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In search of the Christmas Star

In search of the Christmas Star

My sister-in-law, nephew, and I tried to find the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn last night. It was not a well-planned event, but one entered into spontaneous cheer after playing a Shanghai card game. We failed due to a late start and cloud cover. At one point, we thought we saw it, looking southwest, but it turned out to be an airplane flying out of the TRI Cities airport near Kingsport, TN.…

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What Do You Believe: Christians, Domestic Violence, and Divorce

What Do You Believe: Christians, Domestic Violence, and Divorce

Originally posted on The Workbench of Faith:

“Why doesn’t she just leave?”

“If she won’t leave, then that’s her problem, not mine.

“I just don’t understand.”

I’ve heard people make these statements about abused women.  It’s true, most people don’t understand.

It’s not easy to leave.

Leaving means admitting to the world that you let the one person you should trust the most hit you…

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Russia: Conceptual rather than territorial. Why this and other differences matter to us.

This little jewel of an article, Peculiarities of  Russian National Character  arrived via my  inbox and I want to pass it on to those of you who might be interested. I have included an excerpt from one part of this piece of educational material below. Those of us who share a passion for Russian literature will see some very familiar truths. While those who view Russia through the lens of modern…

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Book Monday Review: in the GARDEN of LIFE AND DEATH- A Mother and Daughter Walk by Kimberlyn Blum-Hyclak

Book Monday Review: in the GARDEN of LIFE AND DEATH- A Mother and Daughter Walk by Kimberlyn Blum-Hyclak

Book Monday Review: in the GARDEN of LIFE AND DEATH- A Mother and Daughter Walk by Kimberlyn Blum-Hyclak.

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Book Monday Review: in the GARDEN of LIFE AND DEATH- A Mother and Daughter Walk by Kimberlyn Blum-Hyclak I knew it would be an emotional, heart wrench of an experience when I pulled it from the package.

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The Biophilia Hypothesis: A collection of invited papers supporting and refuting the hypothesis.

http://www.wilderdom.com/evolution/BiophiliaHypothesis.html

The major premise of biophilia is the existence of genetically based physiological (probably neural) structures that respond selectively to various plants, animals, and habitats. Like social behavior, though, biophilia is manifold in kinds and degree. There appear to be many bioresponsive behavioral systems, not just one biophilia…

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Emily Dickinson – A much loved friend. The Magnolia tree in my grandparent’s front yard had the girth and height to hide a child from the everyday.

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Advice from those that know...

Advice from those that know…

PJ Mark points out in the July/August 2014 edition of Poetry&Writers that:

“It is important for a writer to be a part of a literary community. A writer needs to read and buy books and attend readings and support fellow writers. It’s very difficult to engage others in supporting that writer’s work if that’s not happening (qtd. in Szczerban, Michael 77).

How do you become part of a literary…

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Chester State Park: The Caney Fork Fall's Nature Trail

Chester State Park: The Caney Fork Fall’s Nature Trail

  The trail through Chester State Park is neither long nor difficult.  I would rate it a class one hiking trail.

The Caney Fork Fall’s Nature Trail is about 1.3 miles in length and wraps around the edge of the lake. It officially begins behind the boat house but you can reach it in a few different areas. The length of the hike can be increased if you take  one or more of the side paths that…

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“The Home For Wayward Clocks”; A Novel by Kathie Giorgio     " And so it ends, as you expected, this only soft relationship you've known. The only relationship that made you shudder with more than fear, but with love and ecstasy and passion.

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Chester State Park - What day is it again?

Chester State Park – What day is it again?

You meet an interesting assortment of people while camping.  I have rarely met an unfriendly camper, and Mr. Parrott is no exception to that rule. When he is not camping he resides near Dallas, NC.  Mr. Parrott often brings his very good friend James (Jimmy) Nunn with him when he comes camping.  They told us some funny stories and we enjoyed getting to know them.

Mr. Parrott has rebuilt more than…

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Chester State Park - a quiet oasis not far from home.

Chester State Park – a quiet oasis not far from home.

The drive to Chester State Park proves as restful and beautiful as the destination.  Map quest states it takes one hour and three minutes to drive from my home in Lake Wylie, South Carolina to Chester State Park. I have a convertible; the day was beautiful and unseasonably cool for August.  Need I say more?

I took SC HWY 49 (Charlotte Hwy) into York where I proceeded to turn right on to S.…

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“GROWING IN THE GARDEN OF LIFE AND DEATH” by Kim Blum Hyclak My friend, fellow writer and a generous contributor to the Rock Hill South Carolina Writer's Workshop Annual Intensive will be releasing in the near future this collection of poetry that chronicles a mother and daughter's walk through the harrowing years of Leukemia.