"I guess my feet know where they want me to go walking on a country road." James Taylor

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Oktoberfest On The Shire - PA Renaissance Faire

My photos from previous years.


This Weekend on the Shire
In addition to our regularly scheduled performers, entertainment and stage shows, check out the additional talent, competitions and activities gracing the Shire this weekend below!
Lancaster Leiderkranz

The Leiderkranz is a German Singing Society and Cultural Club, established in 1880 to promote and perpetuate German singing, dancing, music, language, foreigh exchange, and culture for its members and their guests.
Tapping of the Keg

Kick off Oktoberfest Weekend with the annual Tapping of the Keg! Join Her Majesty at Queen's Court, where the Shire will celebrate this historic weekend by traditioanlly tapping the Oktoberfest Marzen!
Topfschlagen!

Nipperkins are invited to don a blindfold, take up a spoon, bang the ground in order to find the Kettle that holds the prize, and yell "Topfschlagen!" to their heart's content in this traditional Bavarian game.
The Bar Olympics
Sign-ups take place 30 minutes before the first competition!

The Bar Triathlon

Test your skills in some of our classic pub games: bar arrows, farthing-bouncing, and Ale Pong! The top ten contestants advance to the next round of Bar Olympics.
Ode to Ale

Impromptu toasts from the competitors make a hilarious event as this contest of wit challenges each contestant to create yet an even more ingenious toast than the last. Hilarity will ensue as will the glorious Mount Hope prizes! Top five contestants continue to the next round.
Bar Keep Contest

Show your mettle behind the bar. Can you serve sturdy ale without spillage? Is your pour too heady? Are your verbal skills as honed as your drinking skills? Put your best barkeep abilities to the test and be judged by Mount Hope's finest barkeeps. All final contestants will receive wondrous prizes and accolades. Our grand prize winner will also earn the right to have our very own Wharf Bar named after them...an honor to be held until the 14th annual Celtic Fling & Highland Games in June of 2012.






 
The family and I are heading out this weekend to enjoy Oktoberfest on the Shire!  See you there!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Cindi Lauper & Dr. John Coming To Reading

 

We have a group of gals getting together for this fabulous concert, cause girls just wanna have fun! 
See you there!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Madeline's Of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania

 Update: August 26, 2012 This is from their website: 

Thank you everyone, for your continued support. We at Madeline’s especially want to thank everyone who responded to and fought the fire at our beloved restaurant.  We are working hard at renovations and hope to announce our grand re-opening as soon as possible. Follow our progress on Facebook and our website.   Your Friends at Madeline’s

 Now Hiring
Madeline’s may be hiring additional staff when we are ready to reopen.  We will be posting more information in the near future.


 Update: June 25, 2012 There has been a fire at Madeline's Very sad news.  I will keep all involved in my prayers. http://wnep.com/2012/06/25/restaurant-ripped-by-flames/


Madeline's restaurant is well known as a place where friends gather.  In fact it is the catch phrase invented by the current owners, Nadine King, and her sister and brother-in-law Melanie and John Ross.  Madeline's is located at 11 E. Market Street in the quaint and lovely town of Orwigsburg, PA.

The tastefully redecorated building that houses Madeline's was built in 1926 as the Hilltop Hotel.  The local folk lore has it that Madeline's is haunted by a waitress named Marian who worked at the hotel in the nineteen thirties.  The story goes that she was brutally murdered by her husband a few miles from the hotel.   A few of the current employees have seen some paranormal activity in the restaurant.  Another story of spirits told by the locals is that the hotel was frequented during the prohibition era because of its constant flow of libations of the spirited kind. 

My latest visit to Madeline's was with my daughter Jennifer.  We both had a wonderful meal.  She had the Chicken Picatta, and I the Crab Cakes.  We both started with a delicious cup of Lobster Bisque, followed by the house salad, an ever so light and pleasant dip of sorbet to cleanse the palate, garlic mashed potatoes, and fresh in season veggies. The entree was served with a lovely fresh orchid gracefully placed at the side of the beautifully plated feast.


We filled up on their warm variety of bread with tomato garlic and plain butter, so we had no room for dessert.  However, we saw them as the waitress displayed them for the table next to us, and they looked divine.

The prices are reasonable for the ambiance,  courteous and able service, and quality of the meal.  There is inside and outside dining during the summer months, and entertainment on weekends.  I give Madeline's five stars.  It is a delight in a rural setting in picturesque Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Madeline's is just 10 miles north of Cabelas.

The next time you visit Cabelas, give Madeline's a try.  It is a nice change from the franchised, and fast food restaurants that are easily accessed at any time, anywhere.  If you are a Harley Davidson fan, you will be driving by Schaeffer's Harley Davidson on the way.

The patio and solarium are heated so there is still a chance to take in the rolling hills of farmland and Blue Mountain in the distance while you eat.  I do recommend Madeline's, it is not just a restaurant in which to eat, it is an experience.  Enjoy!



http://www.madelinesorwigsburg.com/index.php

The story of the haunting:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=117672

Friday, September 23, 2011

UARS Satellite Falling To Earth

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) the size of a small bus, weighs six and a half tons,  and will most likely come crashing down through the atmosphere late today or early tomorrow.

Since seventy five percent of the earth is covered in water chances are it will land in water. According to NASA the odds that someone somewhere will get hurt is just 1 in 3200. So far, there has not been any reports regard of any injuries of human caused by falling space debris nor any serious property damage.

An approximated 26 pieces of debris will probably survive the fiery plunge and slam down to Earth. The biggest piece may be as much as 300 pounds. However, scientists in the space agency say it is impossible to precisely determine where the satellite will crash and where those debris will fall.

For more information on the updates; http://earthsky.org/space/where-will-nasas-uars-satellite-land

Update 09/24/2011: The 6-ton UARS satellite — the biggest piece of space debris to fall from the sky since Sky Lab in 1979 — fell back to Earth early Saturday morning. Debris is reported to have been found near Calgary, Canada.

Another Reason Why We Need The EPA

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has an array of air quality initiatives underway, including research and monitoring. 

Each year, tens of millions of people visit picturesque national parks like Joshua Tree National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Sequoia National Park expecting clean, healthy air, but increasingly they are putting themselves at risk for serious respiratory and pulmonary illnesses caused by ozone pollution in these parks. Today, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has released a pointed report on this growing threat to our national parks that also details how two pieces of pending legislation in Congress threaten to exacerbate the situation even more.

Research and monitoring conducted in the park has shown that airborne pollutants emitted from mostly outside the Smokies are degrading park resources and visitor enjoyment. The burning of fossil fuel;coal, oil, and gas causes most of the pollution. Inadequate pollution control equipment in power plants, factories, and automobiles is the primary problem.

Wind currents moving toward the southern Appalachians transport pollutants from urban areas, industrial sites, and power plants located both near and far. The height and physical structure of the mountains, combined with predominant weather patterns, tend to trap and concentrate human-made pollutants in and around the national park.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Encounter

 My husband and I watched this movie together on Netflix.  We both thought we were watching a typical thriller, who done it type movie, but very soon we realized that it was a movie with a message. The message, the only message we need to learn while here on earth.  I suggest that if you have Netflix watch it, and watch it with those you love. To my joy and amazement, my husband kept watching.  He could have very easily left the room, and went into the bedroom to watch something else.  I give this movie five stars!


A Prayer Closing Doors

Father in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, I pray you open doors for the person who reads this prayer. Only you can open doors no man can close and for that we honor you today. Thank you for the open doors of life; health, strength, prosperity, wealth, and love. Also, thank you for closing the doors of death, sickness, weakness, despair, poverty, and bitterness. We love you today Lord and give you all the glory and all the praise. I seal this prayer in Jesus' name, Amen!!!
God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.

What You Do While You Are Here

Passing along an email I received today:
I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.


Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.


'Hello Barry, how are you today?'


'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'


'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'
'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'
'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'


'Is that right? Let me see it', said Miller.


'Here 'tis. She's a dandy..'


'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.


'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'


Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.


When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'


I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.


Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.


Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.


Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes..


Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.

They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'


'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..'


With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral:
We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of tea you didn't make yourself...

An unexpected phone call from an old friend.... Green stoplights on your way to work....


The fastest line at the grocery store....


A good sing-along song on the radio...


Your keys found right where you left them.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Respectful Decorum


 If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.  Maya Anelou



I grew up with four other siblings, and a maternal grandfather who lived in our home.  Our mother taught us to always respect our elders.  Once when I was angry I spoke back to a friend's mother in front of my mother and she smacked me and grounded me from going skating that night.  


I would never speak in a loud voice or even think of talking back to an aunt, uncle, or grandparent.  I respected their right to an opinion.  I wouldn't dream of telling them that I did not agree, even if I didn't. 


God forbid if we used foul language in front of my mother.  My mother reprimanded adults who used the "F" word in front of her.  Have things changed so drastically over these past few decades that common decent courtesy is lost to the constant engaging in disrespectful discourse?  I expect that those who are at the very least twenty years younger than me would treat their elders in a civilized courteous manner.  


I will be sixty this coming October, and I am proud to say that not only have I treated those older than me with respect, but both of my daughters do too. I have seen their posts, and blogs and they do not use profane language either.


This blog is not meant to be derogatory toward those who do not follow the decorum of my youth. It is my greatest desire to teach others that if they present themselves in a dignified manner when interacting with the world and especially their elders, they will in turn receive respect.  When a person is loud,  and using profanity they are ultimately lowering their own self esteem, as well as the esteem of others. 


We are more thoroughly an enlightened people, when we show ourselves respect, by showing respect toward others.   


Bend the rule too often and you might have to scrap the plan. Rod McKuen

Sunday, September 18, 2011

My Warm, Cozy Autumn Home




I take great pride in making a cozy loving home for my family. Now that my daughters each have a family and lovely home of their own I could be sitting back and just relaxing. Not me, I want my home to be warmly inviting to all who enter, especially those six grand-children! The golden, burgundy, amber, and brown hues of Autumn are the paint box of warmth. I so enjoy decorating each room with items pulled from the attic, coupled with a few new things from a trip last weekend to the Christmas Tree Store.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

On Sharing One's Birth Date With Someone Very Special


Aunt Essie & Uncle Bobby August 2001
While writing one's memoir I suppose the proper beginning would be that awesome day where it all began, and for me it was October 26, 1951.  Besides my mother and father, and siblings there was another very special person who was tickled pink to learn that I was born on the twenty-sixth day of October.  That very special person who had also been born on the twenty-sixth day of October is my Aunt Esther Dunwell.  She was married to my father's youngest brother Robert. 

Aunt Essie 2011, Warm Smile
Aunt Essie is one of the two remaining living aunts.  She is and always will be one of the most special and loving souls that I have ever met here on earth.  Aunt Essie is one of God's very special people sent here to earth to spread His message to everyone she meets, and sometimes that is done with just her smile!

Uncle Bobby met Aunt Essie in Texas.  They both had worked at a hospital for those with Tuberculosis.  This very lovely lady stole his heart, and all who have the pleasure of knowing her could very easily understand why that happened.

Lovely "Indian Princess" Aunt Essie
She was born into an American family of Mexican and American Indian decent in San Antonio, Texas.  Her mother died when she was very young, and she took over the maternal responsibilities in caring for her siblings.  At the age of eleven her father got sick, she went to work at the hospital for those with Tuberculosis, and contracted the dreaded disease.  She had a very hard childhood, but never complained about it.  She always spoke of it as a learning experience that gave her strength of character.

Nannie, Step-Grandfather Carl, Aunt Essie
Soon after they were married Aunt Essie and Uncle Bobby moved back to the Easton/Phillipsburg area, and set up housekeeping in Wilson Borough, PA.  I can remember going to visit as a child and Aunt Essie making us homemade tortillas sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Her Christmas Tree was covered in ethereal  layers of pure white angel hair. It had been the first time that I had ever seen such a divinely decorated Christmas tree that truly befit it's decorator. She captured the hearts of every member of our extended family. 

When I was a child every birthday was celebrated with the most adorable pinata that was hand made by Aunt Essie.  She made them for all of our birthdays. She is always creating something new in the arts and crafts.  Her local church in the Pocono Mountains often depended on her creations for charitable events.

Jamie and Anna-Jean
Jamie and his mother, Esther
Her story of motherhood is almost biblical.  She often prayed that God would bless her with a child, and when she was almost 40 years old she became pregnant, and she and Uncle Bob were blessed with a son,  Jamie.  Uncle Bob has since passed on, and Aunt Essie has moved to Florida to live with Jamie and his lovely wife Anna-Jean. 

February 2011, Kindred Spirits

I got to spend some time with Aunt Essie this past February when I traveled to Florida with my sister-in-law Joan.  We went to the beach one day, and she came to cousin Paula's home for dinner, and stayed the night.  We were bed buddies that night and shared a wonderful conversation about our ideals, concerns, and memories of days gone by.  It was a very special experience with this very extraordinary woman, a blessing in my life, who shares my day of birth, the twenty-sixth day of October.
Beach Cape Canaveral,FL 02/2011
On Sharing One's Birth Date With Someone Very Special

* One day many years ago my youngest daughter Jamiann came home from Alpha Public School with a new friend Jill.  I very soon learned that her mother's name was also Diane and that.....you guessed it....she was born on the twenty-sixth day of October!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Broke Leg Bear, A True Story ~ Order Now


A few facts about Woodlands Wildlife Refuge:
Refuge    Founded
 1986


 Overview
Woodlands Wildlife Refuge, Inc. is a non-profit, charitable rehabilitation facility dedicated to the care and release of orphaned and injured wild animals. The staff and volunteers at Woodlands are well trained in animal care and are involved in educating New Jersey's human residents about their wild neighbors' habits and habitats.
The Refuge is located in Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County,NJ and handle 800+ native wild animals each year. The ultimate goal of our facility is the release of healthy well functioning animals. With the help and generosity of the doctors and staff at Clinton-Perryville Animal Hospital, Woodlands enjoys a high success rate.



MissionAt Woodlands Wildlife Refuge the goal is to release well functioning WILD animals. For this reason, we are NOT open to the general public.









Please visit their website to find out more about their educational programs, and for exciting internship and volunteer opportunities at www.woodlandswildlife.org

Woodlands is proud to announce the upcoming release of their first children's book, Broke Leg Bear. She was rescued in June, 2007 - and, despite medical challenges and obstacles, she overcame the odds thanks to the care of many. Her story is about survival, the kindness of others, and of the many other animals cared for during her 13-month stay. Book will be available in November, they are now taking orders!  All proceeds benefit Woodlands Wildlife Refuge.

Click on the photo for pricing and more information. Please print and mail in the bottom portion of this order form to order your copy or call us at 908-730-8300 ext 8 to order via phone!

Woodlands Wildlife Refuge, Inc.
PO Box 5046
Clinton, NJ 08809



Truly The Information Highway

I have found that the Internet is a great learning experience.  Through the online posts of new friends and acquaintances I have stumbled upon many interesting and exciting destinations.  Today I will touch upon two of them.

I had just been lead through a link posted to Twitter this morning by a photographer friend, Gwen Dubeau of Massachusetts.

Whistman's Wood, Dartmoor, Devon, England

Nestled on the eastern slopes of the West Dart river stands a wood of dwarf oak trees. Once you walk into the tangled web of trees you are transported into a mystical world of moss carpeted boulders, lichens of all descript, finger like oak branches, all engulfed in a wonderful smell of earth and age. For millennia this small, mystical, stunted woodland has been held in awe and for many fear. Tales of Druids, ghosts, the Devil and a host of other supernatural creatures abound, some dating back to the long lost ages before man could write. Many writers have described the wood as being "the most haunted place on Dartmoor", others warn that every rocky crevice is filled with writhing adders who spawn their young amidst the moss and leaf strewn tree roots. Locals will never venture near once the sun begins it slow descent over the nearby granite outcrops for it is when the dark mantle of night draws tight that the heinous denizens of the wood stalk the moor in search of their human victims. 

Legend has it that Wistman's Wood was a sacred grove of the Druid's and it was here that they held there pagan rituals. The huge boulder in the title picture above has become known as 'The Druid's Stone', otherwise called the 'Buller Stone'. The wood is also said to be the kennels where the diabolical 'Wisht Hounds' are kept. These are a pack of fearful hell hounds who hunt across the moors at night in search of lost souls and unwary traveller's. It is said that they are huge black dogs with blood red eyes, huge yellow fangs and an insatiable hunger for human flesh and souls. It depends on what part of the moor you meet them but they are either led by the Devil or occasionally by the ancient spirit of Dartmoor known as 'Old Crockern' who lives nearby on Crockern tor. There have been reports from travellers that on dark, misty nights the hounds can be heard howling and baying for blood. The wood is also said to be home to 'hosts' of adders who writhe and slither amongst the velvet moss covered boulders, their bites are apparently more venomous that any other adder on Dartmoor. Sometimes the small ghost of a dog called 'Jumbo' can be seen scurrying around the rocks and boulders in search of rabbits. At nights, the plaintive cries of the little terrier can be heard echoing down through the valley below. History has it that the poor dog died in the wood, from what nobody is sure but there is a strong possibility that it was from an adder bite. Some people say that the small oak trees never produce acorns but on the other hand people also say that if you carry an acorn from the Druid's Grove it will protect from rheumatism. Near to the northern edge of the wood is the ancient Lych Way or 'Way of the Dead'. It was along this track that the corpses were carried for burial at Lydford. There have been reports of a ghostly procession of monastic looking men dressed in white habits slowly walking by the oak wood in sombre silence.
For centuries Wistman's Wood has been the inspiration for numerous artists and poets and a whole plethora of paintings, etchings and poems have been produced. The noted poet Carrington went into full flow when he penned the following drear lines:
 


So be afraid, very afraid, as the wagging finger of fate warns you to stay clear and risk not your mortal soul in the 'Wood of the Wisemen'.


"Scarce hoarier seems the ancient Wood
Whose shivered trunks of age declare
What scath of tempests they have stood
In the rock's crevice rooted there;
Yet still young foliage, fresh and fair,
Springs forth each mossy bough to dress,
And bid e'en Dartmoor's valleys share
A Forest-wilderness".
Sophie Dixon -1829.


DARTMOOR
                                      
Dartmoor! thou wert to me, in childhood's hour,
A wild and wondrous region. Day by day
Arose upon my youthful eye they belt
Of hills mysterious, shadowy, clasping all
The green and cheerful landscape sweetly spread
Around my home; and with a stern delight
I gazed upon thee. How often on the speech
Of the half-savage peasant have I hung,
To hear of rock-crowned heights on which the cloud
For ever rests; and wilds stupendous swept
By mightiest storms; of glen, and gorge, and cliff,
Terrific, beetling o'er the stone-strewed vale;
And giant masses, by the midnight flash
Struck from the mountain's hissing brow, and hurled
Into the foaming torrent; and of forms
That rose amid the desert, rudely shaped
By Superstition's hands when time was young;
And of the dead, the warrior dead, who sleep
Beneath the hollowed cairn! My native fields,
Though peerless, ceased to please. The flowery vale,
The breezy hill, the river and the wood,
Island, reef, headland, and the circling sea,
Associated by the sportful hand
Of Nature, in a thousand views diverse,
Or grand, or lovely, - to my roving eye
Displayed in vain their infinite of charms;
I thought on thy wild world, - to me a world, -
Mysterious Dartmoor, dimly seen, and prized
For being distant and untrod; and still
Where'er I wander'd, - still my wayward eye

Rested on thee!


In sunlight and in shade,
Repose and storm, wide waste! I since have trod
Thy hill and dale magnificent.  Again
I seek thy solitudes profound, in this
Thy hour of deep tranquillity, when rests
The sunbeam on thee, and thy desert seems
To sleep in the unwonted brightness, calm,
But stern; for though the spirit of the Spring
Breathes on thee, to the charmer's whisper kind
Thou listenest not, nor ever puttest on
A robe of beauty, as the fields that bud
And blossom hear thee.  Yet I love to tread
They central wastes when not a sound intrudes
Upon the ear, but rush of wing or leap
Of the hoarse waterfall.  And oh, 'tis sweet
To list the music of thy torrent-streams;
For thou too hast thy minstrelsies fro him
Who from their liberal mountain-urn delights
To trace thy waters, as from source to sea
They rush tumultuous.  Yet for other fields
Thy bounty flows eternal.  From thy sides
Devonia's rivers flow; a thousand brooks
Roll o'er they rugged slopes; -'tis but to cheer
Yon Austral meads unrivalled, fair as aught
That bards have sung, or Fancy has conceived
'Mid all her rich imaginings: whilst thou,
The source of half their beauty, wearest still
Through centuries, upon they blasted brow,
The curse of barrenness.

     N. T. Carrington 1834


















 
The second destination that I had stumbled upon online is the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines through a video posted by my online friend Tata Chavez aka yummybro on YouTube. Click here for a link to his channel:
he Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills of about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name. The Chocolate Hills is a famous tourist attraction of Bohol.

It is featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attraction in the province. It is in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines;[3] it has been declared the country's 3rd National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Chocolate Hills are Bohol's famous attraction. Photographer Salvador Andre notes: Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt.

There is no natural formation like them in the world. From a distance, they look like half a ball grown out of the ground. The molehill-shaped and almost uniformly sized hills dot the landscape with green and brown. The Chocolate Hills is a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of general shape which are conical and almost symmetrical. Estimated to be at least 1,268 individual mounds to about 1,776, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone.

The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 160 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. They are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol. Bohol's "main attraction", these unique mound-shaped hills are scattered by the thousands on the island's central plain, concentrated near the town of Carmen.

During the dry season, the precipitation is inadequate such that the grass-covered hills dry up and turn chocolate brown. This transforms the area into seemingly endless rows of "chocolate kisses". The branded confection is the inspiration behind the name, Chocolate Hills.




Bohol, Land of Chocolate Hills

B-OHOL, Land of the famous chocolate hills
Cradles the smallest primate ever to exist,
The world renown Philippines tarsiers
That loves to cling upon rubout small trees
As they stare with their round eyes so big.

O-ver its verdant valleys, I have seen many hills
With wonderful sceneries sharing nature's gifts
As they speak to us geographical mysteries
And nature's wonder with the beautiful hills
Scattered around with their perfect cone shapes.

H-eaven I behold when I reach the famous hills
and extend my eye upon the horizon of the hills
For I have seen nature's captivating sceneries
of cone shape hills that radiates God's mysteries
And his artistic inclination when he made all these.

O-ver the sky, birds from the heaven fly with glee
As they sing with song of praises as they are free
To soar upon the blue sky as they enjoy the scenery
With a promise that they will never destroy the beauty
Of this abode and sanctuary of nature's tapestry.

L-ove our land and never rape its wealth and beauty
But be stewards of God in protecting all its scenery
with all it creation upon its wide verdant valleys
Like the birds, the tarsiers and other wildlife sanctuary
For our children's children to behold these someday



Melvin Banggollay









Monday, September 12, 2011

The Fairy Tale Wedding Of Sandi and Stefan





My lovely friend Sandi had a picture perfect, every little girl's dream, fairy tale wedding to her handsome Prince and oh so charming Stefan. He even has the name of a handsome Romance novel admirer. And they rode off in a Rolls Royce and lived happily ever after! The wedding was held at Crewe Hall a Jacobean mansion located near Crewe Green, east of Crewe, in Cheshire, England. Their suite was frequented by King George the Sixth.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

A Miracle, Local Hero, September 11, 2001

Today we must recognize that there were many who were saved on that tragic day September 11, 2001. One particular story stands out in my mind because one of the heroes is related to several of our friends from Alpha. Bill Butler is the cousin of our friend Cheryl, nephew of our friends Myrna, and Mel. This story gives me the chills, as it was absolutely one of GOD'S miracles, and Bill was chosen by GOD to be HIS instrument!
 To read the entire story: Click Here
Quote from the story: Bill Butler: “And I was kind of lifting and guiding her at the same time. As I was going down, she seemed like she was scared, and I just, I said, you know, ‘What’s your name?’ And she said, ‘My name is Josephine.’ And I said, ‘Josephine, we’re going to get you out of here today.”

They hadn’t fought the fire that day, but maybe they could save a life. They never suspected the exhausted woman leaning on Billy Butler, would wind up saving all of their lives by forcing them to stop when everyone else was fleeing.
 
 

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Rhymes and Reasons - Remembering The Events Of Tragic Day 09/11/2001



I find it rather uncanny that John Denver wrote this song over 32 years prior to the tragic events that unfolded on 09/11/2001. The last four lines of the fourth verse just give me the chills!  "Though the cities start to crumble and the towers fall around us, the sun is slowing fading and its colder than the sea." This great man, consummate entertainer,  and insightful song writer passed away four years prior to that heart-wrenching day.  So many of his songs speak volumes about the political, and social issues that plague our country and the world.  It is my opinion that this man was more than an entertainer or even a social and environmental activist, he was a prophet.  "Though the singer is silent, there still is the truth of the song."(line from On The Wings Of A Dream John Denver)



Rhymes & Reasons


So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you've forgotten
You tell me that you need me now
You want to be my friend

And you wonder where we're going
Where's the rhyme and where's the reason
And it's you cannot accept
It is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Would clear a cloudy day

Like the music of the mountains
And the colors of the rainbow
They're a promise of the future
And a blessing for today
Though the cities start to crumble
And the towers fall around us
The sun is slowly fading
And it's colder than the sea

It is written from the desert
To the mountains they shall lead us
By the hand and by the heart
They will comfort you and me
In their innocence and trusting
They will teach us to be free

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Would clear a cloudy day

And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

Words and music by John Denver