Wednesday 25 December 2013

Merry Christmas....

Merry Christmas! 

I hope you have a very good year ahead of you! 


God Bless,
~Laura


Thursday 12 December 2013

Movie Quote Quiz Answers

Here are the answers:

1.
Anne of Green Gables
Ch 1: Jonathan Crombie
Ch 2: Megan Follows

2.
Shanghai Noon
Ch 1: Indian Chief
Ch 2: Indian

3.
Jack and the Beanstalk - Abbott and Costello
Ch 1: Lou Costello
Ch 2: Barbara Brown

4.
Runner from Ravenshead
Ch 1: Henry

5.
Muppets Christmas Carol
Ch 1: Miss Piggy's daughter 

6.
Spy Kids 2
Ch. 1: President's daughter
Ch. 2: Juni

7.
Madagascar
Ch. 1: King Julian
Ch. 2: Maurice

8. 
How to Train Your Dragon
Ch. 1: Astrid
Ch. 2: Hiccup

9. 
Tangled
Ch. 1: Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert

10.
How to Train Your Dragon

~Laura

Sunday 1 December 2013

Cute Photos

Here is a few cute photos that I found, and I hope you will enjoy them!

#1 Puppies!


#2 Yeah, I'm really scared!


#3 Shades of Tigers


#4 *Cat Voice* 'I am fully recharged'


#5 Cute


#6 My dream (it needs a bigger size)

Actually, not really my dream horse, but close!

#7


#8 'See a family resemblance?'

(I want one of these!)

#9 Camera  Hog!


#10 Cute


#11 .........


#12 Amethyst Starling


#13 Staring Competition


#14 Arctic Fox Pup (Cute!)


#15.....


#16 I prefer the blue one, all the same


#17 Beautiful


#18 Mr. Fire-Eyes




#19 How animals photograph


#20 Phantom of the Opera ??? or Stable???


#21....


#22 ....


#23 Cute


#24 'I'm a cat twice!'


#25 Don't let Obelix see this!


#26 I'm not a major spider fan but....


#27 And just because:




I hope you enjoy!

~Laura!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Movie Quote Quiz

Okay...... I'm again going to copy Jemimah Davis and do  a movie quiz. (I hope she doesn't mind?)
5 points every correct answer. You can get 50 points.

1.
Character 1: Carrots!
Character 2: How dare you! 

2. 
Character 1: Why is he wearing a dress?
Character 2: Mm-uh

3.
Character 1: Mother! Mother! Oh, please get my mother!
Character 2: I am your mother, ____!

4.
Character 1: Uh... thanks for breaking my fall when we met earlier.

5.
Character 1: Can I have his dinner?

6. 
Character 1: I'm sorry. I only do ballet.
Character 2: What a coincidence. so do I.

7. 
Character 1: The feet! What have I said about the feet?!
Character 2: He did tell you about the feet.

8.
Character 1: What are you going to do?
Character 2: Something stupid.
Character 1: Good. You have all ready done that.
Character 2: Then something crazy.

9.
Character 1: This must be the craziest thing I've ever done!

10.  
Character 1: Night Fury!

God bless,
~Laura

Friday 1 November 2013

Awesome!!

The greatest present I have gotten this year is....
My first Ringville Resident's Mysteries!!! 

My Darling sister and her husband some how got it printed off! 
Charmagne drew the cover. Isn't it AWESOME!!! 
THANK YOU!!!!!!

God Bless
~Laura

Monday 28 October 2013

Life of Florence Nightingale Part 1

Florence Nightingale (Lady of the Lamp)
Florence Nightingale CDV by H Lenthall.jpg
Born: 12 May 1820
Died: 13 August 1910
Occupation: Medical Nurse  

 Florence Nightingale was born in Belloguardo, on May 12, 1820.  Her father, William Nightingale, mainly educated her. In February 1837, she felt that she should deeply engage herself herself to helping others. Her family disagreed to this. 7 years later, she told her family that she was going to become a nurse. 
 Florence was in a 9-year courtship with Richard Milnes, but then rejected him, thinking that marriage would make her nursing career difficult. 
 In 1947 she became a lifelong friend with Sidney Herbert, the Secretary at War during the Crimean War, and was his key adviser to him in politics.Nightingale traveled with the Bracebridges to places as far as Egypt and Greece. As she sailed on the Nile in 1850, she wrote: 
    "I don't think I ever saw anything which affected me more than this."
 In August 1953 Florence became superintendent at the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in London, which she kept for over a year. Her father gave her a income of £ 500 which allowed her to be comfortable and pursue her dream.  
 In 1854, she and 38 women and some Catholic nuns were to the Ottoman Empire, where the British camp was.  When she got there, she saw the bad care for the soldiers, and sought to make a difference.  
 The Dictionary of National Biography said that Florence reduced teh death tole from 42% to 2%. But the death rates began to rise in the cleanest of all hospitals around. In her first winter at Scutari over 4000 soldiers died. After 6 months of being in Scutari, the British Government sent the Sanitary Commission. After what the commission did, the death tole was reduced, by much. But Florence do not take the credit for this.
 Florence got the nickname "The Lady with the Lamp" in the Crimean war. The Times published this:
She is a 'ministering angel' without any exaggeration in these hospitals, and as her slender form glides quietly along each corridor, every poor fellows face softens with gratitude at the sight of her. When the medical officers have retired for the night, and silence and darkness have settled down, upon those miles of prostrate sick, she my be observed alone, with a little lamp in her hand making her solitary rounds.
End of Part One.
God Bless,
Laura

Sunday 13 October 2013

Spring!!!

Okay... New post for a new month.
Our Church (Reformed Church of Palmerston North)  has just had it's 60th Anniversary! I have been here for about 10 of those 60 years.  And it also was the Grand Opening for the new building we have! The previous one, that was called Harmony House, as been demolished because it was leaky, sprawled out and old. I would have photos if I took some, but I didn't take any so I don't have them.

I've taken some photos this Spring, and so here are some them (the star is our cat, Shorty II which means all the photos are mainly of him! :D)
Sunshine!


"Pull the other one!"

"A bird. If I want to get it, I have to stand up, walk outside, and chase it...no thanks!"
This is so my favorite! 

Add caption


"Let me Sleep!"













"Dismissed!"

Closed pear blossoms 


God Bless
~Laura

  

Thursday 5 September 2013

If You're Irish

My friend Jemimah Davis posted this on her blog, and she said anyone could do it, so I am doing it. Also, anyone can do it on their blog. 
The Rules 
1) Put your iTunes/Windows Media Player/etc. on shuffle
2) For each question press the 'Next' button on your music player
3) You MUST write down the song name no matter how weird it sounds

My Answers:

Q. If someone says "How are you today?" you say?
Big Iron Marty Robbins

Q. What would best describe your personality?
El Paso Marty Robbins

Q. How would you describe yourself?
The Oul Triangle Ronnie Drew

Q. What do you like in a guy/girl?
Nothin' for Christmas ??

Q. How do you feel today?
Utah Carol  Marty Robbins

Q. What is your life's purpose?
Tico Tico ??

Q. What's your motto?
James Connlloy Terry O'Neill

Q. What do your friends think of you?
Mexican Hat Dance ??

Q. What do your parents think of you?
Free the People Luke Kelly

Q. What do you think about very often?
Little Green Valley Marty Robbins

Q. What is 2+2?
Symphony No. 9 Ludwig van Beethoven

Q. What do you think of your best friend?
Sweet Sunny South/Dixie Land Charlie Zahm

Q. What do you think of the person you like?
Away in a Manger ??

Q. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Blow ye Winds in the Morning Charlie Zahm

Q.  What is your life story?
La Paloma 

Q. What will you dance at your Wedding?
A Hundred and Sixty Acres Marty Robbins

Q. What will they play at your funeral?
Boul O'Donaghue Barnbrack

Q. What is your hobby/interest?
Hanagan's Hooley Barnbrack

Q. What is your biggest fear?
Follow me up to Carlow Aran Folk

Q. What is your Biggest Secret?
Go Tell Aunt Rhody ??

Q. What do you want right now?
Do you hear what I hear? ??

Q. What do you think of your friends?
The Bleak Midwinter ??

Q. What is the worst thing that could happen?
Joy! ??   

Q. What is one thing you regret?
Mary had a Little Lamb ??

Q. What makes you laugh?
The First Nowell ??

Q. What makes you cry?
Cherry Pink ??

Q. Will you ever get married?
Here comes Santa Claus ??

Q. What scares you the most?
Greensleeves ??

Q. Does anyone like you?
Nancy Spain Tara Folk

Q. If you could go back in time, what would you cange?
The time as come Brian Moore

Q. What hurts right now?
Deck the Halls ??

Q. What will you name this post? 
If you're Irish Barnbrack

Please tell me if you do this!

~Laura

Sunday 4 August 2013

Life of George Washington Part 2

In early 1750s, Britain and France were at peace. But the French military had begun to occupy lots of the Ohio Valley. The boarders between the France part of the Ohio Valley and the British were unclear and both sides got into arguments about this matter. George was a natural leader and very soon after Lawrence's death, Virginia's Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie made George adjutant (officer who assists a more senior officer) as a major in the Virginia militia. in October Dinwiddie sent Washington to Fort LeBeouf (Now Waterford Pennsylvania) to tell the French that they should remove themselves form the British land. The French refused and Washington quickly rode back to Williamsburg. Dinwiddie sent Washington back with troops. They set up a post at Great Meadows. The small troop attacked the French at Fort Duquesne killing 10 including the commander and taking the rest as prisoners. The French and Indian War had begun.
Gilbert Stuart Williamstown Portrait of George Washington.jpg
The French attacked Washington and drove his troop to his post at Great Meadows. Washington surrendered after a full day of siege and was eventually released to go back to Williamsburg, having promised not to build another fort on the Ohio River. Washington was promoted to the rank of colonel and joined the British General's army in Virginia in 1755. The British had devised a plan to make attacks on the French, attacking Fort Duquesne, Fort Niagara and Crown point. During this, the French and their allies, the Indians, ambushed the the General's army, wounding the General, Edward Braddock. Washington escaped, 4 bullet holes in his cloak and 2 horses shot out from underneath him. He turned his army back to safety. At the age of 23, Washington was made commander over all the Virginia troops. In August 1755, he was sent to the frontier to protect almost 400 miles of boarder with 700 ill trained troops and a Virginia legislature not willing to support him. His health failed him in late 1757 and was sent home with dysentery. A year later Washington again was on another expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. A fire incident killed and wounded 40 men. however, the British won victory, finally capturing Fort Duquesne and they gained control of the Ohio Valley. Washington resigned from the Virginia regiment in 1758. He applied for a commission in the British Army, but was turned down. Washington then went back to Mount Vernon disappointed.  
A month later, Washington married Martha Custis, a widow. Martha had a 18,000 acre estate Washington owned 6,000. All of this and the land which the military granted him for his service, Washington was one of the more wealthy landowners. Martha had 2 children already, John and Martha, 2 years apart. Martha died before the Revolution and John died during it. This left Wahington heartbroken.

Monday 29 July 2013

The Life of George Washington Part 1

Hi! Sorry this is Late!
George Washington.
Born: 22 February 1732
Died: December 14, 1799
Occupation: Served as Commander-in-chief for the colonial armies for the American Revolution and became America's first president.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. George's father, Augustine Washington, married Jane Butler, his first wife who died in 1729. Mr. Washington married Mary Ball in 1731. George was the first child of Mary and Augustine. George's family moved to Little Hunting Creek Plantation, which was later renamed Mount Vernon, in 1735. In 1738 they moved to Ferry Farm.
Not much is know about George Washington's childhood. We do know that George was home schooled, and studied with the local church caretaker, and then a school master in math and geography, Latin and English. He had mastered growing tobacco, surveying and stock raising by hi early youth. George's dad died when George was 11.
In 1752 George's older half-brother, Lawrence, died leaving George the heir of the Washington lands. He was 20 when Lawrence's daughter died a few months later and then George was the head of Mount Vernon, one of Virginia's most noticeable estates. Over his life, George increased  Mount Vernon till it was approximately 8,000 acres.

This week is Part 2

God Bless,
Laura
Gilbert Stuart Williamstown Portrait of George Washington.jpg

Friday 19 July 2013

The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder

Name: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Born: 7 February 1867
Died: 10 February 1957
Occupation: Writer

Laura Ingalls Wilder.jpg
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born on the 7th of February 1867. She had 5 siblings, the oldest Mary Amelia  (1865 - 1925), who went blind when she was 14. Her younger sister was Caroline Celestia (1870 -  1946), called in Laura's books 'Carrie', as a nickname. Laura's younger brother, Charles Fredrick, died as an infant. Grace Pearl (1877 - 1941) was the youngest of the Ingalls. 
In 1868 the Ingalls moved near Independence, Kansas. A few weeks after Carrie was born, the Ingalls moved back to Wisconsin. and they lived there for the next 4 years. This is where she based Little House on the Prairie and Little House in the Big Woods. On the Banks of Plumb Creek was written for the time period of 1871 - 1874. The Ingalls moved to Walnut Grove in 1874. In this time Charles Ingalls Jr. was born and died at the age of 9 months
During the next few years Laura's family moved around a bit. First to Burr Oak, Iowa where they helped run a hotel and where Grace was born. Laura skipped over the years when they were living in Burr Oak. then they moved to Dakota Territory where By the Shores of Silver Lake was based. 
In 1879-1880 Charles put in an offer on a homestead where Caroline, Mary and himself spent the rest of their lives. During the winter of 1880-1881 Laura described in her book, The long Winter. This winter was the severest in the record if the Dakotas. When the Ingalls settled in De Smet Laura attended school, worked a few part-time jobs, and met Almanzo Wilder who she later married. These years are written in the book Little Town on the Prairie. 
Two months before her 16th birthday, Laura went to her first teaching job. When she was not in school in De Smet she taught 3 terms in a one roomed schools. She received a Teaching Certificate on December 24, 1882. 
She married Almanzo James Wilder on the August 25th 1885. Laura was 18 and Almanzo was 28. she and Almanzo moved to a new home north of De Smet.  On December 5th 1886 Rose Wilder (1886 - 1968) was born.  Rose had a little brother who died as an infant, unnamed.
The first few years of Almanzo and Laura's marriage was full of trials. Almanzo had diphtheria which left him partly paralyzed. After the death of their unnamed son, a fire destroyed there house and barn, many years of drought, which left them in debt and physically sick. All these trials Laura wrote about in The First Four Years. This book was found after Rose's death.
In 1894 the Wilders moved to Mansfield, Missouri, buying a farm, called Rocky Ridge Farm, just outside Mansfield. Almanzo sold wagon loads of firewood, the only income the farm gave them. The Wilders, after working the farm with no success moved to a rented house in Mansfield.  To have an income, Laura took in boarders, and gave the railroad men food. Almanzo worked as a oil salesman and a general delivery man. Almanzo's parents visited and gave Almanzo and Laura, as a gift, the property deed to the house they were renting. Now they could buy acreage to the house,  In 1910, they sold the house in Mansfield and lived at Rocky Ridge Farm permanently.  In 20 years, the 40 acres that came with the farm soon increased to 200 acres, with a 10 roomed farmhouse to replace the old log cabin that was there before.
Rocky Ridge Farm soon became a dairy and poultry farm with an apple orchard,
The Wilders were never really rich, until the Little House books became to sell. The Wilders soon got money from the Farm Loan Association for the Wilders to live in a middle class society in Mansfield.
In 1949 at the age of 92, Almanzo died. Laura lived for 6 years after Almanzo died. On the 10th of February 1957 Laura died. She was 90. They both died at Rocky Ridge Farm.
               
                
 I plan to do one famous person a week.
Laura 

Monday 8 July 2013

English Country Dance!

Finally the photos of the English Country Dance!

Favorites:
My Awesome friend, Abi and I
Abi and Jemimah. 
Mr. Downes, Sam Downes and Mr. Madden
Mr. Downes
Mr. and Mrs. Davis






Usual:
I have no idea what happened! Ghosts?

Abigail Davis and Mr. Downes dancing the Sellinger's Round


Usually (99% of the time) there is more GIRLS than BOYS. Other way round today! 


Don't you LOVE these dresses?

My Awesome, Amazing, Beautiful Sister, Charmagne

I love Exit signs.

Best Friends, Abi and Jessica


Another cool friend, Jessica
(For some reason I love stairs, Best  Friends and Cameras)

Ghosts?
 It could work, if they were real. Someone told me the dance hall was built over 100 years ago by convicts   

Abi's sister, Sarah and Sam dancing the Farewell Marion




It was fun watching.  I din't dance because I fell down a few steps and hurt my ankle. I took photos instead, which is almost just as fun. 

God Bless. 
~Laura