A Friend's Passing...

photo: My HipstaPrint "Fairy-Angel" by TJGoogins

I got a call from my friend Donna's husband this morning - I was already awake, got up before my alarm went off, which was set for seven a.m., so it was kinda early - but he had already phoned me a couple of days before to prepare me for this call...

"She passed away around five o'clock this morning," he said

"Were you there?" I asked. I knew how devoted he was to her, how much he loved her, how much he didn't want to lose her but knew she couldn't last too much longer.

He told me the nurse had called him from the house, so he left work and got home just as Donna was taking her last few breaths. Although I knew that was a difficult moment for him, I also knew he could take some small comfort from being there when she departed.

We talked for a few minutes, both of us feeling very much relieved that her fight with cancer was finally over and she would feel no more pain.

"She's dancing now, Robert - dancing and laughing." And telling jokes, I meant to add.

Donna was my boss nearly 30 years ago but we became good friends and stayed in touch even when we moved from one place to the next. I was her "straight man" and she was my personal chef. She was small and I was tall. We were both May babies but she was a year older than me. She had a hard life and worked her behind off for most of it but she always knew how to have a good time until this ugly thing came to torment, weaken and eventually consume her. She was a tough, wisecrackin' Boston-born girl who kept giving Mister Death the finger until the very end.

I stopped to see her last month when my husband and I drove South for our vacation - it had been more than ten years since I'd visited her - and we both got to meet each other's husband. Although I didn't want this to be my "good-bye" visit, I think I knew it would take a miracle to get a second chance at this; she looked so pale and frail and yet she was still cracking jokes.

So, rest in peace, 'Mo (she called me 'Bo - or was it the other way around? - but that's another story). Stay in touch, ya hear? And make the angels laugh, dear friend, make 'em laugh.

Easter Is So Pretty

These lovely
Easter images
courtesy of:

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/

Easter is late this year - but no matter: It was a lovely day - warm, a little rain late in the day, pretty flowers blooming... my kale plants overwintered and are putting out new leaves, while the yarrow and mint and lemon balm from previous years are coming in strong!



Last night i tried to watch The Ten Commandments, but was only able to watch a few scenes...

Today I tried to watch King of Kings, then The Robe - no luck with either one...

I finally caught the end of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - then I watched Mary Poppins, followed by The Sound of Music - now I'm watching Titanic - not typical Easter fare, I know, but there you have it!

Holidays are a time to spend with friends and family - my husband had to work, so I spent it by myself, which was fine - I just took a much-needed break

Back to work tomorrow - soon April will end and May will be here - the trees will finally have leaves and more flowers will bloom - I will plant herbs and perhaps a couple of vegetables (lettuce? tomatoes? peppers?) I don't have anywhere to plant them - I had hoped to join my town's community garden, but I have not done it yet... there's still time, though!

Here's what www.history.com says about Easter:

The exact origins of this religious feast day's name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites' exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.

Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus' ascension into heaven.

In addition to Easter's religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks that appear in stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday.

Easter Bunny

The Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter bunny has become a prominent symbol of Christianity's most important holiday. The exact origins of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits, known to be prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called "Osterhase" or "Oschter Haws." Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit's Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping.

Easter Eggs

Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus' emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration.

Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg-related traditions. In the U.S., the White House Easter Egg Roll, a race in which children push decorated, hard-boiled eggs across the White House lawn, is an annual event held the Monday after Easter. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878, when Rutherford B. Hayes was president. The event has no religious significance, although some people have considered egg rolling symbolic of the stone blocking Jesus' tomb being rolled away, leading to his resurrection.

Easter Candy

Easter is the second best-selling candy holiday in America, after Halloween. Among the most popular sweet treats associated with this day are chocolate eggs, which date back to early 19th century Europe. Eggs have long been associated with Easter as a symbol of new life and Jesus' resurrection. Another egg-shaped candy, the jelly bean, became associated with Easter in the 1930s (although the jelly bean's origins reportedly date all the way back to a Biblical-era concoction called a Turkish Delight). According to the National Confectioners Association, over 16 billion jelly beans are made in the U.S. each year for Easter, enough to fill a giant egg measuring 89 feet high and 60 feet wide. For the past decade, the top-selling non-chocolate Easter candy has been the marshmallow Peep, a sugary, pastel-colored confection. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based candy manufacturer Just Born (founded by Russian immigrant Sam Born in 1923) began selling Peeps in the 1950s. The original Peeps were handmade, marshmallow-flavored yellow chicks, but other shapes and flavors were later introduced, including chocolate mousse bunnies.

Easter Parade

In New York City, the Easter Parade tradition dates back to the mid-1800s, when the upper crust of society would attend Easter services at various Fifth Avenue churches then stroll outside afterward, showing off their new spring outfits and hats. Average citizens started showing up along Fifth Avenue to check out the action. The tradition reached its peak by the mid-20th century, and in 1948, the popular film Easter Parade was released, starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland and featuring the music of Irving Berlin. The title song includes the lyrics: "In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it/You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade."

Enjoy nature - live life well - be kind - Happy Easter!

Today is Earth Day

(photos: TJBGoogins & JMBuckley - all rights reserved)

Here are a couple of articles about one of my favorite topics!

Earth Day 2011 Is Celebrated

By Mark Dunphy - Fri Apr 22, 12:17 pm

Millions of people around the world will today take place in special events commemorating the 41st annual Earth Day.

The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement.

Eco-minded celebrities have this year joined Earth Day Network’s Billion Acts of Green Campaign, along with millions around the world, proving that people everywhere are eager to act in unity to support a sustainable future.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jewel, Ed Begley, Jr., Sienna Miller, Matthew Modine, Maria Menounos, Edward Norton and Ian Somerhalder are among the many who have “committed” more than over 100 million Acts of Green since the campaign kicked off last Earth Day during the Climate Rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC (participants included Sting, The Roots, Joss Stone, James Cameron).

“The tremendous influence of these notable activists is an inspiration and a reminder that we all have a responsibility to contribute our time, talents and voices to preserving the planet we all call home,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network.

The following celebrities have registered their Act of Green at www.billionactsofgreen.org in hopes of inspiring others to do the same:

Leonardo DiCaprio – An avid environmentalist, DiCaprio pledged $1 million to World Wildlife Fund for urgent tiger conservation. DiCaprio and the WWF teamed up to launch www.SaveTigersNow.org, where supporters can learn more about the rapidly dwindling tiger population, why tigers are important to the planet and humanity, and how to take action to prevent this species from going extinct.

Jewel - Volunteered to perform at a benefit concert for the Clearwater Project to raise funds to provide education to people in developing countries about their right to have access to clean water.

Ed Begley, Jr. –Chooses to ride a bike when weather and fitness permit and takes public transportation if available to cut down on traffic and pollution and lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
Sienna Miller – Visited India as a Green ambassador for Global Cool to help raise awareness among the people of India about the harmful effects of global warming.
Matthew Modine- A well known environmental activist, Matthew has most recently designated that all the proceeds from opening weekend of the new, animated film MIA AND THE MIGOO will support Earth Day Network’s Canopy Project, which is part of the Billion Acts of Green Campaign. The movie opens in theaters on Earth Day, 4/22/11.
Maria Menounos– Her commitment to organic gardening and carrying the message forward in her book, The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life. Last year, Maria also spoke at the Earth Day Network’s Climate Rally in Washington, DC about the health and cost effectiveness of greener living through things such as home gardening.
Edward Norton – Ran the New York City Marathon with a team of Maasai warriors in support of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, raising over $1 million through his site, Crowdrise.com. Crowdrise is a place for online fundraising, event fundraising, volunteering and having the most fun in the world while doing it.
Ian Somerhalder – Created the IS Foundation to educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures – the organization recently collaborated with Conservation International to save over 300 acres of forest.
Kelly Preston – Chosen to highlight her work with The Earth Organization as her addition to the Billion Acts of Green Campaign for Earth Day 2011
Brandi Carlile – Established The Looking Out Foundation to financially support causes and organizations including many environmental groups. She pledged to continue offsetting the carbon emissions from her tour.
Leilani Munter – Pledged to “continue to adopt an acre of rainforest for every race I run, which I have been doing since 2007. Represent green companies on my race car and spread environmental awareness to the 75 million race fans in the USA.”

For more on Earth Day 2011 see earthday.org.

www.irishweatheronline.com

*****************************************************************************

Here's another article written by John Roach for

National Geographic News

and published on April 6, 2010

From not-so-humble beginnings in 1970, when 20 million participated across the U.S., Earth Day has grown into a global tradition, with a billion expected to take part in 2009. Find out when it is, how it started, how it's evolved, and what you can do.

When Is Earth Day?

Every day, the saying goes, is Earth Day. But it's popularly celebrated on April 22. Why?

One persistent rumor holds that April 22 was chosen because it's the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Union.

"Lenin's goal was to destroy private property and this goal is obviously shared by environmentalists," the Capitalism Magazine Web site noted in a 2004 article perpetuating the theory.

Kathleen Rogers, president of Washington, D.C.-based Earth Day Network, which was founded by the original organizers of Earth Day, scoffs at the rumored communist connection.

She said April 22, 1970, was chosen for the first Earth Day in part because it fell on a Wednesday, the best part of the week to encourage a large turnout for the environmental rallies held across the country.

"It worked out perfectly, because everybody was at work and they all left," she said.

In fact, more than 20 million people across the U.S. are estimated to have participated in that first Earth Day.

(PICTURES: The First Earth Day--Bell-Bottoms and Gas Masks.)

Earth Day is now celebrated every year by more than a billion people in 180 nations around the world, according to Rogers.

Mad People and a Frustrated Politician

Earth Day's history is rooted in 1960s activism. The environment was in visible ruins and people were mad, according to Rogers.

"It wasn't uncommon in some cities during rush hour to be standing on a street corner and not be able to see across the street" because of pollution, she said.

Despite the anger, green issues were absent from the U.S. political agenda, which frustrated U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, whose campaigns for the environment through much of the 1960s had fallen flat.

First Earth Day "Took off Like Gangbusters"

In 1969 Nelson hit on the idea of an environmental protest modeled after anti-Vietnam War demonstrations called teach-ins.

"It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country," Nelson recounted in an essay shortly before he died in July 2005 at 89.

"The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air—and they did so with spectacular exuberance."

Nelson recruited activist Denis Hayes to organize the April 22, 1970, teach-in, which today is sometimes credited for launching the modern environmental movement.

By the end of 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had been born, and efforts to improve air and water quality were gaining political traction.

"It was truly amazing what happened," Rogers said. "Blocks just tumbled."

Earth Day Evolves

Amy Cassara is a senior associate at the World Resources Institute in Washington, D.C., who analyzes global environmental trends.

She noted that, since Earth Day started, environmentalism has moved from a fringe issue to a mainstream concern. "As many as 80 percent of Americans describe themselves as environmentalists," Cassara said.

Environmental issues today, however, are less immediate than dirty air, toxic water, and a hole in the ozone layer, she added.

For example, the impacts of global climate change are largely abstract and difficult to explain "without coming off as a doomsday prognosticator," Cassara said.

"As we become more industrialized and our supply chains become less transparent, it can be more difficult to understand the environmental consequences of our actions," she noted.

Earth Day Network is pushing the Earth Day movement from single-day actions—such as park cleanups and tree-planting parties—to long-term commitments.

"Planting a tree, morally and poetically, requires taking care of it for a really long time, not just sticking it in the ground," Earth Day Network's Rogers said.

To help make the transition, the organization is aligned with a hundred thousand schools around the world, integrating projects with an environmental component into the year-round curriculum.

"They announce the results on Earth Day, so Earth Day becomes a moment in time," Rogers said.

Cassara, of the World Resources Institute, said her organization uses Earth Day to convene with leaders in the movement and assess progress in their campaigns.

"[Earth Day] doesn't raise awareness among the general public in the same way that it used to. But it still provides a benchmark for reflection among those of us in the environmental community," she said.

What to Do on Earth Day?

For those whose inner environmentalist speaks loudest on April 22, Earth Day Network's Rogers encourages them to make a public commitment to take an environmental action.

"We are headed for a billion commitments to do something green," Rogers said. "And that doesn't mean think about it—it means do something."

Commitment ideas promoted by the Earth Day Network include pledging to educate friends and family on global warming or buy green products such as energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

The commitments are part of a yearlong initiative called the Green Generation, which leads up to the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010.

(See pictures of quirky Earth Day stunts.)

According to Rogers, everyone is part of this generation, which marks the transition from the industrial revolution to the green revolution.

"It is also about the green generation of energy and the generation of green jobs. ... The name [Green Generation], whenever I say it to people, they have their own idea of what it means, which is exactly what we want."

So there you have it - Earth Day 2011

As for me, I will drive my old Volvo to work today (which is only 3 or 4 miles away) and I plan to generate waves of positive energy to help our planet and all living things heal and feel good today and every day - let's be good to this marvelous big blue marble we call home!!!!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Wild Bill

The other day, I received a $20 with a strange message: You Have Found A Wild Bill... Track Me at www.wheresgeorge.com So I Googled "Where's George?" and found this on (of course!) Wikipedia:

Where's George? is a website that tracks the natural geographic circulation of American paper money. Its popularity has led to the establishment of a number of other currency trackingUnited States.^[1] websites (of which Where's George? remains the most popular by far), sites that track other objects—such as used books—and it has been used in at least one research paper to provide statistical patterns of human travel in the United States.

The site was established in December 1998 by Hank Eskin, a database consultant in Brookline, Massachusetts.^[3][4] Where's George? refers to George Washington, whose portrait appears on the one-dollar bill. In addition to the one-dollar bill, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50- and 100-dollar denominations can be tracked. The one-dollar bill is by far the most popular denomination, followed by 20-dollar bills.^[5]

To track a bill, a user enters the local ZIP Code and the serial number and series of any United States currency denomination. Users outside the United States are also able to participate using an extensive database of unique codes assigned to non-American/Canadian locations. Once a bill is registered, the site reports the time between sightings, the distance traveled between locations, and any comments from the finders (called "user notes"). The site does not track bills older than series 1963.

Where's George? is supported by advertising, sales of memorabilia, and by users who pay a fee for extra features.^[3] Users who pay a $7/month fee are entered into the "Friends of Where's George?" program, which allows these users to access the website free of advertisements; access certain features that others cannot, and refresh reports on the user's entered bills.^[6] Eskin states that the "Friends of Where's George?" program will always be optional and payment to use the site will always be at the individual's prerogative.^[6]

The website does not encourage the defacement of U.S. Currency.^[10] In October 1999, Eskin was interviewed for the New York Times, where he commented on why the Secret Service has not bothered the webmaster over the defacement of US Currency. Eskin replied "They've got better things to do. They want to catch counterfeiters counterfeiting billions of dollars."^[11]

In April 2000, the site was investigated by the United States Secret Service, which informed Eskin that the selling of "Where's George?" rubber stamps on the web site is considered "advertising" on United States currency, which is illegal under 18 U.S.C. § 475.^[12] The website's administrators immediately ceased selling the rubber stamps and no further action against the site was taken.^[3] At least one spokesperson for the US Secret Service has pointed out in print that marking US bills, even if not defacement, is still illegal for other reasons^[13] under 18 U.S.C. § 475; however, the general view is that using Where's George? rubber stamps on currency is not illegal per se.^[14] One Secret Service spokesman in Seattle, Washington, told The Seattle Times in 2004: "Quite frankly, we wouldn't spend too much looking into this."[3]

I think this is all quite fascinating - I love seeing little secret messages in unexpected places - so I took a photo of my "wild bill" so you can be on the look-out for it as it travels onwards and upwards, doing its part to boost the economy!

I'm trying not to spend it - but I plan to report its current location before releasing it back into the wild...

http://www.wheresgeorge.com/

Vacation Pix

There are so many photos - I find it difficult to wade through them all

But they are all beautiful - and these are just a few - I'll try to post more soon

And they depict some, if not most, of what we experienced during our cruise

As I said earlier, we sailed on a wonderful ship called the Monarch of the Seas owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

The people who work on the ship were just lovely - very nice and so accommodating

The color of the water was beautiful and came in every shade of blue

The sky was clear and also blue but not as variable as the sea

We visited Atlantis (the resort, not the mythical sunken city) and they would not let anyone inside unless you were a hotel guest - we were only allowed to visit the casino, which none of us cared about

We drove around Nassau in a van and saw some sights (including this interesting parking sign)
In case you can't see it, it reads: Princess Parking Only All Others Will Be Toad (that's right, toad - get it?)

Here is some data, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The Bahamas officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States (nearest to the state of Florida). Its total land area is 13,939 km² (5,382 sq mi), with an estimated population of 330,000. Its capital is Nassau. Geographically, The Bahamas lie in the same island chain as Cuba, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the designation of Bahamas refers normally to the commonwealth and not the geographic chain.

Originally inhabited by the Lucayans, a branch of the Arawakan-speaking Taino people, The Bahamas were the site of Columbus' first landfall in the New World in 1492. Although the Spanish never colonized The Bahamas, they shipped the native Lucayans to slavery in Hispaniola. The islands were mostly deserted from 1513 to 1648, when British colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera.

The Bahamas became a Crown Colony in 1718 when the British clamped down on piracy. Following the American War of Independence, thousands of pro-British loyalists and enslaved Africans moved to The Bahamas and set up a plantation economy. The slave trade was abolished by the British Empire in 1807 and many Africans liberated from slave ships by the Royal Navy in the were settled in The Bahamas during the 19th century. Slavery itself was abolished in 1834 and the descendants of enslaved and liberated Africans form the bulk of The Bahamas's population today.

By the terms of GDP per capita, the Bahamas is the fourth richest country in the Americas (following Bermuda, the United States and Canada), the richest one that lies south of the Mexico - US border, as well as the richest one in the world whose population is predominantly of African origin.

The people were very sweet and friendly and didn't seem to mind sharing their country with thousands of tourists on a daily basis

There are lots of places to visit during a lifetime and the Bahamas is definitely one of them

My Latest Toy

I don't get to buy myself many toys - well, I don't count buying beads and findings and stones and crystals, although I probably should - but I am just really jazzed about this, so I'll share with you...

A FaceBook friend was sharing some photos he was calling his "Hipstamatic" prints - they were so colorful and vintage-looking - so I investigated and found out that there was an iPhone app called Hipstamatic for $1.99 and other cool add-on apps for $.99 - I learned how to redeem an iTunes gift card that my wonderful husband gave to me for our second anniversary (that was an adventure in itself) and eventually I was able to download the app plus one of the add-ons

I LOVE this app - it lets you play with the colors and the flash and the lens and - well, I only started taking pictures last night but already you can see how neat it is...

More about this in future posts - plus more about the cruise mentioned earlier when I get around to it - and more, I hope, about world events and creative attempts and life as we know it.

Love to you all, peace to the planet - TJBG

Happy 90th Birthday, Winnie

My mom was born on April 6, 1921 in Kentucky. She had two loving parents, two healthy children and two feisty husbands. Now here she is - an orphan and a widow with two kids in their fifties - celebrating her 90th year. How does one mark such a momentous occasion?

My husband and I decided to take my Mom and my brother on a four-night cruise on the Monarch of the Seas to the Bahamas. We didn't do as much as we could have (there were at least a thousand college kids on board, since it was the beginning of spring break - however, except for having a little too much to drink a couple of nights, these kids were exceptionally polite) but I think we did enough.

We took a tour of the island in a van with six other very nice people. We listened to music. We were waited on by a wonderful waitstaff. We bought souvenir t-shirts. We were yes-ma'am'd and yes-sir'd by everyone who works for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Our cabin steward was one of the sweetest and helpful people I've ever met. We watched the beautiful blue ocean go by. We even sailed through a school of flying fish.

We celebrated my mom's birthday. The young people applauded her. We made sure she wanted for nothing. And I think she enjoyed being surrounded by the ocean, something that she was not able to experience during World War II, when she was young and patriotic and joined the U.S. Navy. Now she can say she has sailed the ocean blue.

Happy Birthday, Mom