“Scarlett”

20 Jun

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders

 

 

 

Love is such a great motivator-
It is amazing what it leads us to do.
We rise up to defend the helpless,
in spite of the danger in view.

 

I want to share a story with you
that truly touched my heart.
Such love in action was newsworthy,
heart rendering from the start.

 

Overnight, a scrawny New York City feline
went from anonymous to international fame.
The transformation happened in a “flash”..
A flash of fire gave Scarlett her name.

 

Her story:

S C A R L E T T

The Cat Who Became An Action Hero

 

The saga began in 1996, when a blaze consumed an

East New York garage.  As the battle against the fire

wound down, firefighters noticed three four-week old

kittens huddled near the building’s front door crying in fear.

Across the street sat two more.  A badly burned calico female

paced nervously between the two groups.

 

It didn’t take long for firefighter Davfid Gianellii to figure out what had

happened. Gianellii, whose soft spot for pets earned him the nickname

“the animal guy” in  East New York’s Ladder Company 75, guessed that

during the fire, the mother cat had dashed repeatedly into the blaze

to rescue her kittens. Now she was in the process, in spite of her severe

injuries, of moving them to a new hiding place.

 

The firefighter scooped up the mother and babies and took them

to the North Shore Animal League.  The staff, sensing a chance

for a little publicity, told the story to a local TV station.  The agency got

more than a little publicity. Everyone from CNN to the BBC picked up the

tale, and soon people from as far away as Cairo and Japan were

writing and phoning the shelter.

 

The mother was named Scarlett because of the vivid color of her burns.

Sadly, one of the kittens died of an infection.  But the other four made strong

recoveries.  As the family convalesced together, thousands of adoption

offers flooded in from around the world.  Finally, two kittens named

Samsara and Tanuki were given to a Port Washington family; the other

two, Cinders and Oreo found their way to Hampton Bay, New York.

 

Heroic Scarlett found a home with the Wellon family in Brooklyn.  Her

scars healed and the only remaining signs of her travails were her

rather poor vision and the amputated tips of her ears.  Her new owners

have also helped heal any emotional scars. “She’s a total love machine”

a family member told the New York Times. The former scrawny stray

is also, apparently, an eating machine. After her rescue she ballooned to

seventeen  pounds quite a change from her days as an action hero.

 

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A Florida Whirlwind.

19 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

It has been a busy three weeks in Florida, kind of a whirlwind. It’s so much fun to re-connect with some of the best friends one could ever be blessed with, leisurely chats on the porch or lunch at the Cracker Barrel and dinner at the local pizza ristorante. Precious times.

Then there is all the work that was accomplished. Rebekah and I work well together through iChat and Dropbox, but sometimes, it is just better to be in the same place. July 16,17 and 18 Rebekah will be on a virtual book tour, her words traveling around the country and maybe even the globe, as she prepares to launch her new release Jessie. Even though she hired a tour company, a lot of blog posts and interviews had to be written and perfected. She still has a few more to write, but I believe we are over the hump. Thankfully, our friend Pam joined our  team and pulled together a great media kit for the tour.

Along with the work was a lot of fun. Elaine Wessinger  opened her home to host one of Rebekah’s Tea with the Author events.  The table theme was an elegant Victorian tea and conversation and laughter flowed easily.

Tea Table at Elaines

The following weekend was the Titusville Sea Turtle Festival and I wish you could have been there. Rebekah had a table displaying her books as well as DiVoran Lites novels. Pam Gheen and DiVoran, wearing an adorable sun hat, visited the various vendors chatting them up. Rebekah dubbed them her “streetmosphere”.streetmosphere-feature

Since the festival targeted children, Rebekah’s father built a spinning prize wheel to attract people to her table. While I helped the children, Pam talked about the books and loaded the parents up with rack cards, book marks and paper bags to hold it all. Of course the bags had Rebekah Lyn Books logo on them, working on that brand angle. Then a thunder-storm rolled in and like a  knock off  purse seller running from the law, the festival cleared out.

As much fun as this has been, Florida is getting too hot and it is time to head for the hills. Before we get there though, we will make a visit to eastern North Carolina to visit with family plus Mike wants to check on the progress of the Cabella’s sporting goods store being built near my aunt’s home.

Rebekah’s new release Jessie will be releasing July 20, 2014 which is the forty-fifth anniversary of the first moon landing. She is offering a pre-release price of $1.99, Regular price is $4.99

 

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My Western Trip Part~7

18 Jun

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill

Bright and early the next morning I drove down to Port Hueneme, CA to visit the U.S. 1Navy Seabee Museum. This museum preserves and displays historic material relating to the history of the Naval Construction Force, better known as the Seabees, and the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps. During World War II, approximately 250,000 Seabees passed through the Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) at Port Hueneme, on their way to or from Europe and Pacific Theaters.  Among many other tasks they were asked to perform, over the course of the war, the U. S. Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDU) working closely with the Army Combat Demolition Units (ACDU) were instrumental in removing much of the hazardous materials and obstacles from the beaches in advance of the June 6, 1944 Normandy Invasion.

On my way to Los Angeles to visit several museums in that area, I stopped at the Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, CA to link up with Chuck, who provides mockup modern jet aircraft for the movie and TV industry. My museum guide indicated Producers Air Force had several aircraft, so I was expecting real aircraft. But interestingly, what Chuck does is provide mostly mockup cockpits of various fighter jets for close-up scenes with the actors. His aircraft are full scale mockups, usually from the nose of the aircraft to just behind the cockpit, with fully operating canopies and all the cockpit instruments and controls, including real ejection seats. It was a real education talking to Chuck and hearing all about how he provides the industry with what they need.2

 Chuck had to go to work, so I proceeded on into Los Angeles to visit the Griffith Observatory. DiVoran and I had visited Griffith Park and the Observatory back in the early 1960s when we lived there, but it was a shock to see how many people were there3 that day. Cars were backed up halfway down the mountain waiting for a chance to find a parking space. I went into the lobby and took a look at the fascinating Foucault Pendulum, which was introduced in 1851 by French physicist León Foucault, as the first simple proof of the rotation of the Earth in an easy-to-see experiment. I walked around the outer domes and got a view of the smoggy L.A. basin and the Hollywood Hills.

That was about all of the crowds I could handle, so I headed down town to Exposition Park to check out the California Science Center. The Science Center was a wonderful experience, as there were many displays that interested me. At the top of the list, was the Space Shuttle Endeavour . Aircraft displays, inside and outside, included a 1929 Velie Monocoupe, a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a replica of the Bell X-1 that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in, a Northrop F-20 Tigershark, a Northrop T-38 Talon, and a beautiful Lockheed A-12 Blackbird two-seat trainer (60-6927), stripped of its black finish, and gleaming silver in the sun. Manned Spacecraft included Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Space Capsules, Pioneer 10, Mariner IV and Venus probes and a prototype of the Viking Lander.

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—–To Be Continued—–

 

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Fathers and Firearms

17 Jun

Knowing that my husband and daughter, Rebekah find historical weapons interesting, I was thrilled to discover a tour of the famous Knights Armament could be requested. Even better, our invitation came for the week of Father’s Day so it was perfect timing for some father-daughter bonding. She posted this on her blog Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen and I am re-posting here for our readers~Onisha

Rebekah Lyn's Kitchen

How did you spend your Father’s Day? Mine was pretty low key since I was wiped out after a long day in the sun promoting my books at the Sea Turtle Festival on Saturday, but my dad and I had the chance to spend some quality time together a few days earlier.

Wednesday we spent the afternoon touring the private collection of firearms, military vehicles, and even tanks housed at Knight’s Knight's LogoArmament. It may sound like an odd outing for a father and daughter, but he and I have been watching war movies since I was a little kid and until the personal drama took over the show, we enjoyed watching Sons of Guns, marveling at some of the projects the little shop in Louisiana took on.

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Roots

16 Jun

My Take

DiVoran Lites 

 

Author, Poet and ArtistOne day I was wandering in the cleared area behind our house and I came upon a miniature liquor bottle. I have a penchant for bottles, so I picked it up, washed it out, and stuffed a small spider plant into it. The spider plant then proceeded to grow roots. I have a penchant for roots.

Yesterday I had breakfast with a friend who is a professional photographer. We like to talk about our gardens and share cuttings and clippings. I gave her some purple heart.

She gave me some plants, too. When I looked in the succulent’s bag, I saw a long root. “I’m into roots, right now,” I said pulling out a beautiful aloe plant.

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Then she asked the big question. “Why?”

I’m still not sure I can answer it, but I have a book, Finding What You Didn’t Lose, by John Fox CPT. In a chapter called, “Leaving the Roots on Your Writing: Revealing Yourself in Your Poetry.” Fox says, “When I lead workshops and people share their spontaneous poems, one of the first qualities people recognize in the atmosphere of the place…is that there is a deepened level of genuine intimacy. People begin to leave “roots” and “dirt” on their words. This intimacy is first self-honest, which then extends into the group experience.”

As I understand it, roots are the opposite of pretension. Pretension is like a plastic string—it doesn’t grow anything new or nourishing while a root does.

My mother always said, “Make yourself the best you can, and then be yourself.” I was still working on the first part, but I began to see that it was time to bring the second part into play. It seems that one way to start living with the roots is to quit trying so hard. So what if I drop the g’s off words when I get excited? So what if I wear my shorts and no lipstick to Wal-Mart? So what if I ask dumb questions or snort when I laugh? At least I’m laughing. I will soldier on as if it were none of my business what THEY THINK. Like Popeye, I yam what I yam. Ain’t we all?

 

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Another Father’s Day

15 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

Here we are with another Father’s Day dawning upon us. It just doesn’t seem like Fathers get the same acknowledgment as Mothers do. Seems a bit unequal to me – since it takes two to tango. But Mothers traditionally – and Biblically – are the ones who nurture in the family, while Fathers are bread-winners and head of the household.

And so, because I am so very proud of my Father and what he accomplished in his life, I would like to add another connection in his life.

For many years, I have heard of B.B. McKinney. He’s rather well known in Baptist circles. According to his history (from Google), he wrote over 149 hymns, composed the music for 114 others, and arranged more than 100 more. While not as prolific as Fanny Crosby (1800 hymns) he was still quite talented. He was heavily involved with Texas Baptists and Southern Baptist music. Except for the current up-coming generation, if you ask if they know who B.B. McKinney was, they can usually tell you he wrote a lot of the hymns in our hymnbooks. He was born in 1886 in Louisiana. (Daddy was born in 1892)

The main connection I know of with Daddy and him, is that my Father was born in Louisiana, as well. Daddy and B.B. McKinney both attended Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana. Daddy also was involved with Texas Baptists, since he was the Associate Sunday School Secretary for Texas from 1926 until 1945, when he moved us to New Mexico, where he became the New Mexico Sunday School Secretary. He was in that position until 1961, when he retired. I always knew that Daddy knew B.B. McKinney, but didn’t know just what that connection was. I distinctly remember seeing Daddy approach Mother at church, and with a stricken look on his face, tell her that B.B. had been killed in a car wreck (1952).

It wasn’t until recently that a cousin of ours sent via FaceBook a picture he had found in the “Pine Knot” yearbook from Louisiana college. It was a picture of a male quartet from Louisiana College. The four (plus the director) in the picture, were B.B. McKinney, my Father (W.J. Lites), and his brother (E.O. Lites). They had been in a college quartet together all those years ago! There isn’t a date on the picture, and the best we can figure, it was probably somewhere around 1913 or 1914. (Daddy’s college education was interrupted by World War 1)

So that’s the connection. Daddy had many accomplishment in his life, but this was one that I had not expected, but was proud to see.

The Quartette - Louisiana College

 

 

 

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Just the Two of Us.

14 Jun

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged from Janet Eckles Blog

Posted on June 13, 2014by 

With permission Wiki.

There he was, the main character, doing what he does best as the stunt man for one of the most popular action-packed shows in Disney World.

Among the audience of thousands, on the third row, nestled in her grandma’s lap, his 3-year-old daughter’s eyes danced with delight. She followed his leaps in the air, daring walls of fire and dropping from incredible heights. His skill displayed in the midst of the action that exploded all around that huge stage.

Then it happened. For a second, he glanced into the crowd and locked his eyes with his little girl’s. Then with a subtle move, he lifted his right hand and gave her an “I love you” sign.

Her chubby legs wiggled back and forth, making her brown curls bounce around her cheeks. And with a grin of delight, she made the same sign with her tiny hand back to him.

For a few seconds, there was a magical connection between daddy and daughter. The sign was for her. And her response was for him only.

Isn’t that the way God also connects with us? In the midst of His divine performance of making the universe happen, the sun  radiate, the moon shimmer and the stars light up the dark night, He’s sending an “I love you” sign to each of us, individually, personally and directly.

Visit Janet Eckles Blog to read more!!

 

His Way

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

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Inspirational video  just for you.

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The First Speeding Ticket

13 Jun

From My Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders

 

 

 

This is ludicrous, compared to today.

The first American ever arrested for speeding
was Jacob German, 26, a taxi driver for the
Electric Vehicle Company of New York City.
On May 20, 1899 he was hauled off to jail
for bolting down Lexington Street in Manhattan
at 12 mph in an 8 mph zone.

 

What would Jacob German think now?
Compared with 1899, the pace of life has advanced
to science fiction levels.
We bolt through every hour until the days
become a blur, and the years fly by like a movie
stuck on “fast forward”

 

.
Sometimes, in our rush, we grow impatient with the Lord
because He doesn’t hurry as we do.
Our times are in His hands and His clock operates
at a different speed.
A day to Him is like a thousand years.

 

(2 Peter 3:8 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a
thousand years as one day.)

 

Perhaps you want the Lord to answer your prayer Now,
to provide deliverance “This instant”,
but when we put God on our timetable, it often brings
disappointment.

 

Learn to wait on the Lord, and let Him work at His own speed.
He has a perfect sense of timing, and He knows our every need.

 

From an old anonymous hymn:
” His method is sublime. His heart profoundly kind.
God never is before His time, and never is behind.”

 

 

 

Footnote:
My transportation from age 10 to 21 was a boy’s two-wheel bike-
My father wouldn’t sign for me, so it was either “bike” or “hike”.
I rode with the traffic-, youth has no fear.
My love of speed and adventure did truly domineer.
When I ran across this story, I thought it worth a smile.
According to my memory, I beat him by a mile!

 

Vintage girls bike

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Herbal Remedies and Essential Oils~Herbal health from a Christian Worldview

12 Jun

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

 

When I retired, one of my goals was to learn more about herbal remedies, so I was delighted when in the process of searching for book bloggers, I stumbled upon Lydia’s Herbals. I contacted Lydia and she graciously agreed to be interviewed. Enjoy~Onisha

buffet

 

Why were you drawn to herbal remedies and how did you educate yourself in the art?

Originally, I wanted to start a pretty garden, but I wanted it to be useful. So I decided to make an herb garden. Then I had to learn about how to use them, so I read library books on the subject. The books didn’t provide enough hands on information, so I searched for an herb course from a Christian worldview. After nearly giving up on ever finding one, I found Vintage Remedies, Inc. and took the Family Herbalist Course as part of my high school coursework. When I finished, I decided to take the Master Herbalist Course so that I would know even more and be more equipped to use the herbs. I really like Vintage Remedies, as they are evidence based, so they try to take a safer approach than many others.

Essential oils are all the rage now. Do you have any advice about them?

 Don’t use them neat (undiluted)! There are several companies advocating the use of neat essential oils, or using them internally. Doing so can cause SERIOUS problems. Neat essential oils can burn your skin, and many oils can be toxic in small quantities, causing liver and/or kidney damage. Essential oils are very powerful, so less is more. They also work better when applied externally, as well as being safer.

Most essential oils need to be diluted by putting 3 drops of essential oil into 1 Tsp. of carrier oil. I usually use olive oil for the carrier oil, but almond oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil are other choices.

Diffusion is also a good method to use, you can add a drop or 2 of essential oil to some boiling water and let it diffuse into the air. There are also many diffusers available to purchase. I use a terra-cotta diffuser from Mountain Rose herbs for a small room, or a pan of water on the stove or wood stove for a larger room.

As with anything, you have to know what you are doing. Do some research from reputable sources. Aromatherapy for Health Professionals is my favorite book about essential oils. It has safety information as well as many case studies. Many essential oils should not be used if you are pregnant, and there are several that should not be used on small children. There are other safety concerns as well, such as seizures. My favorite resource is one of my textbooks, because it has all the information on how to use essential oils safely. You also need to make sure the oils are good quality. The sources I trust are Mountain Rose Herbs and Native American Botanicals.

Do you have advice for someone like me who is just beginning to explore herbal remedies?

Don’t believe everything you read. Some people will recommend dangerous herbs, and say they are safe. If you can, find someone who is willing to help you learn, but make sure that they know what they are talking about.  I highly recommend Vintage Remedies, and the Family Herbalist course gives you a working knowledge of herbs and essential oils and how to use them safely, including dosing and preparing herbs.

Do you suggest a person grow their own medicinal herbs or is there a retail source for obtaining them?

If you can, grow your own. I sometimes grow my own, but I go through large quantities with my goats, so I have to order them. Mountain Rose Herbs and Best Botanicals have good quality herbs, as does Bulk Herb Store.

If one wants to start a beginner level medicinal herb garden which would be your top five suggestions and why?

  •  Calendula, because it is easy to grow and very good for your skin.
  • Peppermint, also easy to grow. It is good for nausea and headaches, as well as other things.
  • Lavender, because it smells nice and is easy to preserve.
  • Borage, because it is pretty, easy to grow, and has edible flowers. It also attracts bees.
  • Chamomile. It is calming, relieves headaches, and is actually helpful in fighting bacteria. It is also pretty and easy to grow.

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Tell our readers about the products you make, their uses and how you create them.

 I make Lydia’s Herbal Healing Salve, Lydia’s Herbal Muscle and Joint Salve, Lydia’s Herbal Sun Block, Lydia’s Herbal Lip Balm, Lydia’s Herbal Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth, and Lydia’s Herbal Tick Repellent, as well as herbal wormer, herbal minerals, and a few tinctures for animals.

My family and I have used Lydia’s Herbal Healing Salve on dry skin, bug bites, bruises, and rashes. My friends have found it to help with eczema and psoriasis. We use Lydia’s Herbal Muscle and Joint Salve on sore muscles and joints. The others are pretty self-explanatory. I made the toothpaste for my Mom, because she has super sensitive teeth and the store-bought toothpaste wasn’t working for her.

To make any of my products, I first research. Sometimes it takes hours, sometimes it takes days. I look for any safety precautions on the herbs and Essential oils, and look for the best herbs to use for a particular application. After I have thoroughly researched, I come up with a recipe using the herbs and essential oils I researched. Then I order the herbs I need.

For the salves, sun block and lip balm, once the herbs get here, I make an oil infusion. An oil infusion is made by weighing the herbs according to the recipe, then covering them with the right amount of oil.Not sure

I put it in a warm oven for 3-6 hours. I usually let it sit for several days after having it in the oven, to make sure all the herbal properties get transferred. Then I strain the oil, and add beeswax and heat it up until the beeswax is melted. After the beeswax is melted, I add the essential oil and package it.

The tick repellent and tinctures for animals are HErbal tickcreated by making a tincture out of the herbs and alcohol or apple cider vinegar. The tick repellent then gets essential oils added.

 

The sun block basically is a salve, but it has some minerals added to it to increase the effectiveness. The lip balm is also about the same as a salve, just more beeswax.

The toothpaste has some oil infusions in it, and then I add the other ingredients.

The herbal wormer and minerals are just powdered herbs that are mixed together. Not everyone has 15+ goats, so I sell it by the pound. I make it because with the amount of animals we have, we go through a lot of it.

 

I hope our readers have enjoyed this interview as much as I have!

 

 Lydia’s Herbals 

Herbal health from a Christian Worldview

Click HERE 

herb for blog copy

 

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My Western Trip~Part 6

11 Jun

 A Slice of Life

By Bill Lites

Bill Small Red Plane

 

Next, it was over to Simi Valley, CA for a tour of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum. I was impressed with the 24 different galleries, which traced Reagan’s life from his early days as local hero, college standout, glamorous Hollywood actor, then as governor of California, and ultimately to the presidency of the United States. There was even a full-sized replica of the Oval Office in one of the galleries. But, of course the thing that impressed me the most was Air Force One (S/N 27000), also known as “The Flying Whitehouse” and the Marine One helicopter (S/N 150611), both of which Reagan used while President. I asked one of the Docents how they got the plane in the building, and she said, “They built three sides of the new building, took the wings and tail assembly off the plane, so they could bring it in through the fourth opening, and re-assembled the airplane inside. Then they finished the fourth all glass wall. For the full story of how the U.S. President’s airplane got its name, Google “Air Force One.” It’s a fascinating story I think you will enjoy knowing.

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Before leaving Simi Valley, I stopped at the Santa Susana Railroad Depot & Museum to get the history of an early California railroad depot and its operations. This was one of the most unusual and interesting small museums. The depot is an example of what the Southern Pacific Railroad called their Standard No. 22 Depot in 1903. The depot has been meticulously restored with many original furnishings and working equipment, that the Docent uses to explain to visitors how the depots operated in the early 20th century. Today, on what was the old Southern Pacific rails, Amtrak’s Coast Starlight trains head up and down the coast, and the daily Surfliner and Metrolink trains ferry commuters in and out of Los Angeles.

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Now, because of a time constraint, I headed west to Oxnard, CA where I quickly visited the small Mullin Automotive and Murphy Auto Museums. I also visited the Channel Island Maritime Museum, there in Oxnard, where I learned something very interesting about some of the early 17th century Dutch Maritime painters. It seems that some of them painted in such detail that (with a very strong magnifying glass) one can see that each of the distant subjects in the painting has been given details such as a pipe in the mouth, some with a mustache and all with a nose, ears and even eyebrows. The kind of details you might expect in a close-up portrait painting, but not in a battle scene at sea. And, then there were the fabulous model ships, many of them crafted by the Curator/Docent that took me on a tour of the museum. The model ship detail was outstanding! What a great tour.

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Then, to round out the day, I visited the CAF WWII Aviation Museum in Camarillo, CA. This museum is very similar in size and display aircraft to the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum here in Titusville, FL where I volunteer as a tour guide one day each week. They had an AT-6 and a two-place P-51 Mustang, both actively giving rides while I was there, and I got some really good close-up photos of both as they fired up their engines, taxied out with their passengers and took off. I always get a thrill when I hear the sound of a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine at full throttle passing overhead.

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—–To Be Continued—–

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