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Only a Few Decades Ago, You Wouldn't Have Seen This

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Happy International Womens Day  March 8, 2024 Look closely! The expressions of awe and disbelief on these players and ref's faces say it all, watching #15, the first female on this soccer team go for a head ball.  Her look of sheer determination reminds me of all the women - and men who never stopped pursuing their true passion or denied themselves their dreams. I'm so grateful for the choices and opportunities we have today  because those who came before us refused to be content with or to be bullied into accepting the status quo. My first official writing job was for Sports Journal - of all things. Luckily the Editor, who's since become a dear friend was open minded and a former athlete, always up for a challenge - no matter the tussles and flare ups they caused. He was cutting edge, and everyone that knows him honors and respects him for his fervor to take the industry up a notch, even if it meant venturing down heretofore unblazed paths and bold new ideas. I was not a...
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Seeing Mating Dragonflies Assures True Love, Now and in the Future According to Old Wisdom

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This is How Courtin' is Done in The South Dragonflies have survived here for millions of years and they are the stuff of romance in their enthralling lore and captivating superstitions to many. Many perceive and adopt them as their "spirit animal" for this very reason. Their mating ritual however is anything but romantic, definitely not enjoyable for the female, and I wondered how the species has survived for so long.  Read on.  It was mid September in the south so I was on a hike and a mission to see what the last blast of summer would offer me.  At first I could only see a hint of what I thought may be a dragonfly. Dragonflies frequently mate mid air and the scientific term for their ritual is, "tandem linkage," for obvious reasons. What are the chances they would be in the precise time and destined place in their mating ritual that I could not only see them,but have enough time to complete this shot.  I think painting this would be very enjoyable, both in acr...
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Does the Stormy New Year Have your Embers Merely Smoldering? Jumpstart Your Psyche With a New Passion!

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FULL DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVE NO INCENTIVES, MONETARY OR OTHERWISE TO PROMOTE THESE TOOLS TO YOU. I'M OFFERING THEM MERELY TO HELP YOU FIND THE JOY AND SATISFACTION I'VE FOUND IN TRACING MY ROOTS.  What Does "Tis the Season" Mean to You? It could be time for a trip to Grammas attic to see what photos and forgotten treasures you can                                                 discover like this one a new friend shared with me Every year starting at Thanksgiving, I set aside time to reconnect and give thanks to those in my life who have blessed me. A few years ago, I discovered "Finding Your Roots," the PBS television show with Dr. Henry Louis Gates and I realized how thankful I am to have discovered genealogy research. The incredible ancestors I discovered awaken my spirit and inspire me, but also new friends I've made and what has trickled down has be...
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FOR THE LOVE OF BLOOPERS AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! MY MOST EMBARRASING TV MOMENT

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                                                                  What's a Girl to Do? To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity. William Arthur Ward As we were digesting our holiday dinner I was reminded in conversation when I hosted on HGTV. and we enjoyed a lot of laughs . FULL DISCLOSURE! I AM ON NOBODYS PAYROLL AND HAVE SOLICITED NO ENDORSEMENTS, CASH OR OTHERWISE FROM ANY SPONSOR(S). It reminded me of when I was being taped for an HGTV television show I was hosting and had slipped up to the restroom while they were working on video in another area. Behind closed doors - or so I thought, I began talking to myself, coaching myself, refreshing my memory, and doing…….. well, you know what people do in a restroom. Luckily, my considerate sound man broke in f...
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Do You Believe in Ghosts?

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                                        Hannelor Osfolk in 2010, Bier Garden Owner  Anton and Hannelor Osfolk never expected to provide home and haven to a ghost when they left Germany to make a better life for their growing family in America.  Hannelor said she loved to cook and people would always compliment her concoctions, so recipes and talented husband in tow, they took a chance and opened the Bier Garden in Olde Town Portsmouth, VA in 1997.  She said her husband was skilled in all the brick and mortar aspects of the restaurant so they ultimately added a charming outside garden which butted up against an old courthouse and jail. To add to the intrigue of their endeavor, they learned that the historic jails lawn had been the areas execution grounds for prisoners. Executed prisoners ranged from sailors in the wrong place at the wrong time to turncoats, murderers, and ev...
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Ghosts and Hauntings and Ladybugs OH MY!

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This haunted waterfront town is filled with curious ghostly tales and centuries of engaging history so obviously it's one of my most favorite to visit in October especially. Even as far back as Captain John Smiths recounts of his explorations, he mentions Portsmouth, VA in 1608 when he writes of a Native American village in the now "hospital point" area of the city.  FYI! Visiting it after sunset is even more exciting, so go for it and let your curiosity and imagination take over. The city's havoc-filled history includes the famous and the infamous such as traitor Benedict Arnold and famous Brit, General Cornwallis.  The strategic port city was even headquarters for the British forces in 1781. Besides the many elaborate church steeples adorning the skyline, I think my most favorite is a building completed in 1845, with an unusual and intriguing connection to its adjacent structure so read on.  It's the old Norfolk Courthouse and is in the "prison square area...
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KIDS AND BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

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  KIDS AND BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH  This month is set aside for people everywhere to remember the heroes who battled breast cancer and won. And those whose lives were tragically cut short, and the lives of their families and friends that were forever altered by this terrible disease. It’s never too early to educate and encourage our kids and October is the perfect time to investigate which non profs and which salons in your area will give you the special haircut that can make the burden of chemo just a little lighter. It's possible to wade through the daunting specifics and do it at home, but we decided it was also the perfect excuse to go to a salon.   This is Laina. When she was 13 she decided to finally part with her long locks and get a haircut. It was a hard decision for a young girl about to start high school and face the challenges and anxieties that go along with that first day. In the process of talking about her cutting her long beautiful hair, I ...
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