NASHVILLE, Tenn. – City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game presented by Staples® reached its highest ever attendance at the 27th Annual event today at First Tennessee Park. Vince Neil of Mötley Crüesurprised fans by throwing the first pitch. In a friendly competition for a great cause, Team iHeart won the game, 9-6.
Reba McEntire kicked off the event by singing the National Anthem, followed by a performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” by Sara Evans.
Reba McEntire Performs the National Anthem
Team Captain for iHeart Media, Bobby Bones and Team Captain for Sirius XM/Grand Ole Opry, Bill Cody led with the traditional coin toss.
WATCH REBA McENTIRE PERFORM THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!
Artists in attendance were Billy Ray Cyrus, Craig Morgan, Kellie Pickler, Jessie James Decker and her husband and NFL player, Eric Decker, Lauren Alaina, Todd Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley and Grayson Chrisley of USA’s “Chrisley Knows Best,” Lunchbox, Eddie, and Ray of the Bobby Bones Show, Drew Scott and Jonathan Scottof HGTV’s “The Property Brothers,” The Swon Brothers, Danielle Bradbery, Aaron Watson, Jackie Lee, Trent Harmon, Maggie Rose, Miss Tennessee, Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, and Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.”
Team iHeart during the National Anthem
Legendary artists Lee Greenwood, Jeannie Seely and Tim Rushlowjoined by iHeart Media radio personality, Gator Harrison called the play by play. A new tradition and fan favorite!
City of Hope patient and leukemia survivor, Nicole Schulz met, for the first time, her life-saving donor, Rian Lawrence at the mound.
More photos of Reba at the City of Hope Softball Game!
Photos taken by Variety Beat.


Lady Gaga, who is slated to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show next month, was asked by organizers not to talk about politics or President-elect Donald Trump during the show.
“Lady Gaga was told by the NFL that she cannot say anything or bring anything up about the election, or mention Donald Trump,” a source close to the show told Etonline.com.
But a representative disputed the source’s claims, telling the website it is “nonsense from people trying to stir up controversy where there is none.”
“The Super Bowl is a time when people really come together,” the NFL’s statement reads. “Lady Gaga is focused on putting together an amazing show for fans and we love working with her on it; we aren’t going to be distracted by this.”
Gaga was a surrogate for Hillary Clinton and was photographed holding a “Love Trumps Hate” sign outside the Trump Tower after the Nov. 8 election result.
There have also been rumors that Gaga’s show might be potentially dangerous.
A representative for the NFL told the site: “People will have to wait and see what we have in store—we never comment on speculation about the show because there is so much misinformation that surfaces. But we are confident Lady Gaga will put on a tremendous show for fans.”
The New York Post, meanwhile, reported that the 30-year-old pop star wants to perform on NRG Stadium roof in Houston. “They’re writing up multiple plans about how to safely get her on the roof, including potentially [cutting] a hole in the ceiling of the dome,” said a source.
The Super Bowl will take place Sunday, Feb. 5. On Sunday, the AFC and NFC champions will be revealed after the Pittsburgh Steelers play the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers play the Atlanta Falcons.


text:
Two women get nearly 7 years for Peru drug smuggling
December 18, 2013 -- Updated 0237 GMT (1037 HKT)
Michaella McCollum (pictured) and Melissa Reid arrive at the Callao courtroom in Peru on December 17.
- The women are sentenced to six years and eights months in prison
- They pleaded guilty to the charges after first saying that they were coerced
- The women were arrested as they tried to board a flight carrying 25 pounds of cocaine
(CNN) -- A Peruvian court has sentenced an Irish woman and a Scottish woman accused of trying to smuggle some 25 pounds of cocaine from Peru to Europe to six years and eight months in prison.
Michaella McCollum, from Ireland, was arrested alongside Melissa Reid, from Scotland, by Peruvian national police at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima on August 6. McCollum was 20 at the time; Reid was 19.
They were stopped as they tried to board an Air Europa flight from Lima to Madrid after authorities found cocaine in their luggage, hidden inside food packets. Their final destination was Palma de Mallorca in Spain.
When they were arrested, the two women told police they had been coerced into carrying the cocaine. They later reversed course and pleaded guilty to the charges.
The pair said they regretted their actions and have cooperated with investigators by elaborating on their role and the contacts who coordinated the smuggling attempt, read a statement from the court handling the case.
There is a prisoner-transfer agreement between Peru and the United Kingdom, which means that individuals can apply to serve their sentence back in their home country, a UK Foreign Office spokesman said.
Peru is the world's top cultivator of coca, the plant whose leaves are used to produce cocaine. It overtook Colombia for the dubious honor.
CNN's Laura Smith-Spark, Rafael Romo, Claudia Rebaza, and journalists Peter Taggart and Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this report.
Today's five most popular stories
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Each day, CNN brings you an image capturing a moment to remember, defining the present in our changing world.
Browse through images from CNN teams around the world that you don't always see on news reports.

domain: news


Replacement Wheel For The Largest Pot Dolly
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text: Kawasaki disease is a generalized systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology involving medium and small size blood vessels throughout the body, virtually always involving the coronaries. In many part of this world, it is more common than rheumatic fever and viral myocarditis. Here, we are reporting 5 cases with history suggestive of Kawasaki disease in the early life, presenting with different coronary artery abnormalities. One of the patients had left main coronary artery cut-off, and the remaining 4 had some form of coronary artery aneurysms. 3 patients were given medical management, 1 patient had coronary bypass grafting, and the remaining 1 was planned for surgical correction. All the patients were stable on subsequent follow-ups.

domain: health


The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #118560 Message #2564162
Posted By: M.Ted
11-Feb-09 - 02:50 PM
Thread Name: Hank Garland's counry guitar sound
Subject: RE: Hank Garland's counry guitar sound
Fairly early in the game, it was realized that if you used *three* guitarists on a rock and roll/country/pop or whatever recording , it would sound really great on a jukebox. This is one of my favorite songs, and I have a collection of different versions--the George Strait's cover sounds like it has about five guitars!


Mechanical Engineer in Doha, Qatar
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Joe and Janet Johnston recently completed what may be the world’s most unusual home addition for a couple in their 70s — OK, for any couple of any age.
The Johnstons, both retired teachers living on a fixed income, added a 5,000-square foot pole vaulting room onto their 1,800-square foot home.
It’s a serious upgrade from the covered pit, dubbed the “Joe Dome,” that sits in their side yard. The initial plan was to tear down the Joe Dome and replace it with a pole-vaulting building on the same footprint. But the county code would allow only an additional 1,000 square foot building on their property.
The Johnstons were advised that a variance request would be a waste of time and waste of the $650 dollar hearing fee. Undaunted, they paid the fee and Joe made his plea. He also asked a few friends to attend the hearing and speak to the value that the Johnstons have brought to young athletes over years, by offering free pit time and coaching to anyone wanting to learn or improve.
“They made it sound like I was Mother Theresa trying to build a church,” Joe recalled.
As expected, the zoning board denied the Johnstons’ request. But with a wink and an obvious desire to help these good people continue their good deeds, they informed Joe that he could expand the house by 5,000 square feet. In other words, call the building a room, attach it to their house and let the pole vaulting begin.
And that’s exactly what Joe did. He spent two years building a 5,000 square-foot pole vaulting room, with a 100-foot runway and a 17-foot ceiling. How many people told him he was crazy?
“I don’t keep a record of that,” he said.
The Johnstons definitely aren’t crazy, but both will plead guilty to being passionately optimistic.
“We’re at the age that we’ve got more behind us than ahead of us,” 77-year-old Joe said. “So, I do a lot of reflecting. It may be an affliction, this optimistic thing, but it has served me well. I don’t pay attention to the notion that we’re supposed to be taking it easy and declining by the day. I’ve been flat on my face before and got back up. I reckon I can do it again. My go-to answer to any malady or problem is always movement. Just get up and keep moving, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Janet shares the same glass-half-full view.
“You can choose to look at everything in a positive light or not,” she observed. “Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.’ I think that’s true. We just make up our minds to be happy, and we are.”
There is one big change for Janet, who can no longer look out of her kitchen window into a large tree-covered backyard. Always looking for the bright side, she said, “Now I can fold clothes and watch Joe pole vault.”
And she doesn’t just watch. Janet, 74, is also a pole vaulter. She doesn’t have quite the competitive resume of Joe, who is a multiple-age group, world-record holder. But she did take home a gold medal at the World Masters Championships in Sacramento a few years back.
“I like the confidence that comes from learning a new skill,” she said. “If you’re willing to stretch yourself, you can learn a lot more than you think. Right now, I’m learning to swim the butterfly.”
If you think Joe and Janet are wealthy, think again. They’re retired teachers living on a fixed income.
“I’m a filthy rich man, but I ain’t got much money.” Joe explained. “I have wonderful things in my life that I deeply appreciate, and that makes me rich. I stumbled onto my soulmate many years ago and somehow managed to marry her. She thinks I’m everything that I aspire to be.”
What he aspires to be on a daily basis is active. Joe is up by 6 a.m. most mornings; and if he’s not in the pole-vaulting room, you can find him climbing the rafters and swinging from ropes in the old Joe Dome, which still stands in the side yard.
“It’s now basically a ninja warrior playhouse,” he said.
What 77-year-old doesn’t have one of those?


text:
I rarely get excited with getting my new comics, in fact I usually visit my LCS once a month or just order from Amazon once a hardcover or tpb catches my attention. Of course when the New Teen Titans: Games graphic novel came out, I immediately went to my shop after work, got it and read it that same night.
Games is a book I have been waiting for since the late 80s when it was first announce! The NewTeen Titans is my favorite comic book series of all time, featuring all the characters and comic creators I loved!
I'm still collecting the current Teen Titans comic (even if it is such a pain to read), just to "complete" my Teen Titans collection. Aside from Tiny Titans and Teen Titans Go, I have all the Teen Titans series all the way from their first appearance on Brave and the Bold #54 (1964).
Here are some of the interior pages:
I'm a little sad I wasn't able to get a full-body commission sketch from him via facebook (still not sure how their interface works), but he was able to do those quick sketches for me. Overall I had a terrific time meeting Mr. Perez and I hope he visits Toronto again!

domain: artistic


text:
I woke up to some spectacular sunrises this week, for example, yesterday… with its pink and orange hues, spreading hopefulness and inspiration over a darkened world, which inspired me to slave over a hot manuscript all day. And this morning? About as lyrical as I can wax on this soggy Sunday is… wet and grey.
According to my new Fitbit… I’m averaging one hour’s deep sleep per night and four hour’s light sleep. So, it’s no wonder I feel knackered when I wake up. Despite the above, I automatically wake up a dawn… the time my WIP starts calling from my Woman Cave.
When I’m asleep, I dream about the characters in my WIP.
As I’m currently contemplating killing Henry off, despite his six-pack and rugby player thighs and I’m having nightmares about it. I killed Arthur off over a year ago, but brought him back to life about a week later because I felt so bad about it.
So it is inevitable that, on this Soggy Sunday, I will spend most of it editing. Although I need to find time to fit in some TV family viewing; especially as I’ve recently been described as being no company anymore.
Our current binge watch is Jed Mecurio’s Bodies. I was addicted to Line of Duty and more recently, like the rest of the TV viewing millions, Bodyguard. I’ve noticed that the same actors tend to appear in Jed’s brilliantly scripted TV shows, such as Keeley Hawes. Unfortunately, her Mecurio-written characters always seem to get bumped off. (Note to self… STOP USING IDIOMS!) I couldn’t/wouldn’t do that to you Ma’am because, like my Henry, you are much too gorgeous to axe.
Soggy Sunday… bring it on. Like the rain, I’ll soak it all up.

domain: literature


text:
Jeddah also spelled as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda is a port city located in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. It is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia and the gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Jeddah Airport (JED) also known as the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is the third largest and busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. It is named after the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, KAIA serves as the gateway for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims visiting the Holy Mosque of Makkah.
The airport has four terminals. North Terminal caters to international passengers and Terminal 1 handles both domestic and international flights with separate check-in as well as a boarding area for them. South Terminal is currently closed. The fourth and most important terminal is the Hajj terminal, being the Makka Air Gate, it is one of the largest terminals in the world. It has the world’s largest cable-stayed fabric roofed structure with a unique tent-like roof. With more than millions of pilgrims passing through it every year, the terminal is expected to serve 43 million Hajj Pilgrims by 2035
Services, Facilities and Things to do on an Airport Layover
ATM’s And Cash Machines– Need Cash? Don’t worry, ATMs are now available at both Terminals, North Terminal, and Terminal1. Fees may apply. For international passengers, it is advisable to notify your bank before traveling and to check your bank’s fee schedule and daily withdrawal limit.
Banking sources and Currency Exchange– There are many banking options available in the North Terminal and Terminal 1. Passengers can use both Al Rajhi Bank and National Commerce Bank (NCB) for currency exchange and other banking services.
Shop Dine and Relax– Duty-free shops and gift shops are available. Want to grab a quick bite to eat? Or relax and enjoy a scrumptious meal? Feel free to explore and enjoy the excellent culinary skills at high-end or budget restaurants and coffee shops available at the airport. Lounge access is also available.
Pharmacy– Al Nahdi Pharmacy is located in both Terminals.
Free Wi-fi is available in North Terminal and Terminal 1. There is a large mosque in the airport in case you want to offer a prayer.
The Hajj Terminal provides an ever-increasing number of pilgrims with various facilities including a general information desk, airline information counters, banks, currency exchanges, prayer areas, rest areas, telephone facilities, restaurants, medical clinics, and first-aid services.
Travel Wisely, Discover Peace
Be it a first-time flyer, a child, a senior citizen, a group of people on holiday, or a corporate executive, UNIVERSALAIRPORTASSISTANCE.COM ensures you a safe and hassle-free journey. Our Meet and Assist team will provide them with a stress-free travel experience, taking care of all their travel needs.
We provide effortlessly and time-saving passage throughout the airport and assist you with Arrival, Departure, and Transfer Services. We offer personalized packages and an array of services including Meet and Greet, Baggage Handling, Air Charter Services, Lounge Access, VIP Fast Track Clearance, VIP Terminal, and Airport Transfer to make your journey a seamless, memorable experience.
Meet and Greet
Our representative will meet you at a previously specified meeting point, with the name board, to greet you and to take you to the required gate for departure or transfer.
Porter Services are provided for collecting luggage from your vehicles to the check in counter and vice versa in the event of airport transfers.
Our representative will escort you to the airport lounge where you can just kick back and relax and enjoy the complimentary snacks and drinks.
VIP Fast Track Services
To provide a hassle-free travel experience by avoiding long queues at passport control and clearance, your assigned travel assistant will expedite you through the fast-track process.
We arrange safe transfer options for travelers from the airport to their final destination. Whether it be a hotel or a local place of interest.
Dine. Shop. Explore
A plethora of restaurants and coffee shops are available with dine-in options. you can go on a little shopping spree, with our representative who can guide you, provided you have enough time and are in the mood to do some exploring.
If you are staying in Jeddah or have enough time to spare due to airport layovers you can visit some famous historical sites including the Gate to Makkah, which is a UNESCO heritage site.
Taking care of Hajj and Umrah Pilgrims
Are you worried that your elderly parents or relatives traveling to perform Hajj may find it difficult to manage on their own at the airport? Worry no more because we take extra care of the elderly focusing on providing them with a comfortable and safe airport experience. There is an independent Hajj and Umrah Terminal provided by the authorities. Whether you are here for your annual Hajj pilgrimage or an offseason Umrah pilgrim we promise to assist you in every way possible.
Our client-friendly assistance team strives to ensure you a personalized travel experience by managing all your travel details and letting you relax and enjoy your journey in peace.

domain: geography


text:
As You Know,The Most Eye-Catching Part of the New iPad a 9.7-inch Retina Display Resolution of 2048×1536 Pixels.
It is Because of Their Lack,According to Research Firm Sterne Agee,The Production Of gadgets Not Yet Come to Full Capacity,Even at very High Demand for New Plates.
Analyst Sterne Agee, Referring to Its Sources in a Production Environment, Says That Apple is Now Experiencing Tangible Problems in the Supply Chain of New iPad, Related to the Displays.The Problem is Related to Declining Demand is Not on the Tablet, Which Can Not Adequately Meet Display Manufacturers.
Of Course, That Apple is Already Taking Steps to Expand the list of Providers ( Primary at the Moment is the Samsung ) And Hopes for Soonest Normalization of the Volume of Deliveries of New Displays For the iPad.
Analysts Believe That in the Current Year,Apple Will Sell About 63 Million Tablets.This, in Particular, Contributes to the Constant Expansion of Sales Geography.April 20 New iPad will Be Available in South Korea, Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus,Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St. Maarten,Uruguay and Venezuela. A week Later, On April 27, The Tablet will be Available in Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand.
Date of Start of Official Sales in Russia,The Tablet is Not Yet Known,That Does not Stop Enterprising Vendors Sell New iPad on the “Not Official” Rates .


text:
Catching up with FUSION: If ‘money is the root of all evil’, what’s the alternative?
Where once finance was a tool used to provide capital for producers, it has become a means to an end for speculators cashing in on private and public debt along with fluctuations in currency valuations. This basis for national economic growth is unstable and the resulting profits, unequitable. One year on from featuring in REU75, we get back in touch with Dr Matilde Massó, Associate Professor at Coruña University (Spain), to see how her research under FUSION (The effects of financial capital accumulation on employment and wealth distribution), undertaken with the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme, has evolved and what new insights she has gained since last we spoke with her. In Dr Massó’s opinion, economic instability is an inherent feature of capitalism, leading to noticeable fluctuations of economic outcomes. “High levels of public indebtedness in Europe, and the commercial crisis of USA with China and Mexico, are important factors that will affect the growth of the global economy. It is worth remembering that most financial crises follow self-fulfilling mechanisms. The fear of the next crisis, combined with an unsustainable situation, is enough to bring on a downturn.” The idea that the current model is the only way to proceed is one that her research challenges, and it is in that awareness-raising of alternatives that she feels the project lives on. “I’m working hard to disseminate the main results of the project through journal articles and a book that has been approved for publication by Routledge in 2020-2021. In addition, I’m the guest editor of a special issue on the social consequences of financialisation that will be published in 2020.” FUSION explored new monetary forms to overcome the challenges associated with the social consequences of under-employment. It considered a system of valorisation based on a ground-breaking unit of account that allowed for a more balanced relationship between individual preferences, general interest and the common good. “For the moment, I’m working on the initial ideas for a theoretical prototype of a new monetary concept that will be collected in a book and a journal article that are in the process of publication,” says Dr Massó. Although the project has ended, Dr Massó is set to challenge the current perspective that there is no alternative way to measure value.

domain: finance


text:
Carolina Bed & Breakfast
Quilts, Feral Pigs and the Blue Ridge Mountains 11 Oct 2016, 6:28 am
It was a perfect Fall day as we pulled out of the Carolina Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, NC heading towards Leicester and the Sandy Mush Valley nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The warm sun shone down from a cerulean blue sky while the brisk breeze kept the day October cool. We were taking advantage of a visit from my brother and his wife to try out the Fall Farms and Artisan Tour as our guests experience it. I have been there a number of times and had a role in creating the tour but have never actually done it. We had our picnic lunches in tow and I had made appointments for us with the artists Peggy, my sister-in-law, wanted to see.
I love the drive to Sandy Mush Valley and was happy to see the pleased and surprised look on my family’s faces as the route suddenly changed from an ugly two lane strip of used car lots and empty shops to a single lane road with the beautiful green fields and surrounding mountains just starting to show the colors of Autumn. I always feel like it is a bit of a magical transition.
Our first stop was Addison Farms Vineyard where we would eat our picnic lunch and enjoy a wine tasting. The vineyard was crowded with other guests, some from our B&B and some from other Asheville Bed & Breakfast Association Inns. Because of the chill wind we chose to sit on the steps in the sunshine looking out at the grape vines instead of on the shaded porch. We munched on sandwiches while discussing the lifespan of a grape vines. (It’s about 30 years as we learned inside) then returned inside for the tasting where we were offered samples of white pinot grigio, a number of reds and a port dessert wine. I have to be honest, this is North Carolina, not the Napa Valley, and the wines reflect this. Nevertheless it is a great experience and a good way to start the tour.
Enjoying a picnic in the sun at Addison Farms Vineyard
Moving on, our first stop was at the art studio of Christine Heild, (Sky Dance Artworks). Christine is an accomplished artist who uses a variety of styles and media. I was taken by some of her still lives and chose a small acrylic painting of cherries. Peggy also purchased something (and that’s all I am going to say about that as it may appear as a gift to someone!). And James talked at
length with Christine’s husband about the solar panels on the house, the experience of living in the mountains in relative isolation (Where do you shop?), and their lives overseas in Norway. This is what makes this tour so special: not only do you get to see some truly good art but also you get to meet the artists, see their work shops and learn about their lives and inspirations.
Some of the artwork of Christine Heild
Next we visited Matt Jones at his potter’s workshop. I had met Matt before and seen his work elsewhere but had not been to his workshop in the valley. Matt is a nationally recognized artist who, in his own words, says ” my work is grounded in the Carolina traditions that go back 150 years, but I feel quite free to incorporate a modern sensibility and ideas from other cultures”. He has built a large wood-fired kiln because, as he told us, using wood gives his pottery the same feel and look as traditional pottery from earlier centuries before kilns were fired by gas or electricity. But while his methods are traditional, his work incorporates modern design and topicality. One of our favorite pieces was a large urn which had just been bought by the Asheville Art Museum. He is a tall, gentle man with a real passion for his art and proof that artist can survive and thrive in Western North Carolina!
Pottery with a modern theme in a traditional style
Our last stop was to see the quilts of Laurie Brown. Laurie lives at the end of a long, long dirt drive with a beautiful view of the mountains. When we arrived we found her in the process of finishing a quilt by sewing in the quilted design of over the pieced together fabric. It was fascinating watching the machine, carefully guided by Laurie, as it laid down the stitches. And this was where we learned about feral pigs. Apparently they are a huge problem in the mountains around her. Pigs which have escaped from farms become feral in as little as three weeks. They begin to grow hair and tusks and become aggressive. They also breed at a great rate with two litters a year of six or more piglets. They forage in the woods, eating almost anything and leaving a trail of destruction in the forest undergrowth. You can see how this can get out of hand pretty quickly. We didn’t see any pigs while we were there but Laurie told us at least 35 had been killed in the area this year!
Watching the quilting machine
Leaving the valley you finish the circuit on a long winding road with magnificent views of the valley and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a wonderful day with lots to look at and many interesting people to visit with. Just one of my favorite things to do in Asheville, North Carolina!
The Best of British Cooking 26 Sep 2016, 1:23 pm
It’s a long walk from one side of the UK to the other, lots of time to eat!
For those of you who don’t already know it, James and I recently took a break from our jobs as innkeepers at the Carolina Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, North Carolina, and traveled to the UK to hike across the width of England on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast trail. More than 200 miles took us from the west coast of Northern England to the east coast, staying overnight in small B&B’s in often tiny villages. And along the way, paradoxically enough, we discovered some of the Best of British Cooking.
Fine food is often searched for in high end restaurants in big cities, and certainly England has plenty of these. But this was not the world of Ottolenghi and Gordon Ramsey. Nor is it the England of Happy Eater Road stops and McDonald’s in fake Tudor houses. Many of the villages we passed through were no more than a small collection of houses, some doubling as bed and breakfasts, a small shop and a pub. They are surrounded by fields and farms, sheep and cattle, and hedges heavy with sun-ripened sweet blackberries. Supermarkets are a distant drive away and we often passed small stands loaded with eggs and produce which could be taken and the money deposited in an “honesty box”.
James and I ate three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, the same way the people around us were eating. Breakfast was cooked to order for us at the bed and breakfast. When we left we received a packed lunch, also made by the innkeeper. And dinner was, most nights, at the local pub. A few times, when no pub was to be had, the innkeeper also made us dinner. It was plain fare but it was fresh. Pastries were homemade, meats and gravies stewed in the kitchen and very little processed food crossed our plates. Recipes and dishes were time honored and classic. It was an intimate view of the diets and cooking of Northern England.
So what did we eat?
Breakfast always included the option of a Full English Breakfast. This consisted two eggs (fried, poached or scrambled), bacon and sausage, grilled tomato and grilled mushrooms, toast, and baked beans and/or blood pudding. Now mind, you didn’t have to have all of that. You could pick and choose the items you liked. I would often pare it right down to a poached egg on toast. One observation: these people know how to cook eggs. In 26 days there was only one instance of a less than perfectly fried or poached egg. But as you can imagine, eggs every day can get a little much after a while so there was also the option of the classic British sandwich, the Bacon Butty. This is a fried back bacon sandwich served on buttered toast. Sounds hearty and it was but it was also delicious. Sausage sandwiches were also available. We were always asked if we wanted a “sauce” to go with our breakfast. Much as I was tempted to ask for hollandaise sauce, I know they meant ketchup or HP Brown sauce (a cross between a more vinegary ketchup and A-1 Steak Sauce). Nothing sweet like french toast or pancakes was ever offered.
A Full English Breakfast was always available
I was delighted when given the choices for our first packed lunch. Having lived in England for 7 years I already had a fondness for the Cheese and Pickle Sandwich. The cheese should be a good English cheddar and the pickle will be Branston Pickle.This is not an American style dill or sweet pickle. It is almost a relish or chutney made of a variety of diced vegetables in a thick and vinegary tomato based sauce. The Ploughman’s Lunch served at many pubs consists of a chunk of cheese, a piece of good bread and Branston Pickle. This sandwich is the to-go version. Other sandwich options included ham (on bread with butter) and “salad” which was lettuce, tomato and cucumber on buttered bread. One of the more interesting options we were given was a cheese and carrot sandwich.
Best of all was when we got meat pies!
Sometimes the meat pies were homemade…
A meat pie is just what it sounds like, meat in one form or other encased in pastry to form a small hand-held pie. Our pies ranged from elegant to home-made. The homemade pie consisted of minced lamb, boiled potatoes and carrots and gravy. The elegant pie was bought from a pie shop and was a small tart fill with a type of pork country-style pate and topped with cranberries.
Sometimes the pork pies came from a shop. But they were always delicious!
Along with the sandwich (or pie) we would be given a bag of chips, an apple and if we were lucky a piece of cake. The cake was, as you would expect, British style not American. Sometimes it was fruitcake, sometimes treacle or ginger cake and on occasion we would receive a slice of flapjack (a sweet oat bar made from oats, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup). We loved it when we got real cake and liked to eat it when we stopped to share a thermos of hot tea in mid-morning.
The pubs where we ate dinner were often the only dining option in town. Here we would usually run into a few other hikers as well as a assortment of local townspeople. Even the smallest town had a pub and on weekends this could be quite busy. The choices never changed much but a few things were really excellent. Steak and Ale pie would be counted on to be a good choice with a thick rich gravy and tender meat in a flaky crust. Lamb shank, if available, would usually be local lamb slow-cooked to fall off the bone, Gammon Steak (ham) was never something I wanted but was popular with the locals, as were sausages and mashed potatoes and, of course, fried fish. James claims that the British have perfected the fried onion ring and would often order them along with his chips (french fries). About the only thing it was hard to get was fresh vegetables or salad. Side vegetables, when offered, were always over cooked carrots, boiled cauliflower and sometimes broccoli. A memorable meal was at the local “Chippie” (Fish and Chip Shop) where we had fried cod, fried halloumi cheese, fried onion rings and, of course, fried potatoes. Our side veg was ketchup!
Fish and chips, onion rings and fried cheese with a side of ketchup
And finally dessert (or pudding). I never realized that James had not experienced Sticky Toffee Pudding before. This soft cake served hot with caramel sauce and custard (or ice cream) was his new favorite and he tried it everywhere from the best restaurant in London to the lunch on Virgin Air. I believe the final count was eleven different versions. When that was not available, Eton Mess was on offer: crumbled meringue tossed with whipped cream and strawberry jam. They tried to sell this to me as a British version of the Australian Pavlova but I’ve had Pavlova made by Aussies and this is not the same!
It all sounds very English and sometimes heavy but in actuality it was often just what was needed after a long day walking up to the moors in all kinds of weather.
But my all time favorite treat was a sweet, ripe, sun-warmed blackberry picked off the bramble as we walked by. And of all the things I would like try out here at the Carolina Bed & Breakfast it is to create an apple and blackberry topping for our sweet popovers in celebration of the best British pudding of all: Apple and Blackberry Crumble. Yum.
Autumn is blackberry season in the UK.
The Sausage Roll 15 Sep 2016, 8:29 am
Well, my parents are nearing the end of their long hike. The daily updates have been wonderful, mostly recaps on the weather, how they have honed their bog-traversing skills – and lots and lots of talk about food and what they have been eating. When you hike 16 miles in a day, you get to eat whatever you want!
England is not known for the food, but my parents are debunking the “British cooking is awful” myth one meal at a time. I won’t spoil anything because given my mothers love of cooking and food, I’m sure she will want to recap their culinary adventures, however I did think this would be a good opportunity to share with you the recipe for a classic British staple: the sausage roll. This is not a hot dog in a blanket – though that is its American cousin. These are great for parties – you can make them ahead of time and freeze them.
Amazingly, my father had never had one until this trip to England! How that is possible after living in England for 6 years is beyond me. But he’s seen the light, and agrees they are fantastic. So I’m passing on the recipe to you – this is a modified version of Delia Smith’s sausage roll recipe. Delia Smith is the British equivalent of Martha Stewart, without the scandal and jail time. If you’re ever looking for a solid, authentic Brit recipe, start with Delia.
Makes 12 Sausage Rolls
- One package of store bought puff pastry
- 8 oz of pork sausage meat
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 rounded tablespoons of chopped sage leaves
- Salt and pepper
- 1 egg – beaten
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Roll out your puff pastry to (2) 12”x 4” rectangles.
Mix the sausage meat, onion, sage and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Divide the sausage meet into two and roll each piece out with your hands on a lightly floured surface until they are each 12” long.
Place one roll of sausage meat onto one strip of pastry. Brush the beaten egg along one long edge of the pastry, then fold the pastry over and seal it as carefully as possible. Roll the whole thing over so the sealed edge is underneath and gently roll lightly so the pastry is sealed. Repeat with the second piece of pastry and sausage meat.
Use a sharp knife to cut each roll into six sausage rolls. Cut three V shapes in the top of each roll with scissors and brush with the beaten egg.
Place the rolls on a baking sheet and bake high in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool
Serve hot. I like to eat them with ketchup mixed with a little bit of chili sauce. Delia suggests pickled shallots. You can dress up the sausage mixture if you want to get fancy, the possibilities are endless: chopped apple, parsley, mustard, nutmeg – go crazy!
You can store cooled sausage rolls in the freezer. Just defrost them for an hour at room temperature and warm them in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
The Real Begining of the Carolina Bed and Breakfast – Guest Post 7 Sep 2016, 7:09 am
Followers of this blog and The Carolina Bed & Breakfast’s social media accounts may have already seen that James and Susan aren’t here this week. For those of you who are not regular readers or just stumbled upon this post – I encourage you to put this blog on your bookmark list. As you’ll quickly figure out (no doubt this post will help you on your way) The Carolina Bed & Breakfast isn’t your run-of-the-mill business blog.
For all of you who don’t know where James and Susan are (from this point forward I shall just refer to them as my parents), they are currently walking across (yes ACROSS) England for the next month. While they are gone they have entrusted their inn to their incredible innkeeper Sara, and they have handed over their blog (for whatever insane reason) to me, their daughter Sarah, and they told me I can write about whatever I want to write about! Which I think is incredibly risky given my history of blog posts – but hey, like I said – this isn’t your run-of-the-mill blog.
So I get to be your guest blogger for the next month. I have no idea what you, or I am in for – but I guess we’ll find out.
My family lived in England for about six years from when I was six until I was twelve. We had British accents, we went to British schools, we loved “Top of the Pops” and The Spice Girls (who didn’t?) and Branson Pickle sandwiches (who did?). We thoroughly loved living there (can you tell I’m writing this blog post in my British accent?).
Anyway, my family is one of many traditions. I think we add a new tradition every time my family gets together or has a holiday. I often joke that in 30 years we’re just going to be one very long walking anecdote with so many traditions that we don’t do anything else.
We have added a fairly new family tradition that I am a big fan of. Any time anyone goes on a trip they have to write the whole family a daily summary of their trip via email. Think of it as a longer (and much faster) form of the postcard. AND if two people are on the trip then they switch off days – which makes it a delight to read, because you get someone else’s perspective.
My favorite part of my day right now is waking up in the morning, making my self a cup of tea, and sitting down to read about the adventure my parents had the day before.
Before they started on their epic walk my parents had a couple of days in our old stomping grounds to visit our old house, and our old pub, and our old school. They also had the opportunity to meet up with some of our (I won’t call them old) friends.
I had been struggling with what to start this guest blogging venture out with, and their update came as a gift.
I’ll just start at the beginning – and sit tight this is a long story….
Growing up overseas you learn very quickly that your family is your “tribe”. When you pick up and move they are going to be the only faces you know in your new home. It is always nerve-wracking (there’s another Brit-ism for you) when you are a new person in a new place, and especially so when you are in a new country and you are a kid.
We had moved to England from Hong Kong, which is quite a culture shock. BUT we were lucky enough to have moved not only with our family, but with two other families that had lived in Hong Kong with us and were our closest friends. This was sheer luck, it wasn’t planned, I have no idea how it happened, but suddenly our tribe of 5 was a tribe of 16!!
The Godfrey’s and the Millers. My extended family until I was twelve, they were such a massive part of my life in so many ways.
So fast forward to Murray expedition 2016 and my parents met up with Godfrey’s and Millers. We got a picture text of my parents at dinner with the Millers, and it inspired this blog post.
When my parents announced to me 8 years ago that they were opening a bed and breakfast I was a little confused and a little concerned. Confused because it didn’t sound like there was anything fun involved in running a bed and breakfast and this was their retirement plan (aren’t you supposed to play golf or something?) and concerned because….there doesn’t sound like anything fun involved in running a bed and breakfast. And I’ve pretty much stayed confused for the last 8 years, I’m just not concerned anymore.
BUT! When this picture of the Millers and my parents at dinner showed up on my phone, I had what Oprah would call an “Ah-Hah” moment. Because my parents had essentially been running a bed and breakfast MANY years before they were officially running one.
Now we’re going to rewind…..
There are not words to write here about how lucky I am to have been given the family that I have. There are so so so many happy memories that I have, that I’m sure one day it will make a very obnoxious and ridiculous memoire. Some of my favorite memories are the summers spent in England with the Godfrey’s and the Miller’s. I use the term “Summer” loosely to indicate how endless the days felt and the absence of having to go to school, but there really isn’t “summer” in England so it could have been any time of the year.
The Murray’s and the Godfrey’s and the Miller’s ran a rolling kid’s bed and breakfast. It worked like this. Someone (let’s say the Godfrey’s) would decide to have everyone over for a day of food, and drinking (if you were a parent) and general merriment. We would play board games, sometimes the parents would play board games without us, there were epic Nintendo battles, and climbing of trees, and shooting of bee-bee guns (that never worked out well) and forts built. The parents would sit outside and talk and enjoy the sun, and we would destroy the house and make trouble. At the end of a very long day and late at night as our parents got ready to leave we would beg, BEG them “Can we stay the night!? Please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze!?” And our parents would look at the Godfrey’s who would say “Ok.” And we’d all jump up and down and cram 12 little bodies into 4 beds and be up all night telling stories.
The next day the plan would begin early before the adults woke up. Do you think our parents would let us play here another day? Do you think your parents would!? We’d ambush them over breakfast and they would say “You have to ask your parents” and we’d get our plan together about how, and what we were going to say on the phone “We’re having so much fun mummy, and we don’t want to leave, do you think it would be ok, can we please, pleeeeeeeeeeze stay another day??”. In hindsight I can’t imagine that this was anything but a home run for Mom and Dad who had an entire extra day AND night to themselves.
So we’d stay another day. And hatch a plan in the middle of the night to see if we could convince our parents to have this make-shift summer camp/kids bed and breakfast continue at someone else’s house the next day. And we were always over-joyed when our parents said yes. Though, let’s face it, they were really just taking one for the team and paying the Godfrey’s back for letting us stay at and destroy their house for two or three days.
Those memories are some of my happiest. And I think I tell this story often, though it may be a product of how happy I felt, maybe it wasn’t as epic as I remember it, maybe my sisters have different memories, but it all came back again when my mom sent that picture over. None of them look older, they look just the same, I love them just the same. And that was when I realized, that a bed and breakfast had always been in the cards for my parents, because they had given us one long ago.
Beer, Food and Asheville: The Sierra Nevada Brewery hits a Home Run 3 Aug 2016, 5:00 am
Sierra Nevada Brewery
Asheville, it’s a beer city, it’s a foodie town, it’s a music town, it’s a mountain town. Our city is so many things! And just when we thought we had it all figured out, someone comes along and surprises us. After hearing great reviews from our guests, last week James and I took a drive out from our downtown Asheville B&B to the recently opened Sierra Nevada Brewery.
Located just past the Asheville Airport, about 20 minutes from the Carolina Bed & Breakfast, the Sierra Nevada Brewery is reached by means of a long meandering driveway which takes you past hops growing in the fields and remnants of different time when brewing beer was much less automated. It is a lovely entrance, and sets the tone for the experience awaiting you. James and I were not coming for a tour (although everyone tells me we must try one), we were taking Abby, our daughter, out to dinner and trying out a new restaurant at the same time.
A long row of Beer Taps to choose from!
Through the front windows of the brewery we could see giant copper kettles glowing in the light (hmmm, yes, need to take the tour) but our destination was the Taproom to the left. We were amazed at how busy it was for a Monday evening! We hadn’t thought to make reservations but we able to buy a flight of beer at the bar and then took it outside on the veranda to enjoy. The idea was to try the beers in the flight and then you will know which beer to buy. The sun was setting over the hills, the air was a comfortable temperature, families sat around the tables and played corn-hole. Behind us a large truck was being filled with spent grain. We did not mind at all waiting a short half-hour for a table.
Once seated inside,we were intrigued by the menu. At the Sierra Nevada Brewery they have a wide variety of small plates intended to be shared so that guests can enjoy a variety of beer and food pairings. It was at the same time elegant and fun. Not at all your usual taproom fare!
We started by sharing a plate of Duck Fat Fries, a plate of Lamb Tartare and a plate of two types of Spring Peas, Asparagus and Radish over a Goat Cheese and Black Garlic sauce. Each was delicious! Then James finished with a Burger, I had the Chicken Fried Quail and Abby went for a Mason Jar Salad. Everything was great. The service was attentive and the entire experience a pleasure. We all agreed that this would be a good spot to bring someone new to Asheville to see something a bit outside of the normal areas.
Spring Peas, Asparagus and Radish with Goat Cheese
Definitely worth the visit!
Completely Nuts Bar: A Recipe for Nuts.com 18 Jul 2016, 9:00 am
Last week I heard a recipe contest being held by Nuts.com asking people to create a snack using at least four of their products. Since it gave me a chance to take a break from working on my cookbook, (Our Family Table: Lessons and Recipes from a Life Abroad, due out October 2016) I thought “Why not?”
Then I got the list of ingredients from which I needed to use and I thought “This is completely nuts!“.
I do a lot of baking at our Asheville Inn, the Carolina Bed & Breakfast. In addition to the muffins, cookies and breads which are standard fare in the B&B industry, we like to put a small treat in our guests’ rooms while they are out at dinner. These range from mini-cupcakes to tiny tarts to small bar cookies and more. So I decided to do a take on a pecan pie bar using lots of different nuts and a light batter to bind it instead of the traditional brown sugar and dark syrup and spice combination. I chose some of the more elegant nuts on the list for this and took a step outside of the box in adding Green Tea Matcha Powder to the base layer. And finally, as a bonus item, I used almond flour to replace the flour I use in the batter. Then I took a leap of faith and put in our guests’ rooms.
Homerun! The plates came back empty and a couple of people asked me about them before they left today. In my book, that’s success!
COMPLETELY NUTS BAR
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Grease or line an 8X8 baking pan
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
Pulse base ingredients together until it resembles green sand
2 tbsp Green Tea Matcha Powder
2 cups flour
Place butter, sugar, green tea powder and flour in the bowl of a food processor and pulse together until it looks like green sand. Pour into the prepared pan, using your hands to pat it evenly into place, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until starting to brown around the edges.
While the base is cooking, prepare the filling.
1/4 unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp Almond Flour
2/3 cup Pistachio Nuts, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup Hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup Macadamia Nuts, coarsely chopped
Place the melted butter together with the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and blend together until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the salt, vanilla, lemon juice and milk
Ready to go in the oven!
and mix until smooth. Add the nuts and almond flour and stir together. Pour over the pre-cooked base and cook for 30-35 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Makes 16 bars.
COMPLETELY NUTS BAR!
Making the Most of Summer Fruits 13 Jul 2016, 6:00 am
One of the fun things about eating seasonally is enjoying the abundance of fruit in the summer. Yesterday James and I were able to choose between cherries, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, blackberries, raspberries and peaches for lunch. Operating our Bed & Breakfast in Asheville NC means more food than most in our refrigerator. Of course, your fridge probably doesn’t have such a wide variety of summer fruits in it all at once!
With so much to choose from, why bother dressing the fruit up? And I get this. I love the “grab and go” quality of a beautiful bowl of fruit. But sometimes it’s nice to do a little bit more. So here are two wonderful and easy-to-make sauces which you can use to give your summer fruit a special flare!
Both of these recipes use Mascarpone Cheese as a base. Mascarpone is an Italian triple-cream cheese which is made, like many cheeses, through the introduction of a bacterial cultural to the cream. When you add sugar and liquids to Mascarpone, the culture is re-awakened resulting in a sauce which will thicken as it sits. This doesn’t mean you can’t make your sauce ahead. but it does mean that if you do make it ahead you should make less than you need as you will probably need to thin it down before serving.
You can serve these sauces on top of your summer fruits and berries as is, or you can take advantage of the natural affinity of these fruits to pair with the fresh herbs which are also so abundant just now. One of the best ways to do this is to make an infusion, a sort of herbal sweet tea, and toss the fruits gently in it either just before serving or the night before.
RASPBERRIES WITH LEMON MASCARPONE CREAM
½ cup fresh berries per person
1 half cup lemon curd (commercial or home made)
2 tbsp mascarpone
1 tbsp heavy cream
Arrange the raspberries in a pretty glass or bowl.
Whisk together the lemon curd and mascarpone until it is smooth. Thin with heavy cream to a thick cream. Place a large dollop on top of the raspberries.
The process used to make the sweet basil syrup in this next recipe can be adapted to other herbs and combinations. Try it with fresh mint (and a little ginger) or lemon-thyme .
Fresh Blackberries in Sweet Basil Syrup with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream
BLACKBERRIES IN SWEET BASIL SYRUP with MASCARPONE VANILLA CREAM
For the Mascarpone Vanilla Cream:
2 tbs Mascarpone (room temp)
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
For the Syrup:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup semi-sweet wine
½ vanilla bean (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
1 cup tightly packed Basil leaves
Juice of one lemon
Combine sugar, water and wine in a saucepan. Add the vanilla bean (or extract). Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature. Strain.
2 pints blackberries
Marinate blackberries in the sweet basil syrup at least 8 hours or up to two days. The longer they soak the more flavour they will pick up from the basil. Serve with a little sauce, topped with a dollop of Mascarpone Vanilla Cream (thin with cream if needed) .
Look for these recipes and more in my cookbook, Our Family Table: Lessons and Recipes from a Life Overseas, available in October 2016!
Picnic On Top of Cold Mountain 6 Jul 2016, 2:44 pm
James and I are getting ready for another big hike, this time across the width of the UK. It’s a long hike, 190 miles, and will take us almost three weeks to complete so we have begun training in earnest. Of course it’s not really fair to call it “training” when it is so much fun and something we would be doing anyway! This 4th of July we decided to take a picnic to the top of Cold Mountain.
It’s not an easy hike. At 6,030 ft the summit is an arduous 11 mile round trip adventure which climbs 3,000 feet to the mountain’s top. But it’s worth the effort. Cold Mountain is part of the Shining Rock Wilderness area in the Pisgah National Forest. As such it is left as much as possible in its natural state. If you read Charles Frazier’s novel “Cold Mountain” or saw the 2003 movie of the same name, then you will understand me when I say the mountain is probably much like it was during the Civil War. The trail is well worn but narrow and filled with rocks and roots. Shortly after we began the ascent the noise of the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp faded behind us. Sunlight filtered through the trees and the only sounds (besides our breathing) were the whine of the
One of the many beautiful wild flowers growing on Cold Mountain
occasional gnat and birds singing in the distance. Hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I often ponder how hard life must have been for the early explorers and settlers. I find myself thinking about hiking in long skirts and heavy shoes, helping to manhandle wagons over the passes and back down into the valley’s below and I am filled with awe for their accomplishment.
We saw no one as we climbed. There was the occasional leaf pierced by someone’s hiking pole and once I saw a boot print but other than that it was completely ours. After about two and a half hours of hard work we came upon a rocky outlook. The trail guide said that the view from the top was obscured by bushes and suggested this outcrop as a good picnic place. So we off-loaded our day packs there and climbed the last quarter mile enjoying the freedom of a dropped 20 pounds! You can imagine our feelings when we reached the pinnacle of Cold Mountain and discovered that someone else had gotten there first. Isn’t that just the way of life? If you want go to turn around in a driveway the car behind you will always belong to the driveway’s owner. And if you climb a deserted mountain the only person you meet will be enjoying the view from top (and there was totally a good place to picnic there!). But nevermind. He was a nice man and had an interesting story so it was all good. Saying good-bye, we returned to our bags and spent a lovely half an hour looking at the view and sharing our picnic.
Nope, we didn’t get there first!
After that it was down and down and down and down until we reached the base and returned to the Carolina Bed & Breakfast, tired but happy.
Summer in My Asheville Garden 20 Jun 2016, 5:30 am
Victory in The Garden!
It’s definitely summer here in Asheville. The days are long (and hot) and my garden is growing like crazy, albeit helped by James’ faithful rounds of watering at the Carolina Bed & Breakfast.
Our flower gardens are onto their fourth year and have moved from newly-planted to established.You have probably seen pictures of the flowers which cycle through from snow-drops to daffodils, peonies to daisies, lilies to pansies, mums to winter roses and more. My tiny vegetable garden gets less publicity. We have so many wonderful farmer’s markets here in Western North Carolina that we don’t need to grow much. What we do grow is more for the pleasure (and challenge) of produce from our own garden.
I have to be honest that before moving here my experience with vegetable gardens was limited to watching my mother as I was growing up, and appreciating the labors of our gardener in England. He was named Mr. Green (for real) and came with the house. The owners rightly wanted to make sure that the well-established garden was properly taken care of. The garden there was bountiful with fresh fruits and vegetables ranging from artichokes to melons and more. It was not until we bought our Asheville Bed and Breakfast that I had the space, time, and climate to try a garden of my own. The learning curve has been slower than I would have liked, delayed by construction and changes in landscaping. Every time I thought I had a good site we had to move it and it took forever to find a place where there was enough sun. But this year it seems to all be coming together. Here is what I have learned:
Plant radishes early and often. An early hot spell put an end to my radishes. Did you know that radishes produce roots when the temperature is under 80 degrees but anything above that and they work on sprouting leaves and flowers? Neither did I! So good-bye to radishes for this year. (note to self, plant earlier and more often next year).
On the other hand, my tomatoes are already heavy with fruit. The ones that survived the battle with Early Blight, that is. I love heirlooms tomatoes but there is something to be said for the disease resistant Big Beef tomato! Every year I make the same mistake with my tomatoes. I buy too many plants and plant them too close together. I thought I would protect my heirlooms by
Early indications are for a great tomato harvest.
surrounding them with hybrids but they were still too close to one another and the disease spread. I always think that I will be able to pinch off the growing tips to keep the branches from spreading too far but I swear they grow two feet every night and before I know it the garden is a massive tangle of branches. So plant the tomatoes farther apart and buy fewer plants. Trust that I will get more from a few healthy plants than dozens of struggling ones.
And, at long last, I seemed to be succeeding with zucchinis. For years I have listened to jokes about the endlessly abundant zucchini plant only to watch mine wither and die after a few meager flowers. But this year I am on top of my game (at least so far) and I caught the powdery mildew at its outset. Sarah, my daughter, has made stuffed zucchini flowers for me and I harvested my first reasonably sized fruit yesterday. This year, I visit the garden every day and look at the leaves, top and bottom. And I am suppressing my dislike of pesticides and spraying and attacking disease the minute it shows up (using organic products of course!).
Stuffing Zucchini Blossoms!
And the jalapenos? Knock on wood, jalapenos have never failed me. This year is proving the same. I already have almost enough to candy my first batch. Curiously I also seem to have a white jalepeno plant. It must have gotten mixed in with the other plants. They are supposed to be slightly less spicy than the green variety which would work well here as I have to be aware that not all of our guests love fiery hot food the way my family does. No lessons to be learned here (yet). Jalapenos and I understand each other just fine!
And finally, the addition of Otis, our family cat, means that the groundhogs and squirrels are looking for another garden to pillage!
So when you visit us here at our inn, take a minute to appreciate my small plot. It probably doesn’t look like much but it’s getting there.
Food Photography at the Carolina Bed & Breakfast 5 Jun 2016, 5:30 am
Getting the cookies in the right pose! (photo courtesy of Abby Murray)
Things have been hopping here at the Carolina Bed & Breakfast. Not only has the season started for all things Asheville but I have also been working hard on my cookbook. Those of you who follow this blog may remember that one of my New Year’s resolutions was to finish my second cookbook. At the time I was just hoping for a small cookbook with recipes for some of the sweets and savory small bites we serve here at our Blue Ridge Mountain inn. I had planned to self-publish it similar to my first cookbook, Recipes from a Big Family.
Small dreams sometimes lead to big things. In January I talked with a friend who is an editor and food stylist here in Asheville. I met her when I was a contributor to Farmer & Chef South, a compilation of recipes from restaurants and B&Bs in Western North Carolina. She was very excited by my project and, before I knew it, I had an editor, a book designer, a printer and a marketing manager. And it is no longer just “Cupcakes and Canapes” (as previously titled); now “Our Family Table” contains 120 recipes and tips collected from around the world as we moved from Paris to Hong Kong to London and to Singapore with lots of travels in between.
Working on a cookbook can be a tough slog. Recipes have to be checked and doubled checked. Amounts need to be calculated (It’s not good enough to say a handful of this and a pinch of that!). Directions need to be tested, read and re-read. But it’s not all desk work. This past week we brought together my whole family and did a photo shoot hoping to come up with a cover photo as well as some other good food shots.
Getting in close over the BBQ Lamb
In preparation, I cooked for three days. Cookies needed to be made but we also needed extra batches of dough so we could take pictures of them being prepared. A full set of evening canapes plus a back up was prepared. Two of my family’s favorite dinners were cooked: Greek Lemon Chicken and a Butterflied BBQ Leg of Lamb. We all really hoped that no one would do anything in the name of photography which would render them inedible as tales of hairspray and fake ice cream made of mashed potatoes were tossed about. But I admit that I did overcook the quiche so that the pieces would hold together perfectly when sliced (shhhhh!)
A super-heated metal skewer is used to make “grill marks” on tomatoes and peppers
Then on Wednesday morning Emily boarded a flight at 4:30AM from Chicago to Asheville and Abby got up and drove from Charlotte so that “Our Family Table” would have the whole family present! For me it was a wonderful excuse to have them all together for two random days in June.
Erin Adams was our food photographer. She did a lot of the food photography for our website so I knew what to expect. She does great work so I have to make the disclaimer that the photos I am using in this blog were NOT taken by her!
My Iphone shot of Erin’s set-up for my Tomato Brie Quiche. If this is good, I bet hers is amazing!
Look for my cookbook to be out in late September. I will definitely keep you posted!

domain: hobby


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I've made some progress on my Dalish Inquistor. The bodice is in progress (pics soon)
So I had a round about way of figuring out how to do this. First, I thought that the vinyl I purchased would be thinner and a bit more flexible. So I went about creating the base of the bodice in craft foam and cover it in the vinyl.
But that wasn't quite working out because the vinyl was too thick and stuff. So I took out the craft foam save for the bra cups. Which I placed too high up at first. Then I realize that I'd have to cut and sew the bodice...you know like an actual pattern of a bodice.
...now it fits and looks nice-ish. I'm just glad the belt is so thick. :P So I have some more detail to put on this as well as a way to lace it up in the back. Then I'll work with my new airbrush to get some battle damage!
Then there's the chain mail which was going to be made out of a grey net mesh. I cut out pieces for a turtleneck shirt and leggings, pinned them to the dummy and let it sit there for weeks.
I kept looking at it and thinking: "This isn't right. It looks dull and not like metal at all. AT ALL. So I decided to get new fabric that was shiny. Now I have metallic fishnet fabric that I have to make into a pair of leggings and a turtleneck shirt.
I plan on ordering some worbla after my next paycheck or two. I have the pattern for the helmet cut out. I'll have to make a test in foam.
In other news, I'll be heading out to RTX this year. I don't think my pink halo armor really fits anymore. Damn these hips not lying about how much cake I eat! Truth...I eat a lot of cake. I might just wear the helmet. THAT fits.


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In its quest to engage the youth in the fight against corruption, the AntiCorruption
Bureau has organized the first National Anti-Corruption Youth
Forum. It will be held at Linde Motel in Mponela on 30th and 31st May, 2018.
The theme of the forum will be: Integrating the Youth in the fight against
The main objective of the forum is to provide an environment where the youth
can share experiences on corruption issues and challenge them to play their
role in the fight against corruption. The forum will bring together 50 young
people from all the twenty eight districts in Malawi. It will give the youth an
opportunity to network and share ideas on how they can mobilise fellow youths
from their areas in the fight against corruption. The Forum has been organized
by the Anti-Corruption Bureau with funding from the Malawi Government.
EGRITA M. NDALA
SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: DIRECTOR GENERAL

domain: sociology


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Most of the time, the likes of Google, Tesla, Uber, and the traditional American automakers tend to dominate the conversation surrounding the advent of autonomous vehicles – and the impact this new technology will have on every facet of the automotive market (customer purchasing tendencies, the dealership's role in this new process, etc.). However, your dealership can't afford to forget that plenty of other international players are also capturing as much of this market share as they can in the lead up to this next great shift in the industry.
Chief among this category? The "Google of Beijing," Baidu.
While it might not seem obvious initially how Baidu, a member of China's tech "Big Three," could impact dealerships and automakers halfway around the globe, a quick look at the company's recent unveiling of the Apollo 3.5 driverless car platform at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas should get you off on the right path. As Venture Beat's Kyle Wiggers explains, the latest version of the Apollo self-driving software platform aims to bring autonomous driving to the enterprise level via vehicle fleet management solutions and controls.
Aside from the fact that this open source platform can tackle everything from managing autonomous taxi, valet, and ride-hailing services to assessing and adapting to complex urban and suburban driving scenarios, Apollo 3.5 – and its scalable business solution, Apollo Enterprise – currently lays claim to over 130 global partners, including Nvidia, Intel, and Udelv (a California-based delivery service that just recently announced the launch of a fleet of 100 Apollo-powered autonomous delivery vehicles). Perhaps even more astounding is the fact that plenty of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as Ford, Volvo, Hyundai, and China's Chery, have all adopted the enterprise version of this platform for use in 300 various car models.
In other words, while most members of the automotive community expected a traditional tech giant like Google or one of the American automakers to be the first to break through and make self-driving vehicles a ubiquitous part of everyday life, Baidu could actually be the one to win this race – and potentially also capture the holy grail of being the company that creates a standardized self-driving software platform that defines the marketplace.
Want to dig even deeper into the story surrounding Baidu's Apollo 3.5 self-driving platform and how it could serve as yet another indicator that the automotive marketplace is headed for irrevocable change? Then feel free to follow along with Wiggers in his complete breakdown of this developing story on the other side of the link offered up below.


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Did You Know? – Reba McEntire
She'll sing "America the Beautiful" at the Brickyard 400 on July 31st.
Reba will be honored by the Academy of Country Music at the Ryman Auditorium on September 19th.
She loaned out her vacation home in Cancun, Mexico to Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton for their honeymoon.
She's heading out this fall on tour with Eden's Edge, The Band Perry and Steel Magnolia as openers.
Reba and Blake Shelton raised more than $500,000 for tornado relief in their home state of Oklahoma.
Reba has red hair, a nose and two ears.


Chvrches hit the stage last week for our Artist To Watch Live event in New York City, where they rocked out with a cadre of songs from their debut LP, The Bones Of What You Believe.
The Scottish electro-pop band has managed to build up a solid wall of buzz this past year — all on the power of their excellent Recover EP, which dropped in March. Replete with danceable yet darkly driving jams — cut through with Lauren Mayberry’s bell-toned voice — the EP had us slathering for full-length effort, The Bones of What You Believe, which dropped this week (September 24).
In an interview with MTV, Chvrches were humble about their burgeoning fame. "I don't think we'd consider ourselves famous at this point," Martin Doherty told us. "We're just getting on with what we're doing. I think we've got a bit to go before we can say that."
But now that their '80-tinged debut is out of the bag, we're sure that that is all primed to change.
"A lot of our earliest, most impressionable moments with music were when we were growing up watching movies and the songs from the soundtracks, but also the score," Iain Cook said, speaking about what influences the band's sound. "A lot of sci-fi and horror scores from the '80s where they wouldn't use orchestras and they would use electronic instruments, I guess for budgetary reasons or whatever, tend to be particularly memorable, because they can be really gnarly and they work really well with the gore."
If you have yet to hear any of the band's "gnarly" debut effort, you're in luck. We have footage of the trio performing five of their tracks live at The Studio at Webster Hall, including breakout singles "Recover" and "The Mother We Share." Check them out right about here.
The Bones of What You Believe is out now on Glassnote.


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tv [untitled] November 11, 2010 6:30pm-7:00pm EST
hi glad to see. been pitched on the sure of the black sea every year for the last fifteen. straight. it separates ukraine in crimea from russian territory. in one thousand nine hundred three during world war two the most terrible battles shook this region. distrait waters dozens of soviet and german ships sunk in around the same time. the expedition members have only four days to explore the ships at the top of the list is a soviet armored boat sunk in the summer of one nine hundred forty three. there were
two gun terrorists our task is to look over everything here and prepare a detailed report. according to satellite imaging the boat is not far from the shore and is at a considerably shallow depth. however the divers are not expecting much from the first dish even knowing its exact location they doubt they'll find a boat in the opaque waters of the black sea. better gold. in one tank will be sufficient for two hours according to the schedule the initial dive is not to last more than forty minutes but the for about an hour under the surface when they come up the reason for the delay becomes apparent they found their boat if. it.
was there we saw the gun turret the. thick there is a part of the gun tower and the machine. will write down a description in a minute for. it to seem time for several thousand kilometers to the east another expedition is setting off from the bank of the world's deepest freshwater lake lake baikal. to the people on this barge floating on a huge lake is the same as being in outer space they see. of themselves as astronauts of the aquatic world and their deep sea submersibles look much like spacecraft. meet mir one in year two machines designed during the soviet period back in the one nine hundred eighty s. these water craft can dive to
a depth of six thousand meters however they won't need to reach the dead deep in my call is the deepest parts of the lake or within one and a half kilometers of the surface. mia to depths fourteen hundred fifteen minutes is at the boss from. the motorboat to near one finish taking samples begin the baling. it's the third expedition of the submarines in my call within two months the hydra nuts plan to perform many experiments during dozens of individual dives. with us move abroad this time perform very accurate exploration in order to make a water analysis chart find out the chemical composition of the sediment and to finish the research on the geology old lady called.
good luck on the sofa we go. to let the expedition begin. five men a dog and then both always does the old for travelling the expedition starts in st petersburg their destination the russian river volkov. just where sail into the river of old cove. as one of the areas where we try to trick the old water routes in the olden times the majority of trips where. this predicament ends you sail over the sea into the mouth of a river and then head upstream to a certain city. many boats stayed in a permanent moring along st petersburg him banquets many ships were turned into restaurants but the explorers are not interested in these boats they're attracted by untouched history such as the sunken vessels.
you experience the strongest emotions when you dive and finding you want to achieve and see things nobody would expect. there are many ships in the gulf of finland having seen any by me. the next day the expedition heads across lake la to go to the river. it's an old russian waterway and the real paradise for underwater explores. the years in a trade. is a different circumstances. when the ship sinks it stays at the river. and ends up being slowly colorless sand and silt. if you will try to find the old ships. and how they worked.
out that it's a plus thirty here because you have to dress as if you were the north. it's like a skiing outfit. joke five on the right. members of the expedition start their work early in the morning. drop saying above the place they believe a merchant ship was sunk. a few brief instructions before they dive this sunken target sits in relatively shallow water and they'll be able to evaluate what state it's in. it lays along and it's rather big. so you can move. the first dive last for half an hour but it's not as easy as they thought the visibility is poor and has to disappoint his colleagues.
then we'll see if there is a shell left inside. the first day of the expedition comes to an end. with oxygen divers go for a walk to have a look around. this truly long the sure is related to research to a soviet squadron was here in one thousand nine hundred three. divers normally go underwater tonight they're going underground a long time ago soldiers would go through these dark damp corridors they bring shells here and take the wounded to a safe place quite often members of the expedition do things unrelated to underwater research their only cable ducts and this must be an emergency exit for fifteen years businessman alex hunter you can has been funding expeditions to the
black sea in search of sunken ships. i was born in ukraine year and as a child i used to dive with a mask and a snorkel looking for sunken ships. and world war two landing craft. that's how i got interested in. well it's on the yoke and makes it back to dive in the black sea only once a year. i can't live without the sea. diving when the first appeared in the soviet era initially he was interested in the traces of ancient greek settlements not artifacts of war. you know. i once found a well under water but. there was a lot of anxious to go on for as scattered around it would go. on and when i took one of them out when i wanted to show it to everybody right away that they do know
that i had it straight from the surface and jumped out of the water where they are in my hands the. decision day of the mir expedition starts with some routine work but not all of this is our laboratory where we store our samples in refrigerators. there are some freezers of tables and other things. because of the living quarters and here is the toilets. and this is where we sleep an expedition just came in they're making themselves at home but. illegally stall from the bike all research institute will be our guide today he's probably the most anxious one waiting for the exhibition to begin only near submersibles are capable of reaching the depths needed to confirm his theory of how gas hydrates are formed some called these unique deep water compounds of water and methane the fuel of the future.
these people don't always get at the latest four hundred meters deep in this about the gas hydrates become unstable above those levels that we want to use this gas to form a hydrant on the surface that we're going to recorded on video to measure the temperature that they do in the middle of. mir's are capable of remaining underwater for up to two days working on their own i nag is planning to spend at least eight hours looking for gas hydrates this scientists opportunities are limited as each dive cost several thousand dollars the next opportunity to see the bottom of the lake probably won't come any time soon. culture is that so much good music. a lot of people a stereotype but look at what makes a person powerful and influential maybe it is a combination of numerous factors and forbes magazine sixty most powerful.
lives is just a parliament building in her. but then. sixty five years ago. it was the final target the last major offensive from the man army. has captured became the symbol on the fall of the financial system. and the victory over nazi germany. the follow. on r.g.p. . a moment when the world has changed forever. thousands passed to nothingness. thousands wounded. and noone to suffer to the end of the land. was the first
but probably not the last military using this weapon. many more will be come. children calm and get on in the future. members of the expedition have a lot to do by themselves including cooking. to make this stage we will need a lot of onion and a few carrots i was simple you know it is usually made with but we have none of it so we just use poultry. meanwhile the senior researcher is trying to. figure out when the ship they're studying was built. is a russian ship the construction technique is russian weekend in term and its age as of now let's just say it was built in the eighteenth century.
however is the first dive shows detailed inspection could be a problem strong currents and murky waters make it hard to get a good look at the ship the divers boat maneuvers itself in position to drop anchor right above the ship. which is ready you can ace its while and maybe some extra large portions so right here i go. will pull him out later he won't make it on his own with such a weight. an expedition to evoke of sunken ships is no punishment for these divers it's a vacation professional divers get their money from doing different kinds of work they spend most of their year studying the bottom of the baltic sea where russia is currently building a valuable gas pipeline. is more difficult and the schedule is far tighter.
ship person usually visual association you know that if a man finds himself lost in the forest or. any other place that has no clear landmarks starts going around in circles one leg is always stronger than the other one i have experienced this myself and it's the same on one leg kick stronger than the other one. finally finds the sunken vessel four metres below the surface. covered in silt and nets the ship is barely visible. spends over an hour underwater every minute he's at risk of being in. ship's fishing tackle. if you. ever
a ship has them there are many if they're in the river. and i'm up for decades. from the nets end up lost so they quinta boats and drags across the bottom and if you look at some ships you'll see that they're stuck to. you have to be very careful not to get cold when visibility is this bad the worst thing is to get. in that case you'll have to reach around your back to. the diver finally comes to the surface he was successful this time and the ship can be identified. here are the rocks nails. she the quality they iron is clear without corrosion it points to the rather great age of the ship. sundries favorite design. this ship is loaded up with slabs of limestone the most valuable local community. doesn't have is. it
four hundred meters deep depression is forty times as great as that on the surface . down here. and the only light source. is separated from the hostile environment by a thick layer of extra durable glass i we have selected several samples i mean thing is that we have found gas hydrates at the slope of the bad deposits the second finding out by cal i. got lucky it turned out that the barge from which the mirrors were lowered stopped right above the place where these unique chemical compounds are formed the vessels mechanic orms begin to collect samples of ground. water. from the depths. gives us a finding we were also looking at this time we have found the second point where gas hydrates are at the surface. that's probably what crews felt like when they
saw the atlantic ocean to shoot footage eventually shown around the world. to the ocean floor by the mir vessels searchlights revealed the name of a sunken ship. was among the remotely controlled vessels during the dive to the titanic. this particular ship famous footage became part of the film that won eleven academy awards. cameron i can see he was easy to work with. was a pleasure to work with him but i know that every time he comes. up with mint and the missions are always complicated.
rumors about james cameron coming to lake baikal have been circulating ever since the expedition began not everyone believed a famous director would make the dives but mr cameron couldn't turn down an invitation from. each to have worked together on titanic. well it was very calm creative. we had a rendezvous with mir two of them a lot of way move. in silence. james cameron celebrated his fifty sixth birthday right before taking the plunge when he resurfaced. experiences he's ever had. this completely unique situation deepest freshwater lake in the world it felt like being at the bottom of the ocean. this in petersburg expedition on the river is about to conclude
they found several sunken russian barges over a five day period using sonar to go in. or smaller weighing a sandbank. it cause i'm sure we'll run into a ship since countless numbers of them well you have sunk here over a thousand year. if you can see the shoreline here. and this silhouette is probably a ship with. our vessel will soon turn around and then we'll try inspecting it again but still they can't manage to get a good look at the ships. it's hard to. put it on the table but wait.
on this one since it's colored and that's it so one big would say. that the visibility is only twenty centimeters down there so you crawl around constantly getting caught up on the net with. the divers in crew still consider the expedition a success their main objective of finding the sunken ships and charting them on maps has been completed. meanwhile on the shores of the black sea alex somebody preditions is nearing its end the tenting jim and will be gone tomorrow but there's still time for one last dive to the submerged ship. a ship. is located seven meters from the surface it's the gun turret of a sunken armored ship it's a dream he can touch be able to bring to dry land this time.
or that he can to go i think through ten days to spend here were quite fruitful of . course we couldn't bring up deterred but i think next year will be better. than. the expedition traditionally ends with the seaside picnic stories of ship wrecks are told along with several inciting tales nearly running out of oxygen tomorrow these tents will disappear from the coast of the current strait. the hum of compressors pushing oxygen into cylinder. and nobody will see the wreckage of ships hidden in a massive money until next year. for
market. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines to conjure reports. leaders of the world's twenty richest nations brainstorm ways towards a global economic recovery at the sole g. twenty summit but a showdown over a possible currencies war is stealing the spotlight. a newspaper in moscow says a top russian intelligence officer who controlled deep undercover missions in america was a double agent to the nest aspiring to the u.s.
last summer. and reports claim that the yemen mail bomb plot was simply a hoax by intelligence services but officials insist the packages which were intercepted in the u.k. and by last month were real and targeted at the u.s. . find out why the president of the world bank is urging the leading economies to re adopt a modified global gold standard and what's the chance of a new international reserve currency to overtake the dollar this and lots more in the kaiser report up next. into. the.


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Yet not have a Nobel Prize or a PhD That doesn t matter In Le Cadeau de Noël fact knowing that doesn t matter may well be a key point that Pang misses The role of ambition A lot of Pang s arguments concern creative people Yet what of you drive a lorryor a living What does this book tell us about manual labour It is all so much ivory tower musing It could have been better Don t get to smug Learn to look
beyond the page A really very useful and enlightening book Really the page A really very useful and enlightening book Really expose new
Research And Help Usand help us understand why rest is genuinely constructive I am recommending and buying Apolline - Le pot (Les petites vies d'Apolline) for those around me Fascinating read It is hard to believe that can be achieved by doing less but I have given it a go andound it really works I try to set aside just 3 hours a day of intense Apolline - Le docteur (Les petites vies d'Apolline) focused work and try to add meditative work like housework as aorm of productive downtime where my mind can wander and get creative I also gained a lot reading about the times of day to be creative I never would have thought being tired can help with creativity A must read Apolline - La brosse à dents (Les petites vies d'Apolline) for anyone who wants to be productive but has a tendency to lean towards workaholism A most engaging exuisite and uintessential compilation of research regarding the subject matter RestI readlick and write notes in the book on a weekly basis as I implement what s been researched It Apolline - Le bonhomme de neige (Les petites vies d'Apolline) forms one of my top ten reading books that include The Upward Spiral The relevance and cross over ofacts regarding the neuroscience is sublime These types of books Gare au Yeti ! form my deep play Thank you Alex Soojung Kim Pangor showing me the way. K on a task; it will help stimulate new ideas and creativity Have deliberate rest periods scheduled into your diary and use this time on trying a new activity such as painting or learning a languageWhen you rest better youll 40 expériences et défis scientifiques pour les petits débrouillards find that it wont just be your work which improves youll havetimeor hobbies stronger relationships and youll sleep better tooAn incredibly timely read DECOUVRE LES SCIENCES AVEC LES PETITS DEBROUILLARDS for my own increasingly rest starved life This might be the book toinally persuade us that downtime isnt in conflict with good work; rather its an essential ingredient of it Oliver Burkeman Guardi.
Alex Soojung Kim Pang ↠ 5 Read & DownloadFor all those that work too hard dont
switch off enough do yourself a avour andoff enough do yourself a avour and this bookits certainly given me plenty of Les Climats. Pourquoi changent-ils ?: 15 expériences faciles à réaliser foodor thought and I m sure it will change how I live my life to an extent I m La rue en toute sécurité finding this really useful during lockdown where it s easy to work too much andeel guilty Les petits débrouillards, tome 3. 45 expériences faciles à réaliser for resting this really puts things into perceptive Most people buying this will already intuitivelyeel that too much work and not enough play will make them very dull people In act I would
assume that this such a common belief that it should not even bethat this such a common belief that it should not even be Yet it remains at odds with the US style of working that I have encountered personally In such a culture there is peer pressure to work all hours skip holidays and worse of all pretend to be busy to it in and get ahead As Pang writes those of us who work in teams on complicated open ended projects long hours are an expression of our identity and proof of our seriousness He goes on to argue that this cult of the make busy doesn t make you productive Your boss may think it makes you look productive and committed but it is a terrible predictor of who s going to be good We need little convincing of this and Pang s use of science helps to reinforce the reader s natural bias However doubts remain For one the people reading this will be self selecting Intelligent people are easily bored and read a lot of books like this Readers should overcome their natural bias and ask uncomfortable uestions This story is largely held together by anecdotes stories of great scientists and artists who o.
Take A Break AndTake a break and Rest youll make smarter decisions have better relationships and be happier andcreative James Wallman author of StuffocationMany of us are interested in how to work better but we dont think very much about how to rest betterDo you regularly ind yourself too tired after a long day at the office to do anything other than binge TV or scroll mindlessly through social media Do you go on holiday and still compulsively check your email Do you work through your lunch break often not even leaving the office and getting some resh airFor most of us overwork. Llowed the sort of work life patterns that the author subscribes to Yet anecdotes are not science It gives a cosy eeling of confirmation to all our assumptions yet there must be many counter anecdotes that are
Ignored What Is Worse Is The SuspicionWhat is worse is the suspicion this may muddle cause and effect When I was at school I was told by teachers that students with extra curricular activities also did better academically They reasoned that an under performing student should take outside interests to raise their grades This could contain
obvious Les Nuages et la Pluie fallacy What being smarter simply leaves you timesor hobbies What if your home life is conducive to such a lifestyle What if you just take after your parents Smart people earn money so can spend money on other interests There are plenty of reasonable ways that explain how being smart makes you good at other stuff Maybe having a hobby doesn t make you successful maybe being successful is why you have a hobbySo if you read book do so with a healthy scepticism Certainly I no convincing of the idea that variety in life makes you a better rounded person I personally was able to go through the book PETIT DEBROUILLARD (LE) feeling pleased with myselfor ticking a Remue-méninges-défis, énigmes et quizz few of the boxes long walks Check Hobbies Check Prefer aour hour day Check Easily bored an completely unable to do absolutely nothing Check Feel inspired by nature Check These are the keys to the good life A life L'encyclopédie des petits débrouillards, tome 5: Planète Terre free of stress is important if you wish to live a long satisfying life However the examples are all of incredibly brilliant people You can check all the boxes. Is the new norm and we never truly take the time to rest and recharge But as Silicon Valley consultant Alex Soojung Kim Pang explains in this groundbreaking book rest needs to be taken seriously and to be done properly because when you rest better you work betterDrawing on emerging neuroscience Rest is packedull of practical and easy tips Les Mystères de la Vision for incorporating rest into our everyday Stopping work on a task when you know exactly what the next step is will make it easier to get started the next day and will help you set a steady working pace Take a long walk when youre stuc.An Obvious Fallacy What