tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645049747512239412024-03-06T01:22:30.989-08:00JO-ANNE MASONJo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-85789268816519718222019-09-25T06:30:00.002-07:002019-09-26T05:54:16.462-07:00I feel sorry for Greta ThunbergWhen I was a child I lived on Long Island in New York. Our house was located on the only road down to the water that ended with a small boat yard. It was kind of a peninsula. My father had an outboard motor boat that we would use for family outings and fishing. Next to our house was I guess what you would call marshland. It was huge and beautiful. The cattails would grow so high you could not see to the water. I remember one day standing there looking out on the marsh and a sad feeling came over me that has never left in my entire life. It all started before I was 10 years old looking at that marsh. My parents had just told me that the marsh would be bulldozed, the waterline would be bulk-headed and houses would be built. My childhood friends and I had built an underground fort, It was just a hole in the ground that we threw a piece of plywood over and called it a fort. On the day the bulldozers arrived I remember watching as the machine hit the fort and fell in. It was not very deep but it fell in and I was happy that I had impeded their progress. It didn’t matter, they carried, on the homes were built and it was the reason we eventually packed up and moved to a farm in Maryland.<br />
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In the seventies I wanted a car. It was difficult because everyone at that time wanted a big car, a gas guzzler and at that time there was a gas shortage. I did not want one. I wanted a small car that used less gas. I found one. It was old and ratty and made in Germany and a serviceman had brought it back when his tour was over. In Europe they seemed to already know about economy and maybe they were aware of environmental issues, I don’t know, all I knew then was I used less gas which meant I was putting less stuff into the air. I was part of the environmental group in high school. It was the only club I joined in all my high school years. We had a bottle drive. We collected a lot of bottles and took them to a bottle place in Baltimore. Once. That was the end of that.<br />
Then the gas came back, people forgot about all that, plastic became the order of the day, the population grew and I watched.<br />
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Not everyone can be an activist.<br />
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Not everyone has the time or energy to go out and fight for something even if you believe in it. From what I see and have always seen is that it is a very painful process. People hate you, ignore you, make fun of you and often react in the opposite direction. I think we call them haters? So you say why, a logical thing that will help people, why would people hate it? Who knows, do we have time to go to each one and ask them the reason they hate. So you look to the people that don’t hate. The ones that say this is a good thing, we should do something. They all have good intentions. But then they go home, go to the grocery store, buy food wrapped in plastic and don’t say to the store owner stop wrapping in plastic. They eat more meat instead of less meat. They buy take out food or delivered food and throw every bit of it in the trash when they are full. Everyone that can afford a car has a car. Or two. Everyone buys a bigger house as soon as they can afford it. And everyone buys the latest computer, phone, chargers, headsets, TV sets, batteries, water in plastic bottles and when they are done they throw them in the trash.<br />
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Clothing, endless amounts that fall apart quickly or are no longer fashionable and are discarded. Toys, Christmas decorations, Halloween decorations, New Years, you name it there are decorations and after it is over they get thrown out and new things are purchased next year, every year. My family used to save ours, in a big box in the attic. Some were very old.<br />
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We do the best we can. We live in the Caribbean so we don’t need heat. We could use air conditioning but we don’t but most people I know now do. It is very hot and getting hotter every year. We buy energy efficient cars from Japan. We combine shopping trips to save gas. We installed off grid solar on our house so we don’t take from the diesel powered energy plant. I work hard to buy and discard as little as possible. We live where every single item of food that is thrown out will be eaten by something. I feed our dogs the table scraps first. I try to buy local as often as I can. I have reduced our meat intake. When we could finally afford it we bought a boat. A sailboat. It has an engine but we don’t use it often. It has a wind turbine and solar panels to make energy. Very efficient. Get where you want to go no emissions. Wonderful.<br />
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But it doesn’t matter. Me and all my efforts are not even a drop in the bucket. Not even a molecule of a drop in the bucket. Because now my neighbours are entering the material greedy time of their lives. They buy everything they can afford, don’t use it and eventually throw it out so they have room for the next latest thing. Workmen and passersby throw their plastic water and soda bottles into the bush. We are just recovering from a drought. The bush had all gone grey and lost all its leaves so you could see to the ground that is covered in trash that will never go away. At least when the bottles were glass eventually they would break and go back into the ground but the plastic never will. When I look at it I think, why in the world would someone throw their plastic bottle into the bush? You can not ask these people, they would basically tell you to fuck off. The trash bins are piled high with the household discard every week. Every Week. The stores keep bringing in more and more and wrapping all the food in plastic even stuff that never needed plastic before and we keep buying it and throwing it away. And the worst part is that all those efforts to clean up the roadsides and throw your trash in the dumpster is wasted effort. Yes the roadside looks nice but it all ends up in the land fill which is full. Whats next. Well I can tell you because I have seen it. We visited an island recently hit by a bad hurricane. They were throwing all the broken houses, cars and general trash into the sea. Nice. Recycle, yeah right.<br />
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Recently Anguilla banned plastic grocery bags, now you have to bring your own. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Finally our garbage problem is solved. Of course all the restaurants are still piling food into Styrofoam containers with plastic forks and people are still buying them everyday. I laugh out load when I hear people talk about plastic straws. Our landfill which was non-existent when I arrived almost 30 years ago is piled high. Not as high as Sint Maarten but we are getting there.<br />
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I watch as this young passionate girl cries to the public. She is convincing. Everyone says how great she is, how strong, what a wonderful person we should all listen and follow her lead and then we see a popup on the phone that some celebrity has just got another face job and we are so glad that this young person is taking care of all our problems so we can go back to regular life.<br />
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I have had this sadness all of my life. Every time I throw a Styrofoam container (that the broccoli came in for some reason) into the trash I feel a real pain inside. Every single time.<br />
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So I feel sorry for Greta. She has the pain, it is real. She decided to throw herself under the bus for planet earth. The media and governments were happy to allow her to gain celebrity, it takes the heat off of them and she is entertaining and she created more news, giant protests that last a day, I am impressed. And just as quickly when people stop clicking on the links because they are tired of hearing a young person whine about the environment, we fixed that right or she fixed it or she is famous now, good for her, she has her own TV show, so can we go back to being oblivious please.<br />
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You know when I will be impressed. When the world stops relying on diesel for heat and fuel, gasoline too. When people stop driving cars that run on fossil fuels. Electric cars really work, they are not perfect but it’s a start. Stop burning forests so more wasted food can be bought and sold. Stop raping the oceans, too late most of them are already empty. Oh except for plastic so how about figure out ways to use plastic so it becomes valuable and not a landfill item. But I just don’t see it happening. People are always evolving. When some of us start to realize that doing all this stuff is really bad, others are saying I am too tired to cook, let’s get takeout, I finally have enough money for a new phone, laptop, TV, car or just about anything. I don’t feel like having this bottle in my car so I will throw it out on the road, someone will pick it up.<br />
And you can absolutely NOT change their minds because in their minds they are entitled to these things, they earned it.<br />
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And that is why I feel sorry for Greta Thunberg. As we say in Anguilla, All the best to you.<br />
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-3254942437867187292018-04-08T04:15:00.002-07:002018-04-09T16:32:48.747-07:00The Survivors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On September 6, 2017 Anguilla experienced a Cat 5+ hurricane. Although we got pretty lucky that the storm only lasted about 8 hours, the island took a terrible hit to both human structures and nature. </div>
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The north wall of Hurricane Irma ran over the top of Anguilla destroying many of the old houses we all know and love, it also destroyed many of the older large trees that I have admired since coming to Anguilla in 1990. </div>
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It was sad indeed to drive around the island seeing these beautiful giants torn from their home. </div>
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But, some remained, they fought the hurricane and lived. Although we were very busy supplying generators around the island, I got the urge to paint a few of the "Survivors". I even used some hurricane lumber to paint a few of them. </div>
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The old Tamarind tree on Meads Bay is still standing proud. A slim coconut tree on the way into the Valley is making new fronds. A Loblolly tree left standing in the Albert Lake memorial on the way to Shoal Bay is eye catching in the morning light and a tiny little tree on the point in Sandy Ground remains tough in the sea spray. </div>
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Knowing how difficult it is to survive in Anguilla's harsh climate, I have always admired all of the trees that live here. Perhaps I will do more as I come upon them.</div>
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<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-29363708952787763262017-07-03T12:58:00.001-07:002017-07-03T12:58:29.817-07:00My story about Hurricane Luis published on Adda<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="5u1mf" data-offset-key="642qt-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span data-offset-key="642qt-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I want to share this link to a story I wrote and it was accepted by the commonwealth writers which is kind of a big deal for me. I write children's books but this was really my first serious story and it is about hurricane I experienced on Anguilla</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="8luq1-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.addastories.org/luis/" target="_blank">http://www.addastories.org/luis/</a></span></div>
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-6353734453927637382017-06-18T07:31:00.000-07:002017-06-18T07:31:30.032-07:00My Tree HouseWe have been having some great adventures on our boat. Sailing around the local islands and of course back to Anguilla which is home base.<br />
It struck me that the boat reminds me a lot of the tree houses and forts we built as kids. They were great places to go and dream with no interference from adults. A boat is kind of like that so I wrote this little poem.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Tree House</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Up in the sky nothing can touch us</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">resting easy and sway in the breeze</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">climb the ladder to adventure from a distance</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gaze at the thin brown line</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hoping to see more</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hold on, hold on one hand when the wind blows</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but inside safe and secure</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a private club</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No one on board without permission</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but come aboard the view is fine </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hurry hurry the roof is lifting fluttering with the breeze</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">then with a loud pop we are off</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Puff ball trees fade to white</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and yellow lifts out of the grass</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">while the endless blue field sways in the breeze </span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">we are sailing if only in our mind</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think this is all part of the good feeling I get on our boat. It feels like a safe private place, people are very respectful of boats and always ask permission before boarding. If you are sitting on a mooring or anchor, dinghies will pass with casual wave like you live in a friendly neighborhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have completed a few more "from the boat" paintings, using acrylic now, boat friendly and people friendly, no bad fumes. I have found that you can create an oil like painting using acrylics, it may take a little longer to get the effect but worth it in the end. These pictures are a great reminder of sitting on the boat very quiet while time passes all around you. Every day is different.</span><br />
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-18697283612635140922017-05-31T06:12:00.000-07:002017-06-01T13:02:48.913-07:00Self Publishing with Purpose<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
I wrote this a few years back for <a href="http://www.anansesem.com/" target="_blank">Anansesem</a> a website for Children's book writers in the Caribbean and thought it might be relevant for people who want to write and feel they have the energy to go the self-publishing route. </div>
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My story is probably a bit different from most who go the self publish route because my first book with accepted and published by a publisher. Problem was they took forever to get my book printed and insisted I use a designer to do the final prep for my book. Since I am an artist/graphic designer first, I knew what I wanted and how I wanted to present so I really did not need the help. My husband and I are both graphic designers so we can create and design the book exactly the way we want it. </div>
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Also for my books, highly illustrated children's books about the Caribbean, we knew our market better than the publisher. So the decision to go the self-publishing route was easy. </div>
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The hard part was finding a good printer, deciding how many books to print, figure out how to store them and ship them and finding outlets around the islands to sell them.</div>
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All of these are not easy problems to solve. </div>
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Money is always an issue. How much can you afford to spend to get the right amount of books. If your costs are too high, you can not be competitive. If you don't own a warehouse where in the world are you going to put them and remember if you have to spend to store them, the cost of the books go up.</div>
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Printing the books was the easiest part. We found a printer in China and we use them every time. They are careful, considerate and want to do a good job. They also pack very well for shipping. But now I am considering a next book. OH NO! The printer is out of business, no return on email just vanished. This happens a lot in China. I am sure there is another one but damn, as my mother says, "it's always something".</div>
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Logistics is a word I have become very accustomed to in book sales. All well and good to get a bunch of books printed but when you live in the Caribbean you must get your books to where they will sell. Once again every time you spend money your books cost more.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See we are both smiling!</td></tr>
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There are tons and tons of little gift shops around the islands but most can not afford to buy the kind of inventory you want to sell. Believe me trying to accommodate small shops when you have to ship the items is a nightmare and very expensive. </div>
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I have been very fortunate to find good shops that sell books but it is never easy. You have to start with a good product with broad appeal and relevant to make sales.</div>
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As far as the fear factor, I live in constant fear, did I do it right, should I do another, what else can I do etc. etc. but if you are compelled to create you must overcome these fears and move on. Otherwise you will end of sitting around waiting for your big break that will never come. The only time you should sit down is when you are inspired to write.</div>
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Another thing about writing...you can never write and rewrite enough. I swear I checked every word, evey sentence (opps see I made an error there!) and had other people read and correct but you are the final word in proof reading and if you make mistakes only your readers will see them. And they do see them. </div>
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Oh and if you are planning to write a book to become famous you might as well make a video about a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Cat playing piano</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> look how many views. FAMOUS! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Writing is about telling a story that is inside and just has to come out. The reward is in the writing...if you get rich well that is just a nice little bonus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Reading this little article over, probably for the tenth time I realize it may sound a tad negative, not my intention. It is just really important that you weigh the reasons for your decision to publish. If you have a crusade, use the internet, you can get your word out much faster and free. If you are writing a book that is more about words and less about pictures, make an e-book, no printing costs at all and you can focus on a group of people interested in your topic. If you are an illustrator/writer consider an app., kids like devices and once again no need to physically print. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">One more thing, once you go the self publish route, you are no longer just a writer. You are a writer, proof reader, shipper, sales person and a media person. Takes a lot of time and means you have to be tough and nice and friendly all the time. That can be difficult for a person that prefers the quiet and solitude it takes to write.</span></div>
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So after all those depressing facts, my best advice. Start small. Seek out those that are interested in your topic and make your book available to them. Create a website with freebies for your target audience. Submit your book to a publisher just to see what happens, it can't hurt, well it can but that is part of the process. </div>
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<br>Be generous with your books, offer them as a gift to organizations that are interested in your topic, they will then help you with sales. Go to your local newspaper and submit a press release about your book. Attend functions so you can talk about your book. Look on the internet for websites that promote authors. Facebook is a great way to promote yourself and your book. Twitter too.</div>
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There are a lot of ways to promote your book that don't cost you anything but time, do them all and enjoy it because if you are not having fun then doing your own thing is just no fun.</div>
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-16610883678802038532017-05-10T07:21:00.000-07:002017-05-12T14:53:12.158-07:00From the Boat<h3>
Sayonara</h3>
Chris and I purchased an old sailboat because we needed a new adventure. Since we live in the Caribbean we often travel for work. This requires expensive flights and annoying stays at airports that are generally unpleasant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vdMbqTZyXYTQABVsa4Kn4FFBhCqdvovn-sPK64mqH5QM8D5gDshwsUKNRs5uPvvlq4v5xGR_Tvbw1lAYDfzudLMn2_3DB0RuinbTBvKnZvhcnPC_V3SwJWe-53vmCR9TjB2YlsiaVA6K/w497-h882-no/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vdMbqTZyXYTQABVsa4Kn4FFBhCqdvovn-sPK64mqH5QM8D5gDshwsUKNRs5uPvvlq4v5xGR_Tvbw1lAYDfzudLMn2_3DB0RuinbTBvKnZvhcnPC_V3SwJWe-53vmCR9TjB2YlsiaVA6K/w497-h882-no/" width="179" /></a></div>
New boat, new stuff to learn, usually fun but sometimes scary. Been on the water a lot in my life but not on a sailboat and Chris even more but also no sailboats. He eats knowledge, reads everything, watches videos, we took the boat out for the first time with no instructor, nothing. After a minor incident with a small squall, we sailed on learning and fighting and loving and forming a firm attachment to the boat and the sea.<br />
Since I have this little dyslexia problem, (not a problem for me) I learn in a different way. I watch and absorb slowly. If I see it I can usually remember the process and repeat it. Not great on names but understand the concept once I can study it. But fell right into the cooking and organizing and generally gazing out over the ocean to distant islands. Very cool.<br />
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Progress</h3>
We spend a lot of time on the boat or buying things for the boat or fixing the boat. It all becomes very intimate. It now feels like a home. Sailing back and forth between Nevis and Anguilla we are comfortable with the wind and the way the sea moves and the time it takes to get anywhere. Seems like something we can do and enjoy. We still have to work, this stuff is not free. For Chris that is not a problem. He is going to the place where he can make some money. I on the other hand generally need a fairly stable level place with some room for painting pictures. Then there is the smell of oil paint. We don't need that on the boat, there are enough smells already. I had to figure out if it is possible to paint on a boat. In the meantime, I do some paintings of what I experienced on the boat. From the Boat was born.<br />
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<br />Welcome Home</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTk5USfDq0lCV8toFS7WrNbUdg4XOOVPgCHyFC8rdEqNJBZU7MUmiKYLEfac7aiSpI-JLYd2KgnhUPqzuWcwZx3PuXVrXiD5m5220yi9TtlIM4PxGsPCCetBBURsAeSRnGGxpvlOajL8tv/s1600/welcomehome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTk5USfDq0lCV8toFS7WrNbUdg4XOOVPgCHyFC8rdEqNJBZU7MUmiKYLEfac7aiSpI-JLYd2KgnhUPqzuWcwZx3PuXVrXiD5m5220yi9TtlIM4PxGsPCCetBBURsAeSRnGGxpvlOajL8tv/s320/welcomehome.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1beVkGOvcG8RDA6itl9JfsKwDRjbyk17uRzTv6-LPTznWGw9m3h2PmCKBwfS78Bwdx4x_SoWEkB2cm7Ru40NPc2oq5jRYs6a_3ZqqXtnA8QafgjmIkTUbaQ-PZlCwDeuz64aZyRQNX3/s1600/welcomehome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1L1beVkGOvcG8RDA6itl9JfsKwDRjbyk17uRzTv6-LPTznWGw9m3h2PmCKBwfS78Bwdx4x_SoWEkB2cm7Ru40NPc2oq5jRYs6a_3ZqqXtnA8QafgjmIkTUbaQ-PZlCwDeuz64aZyRQNX3/s1600/welcomehome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a>Our first stay on the boat before we even moved the boat was in the Simpson bay lagoon in St. Martin. Right near a little piece of land with a small mound the boaters all call Witches Tit. It was an odd little area full of misfits and outcasts all anchored in the calm water. Most of them lived on their boats full time and generally worked on the island. As we sat there on the boat just getting a feel for everything I noticed this old mooring ball close by. It had been severely damaged but was still floating. I thought how it was probably a welcome sight to someone who had been out sailing to see this old mooring still waiting for them. First painting, but not on the boat.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIs-da1rsllxLhSXnqSyIKbp5v0VlAuhdPppr95Z0ueghnhwwHLmiPF4wJCG4U4-bVz2OzHZkJuVmMKYsI2opx1KWA10fR6j2hA4llN6wPvYb3vKq2WKJfWNYsprQzmTBsB7b3czr7qIXL/s1600/earlystart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIs-da1rsllxLhSXnqSyIKbp5v0VlAuhdPppr95Z0ueghnhwwHLmiPF4wJCG4U4-bVz2OzHZkJuVmMKYsI2opx1KWA10fR6j2hA4llN6wPvYb3vKq2WKJfWNYsprQzmTBsB7b3czr7qIXL/s320/earlystart.jpg" width="261" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hpkb-esnLxgF0MHlQisbNgnKSP2zd5fcmhjR1Ojar5Bhhw01psci_XG7Z2hjfl4dphd8OAV5SUFcuOzFP3EHoJBLvZT5M86-RpYItJqKDqsxA5CL8y5iePGdNfdNiVbj04teWcsk1Br3/s1600/roadbayboats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hpkb-esnLxgF0MHlQisbNgnKSP2zd5fcmhjR1Ojar5Bhhw01psci_XG7Z2hjfl4dphd8OAV5SUFcuOzFP3EHoJBLvZT5M86-RpYItJqKDqsxA5CL8y5iePGdNfdNiVbj04teWcsk1Br3/s320/roadbayboats.jpg" width="257" /></a><br />
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Painting</h3>
I did a few more, all in oil. But now I wanted to give the boat a try. I found a small easel on Amazon. It fits perfectly on the table in the cabin. Decided against oil paint, takes too long to dry. Chose acrylic instead. Here I am painting in that very same lagoon in St. Martin. I doubt I could paint at anchor, way too much rock and roll but this area is very calm.<br />
Old balls in the Sunset turned out great. More paintings to come...from the boat.<br />
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As always my work is available at <a href="http://savannahgallery.com/" target="_blank">Savannah Gallery</a> in The Valley, Anguilla.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe3q1NnNky44yZuWgFmv_TlLZYn456Guq4-rr-XBlExAJxXRBDI7iMolp_dzPaiIi080HxY0ETZQfL92hJ1fOfWfR_q4jylpynGXF0lgizRQ-DtpfPK8wCZst8EmXhoal8tL-II1DPuZ2/s1600/roadbayboats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe3q1NnNky44yZuWgFmv_TlLZYn456Guq4-rr-XBlExAJxXRBDI7iMolp_dzPaiIi080HxY0ETZQfL92hJ1fOfWfR_q4jylpynGXF0lgizRQ-DtpfPK8wCZst8EmXhoal8tL-II1DPuZ2/s1600/roadbayboats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a>Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-14712567344403403332015-12-16T12:26:00.000-08:002016-02-22T11:22:10.446-08:00Cocktail Art<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHm-uDdRwuLhV29PTpGfZYgdyXKwklMtQj4uPfhQCL_QgjeH2NOmhLMLN3agPOgShK0PlYyR0ui6d1J5N_3v42rbWlKQGzy-57PwiWdvJuXxT05jaLmstTV1SGHixMv3XeH5WN5C2tisi/s1600/m-martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHm-uDdRwuLhV29PTpGfZYgdyXKwklMtQj4uPfhQCL_QgjeH2NOmhLMLN3agPOgShK0PlYyR0ui6d1J5N_3v42rbWlKQGzy-57PwiWdvJuXxT05jaLmstTV1SGHixMv3XeH5WN5C2tisi/s400/m-martini.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Straw Hat Espresso Martini</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE6J4DdPqmsMd5sgaQLOeTXV4JzBPIxKzgRvWL0aFhAFiyEatC9All-iAszwckF1d6XupDtE2ESyHa75y6W5IGLWMxi3pvZ-Gzc9q5ZhptT4NjGAZDG3xjg3MJ00jsW6oomnSgiATncMz/s1600/m-margarita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE6J4DdPqmsMd5sgaQLOeTXV4JzBPIxKzgRvWL0aFhAFiyEatC9All-iAszwckF1d6XupDtE2ESyHa75y6W5IGLWMxi3pvZ-Gzc9q5ZhptT4NjGAZDG3xjg3MJ00jsW6oomnSgiATncMz/s400/m-margarita.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picante Margarita</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHm-uDdRwuLhV29PTpGfZYgdyXKwklMtQj4uPfhQCL_QgjeH2NOmhLMLN3agPOgShK0PlYyR0ui6d1J5N_3v42rbWlKQGzy-57PwiWdvJuXxT05jaLmstTV1SGHixMv3XeH5WN5C2tisi/s1600/m-martini.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><br />
I started this group of paintings with a full bar of drinks at Roy's in Sandy Ground a favorite watering hole on Anguilla since before I arrived here in 1992.<br />
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There is nothing better at the end of the day in the Caribbean than sitting with friends and a nice rum punch while the sun sets. </div>
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Of course relaxing at lunch while gazing into the sea with a crisp white is nice too.</div>
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I like a martini especially in winter when the air is cooler and the nights are longer.</div>
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And what could be better than bringing in the new year on the beach with champagne and fireworks.</div>
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These paintings are available at <a href="http://savannahgallery.com/" target="_blank">Savannah Gallery</a> in The Valley, Anguilla.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WVmOy-kk7u1YG9ytZlKQr3TYwOBYFoCqR8XuIv5C49KesGrOixAZzLspgCdAIFpTQ4vRWMnSlcgbiBTZa7IianQfA7rq7Yi-wC9y0MickcA_xQUIyAjqKz4C1NZoBIU3wksfp8h_V-ig/s1600/mason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WVmOy-kk7u1YG9ytZlKQr3TYwOBYFoCqR8XuIv5C49KesGrOixAZzLspgCdAIFpTQ4vRWMnSlcgbiBTZa7IianQfA7rq7Yi-wC9y0MickcA_xQUIyAjqKz4C1NZoBIU3wksfp8h_V-ig/s400/mason.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacala Lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg7KhLM9Mb_HrrNPCJtD-YU4ZaTzgvK6a2adUylPkxaYfbMDvR0jRw2jP_zWksqhTooj_sc4KJ7jhTQ1WG-dJwQL_tTQPL6MGs9y5C69JBz_lgO0CLT6odkq4q7WFuNGXg5onhBxKNc2E/s1600/bananasbertiniweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg7KhLM9Mb_HrrNPCJtD-YU4ZaTzgvK6a2adUylPkxaYfbMDvR0jRw2jP_zWksqhTooj_sc4KJ7jhTQ1WG-dJwQL_tTQPL6MGs9y5C69JBz_lgO0CLT6odkq4q7WFuNGXg5onhBxKNc2E/s400/bananasbertiniweb.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bertini at Bananas Nevis</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drink Menu at Bananas Nevis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hs-2ZqUAtHQF0-NblFa8dh6gwP11qo-3EXneemJNrv5gNE-4wiB3D6wQKkSP8zcWWLNE_7CB_VLcm8gQQIv8seSnkwCigRHJLQCDM5Ti2SaVgDv0pYTgVCWSG_OJJiLHB3PfoWIYhr1U/s1600/sorrel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hs-2ZqUAtHQF0-NblFa8dh6gwP11qo-3EXneemJNrv5gNE-4wiB3D6wQKkSP8zcWWLNE_7CB_VLcm8gQQIv8seSnkwCigRHJLQCDM5Ti2SaVgDv0pYTgVCWSG_OJJiLHB3PfoWIYhr1U/s320/sorrel2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Little Rum Never Hurt<br />
Christmas Sorrel Drink</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvw3gEO0zB_WMV8GwXFxTv3LcfS7uul0FS67nGNLJt2BfA5GwD4m8fMtP1Hmgm3HsAJa26muNTLDbVlbuia5muRNvsvtV581GnotM6gBTpf6uM9rj_lo0B8kXP7iMegs-ObZgrb969BgEI/s1600/j-roys.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczgRzh4V3iVlkmsG5L-o4xXzYNzn5zqr9eDxmvcfhvSOVj12BcFwF6oHBAmC4RCvNo83VTEoH7hSw9883Gf_X1WzUGtGestj1IpY6OQ88zRw9vuzjSw_fK4ZCMTNIF0EJZpnnu0fOkjCS/s1600/partysoverfinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczgRzh4V3iVlkmsG5L-o4xXzYNzn5zqr9eDxmvcfhvSOVj12BcFwF6oHBAmC4RCvNo83VTEoH7hSw9883Gf_X1WzUGtGestj1IpY6OQ88zRw9vuzjSw_fK4ZCMTNIF0EJZpnnu0fOkjCS/s400/partysoverfinal.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Party's Over<br />
Happy New Year 2016</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1E0rvFM-0_p1D4486udKYCwXEH-Fmcym11QjSQtq2lxMFNL7oI_4WsbfTGLOW1cFYvmxntjFFBwzRvIjaAwvJeEWrqeNX2hn3QpU1JC1tMso9oU80YzxAaWNkIkMnCBSyPlB0zkAL_N/s1600/j-roys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1E0rvFM-0_p1D4486udKYCwXEH-Fmcym11QjSQtq2lxMFNL7oI_4WsbfTGLOW1cFYvmxntjFFBwzRvIjaAwvJeEWrqeNX2hn3QpU1JC1tMso9oU80YzxAaWNkIkMnCBSyPlB0zkAL_N/s320/j-roys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinks all around<br />
Roy's Bayside Grill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon at Smokey's</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnlBUfXDKdOgNJZMo8UmXtrTMHjQVWHSI-G3N8_Bz4VXArpf14psaUrF7G4jdfbyDMRUMmnNYYKhb46vEXb6Htg0eUr7gbx7PWJp5lzRfrIQctjH-Nz-WvePosxtWCGTGUFYJgqV8-xuG/s1600/JMasonrumstudybananas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnlBUfXDKdOgNJZMo8UmXtrTMHjQVWHSI-G3N8_Bz4VXArpf14psaUrF7G4jdfbyDMRUMmnNYYKhb46vEXb6Htg0eUr7gbx7PWJp5lzRfrIQctjH-Nz-WvePosxtWCGTGUFYJgqV8-xuG/s320/JMasonrumstudybananas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Old Rum at Bananas Nevis</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcPe2172ibXxuLzHjA9LlulLNR4j_OlTJnZRjaGCOfXtmzW4Zq62wjxsfzrMMdi_lQdLOfEr9gr9zs7t4p2YtizfG-F6LCd2jWW1cnK2YL-0FiczEZNDpUcs4PLTtmyy4uSJ8iswJO_kN/s1600/j-martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcPe2172ibXxuLzHjA9LlulLNR4j_OlTJnZRjaGCOfXtmzW4Zq62wjxsfzrMMdi_lQdLOfEr9gr9zs7t4p2YtizfG-F6LCd2jWW1cnK2YL-0FiczEZNDpUcs4PLTtmyy4uSJ8iswJO_kN/s320/j-martini.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martini A little Dirty</td></tr>
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-30705557230301951262015-11-22T13:31:00.000-08:002016-02-01T04:19:35.117-08:00Painting FrenzyI have been doing some work lately. Good fun creating oil paintings of Anguilla.<br />
These painting are available at <a href="http://savannahgallery.com/" target="_blank">Savannah Gallery</a> in The Valley, Anguilla.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideOk811EIQQqgAtfOzNpt7TI2uwFz-3GSR6X-gL6qzewFaJrMnOxpi0yEyKRzJYPA-rVTFV5FC15p9dElpmRAbFbJXRseDnh7YlPHhKKmG5Ca666KyhAJCqFR-_5j-Wk4hGaUn0qrWxQk/s1600/islandharbour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideOk811EIQQqgAtfOzNpt7TI2uwFz-3GSR6X-gL6qzewFaJrMnOxpi0yEyKRzJYPA-rVTFV5FC15p9dElpmRAbFbJXRseDnh7YlPHhKKmG5Ca666KyhAJCqFR-_5j-Wk4hGaUn0qrWxQk/s640/islandharbour.jpg" width="430" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island Harbour sunset in the East</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned in Cauls Bottom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Hill Goats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACCfZ6BQXZITTGX3RP3zciDHch14lgitLPNXeH-zfHgLtF1riYzyHyC7BNLH3wd-wp4WmNbJHafuBUQDJSPKFwVFKcaRAf6TFrJJaYC6lOcVNhkNiPVqctp0ZpJvpCUCb316Un6HVC5vA/s1600/j-moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACCfZ6BQXZITTGX3RP3zciDHch14lgitLPNXeH-zfHgLtF1riYzyHyC7BNLH3wd-wp4WmNbJHafuBUQDJSPKFwVFKcaRAf6TFrJJaYC6lOcVNhkNiPVqctp0ZpJvpCUCb316Un6HVC5vA/s400/j-moon.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moonrise in Sandy Hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red cow at Wallblake</td></tr>
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<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-6987932875979664962014-01-18T07:13:00.001-08:002014-01-18T07:13:53.634-08:00Books at SXM airport!<p dir="ltr">Pick up your Jo-Anne Mason books at the new ship wreck shop located in the departure lounge of the St Maarten Airport</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7vtElDvfyug/UtqaL1EoBEI/AAAAAAAAMDU/e_6q8lsn3Ho/s1600/20140116_131056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7vtElDvfyug/UtqaL1EoBEI/AAAAAAAAMDU/e_6q8lsn3Ho/s640/20140116_131056.jpg"> </a> </div>Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-71359627796279891322013-05-26T06:47:00.002-07:002013-05-26T06:51:22.707-07:00The Anguilla Lit. Fest 2013<br />
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The Anguilla Lit Fest a jollification just concluded on the island of Anguilla.<br />
I participated this year as described by the coordinators, "an author/illustrator from USA/Anguilla". I have lived on Anguilla for 20 years and I am a citizen.<br />
I requested and was granted the use of one of the conference rooms as a digital draw room for about 2 hours on the last day of the festival. I am not a great speaker and I wanted to get the kids involved in a part of the illustration process.<br />
The committee requested that I participate in some of the sessions involving the other authors and speakers. By participating they meant fill a seat.<br />
The first day I was asked to participate in a session with school kids at the library.<br />
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Before our visit we were treated to a delightful lunch at DaVida. Wow fantastic, I will certainly return.<br />
Did not know what to expect at the library and was surprised when we were all asked to go into different rooms with about 15 kids in each one. I was pointed in the right direction and that was it. I walked into a room full of children and I was on my own from that moment on.<br />
We made do, but it was strange. The kids of course were great and by the end of it we were laughing and having a great time.<br />
That evening an opening cocktail party at Paradise Cove, as usual they did a wonderful job.<br />
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<b>Next morning bright and early at Paradise Cove</b><br />
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After a delightful breakfast on the first day we all sat down to listen to the poetry of some local poets. They were on the whole delightful. I especially enjoyed the poetry of<br />
Lasana Sekou, Poet/Author/Publisher, House of Nehesi Publishers (St. Martin)<br />
His poetry was forceful and thought provoking and he acted out his narrative in a delightful way.<br />
Rita Celestine-Carty, Author/Poet/ Educator<br />
I did not know what to expect as I had never hear Rita before but she was absolutely amazing. Her poetry was simple (in a good way) with a clean message.<br />
Vanessa Croft Thompson, – Poet<br />
I have known Vanessa since before she was born and she has become like her mother an artist, this time of words. Her poetry was heartfelt and she presented it in an interesting style that made you want more.<br />
Next session involved some of the headliners of the event, publishers, editors and agents.<br />
I am sorry to say I was not taken with the talk. To be fair I self-publish but the reason I self publish is because my first publisher took 3 years to publish my book and did a sad job of construction. After the contract ran out I took back my book and have been writing, illustrating and building the books and printing too. We have to do our own promotions but we know our market and our limitations. We even have the listed on Amazon including Kindle books.<br />
The four people involved gave us the same old tired rhetoric you can read in any book or article about being published.<br />
Write the best you can...<br />
Be ready for rejection...<br />
Make sure your manuscript is the best it can be grammar wise.<br />
Name dropping celebrities to keep the audience interested.<br />
At the end of the session they allowed 3 people to ask questions.<br />
The first two fit into the plan and were answered once again with the same la de da speech. The last question came in from someone that had experienced rejections and I was surprised to hear the panelist get a little testy in her answer. Voice changed and she became very defensive. So much for helpful advice.<br />
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<b>Draw Digital</b><br />
My session was on the last day and there were two other sessions scheduled for the same time so it was clear my session was only for children. Too bad as some of the adults were interested in illustration.<br />
I set up two computer stations and 25 children arrived looking a bit apprehensive I explained that there was no way I could teach them how to draw on a computer in 2 hours but what I wanted to do was give them a good idea on how to get started.<br />
Everybody crowded around the computers taking turns trying out the various programs available today, many of them free. They loved it. It never ceases to amaze me how children jump into something new and go at it with gusto. We even ended up using my new Samsung Note II and they were drawing on that too. Treats were provided by Paradise Cove so everyone had a snack and some digital related gifts I prepared for the session. Everyone exchanged emails and now some of the more interested students are asking for advice. I had one little girl who barely said a word the entire time stay long after the others left, jump up when it was finally almost too late to get the bus and exclaim..."I love this, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this!" as she ran out of the room.<br />
Worth it, I think so.Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-34272491403818041962013-05-13T15:34:00.000-07:002013-05-13T15:34:03.356-07:00Anguilla Literary Festival<a href="http://ivisitanguilla.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anguilla-Lit-Festival-Final.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://ivisitanguilla.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Anguilla-Lit-Festival-Final.png" width="320" /></a>Next week Anguilla will open it's door to authors and publishers for the annual Lit. Fest. The festival features many published authors and literary agents and publishers who will discuss writing and how to get your book or story published. If you are interested in writing this is the place to be.<br />
I will be demonstrating digital art and drawing to a group of students and participants. Click this link for a line up of events.<br />
<a href="http://ivisitanguilla.com/anguilla-lit-fest-program-schedule/" target="_blank">Anguilla Lit Fest Program Schedule</a>Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-16277023872411796592013-03-12T12:51:00.000-07:002013-03-12T12:51:00.572-07:00Book Reading at the Jubilee Library in Sint Maarten<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monique Alberts, Director of the library</td></tr>
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A good time was had by all when I visited the Jubilee Library in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.<br />
I read my book "The Perfect Shell" a book about a hermit crab and her adventures on St. Martin and Sint Maarten.<br />
After the book reading all the kids took a hermit crab quiz and the lucky winner took home a large image from the book.<br />
I also donated books to the children's section of the library.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many thanks to Maryland Powell who arranged the affair.</td></tr>
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<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-63317594503794678102013-02-15T05:30:00.001-08:002013-02-15T05:30:22.521-08:00Art Openings on Anguilla in February<br />
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<b>Come out and support our artists this coming week on Anguilla.</b></h3>
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ARTIST RECEPTION<br />
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Thursday, February 21, 2013 • 4 pm - 8 pm<br />
Hosted by Tanya Clark<br />
235-7036<br />
Phoenix Gallery<br />
Upper South Hill<br />
Anguilla<br />
Exhibition of New Work<br />
Jo-Anne Mason will be there doing a book signing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoaiLgag0dZR0t4f8-tbaQxhCkD5RNmmt8dIf_j1DYmPg8zA7yTPVv6Be2-J1o-xwW_gepZAx1s3JFvQ9EIcZZ7dXGZAdYaJh1OycMZtdwk7bD8iXdypDebn7739XxO-lZzoD0JWrK0P3/s1600/devonishlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJoaiLgag0dZR0t4f8-tbaQxhCkD5RNmmt8dIf_j1DYmPg8zA7yTPVv6Be2-J1o-xwW_gepZAx1s3JFvQ9EIcZZ7dXGZAdYaJh1OycMZtdwk7bD8iXdypDebn7739XxO-lZzoD0JWrK0P3/s320/devonishlogo.jpg" width="320" /></a>FEBRUARY AT THE DEVONISH ART GALLERY<br />
NEW WORKS BY BEVERLY PERDUE<br />
ON VIEW from Saturday, 23 February<br />
OPENING RECEPTION<br />
Saturday, 23 February 6:30 to 8:30PM<br />
at the<br />
DEVONISH ART GALLERY<br />
West End<br />
devonishart@yahoo.com<br />
497-2949<br />
_________________<br />
Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-85585634588283066802013-02-10T08:48:00.001-08:002013-02-11T08:00:37.206-08:00Those Nasty Ticks<b>I love all creatures, big and small but I think I will take exception to this particular one.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5cd6EUE5S_8F8aZCdWkIe7A8byQOhYTomgdawQNT-qqgrHZ4MS3eeIa4EJQ_0LhmyC545PZTGVXIw9dZzjSra-AwoueO0YglvsdPqcbkDCCE0eJ1ND_1dgbzOh-Gy9ipwL6-EKiGd2PL/s1600/photo-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5cd6EUE5S_8F8aZCdWkIe7A8byQOhYTomgdawQNT-qqgrHZ4MS3eeIa4EJQ_0LhmyC545PZTGVXIw9dZzjSra-AwoueO0YglvsdPqcbkDCCE0eJ1ND_1dgbzOh-Gy9ipwL6-EKiGd2PL/s1600/photo-3.JPG" height="320" width="283" /></a>Way back in July I woke up one morning and my knees didn't work. I just couldn't figure it out and I also couldn't figure out why I was so tired all the time, really really tired. I convinced myself that it was the heat, bad mood, creative energy not flowing but had no way to really know what was wrong with me. </div>
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About the same time we were infested with ticks. Not the usual dog ticks, these were tiny dark ticks, so small, head of a pin size. They were climbing the walls, in the bed, all over the floor and all over the dogs. </div>
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We did the usual things, spray to get rid of them, get them off the dogs but they kept coming and I was so tired and it was so hard to walk, my knees, wow they were painful. </div>
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With very little energy not much was getting done. </div>
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Then I noticed tick bites. They were small, I would never have known they were tick bites except I caught one biting me and then I noticed more of the same marks. They were everywhere, dark spots.</div>
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I got bit a lot. Still did not put it all together. Even went to the doctor complaining about the knees and he gave me a shot of voltarin and sent me on my way. </div>
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The months went by, knees getting worse and exhausted all the time. </div>
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End of September I decided I would go to Orlando for a week, maybe what I needed was a small holiday to get over the summer blues. I rallied for the week, had a great time, knees sore but I managed and I rested a lot in an airconditioned room. </div>
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It was all great but did not solve the problem. </div>
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Chris said come to Nevis, he was working at Four Seasons so I changed my ticket and spent another week in a nice airconditioned room. I got worse. </div>
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Finally for some reason I started looking at tick diseases. I can't even remember why, maybe somebody said it sounded like Lymes disease. </div>
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I began my internet search and sure enough, I found a lot of information about ticks and the problems they can cause to humans and dogs. Also I was starting to get desperate. I wanted to go back to normal life and it was not happening. How long can something like this go on...a long time so it seems.</div>
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Next step visit the doctor. No one on Anguilla knows anything about tick bites or problems with tick bites. But the fact was I was bitten by at least 5 ticks and I was feeling just awful.</div>
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The doctor took blood tests to see what he could rule out. He also x-rayed my knees. Results said I had an infection, it was enough for him to put me on antibiotics. </div>
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Doxcycline is the remedy of choice for this sort of thing and since we really didn't know what it was it was the best choice. </div>
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After a month of pills I was worse. Seems you get worse before you get better. So I got more pills, two months worth. I can't go outside, sunshine has a bad effect on this drug and I am too tired to exercise but on a bright note, I am losing weight. Not hungry, food tastes bad or no taste at all so the weight is coming off. </div>
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Everyday I am on the computer looking for ways I can make myself better. There are lots of forums out there about the problem and lots of opinions but the best advice I got came from a therapist who told me to give myself a break, stop trying to get better, just let your body have a chance to fight this. </div>
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These little bugs or bacteria hide out in your cells. Regular antibiotics can't kill them, your body has to kill them and the only way they can find them is to let the antibiotic expose them. Expose away I say.</div>
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So I rest a lot. Whenever I feel a bit tired I just lay down and watch stupid TV to occupy my brain so I don't fret. </div>
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One day I woke up and had absolutely no pain in my knees and I felt pretty good. Wow, it's gone? Not so fast, it was a great day but it did not last. Seems that is the way it goes. </div>
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It is a long and drawn out process and very boring but I started to notice improvement. Little by little. More energy, better mood, all good. Oh forgot to mention the prozac. Don't think I could have done it without help. I was so anxious all the time, I was just making it worse. Doctor recommended prozac to take the edge off. It really helped me be calm about the day in day out waiting for change. </div>
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Finally three months of pills is over. I tentatively go off the meds. Now I can get in the sun again, and eat dairy and other stuff. It took a few days but I started to feel good. The better I felt, the better I felt. I bought an exercise machine and started using it to build up my leg muscles. So weak it is scary. </div>
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But a little at a time I am coming back. </div>
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I learned some things. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWS8ApK0TG4_tflk655uUjwns6KJzeBtQD7VzeC0ee-8Buji8gsO_hTo3tEM6mKbsHfe4Jea1ritfZpKC6Qf71IZGSOXdQETwSufgUjCFf1gN1HIdyCWTMTMgZcddGxnNfcVJIe7AgJ_w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWS8ApK0TG4_tflk655uUjwns6KJzeBtQD7VzeC0ee-8Buji8gsO_hTo3tEM6mKbsHfe4Jea1ritfZpKC6Qf71IZGSOXdQETwSufgUjCFf1gN1HIdyCWTMTMgZcddGxnNfcVJIe7AgJ_w/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I now exfoliate with a natural brush. Just a scrub before a shower. People in the know say to do it to remove dead skin and whatever the bad stuff is that is being killed off. It does a lot more than that, now my skin feels and looks better. </div>
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Also my teeth turned black, how attractive. Went to my dentist and the dental assistants gave me a good cleaning, back to sparkling white or near enough.</div>
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A final shower rinse with white vinegar is great for remove soap residue and improving hair condition. Just put a half cup in a gallon of water and dump it over your head, don't rinse it off. Nice.</div>
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I am learning to eat better and eat less. I am exercising slow and easy. </div>
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All though it was a terrible malady, not one I would wish on anyone, I did learn some things in this long and painful process. </div>
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I think the most important thing I learned was if you feel like something is wrong, don't wait for three months before getting it checked out. Go find out and don't leave stuff out like "oh by the way, I was bit by ticks." Could be important. </div>
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So, I am hoping for the best, working to make myself healthy and having a good attitude. I am feeling so good right now that I could jump for joy, I still have pain in my knees, but my body is not tired anymore and neither is my brain.</div>
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I say...back to work!</div>
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-75609426667690556152012-10-02T07:42:00.000-07:002012-10-02T07:42:58.826-07:00Playing with NumbersI am reading a fascinating book called "Moonwalking with Einstein" by Josh Foer about memory. I have a great memory for things I want to remember and not so good with things that might be helpful but what I always felt would take up too much space and therefore not important enough to keep. I could write it down, look it up, who cares, I want to recall things that matter to me, perhaps learning all these other things like passport number or credit card number would just clog up the pipes.<br />
According to Josh, I am totally wrong. Brain is like muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. That sounded good to me, unfortunately I have never been very good remembering numbers or for that matter letters. They all seem to jumble up and eventually the brick wall comes up and that is the end of that.<br />
Then I read about the memory palace. A place in your memory, a real place that you know very well. Everyone has some of those, his suggestion was your first house, the one you grew up in. So I gave it a go with objects, I am good with objects, real things that become 3D in my mind. So I selected my palace and began placing items along that path I was taking around my house.<br />
IT WORKED!!!<br />
I remembered all of them without much effort. I still remember them, that was days ago and I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.<br />
Then I thought all well and good, remember what you need at the store, got that down, it is stuff, put it in a palace go to the store all is well. But I wanted to remember numbers, the bane of my existence.<br />
This is what I did since I am an artist and that is the way I think...<br />
I created characters for all the numbers, there are only 10. You have to make your own, I am not going to give you mine.<br />
Then draw them next to the number. It doesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't have to be the shape but it does have to be something you associate with the number.<br />
Next give yourself the test.<br />
Write down some numbers and see if you can match the numbers with your images.<br />
If you can you are well on the way to memorizing numbers.<br />
Get a number you want to remember like your passport number always a pain to remember when filling out a form on the plane.<br />
Choose a memory palace.<br />
Take a walk around your palace placing your items in various places along the way.<br />
They don't have to look exactly like the picture you drew, they can be funny or in a situation as long as you can plainly see them in your mind as you walk by the spot in the room or where ever you are.<br />
Now give it a go, see if you can write the number down as you stroll through your memory palace.<br />
It really works. Give it a try.Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-83991046109782270482012-10-01T06:19:00.000-07:002012-10-02T06:48:27.526-07:00Take a little TripIsland living is great most of the time but once in a while I get "island fever" or too much time on the rock and there is no cure except getting off island for a few days to see something different.<br />
We had a great summer, never as hot as in the U.S. and nice breeze most of the time but starting in late August, it gets very still and since there are normally storms in one spot or another passing by they pull all the energy out of the air.<br />
All good conditions to get Island fever. All the symptoms were there, boredom, lack of interest in anything, sense of humor gone and short temper. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning is not going to work, we need air evacuation to cure this malady.<br />
I had lots of airline miles so I was off to a good start. Unfortunately hubby had to do a job on another island so it was solo or no go. I choose solo and Orlando of all places for my week away get away.<br />
Why Orlando? Well I have been there before so I know some stuff but not too much. Also my sister lives about an hour away so we can have a visit. Prices are great on hotels and food. What more could I ask for, how about entertainment. I am easy to please, we don't have much here, not even a movie theater. Did I mention shopping? We don't got no shoppin on Anguilla absolutely.<br />
Off I go, first night in St. Maarten as hubby and I are taking off from the same airport different flights early morning. As we part I begin to get that wonderful sense of adventure I get on every trip I take. Heading into the unknown. I had booked a hotel in Orlando for the week, it was extremely cheap but a Howard Johnsons right on International drive, how bad could it be? I just needed a bed, air conditioning and quiet. Flight went off without a hitch, no problems with American despite all the warnings about delays in flight etc. I got to Orlando right on time and had booked a car waiting for my connection in Miami on my iPad. Cool.<br />
Get my car, plenty of day left and head for the hotel. Got lost, no problem have a navigational device provided by rental company but after getting lost a few more times, I put it away and relied on road signs. I also stopped and ask a policeman if he knew where the HJ was. Right down the street.<br />
Opps! HJ was a mistake. Rooms opened outside, not into the hotel. The first person I saw looked like a meth head perched on the wall outside one of the rooms. I never even stopped, just went looking for a new hotel.<br />
It's an adventure, correct?<br />
I found one without much driving, it was Orlando after all, more hotels than houses. The Hawthorne Suites by Wyatt on Canada Ave. was a good match for me. I am not saying it was perfect, just that it was fine, interior entrance, free breakfast and friendly staff. So now I have a room and I am exhausted. I also had some problems. I needed to cancel my hotel room at HJ so I sent them an email which was promptly replied to saying " Your reservation is not able to be canceled, contact hotel."<br />
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<i>Note: Online booking is great, we have a business that does it but be very careful when you book online. You see the name of the hotel so you think you are booking directly with the hotel. For two bookings I got it wrong, perhaps I was tired. Instead of getting the hotel I got a booking service with a company based in India. The problem is, they can not help you with a change or cancelation. You have to call the hotel. When you call the hotel, they don't want to mess with that companies reservation so you get into this catch 22 situation. I was doing a bit of that on my first night and it is a nightmare. It all got sorted out but it was not pleasant.</i><br />
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Why I did not use the hotel phone I will never know, and I could not find my cell phone so after brief panic I decided not to worry about it and took a nap which turned into giving up for the night.<br />
Next morning I found my phone, called the hotel and they said they canceled me as a no show but I had to pay for the first night. So be it.<br />
Next morning things seemed brighter. All rested up I headed downstairs for a delicious breakfast. That was the only time I ate breakfast at the hotel. Brown water for coffee and those artificial eggs and fake bacon and some white mushy stuff, what is that? Thanks for the effort. There was a Perkins down the street, dandy.<br />
My hotel choice was better than I thought as I was on the corner of Sand Lake Road, home of the Florida Mall. I had to get stuff and that was a good start on my quest.<br />
Spent the morning searching the mall, they have a Macy's so I was set for some new duds, and an apple store, amazing, it was iphone 5 day, they were lined up to get in. Those folks would never make it on Anguilla.<br />
Back to the hotel to investigate on computer and found a movie theater right down the road at a shopping area called Pointe. I decided to check it out.<br />
Nice place but empty of people. Loaded with restaurants, a zillion theater place and of all things an Improv. Better yet, they were having a show with Pablo Francisco and had tickets. I went, I loved it. The place was not packed but had a good crowd. They serve you dinner during the show. Three comedians entertain and they were all good. Great time and I had to sit at a table with folks I did not know but by the end of it we were all chatting like good friends. A+ holiday so far!<br />
My sister was going to be in the area on Saturday so I got tickets for the magic dinner show at Wonder Works. It was cheap, you get to eat and have a show. Good deal.<br />
She met me at the hotel and after a little shopping, we went to the show. It was not as nice as the Improv and set up for kids but we enjoyed it anyway. Orlando is all about entertainment.<br />
The rest of the week went about the same, of note, Fish Bones is a restaurant right off International drive and right around the corner from my hotel. It was excellent. Food, staff, atmosphere perfect.<br />
I had my fill of good shopping and food and relaxing. Was I ready to go home, no but I did not have to! Hubby emailed to ask me to bring parts to his job on another island. So I found what he needed, changed my flight and I was off to Nevis rather than Anguilla.<br />
And that is where all the trouble started.<br />
I stayed my last night at the Hyatt at the Orlando Airport. What a lovely hotel and for that matter airport. They have it all including free wifi. The hotel allowed me to check in early which was nice and they have two lovely restaurants so I was set for my last night.<br />
Next morning I head out early to the barely tolerable security check and then off to my departure gate. All is well. Oh except they noted that the flight was going to be about 15 minutes late. My connection was tight but it was still OK.<br />
Wrong.<br />
The plane did not arrive as scheduled and even though we all got on in a speedy fashion when it finally did arrive, we did not take off. We sat, and sat and sat. Something wrong with the plane. I had a great seat right in the middle of all the action. And right next to the door. I knew I had missed my connection but at least I could get to Miami, a little closer and hope for another flight to St. Kitts.<br />
We finally taxi out to the runway and they do a strange test. We failed, back to the terminal. More fixing. Amazing thing, they let the passengers off the plane. I get off and get some lunch and head back. We had flight attendants hitching a ride, they vacated the plane. That was a bad sign but they loaded us up again, and once again on to the runway for another test. Evidently we failed again... back to the terminal. Tempers flared and I watched as people yelled at the flight attendants who have nothing to do with any of it. One of them had been friendly and told a couple of us to get off the plane and rebook. We did. About an hour later I had the same flight for the next morning.<br />
Back to the hotel. I am not complaining.<br />
The next morning the flight went off as scheduled but there was a minor delay as they explained that the plane had no navigational equipment and had to be approved to fly. They wanted to ensure our safety. They kept saying that.<br />
But we finally took to the sky and arrived safely in Miami.<br />
No problems in Miami, it is turning into a great airport and flight took off on time. I was in St. Kitts on schedule and in Nevis early afternoon.<br />
All in all it was a great trip and probably for the time being cured the dreaded "Island Fever".<br />
<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-90902162166464363992012-08-21T07:52:00.000-07:002012-08-21T07:54:40.428-07:00My dog Bruno<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ten years ago, right before my birthday we were driving in the west end of the island on a back road, no houses just bush. A little tiny puppy popped out from the side of the road and started running in front of the car. I said to Chris, "Stop the car, if he comes up to me we will take him home and my mother can take him to AARF, our animal rescue organization on Anguilla.<br />
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I jump out of the car not expecting the puppy would approach, there are many feral dogs all over Anguilla, scared to death of humans. I was wrong, he not only came to me, he ran over to me and peeped all over my foot. So I picked him up and put him on the floor in front of my seat for the ride home. </div>
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He was dirty and full of ticks and fleas but as we drove he never moved, he just kept watching me the entire ride home.</div>
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We have dogs, my mother collects them and cats too and hermit crabs and lizards, we are a virtual menagerie. One more dog, I don't think so, we have enough but we had to bring him home, the shelter was closed for the day. </div>
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My mother gave him his first bath normally a chore but this little mutt thoroughly enjoyed it and to prove it he immediately ran out rolled in the dirt, got completely coated and then jumped back in the bath water.</div>
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He never took his eyes off me, I think he figured he owned me.</div>
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Well own me he does.<br />
We finally settled on the name Bruno as he looked like a wooly bear with a big racing strip down his back. He turned into an Anguilla Long dog with a short crooked tail. Very handsome.</div>
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Bruno now rules the roost in a quiet dignified way. He doesn't mess with the other dogs, he is not playful and he doesn't get into fights. What he does do is sit patiently behind me where ever I go. In fact, he is sitting behind me right now as I work on this blog post. </div>
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Going to town, I want to go. He doesn't beg to get out or make a fuss if he has to sit in the car while I shop, he just waits, watching the door for when I return. </div>
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How can you beat that? You just can't.<br />
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Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-80111992212495933842012-08-21T06:36:00.000-07:002012-08-21T06:36:07.414-07:00A little help on Amazon<br />
Please everyone help me out by posting a review on amazon for one or more of my books.<br />
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The Perfect Shell<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Shell-Jo-Anne-Mason/dp/0982954921/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1">The Perfect Shell on amazon</a><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEZlohiFr0ddLIkguy7ipntLH0S46js17u8w5_YHu374rL7-NoiydO3ddLe6N6LVLKQ-LGK_IBFAuAiemBaav8mcrSr1XNI8R31kSGvNkZTwoKqrrFWwY-eG7H4JFGUh61SjktL6_kKKN/s1600/perfectshell2googlead.jpg" /></div>
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Trixy the Monkey<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trixy-Monkey-That-Ate-Nevis/dp/0982954905/ref=la_B00843H8X2_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345554623&sr=1-2">Trixy the Monkey on amazon</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfLDBEP1smhxSmFaykvi7QFtzfsr_dYpXl43jCij-GdmFQq8dK4J7S2kLOLQXuYjomxpseke3XpM5lltquXml_xZN330XugloSK2TMriouPg07MJsnQ8OQ7gmxAIRAlp4c7clpHGjYist/s1600/trixy2googlead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfLDBEP1smhxSmFaykvi7QFtzfsr_dYpXl43jCij-GdmFQq8dK4J7S2kLOLQXuYjomxpseke3XpM5lltquXml_xZN330XugloSK2TMriouPg07MJsnQ8OQ7gmxAIRAlp4c7clpHGjYist/s1600/trixy2googlead.jpg" /></a></div>
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Paddy the Goat<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paddy-Goat-That-Saved-Anguilla/dp/0982954913/ref=la_B00843H8X2_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345554657&sr=1-3">Paddy the Goat on amazon</a><br />
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It doesn't cost anything, all you have to do is go to the page and put in a review. It can be small, whatever you want, everything will help.<br />
I would really appreciate this, getting the books to amazon was a huge effort but the battle has just begun in getting noticed.<br />
Thanks in advance for any reviews and if anyone has a Kindle Fire let me know and I will gift you a book by having a free day. I will post details about how to get the books for free.<br />
Thanks again<br />
Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-41094009364284835572012-08-16T08:26:00.002-07:002012-08-16T09:38:54.257-07:00Beach Bound Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am happy to report that Stacie Theis of Beach Bound books blog has reviewed one of my books, Trixy The Monkey That Ate Nevis.<br />
Other reviews are on the way.<br />
Stacie says... "I have a great love for books, but find myself even more intrigued with the people who write them. An author has the ability to inform and entertain through the words they choose, a talent not everyone possesses. I invite you to come along on my journey of reading, reviewing, and discovering books one author at a time!"<br />
Read all of her reviews at <a href="http://www.beachboundbooks.com/index.html">http://www.beachboundbooks.com/index.html</a><br />
It is a great source of what books are out there, some you may not hear about any other way.Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-20084466056478355492012-08-09T07:52:00.001-07:002012-08-09T07:52:12.763-07:00Painting Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We (several artists on Anguilla) scheduled an art show during our annual carnival. Great plan, well thought out except people don't like to work during carnival so the most excellent location down in Sandy Ground ended up closing for the events due to lack of interest by employees.<br />
Problem is, since we were given plenty of time to prepare, I started creating little pictures of my book art using canvas and oil paint.<br />
Very cute, small paintings. What to do with them now?<br />
Well I came up with a brilliant plan, have a show in December when season starts here, perhaps some book readings and other events and offer the little paintings.<br />
This one comes right out of "The Perfect Shell" one of the illustrations for the book. Painting in oils gives it a whole different look then the vector image created in Adobe Illustrator.<br />
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Just a hermit crab on her own strolling through the bush, this pictures are very small, this one is only 5"x5".<br />
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Leapin Lizard is also from " The Perfect Shell" an anole flying through the night sky to capture some little moths.<br />
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Paddy is exploring the sea rocks in the full moon, looking for a new home.<br />
I have got plenty of time now so there will be more to come, stay tuned.<br />
<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-65027521145190253952012-07-24T07:30:00.002-07:002012-07-24T14:52:36.033-07:00Thinking Back...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Uncle Mike. I couldn't walk but I could ride.</td></tr>
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At an early age, I decided I was going to be an archaeologist, confusing that science with the one that deals with dinosaur bones, a Paleontologist. It really didn't matter, I am not sure if I wanted to study them or just draw them. I collected books, visited the museum of Natural History in New York and dreamed about dinosaurs. But, we were a horse family and before long we were making trips into Brooklyn to visit my uncles riding stable and my new love was horses, dinosaurs fading into the primeval mist.<br />
School was a different matter. I did not like it from day one of grade 1. My teacher was not tolerant and evidently although I don't really remember, I was disruptive in class, constantly being made to stand up for misbehaving and finally after the teacher told my mother I needed an atom bomb under my chair to wake me up, I was taken out of that school and put in public school. That was half way through 3rd grade and I lucked out. My new teacher Mrs. Cassidy was a peach. She taught me how to read. Until then I was just muddling through. At the end of the year, she gave me a book, it had stories and pictures and I read it all summer. By the time I was in 5th grade, I was reading at a 9th grade level. Thanks Mrs. Cassidy.<br />
But, I was still disruptive in quiet ways. Once I had a wart on my hand, everyday I would fight with it and make it bleed. This would cause a scene that would involve me going to the nurse or the restroom to wash it off, the teacher getting more and more upset everyday. Finally she had enough, she said no more picking at the thing at which point I removed it and proudly proclaimed to the class, It is gone!<br />
I would also spend a lot of time in the nurses office claiming to be sick. My mother or father would have to stop what they were doing to come pick me up and finally my mother said, "if you don't have a fever or throwing up, you are going to school."<br />
I wasn't sick, I was dyslexic.<br />
Didn't know it, never knew it until I became an adult and finally had someone explain it to me.<br />
I could not tell time, still can't unless I think about it or look at a round clock with hands. I can't tell right from left unless I use my trick and I can not add unless I use my fingers.<br />
But I could really draw and create sculpture. I loved art class and that was all I loved. The rest were just getting through the day. I did it by memorizing and I even got good grades but the classes always bored me and I seldom did homework. By the time I was in high school, I never took my books out of the locker.<br />
I graduated as a national honor student but I believe it was because I dropped out of many classes and by the time I was on my last year, I took 5 classes of art out of 6 classes. I took the commercial courses because my mother insisted I learn something that could help me in life but switched to academic mid way through my last year because I was bored and then failed English Lit. one semester because I refused to read the assigned book. I brought my average up to an A by the end of the year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's red hot pants under this gown. It was the 70's. give me a break.</td></tr>
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I had to learn shorthand. I would sit in the back of the class and cheat. Finally my teacher called me to her desk in the middle of class and said "my dear you have the best shorthand of anyone I have ever seen but you don't understand a thing you are writing, I think you need to drop this course."<br />
I went to study hall where my art teacher found me and put me into another art class.<br />
I had a one man art show when I graduated and stood with the rest of the honor students for the grand finale but I wore bright red hot pants under my gown.<br />
I never looked back.Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-71260007343451025972012-07-17T13:59:00.002-07:002012-07-17T14:05:16.185-07:00You can't write and draw all the time.<br />
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My husband is a solar installer on Anguilla and since school is out, a number of organizations on the island are having summer camp for the kids. We did this solar demonstration for the campers at Camp Be Aware.<br />
I included the quiz at the bottom of the post.<br />
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<b>Solar demonstration at Camp Be Aware</b><br />
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On Monday, July 16, 2012 local solar installation company, Comet Systems, gave a demonstration of solar system components to 45 campers and 17 counsellors at Camp Be Aware’s annual camp. Comet Systems owners, Jo-Anne and Chris Mason, brought a complete solar system to the camp classroom to show the participants how solar works to produce electricity.<br />
The talk included background information on the history of energy, the discovery of oil, how oil and therefore electricity changed our lives, and the challenges the campers will face in the future as fossil fuels become more difficult to extract.<br />
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The Mason’s constructed a solar display kit comprised of solar panels, a controller, a battery, an inverter, and various examples of loads. The campers were shown how clouds affect solar output, how the storage battery solves that problem, how DC is changed into the AC current used in households, and how a controller manages the system. Many questions were posed to the campers as the system was assembled to test their comprehension of the solar system. The campers were able to grasp the concepts and quickly understood what each piece did to make a complete system.Campers also took a pictorial quiz on renewable energy which earned four sharp individuals a children’s book by Jo-Anne.<br />
“I was very impressed by the speed at which the children understood the solar system components and asked intelligent questions. There was always plenty of answers to every question we asked and lots of hands ready to help us put the system together” said Chris Mason.<br />
As part of the demonstration, a small pump was immersed in coloured water and the children saw how a solar system could pump water for a house or farm.<br />
This kind of hands-on experience quickly helps the children understand what is becoming a critical part of their future and gives them an appreciation of the role renewable energy will play in their lives” said Chris Mason. “We put together an actual working solar system that was small enough to be carried into the classroom and could be quickly assembled without tools, but was a real working system”.<br />
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Camp organiser Linda Gratton, who invited the Masons to participate in this year’s camp, said “There’s nothing like a visual, hands-on teaching aid to truly drive the message home. The campers were very eager to volunteer as assistants and this showed how interactive Chris and Jo-Anne made the session for the children. Their faces lit up when they saw the end result of the experiment. My hope is that the campers now have a better appreciation of the challenges presented by fossil fuels and their staggering costs to a small island nation like Anguilla, which has a great potential with solar energy. This is their future and they are now better equipped to make smarter and more environment-friendly choices.”<br />
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Comet Systems is an Anguillian solar company providing residential and commercial installations and participating in the effort to bring solar power to Anguilla. www.cometenergysystems.com<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Energy Quiz for Camp Be Aware Anguilla</h2>
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<br />Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-92179248953379718432012-06-29T14:10:00.000-07:002012-06-29T14:10:35.883-07:00My Favorite Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so lucky in my work... I meet some of the nicest people. Today I was asked to visit one of our local resorts, Viceroy Anguilla to meet a charming lady and personally sign some of my books. Kim and I had a nice chat about the island, my books and a little bit about what she does with some very fortunate children in Oklahoma. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She works with the <a class="l" href="http://www.google.com.ai/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CE4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cherokeenationfoundation.org%2F&ei=_hXuT5vpJoO29QSvlZSIAg&usg=AFQjCNH75QscUEz4EOPfBpfv5wgHzZncsA" style="background-color: white; color: #1122cc; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Cherokee Nation Foundation</em></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><cite style="color: #009933; display: inline-block; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 1px;">www.<b>cherokeenationfoundation</b>.org/</cite><button class="gbil esw eswd" g:entity="http://www.cherokeenationfoundation.org/" g:pingback="/gen_204?atyp=i&ct=plusone&cad=S0" g:undo="poS0" id="gbpwm_14" style="background-image: url(https://www.google.com.ai/images/nav_logo107.png); background-position: -25px -110px; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline; height: 15px; margin-left: 5px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: text-bottom; visibility: visible; width: 24px;" title="Recommend this page"></button></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="st" style="line-height: 1.24;">She also teaches school and has lots of energy for helping children see more of the big world picture.</span><span class="st" style="line-height: 1.24;"> It is very energizing to talk with people who want to do something good and help people. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="st" style="line-height: 1.24;">She asked me a question about my books, which is your favorite? Good question, no one has ever asked before. I thought it over and realized the book I like the best is the one I am currently working on. I guess for me it is more about the journey than the destination. I have started doing some sketches for my new book, can you guess who it is about?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="st" style="line-height: 1.24;"><br /></span></span></div>Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-60579505118013843492012-06-02T15:08:00.000-07:002012-06-03T14:52:36.784-07:00St. Martin Book Fair 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had to get up early to make the first ferry for St. Martin to participate in the 10th Annual book Fair. The open day event was held at the University of St. Martin in Phillipsburg. What a great location, right behind the center of town. All the authors assembled in the garden area for a book signing event while in classrooms there were seminars and demonstrations.
I met many interesting people while I sat with my books and did an impromptu demonstration of drawing digitally with a draw pad and laptop computer. Everyone that attended was interested in improving reading skills for the children and involving more people in reading and writing books.Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064504974751223941.post-74445136756513206422012-05-18T05:14:00.002-07:002012-05-18T05:39:51.689-07:00Creating Kindle Books<br />
<b>Creating Kindle Books</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe07Z549vJMT4b-nvROSY4VbJV0pbh81V9TmcXYUy2ilNP8Sx0VbPyy1Wi9nnzCQ71On2YeNyB0_2thDDDhb08cilEL6wcOzi8zo0rDEw5aceAGOrOWzudJtGI-nSTSXKeDbrKTJkpM3oW/s1600/digitalstudio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe07Z549vJMT4b-nvROSY4VbJV0pbh81V9TmcXYUy2ilNP8Sx0VbPyy1Wi9nnzCQ71On2YeNyB0_2thDDDhb08cilEL6wcOzi8zo0rDEw5aceAGOrOWzudJtGI-nSTSXKeDbrKTJkpM3oW/s200/digitalstudio.JPG" width="195" /></a></div>
It’s been a hard but enjoyable last few weeks as we turn the hardback books into Kindle books. Now Paddy, Trixy and Hattie will become digital once again!<br />
There is a lot more to making a Kindle book then just copy and paste.<br />
First, books are not formatted the same way as a digital book. Different sizes, less area for text and readability on a device all come into play when creating an ebook.<br />
Fortunately, I build all of my books on the computer to start with so I can manipulate the images to suit the new size. We also had to edit the original pages so they will properly fit and sometimes that means editing text or creating a new image.<br />
Now all three books are a whole new experience. Not only did I add more pages with illustrations, I also added information about the creatures in my books and the islands where the story takes place. Thanks to Adobe Illustrator and my Wacom digital drawing pad, this task although difficult was not impossible. Next task...animation and voice, stay tuned. Look at my latest video on creating these books.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ckD7Fg7QTvw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Jo-Anne Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16740375593605640442noreply@blogger.com0