Juggling writing my novels, blogging, and daily life is a huge challenge. This week I (sort of) chunked the task of researching the business end of blogging. That voyage into Google-ville unearthed a meandering myriad of fascinating stuff worth sharing with you…
This Aboriginal woman of Australia’s NPY region may be listening to Smiling Mind’s free meditation app in English or Pitjantjatjara or Ngaanyatjarra!
Blogging: In most any timezone, folks check their social media on weekdays, around lunchtime. According to these statistics gathered by Sprout Social, most of us bloggers are wisest to post mid-week, mid-morning. Forget about posting on weekends.
Social media: Trendwatchers at Pew Research Center report that everyone everywhere is increasing their social media engagement. Among all ages, Facebook is used most and most frequently, with Youtube gaining behind them.
Mind: “The greatest gift you can give to people is your full attention,” according to the Australian guy on Smiling Mind. Meditation, mindfulness, stress relief, call it what you will — everyone tells us we need it. Smiling Mind coaches us to do just that, in English and even in Aboriginal languages! — no credit card required to upload it and use its free version indefinitely!
Body: Mindfulness can help us stay fit — MyFitnessPal tracks and calculates our eating, nutrition, and activity. No credit card required to use its gratis edition forever.
1st YouTube: Ever wonder about it? Ta-da! Here it is, originally uploaded on April 23, 2005…
Anti-Viral Dog: Crisis brings out the worst — and the best! — in us, like how whoever kindly made this video wanted us to smile…
What are your best blogging hacks and fave truly free apps?
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Stone circles — when it comes to henges (prehistoric wood or stone earthworks ringed by a bank and a ditch) — Stonehenge comes to mind. Our visit to the United Kingdom included London, the British Museum Part 1 – Part 2 – and Part 3, Bath, and the Kelpies of Scotland. Stonehenge, unfortunately, didn’t fit with our self-drive itinerary…
Henges are regarded as sacred sites and living temples by some.
Visiting the henge at Avebury village proved a stroke of good fortune — it’s the largest in the world.
Wikipedia: The postulated original layout of Avebury, published in a late 19th-century edition of the Swedish encyclopaedia Nordisk familjebok. Original illustration by John Martin, based on an illustration by John Britton
Moreover, it’s comprised of t-h-r-e-e rings surrounding the southwest English village.
It took hundreds of years to construct Avebury henge. One of its stones weighs over 100 tons!
Inside the round dovecote are cubbies for birds to nest.
The immediate area includes the only pub enclosed by a henge, a dovecote (where domesticated pigeons and doves nest), a church, a manor, a beekeeper (an affable French man who taught us much as we sipped afternoon tea with locally baked scones)… and assorted sheep.
The community of Avebury features impressive historical buildings.
What’s your theory as to why stone circles exist?…
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In the developing world two-thirds of the livestock keepers, that is a total of approximately 400 million, are WOMEN
The Brooke, a charity that focuses on working equines,(horses, donkeys and mules) is a major supporter of the women and of their working equines. The Brooke works in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East reaching over two million working horses donkeys and mules. The Brooke is not a rescue organization but with vets, animal welfare specialists as well as advocacy and development specialists works to improve the lives of working equines and to educate and support their owners.
Here is what the Brooke has to say about their work with women.
Owning and caring for equines, alongside earning income from their work, raises women’s social status and recognition in the community. Equines help with household chores, which frees up time for women to participate in…
Up, down, inside and out, Brisbane is an arty city!
Note: Here in the U.S., ‘museums’ can have art, science, and sometimes both. In the States, ‘galleries’ are just for buying art. However, in Australia, science goes into a museum and art goes into a gallery that maybe sells, maybe doesn’t.
Brisbane, Australia, dazzles the senses indoors and out. Though we only had a day there, several sights were a short walk apart. After meeting some beasts, we strolled to the Queensland Art Gallery (QAGOMA), where there’s sooo much wonderful art!…
“Albert and Vincent” 2014, by Vincent Namatjira is from the north of S. Australia, here with his artist grandfather.“Dingo Dreaming” 1978, by Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, Pintupi people of Australia.“Triptych: Requiem, Of Grandeur, Empire” 1989, by Gordon Bennett of Queensland, Australia.“Untitled (HNDFWMIAFN) 2017, by Daniel Boyd, Dudjla/Gangalu people, Australia.“Stucco Home” 1991, by Howard Arkley of Victoria, Australia.“Love a Teacher” 2018, by Simon Gende, Kuman people, born in Papua New Guinea.“Death Adder” (right), “An Aboriginal family” (top), “The Southern Cross and the Coal Sack (the Wanamoumitja brothers spearing Alakitja)” bottom, 1948, by Groote Eylandt Community, Anindilyakwa people, Australia.“Majority Rule” 2014, by Michael Cook, Bidjara people, Australia.“Utopia Panels” 1996, by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Anmatyerre people, Australia.
“Best of All Lookouts,” located on the rim of a 20 million-year-old volcano, is aptly named. Australia has more beauty than one can visit in a lifetime. Fortunately for my husband and me, our family there was generous about sharing many sights near their home in the Gold Coast.
In Taupo, we had great fun! We stayed at Sharon Drinnan’s small family farm cottage (you can reach her at DrinnanClan@Farmside.co.NZ). Sharon was so kind that she even made sure we saw this charmer who’d hatched only hours earlier!…
Can one ever get enough of looking wonderfulnesses that includes a dog as black and cute as mine? This dog belongs to our hostess, Sharon…
After breakfast, we drove into town. On the way — “Stop the car!” I yelled, intending to photograph a mamma pig with her small piggies. She, however, had other plans! Before I knew it, she’d corralled the babies into a far corner, then returned to confront me!…
Don’t mess with Mother Pig.
Anyone who visits Happiness Between Tails knows I adore libraries. Taupo has a great one! (More later about the Pūkana expression on the red Māori sculpture)…
The city of Taupo lies along the shore of Lake Taupo — where we enjoyed a river rafting adventure. We had too much fun to take photos. However, after our adventure, my husband took these photos of me with our river guide, Tau Thompson of Tongariro River Rafting when another river guide photo-bombed us. Those Pūkana expressions we’re making (same as on the library statue). Facial expressions are essential to Māori performance…
What’s your best facial expression?
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How much do you know about Kenya? One of the zillion things I love about blogging is how it makes the world friendlier and smaller. Here lisalemuya shares about her beloved Kenya …
I have noticed most of my followers are not from my native country and that’s great having different views from all over the world is a breath of fresh air i get to know a bit of their cultures and they can learn a bit of mine.Here it goes…
I come from Kenya a country on the eastern side of Africa
we are made up of roughly 42 different cultural communities who have different languages(i know crazy but we manage).This makes us diverse and in a way very accommodating, actually if you compare us to our neighbouring countries we are very cosmopolitan. Apart from the 42 tribes we have various other non natives from all over the world we have expatriates from all over the world who fell in love with the country and decided to be citizens for good .There is a considerable indian population mostly they came to…
San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is a constant hustle bustle of strollers, musicians, shops, and street vendors. Museums feature local artists, past and present. It’s the rare place where you’ll find ancient sculptures of female shamans.
Great facts about Costa Rica
Literacy there is 96.3%, among the highest in Latin America. When Costa Ricans abolished their army in 1949, they vowed to replace it, “with an army of teachers.”
They elected their first female president in 2010. In Latin America, female presidents are common.
Hover over or click photos for captions and to enlarge them.
This Aboriginal woman of Australia’s NPY region may be listening to Smiling Mind’s free meditation app in English or Pitjantjatjara or Ngaanyatjarra!
Can one ever get enough of looking wonderfulnesses that includes a dog as black and cute as mine? This dog belongs to our hostess, Sharon…
After breakfast, we drove into town. On the way — “Stop the car!” I yelled, intending to photograph a mamma pig with her small piggies. She, however, had other plans! Before I knew it, she’d corralled the babies into a far corner, then returned to confront me!…
The 
What’s your best facial expression?
Happiness Between Tails by da-AL 