The F Word: Famine is the New Obscenity #BAD11

Thank you Christine at Thinly Spread for making me aware of this special day:

"Once a year bloggers worldwide come together to discuss an important global issue on Blog Action Day, this year it coincides with World Food Day. The aim is to get everyone talking, debating and discussing the many issues which surround food in the world today."

She brought the ONE campaign to my attention which has this video at the heart of it:

So what can we do to help?:

1. Sign this petition ahead of the G20 summit in November

2. Post the F Word video to your facebook wall and on your blog, link to it on Twitter

3. Share their infographic which shows which countries are leading relief efforts and which are lagging behind. 

4. Write a blog post. Register for Blog Action Day (I've only just done that!) and spread the word Fight the Famine, Feed the Future

5. Share the hunger map with a friend. Other items in the news are much less worthy of our attention!

#SilentSunday: 16th October 2011

Apple Day in Staveley

It was a suitably autumnal day for the annual Apple Day in Staveley today. Blue skies with a bit of a nip in the air which was perfect for an outdoor event to celebrate the apple.


There was a lot going on at Wilf's in the Mill Yard including:

• the community apple press operated by the South Lakeland Orchard Group
• Staveley Kookaburra All Stars samba drumming band
• Story telling with Nick Hennessy (had my daughter and I hooked!): 

• The Westmorland Step and Garland Dancers for traditional dancing
• The ceilidh band Common Ground
• Staveley Street Dancers
• Sam Robinson the Banjo Man
• A produce stall for cakes featuring apples
• The "Big Draw" which is a national community draw event and today the theme was Keep your eyes peeled
• A longest apple peel competition - at 9 cm my daughter wasn't anywhere near the winning length!
• Apple bobbing which seemed to result in some very wet children...
• Apple rolling at which my daughter came close to reaching the best length.

• Apple tasting to introduce us to some more unusual apple varieties

All in all a great day out for all ages and I'm certainly looking forward to next year!

Do Not Disturb: Sleepover in Progress!

First they decorated cakes:

Then they tried out chocolate smoothies:

• 1 pint milk
• 1 tablespoon choc sauce
• 8 scoops ice cream
• 1 tablespoon yoghurt

After vegetarian hot dogs it was Coraline on DVD plus a mini beauty spa:

• nail varnish
• Shoulder massage
• foot spa

They are currently still bouncing around upstairs... Place your bets as to what time they (and I get to sleep!)?

Reasons to be Cheerful XVI ( #R2BC )

Lots of reasons to put the bad things behind me and be cheerful today:

1) It's my birthday!

Me aged about 3 or 4!

Always a good reason to smile especially as I don't feel like I'm getting any older but its and excuse to celebrate. Not for too long as tomorrow it's my daughter's birthday with sleepover...

2) A Blipmeet

Thanks to lovely people I talk to on Blipfoto I had a day out up near the Solway Firth at Allonby. This entailed a drive through the heart of the Lake District via Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick. Towards the end I had to take two detours as roads were flooded! So many wonderful photographs I had to create a Smilebox slideshow:

Customize a free photo slideshow

In addition to this a charity wants to use my sunflower photographs in its publicity! 

3) My figure

I've had 2 more people comment this week on the change to my figure! So the weight may not be going down but my waistline is shrinking which is a great feeling.