Kids Today: Kids Clean up Sports Fan Graffiti

     We all saw the disgusting images of the wreckage left by Canucks hockey fans this past Winter.  Too bad the media didn't give as much play to this bunch of schoolkids, who cleaned up after them.  Good job, guys!  And thank you to the adults that banded these kids together and supported them in their efforts.  I understand this clean-up is an annual event, and I sure hope some of the players drop by and thank the children personally, hint, hint...

Kids Today: Boy Scout Builds Bocce Court for Seniors

     Matt Deneff of Troop 71 Cowessett (RI) has completed an Eagle Scout Project in which he created, from scratch, a bocce court for his local senior citizens center.  It took 175 hours, several volunteers, a discount from Lowe's home centers, and a lot of backbreaking work to complete this project.  Anyone who has ever tried to dig in our rocky New England soil can just imagine what I'm talking about, especially considering that the entire court had to be level.
     For the full story, go to:

http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/Eagle-project-has-scout-on-bocce-court-at-Pilgrim-Senior-Center,63436

WeekendTunes

     In honor of the end of the school year, what song could be more appropriate than See You in September by the Beach Boys? Click that link, it awaits you on iTunes.... But I'll see you right back here on Monday!

WeekendTunes

     New this week on the Positively Gail  playlist: The Doughnut Song by Burl Ives.  The iTunes link below will get you to the download page for this happy song.  Watch the doughnut, not the hole!  Speaking of doughnuts, Allie's in RI is my fave place to get them.

 See you on Monday!

An Inspirational Poem

     Sometimes, when I feel discouraged, I like to recite this poem.  I made my son memorize it, as well (someday, he'll thank me!) (artwork by my 8-year-old daughter)

It Couldn’t Be Done

by Edgar Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Sweet Dreams: sfogliatelle

     This amazing, clamshell-shaped pastry is a total crave food for me.  It features dozens of crunchy pastry layers wrapped around a custard or riccota filling, slightly cinnamon flavored.
     If you're an adventurous baker, here's a recipe:
http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/sfogliatelle.html
     Lucky you, if you live near Providence, RI, because they have them at:
http://www.scialobakery.com/

Kids Today: 7 Girl Scout Friends Earn Gold Award Together

   
   

     These seven young ladies have earned Girl Scouting's highest award! That's not easy, even for one girl, so I was delighted to see seven from the same troop.
        To earn the Gold Award, Elizabeth Higgs, Kate Robertson, Amelia Poore, Tessa Swanson, Emma Lustig, Caroline Perkins, and Sarah Merten of the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council each had to spend at least 65 hours on a community service project. The girls chose to serve the VA Hospital in Salem, creating a Family Garden space: a restful, outdoor alternative to the traditional waiting room. The girls split the space into smaller areas, affording more privacy to waiting families, and providing each girl with a "canvas" for her vision. The scout and 35 volunteers gave $3,500 and more than 1,270 hours to complete the projects. CWT Greenhouse donated the plantings.
     Thank you, Elizabeth, Kate, Amelia, Tessa, Emma, Caroline, and Sarah!  You have made the world a better place.  And thank you to all the adults who supported them, especially  Diane Higgs and Ruth Robertson, leaders, and Pat Montgomery, and the South Roanoke United Methodist Church.
     For the full article, including details of each project, please visit:
http://blogs.roanoke.com/sosalem/2012/05/girl-scout-gold-award-projects-benefit-va-hospital-in-salem/

WeekendTunes: Blackbird (The Beatles)

      Time to break out that iTunes card again!  Don't spend it on some mind-dulling game app; enjoy a good song instead: the Positively Gail Song of the Week(end), Blackbird, by the Beatles.   I adore birds, don't you?  They're always there, always so carefree.   How many of these birds can you spot this weekend?

Muesli: My Favorite Breakfast

     Muesli is a Swiss cereal made of oats, dried fruit, and nuts.  My mother used to buy boxes of it, and it was really expensive, even back in the '70's.  Today, I make my own out of old-fashioned oats, sugar, and a variety of dried fruit and nuts.  I get the big bags of nuts from BJ's Wholesale, and most of my dried fruits from Trader Joe's.  I'm also very fond of candied ginger root, which I obtain from Atlantic Spice, on Cape Cod.
     Shown above is a version I made right in the bowl, using dried blueberries, walnuts, toasted cocoanut, brown sugar, a touch of cinnamon, and just a kiss of Tahitian vanilla.  Fresh fruit is fine, also.
    Sometimes, I'll make a big batch and store it in the round container that originally held the oats.  It's my favorite summer breakfast (next to pastry, of course, but that's naughty...).

Winding Down

     Nothing like bathing with high-quality soap and slipping into a cotton nightgown for relaxation.  The soap pictured above is Lily, from Crabtree & Evelyn.  It produces a lot of creamy lather and the perfume remains light, but lasts for several hours.
     The nightgown in the background is a tea-length by Bali Studio, and is spring-green with white roses and touches of lace.  I can't say enough about the Bali Studio line of nightwear.  Their designs are just to my taste, and they wear very well.  I get them for an excellent price at the Hanes Outlet stores in Massachusetts.

Sweet Dreams: strawberry grand marnier torte

    I am also a confirmed pastryholic.  Just looking at pastry makes me happy, so I will be passing on photos from the great pastry of our world.  Do you live near a bakery with a really enticing window display?  Send me a photo!  Do you own a bakery?  Send me a pic of some really great pastry, and I'll feature it here.
     This is a strawberry grand marnier torte, featured at Pastry Art in Sarasota, FL.  Looks pretty great!  Read more about the bakery at http://www.pastryartbakerycafe.com/

WeekendTunes

  This week's happy song suggestion: Brown-Eyed Girl.  Break out that iTunes card you got for your birthday and treat yourself!  Click the icon below to get there:

See you on Monday!  

Pet your Pet!

"Well?  I'm waiting..."

     Did you know that petting your pet can reduce blood pressure and produce other calming effects?  Works for me!

Kids Today: 13-year-old inventor

Mallory Kievman

     How often, when thinking of kids, do we share the sentiment expressed in Bye-Bye Birdie, "why can't they be like we were/perfect in every way?"  As part of our journey together on the positive side of life, I am going to post a regular feature about a child who has done something really good.  If you have any submissions for this, feel free to pass them on and I will try to present them.

     On May 16th, dogonews.com reported that 13-year old Mallory Kievman of Manchester, CT (USA) has invented & will market a lollipop that helps to cure hiccoughs. Mallory's creation, Hiccupops, won top honors at the 2011 Connecticut Invention Convention.  She started to work on her invention 2 years ago, when she got a bad case of hiccoughs, and tried one remedy after another to get rid of them.  It was then that she hit on the idea of blending two remedies together.  After trying over 100 ingredients, she settled on apple cider vinegar and sugar.  (I personally can vouch for the apple cider vinegar as good medicine.  I use it to acidify my dog's diet, and it's saved me big $$$ in vet bills).

     In the next few months, The University of Connecticut's Innovation Accelerator Program will help Mallory find a manufacturer, after which she hopes to market them nationwide.

    The full article from dogonews.com is here:

http://www.dogonews.com/2012/5/16/13-year-old-concocts-sweet-recipe-for-pesky-hiccups

Looking Forward to Vacation

     I don't know about you, but this warm weather has me longing to get away and be free for a week in the sunshine and sand.

A Sweet Anniversary

     It was just one year ago this week that my sweet, little daughter made her First Communion.  May is so full of joy and happy occasions.

Looked at the Moon Lately?

     You should!
     It looked exceptional on this particular misty night, like something out of a storybook.  Remember, beauty is all around you; you just have to look for it.

Tea from your Garden

     A great way to take the chill off a cool, rainy Spring afternoon is to brew a fresh pot of tea.  This lovely tisane was prepared by simply snipping a handful of chocolate mint from my garden, giving it a rinse, dropping it into the teapot, and pouring boiling water over it.  I was amazed at how much nicer this tasted than brewing it from dried mint.  The flavor was so very full.

Pansy Bowls!

     This may be my favorite table decoration of the year, and it is made with what I would have, otherwise, thrown away.  Each Spring, I buy pansy plants for my window boxes.  Once I have them transplanted, I always snip off all of the blossoms, so the new transplants can turn all of their energy into re-establishing their roots.  I hate to waste all those pretty flowers, so I fill a clear bowl (usually a crystal one, but I was lazy today) with some water, tap in a drop of blue food dye, and place the flowers carefully on the surface, where they remain for days, through the magic of surface tension. Be sure to snip off the stems to about 1/4".

Mother's Day Rewind

     I couldn't resist posting one more image from Mother's Day.  This is how I started my day this past Sunday.  The flowers are from my husband.  I treated myself to coffee in my little pot, something I enjoy doing on Sundays, having fulfilled my religious and fitness responsibilities on Saturday.  I also took the biggest strawberry.  I usually indulge my little daughter with the biggest strawberry, but I made an exception for Mothers' Day, and enjoyed it more.  It's funny how doing for one's self is always so much sweeter when it follows sacrifices made for others, even little sacrifices, like the biggest strawberry.

Beauty is All Around You

     You just have to be paying attention, or you miss it.  This morning, as I was enjoying a lovely, lightly lemony slice of Italian rice pie, I was struck by the detail on this old spoon.  As I was photographing it for you, I also noticed how nice this paper napkin looked.  Neither are anything special; the spoon is one of a bundle I picked up at an antique store for not much money, but it is heavy, well made, and thoughtfully designed.

Happy Mothers' Day!

     Wishing you a Mothers' Day full of joy and positive thoughts!  This is the sight that greeted me today.  Aren't they beautiful?  If you live where these do not grow, they are informally called Johnny-Jump-Ups here in New England.  I bought a plant years ago, and every year, they self-seed and return.  They always come up in a few other places, as well.

Music Appreciation - Free!

     My free classical music appreciation course is up and running at:

http://classicallygail.blogspot.com/

The blog will feature a different classical composer each month for the next year.  The course is for anyone who wishes to learn more about the world's most beautiful music, but may not have the time or money for a traditional course.  Perfect for homeschoolers, too!

     Today, I have decided to launch a new blog: a classical music appreciation course.  I have so many ideas for this new endeavor, but I wish to keep it simple.  I am inspired by Kahn Academy, the wonderful website that hopes to provide access to education for anyone, worldwide.  They don't have music appreciation yet, so I am ready to take up that cause.
     Watch for my new blog, which will focus a different composer every month for the next year.  Yes, I realize there are more than 12 composers, but this is purely introductory; excellent for a student who desires to take a year of music appreciation, or the adult who never had the opportunity to learn of the world's great composers.
     Wish me luck!  I hope you are all doing well in moving your lives in positive directions.

Rainy Days: a good thing!

     It's a rainy day here, which I consider a good thing.  Rainy days are so full of possibility, and shift my perspective.  It's great to be inside, and warm, with plenty to do.  I'm looking forward to a productive day.

Do You Hate to Cook?

     I am also working on a book about cooking, and would love to know why you hate to cook.

Are You Being Bullied?

If so, tell us about it, even if it's in some seemingly small way.  I am working on a new book about surviving bullying, and I would appreciate hearing from people of any age who are dealing with it.

Welcome!

     I wish you a warm welcome to the Positively Gail blog.  Pull up a chair and let's get positive about life!   Post something positive here (totally G-rated, please; I want children, as well, to be able to view this site) to share with other weary travelers who stop by, seeking a break from negativity.
     More soon!  I just wanted to get the ball rolling here.