Wednesday, April 29

Birthdays, Saints' Days, Picnics, Wedding anniversaries ............

...........and other celebrations: Whatever we do in the Dordogne, we do with passion and music and love!



And while you are here on the internet enjoying yourself, try this little fun exercise:
a. Go to Google...
b. Type your name and the words "likes to" all in quotation marks. (e.g. "Ryan likes to")
c. Come back here and post a comment for us on the first ten things that come up for your name. Here's mine:

I like To boogie
like to use magic to mess up others' magic.
like to make spells and make things like they are not supposed to be
like trying different styles and tools
like to describe what is or was in a neutral, non-judgmental way... Read more
like to find the truth within both the small and large contexts
like to destroy things and then rebuild them
like to credit herself with defining the concept of middle youth.
like to oxidize to an offshade-
like to fold origami
like to be petted. I like to retrieve, and I like the water





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  • A beautiful experience



    There are so many pleasures living in the Dordogne. Driving through the countryside provide an endless array of surprises and moments of awe and wonder.

    Coming back from Bergerac a few days ago, I just had to stop and grab my camera as a small group of seven deer pranced through a maize field, their graceful bodies and heads barely visible above the fast-growing stalks and their snow white tails bobbing up and down as they made their way towards the river.

    The quality of the photographs is not brilliant, but I hope that what I managed to capture on my camera -- considering the distance they were away, the early morning mist, the soft drizzle -- and the impatient drivers behind me who also had to stop in the narrow single lane road -- would provide for you just a fraction of the joy I felt at witnessing this lovely scene!



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  • Saturday, April 25

    UB40 performs free at the launch of the 'Scene d'Ete en Gironde 2009' -- the summer arts and culture season of the Gironde.



    This year the Arts and Cultural Summer programme in the Gironde department is launched on 15 May with a free concert by UB40 and jazz workshops open to everyone. It is a launch of yet another jam-packed programme for the summer and yet another fabulous way the French make it possible for us all to participate in their rich and varied cultural heritage!
    There is a wide choice of opera, music of every genre, literary events, traditional events and exhibitions. Watch the press for details!



    UB40 -- never too old to make a contribution for the arts!
    :





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  • Eels and asparagus --- Weekend of festivals!



    If you don't already have a fully planned weekend, or your plans came to nothing as result of the beautiful rainy weather we are enjoying, then take yourself off to Sainte-Terre for the Eel festival (something quite special about this region!) or the Asparagus festival in Etauliers. Both festivals start today and continue tomorrow, so lots of time to go have fun!

    Should you miss this asparagus festival, do watch the press for others. It is now asparagus time and the best possible time to enjoy them fresh from the soil!






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  • 2009 Long distance Kitesurfing Championships in Arcachon









    The Kitesurfing -- long distance Championships are taking place this weekend in Arcachon. If you are at all interested in the sport -- I will just assume that you are already there! Enjoy and good wind and good luck!!






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  • Wednesday, April 22

    It is Earth Day today : What are YOU doing to make a difference?







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  • South Africa: SA's Democratic Systems Roll Into Place



    As a South African, my heart is back in my country today as everyone there is making their way to the polling booths to vote for a new government.

    Bathandwa Mbola writes: It is now that the maturity of South Africa's young democracy will become evident.

    The current government's term will come to an end as South Africans take to the polls to elect a new President and administration in a free and fair election.

    It was only 15 years ago that change was ushered in when eligible citizens took to the polling stations in 1994 to cast their votes, paving the way for Nelson Mandela to become the first democratically elected President of the Republic.

    Parliamentary elections are held every five years, where all South Africans aged 18 or older are eligible to vote, but must register to be included on the voter's roll to do so.

    South Africa uses a proportional representation voting system that is based on political party lists at national and provincial levels. Voters do not vote for individuals, but for a political party which decides on members to fill the seats it has won.

    This means that a registered political party receives a share of seats in Parliament in direct proportion to the number of votes cast for it in the election.

    There were 23 million potential voters registered on the voters roll making it the highest recorded number of voters registered since the national common voter's roll was first compiled for the elections in 1999.

    This was also the first time in 15 years that expatriates living abroad were eligible to vote. More than 80 000 notices were received from voters abroad intending to vote in the elections, according to the Independent Electoral Commission.

    IEC spokesperson, Kate Bapela said this period in South Africa's history was as significant as the events that unfolded in 1994.

    She said it was an opportunity to prove that South Africa was not only a world class destination in terms of naturally stunning landscapes, and first-rate tourism and sporting facilities, but is was a serious option for business and investment due to its stable democracy.

    Following the close of the polls at 9pm on 22 April the IEC will begin the process of counting votes.

    During this period, observers are to be present to ensure that the counting is done in a fair manner. According to the Constitution, the IEC must announce the voting results within seven days of election day.
    Parliament is made up of two houses - the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. There are 400 Members of Parliament in the National Assembly and 90 members of the National Council of Provinces.

    The number of seats allocated to each party depends on the proportion of votes that parties get in the general election. Members of Parliament are appointed by their political parties from lists that the parties compile.

    Under South Africa's democratic process, once taking leadership, the President will choose his Cabinet. Cabinet will then hold a meeting to outline a framework for the work of government which will be articulated in the State of the Nation Address.

    "This year's Presidential inauguration is going to be one of the largest celebration parties and inaugurations we have ever seen in the history of South Africa."

    A glittering audience of Heads of State from all corners of the world, premiers and royalty and representatives from international organisations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the Southern Africa Development Community and others will attend the inauguration of the President. They will be sworn in by Justice Langa and take an oath to serve the country.

    Tens of thousands of people are expected to crowd into the grounds of the Union Buildings to witness the inauguration of the President.



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  • Monday, April 20

    A Challenge for all my readers!



    Any queen who can make a U-Tube film clip like this, rocks!

    So, when I saw this article on the Sunday Times this weekend, I had to share it with my readers.


    Reading is a form of liberation

    Open Minds: The time has come for a new global narrative, declares Queen Rania of Jordan

    "Picking up a book is one of the cheapest entertainments around. The simple act of reading — what you are doing now — has been characterised as everything from a silent conversation and a tool for building a better life, to a refuge from reality and a technique for time travel. For me, it is a joy.

    Many people hold fond memories of curling up by a fire, book in hand. Or of the nights they hid under their blankets as a child, with a torch and a storybook for company. During day-to-day life, whether we’re on an arduous journey by plane or suffering a dull moment on a train, books are by our side.

    We’ve all been transported by the power of books, willingly kidnapped, bundled up and taken to distant lands and different times. With each abduction, we’ve returned unharmed, but somehow different. We’ve grown in the shared experience between reader and writer. We’ve opened our minds to the thoughts of others; books are like a B&B for the traveller.

    My favourite English book has always been Pride and Prejudice (with Wuthering Heights a close second). I could not imagine a world where Mr Darcy didn’t exist, or where Heathcliff was chirpy and cheery. Neither could the millions who have also been to Netherfield Park and back; this one thing we have in common.

    So, a story has the power not only to place you in another life, but to connect you to otherwise indifferent individuals. With enough books and enough people, you build a shared culture. When someone speaks of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs or says, “Tis better to have loved and lost”, the meaning is understood and powerful.

    Imagine then, for a moment, you had never curled up by that fire or hid under those blankets. Imagine you had never been introduced to Mr Darcy or Heathcliff. Imagine your mind had never been taken beyond the boundaries of your brain. Imagine you couldn’t read. This is the case for 774m adults around the world. Those are the unlucky masses, 13 times the population of the UK, who have never had the tools to build a better life, taken refuge from reality, or time-travelled.

    Even worse, 75m children will soon join them as illiterate adults. In a childhood that is often characterised by days with little to eat, sick or elderly relatives to care for, or dirty, airless factories to work in, not being able to read is an added punishment. It denies them any form of escape.

    Reading is a form of liberation. I was reminded of this last month in South Africa when I met Gcina Mhlophe, a charismatic storyteller. Her aunt collected books even though she was illiterate, locking them in her suitcase because she knew the words hidden within were somehow important. Today, Gcina is on a quest to unlock that suitcase. She travels the country telling stories, encouraging children and adults to read, leaving behind a suitcase of books at each stop. She does it because her aunt was right: reading is important.

    Learning to read and write has the amazing capacity to change lives. An education can increase your income, setting you on the road out of poverty. An education teaches you about disease, helping to reduce maternal and infant rates of mortality. An education makes a person more confident, more responsible, and allows them to contribute more to the lives of those around them and their country.

    This is where the power of reading truly lies. It is that subtle force that can move mountains, as well as minds. It is that priceless ability to break through economic constraints, as well as live beyond your own physical limitations. Reading, in other words, can excavate a desperate population from the depths of destitution and provide them with the space, the time, the energy to live their lives.

    That’s why literacy is so vital. This week, from April 20 to 26, the Global Campaign for Education — an organisation striving for the millennial ambition of education for all — has organised a global call to put children into classrooms by focusing on literacy. Across the world, children, teachers, adult learners, campaigners and parents will gather together for the The Big Read. A single book, translated into multiple languages, will be distributed for them to read and, at the end, sign their name to demand from their leaders that everyone be entitled to an education.


    Beyond the implications of the event, as everyone turns to that first page in an act of human solidarity, there is a deeper, more forceful significance. Millions across the world will read the stories and become connected as the same characters and images are conjured in their heads, as the narratives and plots play out in their imaginations. It could, genuinely, be a rare contribution to a global culture.

    My hope is that education will be recognised and valued for bringing people not just personal development but social development, too. Reading, a fundamental building block of education, is a good place to start, because, as a South African author once said: “To read is to empower. To empower is to write. To write is to influence. To influence is to change. To change is to live."

    I am encouraging everyone to read a book this week -- any book! And then write and tell us what you have read and how you feel having read it! We are looking forward to hearing from you!


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  • Springtime in Lalinde!









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