Amethyst, Rosemary and Violets

Naughty or Nice? 2009

2009-11-28T11:13:00.002-05:00

Naughty or Nice? 2009
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- American Family Association:
AFA's 2009 listing of top retailers and how they recognize Christmas
http://action.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147486887
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- Liberty Counsel
"Friend or Foe" Christmas Campaign
http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=15259

The Compassionate Friends - Worldwide Candle Lighting

2009-11-13T15:14:00.000-05:00

Worldwide Candle Lighting Video

Worldwide Candle Lighting

The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause. As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, creating a virtual wave of light, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor children in a way that transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries.

The Compassionate Friends - Home

From My Garden - Nov. 2006

2009-09-08T18:59:00.003-04:00

This flower broke off the main stem. I left it on my step, and it bloomed for almost a week or so. It gave me food for thought, and I pondered it everytime I passed it.

The flower is called Portulaca - or Moss Rose. This a really hardy flower, and reseeds itself quite easily. I have not had to plant any for awhile due to coming back every year itself. The blossoms look to me like paper flowers, and has a WIDE variety or variation of colors. A very pretty plant.

From My Garden - Sept. 2006

2009-09-08T18:52:00.003-04:00

I passed this flower growing out of the curb near my house. I was inspired to ponder this flower a bit. The idea that with the Lord a person can flourish in any condition, and to be a person that cannot be destroyed crossed my mind. A flower growing up in the midst of rocks and weeds. The Lord teaches me things as I go along.

This flower is the hardy Portulaca.

Julian McMahon

2009-09-08T18:35:00.003-04:00

I am a fan of the TV show "Charmed", and is where I learned about Julian. He played the character of Cole.

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http://www.myspace.com/actor3star3julian

Julian McMahon - Wikipedia

The CW

Starting Over - Season 3 - Wallpaper

2009-09-08T02:25:00.003-04:00

. Wallpaper 3 of 3 - [all_1024x768]

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A group shot from the TV show 'Starting Over' from season 3. I downloaded it from the S.O. site in 1024x768. [Site is no longer available]

. Starting Over Television Show - Wikipedia

From My Garden - December 2007

2009-09-07T22:24:00.003-04:00

I was surprised to see a couple of flowers bloom in December - this is one picture of one of them. Down on the Main Street of Spring City Daffodil's were blooming as well, and were quite pretty. I have not seen this before that I can ever remember.
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This plant is called Spider Web Hen's and Chicks. It is a very cool variety of Hens and Chicks. It gets alien looking offshoots - and spiders out with new chicks - that have really pretty flowers on it. I like it a lot, and has been really hardy for me.
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http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53928/
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Photography is a hobby of mine. I especially like taking nature photos - mostly around my little corner of the world. They make nice wallpaper, and look nice in my Windows photo screensaver - especially in the more drabber months of Winter. I like to show them off in video - my newest hobby. [except for the issues with copy protected stuff on video sites which can be a bit frustrating.]
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I have a Canon PowerShot A200. I got this camera as a free gift from Dell when I bought my first computer from them. So far I am really pleased with it.

Screenthemes

2009-09-07T20:51:00.003-04:00

Screenthemes

My all time favorite screensaver site is Screenthemes. It's free to try, but they do charge for additional screensaver picture packs. I don't find them terribly expensive - but it is addictive! They have an awesome collection of pictures of just about any theme you can think of. Set it as a screensaver, and/or you can set it to change wallpaper everyday on your desktop as well. I have never had any trouble with them, and once I figured out the settings I found it to be quite user friendly. Very cool.

http://www.screenthemes.com/

Around My Neighborhood - Fall 2008

2009-09-07T20:03:00.003-04:00

A photo of the fall foliage of a tree in my neighbor's yard.

The leaves strewn about were really pretty.

From My Garden - Fall 2008

2009-09-07T19:06:00.003-04:00

A photo of the last of my best roses of 2008. I don't know the name of this rose though. I bought it on sale at Colonial Gardens in Spring City, and didn't take note of the name. I moved it to a better location in my yard, and it seems to be happy.

Two Of My Cell Phone Pics

2009-09-04T01:15:00.002-04:00

My daughter, Crystal, sent me these two photos from New York City on September 16, 2007. She said she was on the Empire State Building.

FYI About Downloading Stuff

2009-09-04T00:33:00.005-04:00

Trust your own judgment as far as downloading from any site.
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When I download stuff I usually 'save' them. [I like always having a copy too] I screen them with my antivirus and anti-malware scan. In order to 'save' something you would have to have a place to save it to - either look for 'My Downloads' folder in 'My Documents' or create a folder in 'My Documents'.
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All of these programs are free to use.
[but you can donate or buy full programs if you want.]
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- Spybot Search & Destroy:
http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html
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I really like Spybot Search & Destroy, but I was made to uninstall it with Norton - which I don't use anymore - and with McAfee. [to my dismay.]
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I have McAfee Antivirus Plus and it doesn't argue with me about Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware.
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- Malwarebytes:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
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- SuperAntiSpyware:
http://www.superantispyware.com/
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It took me a bit at first to learn how to create files and folders. It's easy to do.
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It's not a good idea to simply click 'Run' on when downloading a program and install that way without saving it - unless of course it is an absolutely trustworthy site.
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Many downloaded programs put adware/spyware in. Many programs are also fond of trying to get a person to agree to install their toolbar along with the program you wanted.
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You do not have to have the toolbar or any additional stuff, unless you really want it, to use the desired program.
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I learned that if you install too many toolbars - and they contain stuff such as pop-up blockers, antivirus scanning and such - too many of them can be counterproductive. I found this out the hard way, and uninstalled several that I really didn't need or use much.
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If uninstalling something - look for the 'uninstall' option on the program first before going to 'Add/Delete Program in Windows.
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Good sites will mention if a product is free of spyware/adware/shareware. [not always though, but a good antivirus/firewall program will pick it up.]
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I got some kind of a virus/bot simply copying a photo on a strange site while web searching. You can get them through pop-up's too I learned.
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I generally have not had problems with stuff I have downloaded - whether programs or music - but I mostly stay with more known sites rather than 'such and such' .com.

1 Moon Above 4.3

2009-09-04T00:05:00.005-04:00

1 Moon Above 4.3
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[CNET]
From MeanFox :
A unique and stunning 3D Windows screensaver featuring the Moon, correctly positioned in relation to the Earth and Sun. See the current phase of the Moon, or accelerate time and see how the phase changes over the coming days and months. Additional visual effects include nebulae, stars, clouds, trees, sunrises and sunsets. 1 Moon Above can also play your favorite music whenever it is running. And you will never miss another eclipse. Version 4.3 has rebranded as 3D Wonders brand and improved error handling.
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CNET
http://www.cnet.com/?tag=hdr%3bbrandnav
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I like CNET, and they offer the different versions of this screensaver. [ZDNet doesn't] I have 4.2, and am happy with it - but I may update.
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1 Moon Above 4.3 (Windows)
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[ZDNet]
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From ZDNet site:
http://www.zdnet.com/
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This screensaver is awesome. The moon changes, night and day changes, you can change the scenes, and it can show time. This is a favorite, and I like ZDNet as well.
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There is a free trial period with this screensaver, and then there is a cost of $14.95.

Two Of My Cell Phone Pics - July 2007

2009-09-03T23:51:00.005-04:00

My daughter, Crystal, sent these two pics on her trip to Washington, D.C.

3D Ripple Tiny Edition Freeware Software

2009-09-03T20:15:00.004-04:00

3D Ripple Tiny Edition Freeware Software
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From: controlzed.com [No longer operates]
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Tucows Downloads:
http://www.tucows.com/
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This screen saver displays changing pictures of bodies of water, which are animated with a Java effect.
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This screensaver is free, and is a very pretty saver. It has four animated scenes. When you exit the screensaver - when you go to move your mouse - a pop up comes up with information. Just click 'Exit' to leave the scene.
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The problem with this 'saver' is that the parent company doesn't appear to exist anymore. The full version of this is no longer available [you can still get it online I believe but you cannot purchase the registration code or additional scenes after the trial time is up] which I'm really unhappy about. I tried in a few ways to contact someone with no results.
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I don't know if ArtyWare/Controlzed will be back at all ever. I'm hoping they will. I feel bad that I didn't get the full copy of this when I had the chance. I meant to but put off doing it.
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They had one - that I did get - called Active Clouds which is an awesome saver, and am really glad that I got it. It has moving cloud scenes. Very cool.
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The reason that I'm listing the screensaver - even though the parent company is no longer up - is that this is a really good one for free. I actually use it from time to time, and haven't had any problems with it. I like it a lot.
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The wallpaper site the scenes from '3D Tiny Ripple' are from MacDesktops.
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If anyone would have info on this I would greatly appreciate it.

A Cell Phone Pic

2009-09-03T20:00:00.003-04:00

This is the first pic that I received on my newer cell phone - A Nokia 6102. My daughter sent this to me in her trips around. I'm not certain where it was taken, but I thought the flowers were lovely and it made my day.

One Of My Favorite Wallpaper Sites

2009-09-03T19:44:00.004-04:00

MacDeskTops
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I learned about MacDeskTops from a screensaver that I downloaded, and the wallpaper was used in the screensaver scenes. I've copied quite a few wallpapers from this site, - I'm a big fan of wallpaper - and have used them for some of my YouTube videos. They have an awesomely beautiful assortment. The wallpaper is free, but you can donate to them if you want to.
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The site can be a bit time consuming to navigate I found - especially in the going back to try to locate a particular picture.

Foliage From One Of My Trees - Nov. 2008

2009-09-02T23:33:00.002-04:00

We purchased this Maple tree from Colonial Garden Center in Spring City. I forget at the moment the type of Maple this is, but I'll post that later. I have to look it up.

My Favorite Christmas Screensaver

2009-09-02T23:26:00.002-04:00

Christmas Candlelight Living Desktop

Christmas comes alive on your desktop with these beautiful candlelit Christmas scenes. Photorealistic flickering candlelight illuminates four different holiday scenes sure to brighten your desktop and your holiday season. Each scene is unique and features up to four beautiful moving candle flames casting light over the whole scene in real time right before your eyes. If you see have only one screensaver this holiday season, make sure it is this one.

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I had a free trial with this 'saver', but it cost $14.95 to buy. I like it a lot, and to me it was worth the money. I've used it for a couple of years, and have not had any trouble with it. The flickering candles with this are really lovely.

Foliage Pic Of One Of My Trees - Nov. 2008

2009-09-02T23:18:00.002-04:00

My Favorite Halloween Screensaver

2009-09-02T22:56:00.006-04:00

"Jack O Lantern Living Desktop"

Carve you own virtual Jack O Lantern this halloween with Jack O Lantern 3D Screensaver. A beautifully rendered pumpkin is displayed on various halloween backgrounds carved using unique and creative patterns. The included "carving guide" will help you learn how to "carve" your own Jack O Lanterns. There are a number of other options to adjust including the lighting and candle color that allow for even more creative Jack O Lanterns. Version 2.0 includes new patterns and backgrounds.

I am a BIG fan of screensavers - wallpaper too. I use many of my own pics for wallpaper now, and in use with a Window's screensaver program. [Plus! has some really good stuff with it.]

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I had a free trial period, but was $14.95 to buy. To me it was worth it. I've used it for a couple of years now, and haven't had any trouble with it. I carved my own pumpkin pic that I like, but it took me a bit to figure out how to do that. It's my plan to try a couple more of Lumesoft's savers. Very cool.

I Think I Finally Figured It Out.

2009-09-02T22:31:00.005-04:00

I was inspired to create this blog well before I actually knew why it would be a good idea. That idea might have become clearer today.

Actually I was inspired to condense quite a few items I have started to become overwhelmed by in simply trying to keep up with them. So far I'm making progress.

I have several sites - which I like a lot - over on Bravenet. I like Bravenet even though on some things it can ultimately add up to be a bit pricey depending on what you want to do - ads can be annoying as well.

McAfee isn't thrilled with their site, but I've been with Bravenet for awhile. They have awesome customer service, but I have had trouble with advertising in relation to their site. Nothing terrible though.

Bravenet announced that they were lowering the storage on their free sites to 5 MB on Sept. 15th. Believe me 5 MB is not much, and on at least one free site I have I'm double over that.

So this site just evolved to what I should maybe try to do with it.

This is more a personal site - as the site that I will be moving items from. I like to share the stuff that I find that I like. Hopefully others will too. I'm trying to cut back with expenses - I'm doing pretty good with that too, and don't want to sign up for a monthly fee on my personal site to simply talk about screensavers and YouTube videos. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Not too long ago it would - so i think I've grown.

Do I blame Bravenet for wanting to cut costs - no. I have no idea what it would amount to for storage for thousands of users. I have enough trouble trying to keep up with what little corner of cyber space that I have.

But it is all good.

CherryBlossom started out to be simply a personal site - as this one, but evolved in a more active line of reason outside of personal stuff. What might fit here - might not fit well there.

So I have to see, and hopefully it works.