Hello Everyone!!

I do hope you’re all enjoying the summer. We’ve been busy as bee’s here at RoseWillow. The E-Greeting site is now OPEN!! WooHooo! I hope everyone will send out an egreeting to a friend or family member and give it a try!

We have some new members. Welcome to jacy, hitechguy2006 and ~Swan ~! Drop by their forums and give them a howdy. Nice to have you folks here with us.

Congratulations go out to Gramma Zi-O and her family. Her daughter gave birth to a bouncing baby boy this July! Mom and baby Jet Ryan Shark are all doing well and Gramma is in her glory. We're hoping for photos soon!

More Congratulations to Tammy! If you read Tammy's feature in the paper for the Crafts Guild Artist of the month Tammy mentioned she still throws Shot put, discus and Javelin. Well she attended the Empire State Games this past month and didn't the gal bring home some medals! Gold for the discus, silver for shot put and a bronze for the javelin in the 45-49 year group! Way to go Tammy! Excellent.

I'd also like to welcome Dr. Phyllis to town. Though I've not seen her official credentials she's here to assist those with her sage advice column. Lord help us all.. Pay her a visit won't you and enjoy her advice column debuting in this months paper.

I’d like to let everyone know they can now pick their own avatar. What’s an avatar? It’s that little photo beside your name. We have some icons to choose from when you register your handle but now you can design your own picture. Or if you find one you like we’ll insert it beside your name. Avatars can be no bigger than 70x70 pixels. Once you make or find one you like mail it to Grace and she will get you set up. If you are having trouble sizing it just ask Grace for some help she'll know what to do.

If you have any questions, problems of comments feel free to mail me any time.

Have a safe summer folks!

Your Mayor

E-Greetings from RoseWillow.ca is now up and running! We invite you all to send cards to friends and loved ones. We're already adding new cards too! There are so many fun features you'll just love them all I'm sure.

Being that this is a totally different software package you will have to join up. Members of RoseWillow may use their existing handles and passwords or completely new ones if they like. But you do have to join the egreeting site too. Personal information is only viewed by the owners of this site. It will never be distributed or sold.

If you enjoy the e-greetings you may find you need a RoseWillow email address too. Please contact Postmaster Bob for more information.

If there are some graphic designers out there who would like to show off their talents by designing some cards for us to showcase, please contact Joy. She will give you all the details.

Tell us what you think about the new E-Greetings site! We'd like your input. Mail us at egreetings@rosewillow.ca!

Send your ecard today!

Feng Shui is an ancient system that strives to achieve harmony between people and their environment. Based on the Taoist tradition of perceiving nature as five elemental energies (chi), Feng Shui masters try to understand the natural order of cause and effect: why things happen to us when they do, and by extension, what we can do to steer ourselves onto a different path. Reordering chi in your environment can effect every aspect of your life - even your chances of a happy marriage. Here are a few tips to encourage good chi on your wedding day.

A bride should go to her wedding in a red car, but if that isn’t possible, either a maroon, yellow, or white vehicle makes a good substitute for enhancing strong yang energy. An endless knot should also be tied to the front of the car, which signifies undying love between the couple.

The wedding vows should be exchanged within red envelopes. The red colour symbolizes strong yang energy, which will imbue your words with power and luck, while the rectangular shape of the envelope heralds back to the protection provided by ancient Chinese shields.

When decorating the reception hall, make sure that there are no dried flowers anywhere, including potpourri. It’s also a good idea to have all the colours of the nine lives represented somewhere within the hall - dark blue or black, red, yellow, pink, gold or purple, gray or silver, and white. This will help keep all the energies balanced, giving the couple an auspicious beginning to their marriage.

When the bride and groom arrive at the reception venue, they should be greeted by a loud sound, such as the band playing a rousing rendition of the wedding march - this has the double effect of representing yang energies while also announcing the start of the celebration.

Before a newlywed couple moves in together, the following feng shui ritual should be performed to bring good fortune to all corners of their house. Mix a dash of saffron with water until it yellows, and pour a few drops on every floor in the northern end of the home, known as the water sector, to help kindle and sustain love. In the northeast and southeast areas, fill a bucket with sand from a riverbank and mix it with the ashes from three incense sticks. Scatter the sand over the corners, and wait a day before cleaning it up to activate energy in the two earth sectors of your home. In the east and southeast, the two wood areas, place seven flowers - lily, peony, chrysanthemum, plum blossom, lotus blossom, orchid, and a bulb flower. If any of these are unavailable, choose blooms from each of the four seasons to bring good fortune all year-round. In the southern fire sector, activate yang energy by lighting three red candles. In the west and northwest metal sectors, strengthen the chi with three gold or silver pieces. Walk around this sector with a dish of these in hand.

To promote a good relationship, try to double up when you decorate. For instance, instead of one bedside lamp, consider a pair, one for each side of the bed. Two pieces of rose quartz are particularly auspicious in the bedroom.

It is bad shui to have the marital bed reflected in a mirror. In fact , the larger a mirror is, the more negative chi a marriage will have.

Light earth tones are the perfect colour for your bedroom because earth energies nurture your body. Fiery colours like red and hot orange should be avoided. While they do incite the passions, they also keep you from a restful sleep. Colours like blue and purple should be kept away from the bed at all costs since they have a servile and chaste connotation.

It is important to remove anything with pointy corners from your bedroom, such as your dresser, especially if it’s at head level. This sends out negative energy, or shar chi, and can cause stress and disputes between couples. Ideally, your furniture should be round and curved, which gives off good chi by mimicking the form of the human body.

HANNAH

This next step in brewing allows the brewer more control over their recipes than the pre-hopped kits. It’s at this step where the brewer will have to familiarize himself/herself with various recipes and choose a style to brew. This is the point where brewing really starts to become fun. There are a great many styles of beer and each style has many different recipes associated with it. This gives the brewer access to thousands of different proven recipes already at hand before the brewer even starts to experiment on his/her own.

As the name suggests, malt extract brewing (commonly referred to simply as extract brewing) starts with, well, malt extract. Malt extract is simply concentrated wort. Wort is the product of mashing grains. In the case of malt extract, the mashing has been done for you. This extract will form the basis of your all your extract brews.

Extract comes in several different levels of darkness. You would choose a light malt extract for beer such as blondes or pilsners, and dark malt extract for stouts and porters. The thing to keep in mind is that the grains you will steep will also lend some color to your beer so don’t buy a dark malt for a beer that you don’t want to be completely dark. It also comes in both dry and liquid forms. Until you gain more experience, follow the recommendation of the designer of the recipe.

If you were to simply rehydrate your extract and boil and ferment it, you would have a very boring beer. At the very least you would need some hops to balance the residual sweetness of the malt, but it would also be nice to add some other grains to change and enhance the flavor profile.

Hops are generally added in ‘additions’ to the boiling, rehydrated malt. Often homebrewers will boil the rehydrated extract on the stove and because the stove doesn’t have enough capacity to boil a whole five gallons, a partial boil is done and then topped off with cool water. Keep in mind that the denser the liquid the less hop bitterness is extracted.

The first hop addition is usually added at the beginning of the boil and is the bittering hop. This is because the lupulin glands in the hops give off their bittering compounds as they are boiled for a long time. Unfortunately this long boiling time also drives off the flavor and aroma compounds so a hop boiled for the full 60 minutes loses its flavor but adds considerably more bitterness than those boiled for less time. Because of this you may find that your bittering hop may be a different variety than your aroma or even your flavor hop. Your recipe will dictate the type of hop to add, how much, and how many minutes of boil time it requires.

Since your malt extract must accommodate many different types of beer it has to made from only that which is common to those types of beers. So how do we make a nice Irish Red as opposed to a Brown? We do this by steeping different grains in hot water. This releases some of their sugars and starches into the water. For the most part these sugars are not fermentable so simply steeping them at 155 degrees or so will be enough to release all that grainy goodness into the water. Just to make sure, the brewer should rinse the grains with hot water to extract as much from them as possible. If using a grain bag, do not squeeze the bag; that will cause unpleasant tannins from the grains husks to come out.

There are some variations to the techniques outlined here but in every case the principle is the same. The malt is rehydrated, grains are steeped (or sometimes mashed), and hops are added to the boil. How the brewer goes about this is part of the fun and the individuality of extract brewing.

Happy brewing!

Stop by Joe's and add your favorite recipes to Joe's Bar Book!
What will you be drinking this summer?

Hey folks!

We were wondering what to write about for this months Oracle as we were slapping mosquitoes and swatting at flies it suddenly became quite apparent PEST CONTROL! Green ways to keep the critters at bay. For you gardeners here’s a few helpful tips to enjoy an all natural summer. We hope some of these will be of use to you.

General tips for garden insects.

-For garden pests, make a mixture of 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil. Mix about 3 tablespoons of this concentrate with a quart of water in a pump bottle and spray on plants.

-Another recipe for insect control: soak citrus rind (lemon, orange, grapefruit) in water for a few days. Pour the water into a pump bottle and spray on plants.

-Sprinkle cayenne pepper around plants to keep cats away.

-Plant peppermint around your house. It repels ants and mice.

-Weeds are not really pests, but they can be really pesky! Hot water will kill most unwanted plants. Just boil some water and pour it over the plant you want to kill.

Have Ants?

If there’s one there’s usually more where that one came from. Here’s some tips to keep them out of your home.

-Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at the ants' point of entry. Many ants have a natural aversion to cucumber. Bitter cucumbers work best.

-Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant deterrents.

-Trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not cross: cayenne pepper, citrus oil (can be soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds.

-Mix a half teaspoon each of honey, borax, and aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet, etc.), in small bottles. Place bottles on their sides, with lids off, in areas of most ant activity. Ants will carry the bait back to their colonies. Important: use indoors only; must be kept away from pets and children.

-Leave a small, low wattage night light on for a few nights in the area of most ant activity. The change in light can disrupt and discourage their foraging patterns.

-Ants on the deck? Slip a few cut up cloves of garlic between the cracks.

- Cinnamon sprinkled around your planter box will keep ants out.

Roaches

What can we say.. YUCK!

-It is a little known fact that roaches like high places. If you put boric acid on TOP of your kitchen cabinets (not inside), if space allows between ceiling and cabinets, the roaches will take the boric acid to their nests, killing all of them. Boric acid is toxic by mouth - keep away from children and pets.

-Diatomaceous earth is a safe alternative which can be sprinkled in areas where roaches congregate, especially hidden areas such a cabinet tops and behind appliances. Harmless to people, the tiny particles cut the waxy exoskeleton and kills the insect within 48 hours. For a week or so after the treatment, the dehydrating insects will search more actively for water. Therefore, do not be surprised if you see roaches more often after the treatment. Most roaches should be killed within two weeks of application.

-Catnip is a natural repellent to cockroaches. The active ingredient is nepetalactone, which is non-toxic to humans and pets. Small sachets of catnip can be left in areas of cockroach activity. Catnip can also be simmered in a small amount of water to make a "catnip tea" which can be used as a spray to apply around baseboards and behind counters. This natural repellent should only be used in homes without cats!

-Keep a spray bottle of soapy water on hand. Spraying roaches directly with soapy water will kill them. (This seems to be a common theme for bug killing. It also works on houseplants for mites!)

-In an empty one pound coffee can, place 1 or 2 pieces of bread which have been soaked thoroughly with beer. Place in areas known to have roach infestations.

-Leave bay leaves, cucumber slices or garlic in the affected area as deterrents.

-The fruit of the Osage orange tree, the hedgeapple, is a natural roach repellent. Leave one hedgeapple per room for effective deterrence up to two months. You can learn more about hedgeapples for pest control at hedgeapple.com.

Mosquitoes

We personally find these the most annoying creatures on Gods Green earth. The only good mosquito is a Dead mosquito! I’m sure even the Buddhists would agree if they lived where we do! Here’s a few tips. If we ever go outdoors again we’ll let you know which ones work.

-The most important measure you can take is to remove standing water sources. Change birdbaths, wading pools and pet's water bowl twice a week. Keep your eaves troughs clean and well-draining. Remove yard items that collect water.

-In a New England Journal of Medicine study, oil of eucalyptus at 30% concentration prevented mosquito bites for 120.1 minutes, while Bite Blocker with 2% soybean oil kept bites away for 96.4 minutes. (the eucalyptus oil must have a minimum of 70% cineole content, the active therapeutic ingredient.) Citronella, a common alternative to DEET, performed poorly, warding off bugs for only 20 minutes.

-Or try Vicks Vapo Rub! Mosquitoes don't like the smell of eucalyptus found in Vicks VapoRub. Rub some on your skin to repel them.

- If you're using the barbeque, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitoes.

-An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 - 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.

-Neem oil is a natural vegetable oil extracted from the Neem tree in India. The leaves, seeds and seed oil of the Neem tree contain sallanin, a compound which has effective mosquito repelling properties. Neem oil is a natural product and is safe to use. Look for new Neem Oil-based commercial products on the market.

-Planting marigolds around your yard works as a natural bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs and flying insects do not like.

-Campers often report that the very best mosquito repellent is Avon Skin-So-Soft® bath oil mixed half and half with rubbing alcohol.

-Bounce Fabric Softener -- The fragrance in fabric softener, oleander, repels mosquitoes. Try tying a sheet or two to the outside of your clothing when you work in the garden. This can also come in handy when you're camping.

-Listerine -- Unlike smelly mosquito repellent that will turn up your nose, original Listerine mouthwash can drive away mosquitoes. Rub some on your skin before you go outdoors; the thyme in Listerine repels mosquitoes.

-Dishwashing liquid -- Add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid per gallon of water, then pour the mixture into a rain barrel or other pools of water around your yard. This will destroy developing mosquito larvae.

Flies.

As the summer gets hotter it seems the flies get worse too. Here’s some tips on repelling House Flies.

-Use mint as a fly repellent. Small sachets of crushed mint can be placed around the home to discourage flies.

-Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus wrapped in small cheesecloth squares can be hung by open windows or doors.

-Place a small, open container of sweet basil and clover near pet food or any open food in the house.

-A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbent cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.

-You can make your own flypaper with this simple recipe: Mix 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 1 tbsp. brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut strips of brown craft paper and soak in this mixture. Let dry overnight. To hang, poke a small hole at the top of each strip and hang with string or thread.

Fruit Flies.

Come fall I usually have a terrible time with fruit flies. I found THE best way to get rid of the damn things was to pour some Cider or Red Wine Vinegar into a long neck bottle and leave it out on the counter. Give it a swirl every couple of days to dampen the sides. Just wait till you see the collection of dead fruit flies! They love the stuff but once they touch the liquid that’s it for them. It’s really amazing how quickly you can clear out your fruit fly problem.

Snails and Slugs

Snails and slugs can damage your garden because they feed on both decaying and live material. The large ragged holes they gnaw can completely destroy young seedlings. They are particularly harmful to cabbage, strawberries, and lettuce. The question is how can you get rid of them? Here are some tips using items found around the house:

-Chalk -- If you are just trying to protect a small area, you might try using chalk. Slugs won't cross a thick chalk line.

-Coca-Cola -- Pour Coca-Cola into jar lids and set them in and around your garden. Both snails and slugs are attracted by the sweet soda, but the acid will destroy them when they slither into the lid.

-Beer -- Take a Frisbee or a plant saucer and dig a shallow hole in your garden. Place the saucer inside, leaving about 1/8 of an inch above the ground. Pour beer into the saucer, and place a roof tile or something similar over the saucer to shade it. The alcohol breaks down the body tissue of the snails and slugs, and they won't make it out again. Empty the saucer and refill it with fresh beer every couple of days.

-Sandpaper -- cut doughnut-sized collars out of sandpaper and place them around your plants. This will act as a deterrent for snails and slugs because they don't like crawling over abrasive surfaces.

Salt -- Salt kills slugs by reverse osmosis. You don't have to sprinkle it directly on them, but sprinkle trails of the stuff around your garden or on sidewalks near the grass.

We hope some of these Green methods of pest control help you out this summer with your buggies and creepy crawlers.. If you have any other tips or tricks please send them our way! greenspace@rosewillow.ca

Do you have some Green ideas for us? Something special you like to do to help the planet? Mail us and let us know!

If you’re interested in living Green visit us at RoseWillow’s Green Space! Post in the forum some of your Green living tips! See you there.

Dr Phyllis is RoseWillow's new resident advisor. If you have problems in your life this is the gal to talk to. She has the sage wisdom of your own dear grandmother. Who may have spent time in prison.. But she does have the answers to all your questions.

If you have anything on your mind. If life is getting your down. If your lost and have no one to turn to drop the good Doctor an email at drphyllis@rosewillow.ca

Dear Dr Phyllis
I knew my husband John was straying, and he did little to hide it, staying out in bars, until one morning he left me and the kids a misspelled note saying he was "leving and sory". Later, my boyfriend John started staying out late at bars with lame excuses, and one night I followed him to another woman's house, and he tried to lie his way out of it, and I got a speeding ticket following him. There's a guy at work I like now, also called John; but when I asked him to meet me, he was late, and said he'd been in a bar with a woman (also from work) who got drunk and he had to see her home. Should I dump him, and give up on Johns, or just become a prostitute? And can I get any money back on the ticket?
Anxious in Anchorage

Dear Anxious,
I think you're stuck with the ticket. However, just because several men you met share a name, that doesn't make them the same man.
How late was your last John? Even if it sounds like a familiar excuse, that may be no reason to throw the potty out with the water. Since you both work with this woman, his story should be easier to check than tailing a suspect beau in traffic. His given name doesn't make him a liar, and this one has given you details. He's either the worst liar of your Johns or, possibly, telling the truth. And if he IS telling the truth, a guy who'd be late for his own date, to see someone else home - and not lie at all, he could be a keeper.
Dr Phyllis

Dear Dr Phyllis
I'm a junior in high school, but I moved-in with my girlfriend, and her parents are cool with that, and let me stay in her bedroom. The thing is, her sister is a senior, and she's hot, and I think she's saying I could sleep in her room, if you know what I mean. My dad chucked me out in a fit, so I'm not going back there again, but which room should I sleep in?
Sincerely Sleeping in a tent.

Dear Tent
I think we’re getting an inkling of why Daddy booted your horny ass. Do you find that most surfaces in your room are sticky? Does the dog run and hide when you come near? Maybe you should have drawn the line with that ‘experimental’ phase when Pops was alone in bed. You’re right. Don’t go back there. It’s way beyond creepy.

As to your current predicament… What the hell’s wrong with you? If you’re getting some, wait until you’re done with it before you look for another, because ONE other is all you’re going to get in that house. I suggest you find other accommodations before you take big sis up on her offer. Try someplace that will accommodate you needs. Maybe declare yourself Jesus and start your own commune or just join the republican party and run on a platform of fidelity.
Dr Phyllis

Dear Dr Phyllis
Is this normal? My left testicle hangs lower than my right one. If it's cold, or I'm scared or swimming, or I suck-in my breath real hard, they both retract in a wrinkly bunch. But when it's warm, and they dangle a bit, the left one seems to hang lower. Is that normal? Also, it rotates, with a low humming noise. It's hard to make out, because leaning my head close to my balls is tricky for me; but it seems to be saying "kill..." and I can't make out the name. "Henderson," maybe? Is that normal?
Nutty in Nebraska

Dear Nutty,
Several of your problems are very normal. Many men have one testicle that hangs-lower, just as many women have breasts that seem imperfectly matched. There is nothing wrong with that. We are none of us perfect beings, and we have only one heart and one liver, none of us is born *symmetrical*. But if your parts start talking to you, that's not "normal", honey - and I think you need to go to a hospital to have that looked, and listened-to, and you should carefully explain the full extent of you problems, as you did here. I think you need to be seen by professionals who are right there, all around you. I can't really see the problem, or hear it, from this distance, after all. You need to seek in-person attention.
Dr Phyllis

Dear Dr Phyllis
My dog Tucker got lost. He was here Tuesnesday but today me and him don't know where he is.
Leroy

Dear Leroy
Did you search the entire trailer park? Here's what ya gotta do Leroy. Is Tucker a bloodhound? Do you have anything he can sniff to get the scent? I suggest you take him to an oval track, give him a sniff and you can use him to fetch. Bring plenty of water.
Dr Phyllis

Dear Dr Phyllis
My kids are almost 2, and there's the baby, and the 3-yr-old too. Their father hardly comes around more than once a year. I'm left dealing with them on my own, with no support, even though the court says he owes me a lot of money. He's not supposed to get within 500 feet of me, but when he's in town, he usually does. How can I explain to him that me and the kids do need the money he promises?
Broke in Boca

Dear Boca,

I'd suggest first calling the police when he does come close, second you could consider crossing your legs during his visits. A woman sitting with her legs is not overly suggestive, despite those old movie glimpses of calf. A woman keeping her legs crossed is not suggestive at all. Given the rare visits of your children's father, perhaps you might try calling him by the wrong name, just to put him off until the police arrive. You might, for instance, practice calling him "Henderson" or such-like?
Dr Phyllis

To read these and other letters to Dr Phyllis visit her pages here at RoseWillow.ca.

Here’s a versatile recipe for Dough. I use it for Pizza or stuffed buns with a few alterations you can use it for all kinds of things.

With the Olympics starting this month you may not want to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen. With this dough and the filling recipes below you can send a day making stuffed buns to stick in your freezer and warm up for watching the games. These buns are a meal in themselves. Not to mention there's nothing better than home made pizza when you have a gang in!

-6 cups of flour
-2 tablespoons instant yeast
-3 cups WARM water
-1/4 cup oil
-2 teaspoons salt
-1 teaspoon sugar

Mix the yeast into the flour.
To the warm water add- oil, salt and sugar. Mix till sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour into flour and yeast. You may need a bit of flour on the side if the dough is to sticky. Mix well and kneed smooth. Set back in bowl and let rise if you like or just roll onto greased pizza pans.

This dough is good for pizzas filled buns etc.

If you alter the yeast and use 2 heaping table spoonfuls and also alter sugar, salt ingredients by that I mean 1tsp salt and 2 tsp sugar or if you want sweet dough use 1 table spoon of sugar and instead of the oil and use lard. Let rise in a warm area for ½ hr This makes a great dough for cinnamon buns!

This is a basic recipe you can switch the ingredient amounts and see what suits your needs. I’ve been playing with it for years. Works every time! The trick though is to have warm water NOT HOT you’ll kill the yeast but nice warm water to mix that way your dough doesn’t get tuff. Cold water will bugger your dough up really quickly.

Some ideas for stuffed bun fillings.
1 lbs Fried Bacon
4 Onions chopped fine
4 lbs Ground Beef
1 Large Can Sauerkraut
3 cups cheddar cheese grated
3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
½ cup soya sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients well. The mixture should absorb the soya sauce bit if it’s really moist strain it or squeeze it out before filling your buns. If it’s to wet you’ll have a hard time sealing your buns.

Take a hand full of dough and press it into a flat round in your hand. Spoon into center and pull up sides around mixture. Then pinch dough together and form into a ball. Place pinched side down on greased cookie sheet bake at 400 till buns are golden brown.
Ham and Cheese filling.
3 lbs Cooked Ham
3 onions chopped fine
1 large sprig of Broccoli chopped fine

Make a thick cheese sauce from
2 heaping table spoons of butter
2 heaping tablespoons flour
2 cups of milk
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 big glob of cheese wiz

Melt butter add flour mix well till it forms a paste. Add milk mix well add cheeses stir over med heat till thick.
Mix all ingredients together fill buns the same way as the first method cook at the same temp. These Freeze well

Pizza Buns.
1 large can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 cups chopped pepperoni or 2 lbs cubed small.
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3 finely chopped onions. (optional)
1 finely chopped green pepper(optional)
1 tin well drained mushrooms(optional)
1 tin chopped black olives. (optional)

Mix well and stuff your as per first method bake a 400 till golden brown approx 20 min

All the filling recipes are will make enough for the 6 cups of flour dough. All buns are cooked at 400 degrees on greased baking sheets.

EnJoy!

Have you been over to the RoseWillow Arts & Crafts Guild yet?

The RoseWillow Arts and Crafts Guild would like to let everyone know that Tammy's tuesday morning Quilting group is raffling a Beautiful "Grand Sampler Quilt".

(click photo to see larger version)

Tammy tells us, "Most of the proceeds (we keep a little to pay for using the meeting room) will be going to the Elizabeth Freeman Center. The last quilt we raffled brought in enough for us to donate $1000.00 to the Fire Dept. to put towards buying a new piece of equipment.

If you are interested in seeing the squares Tammy did pop over to the Arts and Crafts Guild forum and have a look see.

I am told that we will be able to purchase tickets on the quilt and I must say they are going for a song! Tickets are $1.00 a piece or 6 for $5.00 the club says it will pay for shipping if you are to win. They haven't quite worked out how they'll let us get our money to them yet but I'm sure Tammy will keep us posted. If you're interested in purchasing some tickets on the quilt leave Tammy a note in her forum or you can drop us a line at the Arts & Crafts Guild once we get the details we'll let everyone know in our forum.

The Draw Date is December 9th, 2008 Best of luck to the Quilting Group on the fundraising !

I grew up in a ceramic studio pretty much .. When I was about 8 my mom started to teach for the woman she’d been taking classes from and when the lady decided to retire Mom and a good friend bought the business. With in a few years Mom had bought out her partner and was building a business on her own.

Once I graduated high school I went to work for her full time starting from the ground up. Pouring greenware in the basement of the store then to the main floor in sales and finally up to the top floor for teaching. We had one of the largest teaching studios and studios in general in the province. In the fall we’d have up to 45 students per night.

I did get my teaching certificate for Reward glazes and was knew the Ceramichrome line inside and out since we were the distributors for both in the province. I also took classes in China Painting and Folk Art painting. Did a little oil painting too. I learned Glass sagging and painting (fired glass) and reverse glass painting with oil paints. I dabbled in and airbrushing too but wasn’t fussy on that.

I was living at my parents home at the lake which I might add had a wonderfully large workroom. I was newly divorced with a toddler and needed to find a source of income while still being able to stay home with my daughter so I started mega crafting and hitting all the craft sales I could find. For a few years Granny doorstop dollies kept me goin.

I bought my own place with a really great building on the property and opened a home craft shop but very shortly afterwards opened my own store. It was a gift/craft store. There I began teaching folk art and fabric painting and had a pretty decent balloon bouquet business.

*

I remarried a few years later and we moved out to the country where I continued my crafting at home. One of my very favorite things to do is Wedding Flowers. Just love that.

I’ve puttered in many things over the years. I always looked forward to Halloween so I could make the kids costumes. One of my favorites was one of my last. I made my youngest into a brain. I made many fun ones over the years. Sponge Bob Square Pants, a very large spider costume and a goth bride for my daughter. I think I enjoyed Halloween more than the kids some years!

I’m quite sure my obsessive crafting has managed to get me supplies for just about everything there is to make. I had a craft room built when we moved here but it’s now been taken over by my boys and is about to be divided into 2 rooms for them. We’re redoing the basement and I have first dibs on space for my craft supplies. I intend on having another work room down there.

For now I’m limited as to space so I keep my crafting small. I enjoy making jewelry and working with fimo which is a type of art clay you just bake in the oven. I also once took old junk jewelry and turned it in to a whole nativity set for a friend. I find that so much of the things I’ve made over the years has been sold or given as gifts.

The only competition I ever entered was to try and win tickets to a Rolling Stones Concert. You had to make a Voodoo Mask. It was for the Voodoo Lounge tour. There were 100’s of entries.. and quite honestly .. I was robbed *L*.. I didn’t win a thing.. I knew after I’d looked at everything exactly which one of the entries was going to win and it did. A lovely quilted mask.. an Unbelievable amount of work that went into it.

"Vern" as we called him, hung in our dining room for years to come. Dead pheasant on his head and all. He was made from a 2x12 piece of ash with 2x4's and maple balls for facial features. I was in the wood shop for days making him but it was worth it.

Oh and I did win a special Judges award at a ceramic show once. That was the year they let craft booths in. They hadn't planned on any awards for the craft booths but they were notably impressed by mine apparently and gave me a ribbon.. Quite a nice, unexpected surprise I must say.

Another fun pastime for me is graphic arts. First time I saw what you could do with a photograph and computer I was hooked. Got me a copy of Corel photo paint 5 and spent hours and hours learning the program and restoring old photo’s.. I made my first webpage over at geocities advertising Photo Restoration. Be Damned if the pages aren't still there! it's been at least 10 years since I put them up I sure.

I still love the graphics work and have learned much more than my first pages back in the mid 90's. I get lots of opportunities to work on things for the graphics here at RoseWillow and I do restoration now and again. That can be terribly rewarding. I just lose myself in it some days. If it weren’t for the fact my family had to eat I’d get much more done on the computer *L*.

I'm sure I'll be crafting something for years to come. Lord knows there are things I've not even attempted yet! Both the hubby and I would like to get into some glass blowing but I think that'll have to wait till we have a decent work room set up. Ya just can't keep a set up like that at the kitchen table.

Hope you've enjoyed learning a bit about my obsession!

We'd like to thank Joy for contributing to our paper this month. How bout you all? What are your talents? Do you Paint? Sew? Scrapbook? Perhaps you are a Ceramist? Potter? Jewelry? Knitter? How about Photography? Sculptor? Do you make Soap? Candles? or Paper? TELL US ABOUT IT!

We're looking for contributors and Artists and Crafter to feature. If you have an talent we can showcase please contact Kimberleyrose. You don't have to be a member of RoseWillow to be featured! Anyone with quality arts and crafts can send us thier information and we'll have a look see and perhaps feature you as the Artist or Crafter of the month! So if you have a friend or relative out there who does some beautiful work you think should be shown off get them in touch with us here at the Arts & Crafts Guild rwacg@rosewillow.ca

We would also like you to submit photos or instructions on arts and crafts others can do. The Craft Chat at the RoseWillow Arts and Crafts Guild is open to everyone too, so come on in and make yourself at home!

The Sports Center reminds y'all the Olympic Games begin 08/08/08, and we're OPEN for any & all discussion and/or cheerleading! Pop on over to RoseWillow's Sports Center!!!

Best Wishes to all athletes competing in the Games. Let's hope things go smoothly over there - including breathing!

And don't forget - the NFL is coming-soon too, bringing games of chance and guessing - stay tuned!

Aries: This is a very pleasant period of your life, with many enjoyable social gatherings, entertainments, parties, and festivities. You find it much easier than usual to smile and extend good will towards others. Don't hold back your feelings; use this time to develop the habit of a positive, loving, optimistic attitude towards life. This is an excellent time for dancing and singing with others. If you are too shy to sing with others or openly share with others in other ways, now is a good time to break down this timidity and rigidity.

Taurus: Your love relationships are harmonious and fulfilling now. If you are not currently involved in a love relationship, but would like to be, then this may very well be the time when your "love drought" ends. Don't become too narrowly focused on this possibility, however. This is an excellent time for meeting people of many different life styles and forming many different kinds of friendships and acquaintances. These relationships are just as rewarding and important as the closer and more romantic ones, for one of the benefits of this astrological influence is that it provides the opportunity and ability to share close feelings with people of many different walks of life.

Gemini: This is a good time to plan or take a journey to a distant land. Travel and exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking about the world interest you now. You may meet and learn from someone from another culture or with vastly different beliefs and experiences than your own. Philosophical discussions or studies are also on the agenda. You're thinking about the "big picture" rather than the mundane circumstances and details of your life.

Cancer: Dedication and commitment can now back up your interest in moving forward in your job or career. Reviewing your old habits and traditions gives you an opportunity to make needed changes that bring greater work efficiency and helps you execute your career goals and plans. Stay alert to new possibilities that would increase your status and recognition in your work environment. In your personal life, this is a good time to secure your commitments and responsibilities to loved ones and friends. Taking the time out to give a significant relationship the kind of attention it needs will be highly beneficial at this time.

Leo: Strong professional desires may inhibit your interest in domestic matters or intimate relationships at this time. If you are overly eager or zealous in your attempts to establish your career and work objectives, you may lose sight of your personal affairs and thus sacrifice important areas that need your attention. Those in authority can create roadblocks to your success, leaving you to feel you have been denied fulfillment of your cherished goals. You might need to discipline yourself to accepting less than what you had hoped for in terms of your business and professional contributions. Long-range plans and ambitions should be put off until career matters are in clear focus.

Virgo: At this time, you are most susceptible to being influenced by others. Your analytical perception is weakened, leading you to not see things as they really are. You attract people or circumstances that are mysterious, alluring and confusing to you. These persons may have nebulous intentions, and you might misjudge their motives. It is best at this time to discern fact from fiction before making assessments and important decisions. A secret or behind the scene activity can become apparent to you or conspicuous to other people. For example, an illicit romance or a drug/alcohol problem can be exposed now.

Libra: You want to surround yourself with people who stimulate your mind with fresh and exciting insights and discoveries. This can be a good time to tap into your own inner talent and creative potential, especially that which is considered unconventional or ingenious. Sudden flashes of intuition help you come up with new ideas to find solutions to any problems you are experiencing. If you are engaged in social and group organizations, their influence upon you may reform some of your outdated attitudes and ideas. You can make new friends who are quite gifted, unusual or innovative in their field.

Scorpio: You may look forward to an increase in love and appreciation, reciprocated feelings, and commitment in a close romantic relationship or marriage. Whether you are already married, involved in a serious partnership, or beginning a new love affair, you can become quite firmly attached to your mate or lover at this time. Promising developments can bring a new burst of social activity which may set off all kinds of new romantic or pleasurable opportunities as well. The prospects for harmony, cooperation, and rapport within your love relationship is greatly enhanced. You may be in the mood to intensify a long-standing relationship or to begin a new one at this time.

Sagittarius: This is a positive time when you express your deepest feelings openly and intensely. You seek intensity in your life and in your relationships, and you become more aware of hidden sides of your personality, untapped talents and interests, and also emotional blocks or confusions. Underlying motives come to the surface and relationships become deeper and more meaningful. Although this process is natural and occurs with no effort on your part, you can do much to enhance this process by courageously taking advantage of opportunities to better understand yourself and others.

Capricorn: Projects that have been in the planning stages can be successfully implemented or brought forth at this time. Creative and intellectual endeavors are favored now, and you will most likely gain the support and appreciation from important and influential people. New possibilities to link with others on a common goal may occur and would prove quite beneficial and productive now. You have more faith in your intuition and reasoning abilities, which keeps your focus clear and helps you avoid pitfalls. This is an excellent time to display your natural talents or artistic abilities to the public.

Aquarius: You may find yourself at an impasse regarding a concern at work. Although a minor setback or delay is possible, you may do best now by maintaining a low profile. Conflicts of interest may arise between you and a superior or co-worker, leaving you feeling you do not get the respect or approval you seek. Your own leadership qualities may not be noticed or appreciated in ways that support your professional interests. Try not to assess your self-worth only on the basis of what you can accomplish at work now. Hold on to your self-confidence and take this time as an opportunity to gain further understanding of your vocational purposes and directions.

Pisces: There may be a lot of activity surrounding work and professional pursuits at this time. You may feel obsessed with getting some work accomplished; however, you may discover you only run around in circles and get very little done. Your daily work routine might need to be rearranged or reorganized because of petty inconveniences or obstacles during this period. Tension and minor disagreements with co-workers or close associates is also possible. Since most of your work efforts leave less time for your personal life, you can find yourself making excuses to loved ones, relatives, and friends who wish to connect with you.

-Deborah Browning

We are in the process of setting up a full classified section for our members and friends. It’s just taking us a bit longer than expected. Our apologies. There will be an all boards announcement when we’re ready. We do hope you’ll enjoy its features.

A big Hello to the good people of RoseWillow and to the others looking in.

As you have probably noticed our classified section is not yet up and running. We ran into a few snags and SOMEBODY who shall remain nameless Joy needed help last month with the E-Greeting site so we've fallen a bit behind. I'm terribly sorry about this but we are doing our best and if all goes well it should be going by the end of summer. Very sorry for the delay.

We do so appreciate all the contributions by our members for the paper. Please keep them coming! Even if you aren't a member of RoseWillow but enjoy our paper and would like to contribute you are more than welcome to!

Any feedback is appreciated. Whether you love our paper or hate it or have an idea for it, Mail Me! editor@rosewillow.ca Or you can post on The Oracle Bulletin Board. I look forward to hearing from you.

-Pierre
Editor of the Rosewillow Oracle

Our designers also do custom homes!

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