Author Rakhi Kapoor wins her second Golden Book Award for her twenty sixth book titled Breaking Free Embracing Me – healing from childhood abuse and toxic conditioning. The awards were conferred at a ceremony on the 17th of February 2024.
After winning multiple awards including the Golden Book Award 2023 for her twenty fifth book Now You Breathe – overcoming toxic relationships and abuse Rakhi Kapoor published yet another impactful book and became the two-time recipient of this prestigious award. Rakhi Kapoor is also a physiotherapist who pioneered the concept of a prenatal counselling in India to enhance maternal and fetal health outcomes. Rakhi has been impacting the lives of thousands of young couples, and new moms, through her antenatal programs for over two decades through her center Dwi Maternity Studio in Chennai, India.
Children are the worst affected when it comes to any form of abuse in toxic relationships. Therapy is mandatory otherwise the past catches up with the victim eventually as complex post-traumatic stress disorder CTPSD. Kapoor explains that complex post-traumatic stress disorder presents with a host of symptoms like flashbacks of the abuse, memory lapses, distorted self-esteem, impaired emotional control leading to anger bursts and violence, Insomnia, anxiety and panic attacks, substance abuse, addiction, depression, suicide, autoimmune conditions, and various physical ailments. The victims of childhood abuse tend to become dysfunctional adults who tend to pass on the baggage of their abusive past in the form of fears, excessive control, and bitterness to the next generation subconsciously.
Breaking Free Embracing Me by Rakhi Kapoor takes victims of long-term abuse especially children through the journey of healing. Healing means freedom from the toxic conditioning of the past. Victims of abuse truly heal when they are able to reverse their unhealthy behavior pattern learned due to their traumatic and abusive past.
The Golden Book awards are judged by a panel of literary experts, like Dr Kailash Pinjani (President Indian Authors Association), Dr Deepak Parbat (Founder of Superfast Author) & Murali Sundaram(Founder of TLC), who choose the winners based on factors such as originality, creativity, and impact on the literary world. This prestigious event recognizes and celebrates the best book in literature. There were more than 75,000 books published in India and nominees include a diverse mix of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and children’s books.


“The EHSP supports stakeholders on issues related to hydrogen safety, including general advice, safety reviews, and accident investigations.”
Up-to-date reference documents (2019 - 2021)
|Simple template for a safety plan
Interim publishable version
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contained in HIAD 2.0
Archived versions of reference documents
Please note that the following documents include previous versions of reference documents. For up-to-date information, please refer to the most recent documents available in the 2019 - 2021 section.


By David Knowlton
Chifa: Pork with Pineapple
It’s a romantic, historical epic — worthy of Peruvian-born, internationally famous author Isabel Allende’s blockbuster novels. But it is not fiction, it is history; in brief, a complex tale that really covers multiple continents and many characters.
Chinese coolies came to Peru as indentured servants, around 100,000 of them between 1849 and 1874; now their descendants including some of the most successful Peruvians have formed a Chinese community, refreshed with ongoing immigration, that is different from that of other countries. And, they founded and maintain a cuisine that is as Peruvian as any in this diverse country, even though it carries a strong charge from its origin in Chinese culture and ingredients. Read the rest of this entry


Saint Francis de Sales
Feast day: January 24th.
The name originates from Latin and refers to ‘Franks, Frankish.’
Saint Francis de Sales, born in 1567 in Savoy (now part of France), was a renowned Catholic priest, bishop, and saint. He is best known as the ‘Bishop of Love’ and was a significant theologian, writer, and missionary during the Catholic Counter-Reformation. His philosophy and spirituality had a profound impact on the Catholic Church and the spiritual life of his time.
Francis de Sales received education at prestigious schools and universities but chose to pursue a priesthood vocation. His particular gift was his ability to convey the Christian message in an understandable way that appealed to people of all social backgrounds. He became known for his work in missionary activities, especially among Protestants and Calvinists. His most famous work is ‘Introduction to the Devout Life,’ which he wrote as a guide for spiritual growth and deepening of faith.
In 1602, he was appointed as the bishop of Geneva, where he carried out his episcopal ministry with great zeal. Despite challenges and opposition, he remained faithful to his convictions of love and patience, earning respect among Catholics and Protestants alike.
Saint Francis de Sales passed away in 1622 and was canonized as a saint. His spiritual legacy, based on the emphasis of love, compassion, and patience, continues to influence Christian spiritual life today, and his work was instrumental in the renewal of the Catholic faith during the Counter-Reformation.
Patron of the Salesians, Catholic press, writers, journalists, confessors, teachers, cities of Geneva, Annecy and Chambery
Name variations: Franc, France, Francesco, Francisco, Franciscus, Franciskus, Franco, François, Francys, Frank, Frannie, Franny, Franscis, Fransis, Franus, Franz, Frencis


NOVELS BY W.D. FROLICK
W.D. Frolick's new novel New York City Murders is currently awaiting editing with a publishing date anticipated by the end of May 2019. The novel is a stand-alone sequel to The Cabin: A Murder Mystery
NYPD Homicide Detective Buck Woods returns to New York City after what was supposed have been a restful and stress-free six-month sabbatical in his hometown of Orono, Maine. The time off turned out to be the exact opposite of what Woods had expected.
When he arrives back in New York, Woods is teamed up with a "rookie" partner. Detective Kristie Karlsson is an intelligent, sexy, drop-dead gorgeous woman in her late thirties. The two detectives are immediately attracted to one another, and sparks begin to fly.
Woods and Karlsson are assigned cases from the murder of a famous actor on Broadway, to homicide and corruption in the NYPD. They deal with rival gangs and bloodshed on the dirty drug-infested streets of the Bronx and are sent on a risky covert operation half-way around the world. Their mission is to locate, capture and figure out a way to bring a devious, corrupt NYPD cop suspected of murder home to face justice. The problem they face is the country does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Beta-reader Janet Barradas says: "New York City Murders is a gripping page-turning thriller filled with murder, mystery, suspense, intrigue, and an unexpected ending. I envision the novel being made into a movie and becoming a New York Times bestseller."
Beta-reader Norm Ryan says: "I started to read New York City Murders mid-afternoon and couldn't put it down until the last page was finished, after one a.m. the next morning. W.D. Frolick's best novel to date!"
THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING!
Dectective Mike McMahon and his partner, Detective Sergeant Rose Goodwin, have been assigned the task of catching a vicious serial killer who is terrorizing the Nashville music community.
The two detectives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department(MNPD) are under unrelenting pressure and criticism from Jeff Stone, Investigative Reporter, of the Nashville Star Daily newspaper.
The cunning and elusive killer repeatedly calla Detective McMahon on his cell phone, playing mind games, taunting and daring Mike, and his partner to catch him.
How many lives will be lost before the psychotic killer can be caught and brought to justice?
Upon arriving back in town, Buck meets up with his old high school buddy, Detective Jim Barkowsky, at the local watering hole, Kelly's Bar & Grill. Jim invites Buck to stay with him, his wife, and their two children.
The next morning Buck and Jim go to checkout Buck's new home, an old run down log cabin he inherited from his grandfather. The property is located on two acres of land on Pushaw Lake, just outside of Orono. Upon entering the cabin, they discover the decomposing body of an unidentified man. The victim died from a single gunshot wound. It is obvious that he was murdered.
Jim and Buck set out to solve the murder by putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Unexpected twists, turns, and obstacles abound leading to a climax that puts Buck's life on the line.


The 2020 pandemic has brought uncertainty and upheaval to our lives. This is a key time for reflection, healing, and growth, and to discover a stronger and more resilient version of yourself. In this book, you’ll find 38 prompts for processing, reflecting, working through emotions, removing physical tension, finding balance, discovering the present moment, and uncovering silver linings.
Creative writer and yoga teacher, Courtney Amber Kilian, offers these inspiring prompts for self-discovery and balance. You’ll find an uplifting outlet for self-expression and free yourself from worry by releasing physical and emotional tension through writing.
Writing is a powerful therapeutic tool. It can act as a grounding cord, connecting you to the present moment, and the more you write, the more you’ll let go of anxiety and pain, and discover who you are and who you want to be.
This journal was born out of the need to cope with the changes brought on by the 2020 global pandemic, but can be turned to during any time of uncertainty you find yourself in, whether alone or collectively with your community or the world.
This e-book is a great addition to book clubs, writing groups, or meet-ups with friends. Unearth the power of writing to build peace and confidence with Journaling Through Uncertainty today!
**This book is currently available in two formats through Amazon. If you’d prefer a Kindle version, you can find it here. And, if you’d like a print copy with space to write directly on the pages, it’s available here.
Maya Winsom –
This book inspires creativity, soul searching, and self-expression. It’s a therapy session with yourself! I love these prompts. This is perfect for self-discovery. Each section describes what to explore, providing thought provoking prompts to dig deep and lay bare on the page. The author has an amazing way of encouraging me to confront the hard stuff I’m having anxiety over and once I write from the prompts, I feel so cleansed! This is a must have guide for building self-confidence, helping to understand your emotions while exploring the importance of quiet moments of journaling. I highly recommend it and found it to be a wonderful resource to use daily.
Dana English –
I love this book and idea! It is very inspiring! I haven’t written my feeling for a while and right now, we sure do need to have a positive release! I highly recommend this book! It is fun and enlightening. You can tell the author writes from her heart!


Welcome to the home of the Firelord's Legacy and Mirrorsmith Chronicles.
The worlds of Riom and of the Regium will thrill, enchant and entertain you. I hope you enjoy your visit and I am always open to suggestions to improve your experience here. You can sample some of my books, read a short story or two (exclusive to this website) and find out more about the worlds I create.
I also love to encourage other indie authors and you can find links to fresh new talents as well as reviews of established favourites.
The Firelord's Legacy is an epic, sword and sorcery series beginning with The Firelord's Crown.
Raethwin. The Red Witch. Perhaps the greatest sorceress of her era. She sought to save her world. Instead she doomed it. The Firelord's Crown, source of her untold power. It brought about the impending disaster but Tamilin, Master Healer and Seer, believes it may also be their salvation. There's just one problem. Raethwin's six companions fled when their homeland was destroyed and divided the Crown between them. Five made it to safety. The sixth vanished. Master Tamilin believes it may lie in the uncharted northlands and sends an expedition in search of it. The Firelord’s Crown begins when Airen, a young healer and lone survivor of the venture, reaches the land called Dinith in search of the lost piece. Dinith, however, is a land in turmoil. Magic is forbidden, the glories of the past forgotten. Airen and his quest are not welcome but could Falath, the king's heir, be the ally that he desperately craves? Perhaps, but Falath, descendant of the Lost Ship, has his own secrets...
The Firelord's Crown is available NOW on Amazon.
Book 2 Firelord's Heir is also available on Amazon! Now a prince in exile, Falath faces an uncertain future in a land of strangers; some of them friends, others most definitely enemies. The epic tale begun in The Firelord's Crown continues. Falath and Airen negotiate the dangers of new realms as they journey to the mystical heart of Mandras. They have the missing piece of the Crown but others want it too and will stop at nothing to acquire it. Falath must learn to control and develop his gifts of maisterie but still mourns the loss of his kinsman, Rollo. Meanwhile, a strange, fair-haired man is discovered by rebel scouts and subsequently healed by Jessal, their charismatic leader. This Mirin has no memory of who or what he is but Jessal realises that he could hold the key to their salvation. Answers lie with Guild Master Tamilin and both parties travel to the Healers' Isle in search of them but Mandras is a very dangerous place indeed. In his own land Falath is a prince, here he is just a valuable commodity...
Firelord's Curse is the third enthralling volume of the Firelord's Legacy series which began with The Firelord's Crown.
Falath and Airen have escaped from the fortress of Dim-Locil only to fall into the clutches of the mysterious and dangerous Stone People. Rollo, meanwhile, has entered the Ghost Wood, home of the Eye of Chimerand, another piece of the Firelord's Crown. Shimarah, High Priestess of the Eye, is intrigued by this stranger but her father views him as a danger to his realm, a threat to be neutralised or eliminated. Further to the north, Darial, badly wounded during the attack at the Isle, desperately needs to reach the capital with his information about their chief adversary's identity. First, however, he must try to cross the Great River but it's guarded by the Blue Company, sworn enemies of the rebels. Will any of them reach Caer-Banc before its too late and Corinius' plans are accomplished? For their world's sake they must but the odds are stacked against them. And what of Maristan? Alone in the stronghold of the Usurper, pregnant with Rollo's child and completely at Malglint's mercy. Can she survive her bitter circumstances or is she fated to die as her father before her, burnt at the stake as a witch?


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Service to schools is provided directly from the Library of Michigan Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (SBPH) in Lansing.Search For Library Jobs.A protip by onmareri about library for the blind oakland county mi. . Braille and Talking Book Library . Services for Blind Persons.Oakland County Guide .Resources. Michigan Information . www.michigan.gov/bsbp. Michigan Rehabilitation Services. . National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.Library for the Blind; Meeting & Study Rooms; . Search the Michigan eLibrary . for your Clinton-Macomb Public LIBRARY CARD Get One Today.For Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically . the Ann Arbor District Library's service area. Library services are available to all . MI 48104; Text Us; 4aadl .Find 101 listings related to Services For The Blind in Gaylord on YP.com. 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Welcome to the Feral Item Compendium! A website dedicated to cataloguing items in the Wildworks' social MMO, Fer.al.
Check out the links on the left side to find the information you're looking for, and credits for everyone who makes this page possible.
16.01.2021 - Mostly added SP3 to the Season Pass page.
15.01.2021 - Added Sparky to the sidebar. Look at them.
Also finished Wave 2 items on the Closed Betas page.
14.01.2021 - Added SP1 and SP2 to the Season Pass page. Overall improvements.
23.12.2020 - Started this project!


|SWT RichTextEditor Overview|
The SWT RichTextEditor is a library providing a widget containing a StyledText field with a toolbar allowing the editing of styles in the text area. This is illustrated as follows:
The library provides a clean interface and base implementation which can be specialised for specific formats. A HTML implementation is also provided by the library. This means you don't have to write any code to convert between HTML and the styles used by the SWT StyledText widget. This is illustrated as follows:
The library is also flexible with respect to the features it provides through the user interface. This means various aspects of the functionality can be disabled to restrict the user interface where appropriate. The following example shows fewer toolbar items than the first example provided.
Notice also in the example above that different toolbar images are used and different styles have been applied to conform with the Eclipse editor L&F.
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Below are two biographies of Howard. The first by his son Ray Karno and the second by Russ Davidson, a long-time friend and colleague. Also here is the link for the obituary by Jeff Weber written for the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America. http://hq.abaa.org/books/antiquarian/abaapages/karno_obit
HOWARD KARNO BIOGRAPHY- RAY KARNO
June 3, 2012
Howard Laurence Karno made his worldly debut on August 15, 1930 in Los Angeles, California. He was the first of three children born to David & Ann Karno. Howard led an extraordinary life and spent his last 22 years residing in Valley Center, a small town near San Diego, California. As his friend J Michael Walker described him, Howard was a “Bon vivant, expert on all things Latin American, a true raconteur and bibliophile, an immensely knowledgeable dealer in fine antiquarian books, a role model dad, and an all-around Good Guy.”
Sadly, and after a brief hospital stay, Howard succumbed to complications from heart disease on May 28 (Memorial Day), 2012. For decades, he had bravely fought and won battles against various ailments including leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, and life-long asthma. Ultimately, it was the heart of this “Big-Hearted” man that failed his 81-year old body and his extremely sharp mind. By his side when he passed away were two key women in his life: his loving wife of 32 years, Beverly Karno, along with his dearest first cousin, Cynthia Drennon.
It took Howard four tries to get it right, but when he met Beverly he hit the ball out of the park. With a tremendous love between them, Howard and Beverly lived in an art-filled home warmed by numerous dogs (mostly German Short-Haired Pointers), ran a successful book dealership from that home which employed 6 full time employees, and managed to travel constantly all over the world. It was Beverly’s love and support that made it possible for Howard to live life to the fullest. In fact, at the time of his passing they had yet another foreign trip planned, in this case a book seller’s convention in Trinidad. Howard absolutely adored traveling to conduct business and to engage with his many close friends residing all over the world.
When Howard and Beverly met he was already thrice married, thrice divorced and had no less than six children. Moreover, his children were supremely important to him. Beverly accepted him and embraced his large family along with active participation in his business, Howard Karno Books, for which she now has full responsibility as Howard’s widow.
Ever since his marriage to Beverly, Howard made it a point to have one or two family parties each year where his progeny and other family members and friends could join together and celebrate. He attended all of these parties including the last one held on February 4, 2012. Howard is survived by his two siblings: brother Marvin Karno (married to Adrianna Karno) and sister Sheila Brent, both residing in Los Angeles. He is also survived by all of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as follows:
Howard’s six children: Steven Karno (married to Maki Karno), Stacy Karno-Palcic (married to Robert Palcic), Ray Karno (married to Hillary Karno), Richard Karno, Jennifer Karno, and Nick Karno (engaged to Stacey Kalish)
Howard’s six grandchildren: Dane Dyck, Grant Miki Karno (engaged to Catherine Phan), Tessa Robeson (married to Matt Robeson), Elle Karno-Palcic, Julia Frers-Karno, and Ronan Madden
Howard’s two great grandchildren: Devin James Robeson and Rylan Robeson
Howard maintained friendship with his former wife, Maria Searson (deceased) and her son Tom and his family
Throughout his life, Howard resided mostly in Los Angeles and San Diego counties of Southern California, but he also spent several years living in Texas (SMU University), New Jersey (Air Force), and Peru (Doctorate Studies in Latin American History). For a brief period as a child, he lived in San Francisco, CA.
As a young man, Howard served in the US Military in the role of Radar Intelligence in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 – 1954.
Howard was a life-long student, receiving his formal degrees of MA and Ph.D. from UCLA in 1970. His area of study was Latin American History. For several years he taught college-level courses at Santa Monica City College and UCLA.
Howard’s long-term career was proprietor of a successful book business, founded as Libros Latinos in 1973 which was sold and then began as Howard Karno Books in 1975. His specialty was both art and antiquarian books from all over Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. His expertise in these field made him a highly sought after authority to scholars everywhere. He earned a reputation as a Book Dealer with the highest level of integrity. Howard was a proud member of the Antiquarian Book Dealers Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
An important aspect of his business was travel. Howard had business and personal friendships all over the world. His business dealings (and love of personal travel) took him to numerous countries including: Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador (including the Galapagos Islands), Venezuela, Panama, Bolivia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Finland, Turkey, Portugal, Barbados, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Russia, Japan, Canada and many of the 50 states in the USA.
Another important aspect of his business was his love of language. Howard was a linguist with a mastery of both English and Spanish, and he continued to study Portuguese as well throughout his adult life.
In addition to cherishing time spent with his large family, Howard had numerous interests: Reading all kinds of books (both fiction and non-fiction), browsing through Book Stores, studying History, visiting Libraries and Universities, Traveling everywhere, enjoying Film, Art, Theater and Music, playing with his Dogs, sharing Humor, owning/driving Sports Cars, eating Exotic Cuisine, discussing Politics, following Sports (mostly Football, and in years past Auto Racing and Track & Field), smoking Cigars and Tobacco Pipes (given up many years ago due to health reasons), supporting The San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, The San Diego Parkinson’s Foundation, exchanging Unusual Gifts, and developing Great Friendships World-Wide including a Profound Admiration of Women. Howard truly loved the women in his life.
On the subject of sports cars, Howard maintained a life-long passion. He may have been the world’s longest subscriber to two periodicals: Road & Track and Car & Driver. He was especially fond of vintage sports cars, having owned the following: an Alfa Romeo, two Aston Martins (DB 2 and DB 4), a BMW, a Corvette, a Lancia, a Morgan, and an extremely rare 1937 SS Swallow Jaguar.
As with all members of the Karno clan, Howard loved to eat. Some of his favorite foods included: Apricots, Tres Leches cake, a good steak, creamed spinach, lettuce quarters with blue cheese dressing, pancakes and Belgian waffles, popovers, peach pie, ice cream, banana cake, gingerbread and Earl Gray teas
Maternal Grandmother Sonia Lukoff
Maternal Grandfather Frederick Lukoff
Uncle David Lukoff
Aunt Sylvia Lukoff
Cousin Fred Lukoff
Cousin Michelle Lukoff
Aunt Ruth Lukoff Moss
Cousin Rodney Moss
Cousin Steve Moss
Aunt Pearl Lukoff Melinkoff
Cousin Mark Melinkoff
Cousin David Melinkoff
Cousin Donna Melinkoff
Aunt Harriet Lukoff Siedorf
Uncle Myron Siedorf
Cousin Sharon Siedorf Cardenas
Cousin Debbie Siedorf
Howard Karno Books, Inc.: www.karnobooks.com
In commemoration of Howard’s 80th Birthday, there was a blog created by Beverly Karno with entries by many of Howard’s friends. The blog can be seen here: http://howardkarno.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/hello-world/
An Oral History by Mark Grover: http://www.karnobooks.com/karno/images/Howard%20Lawrence%20Karno.pdf
Oral Interview Antiqurian Booksellers Association of America: http://hq.abaa.org/books/antiquarian/abaapages/karno.html
In addition, “Howard Karno – From Baby to Eighty” was a video presented to Howard at the family party that occurred at the time of his 80th birthday: http://www.photodex.com/share/raykarno/896m8mg4
BIOGRAPHY BY RUSS DAVIDSON
Howard Karno, a major figure in the antiquarian book trade, whose company—Howard Karno Books—supplies a wide range of material to libraries, research institutes, museums, and private collectors in North America, Europe, and elsewhere, passed away on Monday, May 28, 2012, in Escondido, California . He was 81. The immediate cause of death was an infection, contracted during a lengthy hospital stay. From its humble beginnings nearly four decades ago, Howard Karno Books steadily grew into one of the leading sources of new and older material on the history, literature, arts, and architecture of Latin America and the wider Hispanic and Lusophone worlds. Both individuals and institutions frequently turned to the company in their search for historical manuscripts and for out of the way material in formats varying from printed ephemera to posters, comic books, sheet music, artists’ books, photographs, book plates, and more.
Howard Karno, the moving spirit behind this enterprise, was born in Los Angeles, California on August 15, 1930, the eldest child of an entrepreneurial father whose business interests ranged from pharmaceuticals and the liquor trade to clothing and parking lots in downtown Los Angeles. After completing high school, Howard enrolled at UCLA in 1948, but his scholarly vocation—like his entrance into the book trade—lay a good many years in the future. After a semester, he transferred to Southern Methodist University, but finding Texas, and the SMU campus, no more to his liking, returned home in 1949 to work, as he put it, in “the business of parking lots.” He was to do this, on and off, for the next twenty years, largely owing to the pressures of supporting a growing family. But for a man of his temperament and intellectual curiosity, a life could not be made in parking lots; the question was not whether he would break out of this mould, but when. That question was answered in 1961, when Howard returned to university, to pursue graduate work at UCLA. Influenced by a trip he made in the early 1960s to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Peru, he chose to specialize in Latin American history, spending a year in Lima consulting material in the national archive for a dissertation on the Peruvian president and strong-man, Augusto B. Leguía. The 1960s were a stressful period in his life, as he juggled work, study, and the responsibilities of being a father (six children came along between 1953 and 1969). Yet Howard persisted, and in 1970 was granted the Ph.D. in Latin American History. Academic positions, however, were few and far between. Moreover, he realized, after some brief stints teaching, that the classroom and lecturing, and the rather institutionalized life that went with them, were not what he wanted. He wanted the freedom to be on his own, and he had always loved books, always—as he described it in a 2006 interview—“been a haunter of book stores,” so he decided to enter the book business, focusing on what he knew best—Latin America. In 1973, starting with no more than the books he had acquired while researching his dissertation, he founded Libros Latinos, which became the first service to cover all of Latin America and the Caribbean, and issued his first catalog. In 1975, he left a partnership he had formed with two other bookmen, George Elmendorf and Howard Madden, and continued on his own, as Howard Karno Books, Inc.
The business steadily built a reputation for providing extensive coverage of out of print books in Latin American history and allied fields, becoming known to a wider and wider circle of librarians, bibliographers, and collectors, as it issued catalogs (eventually more than 200) in specialized areas such as geneaology, railroads, canals, and mining. In the late 1980s, displaying its trademark virtuosity for innovation, the company (on the initiative of Howard’s wife and partner, Beverly Joy Karno) spotted a field that was rich in scholarly importance but severely underserved by North American (or any other) bookdealers—the architecture and visual arts of Latin America and the Caribbean. The systematic coverage it began to provide of publications in this field was emblematic of the role it has sought to play in helping libraries build up collections of specialized material existing outside the mainstream trade and its customary channels of distribution. While these efforts on the part of Howard Karno Books have made a lasting contribution to the study of Latin American history and culture, it is nonetheless Howard Karno the man who will be remembered by most, remembered for his exuberant love of life and bottomless well of kindness and generosity, his undying interest in the world and all that it contained, his gift of laughter and love of conversation, and his great devotion to family and friends and commitment to social justice. His was a fully realized life, because it was lived with and for others. The words of the English writer Peter Quennell have never rung more true than they do in the feelings we have for Howard: “We are grateful to those we love for the quality of the emotions they happen to arouse in us, and for the imaginative release they provide from the prison of the self.” [With much appreciation to Russ Davidson for creating this biography)
Howard Karno is much loved and will always be remembered by all his friends and family.


John McNeal Administrative Center:
This facility is named in honor of Rev. John McNeil who served as Dean of Students and Professor of Bible and Theology for 28 years. It houses the offices of Admissions, Student, Business, and Avancement Affairs and also the College’s bookstore.
The Carver Library:
The library houses 15,600 volumes collection, a curriculum lab, media services center, a sermonic library, study rooms, a computer lab and an archial collection..
The bookstore resources include textbooks, Bibles, music, school supplies, church supplies, Christian books, and a variety of other items. The store serves Christian organizations, local churches, students and the general public in addition to Carver’s students, faculty and staff.
Martin Carter Gymnasium:
This facility serves as the training facility for the Cougars, the College’s basketball team. All of the Cougar’s home basketball games are played here. Students also use the facility for indoor exercise, intramural sports, concerts and various recreational purposes.
Students who apply for housing live in both on campus and off-campus housing less than a mile east of the campus or the Carver House (men only) is located 1.5 miles north of the campus.


PomBase is a comprehensive database for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, providing structural and functional annotation, literature curation and access to large-scale data sets. PomBase is funded by the Wellcome Trust as a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Universtiy College London and EMBL-EBI.
PomBase and Ensembl Fungi
The manual annotations provided by the PomBase project for Schizosaccharomyces pombe are imported into the Ensembl Fungi division at the beginning of each release cycle.
To cite S. pombe genome data and annotation, please use:
Wood V, Harris MA, McDowall MD, Rutherford K, Vaughan BW, Staines DM, Aslett M, Lock A, Bähler J, Kersey PJ, Oliver SG.


Reading is a Super Skill
Reading is a wonderful pastime for all ages, but it has a lot of benefits for seniors. Reading can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, for example, which is the leading cause of dementia. Furthermore, as mentioned in our post ‘How to Help Elderly Parents With Dementia Care?’, dementia is common among elderly parents. However, by encouraging them to read, you can help stimulate their brain and improve memory. Reading can also improve attention span, reduce stress, and improve sleeping patterns.
Fortunately, books are currently more accessible to seniors through audiobooks. Artificial intelligence technologies like Alexa can read books out loud, making the experience more convenient for elders who have poor eyesight. While it is not reading per se, listening to audiobooks provides similar health benefits. For instance, a study published in the Benefits of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine outlines that seniors who listen to audiobooks remain mentally active. This is because it is seen as a type of bibliotherapy, which is effective in developing an individual’s self-awareness and empathetic understanding.
Audiobooks are also a way for the elderly to cope with loneliness since it mimics the experience of a loved one reading to them. Loneliness is also linked to health risks in older adults, such as heart disease and a weaker immune system, making listening to stories more important.
Whether your loved one prefers to read or listen, below is a list of great self-help books for seniors:
Best Self: Be You, Only Better
This self-help book tells its readers how the key to creating the most fulfilling life for themselves is within them. Written by life coach Mike Bayer, he teaches his readers to manage their lives from the inside out.
‘Best Self’ is a great book for seniors because it teaches them that they can still achieve their dream life and best self — even at their age. It instructs the reader about how to dig deep within themselves to acknowledge what holds them back. In turn, he informs them how they can break through these to live to the fullest and how to improve your memory as a senior.
From Age-Ing to Sage-Ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Growing Older
This book by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi is both inspiring and informative. It’s a guide that inspires its readers to create an aging process for themselves that is filled with adventure, fulfillment, and excitement.
‘From Age-Ing to Sage-Ing’ is perfect for elderly parents because it teaches them how to transform their aging process into one that will focus on their passions rather than anxieties. The author gives elders helpful tips on how to embrace their power to provide value and wisdom to the people around them.
Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, & Endorphin Levels
Written by Loretta Graziano Breuning, this book is a practical guide about habits that trigger happy thoughts. ‘Habits of a Happy Brain’ is filled with simple activities that boost the “happy chemicals” in the brain such as serotonin and endorphins. When active, these hormones can help boost mood.
This book can benefit senior loved ones by allowing them to engage in habits that will lighten their moods. The suggested activities are simple enough for elders to participate in, too. These include simple stretching and finding what makes them laugh. ‘Habits of a Happy Brain’ shows its readers how to live a happier and healthier life, including how to improve their memory— even in their senior years!
The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully
Joan Chittister wrote this book to inform readers about the blessings of aging. The book also celebrates the clear-eyed reality of the aging process by demonstrating how the later years in life are not a burden, but a gift.
‘The Gift of Years’ is perfect for elderly Christian parents and relatives that have fears of getting older. The book tells its reader how to let go of fantasies regarding eternal youth and the anxieties of aging. It shows the elderly how these late years have the gift of becoming fully alive more than ever.
Nearing Ninety: And Other Comedies of Late Life
This book by Judith Viorst is a compilation of poems narrating the joys and sorrows as seniors wait to turn 90. ‘Nearing Ninety’ is stocked with humor that reminds the reader that almost nothing in life should be taken too seriously.
Nearing Ninety can help seniors realize how there are many things to cherish. These include hanging out with loved ones and playing nonstop rounds of Scrabble. Overall, it’s an enjoyable way to remind almost-90-year-olds that there is a lot to appreciate and experience despite their age.
Aging is a natural process in life and these 5 authors have much to say on the highs and lows of aging. The aging journey can come with its own challenges like financial disrupts, dementia, and other health issues. Reading a book off the list will give you some tips on how to improve your memory or handle a myriad of health issues. Hopefully, our lives can be helped and comforted through these times by reading one of these 5 great self-help books. Or catching one on tape!
By, Emma Meyer


Racing Through The Night: Olympic's Attempt to Reach Titanic
This is the story of the first of three ships meant to dominate the North Atlantic and the night that plan came to a stunning, horrifying end. Olympic's role in the Titanic disaster has been a mere footnote to history - until now.
*An electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device designed specifically for this purpose.
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WMLA Annual Meeting 2014
Saddle up and gather with your colleagues on the warm side of the state!
We'll meet at the Hal Holmes Center, near Ellensburg Public Library [Map]
Special rate of $85 at the Holiday Inn Express (reserve by June 26; see flyer for details)
Download the flyer [1.6MB]
Register here (You can renew your membership at the same time!)
Travel stipends are available; apply here.
Thursday, July 17, noon-4pm
Members $20, Nonmembers $25, Students/retired $10
Writing a Winning Grant Proposal
Associate Director, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region
This class, designed for beginning proposal writers, will teach you how to apply for funding opportunities from the NN/LM PNR. Each component of the proposal writing process will be addressed, including: documenting the need; identifying the target population; writing measurable objectives; developing a work plan; an evaluation plan and a budget.
At the end of the class, participants will be able to:
- Identify online resources to search for funding
- Describe the basic sections of a proposal
- Identify types of documents necessary to include with a proposal
- Recognize common mistakes of proposal writers
The class will be offered for 4.0 MLA credit hours. For more information, see nnlm.gov/training/grants
Friday, July 18, 8:30am-4pm
Annual meeting and conference
Members $30, Nonmembers $55, Students/retired $15
Registration includes continental breakfast and lunch; sponsored by Swets
Mapping Knowledge Networks
Assistant Professor, University of Washington iSchool
Jevin builds models, algorithms and interactive visualizations for improving scholarly communication and for understanding the flow of information in large knowledge networks. He co-founded Eigenfactor.org, a free website and research platform that librarians, administrators, publishers and researchers use to map science and identify influential journals, papers and scholars.
Copyright Basics for Librarians
Copyright Librarian, Portland Community College
Copyright touches so much of the work we do libraries. Library staff often feels uncertain about the law as it applies to their work and nervous about overstepping the law. This session will review copyright basics as they apply to libraries with a special focus on fair use. We will review recent developments in the courts and examine the role of libraries and librarians in advocating for copyright laws and local policies that reflect professional values.
Data Visualization: What's the Big Deal?
Senior Consultant, EMS Consulting
Learn how to use best practices in data visualization to communicate more effectively. This session will cover data visualization as a step in the analytical process, providing a background in design theory and how it can be applied, using examples from libraries. We'll look at ways to incorporate visualization into your reporting process.
Panel Discussion: Using the LibGuides CMS
LibGuides is a content management system that can be used to create attractive multimedia content, share knowledge and information, and promote library resources. The panelists will show and tell how they use LibGuides in their library setting.


To send flowers in memory of Cheryl Namer, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
Cheryl Namer, 53, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 at the Glens Falls Hospital after a struggling battle with cancer.
Born on September 20, 1965 in Saratoga, Cheryl was the daughter of Ida (LaPoint) Holmes and the late Fred Holmes.
Cheryl graduated from Hudson Falls High School. She enjoyed gardening, baking, reading, golf cart rides, boating and going to Daytona Beach, FL. Cheryl loved spending time with her family and friends.
In addition to her father, Cheryl was predeceased by her brothers, Paul Weatherwax Jr. and Martin J. Weatherwax.
Left to cherish her memory include her partner, Eric Lucas, her mother, Ida LaPoint Holmes; her children, Tiffany Taylor and Jeffery Fish; her siblings, Tina (Tate), Pam (Bruce), Dawn (Rob), Sharon (John), Debbie (Gary), Richard (Tracey), David (Janey) and Douglas; her sister-in-law, Sue Weatherwax. Cheryl will also be forever remembered by her nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
At Cheryl’s request there will be no calling hours.
Services and burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.
Memorial donations in Cheryl’s memory can be made to C.R. Wood Cancer Center c/o Glens Falls Hospital, 126 South Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801 or to Crandall Library, 251 Glen Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801.
Arrangements are in the care of the M.B. Kilmer Funeral Home, 123 Main St. Argyle. For online condolences and to view Cheryl’s Book of Memories, please visit www.kilmerfuneralhome.com.


Born on the 4th of July, 1914 in Savannah, GA with a disability and placed in a nursing home far from his community, Waddie Welcome was an unlikely public figure. His deep desire for freedom drew many friends into his life in ways that not only liberated him from institutionalization but realized Dr King’s vision of the Beloved Community.
WADDIE WELCOME & THE BELOVED COMMUNITY tells the story of friendships that transcended divisions of disability, race, and income & created powerful new possibilities in a whole community. Reflecting on the story of Mr Welcome & his friends is an ideal part of the celebration of Martin Luther King day.
MLK Day World Wide Reading
Last year, Anne Mitchell & her friends discovered that the book that Tom Kohler & Susan Earl have written, which can be read in about 45 minutes, forms the foundation for a World Cafe Conversation, a powerful way for groups to have a conversation that matters about the meaning this story carries. Anne & Tom have joined with Inclusion Press to make it possible for you to host your friends, family, neighbors, association members, congregation members, book club members, classmates, & fellow citizens to read WADDIE WELCOME & THE BELOVED COMMUNITY and have a World Cafe Conversation about its meaning for you.
Here you’ll find helpful info for hosting a reading group in your kitchen, your classroom, your church, etc.
Discussion formats, study questions, and printable invitations included.
Read others’ comments about how the Waddie Welcome story affected them.
Find links to our friends at Inclusion Press, United Way, etc.
Connect with us at www.savannahcitizenadvocacy.org


I’d be doing the same things I do now—conducting experiments at parties, making googly eyes at well-written science articles, and fulfilling my desire to help people. I would find kinship with the women featured at the Folger Shakespeare Library Beyond Home Remedy Exhibit. These women created and recorded elaborate recipes and remedies for common ailments as well as aggressive diseases still afflicting people today (like TB). Yikes! Not much has changed.
The exhibit is small and mighty as it displayed cookbooks in which remedies were shared. It sits in a dark hall at the entrance to the library, plagued by kids in khakis. I quickly found solace as I stood in front of the first case, featuring items that I use when I cook: turmeric, ginger and lavender. They also featured several touch screens that were user-friendly and served up good facts.
As I made my way through the exhibit, I asked several questions in this order:
1. Wow! They’re using spices, roots, and weird things like skulls and snakeskin while following incredibly complex instructions. Were these women accused of witchcraft?
2. Neat! They are distilling and using elements like sulfur! Could these women be known as chemists?
3. Has this stuff ever been scientifically tested? Is there any molecular process behind the success of their work?
Excellently designed, the exhibit’s flow was in line with my thought process. Yes, some women were accused of witchcraft. Yes, their work was very similar to chemistry. Margaret Cavendish (1624-74) was a writer and scientist featured throughout the exhibit, and she proposed the question: What woman was such a chymist as Paracelsus? Finally, yes, there was a lot of evidence scribbled in margins that suggested these women understood the scientific principals behind their work—processes like the diuretic properties and the medical uses of wormwood.
I took a second lap to enjoy their phone tour. For those who have not used this, you simply call a provided phone number and enter in numbers associated with displays. This service allowed me to hear from experts in the field (professors, curators—all women) and learn that Cavendish poked fun at remedies suggested by doctors.
The negatives of the exhibit focus on patron comprehension. The instructions for making snail water were difficult to follow. Although I can appreciate that the exhibit would have lost some of its integrity if the language were changed from 1600’s vernacular to present day, BUT I CAN HAS SNAIL WATER AT HOME? In addition, people may benefit from a take home message that connects the material with present day medicine. Finally, (and I may be a little biased as a woman, a cook, and a scientist) I believe this piece of history to be fascinating enough to fill more than one great hall. Tell me more!
The Beyond Home Remedies exhibit at the Folder-Shakespeare Library is a great place to learn about those who preceded me as a woman in the laboratory and in the kitchen. The space was quiet and offered just enough facts to keep me entertained but not overwhelmed. Finally, I would have liked to see more material presented and have it compared to present day.


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Manuscript title: Universal scaling relations for the rational design of molecular water oxidation catalysts with near-zero overpotential
Journal: Nat. Commun.
|Publisher:||Trinity College Dublin|
|Description:||Frequency calculation for OOH intermediate|
|Appears in Collections:||Universal Scaling Relationships for the Rational Design of Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysts with Near-Zero Overpotential - DOI: 10.19061/iochem-bd-6-15|
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:


January can be quiet time in the garden so I use it to catch up on a spot of reading – around my favourite subject of course! Here’s my top garden books of all time…
In Your Garden, Vita Sackville West (Frances Lincoln, 2004) Sackville West’s Sissinghurst Garden became a blueprint for the quintessential English garden and this book collates cuttings from her Observer newspaper articles. The diverse articles contain a combination of romantic and practical sensibilities, and I found it fascinating to gain an insight into her gardening preferences in an era of ‘grand gardens’ with knowledgeable patrons.
The Well-Tempered Garden, Christopher Lloyd (W&N, 2014) A garden classic, written by an incredibly knowledgeable plantsman, who was willing to be experimental even though he was born into a period of gardening that was quite rigid and prescriptive. The Well Tempered Garden gives a more personal perspective on his gardening philosophy than his other books, which he honed at his fabulous gardens at Great Dixter. These gardens continue to greatly influence gardeners, designers and plantsmen alike.
The Dry Garden, Beth Chatto (Orion, 2012) The Dry Garden provided me with a great deal of inspiration when I began gardening in the drier conditions of Cambridgeshire. Chatto’s love of plants, the honest accounts of creating her garden and her keen observational eye taught me a great deal.
Thoughtful Gardening: Great Plants, Great Gardens, Great Gardeners, Robin Lane Fox (Particular Books, 2010) An enjoyable read, drawing on the author’s articles in The Financial Times and his experience as Garden Master of New College, Oxford. Funny and informative, if a little superior in parts, you can dip in and out at will and never be bored.
The Art of Creative Pruning: Inventive ideas for Training and Shaping Trees and Shrubs, Jake Hobson (Timber Press, 2011) We love our topiary at Abbotswood and this inspiring and entertaining book, which introduces new Japanese-inspired approaches to pruning, moves topiary beyond the mundane. With a background in fine art sculpting rather than gardening, Hobson brings artistic flair to traditional techniques.
Garden Design Details, Arne Maynard (Harper Design International, 2005) I adore Maynard’s soft, naturalistic approach to the landscape. His gardens appear to grow out of the landscape and are firmly rooted in the place. This book is packed with ideas – and a great read for a dull January day when you can only fantasise about how you want to transform the garden.
Designing with Plants, Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury (Conran, 1999) A wonderful introduction to ‘New Wave’ planting with perennial grasses and flowers. One of the earliest books to unlock how to use these plants in naturalistic drift plantings.
The Natural Australian Garden, Gordon Ford (Bloomings Books, 1999) An early pioneer of indigenous plantings and a more sustainable and natural approach to gardening. “The flora, fauna and landscape of a nation contributes to the identification of the national soul”, he writes. Ford advocates abandoning European gardening trends for gardens that work with the rugged beauty of the Australian landscape. In particular, he swapped the idea of the ‘English lawn’ for bush gardens, which help conserve water – something very relevant to the crisp conditions.
The Herb Garden, Sarah Garland (Frances Lincoln, 2003) My version of this book was inscribed by my grandpa in 1985, and was one of my first gardening books. While there are many more modern books on herbs, I like this one for sentimental reasons. My grandpa was a keen gardener and passed this passion on to my mum and I, and helped me create a herb garden of my own at home when I was younger.
Norwegian Wood, Lars Mytting (MacLehose Press, 2015) Who knew there was so much to learn about chopping, stacking and drying wood? In Abbotswood’s quieter moments, I fancy owning some woodland and doing just this. The next best thing is, of course, is to sit on the sofa in winter with a glass of red wine and imagining doing it!
Late Summer Flowers, Marina Christopher (Frances Lincoln, 2011) Autumn is my favourite time of the year and this book always reminds me to increase the proportion of later flowering plants in the garden. As a very knowledgeable plantswoman and co-founder of the Green Farm Nursery, Christopher provides a good explanation of the approach, with practical guidance and a directory of plants.
Trees for your Garden: Discovering the Very Best of British Ornamental and Fruit Trees, Nick Dunn (Tree Council, 2010) This comprehensive book was recommended to me by a tree surgeon and is packed with expert practical advice and stunning photography.
Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History, Bill Laws (David & Charles, 2010) This part history/trivia book, part plant encyclopedia is beautifully illustrated and is a great coffee table read.


‘Best teacher in the world’ emphasises the importance of giving students freedom of choice
The ‘best teacher in the world,’ Nancie Atwell, winner of the Global Teacher Prize, 2015, has stressed the fundamental importance of literacy skills during a visit to London.
Addressing parents, teachers and journalists at The Hampshire School in Chelsea on Wednesday 11th November, Nancie (pictured above with the school's Headmaster, Donal Brennan) said policymakers have dismissed “a wealth of evidence” concerning the power of reading.
In London to join up with the Judging Academy for the 2016 Global Teacher Prize, Nancie said there were three major factors that enable literacy to bloom:
- students are given access to large and varied collections of books
- students are allowed the freedom to choose what they want to read
- students are granted the time they need
At the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the school Nancie founded in Maine to support underprivileged learners, students work their way through an average of 40 books each year, becoming “skilled, thoughtful, avid” readers along the way. In achieving this, Nancie said, choice and time have been crucial.
Underlining the importance of children being given the freedom to choose the books that interest them, she said: “We want our kids to be asking ‘What happens next?’ as that’s a pathway into literacy.”
Multiple studies, she said, have documented the positive impacts of libraries in schools; children need “rich, extensive collections of books in schools” and they need “real books”, not digital copies. Kids prefer, Nancie said, the “geography” of actual books; they find it easier to flip back and forth to check possible misunderstandings or missed plot devices and develop a better sense of what’s coming next. When they read real books rather than e-books, she said, children sleep better and have richer social lives; the covers of books function “almost as badges” which they can swap and discuss in the playground.
“Just the right book at just the right time”
Nancie, who has published 13 books on teaching, spoke of the impact that reading “just the right book at just the right time” can have. Quoting Graham Greene, she said: “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”
For Nancie herself, that moment came when she read The Secret Garden and found herself empathising with the story’s characters. The book, which she read 4 times, “changed everything” and sparked a lifelong love of literature. Drawing from an “underground curriculum of my own designing”, she began reading novels such as 1984 and Rosemary’s Baby, developing a passion that would later lead her to study for a BA (Hons) in English and, ultimately, take up a career in teaching.
"Returning autonomy to practice"
Discussing the culture of testing that prevails in many countries’ education systems, Nancie said it was important to have standards yet there was plenty of proof that “testing doesn’t lead to excellence.” Teachers have become more like “technicians,” she said, and changes are required at the level of government to help them remain passionate about education. To have successful, satisfied educators, she said, “we need to start returning autonomy to practice.”
The Global Teacher Prize
The Global Teacher Prize was introduced by GEMS Education’s chosen charitable partner and campaigner for change, the Varkey Foundation, as a means of raising the profile of the profession. Nancie was presented with the award in March 2015 by Bill Clinton, former US President, at the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF). She immediately chose to donate the $1m award to her school, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
Speaking about the effects winning the Global Teacher Prize has had on her and the school, Nancie said the fund has helped replace boilers at CTL as well as add to its extensive library. “If I had (the) funds I’d fill the classrooms of the world with books of stories,” she said, adding, “if I had influence beyond my dreams, I'd direct the educational decision makers of the world to pay attention to literacy scholarship, focus on comprehension, and bring children's literature from the periphery of reading instruction to the foreground to put wonderful stories front and centre."
Following her talk at The Hampshire School, Nancie went on to join the Global Teacher Prize’s Judging Academy (pictured above) at the offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers, official auditors of the prize. The academy, composed of head-teachers, journalists, public officials, entrepreneurs, company directors, scientists and educational experts from around the world, is currently considering the longlist for the 2016 award.
Nancie’s whirlwind tour of London also saw her meet with Nick Gibb, the UK Minister of State for Schools, at Capital City Academy, where she held a writing workshop. Mr Gibb said he supported Nancie "in her drive to highlight the importance of literacy and to help spread the love of reading around the world".
On the Sky News Sunrise breakfast show, Nancie discussed the personal impacts of winning the 2015 prize with Eamonn Holmes and offered advice for keeping students engaged and intellectually challenged. She went on to join Sadiq Khan, MP and Labour party London mayoral candidate, in south London to discuss literacy in the capital and its importance worldwide with students and staff at Harris Academy Merton.
Nancie later met with Vanessa Feltz (below) on her BBC Radio London show and spoke to the Literacy Panel at Teach First about the importance of providing spaces for children to enjoy books, once more emphasising the positive influence that giving children the freedom to choose the books they want to read for themselves can have.
Published: 23rd November 2015


Tet Trung Thu – the festival in the middle of autumn is very important to the Vietnamese people. It is called the Reunion Festival and it has an interesting story.
On this day, the moon is the biggest and everyone gathers around a tray. But we may not know much about this day. Let’s go back in time and learn about this Festival together. It happens on the full moon day of the eighth month of the Vietnamese lunar calendar.
This is when the moon is the brightest and most beautiful. People have just finished harvesting crops and started celebrating the full moon. Tet Trung Thu is also called Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, Children’s Day, and Reunification Festival.
Table of Contents
History of Tet Trung Thu
For thousands of years, every autumn, people eagerly welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Under the bright moonlight, they broke the conversation and wished for a peaceful life. But not everyone knows the origin and meaning of the “Tết Trung Thu”.
Many people say that the Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival originated in China, but in fact, when it comes to anecdotes, the Vietnamese and Chinese have different origins in the Mid-Autumn Festival.
According to the Chinese historical story of the Tang Dynasty, the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is associated with Duong Quy Phi. She was one of the four great beauties that made up the anecdote of China at that time.
It was also because of the beauty of tilting the city, that the courtiers said that she was enchanted by King Duong Huyen Tong, immersed in wine, and neglected the main court. Duong Huyen Tong was forced to give his pet concubine a white silk ribbon to strengthen the court in infinite mourning.
Because that unrelenting grief moved the fairies, on the night of the brightest moon of autumn, the king was taken to heaven to meet Duong Quy Phi again. After returning to earth, he set up the Mid-Autumn Festival to commemorate his beloved concubine.
If the Chinese people’s mid-autumn festival refers to the love story of Hang Nga and Hau Nghe, in Vietnam, it weaves the story of Uncle Cuoi and Hang.
In Chinese folklore, there is a legend of Hau Nghe – Hang Nga that explains the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Accordingly, Hau Nghe was a commoner under King Yao who had the ability to live forever and was famous for his outstanding marksmanship.
Hang Nga is a maidservant in the palace of Tay Vuong Mau. During the time he came down to earth, he became predestined with Hau Nghe and became a husband and wife.
That year, the human world encountered a great disaster that rose 10 suns a day, the human world was like a pool of fire, and countless people died. Hau Nghe was ordered by King Yao to shoot down 9 suns.
After completing the order, he returned home and discovered that his wife, Hang Nga, had drunk the elixir and flown to the sky. The guy chased after him but couldn’t keep up.
Hang Nga flew to the moon and was locked there. Too sad he built a moon tower. Every year on the full moon day of mid-autumn, the moon is bright, clear, and closest to the ground. At this time, distant couples can be closer to each other.
Vietnamese people mention the legend of Uncle Cuoi and Hang Nga for Tet Trung Thu. Legend has it that on that high moon, there was a beautiful fairy called Hang Nga, and she was very weak and loved children.
One day, Ngoc Hoang held a cake-making contest on the full moon day. Hang Nga went down to the world to consult and meet Uncle Cuoi. Cuoi is a guy who is a liar but is a very good cook. Therefore, Cuoi is loved by children very much.
After that, Hang Nga asked Cuoi to make a cake. Cuoi loved to make cakes. Cuoi dropped the ingredients and made a delicious cake. After that, Hang Nga brought this cake to the contest, the cake was praised by everyone and was also rewarded by the Jade Emperor.
Cuoi loved her very much and did not want to leave her. So Cuoi followed her to the moon. But after a while, Cuoi missed home and missed the children so much that he sat crying under the banyan tree and looked down at the world.
Because of that, on the full moon day, the brightest moon day in autumn, Hang and Uncle Cuoi were allowed by Ngoc Hoang to fly down to Earth to play with the children. From then on, the Tet Trung Thu was also formed here.
According to Vietnamese history books, many documents record that the Tet Trung Thu was celebrated under the Ly dynasty in the Thang Long Citadel. It was the occasion that King Ly wanted to thank the Dragon God for bringing rain for bountiful crops and for his people.
Mid-Autumn Festival customs
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a rich history of diverse and entertaining activities. According to Phan Ke Binh’s book “Vietnam Customs,” popular pastimes in Vietnam during this holiday included daytime ancestor worship, nighttime visits to ancient temples to admire the moon, lion, and dragon dances, military drum performances, and carrying lanterns.
These traditions remain popular today and continue to captivate people of all ages.
The tradition of the lantern procession during the Mid-Autumn Festival dates back to the Song Dynasty. Legend has it that a fisherman would transform into a harmful creature on the night of the full moon.
To deter this, people began crafting carp-shaped lanterns to light up their homes and scare away the fish. Nowadays, the lantern procession is an essential component of the holiday and is celebrated on a large scale in Vietnam’s Tuyen Quang and Phan Thiet regions, attracting many tourists from both inside and outside the country.
While modern electronic toys have become more prevalent, handmade Mid-Autumn Festival toys, including lanterns, masks, lion heads, pinwheels, to he, and sky lanterns, continue to hold a strong appeal. Handmade toy contests and street vendors selling traditional toys remain a popular sight during the festival.
Lion and Dragon Dances
The lion dance is a traditional activity that takes place during the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. In feng shui, the lion represents a good omen, and the joyful lion dance means wishing for a bountiful harvest next year, and a happy and peaceful life.
Lion dance usually takes place on two nights to welcome the moon, the 15th and 16th nights. Depending on the region, the name of this art is also different.
The North of Vietnam is often called the lion dance, the South is called the lion dance and is often danced before the Tet Trung Thu, usually on the nights of the 12th and 13th of the lunar calendar, and the busiest is the 14th and 15th of the lunar calendar.
A lion dance will include a lot of people including a group of people who transform into lions, the number of people wearing the lion team depending on the size of the Lion, the music player, the person holding the lamp, the person holding the five-color flag, the person holding the stick to go first.
Protector of the head of the Lion, who is living in the costume of the land with a big belly with a smile on his face. The lions walked in front of the children with their tails following behind, creating an extremely cheerful scene.
In Vietnam, the lion dance on the occasion of the Tet Trung Thu is a joy for children, a beautiful memory in the eyes of children. On the full moon day of August, when the lanterns are full of colors, the streets are bustling, and the pounding drums resound throughout the sky, bringing joy to children and adults alike.
Mooncakes and Food
What foods do people usually eat at Tet Trung Thu? In fact, there is not too much strictness in eating on this day. However, in folklore, there are a few dishes and drinks that cannot be absent from the Tet Trung Thu table such as moon cake, tea, sticky rice, lotus seed tea, and taro soup.
The baked mooncake is a dish associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The crust is made of flour, which is molded into different molds by human hands. Which, the most popular is the cylindrical mold symbolizing the sky. The surface of the cake is delicately engraved with many shapes and patterns such as the word Phuc, lotus, and chrysanthemum,…
Cakes are baked in high heat, golden, and fragrant. Baked mooncakes are usually made with savory fillings including quail eggs, meat, and sausages, …..
On the occasion of the mid-autumn festival, every Vietnamese family has a full moon cake, candy, sugarcane, market, grapefruit, watermelon… depending on the family, the decoration is different.
When the moonlight reaches the top of the head, it is time for everyone to break the feast and enjoy the taste of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival tray is to celebrate the moon and sacrifice to heaven and earth and pray for a good life, good harvest, and family reunion.
Although the tradition is nearly extinct, partaking in treats like mooncakes remains a customary aspect of Vietnamese cuisine when celebrating the Tet Trung Thu.
Sticky rice mooncake
In addition to pies, people who like to eat sweets can also choose flexible cakes to sip at the Tet Trung Thu. Unlike baked goods, sticky rice cakes are usually made with glutinous rice flour, sweet fillings such as green bean, and red bean paste, or sometimes solid cake without filling.
The flexible cake is made with many eye-catching colors blue, red, and white. Most of these are natural colors extracted from folk ingredients such as green from pandan leaves, purple of butterfly pea flower, and white color of coconut milk,…..
Bite a piece of sweet gummy cake, click more A sip of authentic green tea is an unforgettable autumn day taste.
Sticky rice nuggets
Eating nuggets at Mid-Autumn Festival has long been an indispensable dish during the Mid-Autumn Festival. This is also a specialty dish of the northern provinces.
Sticky rice nuggets are made from 3 types of ingredients from farmers, including young nuggets, green beans, and grated coconut. Com has the flavor of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival with the sweetness of young nuggets, the fat of grated coconut, and the fleshy substance of green beans.
Lotus seeds are also one of the very popular dishes on this occasion. Similar to taro, lotus seeds also have a good meaning, so using lotus seed tea will also bring good luck and good wishes to family and loved ones.
Besides, lotus seed tea also helps to purify the body, and sedation helps eat well and sleep well, which is very suitable for the elderly.
In addition, dishes made from lotus seeds such as lotus seed stew soup, and lotus seed jam, … also have the taste of the mid-autumn day that you should use on the table on the most beautiful full moon day of this year.
Meaning of Tet Trung Thu
Tet Trung Thu is welcomed and anticipated by many due to the significance it brings. For children, it is a day of celebration with many traditional activities dedicated to them such as eating mooncakes, carrying lanterns, watching lion dances, and more.
President Ho Chi Minh highly valued the joy of children during the Mid-Autumn Festival, as he once wrote a letter congratulating all children nationwide. Since then, the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival has been increasingly associated with the children’s festival.
Tet Trung Thu is a time for children and adults to enjoy themselves and a time for families to admire the moon together.
Mid-Autumn Festival is also an opportunity for parents to show love and affection towards their children. It is also a time for children to buy mooncakes, tea, and wine to offer their ancestors, grandparents, parents, teachers, and relatives to express their love, respect, and gratitude.
In the northern region, there is a tradition of singing “Trống Quân” (Drumming and Singing) in which young men and women sing and respond to each other. Girls use the Trống Quân tune to sing on full moon nights, especially on the fifteenth of August lunar calendar. Boys and girls sing and respond to each other to enjoy and choose their partners for a hundred years.
Tet Trung Thu is also known as a Reunion Festival because on this day almost everyone gathers with their family. The whole family sits together enjoying freshly baked cakes, delicious sticky rice cakes, sipping tea, and admiring the bright moon. The words of congratulations, and inquiring after each other, make the family bond even stronger.
Moreover, in ancient folklore, Tet Trung Thu was an important holiday for farmers.
Based on the shape and color of the moon on that day, they could predict the harvest season and even the fate of a nation for the following year. If the moon is bright that year, it indicates a bumper crop. If the color of the moon is green or blue, then they must beware of natural disasters.
When is Tet Trung Thu 2024?
The Mid-Autumn Festival is held every year on the 15th day of the 8th month (the full moon of the 8th month of the lunar calendar). Tet Trung Thu 2024 will be on Friday, September 29th, 2023 of the solar calendar. Tet Trung Thu 2024 will fall on Tuesday, September 17th, 2024.


Thursday, 6/26: Arrived in Canada. Finished a novel. Got eaten by mosquitoes.
Saturday, 6/28 : Went hiking in Kananaskis Country, up Ribbon Creek. about 9km round trip, Faith walked the whole way. Went with a group of seniors from my mom’s church. Got left in the dust. These people go hiking nearly every week. Finished another novel. Got eaten by mosquitoes.
Sunday, 6/29 : Went to church with my mom. Met some of the hikers again. Finished another novel. Picked up my brother at the airport. Got eaten by mosquitoes.
Wednesday, 7/2 : Exhausted. Down day. Went to the city library to get some videos for the girls. Got eaten by mosquitoes.
Friday, 7/4 : Rested at home. Took the girls to the wading pool. Got eaten by mosquitoes. Introduced Andrea to Canadian Tire.
Sunday, 7/6 plans: Stampede Breakfast at my mom’s church. Maybe get together with my godmother, as I haven’t seen her in years. Probably will get eaten by mosquitoes.
Tuesday, 7/8: Fly home. No mosquitoes, I hope.
Wednesday, 7/9: Back to the daily grind to try and fix everything that broke the second I stepped on the plane to Calgary. Rejoice in the lack of mosquitoes.
Canadian things to do:
- Tim Horton’s
- Canadian Tire
- Canada Day
- IKEA (OK, not really Canadian, but we don’t have IKEA in KC)
- Hockey (wrong season 🙁 )
- Curling (wrong season 🙁 )


By Kahlil Gibran
96 pages (?) pages. Alfred A. Knopf. Prices vary.
This review is part of my plans for “A Book A Month”, that is, every month I’ll choose a book among the ones I’ve studied and post a short review of it here.
Now, if you are interested enough to get started with the idea of “A Book a Month”, and yet lazy enough to read nothing more than a hundred pages, then The Prophet (1923) by Kahlil Gibran may just be the starter for you! Written by the Lebanese-American artist, philosopher and writer Kahlil Gibran, the book has been translated into more than 50 languages and has never been out of print ever since, selling millions of copies worldwide. Said to be “practically ignored by the literary establishment in the West”, it has inspired various international figures (Including The Beatles 😉 ). The Prophet, divided into 28 chapters, is a book of 26 prose poetry fables. The book starts with the central character Almustafa (prophet or gypsy?), who is about to sail back home after his 12 years exile in the city called Orphalese and engages in a dialogue with the townspeople before leaving. There is less (or no) action and more contemplation as the book touches upon some of the most common aspects or phases of human life, leading the reader to a contemplative, self-reflexive stage. Various critics have explored connections and parallels to the mysticism of the Sufis, William Blake’s works, Transcendentalism and so forth. Whether to accept generously or argue vehemently against what is written is another issue, what is important about the book is that; it opens the grounds to do so.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran


from 1 reviews
All cabins are air-conditioned and have private bath and showers, an ocean view, flat screen televisions and can be arranged to provide 2 twin beds or one large bed depending on guest needs. A partially covered sundeck with jacuzzi and ample seating areas, a salon including a lounge area, a spacious dive deck with a large camera table are just some of the features.
Phone: 593-4 2345446 / 593-4 2346387 / 593-9-9428626
|No of Cabins:||8|
|No of Guests:||16|
|No of Crew:||7|
|No of Zodiacs:||0|
|Aircon in cabins:||Yes|
14th January 2011 by rabodetoro
Take another boat
Visit Date: January 2011
If this is a new boat, how did it get so screwed up so fast? I don't know where to start to list the problems with this boat. Maybe the fact that you will get electrocuted if you go in the hot tub? Or maybe it was the lack of a safety briefing at the beginning of the cruise? Or the furniture in the lounge that is exceptionally uncomfortable? Maybe the fact there are no books in the library, especially none that cover the wildlife of the Galapagos? The broken tiles in the passageway? The shower surround caulked by a nine year old? One glass in the bathroom for 2 divers? Toilets that don't flush efficiently? Lack of ventilation in the 6 cabins below decks? The dive guide who turned an easy dive into a life threatening occasion?
Maybe all of those plus the uninspired food that was never served warm.
They offer $1000 discounts and 2 for 1 trips. It is better to pay a little more and take the Galapagos Sky.


Thank you to all who came out to the Spencer Road Library Branch last Thursday. It was great to drive up with my editor, Debbie Manber Kupfer, meet new people and see some familiar faces from the Big River Steampunk Festival. And soon you will be able to borrow my book from the St. Charles City-County Library system!
As the year winds down, I’m filling the Etsy store with new goodies, from vintage and art items to new steampunk jewelry! And yes a SALE!! Take 50% off any item over $20 with code SBS2016. This code will be good from Black Friday 11/25 through Cyber Monday 11/28. Feel free to share this code with family and friends as the SBS in the code stands for Small Business Saturday! Please support small and local this year!
And yet, more…I am so grateful for your patronage, that I am offering a FREE steampunk/Victorian gothic short on amazon/kindle. “A Stairway” will be also be available starting on Black Friday, 11/25. Again, you are welcome to share it with friends:
And yes, one more freebie. A live read and interview will be coming to my YouTube channel as well! See my links to social media below.
As always, thank you for reading,
News and events:
-Shop small at the Heavy Anchor! I’ll have lots of great gifts:
-Please support me at gofundme/passionateartist!
-THE LADY HAS ARRIVED AT HER DESTINATION-“Strax and the Widow” is on Amazon/Kindle. Please take a peek, enjoy and review on amazon and goodreads! And so the Discussion began….The sequel, “Revenge and Machinery” is here too! My amazon author page link:
Or buy on Etsy: -I have plenty of copies of “Strax and the Widow” and “Revenge and Machinery” in the Etsy store. To get an inscribed/signed copy, message me through the Etsy store. Books are $20 each or $35 for both.
-Like on Facebook-The Countess, Official Fanpage of Victoria L. Szulc
-Follow on Twitter-@TheCountessSP
-YouTube-The SP Countess, link to one of my videos here: https://youtu.be/jEz9QSInhWg
-On Pinterest-Victoria Szulc (nee Schultz)
-Etsy-the Haute Hen.
-Fine Art America-store coming soon


Amazing & spectacular show for family of any ages
Lively performance featuring world class technology
Spectacular hybrid of live action, cinema & stage perform
75-minute of non-stop & ceaseless wonder
Story inspired by classic Thai literature
About this activity
What's included, what's not
KAAN Show Pattaya
Know Before You Book
Children aged 3 and younger are not allowed.
Parents are encouraged to look after their child all the time. Parents may be asked to leave the theatre if the child starts to cry or make some noise.
What you can expect
For a young man like ‘Kaan’, reading thick tomes of Thai literature in a library is no different from taking sleeping pills, the ancient narratives and drawings lulling him into a slumber. But then the librarian hands him a book with Kaan’s name on the cover and tells him to read it. The young man opens the book, and the unexpected happens: he is warped into the story along with his sidekick ‘Gabilpuksa’, and they embark on a fantastical adventure where the characters in ancient literature come to life. They have to wager everything they have and find a way to return to the mortal world.


Read on to find out why this handy little manual will serve as a great companion throughout the Wheel of the Year.
It’s the time of the year when it seems like you blink once and Yule celebrations are already in full swing. If you’re the type to plan ahead and cross off your shopping lists early, check out Llewellyn’s new Sabbats Almanac (available in the Enchantments shop or online) as a gift for all the witches, magic workers, and Pagans in your life.
More than ever we need to add ritual in our lives and take time to honor the cycles of the year. For those of us who practice earth-based rituals, a good almanac is an essential thing to have around on the shelf, but it’s hard to choose just one. Llewellyn publishes some of the best almanacs around, from the yearly Magical Almanac to the popular Witches’ Datebook and Witches’ Companion. But this year, we’re especially loving the new Sabbats Almanac. Use it throughout the Wheel of the Year to source recipes, rituals, and spells for each holiday, from the Witches’ New Year that is Samhain and back around to the Fall Equinox that is Mabon.
The 2023 edition features a great mix of writers from a variety of traditions and includes folklore, cooking recipes, craft ideas, and extended rituals for each celebration. There’s also a notes section at the end of each Sabbat chapter for you to add in your own rituals, seasonal intentions, and musings. The various essays include brief descriptions of each holiday and ritual tips, whether it’s working with corresponding foods, oils, trees, stones, or symbolic elements. Each section also has prayers and invocations associated with more structured rituals, whether you’re a solo practitioner or working in a coven.
For more on our favorites, check out our new Plant Magic Series, featuring some of the best books in botanical and herbal magic.


To honor World Poetry Day, I have to write about Lord Tennyson's poem The Lotus Eaters. This poem has shaped much of my life in a wonderful way!
I first learned about the poem in one of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The book listed part of the poem. I don't remember how old I was; maybe nine. The poem intrigued me, and after two visits to the bookstore (I would roam the bookstore for hours while I waited for my parents at the mall), I was able to find a book with the entire poem in it. I was still rather young, so I did not quite grasp the story at the time, but the book mentioned it was based on The Odyssey. So I found a copy of that. And I didn't understand a word.
But, I found books about The Odyssey that were easier to read, and some short adaptations to parts of Odysseus' adventures. And those books got me into Greek and Roman mythology. Which got me into fantasy. Which got me into Sci-fi. Which got me into some really good, thought-provoking reading.
But also, The Lotus Eaters provided me with a once in a lifetime opportunity! In my junior year in high school, I was taking SAT prep courses before school. The teacher was going over vocabulary and literature, and she mentioned Tennyson. She asked if any of us knew any Tennyson poems, so I mentioned The Lotus Eaters and quoted a verse. She was so impressed that I was familiar with that poem (you need to understand that many of the kids in my prep class were considered disadvantaged) that a few weeks later she suggested I write an essay for a chance to be part of an exchange group to Israel, and she would write me a letter of recommendation. I did, and I was selected to go to Israel for a month.
I love reading poetry. I'm not a very talented poet, and I would much rather read poems than write them. There is just something about reading the right prose at the right time from the right poet. Maybe if I were a decent poet I would be able to explain. But for now you will just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, enough about me. Here's the poem:
by Lord Alfred Tennyson
"Courage!" he said, and pointed toward the land,
"This mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon."
In the afternoon they came unto a land
In which it seemed always afternoon.
All round the coast the languid air did swoon,
Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.
Full-faced above the valley stood the moon;
And like a downward smoke, the slender stream
Along the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem.
A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke,
Slow-dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go;
And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke,
Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below.
They saw the gleaming river seaward flow
From the inner land: far off, three mountain-tops,
Three silent pinnacles of aged snow,
Stood sunset-flush'd: and, dew'd with showery drops,
Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the woven copse.
The charmed sunset linger'd low adown
In the red West: thro' mountain clefts the dale
Was seen far inland, and the yellow down
Border'd with palm, and many a winding vale
And meadow, set with slender galingale;
A land where all things always seem'd the same!
And round about the keel with faces pale,
Dark faces pale against that rosy flame,
The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters came.
Branches they bore of that enchanted stem,
Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gave
To each, but whoso did receive of them,
And taste, to him the gushing of the wave
Far far away did seem to mourn and rave
On alien shores; and if his fellow spake,
His voice was thin, as voices from the grave;
And deep-asleep he seem'd, yet all awake,
And music in his ears his beating heart did make.
They sat them down upon the yellow sand,
Between the sun and moon upon the shore;
And sweet it was to dream of Fatherland,
Of child, and wife, and slave; but evermore
Most weary seem'd the sea, weary the oar,
Weary the wandering fields of barren foam.
Then some one said, "We will return no more";
And all at once they sang, "Our island home
Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam."


Communicating with Students
Communicating with Students. The ‘Effective Communications’ chapter from The New Advisor Guidebook and that book’s ‘One-to-One’ Advising chapter are classic relational training and development tools. These chapters, along with a guide to conducting individual conferences, help advisors structure effective advising sessions in this 32-page read. (Note: Toolkit 3 appeals to all who advise including primary-role advisors as well as faculty and peers).
Each e-download Toolkit includes the materials needed for an effective professional development ‘hot topic workshop’. Included are: 1) a chapter from a best-selling NACADA/Jossey-Bass book, 2) reader learning outcomes focused on important themes, 3) activities/questions to guide discussions, and 4) support resources (i.e., case studies, checklists, or questions) that improve advising practice.
Colleagues who purchased this toolkit have used it for individual professional development and as a common reading via their campus learning management system (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard) and in workshops. Contact firstname.lastname@example.org with questions regarding how to best utilize a toolkit for advisor development.
Book and link:
The New Advisor Guidebook


A infinite library world where characters from all sorts of stories (books, graphic novels, and comics) can meet up before returning to the next part of their story. A statue of Athena, Greek God of Wisdom, stands with her head high in the center, representing the vast knowledge this world has to offer.
This was a birthday gift for my sister I made a while back. She wanted a picture that would represent her love of books. Her top three book series she liked were Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Shadowhunters. So, I decided to center the pic around Hermione Granger, Katniss Everdeen, and Clary Fairchild debating on how they got to this world. I also threw in some extra favorite characters for fun (see list at the bottom of this post).
In this world, we have Hermione discussing with Katniss about this world they suddenly appeared in, while Clary wonders if this world is the work of some demon. Luna the Black Cat (Sailor Moon) is sitting quietly on the table, wondering how this world involves her. She hopes Hermione can clear things up.
Belle (Beauty and the Beast) is acting as head librarian, stocking books among the endless shelves.
Calcifer the Fire Demon (Howl’s Moving Castle) gazes out from his perk-like torch wondering how he even got up here, but isn’t too worried. Atleast he’s away from that crazy witch of the waste.
Tohru and the Kyo wonder about the lobby, confused as to where they are. Tohru wonders if she can ask the Hermione, since she seems to know what’s going on. Meanwhile, Kyo is annoyed as usual. Tohru freaked out when they arrived and clinged to him, turning him into a cat.
This picture took me a few days to make. In Photoshop, I think I used a total of 20+ layers to complete the characters and background. I drew the characters to look similar to their original design with some added changes to fit my style of drawing.
Happy Birthday, sis! Hope you liked it! =)
FanArt by Michael Woolsey
1. Hermione Granger; Harry Potter
2. Katniss Everdeen; Hunger Games
3. Clary Fairchild; Shadowhunters
4. Belle; Beauty and the Beast
5. Luna the Black Cat; Sailor Moon
6. Calcifer the Fire Demon; Howl’s Moving Castle
7. Tohru Honda and Kyo Sohma; Fruits Basket


Also called Sloping Cave.
Contains 3 Pictish carvings.
We know that people were using this cave over 1500 years ago because a trampled surface about 1m below the present cave floor has been dated to 240-400AD. Were these people the carvers of the Pictish symbols?
Rectangle with double disc
Sliding Cave carvings illustrated by Andrew Gibb. From John Stuart, The Sculptured Stones of Scotland, 1867.
Rubbing of double disc in Sliding Cave, J. Romilly Allen c. 1890. © The British Library Board (37573)
Rubbing of rectangles in Sliding Cave, J. Romilly Allen c. 1890. © The British Library Board (37573)


Although, as a person who always liked to read and spent a lot of time reading novels and collections of short fiction, my reading preference was usually for non-fiction.
The term “non-fiction” covers a wide variety of books, and in my earlier years I read a lot of philosophy and history.
Over the years, as age humbled me, mellowed me, and encouraged my light-hearted, more basic tastes in books to surface, I came to enjoy books on gardening, animal life in the wild, and . . . yes, recipe books!
As an avid reader, I also loved to write, my writing usually reflecting what I read. My mother loved to read, too, but writing was not one of her many talents, though she was literate in both German and English.
The only writings I have of hers are a collection of her occasional letters to me, and a box of recipes, most of which she wrote herself (with a few recipe clippings stuck in here and there).
I mention her recipes, because recipe books are non-fiction “literature” I enjoy reading and applying.
That may sound strange, but they are some of the best selling books on the market. And some are entertaining, some, “literary,” and some very informative.
My youngest daughter is a book designer in New York, and has designed many popular cookbooks. Portlandia is is a fun book she designed, as well as containing good recipes (as well as one of my drawings of ants carrying raw vegetables on their backs).
Food for Thought (probably a half dozen with this title) was not a best seller, but it contained a number of my haiku, as well as other poems of mine and poems by other poets. And one of my recipes. Yes, cookbooks can be “literary.”
It seems to me that cookbooks like the Blue Zone series by Dan Buettner, consisting of four books including 100 Recipes to Live to 100, are nutritionally informative as well as informative in other ways.
I did use a few of Mama’s Wendish recipes in my first book, It Must Be the Noodles, but “translating” her recipes was not always easy, and many were recipes found in other Wendish cookbooks.
You see “clarity” was not always a virtue Mama possessed, whereas “brevity” was her most noticeable attribute. She used the usual cookbook abbreviations that most chefs understood, e. g., tsp., tbs., etc., plus some of her own like “van” for vanilla, “pder” for powdered as in “powdered” sugar., etc.
And she often used interesting word choices, such as the slang word “spuds” for “potatoes.” Perhaps “spuds” was easier to spell than the German word for potatoes, “Kartoffel,” or even “potatoes” itself. She did often use German words in her recipes. It wasn’t uncommon for her at the end of a recipe to add statements like, “You might need more flour,” or “May not be enough pecans.”
She assumed you, the cook, using her recipes, knew what any chef should know, so she did not include basic instructions like “grease the pan” “dust with flour,” or “sprinkle freshly baked bread with water.”
Even though her recipes were sometimes vague and confusing, I always enjoy reading through that little box of gems.
While some folks may find it strange to read recipe books, I find they arouse my interest and my appetite.
Ray Spitzenberger is a retired WCJC teacher, a retired LCMS pastor, and author of three books, It Must Be the Noodles, Open Prairies, and Tanka Schoen.