Tuesday, 6 September 2011

ABC Wednesday, H for Honesty.


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The tulip is the most honest flower. It does not promise empty promises and it is simple and exactly what it looks like.

I often asked myself:"What is honesty?" Is it saying what you think. May be! Is it saying what you think without being asked to give your opinion? Only when it's a positively kind remark. If I don't like something, I don't say what I think unless it's a political or religious statement and then only if I don't hurt someone's feeling., but never about somebody's house or clothes or blogs. Lots of people think that you must be honest in the sense of criticizing all the time without being asked.Well, no! There is no need to do that. Ignore the things you don't like, and there is always something that you like in one's house or on one's blog.
A friend of mine used to say when he didn't like something in my house:" It's interesting!", because he knew that I like my house and he didn't want to hurt my feelings. He was a kind man, a good friend. So what do you think about honesty?


Here are some quotes of famous people!

If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. ~Mark Twain

Who lies for you will lie against you. ~Bosnian Proverb

No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar. ~Abraham Lincoln
Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world. ~Thomas Carlyle

A half truth is a whole lie. ~Yiddish Proverb

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or

Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with H.

Monday, 5 September 2011

Monday Doorways, Our World Tuesday, Gouda, Lazarus Gate II

 
 
 
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Last week we saw the Lazarusgate (1609) from the outside. This week we see the same gate from the inside, sitting in the museum garden, having a nice cup of coffee.

Inspired by a post by Eric Tenin of a Parisian doorway, «Louis» began posting on Mondays photos he had taken of doorways in Paris.To participate click on
Monday Doorways


Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

ABC Wednesday, G for GREED and GLUTTONY



The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things is a painting attributed to Hieronymus Bosch, completed around 1500 or later.

 
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Greed and Gluttony.
When a friend of mine became a widow more than a decade ago, she was really devastated. Not only had she lost her partner and best friend, her mate to whom she had been married for 36 years, but she had to handle financial situations, such as making her tax declaration, managing bank accounts, and selling all her husband's shares, for she didn't want to lose money on shares. She didn't know anything about them. Then a friend of hers asked her, if her son-in law was allowed to do her bookkeeping, because her daughter and son-in-law were in rather needy circumstances. The widow was delighted! Of course! Now she got the help and advice she needed of somebody she knew well. The bookkeeper and his wife were friends of the widow. He helped her repair things in her house, all kind of things her husband and children used to do. After some time the bookkeeper asked something in return. Would she be so kind as to lend him some money? He wanted to buy a property for his wife in order to insure her of a regular income, when he had died. He was more than 20 years older than she was and not in good health. Of course the widow lent him a large amount of money. And the grateful bookkeeper did more odd jobs in the house. Later on he asked for another loan. In the beginning he paid the interest and repayment of the two mortgages, but after a while he stopped paying the repayment of one of the mortgages. He now was in full control of her bank account. She didn't know how much she owned as the bank didn't send bank statements any more, for he did internet banking. He promised her to copy the statements, and so he did twice. He remained kind and helpful and the widow trusted the bookkeeper without any doubt. Years later it was found out that he had embezzled a very large amount of money for his own good. This was a real eye opener. And the widow found herself a good lawyer and summoned the bookkeeper to appear in court.

Greed is an excessive desire to possess wealth or goods with the intention to keep it for one's self. Greed - like lust and gluttony - is a sin of excess. Greed is inappropriate expectation. However, greed is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power.

As a secular psychological concept, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.

Gluttony, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, intoxicants or wealth items to the point of waste. In some Christian denominations, it is considered one of the seven deadly sins—a misplaced desire of food or its withholding from the needy.


With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.We started round 9 of the fascinating meme of ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with G.

Sunday, 28 August 2011

Monday Doorways, Our World Tuesday, Gouda, Lazarus Gate I

 
 
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Lazarusgate (1609) gateway to the medieval Catharina Hospital, which is a museum now, and gives access to the museum and the museum garden where you can have coffee, soup or a meal.

 
 
 
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Welcome to the first week of Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.See our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.


Inspired by a post by Eric Tenin of a Parisian doorway, «Louis» began posting on Mondays photos he had taken of doorways in Paris.To participate click on
Monday Doorways


All day I have been thinking of the people who have to face Irene. On TV we see Irene's devastating power, destroying everything that's in its way. May God help them.

Tuesday, 23 August 2011

ABC Wednesday, F for Food and Fagin.


 
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Another book written by Charles Dickens ( see my post of August 9, 2011) is Oliver Twist, which serves as the plot for the musical "Oliver", written by Lionel Bart."Food, Glorious Food", is the opening song of this musical ! Oliver Twist is a young orphan, living in an orphanage, which is in fact a horrible workhouse where the boys are badly treated and poorly fed. It is sung when the workhouse boys are dreaming and fantasizing about food while going to collect their gruel from the staff of the workhouse.Later on Oliver escapes from the undertaker's shop where he had to work. He arrives in London and meets the street urchin Dodger, who takes him to a place, where he lives together with many other street boys under the leadership of Fagin. One thing is sure:"The food is great!".But he has to go out with the boys learning to pick pockets, which he cannot do,then he meets an old gentleman who saves him from a lot of dangerous situations and who adopts him as his grandson.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.We started round 9 of the fascinating meme of ABC. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with F.

Oliver is one of my favourite musicals. I saw it several times on video and I showed it to my students learning English. The songs are great and the characters are well performed. Oliver is a sweet young orphan and Dodger is a street urchin with a heart of gold. Fagin is absolutely inimitable. Here he comes as the man who trains little street boys to pick pockets.



OLIVER-You Gotta Pick A Pocket Or Two door billy_declan

Monday, 15 August 2011

In Memory of Klaus

Thou Shall Not Pass
Klaus Peter, 1960-2011


Klaus passed away. We shall miss him and his support.
Klaus was the leader of Sky Watch and That's My World. His photos were the most beautiful images of birds and nature in Florida.

that's My World, ABC Wednesday, E for Eyes




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2002

 
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2010

The eyes of my grandchildren are the most beautiful jewels in the world!


Look Through Children's Eyes
Artist(Band):Kim Carnes


I'm breaking in pieces and my soul is caving in
There's a hole in the sky and we can't fill it in
There's a place in our hearts full of love for all men
Just have to find it again

Look through children's eyes try to tell them why
There's oil across the water and holes across the sky
Look through children's eyes, hear the ocean cry
Hear the forest fall in ashes from the sky

Honey you've not known enough to think it all
But here in your lifetime this is off the wall
We can save tomorrow for the children left behind
Let us all save the earth together

Look through children's eyes try to tell them why
There's oil across the water and holes across the sky
Look through children's eyes, hear the ocean cry
Hear the forest fall in ashes from the sky
Look through children's eyes

We glorify greed without counting the cost
One's man's happy ending is everyman's loss
How long since we noticed how long has it been
And the innocent child is crying again

Look through children's eyes try to tell them why
There's oil across the water and holes across the sky
Look through children's eyes, hear the ocean cry
Hear the forest fall in ashes from the sky
If we look through chilren's eyes
Look through children's eyes
We can save the earth together
If we look through children's eyes.




That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World


With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or

Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with E.

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

ABC Wednesday, D for Dickens




Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England, on February 7, 1812, to John and Elizabeth Dickens. He was the second of eight children. His mother had been in service to Lord Crew, and his father worked as a clerk for the Naval Pay office. John Dickens was imprisoned for debt when Charles was young. Charles Dickens went to work at a blacking warehouse, managed by a relative of his mother, when he was twelve, and his brush with hard times and poverty affected him deeply. He later recounted these experiences in the semi-autobiographical novel David Copperfield. Similarly, the concern for social justice and reform which surfaced later in his writings grew out of the harsh conditions he experienced in the warehouse. Dickens died in 1870.

"David Copperfield" was the very first Dickens book I read. And of course "A Christmas Carol" the second one.


With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with D.

Thursday, 4 August 2011

Sky Watch, Cook's Landing Place



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Sunset seen from Cook's Landing Place. When he landed here , he and his crew must have seen many sunsets during the time he stayed here for the reparation of his ship "The Endeavour".

Sky Watch is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia
Thank you so much for this great meme, it's always a pleasure to participate, and see all the other skies around the world. If you want to see some other skies please click on the logo in the side bar.

Monday, 1 August 2011

that's My World, ABC Wednesday,C for Cook's Landing


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Click to enlarge!

 
 
 

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Click to enlarge.I took those photos in August 2007.

That's my World is hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy and Sylvia - a Team of experienced bloggers, whom we thank for this wonderful meme. You can see more of the world of other bloggers by clicking on the logo in the side bar or on that's My World

We often had lunch at Cook's Landing's Kiosk. I love the iced coffee they make there, and the fish and chips. But most of all I like the casual way they have in approaching their customers. "Hello, how are you today?" "Oh, I am ok and how are you?" " I am fine! What can I do for you?" " I'd like to have an iced coffee and a fish and chips, please!" "Okay, and what is your first name?" " It's Wil" "Well Wil I'll call you when it's ready!" "Thank you!"

Cook's Landing is the exact place where Captain Cook landed in June 1770, when his ship "The Endeavour" got stuck in the reef and needed to be repaired. That's why the river near the landing's place is called the Endeavour River. The town is called Cooktown, but the Aboriginal name is Gungar. There are many stories in and around Cooktown, many of them are very sad.


Wikipedia says:"Cook's Arrival

The site of modern Cooktown was the meeting place of two vastly different cultures when, in June 1770, the local Aboriginal Guugu Yimithirr tribe cautiously watched the crippled sailing ship – His Majesty's Bark Endeavour – limp up the coast seeking a safe harbour after sustaining serious damage to its wooden hull on the Endeavour Reef, south of Cooktown. The Guugu Yimithirr people saw the Endeavour beach in the calm waters near the mouth of their river, which they called "Wahalumbaal".



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Endeavour replica sailing into Cooktown's harbour near the mouth of the Endeavour River where the original Endeavour was beached for 7 weeks in 1770.

The British crew spent seven weeks on the site of present-day Cooktown, repairing their ship, replenishing food and water supplies, and caring for their sick. The extraordinary scientist, Joseph Banks, and Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander, who accompanied Cook on the expedition, collected, preserved and documented over 200 new species of plants. The young artist Sydney Parkinson illustrating the specimens and he was the first British artist to portray Aboriginal people from direct observation.

After some weeks, Joseph Banks met and spoke with the local people, recording about 50 Guugu Yimithirr words, including the name of the intriguing animal the natives called gangurru (which he transcribed as "Kangaru"). Cook recorded the local name as "Kangooroo, or Kanguru".

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or

Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with C.