Rains of barrels are good means for gathering and preservation of rain water. Use rain pursues flanks two aims: reductions of expenses on water consumption, and also in deficiency of the water.
In the form rain barrels of three kinds are issued: round, rectangular and decorative. It is offered on a choice to 40 models of the various barrels differing among themselves: the form, in size, colour and appearance.
Rain barrels have capacity from 100 to 2,000 litres. All barrels are made of ecologically pure and reliable material. Each tank has the plastic crane, which is used for filling of a jug by water, and those tanks, which are placed directly on the earth (without a support), also have the bottom system of a fence of water, to which by means of a connecting collar with an external carving it is possible to connect a hose then to use rain water for watering of a lawn or car washing.
Rain barrels it's economical
Also there is a connection possibility to the tank the electric pump; in that case by means of a hose connected to the bottom system of a fence of water, it is possible to swing rain water, for example, for watering of trees in a garden. Rain harvesting can be used also in the garden purposes, and also for putting in order in the house and on a kitchen garden.
Rain barrels place on supports (round), or is direct on the earth, and by means of the connecting device are connected to a catchment basin or the filter which has been built in in a water pipe.
Rain barrels during the winter period
Land tanks can be used during the spring/autumn period. Rain water barrels cannot be used during winter time as the barrel can deteriorate from freezing water (depending on a climatic site).
In the end of autumn, namely, with approach of the first frosts, the tank is necessary for emptying, clearing of pollution and to disconnect from a catchment basin or the filter. Not heavy barrels can be placed for the winter in a premise, and big to leave in the street, densely having closed. Rain barrels for sale — buy only from the recommended manufacturers.
For gathering of rain water drainpipes are usually used. Despite long-term tradition of their use, it is possible to note some lacks: it is not visible problems in pipes, the regular control and service is required, at last, them will not name beautiful.
Rain chain — made in Japan
Recently more and more popular worldwide there are rain chains which are used for a long time in Japan for gathering of rain water. Their doubtless advantages are not only aesthetic value, but also ease of installation, absence of necessity of additional service, durability, stability to temperature drops. It is possible to use the most different variants for gathering of rain water.
The rain chain is an excellent ornament of the house and a garden in any weather. During rains of a droplet of water, hitting about chain links, create a soft melodious sound. The Japanese rain chain easily fasten on roof corners, providing a drainage system in any capacities.
In Japan for these purposes usually use copper or ceramic bowls. You can put any capacity for water gathering, for example, traditional flanks. The collected water then can be used for watering of house plants as rain water does not contain some chlorine and fluorides as potable water.
Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System is an island city from the Sassanid era with a complex irrigation system. Located in Khuzestan Province, the site was registered on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 2009, as Iran’s 10th cultural heritage site to be registered on the United Nation’s list.
Shushtar, Historical Hydraulic System, inscribed as a masterpiece of creative genius, can be traced back to Darius the Great in the 5th century B.C. It involved the creation of two main diversion canals on the river Kârun one of which, Gargar canal, is still in use providing water to the city of Shushtar via a series of tunnels that supply water to mills. It forms a spectacular cliff from which water cascades into a downstream basin. It then enters the plain situated south of the city where it has enabled the planting of orchards and farming over an area of 40,000 ha. known as Mianâb (Paradise) [Credit: Mostafa Gholamnejad/ Tasnim News Agency]
The site dates back to the time of the Achaemenid king Darius the Great in the 5th century BCE. It involves two main diversion canals on the Karun River, one of which, Gargar canal, is still in use providing water to the city of Shushtar via a series of tunnels that supply water to mills.
The property has an ensemble of remarkable sites including the Salâsel Castel, the operation centre of the entire hydraulic system, the tower where the water level is measured, damns, bridges, basins and mills. It bears witness to the know-how of the Elamites and Mesopotamians as well as more recent Nabatean expertise and Roman building influence [Credit: Mostafa Gholamnejad/Tasnim News Agency]
The system forms a cliff from which water cascades into a downstream basin and enters south of the city enabling people in Shushtar to plant orchards and create farms over an area of 40,000 hectares.
Every month Aths and I are reading one eco-centered book for our feature Leif Reads. To find out more about this feature visit the about page.
With all the snow falling this year a lot of people think the signs of global warming are over. In reality, all of this snow is just more proof of the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. More carbon dioxide in the air means the air holds more moisture, and that moisture has to go someplace which is why we've had record snow and rainfalls recently. Since there is more rain on the ground and there needs to be somewhere for it to go we experience floods. As Bill McKibben points out in Eaarth, "a river that has to carry more water takes up more space... the river [the road] running next to is getting wider because we now live on a planet where warmer air holds more water vapor and hence we have bigger storms. There's no room for the road to shift" (61).
This is something that really hits home for me because I've experienced two pretty monstrous floods in last three years. One where I live now, Iowa City, and one where I grew up, Des Moines. While you may not care about the natural problems with flooding, I'm sure you care about the people whose lives are changed by them. "After such a disaster, researchers report, 'people feel inadequate, like outside forces are taking control of their lives" (75). This is a huge problem right now. Our earth is not the only thing changing, we as people are changing because of these things we've done to our earth.
Flooding in Colfax, Iowa, where my dad grew up. This flood was just last summer and washed out the majority of the fields in area. Photo source.
I walk by this building every day, but during the flood of 2008 the door was blocked off by water. Photo source.
We all know flooding happens, but it's important to make the connection between the amount of snowfall we see and the amount of flooding we have. Snow is frozen, but when it melts that means there is more water in our rivers. More water than our rivers can hold.
Have any of you experienced a flood?
I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.
Without better local management, the world's most iconic ecosystems are at risk of collapse under climate change, say researchers in Science. Protecting places of global environmental importance such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon rainforest from climate change will require reducing the other pressures they face, for example overfishing, fertilizer pollution or land clearing.Flamingos fly over the Doñ ana wetlands, Europe’s most important waterfowl wintering site, the resilience of which could be enhanced with improved local controls of nutrient runoff [Credit: Hector Garrido]
The international team of researchers warns that localized issues, such as declining water quality from nutrient pollution or deforestation, can exacerbate the effects of climatic extremes, such as heat waves and droughts. This reduces the ability of ecosystems to cope with the impacts of climate change.
"We show that managing local pressures can expand the 'safe operating space' for these ecosystems. Poor local management makes an ecosystem less tolerant to climate change and erodes its capacity to keep functioning effectively," says the study's lead author Marten Scheffer, chair of the Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management at the Netherlands' Wageningen University.
The authors examined three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Spain's Doñana wetlands, the Amazon rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. While many ecosystems are important to their local people, these ecosystems have a global importance--hence their designation as World Heritage Sites. For instance, the Amazon rainforest is a globally important climate regulator.
Reducing nutrient runoff into the Doñana wetlands will prevent the spread of algal blooms, which climate change could otherwise worsen [Credit: Andy J. Green]
Like coral reefs, rainforests and wetlands around the world, these sites are all under increasing pressure from both climate change and local threats.
For example, the Doñana wetlands in southern Spain are Europe's most important wintering site for waterfowl, hosting over half a million birds, and home to numerous unique invertebrate and plant species. Nutrient runoff from the use of agricultural fertilizers and urban wastewater is degrading water quality in the wetlands, causing toxic algal blooms, which endanger the ecosystem's biodiversity. A warming climate could encourage more severe blooms, causing losses of native plants and animals, say the researchers.
"Local managers could lessen this risk and therefore boost the wetlands' climate resilience by reducing nutrient runoff," says co-author Andy Green, a professor at the Doñana Biological Station. He added that nutrient control measures could include reducing fertilizer use, improving water treatment plants and closing illegal wells that are decreasing inputs of clean water to the wetlands.
Rising temperatures and severe dry spells, on top of deforestation, could turn the Amazon rainforest into a drier, fire-prone woodland [Credit: Daniel Nepstad]
Rising temperatures and severe dry spells threaten the Amazon rainforest and, in combination with deforestation, could turn the ecosystem into a drier, fire-prone and species-poor woodland. Curtailing deforestation and canopy damage from logging and quickening forest regeneration could protect the forest from fire, maintain regional rainfall and thus prevent a drastic ecosystem transformation.
"A combination of bold policy interventions and voluntary agreements has slowed deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon to one fourth of its historical rate. The stage is now set to build on this success by ramping up efforts to tame logging and inhibit fire," says Daniel Nepstad, executive director of Earth Innovation Institute.
The Great Barrier Reef is threatened by ocean acidification and coral bleaching, both induced by carbon dioxide emissions. Local threats such as overfishing, nutrient runoff and unprecedented amounts of dredging will reduce the reef's resilience to acidification and bleaching.
Ramping up efforts to tame logging and inhibit forest fire could boost the Amazon rainforest’s climate resilience [Credit: Daniel Nepstad]
"It's an unfolding disaster. The reef needs less pollution from agricultural runoff and port dredging, less carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, and less fishing pressure. Ironically, Australia is still planning to develop new coal mines and expand coal ports, despite global efforts to transition quickly towards renewable energy," says co-author Terry Hughes, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
"As a wealthy country, Australia has the capability and responsibility to improve its management of the reef," adds Hughes.
"All three examples play a critical role in maintaining global biodiversity. If these systems collapse, it could mean the irreversible extinction of species," says Scheffer.
Improved local management of fishing, nutrient runoff and dredging could increase the Great Barrier Reef's resilience to ocean acidification and coral bleaching from climate change [Credit: Ed Roberts/Tethys-images.com]
The authors suggest their evidence places responsibility on governments and society to manage local threats to iconic ecosystems, and such efforts will complement the growing momentum to control global greenhouse gases.
Yet, in the three cases they examined, they found local governance trends are worrisome.
"UNESCO is concerned that Australia isn't doing enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef. It would be disastrous for the $6 billion reef tourism industry and Australia's reputation if they list the GBR as 'in danger.' We need to put science into action to prevent this from happening," urges Hughes.
According to co-author Scott Barrett, the problem is one of incentives.
"These ecosystems are of value to the whole world, not only to the countries that have jurisdiction over them. It may be necessary for other countries to bring pressure to bear on these 'host' countries or to offer them assistance, to ensure that these iconic ecosystems are protected for the benefit of all of humanity," says Barrett, who is also a professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.
Above all, the paper raises awareness of the great opportunities for enhanced local action.
"Local management options are well understood and not too expensive. So there is really no excuse for countries to let this slip away, especially when it comes to ecosystems that are of vital importance for maintaining global biodiversity," says Scheffer.
Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison [March 19, 2015]
The Mermaid's Mirror by L. K. Madigan is the story of Lena, a 16 year old who feels the call of the sea. She been through a lot of changes in the last year or so, changes that come from growing up. Her best friend, Kai, has grown into something more, and she's trying to navigate the boyfriend-girlfriend thing without alienating their other best friend, Pem. She's also desperate to begin surfing, but because of a horrific accident when Lena was young, her father refuses not only to return to the water himself, but also refuses to let Lena learn to surf. But the sea is calling to Lena, stronger than ever and she finds herself unable to resist its call.
And then she sees the mermaid. After that, nothing will ever be the same.
Although not a direct retelling of The Little Mermaid, The Mermaid's Mirror definitely contains elements that feel very like a fairy tale and the story moves in much the same rhythm and pattern as a retelling. There are mysteries to uncover, secrets to keep, and unbelievable challenges to face.
Lena is fairly close to her family. Her mother died when she was young and her father remarried when she was nine. This is the mother she remembers and they have a relationship that is closer than many biological families share. She doesn't always understand her father or the decisions he makes, but she loves him and they too are close, although that relationship gets a little strained as she realizes just how many secrets are really being kept. But it is with her half-brother, Cole, that Lena has the strongest relationship. About ten years younger than Lena, he worships her in that special way reserved only for young children. And she is a wonderful older sister, doing what she can to make sure Cole always feels loved and welcome by her.
Her relationship with her friends was also handled very well. Lena is still a little unsure about what it really means to be Kai's girlfriend and you can tell that he is more into her and their relationship than she is. She cares about him, but you can kind of tell that something is missing. But the three of them, Lena, Kai and Pem are close and it is obvious that they all truly care about one another.
As Lena searches for truths about the mermaid in the water and the mother she never really knew, she begins to unravel the secrets that her father was not ready for her to learn. When she finally gets the full story, she is left with an unimaginably tough choice. She is taken, by the mermaid in the waves, to live beneath the surface, in the village of the merfolk. Wrapped in the enchanted seal cloak, she is able to breath the water and survive in the water. Below the surface, she learns about different kinds of love and her whole world is opened up to new possibilities. Her thoughts of her previous life are murky and seem to drift away almost as soon as she has them. It is eventually that strong connection to her family, specifically Cole that will eventually force her to make a choice between the world she has always known, or the world she is just discovering.
I think that the real strength of Madigan's writing with this story is her characters. They are so complex, so developed and so real that I cannot help but feel drawn to them. I feel Lena's pain and her confusion. The anguish of her father is palpable when he realizes his daughter is lost to him. Although the story was delightful and the writing well crafted and beautiful, it was the characters that truly made this story. They are what carry it, what the story rests its weight upon.
I was thrilled with how much I enjoyed this book. Madigan does not take the easy way out here. She does not give you a pretty package to wrap your story in and make the world perfect. But she does give you a real story, one that is beautifully told and one that will linger with me for a while. I imagine that this is a tale that will make sudden appearances in my mind, reminding me of the enchanting world beneath the waves and the bittersweet relationships all tied together by Lena. It was much different than I had expected, but it is, nonetheless, a story that I truly enjoyed and one I imagine I will be reading again in the future.
The toughest part at first was drinking the 3 liters of water. But by the third day, I was able to do it easily (and without my kidneys yelling at me!). I also had problems the first few days planning out meals since I didn't have the book yet. But I received it last Wednesday, and basically just planned meals based using the F.Y.T. (Flatten Your Tummy) list and avoided those on the F.L.A.B.B. (Fat-Loading and Belly-Bloating) list.
My "meal off" was last Tuesday. It's tradition at our house to have pizza on Tuesday, so I wanted to share in that tradition. Even though it was my "meal off" I still kept my portions small and only had one slice.
Saturday, the 4th of July, was my "off" day. I did this for two reasons: I wanted to enjoy all the wonderful food my husband was planning to make and I also wanted to be able to enjoy a nice burrito from Chipotle. Well, I was able to enjoy the BBQ, but found out Chipotle was closed on the 4th :(. Oh well..I'll just hold out until this weekend!
I'm really happy with the way I've been feeling. The exercise is giving me more energy. The water has made my skin glow and keeps my appetite surpressed. I've noticed my pants feel more lose than they did just a week ago. I'm happy to announce that in week one, I lost 6 lbs!! Now, I know my weight loss won't continue to be this fast/easy, but I'm willing to work for it!
Week Two Update!
I've survived yet another week! I lost 2 lbs this week, so that makes a grand total of 8 lbs!
All aspects of the diet are coming easier now. The three liters of water is natural and I've discovered some really great healthy receipes to make for my family. Last night, we had chicken steamed rice (steamed, instead of fried!) with brown rice. I cut up about 2 large chicken breast and grilled them. At the same time, I was steaming some brown rice. I mixed the two together, added some veggies we had left over from earlier in the week, and Voila! I added a touch of soy sauce to add a bit of zing to eat. My boys loved it, and didn't even notice that it wasn't fried rice!
On my day off, I was finally able to partake in the Chipotle burrito I'd been craving for two weeks. It was delicious, but boy did I fell disgusting afterward! I'm definitely not used to eating that much at one time!
I also found myself following my "healthy" rituals even on my day off. I continued to drink the water, exercised, and got my full 7 hours (actually 9!) of sleep.
I'm very impressed in the change in me! I plan to continue on some of the aspects of the Game On Diet even after the challenge is over.
Ok, so here are the scores at the end of week two:
In honor of Halloween, this week's assignment is a guest post from our scariest Weekly Geek: Dark, of It's Dark in the Dark. (You can see a picture of him, all decked out in his new Halloween cape, here).
First I would like to thank the kind folks behind the Weekly Geeks for inviting me to emcee the Weekly Geeks on Halloween. It's a real honor.
There's a particular story about cooking that I've heard enough versions of that I think it must be an urban myth. In this story, the victim is, alternatively, a frog, a lobster, or an abalone. The story is that instead of dropping the victim into a pot of boiling water to cook them, you should place them in luke-warm water over a fire and they never notice that the temperature is rising until it's too late, and then BAM! they're dinner. I always imagine that if you were cooking two lobsters this way, one would eventually turn to the other and ask, "Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"
Fortunately, I'm not going to find myself in a crock pot any time soon (at least not if I can help it) but lately I've been finding myself wondering if it isn't getting a little WEIRD and CREEPY in here. What with books about vampires (Twilight) and orphaned wizards (Harry Potter) in the mainstream, and a book about a child raised by vampires, werewolves, and ghosts (The Graveyard Book) being on the New York Times children’s best seller list for 52 weeks, it seems like maybe I'm right.
At the same time, I'm a real fan of the weird and creepy and I seek it out. So maybe asking me if things are a little weird in here is like asking a fish if the water feels a little wet today. Maybe my barometer is under water.
1) Tell us about something weird, unusual, terrifying, or creepy you've read lately.
2) Tell us what you think. Are things getting a little more weird and creepy than usual, or less? If your choice for the answer to question number 1 was written in a different decade, what does it say about that era? Maybe you think that the weird and creepy is status quo. Or maybe we’re all like lobsters in a pot, and we can’t tell if things are getting hot in here.
Despite the long and stressful day I had on Thursday, I still awoke bright and early at 4:15 am so I could join a bunch of other book bloggers who stood in line for tickets to author signings.
When we checked in to the hotel, we were informed that the city was working on the sewer system, and hot water wouldn't be available until after 4 am. I'm an eternal optimist and assured myself that I'd be able to hop in the shower at 4:15 am and the hot water would be available. Once again, I was wrong. Nothing but cold water! Needless to say, after my very quick shower, I was awake and invigorated.
We arrived at the Javits Center around 5:30 and stood in line for author signing tickets. My goal was to get a tickets for the Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and Little Bird of Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates. Luck was on my side...tickets were obtained.
After getting breakfast at a local diner, it was finally time for the exhibit hall to open. The ribbon was cut and I walked in to a book lovers heaven! Rows and rows of publishers, "bookish" vendors, you name it. I finally had a chance to meet Miriam from Hachette after working with her for over a year now!
Finally it was time for my first ticketed author signing. First up, Joyce Carol Oates. Now, I have to admit, I didn't really look at the author signing schedule before arriving in NY. After getting my signed copy of Little Bird of Heaven, I had to rush upstairs for my book blogger signing at the Firebrand booth. I was impressed at the number of people interested in book bloggers and what we did, and spent an hour answering their questions. I was pleasantly surprised when Shane Briant, author of The Worst Nightmare stopped by to introduce himself. I will be reviewing his book (and hosting a giveway) in the next month. I also finally got to meet Tyler from Scholastic Books-an amazing resource and overall great guy!
Immediately after my signing was Suzanne Collins' author signing, so I literally ran across the exhibit hall and downstairs to the signing area. I was dismayed at the seemingly endless line, but it moved quickly and I obtained my signed copy.
I remained in the author signing area for several hours, and got to meet Melissa Marr, Sarwat Chadda, Luis Alberto Urea and his wife, Cindy (who both squealed in delight when I told them who I was!).
Late that afternoon, I met with Emily from Sourcebooks. My family has always been a fan of the books Sourcebooks publishes (expecially Horrid Henry!) so I was thrilled to sit down and talk with Emily about ways that we can work together.
By this time I was exhausted. I'd slept for a mere 3 hours the night before and had been on my feet for several hours. But the night wasn't close to being over!
After a quick trip back to the hotel for dinner (complimentary due to the lack of hot water!) we went to the BEAtweetup, the first Tweet up for Book Expo America. It was packed with bookish people, of all types, including publicists, authors, etc. Here I met Valerie Russo from Hachette, Frasier and the GetGlue gang, Bethanne Patrick (aka Bookmaven) and many many other great people!
The night was still young, so we jumped in a cab and went to a Kidlit party. I met some great YA authors, which I was exceedingly happy about because I'm interesting in expanding my reviews to YA fiction.
The night came to an end and after returning to the hotel, I quickly succumbed to a deep sleep...
The sphinx is in danger, archaeologist Amir Gamal told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Sunday, as subterranean water in the area has reached the body of the sculpture.The Sphinx at Giza [Credit: Travel Pix/Robert Harding/Rex Features]
“You can see green grass just 50 meters away from it,” Gamal said, explaining that the limestone of which the sphinx is made has a high percentage of calcium in it.
“Add to that the sewage problem that officials are not addressing."
Gamal said birds enjoy calcium, which is why many of them are seen perched on the sphinx. “Their waste eats away at the body of the sphinx,” he said. “It will be a serious problem when the perforations [on the body of the sphinx caused by the acidic waste] widen with time.”
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has scheduled 50 newly discovered archaeological sites within the area of Mġarr and Żebbiegħ. In addition, the Authority also extended the scheduled boundary of the Area of Archaeological Importance (AAI) to incorporate land to the south of Tà Ħaġrat Temples in Mġarr and a sizeable area to the south and east of the church in Zebbiegh. Currently, the total protected area covers 0.8 square kilometers.A long stretch of megaliths now utilised as part of a rubble wall [Credit: Mepa]
Most of the archaeological sites and features, which date back to prehistoric, classical, medieval and early modern periods, were discovered as a result of stringent planning permit monitoring procedures and field surveys carried out by MEPA and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH).
These newly unearthed archaeological sites include extensive areas characterised by a high density of prehistoric and classical pottery scatters, classical tombs, rural walls with long stretches of megaliths and ashlar stones, historic paths, ancient enclosures and water systems. Rural structures worthy of preservation such as giren (corbelled huts), apiaries and small vernacular buildings were also identified.
These archaeological sites and features are of local and national importance and contribute towards the understanding of the cultural landscape of the area.
A number of single chamber tombs and small catacombs have been recorded in Mġarr and Żebbiegħ. These tombs indicate a well established human presence in the classical period and could provide data for establishing the location of settlements and ancient roads in this period. The classical period features provide an archaeological landscape which is distinct from the prehistoric one, even if both overlap the same geographical space.
One of the 'girnas' which have been added to the list of protected sites [Credit: Mepa]
The undeveloped landscape in Mġarr and Żebbiegħ is characterized by the presence of extensive stretches of karstland, interspersed with small pockets of reclaimed agricultural areas. Within the surviving karstland, a large number of cart-rut systems and ancient quarries are recorded. An industrial site containing a kiln complete with water channels and a cistern has also been discovered. Some of these rock-cut archaeological features date as far back as the Bronze Age.
As expected, within such a primarily natural landscape characterized by active agricultural areas, one comes across a number of traditional rural structures in various degrees of conservation. These rural structures include old pathways, apiaries, giren, animal pens (some of which underground), cisterns, silos, post-holes, vine trenches and water channels which have a varying level of cultural or historic importance, but which collectively presents one of the most interesting agricultural and historically rural landscape in Malta.
A WWII shelter at Jubilee Square (Wesgħat il-Ġublew) and Fisher Street have also been scheduled by the Authority.
This area, with its substantial number of archaeological sites as well as rural and military heritage features is one of the most complete and complex rural and cultural landscapes in Malta with a history that spans over 7,000 years.
They had her at hello. From her first moments in Charleston and Savannah, and on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, novelist Karen While was in love. Was it the history, the architecture, the sound of the sea, the light, the traditions, the people, the lore? Check all of the above. Add Karen’s storytelling talent, her endless curiosity about relationships and emotions, and her sensitivity to the rhythms of the south, and it seems inevitable that this mix of passions would find its way into her work.
Known for award winning novels such as Learning to Breathe, the recently announced Southern Independent Bookseller Association’s 2009 Book of the Year Award nomination for The House on Tradd Street, and for the highly praised The Memory of Water, Karen has already shared the coastal Lowcountry and Charleston with readers. Spanning eighty years, Karen’s new book, THE LOST HOURS, now takes them to Savannah and its environs. There a shared scrapbook and a necklace of charms unleash buried memories, opening the door to the secret lives of three women, their experiences, and the friendships that remain entwined even beyond the grave, and whose grandchildren are determined to solve the mysteries of their past.
Karen, so often inspired in her writing by architecture and history, has set much of THE LOST HOURS at Asphodel Meadows, a home and property inspired by the English Regency styled house at Hermitage Plantation along the Savannah River, and at her protagonist’s “Savannah gray brick” home in Monterey Square, one of the twenty-one squares that still exist in the city. Italian and French by ancestry, a southerner and a storyteller by birth, Karen has lived in many different places. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has also lived in Texas, New Jersey, Louisiana, Georgia, Venezuela and England, where she attended the American School in London. She returned to the states for college and graduated from New Orleans’ Tulane University. Hailing from a family with roots firmly set in Mississippi (the Delta and Biloxi), Karen notes that “searching for home brings me to the south again and again.”
Always, Karen credits her maternal grandmother Grace Bianca, to whom she’s dedicated THE LOST HOURS, with inspiring and teaching her through the stories she shared for so many years. Karen also notes the amount of time she spent listening as adults visited in her grandmother’s Mississippi kitchen, telling stories and gossiping while she played under the table. She says it started her on the road to telling her own tales. The deal was sealed in the seventh grade when she skipped school and read Gone With The Wind. She knew—just knew—she was destined to grow up to be either Scarlet O’Hara or a writer.
Karen’s work has appeared on the South East Independent Booksellers best sellers list. Her novel The Memory of Water, was WXIA-TV’s Atlanta & Company Book Club Selection. Her work has been reviewed in Southern Living, Atlanta Magazine and by Fresh Fiction, among many others, and has been adopted by numerous independent booksellers for book club recommendations and as featured titles in their stores. This past year her 2007 novel Learning to Breathe received several honors, notably the National Readers’ Choice Award.
In addition to THE LOST HOURS, Karen White’s books include The House on Tradd Street, The Memory of Water, Learning to Breathe, Pieces of the Heart and The Color of Light. She lives in the Atlanta metro area with her family where she is putting the finishing touches on her next novel The Girl on Legare Street.
You can visit Karen White's website at http://www.karen-white.com/.
Pump Up Your Book Promotion “We take books to the virtual level!” http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/
My Review:
When Piper was six years old, she helped her grandfather bury a box given to her by her grandmother. This box is forgotten until, after her grandparents death, she seeks answers regarding her families history that no one is able to answer. Piper retrieves the box, and inside she finds aged scrapbook pages, a faded newspaper article about an infant that was found dead, and a gold charm neckace. In a search of her grandmother's home she also finds a secret room containing a baby crib. After reading several of the scrapbook pages, she becomes determined to track down a woman that was very close to her grandmother, mentioned as being one of her closest friends as a child. Yet, her grandmother has never mentioned her name. Her grandmother suffered from Alzheimers, and Piper experiences a great deal of remorse at not knowing or discovering more about her grandmother while she was still alive. He vows to stop at nothing to find out more about her grandmother's past. She soon discovers that there is a past that has remained hidden for some time, and individuals that want it to remain this way.
THE LOST HOURS takes the reader on a trip through several generations. It highlights the importance of family, and taking the time to know and maintain ties to older generations. It grabs and takes hold of your heart from the very beginning. You become a character in the book, you experience the things the characters experience. It takes hold of your emotions like very few books do. I treasure the time I spent reading this book, and regret the moment when I read the last few pages.
This book really hit home for me. My grandmother has been experiencing bouts of dementia for the past several years. Oftentimes she doesn't remember her husband and often has flashbacks of her childhood. She's not the Grandma I remember as a child, and I regret not taking the time to learn more about her life. I hope I still get the opportunity to do so, if not with my grandmother, then with the other members of my family.
Oregon State Police have seized dozens of Native American artifacts, some more than 5,000 years old, that were collected illegally and likely bound for the black market, authorities said on Tuesday.Native American artifacts that were collected illegally and likely bound for the black market [Credit: Oregon State Police]
Among the items seized from a house in Klamath Falls were articles used during Indian funeral ceremonies and other items of cultural significance, Oregon State Police Sergeant Randall Hand said. No human remains were discovered.
A prolonged drought has dried up parts of a regional watershed in the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon and Northern California, exposing archaeological areas normally concealed by water, Hand said.
"These were tribal artifacts, and we believe that most of those that we've collected were from 200 years to 5,000 years old, or older," he said.
Hand said members of Oregon's Klamath Tribes had helped in a seven-month investigation into the archaeological disappearances from public lands.
Police said dozens of artifacts were reclaimed from the house, but did not provide an exact count.
Officials with the Klamath County District Attorney's office said they could not comment on the case or any pending charges.
Oregon law requires that anyone removing archaeological objects from public or private lands obtain permits, state police said.
Some researchers have complied with those requirements during the recent drought to gain greater understanding of an area that has been reshaped by dams and artificial reservoirs.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, for example, last fall oversaw excavations at the former site of Klamath Junction, a tiny community intentionally submerged by an irrigation project in the 1960s. As water levels have fallen, building foundations and scattered debris have emerged on a muddy plain that is normally under water.
Author: Courtney Sherwood | Source: Reuters [February 26, 2015]
The Antiquities Ministry of Egypt is aiming to protect the Abydos Temple from collapse due to rising groundwater.Abydos temple, interior [Credit: Web]
In coordination with the American Research Center in Egypt, the ministry will attempt to save the temple, which is located in Sohag, Upper Egypt.
The project will work on preserving the heart of the temple and the cemetery of Osiris by diverting the groundwater into vertical wells and linking them to water channels in order to get rid of the water, said director general of Luxor antiquities Sultan Eid on Sunday.
Cleaning the temple and restoring the inscriptions, drawings and colors inside the temple will also be part of the project, Eid added.
Abydos is one of the most important archaeological sites in both Egypt and the world due to its religious and historical significance in ancient Egypt. It contains the tombs of some of the early kings of Egypt during the reign of the first and second dynasty, as well as artifacts belonging to the 19th dynasty.
It is the only temple which retains its ceiling, based on 36 pillars of granite. It contains the list of famous kings of Egypt, from King Menes until King Seti the First.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater was a book I was really excited to read. I've heard almost nothing but good things about Maggie's Shiver series, and the early talk I'd heard about this book was also quite positive. And, it was a book about hard-core, killer water horses... Sounds fascinating! But alas. I was seriously disappointed in this book, mostly because I didn't actually feel like anything really happened. I read this book a while ago and here is my initial reaction, as recorded by Goodreads-
Meh. That's almost all that I can say about this one. I don't know what it is/was about this book, but I didn't connect with it at all. Stiefvater is a good writer, but there was no emotion, no feeling, no... anything to this story. I own Shiver, and now I'm kinda nervous to read it. If it's anything like this one, I can expect another 400 pages of Sigh... Am I done yet?: (
Honestly, I don't know that I need to say anything more about this book. I spent 400 pages of killer water horses eating people thinking — When is the action going to start? When is this book going to get good? When will something make me care?! And honestly, that never happened. Ever. I never cared about the story line, or about the characters. I mean, I can't even remember a single characters name. That never happens to me. I always remember at least one characters name (usually a lot more) but this time, I got nothing. (and honestly, I don't care enough about the book to even take the time to look it up). The main girl character was a bit whiny and clingy and I never really liked her. She was selfish and kind of stupid. I did prefer the main male character's voice, but even then, I just wanted him to get over himself.
As for their relationship, I was left totally lost there as well. I couldn't really see the draw that either of these two held for each other. We never got to see their relationship develop, at least not romantically. I can easily believe that they become mutually respectful friends with each other based on their interactions and the emotions we got to see tied into those, but really, it was strange. Not even insta-love, but more of a — let me trick you into thinking you are getting a developed relationship here when really... I got nothing.
I know I'm giving out a lot of negatives right now, but there really wasn't much that I liked about this book. The only thing this book has going for it is Maggie's writing. While the story bored me and I never believed in the characters, I did appreciate the writing. I don't really know how to explain it, because given all my complaints I shouldn't be thinking the writing is good, but there is something in the way the words flow that really shows a lot of talent from Maggie. So, I'm both hopeful and wary of the Shiver series now. Hopeful, because Maggie's writing really is lovely, but wary because I just did not enjoy this book, at all. I don't want to spend another 400 pages begging the book to just end!
So, while this book definitely wasn't for me, I do know that there are others out there who have really loved it so far and many more who will most likely appreciate this story very much (especially if you really like horses. I feel like this could be a great book for horse lovers) but me, I just couldn't do it. Link me to your reviews if you did love it, or share your thoughts in the comments! I'd really love to hear what you thought!
*Disclaimer: I borrowed a copy of this through Around the World Tours.
By GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN I don't want to! Robert Pattinson starts laughing as Reese Witherspoon hands him some biscuits to feed their elephant friend at a photocall for Water For Elephants in Sydney this morning This morning they hosted a press conference at the city's Luna Park, an amusement park next to the harbour. It's a commonly used adage in showbusiness that you should never work with children or animals. But we bet that Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon would have preferred a few unruly kids to the elephant that managed to upstage them yesterday. The pair are in Sydney where tonight they will attend the premiere for their new film Water For Elephants. A little upstaged? Witherspoon and Pattinson smile for the cameras next to the elephant before looking at it in bemusement Pattinson, dressed casually in jeans and a brown shirt, and Witherspoon, who wrapped up in skinny jeans and a thick woollen polo neck jumper, were joined by the film's director Francis Lawrence but were then surprised as they were joined by a mystery guest - an Indian elephant. Their new friend left them in giggles as she had a little accident on the pavement. You do it: Witherspoon gives Pattinson some more biscuits to keep the elephant happy Despite working with an elephant while making the film, Pattinson seemed reluctant to feed the guest star, as Witherspoon handed him some biscuits. And despite shying away, the Twilight star claimed that working with animals was one of the main reasons he took the role in the film, which is based on the book by Sara Gruen. Speaking at the press conference he said: 'Francis Lawrence said he wanted to have a meeting and he took me out to the elephant sanctuary where Tai [who plays Rosie the elephant] lives and I saw her doing a handstand and stayed there for about four hours playing catch with her. You're at the wrong end: Witherspoon and onlookers laugh as Pattinson gets a surprise 'I would literally throw a ball and she would catch it in her trunk and throw it back to me, and I was like, "OK, even if this movie is the worst movie ever made, I get to work with this elephant for three or four months. I'm definitely doing it".' Witherspoon also spoke about her 'incredible experience' preparing for her role in the film in which she plays circus performer Marlena. She said: 'I got to train with Ty the elephant for three months. I went to circus school to learn how to do trapeze and acrobatics. It was a unique experience but it was also daunting and scary.' Chic and simple: Reese looked casual but glamorous in skinny blue jeans, Louboutin heels and a black polo neck jumper The pair flew straight to Sydney from London where they had attended the premiere in Westfield Shopping Centre in west London. They also found time to make an appearance on the Graham Norton Show where they both admitted they had fallen in love with Ty. Witherspoon said: 'She is amazing, thoughtful and communicative', while Pattinson added: 'I genuinely thought we had a real bond, a little something going on.' A giggle with Graham: Witherspoon and Pattinson burst out laughing as they were interviewed by Norton for his weekly chat show source: dailymail
Fears have been expressed for the security of the three Spanish Armada shipwrecks off the coast of Co Sligo, following the discovery of two separate remnants, apparently washed up on Streedagh beach by recent storms.The finds (pictured) follow the discovery last year of part of a 20ft rudder from one of the vessels on the beach [Credit: Ciaran McHugh Photography]
Donal Gilroy from the Grange and Armada Development Association (GADA) said the discoveries underlined the fragility of the wrecks, described by one expert as “the best archaeological site for this time of maritime archaeology in the world”.
The National Museum and the heritage office at Sligo County Council were notified yesterday about the finds, which follow the discovery last year of part of a 20ft rudder from one of the vessels on the beach.
About 1,100 sailors died when three Spanish galleons were wrecked in violent storms off Streedagh in 1588. An interpretative centre is planned for the nearby village of Grange but there have been calls for the vessels to be excavated and housed in a purpose built local museum.
Mr Gilroy said it was possible that scheduled low tides this weekend may expose more wreckage.
“These have been buried off Streedagh for nearly 430 years. It is lucky they were not carried out by the tide,” he said.
He said that at the request of the county council he was placing the two pieces of wood, one found on Thursday by a member of the GADA, and the other yesterday, in salt water at an undisclosed location to ensure they are properly preserved pending a visit next week by experts from the National Museum.
“One piece is 13 feet long and the other about 16 feet long and they are well preserved oak. They both look like they came from the rib of a boat”, he said.
Thee three wrecks are located about 60 meters from the low tide mark in 15 meters of water.
“This is a protected site but we worry that these boats are being moved by storms. They have thrown up more in the last two years than in the previous 40,” said Mr Gilroy.
He said that there was a fully intact gun carriage and a number of cannons which were taken from the city walls in Palermo, on the vessels at Streedagh.
The Streedagh wrecks were rediscovered in 1985 by a team of divers led by Dr Colin Martin who had who had led previous explorations of Spanish Armada shipwrecks.
Author: Marese McDonagh | Source: The Irish Times [February 20, 2015]
By MAIL ON SUNDAY REPORTER Athletic in Ibiza: Pippa Middleton performs a flawless backflip in to the warm waters of the Mediterranean as an admiring Kate looks on from the stern of the motor yacht They were carefree days before the world became entranced by their every movement. This is Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa as they've never been seen before, enjoying an exuberant holiday in Ibiza with their family and Prince William. Taken in 2006, these previously unseen pictures capture a fleeting moment in the lives of the couple when they could behave like ordinary twentysomethings, unencumbered by the responsibilities they now carry as the new stars of the Royal Family. Playful: Pippa climbs back aboard as William jokingly grabs Kate; right, the sisters relax on deck, with Kate using her camera Sunshine days: William, in red shorts, with Pippa (left), Carole, in green bikini, and other holiday guests They show the Prince larking around with Kate and Pippa, the girls' mother Carole and their brother James on a boat belonging to Carole's brother Gary Goldsmith during a week-long sunshine holiday to Ibiza. Pippa shows off her athletic prowess -- and her enviably toned physique -- performing a backwards dive into the sea. Kate, who also looks stunning in her white bikini, is content to stand back and watch. Heir in the air: Watched by Carole, Kate, James (in the patterned shorts) and Pippa, William attempts a backflip from the boat... ... but the young royal finishes with an ungainly belly-flop into the water Making waves: The Prince failed to match Pippa's graceful aquatic display Carole, who won admiration at the wedding for her elegant appearance, also reveals a youthfully trim figure in an emerald green bikini. Meanwhile, in his red swimming shorts, William could be any young man eager to impress his girlfriend by performing a backflip -- which somehow turns into a belly-flop by the time he hits the water. Her Royal Hotness: Pippa in her bridesmaid's dress at her sister's wedding The pictures reveal the extent to which the Middletons invited William into the heart of their family. During their week in Ibiza, they stayed at Gary's £5million villa, dubbed 'La Maison de Bang Bang'. source: dailymail
NOW YOU CAN NOT HAND OVER FOOTWEAR UGG IN THE DRY-CLEANER!!! YOU CAN CLEAN FOOTWEAR IN HOUSE CONDITIONS!!!
Volume: 177 ml. The country-manufacturer: the USA. UGG Shampoo + conditioner. Deletes pollution from UGG boots not damaging them.
The given shampoo cleans both a wool and a skin. To reach the best result wet a boot in water with shampoo, and clean a brush inside and outside of a boot. Squeeze out water hands or put in a washing machine on sparing mode.
If to erase in a washing machine, on a woollen mode. To dry as a sweater or in drying on the LOW or WARM mode. UGG + Conditioner contains shampoo Australian Tea Tree Oil, effective against a dust, the tick and all allergens.
UGG Shampoo contains a unique mix chelating and the conditioned substances (surfactants, chelating and conditioning agents). Also contains a bactericidal mix which disinfects boots, deleting residual aromas because of bacterial or fungoid action. Use 20 ml UGG Shampoo on one pair boots.
The magnificent formula
UGG Boots sale + UGG Shampoo sale = Reliable & Qualitative Footwear
AT ALL DO NOT DRY THE GIVEN FOOTWEAR ON THE BATTERY OR IN IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY FROM HEAT SOURCE. BOOTS CAN BE DEFORMED.
Sorry that this post is going up way later than normal — I've already had 2 posts go up today (crazy scheduling) and wanted to have them at least a little spread out. And, I had some stuff come up after work that I wasn't expecting... Sorry.:)
Anyway, I wanted to do two mini-reviews, both Printz Honor winners and both that, although dealing with different issues, both do have a similar emotion tied into the story.
First is Keesha's House by Helen Frost. It's a story written in verse about teenagers struggling to find their place in life, struggling to make it from day to day. The story is told in a series of poems written by/about different characters in the story. Although most of the poems are from the seven teenagers, there are a few verses from the POV of the family or adults these teens left behind and we do get to hear from Joe a time or two as well (more on him in a sec). Keesha's dad is an alcoholic and abusive, so she leaves. She finds Joe's house, and Joe lets her stay. She pays what she can in rent and is able to have a place for as long as she needs it where she feels safe. Initially, I was worried about this — Adult man letting teenage girl stay in his home... Screams creeper. But it worked. Somehow, especially after we read the poems from Joe he really is just a super nice guy trying to do for kids what his aunt did for him — provide a safe and comfortable place where these kids can just feel secure. Several of the other teens in the story spend time at Joe's, although they hear about it through Keesha and she becomes almost the protector. She's the one that lets them know that there is a safe place they can go if they need to, a safe place for them when they feel they have no other options.
My heart broke for so many of these kids. One mistake that changed their lives, one life ruptured through someone else's mistakes, some who just can't seem to keep their head above water. I wished so much for these kids to be safe, to have people in their lives who love them and would care for them. It's a short book, just over 100 pages but every page counts, every page brings you into their lives, makes you care for them more and more and you just open your heart to these kids. It makes me wish that all kids would be able to find a place where they can stay, a place where they were able to find a temporary haven.
This is a book I don't think should be missed, a book that I think is important. If you are looking for a quick but powerful read, grab this one.
My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr is another emotional read, although this one is written in more traditional prose. In this story, Ellen absolutely loves her older brother Link, and his best friend James. She's more than a little in love with James, but it's a little bit of a joke between them, pretty much understood to be a school girl crush. But then, she hears people talking about the two of them at their school, asking if they are a 'couple'. She's never really thought about it before, and doesn't really understand much of what it means, so she asks. She knows it's getting into a messy area, because in her family, you walk away... You do not talk about the tough stuff. But she is so confused and so desperately wants to know and understand her brother better that she asks. And everything changes.
Link is not gay. He's very adamant and defensive about it. James is, or not, or is. He's not really completely sure, but he's also not terribly concerned with giving it a label. He loves who he loves and I never got the feeling that he cared if the person was male or female. He loves Link but nothing sexual has happened between them and Link won't even talk about that possibility. But when Ellen forces it into the open, it ruptures the dynamic of their friendship.
Link and James stop hanging out, Link gets a girlfriend and Ellen and James start spending more and more time together.
I liked a lot about this book. I loved the way that Ellen sought out information on a subject that she didn't understand. She bought books, asked questions, looked up information online and tried talking to others about it. I also loved the initial time that Ellen and James spent together, because it taught her a whole new, and much broader way of viewing the world.
But I'm not sure I loved the direction the book went, especially the changes in certain relationship dynamics.
But then again, I'm torn. When you read a book, there is a certain expectation in the resolution. We expect a certain amount of closure, a certain level of completeness. And this book didn't really have that. Yes there is a lot of improvement, a lot of growth and maturation, but a lot was left very much up in the air. And I've decided that I'm okay with that. Because real life is messy. And in a story like this, there is no complete happy ending, there is no pretty package tied with ribbons and that's okay. Because it's real. There were some places the story went that I didn't really love, but the book was real. Life isn't clean, life doesn't always follow orderly and organizable paths. Often it's crazy, messy and hectic and you know, it's nice to read a story that ends without that completeness because it means that the characters don't have to end, just because the book has.
Rains of barrels are good means for gathering and preservation of rain water. Use rain pursues flanks two aims: reductions of expenses on water consumption, and also in deficiency of the water.
Also there is a connection possibility to the tank the electric pump; in that case by means of a hose connected to the bottom system of a fence of water, it is possible to swing rain water, for example, for watering of trees in a garden. Rain harvesting can be used also in the garden purposes, and also for putting in order in the house and on a kitchen garden.
Land tanks can be used during the spring/autumn period. Rain water barrels cannot be used during winter time as the barrel can deteriorate from freezing water (depending on a climatic site).
Recently more and more popular worldwide there are rain chains which are used for a long time in Japan for gathering of rain water. Their doubtless advantages are not only aesthetic value, but also ease of installation, absence of necessity of additional service, durability, stability to temperature drops. It is possible to use the most different variants for gathering of rain water.
