Living Rural

I AM SURE “BABY BOOMERS” remember “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” boxes that our parents gave us to collect change, from the homes we visited on Halloween, to be given to the project being sponsored that year. Yes, they wanted to support UNICEF; but, I think it was to ease the guilt of letting us go through the neighborhood begging for candy!

Thank goodness they felt that guilt … it instilled in me, and many others, that helping others through giving was a good thing. It planted the seed of volunteering in my heart. I knew I might not always be able to give money for causes that were important to me, but I could and would give my time and my talents.

Over the years, I have volunteered for many causes - our local museum, library, schools (public and private), nursing home through gardening, caring for a plot of roses in our city park, and through many functions connected to our church. My plate has always been full. When thinking about Halloween and the days of collecting for UNICEF, I realized I had not done much for this group in several years. I naturally went to their web site UNICEF. I was amazed at what I found. I read and read.

NEW YORK, 27 October 2003 - Good ideas often have humble beginnings. Such is the story of “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF,” which started in 1950 when a group of young trick-or-treaters went door-to-door on Halloween with their pastor in Philadelphia. At each door, they not only opened their bags for candy, but held out empty milk cartons to collect coins for children in need overseas. They collected $17 and sent it to UNICEF. The result was much bigger than those children ever imagined.

And that’s how it started …

I hope kids are still doing this as they make the rounds tomorrow - in groups with parental supervision, only in their own neighborhood, in safe costumes before dark. Or at an organized event without the emphasis on “getting” but “giving”.

UNICEF, Volunteering, Halloween, pumpkins, holidays, giving, “trick-or-treat”, children, “baby boomers”

I will not post today. Our area is in shock over the death of seven(7) students, from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University, in Ocean Isle Beach, NC after a fire destroyed the beach house where they were enjoying a last weekend at the beach. The AP story my be found here

My heart is aching. My physician’s son was one of the students that did not survive. Today will be a day of mourning.

My blogging neighbor at HOUSEHOLD TIPS talked about fire safety here.

Ocean Isle Beach, NC, USC, Clemson, tragedy, fire, mourning, fire safety, Columbia, SC, Florence, SC

Such a blessing to wake this morning and hear the soft sound of the rain, to smell that “fresh” smell that comes with it, and to be so thankful for EVERY DROP. This part of the state is experiencing a drought. The farmers are desperate for rain - a good old fashioned “soakin”. One that is slow and steady and lasts for days … it’s hard to believe it is October and the temperatures are still in the 80’s and so muggy. I want Fall, NOW!

Today is also my husband’s sixty-first birthday … baby boomer facing the BIG ONE … oh, not his age, MEDICARE. How scary is that? You must tell them (TPIC) that you are now eligible, what choice you have made, are you retiring, and the list goes on and on. Check it out at Official Medicare site and Medicare.org

It is strange to realize that I, too, will be facing Medicare in a mere three years! In my heart, I am twenty-five! I can hear my children now - laughing their heads off. Oh well, it will come whether I like it or not, so … back to the weather.

The rain did not last long enough, but it was nice. I can not believe I am complaining … look at what the folks in California are facing. The late news just announced it may have been arson … who on earth could/would do such a thing? It breaks my heart that we have people on this earth that do not respect life, resources, or other’s property. Is it the person’s up-bringing, their environment, media, gangs, to much time with nothing to do, stupidity, ignorance, or meanness? Any of the above should not be accepted as causes or reasons! If the person(s) are caught, I hope the punishment will befit the horrendous crime!

Sorry, I had to get that off my “chest”. Our thoughts and prayers are with the folks in California, with the fire-fighters, their families and all areas in desperate need of RAIN.

rain, drought, California fires, baby boomers, Medicare, Fall, Autumn, farmers, fire-fighters, weather, arson

I really can not believe that after promoting BLOG ACTION DAY for the ENVIRONMENT on October 15, 2007 - that I did not get my post posted! It was written; not saved. The black cloud is returning.

Please know my intentions could not have been better. Although I do not have the written post, I do have the URL for the web sites I researched.

They are worth reading.ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

PHONE4LIFE

THE BUSY FAMILY

Each site is filled with good information to help our environment through recycling, going green, teaching by doing, starting early with our children, and how to continue as we move from one stage of our life to another. Good reading for a good cause - ANY and EVERY day of the week!

I read this in Blogger Buzz and I thought you might want to participate. Check it out, then let me know if you are going to sign up!

Blogging for the Environment
Bloggers Unite- Blog Action Day October 15, and the theme this year is the environment. If you have a blog and want to join in, all you have to do is use that day to post something related to the environment, in whatever way, shape, or form you prefer. You can pick an environmental issue that has meaning for you and let us know why it’s important. Organize a beach or neighborhood cleanup and tell us about it. If you’re into fiction writing, give us a story with an environmental theme. Have a podcast, video-blog, or photo-blog? Join the fun! The idea here is to have a mass effect on public awareness by sharing as many ideas in as many ways as possible.

If you’re game for participating, go register your blog with the 7,000+ other blogs (with 5 million readers!) that are already signed up. Also, see the Blog Action Day blog for more on how bloggers can change the world.

Thanks Graham for the heads up.

environment, blogger, October 15

A writing event for the month of November. Check out the details written by Eden Marriott Kennedy here

Welcome to National Blog Posting Month!

Welcome to the new home of NaBloPoMo! I think it’s much more impressive than the old place.

“What the heck is going on here?” you ask. Well, it’s pretty simple. You get yourself a blog, if you don’t have one already — and don’t mind me if I’m stupefied at the idea that there’s someone left in the English speaking world without their own blog. Then you look at the calendar, and when the whole world goes, “Oh, I can’t believe they’re already playing Christmas music in the warden’s office!” you’ll know it’s November and that is the month in which you post something to your blog every day, in accordance with the National Blog Posting Month challenge!

Last year everybody just went for it, posting thirty days in a row and maybe hoping to win a prize in the random drawing. This year, for those of you who suspect you might run out of gas, maybe you’d like to try blogging on a theme. Follow a news story for the month; get deeper into an issue that you want to educate yourself about; keep us abreast of how your yoga practice / daily muffin-eating regime / matchstick Eiffel Tower is progressing.

Or simply use NaBloPoMo as a writing exercise, as an easier-to-accomplish alternative to the marathon that inspired it: National Novel Writing Month.

You can sign yourself up by clicking on the Members tab. Doing so will mean that all the other crazy people who are doing this will be able to find you and your blog.

The Forums tab will take you to a place where you can commiserate with other people who are loving NaBlo, hating NaBlo, tearing their hair out over NaBlo, or cheating by backdating their posts.

The Groups tab will help you find other like-minded individuals. I’m looking at you, knitting bloggers.

By the way, “every day” means Saturday and Sunday, too. Hence the above reference to “cheating.” Not that you would.

You can do your posting here, you can do it on your blog, or you can cross-post in both places, it’s completely up to you.

But post we must … begin those drafts now … November will be here before you know it!

writing, blogs, NaBloPoMo, November

Read about the opening: HERE

and see it: HERE

Our new Library opened last week. It is a beautiful building, a tribute to former mayor and personal friend, Dozier M. Munn who was instrumental in the possibility of this wonderful addition to our small rural town. It is a smaller version of the main Library in Florence. The Library has always been a vital part of Pamplico, though the other was a small building, the young people came in the afternoons to make use of a quiet space to study and to have access to the Internet. “The Library Lady”, Mrs. Poppie Munn, has been the gatekeeper at the Library for many years; she says she is retiring and certainly is entitled to do this - a favorite who will be missed, but wished well on a wonderful retirement. It will be nice to display the many postcards she will send from her travels!

Florence County Library, Pamplico Library, retirement, travel