October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Well Spring is in the air here in New Zealand, but I am imagining that many of you in other parts of the world are sad to see the Summer come to an end. So much for the picnics and barbecues. As quickly as September has arrived October will be just right around the corner, and I am putting out a little reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Having said that I have designed a free Breast Cancer Awarenss Desktop Wallpaper for your computer. I have had a lot of good feedback over the past couple of years for the ones I have made, and I hope you will feel free to help yourself by just clicking on the image above. When the image is enlarged just right click on the image with your mouse and 'Save As' and choose a folder on your hard drive in which to save it. Then you can go from there to place it as a wallpaper on your computer. For those that may never have done this before and need some help as to how to have it show up on your screen, just message me and I will send you a brief mini tutorial on how to do it. It is extremely easy and you should not have any difficulty with it at all. All I would ask in return is that if you had just one minute to spare that you would go to The Breast Cancer Site at

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2

and take 1 second to click the button on the homepage. By doing so free mammograms are made available to women which are paid by sponsors who advertise with The Breast Cancer Site. You can go back and click each day if you wish. It is just something special we can do to help this cause. And please feel free to pass on my Blog address to others that might also enjoy having this Destop Wallpaper. By the way the size of this wallpaper will accomodate screens with 1024 X 768 resolutions. Feel free to resize if needed.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Patti

The Creature Of The Night ©


Another bleak and sleepless night.


Shadows of a fractured nightmare linger on the fragile spine of the nocturnal creature that sits beside my computer in the palm of my innermost thoughts.


At last, the once frightened creature of the night now slumbers restfully on his pad, as the sound of slurping coffee is heard faintly in the echoes of a tiresome yawn.


© Patti Watts July 17, 2009

The Spectrum

THE SPECTRUM ©

by Patti Hoesten-Watts

How mightily life's sword thrusts between the eyes, like fierce hailstones clamoring onto the unsuspecting pavement below. Is life all that it seems, or do we quietly and patiently sit by the window awaiting the joy of a rainbow in the formidable sky? What colors the spectrum of this rainbow? Perhaps a fiery red heart? What difference if it is not Valentine's Day. A green light signaling that one's line is not busy? A note of friendship written on the pale blue parchment paper hidden beneath the pile of promises to keep? The violet fragrance of the 'forget-me-not'? The yellow-orange butterfly heralding a season...a new season to help give wings to the fragile and the forgotten. As the rainbow gradually fades from view, so goes to, the concealed treasures that once could be found at the points at the ends of the spectrum.

Once again the new gale brings winds of hope; the hailstones which once pained, like tears on a sore and sorry eye now dwell on a sea of tranquility.... as a new colorful rainbow looms in the distance. ©

Outdoor Kennels And How To Climatize Your Pets

Each year I dread the pitfalls of the winter months, especially for our two outdoor cats. We have three cats, one who spends a good deal of time in the house, but the other two are outdoor cats. Both Breezy Boy and Chloe were strays that found their way to us and have adopted us. They are very skittish about coming in the house, even though we would love for them to make our home theirs just like our dear old girl Fluffy. But they do prefer to stay outdoors even during the cold winter months. We wound up purchasing an outdoor kennel for them which they love and they enjoy being in there especially on cold nights. I suspect they even enjoy it more now since my husband "Climatized" the kennel for them a few months ago. The photos depict what my husband designed to make it warmer for them. You can read the following which my husband wrote of how it warms them during our cold winter days and nights.

PLASTIC PET KENNEL INSULATION

Help keep your pet comfortable on a cold night. Two of our cats prefer to sleep outside (strange I know!) but they are semi-wild. As is usual with cats, they adopted us as their lifelong carers. We purchased a plastic kennel and placed it alongside a bordering fence a few metres along the path from our front doorway where there was some wind shelter provided by a wall between us and the neighbouring property. However, the kennel is a bare plastic shell and while it provides cover from rain and hail it does a poor job of keeping the animals warm during cold winter nights.
The photo shows a simple addition to the kennel using some kitchen foil and some old polystyrene foam packing material which will keep your pet warmer on those cold nights. Three lengths of foam plastic are first completely wrapped with standard kitchen aluminium foil and the foil is held on using adhesive tape (sellotape) - just like wrapping a parcel. The foil-covered foam lengths are then taped to the inner surface of the lid of the kennel using any good quality masking tape or other adhesive tape with enough strength to carry the weight of the foam. Cover as little of the foil as possible when taping the foil-covered foam to the lid. Before taping the foam to the lid, thoroughly degrease and cleam the inside surface of the lid using methylated spirits or other alcohol (soapy water would probably do it as long as the lid is allowed to dry thoroughly before attempting to apply the masking tape.
How it works: the foam itself will form an insulating barrier on the lid by trapping inside warm air rising from the animal/s and adding greatly to the thickness of the lid. The real fix though is the foil - it will reflect your pet's radiated (lost) heat straight back at the animal. It is a bit like having a low power heater attached to the upper surface of the lid. You can feel the effect for yourself by putting a hand inside the kennel when the lid is replaced after fitting the insulation. In effect you have created an insulated mirror with a semi-circular cross-section. You could also line the lower sides of the kennel with foam as well but we put a folded sack covered with a towel on the floor for them to sleep on and this partially covers the sides.

So if you have outdoor pets and are concerned about ways to keep them warm during the winter, do give this a try. I have often checked them as they come out of the kennel in the morning and they are as warm as toast. It truly works!

Cheers!

Patricia

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.

~Proverb

I was just thinking today about all the negativism going on in the world. It saddens me so that there is war, violence, crime, greed, hatred for others, bigotry, criticism, and well the list could go on from here to the moon. Isn't it about time that people woke up and realized that peace can never be achieved in this life unless we achieve that peace within ourselves first, and then when that peace has been ascertained we exude good feelings towards others.....and good thoughts and feelings are so contagious? Now I surely believe we will never see "Utopia", but we have to begin somewhere in our quest for world peace. Let it be.... even if it be in our own hearts. IMHO there are more people worthy of a good pat on the back, a gentle hug, a smile, a little kind word or two, then those few who may not necesarily be on our favorite's list. It would be sheer bliss if people would spend their efforts concentrating on the wonderfully positive side of life rather than adding more negativism to this already gloomy world some think we live in. Life is short....let's make it brighter!

Cheers!

Patricia

Ouch! It Hurts!

Well Summer is in the air for many of you, although it is just the beginning of Winter for me here in New Zealand....Grrrhhh!...and Brrrhhh! I just got to thinking today of how long it has been since I have done any blogging.....too long in fact. But I have needed some time for myself and some of my hobbies, and I have also just completed and extensive course over the past year in Medical Transcription. So I hope to be back to a more regular schedule now and look forward to doing a bit more blogging as well. Many thanks to so many of you who have faithfully kept up with the various RSS feeds on my Blog in my absence. I hope you have had some enjoyment along the way.

Well speaking of Summer I thought I would pass along some very interesting remedies I recently found for sunburn. It is that time of the year for many of you who love to go out and bake in the sun. Although I am definitely not a beach person, I can personally attest to the fact (and my Dermatologist would vouche for me on this too) that I have had skin cancer seven times. I spend little time outdoors in the sun except for driving and getting to and from my destination. I have to be so careful as I am extremely faired skin and burn to a crisp in minutes...no kidding. So the outdoors is not my cup of tea. I also heard not to long ago that New Zealand where I live has the highest level of UV rays in the world, and even sun in the winter months can be detrimental to the skin. Anyway I am a great believer now in prevention. But the the following are some fascinating remedies if you wind up with a sunburn....so there is something here for everyone. But be good to yourself and prevent sunburn.....AND various forms of skin cancer simply by prevention. Read about it here.

It is good to be back!

Cheers From Patricia

PREVENTION AND REMEDIES FOR SUNBURN

Prevention is the best remedy here, if you can. Long-termresults from excessive exposure to the sun, such as skincancer and wrinkled skin, can be avoided with properprecautions. One of the best preventatives is to use a sun-screen with an SPF of 30 that offers protection against bothUVA and UVB rays. You can get as much sun sightseeing asbaking at the beach, so use sunscreen whenever you areoutdoors.Use an aloe vera lotion containing a sunblock. This will cutout 90% of the burning rays and allow 75% of the tanning raysto reach the skin.To speed healing take the following supplements for a few days after getting burned: 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 I.U. ofvitamin E, 15 mg of beta carotene, and 1-2 tablespoons (or about 3 capsules per teaspoon) of flaxseed oil, an essential fatty acid.Caution: don't ever cover a sunburn that is blistered or open with an ointment, oil, salve or butter, for it will make the area susceptible to infection.

Remedies:

Aloe:

Take as many leaves as necessary from an aloe plant;refrigerate; peel off top layer of leaves; apply the side of the leaf with flesh exposed directly to the sunburn. Other remedies use aloe vera juice: for mild to medium sunburn, keep the affected area moist with aloe vera juice. Repeat frequently.This will reduce the pain and the amount of peeling. Aloe vera ointment works well, too, as it contains oil and will not evaporate. For a severe sunburn, keep the area moist at all times with aloe vera juice. Since aloe vera is an astringent, you may want to use aloe vera ointment or some sort of oil, such as olive or baby. Aloe is very effective in relieving pain and inflammation. Combine aloe juice with ½ the amount of vitamin E. Dab on thesunburn. Vitamin E is a good moisturizer.

Apple cider vinegar:

Apply apple cider vinegar to the burn with a cottonball, or make a cooling compress for a large area to relieve the pain. Keep the skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and peeling.

Aspirin:

Aspirin kills the pain and reduces inflammation and redness of a sunburn. It short-circuits the whole sunburn process. It must be taken within 24 hours of getting sunburned. Aspirin is preferable to ibuprofen or acetaminophen because it is less stressful on the liver and kidneys. Or IbuProfen Not tylenol...it doesn't reduce imflamation...but does help with the pain

Baking soda:

Dissolve some baking soda in water and make acompress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak. Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it air dry. Baking soda is cooling and will help the skin retain moisture.

Baths:

Add 20 drops of each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for 10 minutes.

Cucumber:

Rub sunburned area with fresh cucumber slices. They are very cool and will soothe the area.

Epsom salts:

Dissolve epsom salts in water and make a compressusing a clean cloth.

Ice:

Apply ice or cold water to the burned area. This will stop the burning process and cool the skin.

Lavender:

Mix 20-25 drops of lavender oil in one cup of water and bathe the sunburned area.

Lemon Water:

Mix the juice of three lemons into two cups of cold water and sponge on the sunburn. The lemon will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

Milk:

Make a compress of whole milk (or buttermilk) and apply to the burned area for 20 minutes; repeat every two to four hours. Wash the milk off so you won't smell sour! The fat content of the milk is soothing for burns.

Oatmeal:

Put some oatmeal in tepid bath water, soak for a few minutes, then air dry yourself.

Oil:

Cover the area with cooking oil and sprinkle powdered ginger on the oil. This will promote healing.

Onion:

Bruise an onion and rub on the burn.

Peppermint:

Apply peppermint oil to the sunburned skin. You can also make a mild peppermint infusion and use it as a wash to cool the sunburn.

Potato:

Grate a potato and apply it to the burned area. The starch will cool and soothe the burn.

Shower:

Take a warm shower to draw out the heat of your sunburn. The warm water will increase circulation to the area while hydrating it, thereby speeding the healing process.

Tea:

Make some tea, cool, and apply to the burn. While any tea may be beneficial, mint tea, such as peppermint or spearmint are especially good. The teas have tannins that help the healing process.

Yogurt:

Apply plain yogurt with live cultures, let it stand for a few minutes, then rinse off under cool water. Another remedy using yogurt is to mix equal parts of yogurt and mashed strawberries and apply to the sunburned area for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Caution! You may have sun poisoning if you experience chills,fever, or get blisters or a rash. See your physician!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It has been a while since I have posted, but I have been busy with school over the past few months and trying to get caught up is never too easy. However since it is October I wanted to be sure to make a new Breast Cancer Awareness Wallpaper for those of you who might enjoy having a new one for your computer desktop. Just click on the above image to the enlarged size and save it to your computer. The size is 1024X768. Please feel free to resize if necessary. I hope you will enjoy this one.

I do hope to start back to some more regular blogging very shortly....just trying to get a little bit more organized with my schedule.

Thanks so very much for stopping by to read my blog and I will look forward to chatting with you all very soon.

Sincerely,

Patricia

Power Point Presentations And Slide Share

Miscrosoft Power Point is a wonderful way to design and create the perfect slide show presentation of all your favorite photos or images to share with your family and friends. I receive so many lovely Power Point Presentations in my e-mail from friends and it is amazing how crisp and clear and especially professional everythng looks. Microsoft offers an excellent tutorial online which will take you step by step through each process, although the program is extremely user friendly and chances are you may not even need a tutorial. Here is the link to their tutorial if needed:

Microsoft Power Point Presentation Tutorial

If you already have Microsoft on your computer then you probably already have Power Point available for your use.

Once you have created your Presentation you will save it to your hard drive and you can easily attach the Presentation to your e-mails. Also note that if you are a Blogger you can also share your own Presentations or others on you personal blogs. You can do this by by visiting

SlideShare

It will only take just a couple of minutes to establish and account with them and then you can upload any of your favorite slide shows or presentations to their website. Once that part is completed you can grab the code to embed the Presentation/s of your choice on to your blog. The code can be easily pasted into your page element for java or html and you are all set.

Express Yourself Today.....Use Power Point and SlideShare!

Cheers!

Patricia

Sergeant Derek Wootton: Tragic Loss To Our Community

I woke up this morning hearing the tragic news of one of our local Police Officers being struck down and killed at 3 a.m. this morning by a boy in a stolen vehicle as the Police Officer lay road spikes in a street not too far from where I live. I have been complaining for the past couple of years of the barage of incidents with "boy racers" in our area at all hours of both days and nights that never cease to try to show off of what they might think they can actually get away with. I have always felt myself that not enough was being done by the local authorities to try to diminish this serious problem that has affected all the members of our community. Unfortunately all it takes is one life for people to start to take notice. My heart goes out to all the family and loved ones of Sergeant Derek Wootton. His death is a tragic loss to our community and to all those who loved him.

The Dominion Post Article

LATEST: The police officer killed when he was hit by a stolen car in Titahi Bay, north of Wellington, early this morning was a 52 year old who had been in the force for 14 years. View video: Police officer killed on duty
Sergeant Derek Wootton joined the police in March 1994 and was a "very experienced frontline supervisor", Wellington Police District Commander Superintendent Pieri Munro said.
The officer was killed when he was struck by the car as he was laying road spikes in a street in the Porirua suburb about 3am.
Police believe the car had been stolen in a carjacking in the nearby Wellington suburb of Tawa earlier this morning.
Mr Munro said Mr Wootton's death was "a huge loss for his family, friends and police colleagues".
"It's a very sobering time for all police but we are part of a respected professional service. Our staff are grieving but Derek's tragic death is not stopping us from fulfilling our job of policing our communities."
A 32-year-old man is due to appear in Porirua District Court this morning charged with: aggravated robbery, relating to a carjacking in Tawa; dangerous driving; dangerous driving causing death; failing to stop after an accident; and a charge of kidnapping, relating to the second person in the vehicle, a 16 year old.
The car, which stopped on a homeowner's front section, remains in Dimock St covered by a tent as investigators study the crash scene.
A police-issue stab-proof vest, with a radio still attached, lay on the ground near where the officer was struck, a witness said.
Police have confirmed the stolen car, a black Honda Prelude, was being pursued when the officer was killed.
The officer becomes the 27th police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
A Dimock St resident said she woke to the brief sound of screeching tyres and then heard the thud of an impact.
"The next thing we knew we could see flashing lights, not sirens, just the lights going and they were coming closer and closer to our house."
Her partner ran out into the street and saw the officer lying badly injured on the ground. Within moments a female officer had arrived at the scene and began frantically performing CPR.
"She worked very hard for a long time, till the first ambulance arrived. They worked on him for at least 20 minutes."
The woman’s partner said he took blankets out for the officer and offered to help as the female officer performed CPR.
"It was absolutely horrible to watch," the female resident said.
"Horrible that this could happen anywhere ... but in your own street and rushing out to try and help. How could you live with yourself if you were the driver?"
Kapiti Mana police commander Inspector John Spence said the officer's tragic death in the line of duty has devastated colleagues. Welfare support is in place for the officer's family and for colleagues, especially those first to the scene.
The car, which had been carjacked in Tawa, went through the spikes and was stopped by police about 300m further up the street, he said.
CPR by police and ambulance officers were unsuccessful and the policeman died at the scene.
Two people who were in the offending vehicle are currently being spoken to by police.
Police were appealing for witnesses who may have seen the car being driven around the Elsdon and Titahi Bay areas.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said it was a tragedy and it was a very sad day for his family, the police force and all New Zealanders.
"The police work so hard to support and protect our communities," she said through a spokeswoman.
"To see an officer killed in the line of duty is an appalling tragedy.
"The thoughts of all New Zealanders are with his family and colleagues today."
The death shows how risky the job is, Police Association president Greg O'Connor said.
"Inherently there are risks involved in the job and this brings it home."
He refused to talk about the dead policeman or the incident but said in the last few years there had been a big change in the attitude of some people towards the police.
"More and more people are prepared to have a go. They wouldn't have in the past. That is the big change in policing," he said.
The last police officer killed in the line of duty was Detective Constable Duncan Taylor.
He was fatally shot at Rongotea, near Feilding, in 2002.
Daniel Luff, 17, was later convicted of killing him.

Patricia

Birds Of A Feather

With all the crazy problems going on in this world around us I always like to take time out to enjoy the gifts of nature. There is so much to be said for solitude and quiet time. I often enjoy watching all the wonderful species of native New Zealand birds that find their way to our garden out back. I could actually watch them for hours. It is amazing how tediously they strive to find food for their young and for themselves, and they sure do make the most of exploring my husband's gardens. I especially love to watch them right after a good rain, for this is when the worms are so plentiful and the heaps of birds around our place have an absolute field day. I found the above photo a while ago on the Internet. I am a great one for saving photos of animals and birds, and I find this bird unusually attractive, although I have no idea what species it is, but I would love to know. Its colors are so gorgeous, that in fact I wish I had a dress in the same color. If anyone reading this post has any comment as to the species of this bird I would dearly love to know, so I would love to hear from you.

I use to have two stunningly colorful Love Birds named Silvia and Eglamour. I named them after two characters in one of William Shakespeare's Plays "Two Gentlemen of Verona". You can read the play at the link included. I have always adored animals of all kinds.... and would often bring home all kinds of strays and birds with broken wings when I was a little child. Perhaps I should have spent my life working in an animal shelter or a Veterinerian's office.

Anyway I am devoting today's post to Love Birds.

Lovebird is the commonly used name for the genus, Agapornis (from the Greek agape, for love, and ornis, for Bird), and can refer to any of the nine species of the genus. They are a very social and affectionate parrot.
The name Lovebird stems from these birds' bright, caring personalities. This is reflected by the bird's name in other languages: in German, "die Unzertrennlichen," and in French "les inséparables"- "inseparables." For this reason, many people feel strongly that lovebirds in captivity should be kept in pairs. Others believe that lovebirds, like other parrots, are social animals who can bond with human companions when given care and ample attention. Recommended foods include a pellet based diet along with fruits, vegetables and grains.
Lovebirds are about 13-17 centimeters in size, 40-60 grams in weight and are characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. This puts them among the smallest parrots in the world, although their beak is rather large for their overall size. Most lovebirds are blue, green, or lutino, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like Fischer's, black cheeked, and yellow collared lovebirds, have a white ring around the eye. Their lifespan is said to be 10 to 15 years.Lovebirds have the potential to make great pets for those who have the patience and time required of any parrot species. Because of their inclination to bond, they can form great long-term relationships with people. Lovebirds are healthier and more energetic than some other parrot species.
Provided with space, toys, and love, lovebirds can become cherished companions. They love to snuggle and often preen their favorite people. An important tip for lovebird owners is to regulate the amount of time spent with them. If you devote hours per day to your lovebird for several weeks because it's new and exciting and then cannot for some reason you can end up with a very temperamental lovebird on your hands.
Eight of the different species come from the mainland of Africa. The ninth species, Agapornis canus, originates from Madagascar. In the wild the different species are separated geographically. Lovebirds live in small flocks and eat mainly fruit, vegetables, some grasses and seed. Black-winged Lovebirds also enjoy insects and figs.
Only some of the lovebird species are sexually dimorphic. This includes the Abyssinian Lovebird, the Madagascar Lovebird, and the Red-faced Lovebird. However, colour mutation is common in other species of Lovebirds.
Lovebirds require an appropriately sized cage. Usually the minimum for a single bird is 35"x35"x35". They require lots of toys and things to chew on and play with, or will soon become bored and develop behavioral problems. Lovebirds are extremely social birds, and require several hours of interaction a day if kept singly. They need social interaction, be it with conspecifics or human companion, for their emotional as well as physical well-being. Without this interaction, daily exercise, a roomy cage, and many toys to play with, they may resort to feather-plucking or other behavioral problems. They don't necessarily need the companion of another lovebird, as the myth says. They do, however, need a human who will dedicate lots of time with them and take the place of the other lovebird. They love to take baths almost every day and may sun themselves after bathing in order to dry.Lovebirds require a variety of food, such as pellets, fruits, and vegetables. As a regular food, pellets are recommended, as the millet food generally sold in pet stores has too much fat in it and is not a significant source of nutrition. Pellets specially made for birds provide a well-balanced diet. Fresh greens are also extremely beneficial if not essential.
Lovebirds are very vocal birds, making loud, high-pitched noises. Some make noise all day, especially during the first morning hours.
Lovebirds are also very active, and love to chew things. When they are let out of their cage, it is wise to watch them carefully and protect any furniture, electrical wiring or anything else that they could possibly chew on.
Lovebirds are all of the genus Agapornis and can produce offspring with other lovebirds within the same genus. The cross-species hybrids are often sterile. It is recommended to only place birds of the same species together, or of the same sex, for the sake of the potentially faulted hybrid offspring.

The following link will take you to a YouTube site with a precious video of a couple hand feeding some baby lovebirds. It is so worthwhile to watch.

Hand Feeding Baby Lovebirds

The following are some excellent links to facts and information about these lovely creatures.

http://www.lovebirds.co.nz/main/index.php

http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/

I would love your feedback about lovebirds....they are certainly my favorite birds of all.

Cheers!

Patricia