Recycled Santa Greetings

I found this creative Christmas Greetings created from recycled materials on Rte. 61 by 

Weiner Iron & Metal Corporation 

It was a big display, so I had to get it in 3 shots

Nathan's note for Christmas Eve

Nathan won't be swayed about Santa's existence, despite our admissions, and his sister's emphatic declaration of the facts. Inspired by the letter writing of the Peanuts characters, he decided to write Santa a note to be found on Christmas Eve, next to cookies.

How to: Make your blog, book, or product a sensation on the cheap

If you have a blog, you need reader traffic, and a fan base. 

If you have a book, you need to spread the word to readers.

If you have a  product or service, you need exposure.

The following link is some of the best information out there in one compact spot, that I've ever heard; and I want to share it with you.

Self-promo guru, testing and web marketing innovator, Tim Ferriss, shares his amazing advice , in his  presentation to Le Web in Paris. He explains how your book, blogging, idea, or products can be easily marketed on the web to a global sensation-for free or cheap.

Video link: 

(Also scroll down on this page, for more articles on marketing, and other topics.)

Texting Tip: Text from email (At&T) free

It's free to text from your email software to someone's phone, (to an AT&T customer). They will be charged in accordance with their plan, but you will not be charged at all. It's handy if you're already working on the computer, and need to shoot someone a quick note. But you need to have their number memorized, or nearby! 

DIRECTIONS:

Put this in your email "To:" field to send a text message. You must put the recipient's number in place of the numbers shown below--obviously.

5706402005@txt.att.net

(This may possbily work with other mobile phone service providers. Try it, and find out. Please let me know!  For instance, would this work with a T-mobile customer? 578-478-9837@txt.tmobile.net)

BEWARE- iPhone Car Chargers Catch Fire

Our relatives, Lester and Mary in Cleveland, Ohio sent us photos of what happened to their 2007 Suburban. All they did was leave their iPhone charger / docking station plugged into their car outlet. They caught the fire in the garage before it spread to their home–even their their fire detectors did not sound.

Protect yourself! Please check your fire detectors to make sure they are in working order, and unplug phone chargers, and other devices from your car outlets when they are not in use. They get a bit hot!

5 Short-Cut Cleaning Tips for Untidy people (like me)

Yes, if you know me, the first thing you'll say is, "Ha! Lisa, you're a "person of clutter." What makes you think you have the expertise or clout to offer REAL solutions to messiness?"

Oh! But actually this makes me just the person to do it. You see, I like things clean, especially germ-free, but I'm not what you would call "meticulous." Plenty of other things get my attention before being tidy does. Finally, I look around, and I say, "Things change NOW!" I'm also trying to be more proactive, so deep cleaning happens less.

Here's some tips that help a messy person like me.

1. Maintenance. I hate to feel like I'm cleaning all the time, and maintenance is what tidy people call cleaning when it happens all the time.

I'm a bit more practical. If it makes a big difference, down the line, in time spent on housework, I try to do it. I have found some short cuts that make a huge difference, but I won't kid you, "maintenance" coming from a tidy person, just means, "I love to have continual order. My house WILL be clean and tidy. period. I call that maintenance to make it seem less neurotic." For me maintenance is a short burst of clean up to save me a load of misery later. Like I said, I'm no neat freak. Ask my husband, or any of my friends!

2. The grubby microwave: (bonus 2 tips in 1) 

a. First be proactive, even though it means a few extra seconds of delayed food gratification. Cover up heating food. It saves loads of time later. (I try not to use a plastic cover because I've heard the toxins in the plastics leech into the food, and that's not so healthy over time. Think cancer. Not so good.) I usually keep a paper plate, napkin, or paper towel handy, and that way messes are more minimal.

b. Here's the jewel of the tip! To clean your microwave, you'll hardly have any scrubbing or too much work at all if you heat up a nice wet washcloth for about 60-90 seconds. It makes the crud loosen up, and then you just wipe it off, with barely  any trouble. (Don't burn yourself on the heated wash cloth. Let it cool down for a minute or so.) If you put a tiny bit of lemon juice on it--oh boy! I'll leave it at that.

As you can tell, I don't like cleaning or scrubbing very much. I won't even go into my reluctance to dust (allergies, plus I hate it). Here are a few techniques I use for big time short cuts to get the same cleaning power!

3. I try to ALWAYS rinse out pots, pans, or other cookware, I've cooked in *right after* they've been used/cooked with. I don't like leaving it on the stove, or just popping it into the sink. If I blast the thing off with the sink hose for 15 seconds, it will literally save me 5-15 minutes of clean up later, when the stuff has caked on.

4. If I have a garbage lid that's getting funky, or a cutting board that needs a rigorous scrub down, (etc.) I don't do it. Here's my trick. I use Clorox clean up spray, put the object in the sink, spray it down, wait 3-5 minutes, and then blast it off with my sink hose, and then let it dry, or dry it myself. It's super clean, has no germs, and I didn't have to scrub AT ALL.

5. Here's how I get out of scrubbing the shower. 

I keep a spray bottle of bleach and water in the shower, and a green scouring pad. At the end of my shower, I spritz the shower curtain and walls, and wipe them off. It takes about 40 seconds, and it puts off a hefty scrubbing for years...months, I mean. No, I mean a few weeks. You get the idea.

Which ones sound good to you?

What short cuts do you have?

thanks for reading. Use some, then stop back and tell me which ones have helped you.

simple celtic knot work

From Brandi - artist at Altered Ego Studios, Sch. Hvn

Celtic knot- (symbol of The Trinity)

Mutant Milk - Cow with 5 legs

In Chernobyl a cow with five legs is fairly normal, right? It should be no surprise to see them on milk boxes. However, where I'm from, it's an odd sight. 

Got (mutant) milk?

LOL

Fun at the Hibachi Grill

We found these guys at the grill. They looked dangerous, but were actually friendly and nice.

The talented chef made a volcano from an onion. FIRE!

Great mistake!

I make tons of mistakes. I have trouble spelling, and I make plenty of typos too.

But, this sign REALLY made me laugh, because this patriotic (?) guy, was trying to prove a point that Americans should be English speakers.

5 Reasons Why Viral Marketing Works

1. It's fun. Be it just plain silly, or very clever, people want in on some fun.

2. Guilt, plain and simple. Some people don't want to participate, but they do anyway because otherwise, they'll feel bad about not participating. 

3. Viral Marketing is oh, so grassroots, and taps into people's natural desire to be interconnected. Web viral marketing offer this connection without further emotional investment, like face-to-face relationships. (yes, this is good and bad)

4. Something bigger: People enjoy being part of something bigger than themselves, or on the front end of a popular, or emerging trend. They don't want to be left behind.

5. Each person drives the trend. It's "open source," changing and evolving individually, making it vivacious, and attractive in an empowering type of way.

Thank you for reading. I hope this was helpful.

What did I leave out?

Feel free to leave your responses, comments, marketing ideas, or suggestions.

Please my other project. It's a kind of  "travelers blog," and proposes, among other things, that God cannot possibly be a angry, white, old, bearded dude in the sky. Well, that and I recently posted a hilarious photo of a man with a tramp stamp tattoo of the Golden Arches. What's not to like. Hope you can check it out.

A diner with the best pie -yum

I just had the pleasure of going to the Kumm Esse Diner at the corner of Rts 501 & 422 in Myerstown, Lebanon, County, Pa. They make all their own pies, and often used freshly picked fruit (not canned or frozen). I had some fresh strawberry and some deep dish apple, and both were superb!

I have no idea what Kumm Esse means, though it seemed vulgar to me at first. The diner is a 1950s style shinny sheet metal type, and I imagine the name is derived from the local PA German dialect, and might actually mean something nice. Maybe like, "rest for a while' or something, who knows. (If you happen to know, drop me a comment!)

The waitresses all wore colorful scrubs. I image because they may be nursing us with comfort foods. The coffee was spot-on diner coffee. Good joe, but not gourmet. Fine enough to go well with great pie. My BLT sandwich was good, but not amazing. The staff was friendly. Our waitress sat down to chat briefly with two different customers who were eating alone–probably two of her regular customers.

What diners do you like? And what kinds of pie?

Great ideas to catch Dinner Guests that snoop

I heard a story of a couple who filled their medicine cabinet with ping pong balls. They anticipated one of their dinner guest wouldn't be able to resist peeking in their bathroom medicine cabinet. When the first snooper did, the sound echoed brightly off the ceramic tile, and the balls went everywhere, exposing their faux pas. Everyone at the dinner table broke into hysterics as they were told of the prank.

Here are five other was to expose less-than-classy guests:

1. Keep an open envelope out with a bill or statement inside. On the back rub graphite from a pencil. It'll stick on their fingers.

2. If ping pong balls aren't at your disposal, try filling the bathroom cabinet with something noisy.

-Silverware

-Nuts and bolts

-A pot lid

3. Put a note in your bookcase that says a personal, "Hello, _____!" When they look over your shelves, they will see your greeting.

4. Just before they leave, tell them you love to stay up after people leave, and watch the tape that the hidden camera takes. And check out the look on their face. (Maybe tell them you're kidding, so you can keep your friends/guests.)

5. Just after they use your bathroom, tell them a crazy story about the last unfortunate soul who looked through your medicine cabinet.

If you try any of these, tell me how it turns out!

Chinese Tower Sign against Ragamuffins

Ragamuffins aren't taken kindly to at Oriental Pearl TV tower. This odd sign is awfully funny, as it must be mostly lost in translation. (I found this Peter Hill photo, and other images at the BBC.com.)

My Top Ten Blogging Tips

My Top Ten Tips for Blogging

1. Make Blogs with Lists. They're quick to digest, so people like 'em.

2. Go for quality of content more than frequency.

3. Don't be afraid to niche your articles. Random thoughts might be "you", but predictability will grow a reader base. For an example of this, don't look around here see my other blog.

4. Don't swipe. Plagiarism is wrong. (Stealing-taking what isn't yours.) It's totally brainless, and shows you're a hack. Link to the content, and give proper credit. Your reputation depends on it.

5. Spread the love. If you like something, where you live, work, or play, promote it. Take a picture. Include specific information. Give a shout out. Generosity comes back to you. You should see the free stuff I get, by doing this sort of thing! Plus, I love to spread good news!

6. Give away stuff. Authors, give away signed books; coffee companies, offer up some samples; chocolate makers, ship out some boxes. Word spreads fast! Btw, all the things I mentioned...I just LOVE, so if you happen to be anyone of these types, I WILL notice you, and deeply appreciate you. :)

7. More than 1 post a day is really not so good, unless you have good reason, or goal. Just, back away from the keys, and get another hobby.

8. Retweet. Retweet/pass along your good blog finds, and often others will do the same about the good content they find on your blog.

9. Decide how often you will post, and stick to it. If it's once per day, once per week, or whatever, be consistent. People get into habits, so it's a nuisance for them to wait around for 10 days for your new stuff every day, without getting way too sick of it. They may move on to other material, but it's quite likely they'll get out of the habit of stopping by. Not good for you. Don't teach them they can't rely on you. Give them a reason to keep you a habit.

10. Interconnect your writing updates. If you have more than one blog, or social media tool, link them up, as one, to inform the visitors, so everyone you are connected to gets a headline of your newest article when it goes up, in one swift maneuver.

What are your best tips?

Crafting Fandango-style bag Puppets

My daughter made these two interesting characters today.

Hair Sweater-Hot

The beach scene was hot! I mean truly. This beach bear started to look ill from the heat of his natural pelt which had to increase his felt temperature experience to about 104º. No one told him, or he hasn't listened to the hints, that long curly shoulder hair isn't the rage anymore. It only really worked with a few odd Chewbacca fans, anyway.

Create a Caption for Option 2- (25 more entries needed)

For all of you who have been throw off by the cat car... here's a 2nd option to snag my coffee give-away. I'm still collecting entries. We have some good ones. I didn't post all of them. Some are below, some I got in messages on FB, or DM on Twitter. The person with the most clever caption will win a bag of Caribou Coffee, and bragging rights.

Enter up to 3 times. Have fun & be funny!
(please spread the word)

Funniest caption wins a bag of great coffee

Christmas in July! It's the time of giving. Purrrfect!



So, I'm having a contest of sorts. Give this cat car the funniest caption or description, and I'll send you a 12oz. bag of Caribou Coffee's delicious signature blend. If you like coffee, or know someone who does, this will be a nice treat to get in the mail. Click on the photo to read the taste description. I'm drinking some right now, and it's wonderful. (You like my product shot photo, complete with coon skin cap? Hope so! A sudden burst of whimsy brought that on.) :)



Send up to 3 entries per person, as a DM to my twitter @lisacolondelay, a message to me (Lisa Colón DeLay) on Facebook, or just right here in the comments section, (you don't need a blogger acct to leave a message). I'll start a selection process once I hit 75 entries-So please pass along the news, so we get a bunch of high quality laughs.

HAVE FUN!

Found car pict here

Amazing nature- unclassified cloud formations

This summer has been a season of amazing encounters. I've held a wild bird, and routinely got inches from others. I've enjoyed picking wild berries, walked in the light of foggy, sunlit mornings, and have been enchanted by the glory of the created world.

I just found the most amazing pictures of new cloud formations from the UK that are undergoing classification. (article here) They look "made up" in Photoshop, or sci-fi, but in Europe, and New Zealand, these formations have been spotted. Recently, in New York City (union square park area), quite odd formations at dusk, looked like lava light blobs. (weird article here)

Bad Hair Day?

We've all been there with having bad hair days, right?
We are like a bad haircut, we get better with growth.
Just when you think you've arrived, take a closer look in the mirror, and you'll see there is still a lot of room for growth. You might think you're doing fine, but to someone else, it might seem like things in you just haven't finished off quite yet. We are never done growing, learning, and improving.

Be open to honest criticism, and be wise. Then fewer bad hair days will be in your future!

What have you improved on in the last few years?

Soccer fingers / rainy day fun, or office high jinks

I drew these on my kids and they played nice for almost an hour. We had a bunch of laughs. A crumpled ball of paper is a fine soccer ball, and bent out paperclips taped on each finger can make the frame for shoes. I saw this on the HP site called fingerskilz.

I'm making it big...Blue and Jazzy with author Donald Miller

As some of you know, the long awaited new book from NYT best selling author, Donald Miller is coming out soon. But what many don't realize is that I'll be given credit as a co-author--this time. Last time, with Blue Like Jazz, I wasn't so lucky. But all is forgiven. (See my public discussion with Don about this topic here: http://bit.ly/tIcmj )This is a big moment for me. I hope you get a chance to check out this great book we've come up with.Follow this link to read the news story on our current joint venture. http://bit.ly/ncENi

K-fun... My review of Knoble Amusement Park

Knobles is old fashioned. They don't do much in the way of banners, or digital printing around the park. They still do hand painted signs for just about everything. They have some moderate thrill rides, but nothing that will make you wet your pants. There's a yesteryear atmosphere there, with huge trees overhead creating shade, and ride attendants taking paper tickets. Many rides are acquired from theme parks who want to give up the old favorites to make room to build the latest steel speed coasters. I love the smooth steel coasters, that shoot me out, and don't jostle me on wooden track until I get a nasty headache, but there's something so charming about a park with all the old rides from another simpler, more carefree time. The carmel corn, soft serve, and french fries can't be beat, and the free parking, pavilions and picnic tables aplenty, no entry fee, and loads of kiddie rides make it a great choice for families with children.

Summer and complications

I love this picture of me and my kiddos. It was taken at the state park. I love having picnics and hanging on at the beachhead. They play in the sand, and water for hours, and just love it. Now summer is here, and I hope we can do this more.

But there's a catch. Nathan has to be in extended school year, and I have him in a program to help his social skills. These are two things he really needs, but it seems to kill summer. Tues- Thurs is chopped, so only a bit of afternoon is left, and now Mondays and Fridays will be gone too. It makes these favorite summer season times we enjoy much more rare, and, of course, special too.

I switch back and forth, wondering if the sacrifice is too big, or if the help is worth losing what we do, or what I do. I know we'll still get to the park, and have our times, but the struggle to pick the best path as a parent can be daunting.

How to make wonderful scones.

How to make great scones: Short, helpful, video.

NOTE: sultanas are white raisins.

Picking the best watermelon

Watermelon is a summertime favorite, but how can you pick the best choice?

Here are a couple of tips.

1. 1. Like other fruits, check for soft spots or obvious visible damage to the rind, like rotten areas, and bruising.

   2. For your best chance at a sweet, ripe pick give them all a solid thump, with your fist, right in the middle of the long side. If you hear a ‘thud’ sound, it’s not quite ready. If you hear a nice, hollow sound then that is the melon for you. Test a few to notice the difference. A thud is a more full sound, and a hollow is lighter, more ringing sound. You can practice thumping full and half full plastic containers to get the hang of it. 

   Happy melon munching!
   

Campfire cooking: Why, and How to...

Some reasons I'll be campfire cooking more in the next few months:

Fun for the kids. (Simple way to get the kids happily involved in a low-tech, low-cost activity.)

It keeps the house cooler in the summer.

It's cheaper than going out to eat--by a lot.

It teaches the kids a useful skill for future camping fun; or perhaps, God forbid, survival.

It's potentially healthier than many other meal choices. 

It creates more family-time opportunities.

Time spent outdoors is something we all enjoy.

Here is a link to how to make a cooking style campfire, and some easy recipes to enjoy outside, or in your fireplace. 

Enjoy the season.

solipsistic hell

(from wikipedia) In Mark Twain's "The Mysterious Stranger," the character Satan makes the following statement of solipsism at the end of the novella, "In a little while you will be alone in shoreless space, to wander its limitless solitudes without friend or comrade forever—for you will remain a thought, the only existent thought, and by your nature inextinguishable, indestructible. But I, your poor servant, have revealed you to yourself and set you free. Dream other dreams, and better!...You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly creations of an imagination that is not conscious of its freaks - in a word, that they are a dream, and you the maker of it. The dream-marks are all present; you should have recognized them earlier. It is true, that which I have revealed to you; there is no God, no universe, no human race, no earthly life, no heaven, no hell. It is all a dream - a grotesque and foolish dream. Nothing exists but you. And you are but a thought - a vagrant thought, a useless thought, a homeless thought, wandering forlorn among the empty eternities!"

This gets me to wonder if Twain, an atheist, may actually be quite close to the mark, so to speak. At times, it seems the road to hell is paved with solipsistics, but perhaps the lost human soul in eternity comes to a situation thinking much like what Twain describes. Alone, homeless, wandering, never to have reconciliation, or communion again.

playing at Dept. Stores

There is some reason to believe that the department store sales personnel cringe when we walk into their section. We are ready to play, but don't have the money to buy.

Goldfinch encounter

 Today on my walk I had a beautiful encounter with a baby American goldfinch. This bird is also called a lesser goldfinch because of its size.

This beautiful, bright yellow, little bird was in the grass lying there, and so still I thought it had just fallen from its nest, and was dead. Moved in compassion, I touched it, and startled it...it seemed to be only napping. It fluttered, and darted a few feet away. Perhaps it was tired from trying to fly, I thought. It was a strange thing to see. Then I thought , maybe it was hurt or sick or dying. I reached out again, and it peeped and fluttered just a bit out of reach, but seemed healthy, and though a bit nervous, somewhat uninterested in fleeing altogether. Our worlds were coming together, and we reckoned each other.

I might be able to briefly hold him, and take him home, just long enough to show such a beautiful creature to my children, and then set him off, and back to his flying practice. I reached over to him, and took him in my hand with hardly any effort. He peeped a few times, and fluttered, his heart pounded in my palm, but as I cupped in securely in my hand, and against my stomach, he calmed down completely, and even drifted to sleep as I walked home about two blocks away.

Once indoors, my husband helped me unfasten my remaining hand weight I use for exercising, and I brought the little bird over to my son to see up close. The goldfinch opened his eyes and stared, completely at ease, and looked at him. My son, was plunged into awe, and delight. I told him, he should speak in a whisper, and that he could gently stroke his head with one finger. The bird accepted the gesture with grace.

Then my son said, we should let him go, and I felt too that it was time. We had joined in a beautiful time together, and our worlds had met peacefully and lovingly. Now we wanted him to be free of us, and go on happily. 

I had some concerns in the back of my mind that perhaps I had not been a bird whisperer, maybe he was only sick, or injured. Maybe he would stay languishing in the grass, and be eaten by a local animal. Still, I placed him in a tuft of grass near our porch, and watched him. He sat only for a second, and then fluttered quickly, regaining himself. Then he flew about fifteen feet away. He rested there for about three minutes, and then continued his flying practice toward the shadow of our house. I went indoors, and back out a few minutes later to see if I could find him, and to see if he was indeed healthy enough to truly fly, but he was gone. Though our worlds met, he emerged into his world well.

What a beautiful blessing.

I found out a bit about him, including the image shown, and his bird call (once he matures) at this helpful site. I hope to learn many calls of our local birds this summer, because on my daily walks I hear them sing. What glorious creatures. This should be a helpful way to do that.

Exploring failure-awesome

So, I starting looking up these fascinating and humorous images about various failures.

The moral of this story is before you tell the world you are awesome, be awesome at spelling. Look it up, write it down, and if it's going on your skin forever, have the dude proofread it back to you first. I'm a terrible speller, and I need a fuller time proofreader, if only! But this takes the cake. I think he'll be wearing a t-shirt at the beach, until he saves the huge chunk of change to have it removed.

Mr. Fun

My husband and I went to a bike gear swap meet, and in the parking lot, this guy was there. All he needs is a friend to ride along.

It looks like he's crafted his own kaiak rack attached to his sidecar, and attached to that is a bike rack. You just don't see this sort of thing every day. It's kind of like this man has said, "I'm going to have a lot of fun, and I swear I won't need a car or a truck to help me do it." His big motorbike had full dressers too.  

Titanic - The Legos' version, my son's creation

My son has a new fascination-The story of the Titanic. He built a Lego version of it. It's quite clever. (Okay, I realize that sounds like a brag, but Nathan is 9 and has autism, and some profound learning disabilities, so this is a celebration I want to share with all of you!)

Notice the life boat on the side, the four steam funnels, and the captain in the crow's nest. lol.

Local Honey / allergy experiment update

The locally harvested honey has worked very well this season for allergies. Many are complaining of quite bad symptoms, and I'm not saying I have none, but they are minor.

I take 2 teaspoons a day. I got my locally harvested honey at a farm market down the road, for about $4 for about a 2-3 month supply, and also a nearby health food store. Sometimes I mix it in a smoothie, some milk with a scoop of protein powder, and a banana or strawberries. Also good mixed in tea.

Also I experience no side effects that I can tell. Sometimes it just seems just too sweet. But, washing it down with O.J. makes it fine.

I'm really glad I tried it, and plan on taking it until frost, usually Sept or Oct.

Humor-science, math, spiritual

Quick note and update:

I've been considering this topic, because I get joy from little silly things in life. I've researched comedy, and engaged in my own pranks/hijinxs.

Now, I explore the nature of humor at the place where I engage life as I perceive it as it really IS.

Life As Prayer.

Read and respond. I LOVE that.

3 more weeks of school this semester. AHHH!

Bird Calls Getting me Out of Bed

A strange and beautiful thing has been happening to me, a consummate night owl. Birds are singing me awake in the a.m.. One day it was a turtle dove saying what sounded like, "Come one, Come one!" and I was beckoned to get up for my morning walk. This walk is wonderful. I examine my dreams, I pray (thanking God, praise him for his world, and lifting up others on my mind). I really have never been a morning person, and I still don't think I am, but this new habit is very refreshing. 

I'm starting to really be captivated by the calls of the birds I hear as I walk. They are so busy in the morning. I heard a woodpecker this week as he was getting breakfast out of a tree. I may have to start studying the bird calls of local birds. I think they might be talking about me, or maybe they have important things to say that I should know. : )

Morning Fog Rising

Today I took an early morning walk. I'm not a morning person. I've been trying to get out for exercise.

Today was particularly cold, but beautiful with an encompassing fog hovering over the path I walked. I could hear many birds busy singing in their day, which I haven't been nearly well-enough aware of, though spring is fully here.

I thought about the beauty of the morning that I'm too cooped up in my home to witness most days, because I am too tired, and feel too busy to join in. And I walk the around the forgiving gravel of the nearby cemetery, which is easier on my joints than pavement. This course choice pulls into perspective the brevity of existence, and hones my priorities, just before my hectic day begins. It all helps lift me from my fog.

new gnome site

I'll broken off the random escapade gnome adventuring enterprise "Into the Great Un-gnome" to a new site dedicated to that purpose. Hope you check out the fun. Keep those cards, and gnomes coming! Thanks for the support.

"Into the Great Un-Gnome Enterprises" answers FAQ

What is "INTO the GREAT UN-GNOME ENTERPRISES" ?

q: Is this some kind of a joke, or will you seriously travel around with statues, and take pictures? 

a: Into the Great Un-Gnome Enterprises provides a way for people to experience the pleasure of a vicarious adventure by sending a garden gnome friend to us for a unique experience we will capture on camera and chronicle on Facebook and this blog.

q: Why did you start this?

a: The short answer is to have some fun. But, this idea, in general, is not new. Wikipedia details this movement in this article. The award-winning French film Amélie featured this idea also. Travel service Travelocity uses a gnome as its mascot. Apparently, gnomes, once free from forced labor gardening, enjoy adventures and world travel.

q: What does it cost to send a gnome on an adventure with you?

a: It costs nothing, but really the fun and enjoyment you'll have is priceless. 

q: Can I choose the adventure, trip, or activity for my gnome?

a: Our modest financial abilities do not allow this possibility at present. Gnomes arriving  without financial wherewithal are surprised with the next available adventure, be it a modest or extravagant one.

q: If I want to see a gnome I send you go on an adventure, what should I do?

a: You should carefully pack your gnome, and mail him to Gnome Handlers Services c/o Ovation Enterprises 49 S. 2nd St. Cressona, Pa 17929.

q: Will my gnome be returned?

a: No.

q: Do you accept trolls, elves, pixies, fairies, dwarfs, and the like?

a: Not at this time. However, special exceptions may accepted upon request.

q: If I find a gnome, can I send it?

a: Not, if it doesn't belong to you. That's what is typically referred to as stealing, and we do not condone that. 

q: What if I don't have a gnome, but I want to send one?

a: See if the owner of a nearby gnome is agreeable to the adventure, or purchase one of your own. mastergardening.com is where we got our first gnome Trevor (seen in photo) for only about 12$. 

q: Will this make me famous or make my gnome famous?

a: Maybe. We will only use your first name when referencing your gnome story, unless you specify otherwise. We will reveal whatever details you give us about your gnome that we feel are appropriate, and details about his adventure.

q: You keep saying "him", don't you accept female gnomes?

a: Not at this time. Our gnome told us they are all male, and reproduce by magic. He said any known female gnomes are a farce. (He may have told us a fib to get away with something!)

If you have any questions about this venture, please leave your comments.

Thanks for your support. 

Keep those cards, letters, and gnomes coming.

Agape Love: a choice of the mind not the heart

To first understand this concept, it helps to know a little background of Hebrew language. In Hebrew, the "heart" is associated with not feelings and emotions, by with choice and the mind. The guts (innards or bowels) are associated with the feelings and emotions. This is a formidable difference in language, and therefore translation and meaning.

While it may seem like too much to ask to feel loving toward someone who has hurt your feelings, wronged you, be it an enemy, or a person who really bothers you, understanding the nature of choice in agape love helps take the burden off what may seem insurmountable. We may never be able to emotionally reconcile with someone else in those cases. We may even hate them, but we may be able to truly treat them lovingly and respectfully, why? Because the highest form of love "agape love," truly self-sacrificing love is conceptualized as cool and calculated, a decision of the mind. One need only to *decide* to not collect on the debt owed, and operate in great benevolence toward the other. In this way one wants good for them. Not because they deserve it, mind you, but because the choice is on the decider's part as one of the will (not the heart/emotions).

Eros love, is another subcategory of love in general, (of which agape in also a subcategory). This form of love has to do with feeling love, desire, passions, affections. We cannot feel Eros love for those we do not enjoy being around.

To move into true forgiveness agape love, grace is called for. Thankfully, our feelings need not play into the goodness of it, if they aren't there yet.

YOUR Gnome– on a Travel Adventure

Important Announcement:
Into the Great Un-Gnome Enterprises is now accepting new applications for Gnome Participants. Do you believe in Gnome Liberation? We realize launching a vision to the world on April Fool's Day carries some risk. We assure you, our enterprise is no joke. You see, many gnomes long to journey beyond the forced labor of gardening, and decorative posing for the open road adventures that lie beyond the garden fence. But how can they be free? Into the Great Un-Gnome Enterprises is the answer. Free your gnome from a garden near you, or the confines of a shop, and send him on a travel adventure of a lifetime. Trevor, pictured here at the beach on his travel adventure, was redeemed from the slavery trade at Mastergardening.com

Your gnome will be featured in the next available travel adventure, along with photos and descriptions of his activities along the way. No spending money or travel costs are required, because Into the Great Un-Gnome Enterprises covers all gnome related travel and activity expenses. Facebook and blog updates will capture the adventure, and the release of your gnome, back into the wild for you and the world to see. The first five rescuers to free a gnome will receive trip souvenirs, and a personalized photo album of the trip as a keepsake to treasure forever.

Simply ship the gnome you wish to liberate to our Travel Gnome Handlers Service, c/o Ovation Enterprises, 49 S. 2nd St Cressona, PA 17292, with his name, and any vital information necessary, such as age, nationality, allergies, previous work and medical history (if known), travel experience, and tastes, etc.

What kind of an adventure can your rescued gnome expect? We prefer to keep the actual trip a surprise for each gnome, but gnomes may experience a wide variety of adventures, such as white water rafting, caber tossing, swimming with shrieking eels, mountain climbing and orienteering, beach volleyball, wilderness campouts, amusements parks, late night cheesecake outings incognito, jig festivals, and so much more. In the end, we free each gnome back into the woods, or a safe environment, to live the rest of his days in serenity–leaving the haunting memories of grueling gardening servitude far behind him.

Won’t you please make a wish come true for a gnome and free one from oppression today? We can make a difference for justice, one gnome at a time.

T-shirts to support gnome liberation are available at another gnome-friendly site.

Donations in any amount for the care of gnomes are greatly appreciated, but are not tax-deductible.

Please spread the word, and thank you for your support.

Natural Allergy Relief- local honey

I thought this was a great tip I want to try this Spring.

5. Local honey : It is recommended that you start eating about 1-2 teaspoons of locally grown natural honey before the allergy season starts. Bees are known to collect pollen from local plants. Therefore honey is known to have some low levels of pollen, and taking it before the season helps your body to get use to some pollen level in advance before the full blown season strikes.

See the 14 other great natural tips: here.

Lance Armstrong-in a sling

Image Credit: TwitPic/Lance Armstrong (2009)

After a bike crash Lance Armstrong will be in surgery for a broken right clavicle (collarbone). This will be a major setback to his training for the Tour de France this summer. Follow his twitter for his updates.

Gnome in NYC

Here's a quick photo tour of NYC highlights with Trevor. Fun stuff, that day.