Grounds - in September 2003 and now they even have their own website with recipes and a forum for fans - The Virtual Village Blend.
Cleo Coyle Books in Order
I'm linking to books here for you, but I should mention that I've been reading the kindle editions of these books and am thoroughly enjoying reading them that way.
On What Grounds (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 1) is the first of these books and it's where Clare Cosi returns to take over as the manager of The Village Blend.
I actually haven't read this book yet as I started off reading book 2, then book 3 and I haven't looked back! I will read it once I've finished the rest of the series though.
In this book we also see Mike Quinn's jealous side as Clare gets herself a love interest who (rather predictably) turns out to be a main suspect in a rash of murders made to look like suicides and all customers of the Village Blend.
Latte Trouble (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 3)
Latte Trouble is the third book in the coffeehouse mysteries and this time the murder hits even closer to home with the murder weapon being a poisoned latte poured by the lovable Tucker - can Clare's chief barista be a murderer?
This book could be the end for Clare as she's taken into the seedy underworld of the fashion industry and drugged, but wait I know I have more of these books so it'll turn out okay!
In Latte Trouble we were introduced to David Mintzer, celebrity restaurant owner, who was impressed by Clare's coffee knowledge.
In this the fourth book in the series, David has brought Clare, Joy and Madame to stay at his Hamptons' home to help train his staff up as baristas and of course this means that someone is going to be murdered while they're partying their way through a Hamptons' summer.
One of the interesting things I've found with this book is about how decaffeinated coffee is made because this book is all about a new coffee bean that is grown as a decaffeinated bean.
I was surprised by the first body that we 'meet' in this book (although it's the second murder in chronological order and the first wasn't a surprise to me), when the body fell onto the sidewalk I thought I knew who it was going to be and I was wrong which is always a good start to solving a whodunnit!
The following books are the rest of the series in order. I haven't read these yet, but will add a short description to them as I do.
French Pressed
Espresso Shot
Holiday Grind
Roast Mortem
Murder by Mocha
A Brew to a Kill
Holiday Buzz
Billionaire Blend
Once Upon a Grind
Dead to the Last Drop
Dead Cold Brew
Due to be released in April 2018 -
Shot in the Dark
Do You Love Cozy Mysteries? We Do!
The contributors here at Review This often review books for you and I've found that a lot of us really enjoy a cozy mystery or two, in fact one of our contributors, Bev Owens, has actually published a couple of her own cozy mysteries which are awesome.
So, if you want a break from the fast pace of New York (where the Coffeehouse Mysteries are set) then why not take a trip to Beaver Falls with Beverly Owen's Up cycling mysteries.
Here are a few of the other cozy mysteries we've reviewed for you..
Mystery Series Review: Cats, Cupcakes and Killers
Author Sylvia Selfman has done just that with her Izzy Greene series in Cats, Cupcakes and Killers. All seven mysteries are published together ...
Reviewing Cozy Mysteries and Favorite Women Sleuths
Like cozy mysteries starring smart, female sleuths? ... My favorite genre is mystery and right now I'm particularly attracted to easy-to-read cozy mystery stories
Mrs Fix-it Mystery Series Reviewed
A very enjoyable series of mystery books with Mrs Fix It as the female sleuth. ... I was a little sad when I came to the last page of the 15th book.
Reviewing The Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery Series
I recently read the Mystic Notch Cozy Mystery Series by Leighan Dobbs and enjoyed it immensely. It was pretty easy to get attached to the ...
We're not all a 'murderous bunch' and we review plenty of other books too, but at the moment I just can't get enough of the cozy mysteries that are out there and I'm sure that you'll love them too.
If you're not into the more grisly murder mysteries then the cozy mysteries are for you. I once heard them described as the Mills and Boon of mystery books and that made me smile because they are light reading and in general they don't contain descriptive violence (although obviously there is murder involved). I think of them as 'genteel murder mysteries' similar to Agatha Christie's books, but without the nostalgic feel of a different era.
Grab a coffee and let me know what you think of this series of books and don't forget to check out some of the other cozy mysteries too.
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.”
Why I am reviewing Thanksgiving Canon: It's my favorite Thanksgiving Hymn and I love to play it this time of year It's great to play any day you feel like singing a praise song! The notes of Thanksgiving Canon are on the pentatonic musical scale that is very pleasing to the spirit at the cellular level. Science has now actually proven this. (with brain scans) So if you listen, you will feel better.
Photo is Autumn Leaves by Pixel Anarchy on Pixabay and can be found here.
The Thanksgiving Canon is an old standby and we sang it as a round, ending in a sustained Amen when I was in choir growing up . When I went looking for a video of it for you, the best ones were from the Girl Scouts. How funny, but understandable, as we sang lots of wonderful uplifting songs in my Girl Scout troop. But I did not know that the Girl Scouts have their own CD's now! So had to spend an afternoon listening to some of their renditions of some old Camping favorites! Below is the original sheet music that I saved from an old Choir book. I think it was from 6th grade.
Enjoy the Thanksgiving Canon and Happy Thanksgiving!
For thy gracious blessings,
For thy wondrous words,
For thy loving kindness,
We give thanks, O Lord.
~Thanksgiving Canon
About Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated mostly in the United States and Canada. It is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the United States. In ancient times, This was the Autumn Equinox festival. Man has always thanked the Creator for the harvest.
And man has always sung to celebrate everything. The Thanksgiving Canon is not only beautiful, but the sound tones are very soothing to your ear and soul. I always play it on Thanksgiving day.
The Thanksgiving Canon Performed
Listen to This Stunning Worship Song
Thanksgiving Canon is On This Album
Thanksgiving Canon
I was a lifelong Girl Scout, who camped out every month for years, singing campfire songs into the late evening under the moon and stars. Those are some of my favorite memories. Lots of faves on this CD.
With grateful heart
My thanks I bring,
Before the Great
Thy praise I sing;
I worship in Thy Holy place
And praise Thee
For Thy truth and grace;
For truth and grace
Together shine
In Thy most Holy Word Divine,
In Thy most Holy Word Divine.
~ Psalms 138
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday and I wish it would be adopted worldwide. How wonderful to be thankful, if only for a day!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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.”
Heading northward the other day with a vanload of precious
cargo, rescue dogs being transferred to prime locations where their adoption
chances were vastly improved, I got to thinking about the individuals who do
this on a grander scale throughout the year.What would it be like to be the individual who has driven a million
miles to save 30,000 dogs?Who could
sustain that kind of commitment for the long haul?
The who is Greg Mahle and Rescue Road is the inside story of what it takes, week in and week
out, to give thousands of dogs a stay of execution.Animals in high-kill shelters in the South, facilities
that kill four out of five dogs due to overcrowding or lack of resources, would
have no chance without the network of dedicated volunteers who make it their
mission to move dogs away from a sure death via the last hope highway.
When the author, Peter Zheutlin, adopts a lab that had
ridden its way to him on Mahle’s eighteen-wheeler, he becomes curious about the
intricacies of the rescue operation.We
make the journey with Zheutlin as he rides along with Mahle to immerse himself
in the grueling, and yet joyous, work of uniting homeless dogs with their new
families.Over the course of a week, we
travel from Ohio to the Gulf coast.
Along the way, we meet the inspirational heroes without whom
there would be no future for these abandoned animals.This is book that celebrates happy endings
without glossing over the realities of rescue work.Anyone who loves dogs, or loves the people
who make it their life’s work to save animals, will appreciate this book.
As one who is involved in the rescue mission, I seek out
books that will inspire me to continually do more and be more.Though you and I will most likely never drive
one million miles, and though I transport smaller numbers of dogs, the message
we can take to heart is this: There is
something we each can do to make a difference in the lives of desperate
beings.How we do it is a very personal
choice.Whether we adopt, or volunteer,
or donate, or educate, or transport, it all adds up.The sum of our actions is significant.I encourage you to read Rescue Road and then
to help spread hope wherever it is needed most.
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.”
By Stephen James Hall (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
It is Fall and many people are wondering what they are going to do to keep fit during those months that are not conducive to Jogging or other outdoor sports. Today I will review a new craze that is sweeping the nation from one coast to the other. It's a relatively new game that combines tennis, badminton and table tennis all into one game and it's lots of fun for all ages.
Have I got your curiosity yet?
What if I told you that you can play this game indoors or out and that there are clubs all over just waiting for you to join them?
So now do you want to know more?
Okay, the game was started in 1965, by a family and friends who were bored at the cottage. They were given some table tennis paddles and a whiffle ball. The instructions to the kids were, "get out of our hair and have some fun. That was the beginning of Pickleball! Everything after that was tweeking the game. In 1972 it became a recognized sport, with rules and regulations. Today this sport has over 2 million players world-wide and is one of the fastest growing sports of all time! Well it's calledPICKLEBALL!
I first heard about this on my latest trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We happened to be staying at a resort where there was all kinds of people, young, old and in between. They were all interacting with each other and having a great time! We found out that this was one of the places where the East Coast Pickleball Tournament had just been held. The winner was a young lad of 17 and the runner up was and older gent ( I think he was in his 70's). So when I say it can be played by anyone, I really mean anyone. Where a tennis racquet and balls can already set you back quite a few dollars, Pickleball is inexpensive and until you really become hooked, you can play with a minimal investment.
But just a word of caution as always, if you have been sedentary for a long time, have a check up just to make sure you are alright to play this game.
What I really like about this game is that it combines several games that I no longer can play. I'm just not as fast as I once was. It is a combination of tennis, badminton and table tennis too! Because of the type of ball that is used, the speed part of the game has become much less of an issue. Pickleballs are similar to whiffle balls and because of the holes in the balls, they don't move as fast as a tennis ball. That for me is a great bonus. But the game still gives you a great workout, without tiring you in 5 minutes.
There are Pickleball Associations and Clubs all over the world. So I'm sure you can find one in your area too. But, if there are no clubs near you, start your own. The game is easy to play without a myriad of rules and regulations (until you become a pro). Even then the rules are easy to follow. I bet once you start to play, you won't be able to stop!
If you have a flat area 20 feet by 44 feet long, you can map out your own Pickleball court. Get a set of paddles, balls and a net and you are ready to join the 2 million others who are enjoying this game. I just saw a great info graphic on the number of people and the demographics of age who are currently playing Pickleball. The largest number of people playing Pickleball are 60+ at a whopping 70%. Participants 40-59 make up 24% and 6% of players are under 39. How's that for a wrap up? 70% of the players are over 60! There is hope for us who are older and still want to play.
As the saying goes, "You don't grow up until you stop playing!"
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.”
![Greatness and Glory Are Yours [CD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51iURVQeqjL._SL500_.jpg)
. That membership will also allow you to listen to many of the songs in the other albums featured here. If you'd like to do that, I'd really appreciate it if you'd click the affiliate link above to look at the offer instead of the one on whatever Amazon page you land on if you go to look at the music.
