Shop for lovely pin and earring sets for Mom at our Ebay store.
Take a look at our beautiful pin/pendant & earring sets on Ebay!
Click here to see the entire list of our beautiful fashion jewelry!
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Last year we braved a cold wind and overcast skies to hold our annual Family Fun Walk for the Gum Spring Library. But, this year, we got a big reprieve.
There was something for everyone at the 3rd annual FROGS Family Fun Walk on April 21, 2012 for the new Gum Spring Library!
The storm that would dump several inches just to the north of us, and plow us into 48 hours of (needed) rain, mercifully held off just long enough for the FROGS (Friends of the Gum Spring Library) to enjoy a beautiful day for our 3rd annual event.
Walkers and participants in the 3rd Annual "FROGS" Family Fun Walk enjoyed great weather.
Every year walkers get a t-shirt, a goodie bag stuffed with items from local businesses, fruit, snacks and water. The moon bounce is always popular and the participants are happy to wait in line for chance to get their faces expertly painted by our “face artist.” This year, we even had LIVE entertainment provided by Bach 2 Rock!
Another successful Family Fun Walk for the Gum Spring Library.
We can’t wait until NEXT year when the library will be open and we can all retire to the stacks after our stride through the neighborhood.
We had a looooong line of walkers! It was quite a sight!
Some of Deb’s random thoughts on creating a Successful Community Event:
- PLAN, PLAN, PLAN way in advance. The FROGS start working on their April Family Fun Walk event in December!
- Look into what licenses may be needed as far in advance as possible so there are no last-minute surprises that could squash your event
Everybody waited patiently for face painting!
- Break down the event into specific tasks and then assign those tasks to reliable people. Call those people 48 hours beforehand to
make sure they can still carry out their assignments.
- If you don’t provide specifics for completing a task in advance, don’t nag about how that task is achieved after the fact. Volunteers don’t appreciate micro-managing when its too late. Instead, make a note on how that task should be achieved for whoever gets that task next year.
- Have good signage. There are always regulations on signage in any community. Just find out what the those regulations are and do the best you can. (exploit the loopholes if necessary on the day of event, and just take down the signs immediately afterward.)
Arcola Fire Department Volunteers.
- Take advantage of as many area newsletters, magazines, newspaper listings and area cable TV listings as possible to get the word out about your event.
- And make sure you create and utilize an email invitation list of everyone you know. If you provide a way for the reader to opt out of future emails, they generally will not object and usually will not opt out.
- Don’t forget clean-up. Leave the area the way you found it.
- Have a post-event de-brief. Take good notes and keep those notes where they can be pulled out for the next event and read again.
- Think of as many ways as possible to THANK YOUR SPONSORS – that is, only if you want them back next time!
Everybody was in a great mood and enjoyed the event.
And, speaking of sponsors, we’d like to thank those that supported our 2012 Family Fun Walk:
- A very BIG Thank You to Vocelli Pizza and Arcola Christian Preschool!
Walkers could sign up in advance of the event or on-site right before the walk began.
PLUS -
- East Gate Orthodontics - www.eastgateorthodontics.com
- HCA Healthcare - www.hcahealthcare.com
- Stone Ridge Orthodontics - www.smilestoneridge.com
- Van Metre Homes - www.vanmetrehomes.com
- Snap Fitness - www.snapfitness.com/stoneridge
- Kravitz Orthodontics - www.kravitzorthodontics.com
- Inova Loudoun Hospital - www.inova.org
- Concept Marketing, Inc. - www.cptmkt.com
- Aldie Vet - www.aldievet.com
- Montessori of Chantilly, Casa dei Bambini - www.montessoriofchantilly.com
- Curry’s Auto - www.currysauto.com
- Mathnasium - www.mathnasium.com/stoneridge
- Family Veterinary Hospital of Stone Ridge
- Family and Aesthetic Dentistry of South Riding
(Note: This is a private blog. Of course, the comments herein are those of Deborah Deal’s and do not reflect or represent any other member of the Friends of the Gum Spring Library or the Loudoun County library system. All photos copyright 2012 Deborah A. Deal.)
A FROG board member thinks he really IS turning into a Frog now! He's practicing his frog pounce position.
Always have lots of balloons for a Family event.
Face painting is sometimes even better on something other than the face!
I'd rather have what you're having!
{ 1 comment }
On Saturday, April 21, our 3rd annual Family Fun Walk for the new Gum Spring Library gave everyone something extra to celebrate this year – the library is ACTUALLY, FINALLY, BUILT. Hooray!
Karen Montgomery, president of the FROGS (Friends of the Gum Spring Library)has been dreaming about, cajoling and working hard for over ten years to get it built and now its here!
The long-awaited Gum Spring Library is finally built and the interior is being finished.
The Van Metre development company, which built many of the homes closest to the site of the library, built the gorgeous four-story building and has set aside the first two floors – 40,000 square feet – for Loudoun County to house its newest book and media collection.
Scheduled to open (hopefully) before Christmas 2012, the Gum Spring library should be the most striking of the 8 libraries in Loudoun County. A big open staircase is right in the center and lends a certain “Wow!” factor. Cozy nooks by the bay windows provide an escape into the user’s tome or a view of the lush Loudoun countryside.
There's dancing on the lawns (and at the Family Fun Walk) because folks are so excited about the new Gum Spring Library!
The Gum Spring Library features not only a section with adult-age books but three separate sections for children as well. There is a special section for the youngest children, a section for “tweens” and a section for teens. Each section is designed especially to accommodate their reading interests, physical size (with appropriate furniture) and noise level – thus making sure every library user has a place that’s perfect for them! In addition, there is a “Quiet Cafe” where you can take a book and enjoy a beverage, and meeting and class rooms of various sizes.
One of Loudoun's many happy library fans.
Even though it’s not open yet – the interior is still being built out, furniture purchased, shelves stocked, etc. – most everyone in Loudoun County is excited to see at least the exterior is finished. Loudoun is growing FAST! in the year 2000 the census revealed we had 169,599 people living here. In just ten years, that number almost doubled! The 2010 census accounted for 312,311 folks. 
As the county with the
As the county with thenumber one median household income income in the entire U.S.($119,540 in 2010), Loudoun’s residents are undoubtedly industrious, hardworking and dedicated to making a good life for themselves and their children. And, reading is a key essential of that lifestyle. It’s important to Loudoun’s families that their children get a solid education and so, of course, as they say – Reading is FUNdamental! Come by and see the beautiful new Gum Spring Library at the intersection of Route 50 and Stone Springs Boulevard.
Want to help? Or just learn more? Visit the FROGS – Friends of the Gum Spring Library website at: http://gumspringlibrary.blogspot.com/
To learn more about the Loudoun County Library system, visit: http://library.loudoun.gov/
See our companion post about the event!
(Note: This is a private blog. Of course, the comments herein are those of Deborah Deal’s and do not reflect or represent any other member of the Friends of the Gum Spring Library or the Loudoun County library system.)
The face painting artist did an excellent job.
{ 0 comments }
Spring actually started “springing” back in March. (Sorry it has taken me a while to get these photos up – which were taken last month.) We had so little “real winter” here in Northern Virginia that Spring didn’t exactly make a grand entrance – it just sort of “occurred” to us one day. Big entrance or not, I was still glad to see it arrive. It meant I didn’t have to shuttle my precious houseplants in every night after a day of sunning on the deck.
Up close and personal with one of the vines climbing up over my backyard deck.
With good reason some people might think I’m a nut case for plants. But I just can’t help it. Many of my ancestors were farmers and I think it runs in your blood. I don’t have too many memories of my Grandma Dora but I do recall her sacred African Violet collection and a large garden out the back of the pastor’s residence where she and Grandpa Bob, a hell-fire Methodist minister, spent their last months. Even with horrible arthritis and a bushelful of other ailments, she was out in the yard skirt hiked up, socks falling down around her ankles, apron spotty from the day’s cooking, tending to peas, carrots, tomatoes, beans and more.
Ever the lady, Grandma Dora was always in a dress - even while gardening. Here she is with me at the beach house at Tybee Island close to Savannah. That is, I THINK she's with me ... could be my cousin Diane!
Or she was inside making sure her babies got just the right amount of African Violet fertilizer-infused water – only on the soil, NEVER on the leaves, which could only be dusted. The other day, in my sundress out in the yard, tramping around in my too-good-to-be-worn-in-the-yard Clarks loafers, nails as dirty as my apron, I recalled my Mom announcing I was merely the reincarnation of a combination of my two grandmothers, both the good parts and the bad.
But I digress as I always do … a nut case for plants I am. And I should share some of the relative little knowledge I have about them as it comes to me. So that’s what I’ll try to do going forward.
A little patch of Gardening pleasure next to the driveway.
Gardening is great. Indoors or out it is a stress reliever and an opportunity for creative expression via the forces of nature. And, yes, it qualifies as romantic. Can anyone disagree with me that flowers,
Don't overplan your venture into gardening if you are new to it. Just get started.
or a home filled with lush greenery, or a dish of vegetables or fruit fresh from one’s own property are romantic? Hah! Didn’t think so.
Here’s the start of my tidbits of advice involving gardening and nature in general:
1.) The first thing is don’t over think it or make a big deal out of getting started. Gardening and houseplant keeping should be enjoyable. Don’t think that you can’t get started without a big investment of time and funds. Start small with a few plants or a small patch in the yard. Or try growing a few vegetables in pots on your deck or patio – even out your front door. Just get started.
2.) Do realize that successful indoor or outdoor gardening does involve some level of SIMPLE commitment. You MUST keep everything hydrated. (Don’t murderer your plants by forgetting to water them when they need it.) You MUST bring in potted plants from frosty evenings or a cold snap.
With no temperatures low enough to kill back some species, it's like we never had winter - at least not for this beauty on my deck.
3.) Aside from just getting started on a small scale and not inadvertently killing your green friends, the key is to be willing to take a few risks. Sure, read up on a specific plant’s preferences or just read the tag that comes with it. But if nothing else, just try things. For example, for reasons I won’t go into, i did not get my tulip bulbs planted in the Fall like a normal person would. In fact, I did not get them planted until January! But you know what? All 250 of the new ones, plus a good number of old bulbs from previous seasons came up anyway! Beautiful color burst forth regardless of my “planting block.”
And that’s the beauty of gardening – in addition to the obvious beauty of the plants themselves. It’s the surprise. Will it work? Will the seeds sprout? Can you get those tomatoes from little seeds to a proud place in a salad for your friends and family? Will those roses bloom, and will they do it more than once this season?
Great fun. Great satisfaction. Ah, gardening. Yes, Spring has sprung … hooray!
I didn't get my tulips planted for this Spring until January! But they came up anyway. Sometimes Mother Nature is very forgiving.
{ 1 comment }
After living FOUR years in Northern Virginia – just a 45 minute drive as the crow flies, if we could fly and not drive – I FINALLY make it to the D.C. tidal basin to see the cherry blossom trees do their thing! Only for a few minutes did the sun come out and the sky clear on the day that my friend Len and I made it down to the tidal basin for a picnic. But, it was worth the trip anyway!
There are different types of Cherry Trees - some look white, others pink.
It’s hard to believe that its already been 100 years since the Mayor of Tokyo, Japan made the official gift of 3,000 of these beautiful trees to the city of Washington, D.C.
The first two trees from Japan were planted in a simple ceremony on March 27, 1912, by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador. They were planted on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. 
The original gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between Japan and the United States.
Its such a sight that the U.S. National Park Service has a “bloom cam” and goes to great effort to forecast the time the trees will be at their peak – when 70% of the blooms are open.
The celebration in D.C. is multi-faceted and stretches for days; occasionally, like this year, the celebration outlasts the bloom period. Indeed, this year, the Parade was held long after the trees had peaked. Oh well, having the parade synchronized with the blooming time isn’t that important. What’s important is that Spring has Sprung and its a beautiful and romantic time to be in D.C.
If you missed it this year, make plans for next year. Don’t be like me and let work and daily chores get in the way of witnessing one of nature’s most lovely displays! It’s a shame it took me four years to get into the city to see it …!
For more information about the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, visit the official site.
Cherry Blossoms in bloom in Washington, D.C. all photos copyright 2012 Deborah A.Deal
{ 1 comment }
Today is International Women’s Day. We hope you’ll take a moment to consider the role that women play in society and the vast injustices that are still carried out against half the planet’s population. We’ve posted here some sites you may find of interest …
To read about the history of International Women’s Day, we suggest you visit this site: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp Note: due to high traffic on this particular site, it may take a while to open …. 
For a great article on women’s entrepreneurship, read this piece: Unleashing Women’s Economic Potential
For an interesting editorial in the U.K.’s Telegraph today, CLICK HERE.
To mark International Women’s Day, UNESCO and the UIS have jointly released the World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education, which includes over 120 maps, charts and tables featuring a wide range of sex-disaggregated indicators. The vivid presentation of information and analysis calls attention to persistent gender disparities and the need for greater focus on girls’ education as a human right. The atlas illustrates the educational pathways of girls and boys and the changes in gender disparities over time. It hones in on the gender impact of critical factors such as national wealth, geographic location, investment in education, and fields of study.
The United Nations’ web site section on the Global Issues on Women is: HERE
{ 0 comments }
Sometimes the best Valentine’s weekends are those you spend close to home! My weekend with my friend included escaping the cold on Saturday night to stay home and watch movies, play with the dogs and eat pizza and other goodies like these lovely bakery treats here. 
I think these cupcakes are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen … and they are certainly the most beautiful I have ever eaten! They came from Harris Teeter … I can hold my own in a lot of “crafty” areas, but a cake decorator … I am NOT. [click to continue…]
{ 0 comments }
If you are like me and don’t want to use the pre-made flimsy garland and cheesy banners in your Valentine’s Day decorations, try this Romance Renaissance Quick Trick …
Take a pack of Rick Rack you might have around the house or in your sewing basket already … this strand is great because it already had sparkles on it. I got it from a JoAnn Fabric and Craft store ...
These cards were not only pretty, they were pretty sturdy as well — and inexpensive!
Sit them on top of the rick rack. These cards were perfect for a banner because they were all alike and opened at the bottom. This made it possible to SIT them on the rick rack without having to glue or staple them. Now, they can be re-used.
I bought one pack of six to decorate with, and one to send out. [click to continue…]
{ 1 comment }
For a great gift for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day or just to celebrate the coming of Spring, visit our new selection of pins and pin-pendants.
Click here to visit our lovelies. To purchase, click on the photos …
{ 0 comments }
That beautiful, romantic snow that blanketed the Northern Virginia, Maryland and Greater Metro D.C. area is gone! Luckily, I was able to capture some of the lovely peacefulness before it totally melted away …
My poor rose bushes don't know what to do -- bloom or hibernate - so we get scenes like this one ...
Today — on February 1 – we have temperatures in the 60′s …Regardless of what you think about Global Warming or Climate Change, there’s no denying it has definitely been warmer this Winter.
We didn't have much snow to begin with ... what we did get is gone now!
It appears Spring is springing, and Winter has wafted away. (We should still remain vigilant. We could get pummeled in February or March by a rogue storm.) But, all in all, its been a freakishly warm winter in the U.S. So how does the apparent change affect us and what is anybody proposing we do to prepare for it?
Well, in the United States, we are beginning to get more serious about it. On Jan. 19, the Obama administration released a draft of a plan to coordinate responses to global warming across the country.
It’s called the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, and while the United States has no national strategy for curtailing its contributions to climate change, it does now have a partial strategy for responding to its effects.
The National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is a call to action — a framework for steps that can be taken over the next five to 10 years based on climate change projections for the next century.
It is designed to be a key part of the nation’s larger response to a changing climate, and to guide responsible actions by natural resource managers is a comprehensive, multi-partner response to the threat of climate change in the United States.
The Strategy is being developed with input from a wide variety of federal, state, and tribal representatives, along with active engagement and input from non-government organizations, industry groups, and private landowners. To learn more, visit: http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/index.php
{ 0 comments }
