Suggested Book: Breasts, A Natural and Unnatural History

New book worth mentioning:
Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams

I haven't read this book, was just reading about it and sounds worth looking into. Of course, there's always something you might not agree with, and for me it's the evolution part. But skipping past that, it seems to have a lot of info we may not know.

A couple of Amazon reviewers tell us:
Viewer D_shrink (5 stars): "The author discusses a very serious subject, in that most of book is devoted to breast cancer and its primary cause according to her which is carcinogens in the environment. Yet she approaches her subject in a humorous manner from the first page..."

Viewer K.H. Murdock (5 stars): "At it's core, it is a serious book, chock full of important information. Williams asks: Why are girls developing breasts at a younger age than ever before? What are the toxins in our environment doing to our breasts? How do the hormones in birth control pills affect our breasts?"

Viewer Frederick S. Goethel (5 stars): "I would highly recommend this book to all women as an owner's manual. It contains a great deal of information that women should know about the state of breast cancer research, as well as breast self-examination and how the breast actually functions. I would also highly recommend it to any male who has a female in his life."

If you read or have read it, let us know. It's also available in Kindle format.
Here's where I first read about it: Seventh Generation blog

About "Sarah looks out the window"

We really enjoyed doing this book. I had an idea of Sarah having her cousin come stay for the summer, the way our cousins used to do when I was young. Well, sometimes it wasn’t all summer, and sometimes we were all staying at our grandmother’s house, but still ... seems that’s missing in a lot of young people’s lives these days.

For a time at the trailer park my uncles owned -- which they named after me: Cindy Acres! -- a lot of families in the military would live there instead of on the base. That way they could have a little more “normal” family life, I guess. Anyway, we got to be friends with many of these families, and one of them had a daughter the same age as me, with another daughter the same age as my sister. Margaret was my friend there for two summers, and we played together when we’d go visit my grandmother on weekends during school and in the winter.

Margaret was so cute and funny, with a great sense of humor. I loved her laugh, and so did she, actually. When she got a new cassette player, we had so much fun listening to our own voices on playback -- little did we know, you really sound different to everyone else than you do to yourself! But Margaret especially liked to laugh and play that back over and over, silly girl!

Noe wanted to use the idea of Sarah and her cousin Margaret in his second book of the Sarah’s World series, Sarah looks out the window. And he’s always been interested in birds and knows which is which, not like me! He sees one and asks, did you see that Mockingbird?... or Redheaded Woodpecker, or Red-winged Blackbird and so on. Of course, I hardly ever do, I’m not as keen-eyed as him.

Anyway, taking these two subjects, he put them together into such a cool story! And we self-published it on Amazon Kindle, but this time added a bunch of illustrations, unlike our first one, Sarah and Pcee. I love the way Noe is able to draw his own ideas of what Sarah would look like, how her yard would be, the decorations in her room.... even the expressions of the birds’ faces! Guess you can tell, I’m no artist ...

We also took advantage of the fact that, in an ebook, you can add links to websites with more information, so we looked around for some good ones and put the links at the end. It makes such a nice addition.

If you haven’t had a chance to get this book, please do -- I know you’ll like it ~

Thank you for reading what noeandcindy.write !

cindy

More on Jane Austen's heroines... post six

Jane Austen's master touch in creating a female character, putting her in the perfect situation to bring out that which defines her, serves as one of the main ingredients by which the tension of the story builds. Today let’s consider her book …

MANSFIELD PARK
I might get slapped for this, but I say Mansfield Park is the only story where there is a true rivalry for the affections of the same person, Edward Bertram.

The two women in question are Fanny Price and Mary Crawford. Fanny is Edward’s cousin, and her family is very poor; whereas Edward’s family is very rich and live in Mansfield Park. Fanny is permitted to live with the Bertrams out of kindness.

Mary Crawford is a wealthy, sophisticated lady, the kind of lady that is antagonistic with the object of her affection, having all the charm and looks so as to keep the guy coming back for more.

Fanny, coming from such poverty and being reminded by her cousins that she is not a Bertram but a poor Price, develops the strength of an honorable character. Her sense of gratitude turns out to be far more appealing, because of the genuineness of it, than all of Mary Crawford’s sophistication and practised man-baiting.

Noe 

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

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Heroines... post five on Jane Austen

CONTINUING OUR LOOK AT JANE AUSTEN'S HEROINES

Sense and Sensibility

This story had the title "Elinor and Marianne" to begin with, and that's quite appropriate, but the latter title is even more so. Here we have two heroines, the Dashwood sisters: Marianne, who is 17 years old, and Elinor, who is 19. Right from the start, the girls go from great wealth to having very little, because they have a rat — with a capital R — for a half-brother. Despite explicit instructions from his father on his deathbed, the man refuses to help in even the smallest way when he dies and, as so many rules of inheritance back then play out, everything goes to the Rat.

The RAT brother

Happily, a relative of their mother saves them from poverty and offers a small cottage for the bereaved family to live in. Ere long, Marianne has Colonel Brandon showing a clear interest in her. However, she is uninterested because he is twenty years older! — which is actually refreshing, considering in those days old guys are always marrying teenagers and no one seems to bat an eyelash! Anyway, Marianne is filled with vitality both physically and emotionally and she figures an older man just won't do ... enter Willoughby, a dashing

young man who is handsome, loves the same poetry as Marianne, and (to top it off) will inherit plenty from his aunt. Just as things seem to be turning up roses for Marianne, Willoughby abruptly leaves, with no hope of returning. This turns Marianne into one of the most lovelorn figures in Austen’s world.

Then there is Elinor, who is prudent and rational — and it is a good thing, too! Her situation becomes complicated: she develops feelings for one Edward Ferrars, only to learn from Lucy Steele that he is secretly engaged to ... Lucy Steele! I know this makes Edward sound like a scoundrel, but he really isn’t, and Elinor knows that. Now, with Marianne torn up over Willoughby, and a mother that acts more like a younger sister than a mother, Elinor must bear her emotional turmoil with patience and a deep regard for doing what is right.
With Marianne’s emotional openness playing off Elinor’s silent endurance, what is created is a gripping emotional drama that makes you yearn for something good to happen to the Dashwood girls. Once again, Jane Austen has created an intriguing story with strong female main characters.

Noe 

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

Get your free Amazon Kindle apps

Heroines... post four on Jane Austen

Heroines, beginning with Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen has the touch of a master in creating a main character and then putting her in a perfect situation, one that brings out the characteristics which define the heroine. With that, the main ingredients are set by which the tension of the story builds. For instance, today let’s briefly consider her book Northanger Abbey.

The heroine of this story is Catherine Morland, a naive country girl who is taken out into society for the first time by her family's childless neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Allen. In Bath — which is actually a place in England, despite how it might sound — she meets Henry Tilney. This fine, witty young man comes from a wealthy family, and he is immediately captivated by Miss Morland's innocence and simple country manners. Henry’s father, who is more interested in money and position, is informed by someone that Catherine is to inherit a great fortune from Mr. Allen, but this is simply false.

As a true genius, Austen has made young Catherine an avid reader of Gothic stories, and this admits a closer look at her inexperience and simple-mindedness, not to mention creates a fertile ground for her wild imagination. When she is taken to the Tilney's home, Northanger

Abbey, which is an old monastery being done over in as modern a fashion as that time period would permit, the outward appearance and interior design is enough for Catherine to be carried away under the influence of her Gothic stories!

What will Miss Austen do now? Will love bloom between Henry and Catherine? ... or is to be strangled in the dark halls of Northanger Abbey? With each time I read this tale, I grow more fond of the young heroine Catherine Morland and am sure you will too.
Noe 

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

Jane Austen books

COMPARE

This is the first in a series of posts on Jane Austen and her works that I want to do. Austen's books are a favorite part of my library, as are the movies that have been made on them. It is really too bad she died so young and was prevented from giving us what she would have created later. 

One of the aspects of her writing that I find so appealing is her focus on the characters’ thoughts and feelings with an economy of words. She has a comical cleverness that rivals Oscar Wilde, and a sense for the dramatic coupled with a flare for suspense. For instance, in each of her works she builds a series of let-downs and obstacles for the characters without being corny or cliche, even though if she would have come up with something way back in her time it wouldn’t have been cliche; and the fact that today the stories are still fresh and interesting to read is a credit to her.

For comparison’s sake, to be sure, the stories of Jane are not as intricate as those of Charles Dickens, but then they were writing about two different worlds. Dickens brought the lowest and poorest of London society across the path of the class of society Austen wrote about. In the world according to Jane, one would never know such a place as the slums of London with its low individuals even existed because she didn’t write about that like Dickens did. Consequently, Austen’s books keep a light, lively feel, even when the characters are reduced to comparative poverty. Perhaps it is this aspect of her books I like most; one can read about triumph through adversity without getting "dirty" like you do when you read Dickens.

Jane Austen's notable books (no particular order):
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Persuasion
Sense and Sensibility
Northanger Abbey
Mansfield Park

~ Noe

Recommended Book: The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Lavender fields are so beautiful, and the scent of pure lavender is heavenly. I love using essential oils for our health, so I wanted to tell about this superb reference book, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy. The author, Valerie Ann Worwood, seems to know everything there is to know about essential oils and their proper uses, and she shares her knowledge in a way that encourages us to gather up a small supply of pure essential oils and get busy using them.

First, the book tells us that essential oils are different than chemical drugs in that the oils do not remain in the body and leave us filled with toxins. Many people just don't realize how effective essential oils are at things, such as cleaning the air we breathe while at the same time leaving a beautiful scent behind, or how to start using them for the health of your entire family. They are so much more than just a pleasant smell.

There are 18 chapters, 423 pages and tons of recipes in this book. After learning "How To Use This Book", we are shown what oils belong in our Basic Care Kit or Basic Travel Kit, with a brief summary of each oil and recipes for common applications. Chapter 4 is Occupational Oils for the Working Man and Woman, covering topics like interviews and exams, burns, back problems, repetitive strains, post-viral syndrome, muscular fatigue, the workaholic heart, stress (a very specific section with lots of recipe blends), burnout and more -- I could repeat the phrase "and more" about each chapter, but let me just give you an idea about some of them:

Chapter 5 is for sports, dance and workouts
Chapter 6 teaches us The Fragrant Way to Beauty with wrinkle preventive recipes for the over-20s, 30s, 40s and 50s
Chapter 7, The Body Beautiful, gives us Fat Attack and Anti-Cellulite recipes; and attention is also given to the arms, hands, breasts, nails, and feet
Chapter 8 is all about the hair
Chapter 9 for babies and children
Chapter 10 covers the Woman's Natural Choice for pregnancy, postnatal care, miscarriage, infertility, menstrual problems, menopause and gynecological problems
Chapter 11 is The Natural Choice for Men, with important subjects like heart care, liver, and balding issues; each section with recipes a man will not just tolerate, but he’ll really love
Chapter 12 is for the Maturing Years and all its many troubles
The next few chapters are for the home, cooking, natural pet health, the garden (and getting rid of pests of all kinds), followed by 3 appendixes and the index.

This book is so full of practical advice, knowledge about health issues and fun things to do with essential oils! To help you know how to use your essential oils to the full, you definitely should get a copy of this book, appropriately called The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy . . .

Great links:
Kyley Zimmerman’s book: Aromatherapy for Beginners - 5 Oils Toolkit
Aura Cacia essential oils
Dreaming Earth Botanicals essential oils
Mountain Rose essential oils
National Geographic Lavender fields wallpaper -- the photo I used above
cindy

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

Recommended book: Anne of Green Gables

I would recommend to all young readers Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. 
This book teaches wonderful lessons without being preachy, such as ‘life can’t always be the way we want it’ and ‘how we deal with things makes the difference between being happy or dissatisfied.'

Anne’s determination to be positive and find joy, even if it is only to be found in making a friend of her own reflection, is very powerful. The story is told in such a delightful way, those who read it are sure to be drawn to her character. And, of course, we also see through Anne’s life at Green Gables that life doesn't always stay the same, and the changes that come are sometimes good and sometimes very sad.

I am so glad I found this wonderful book; I have read it many times and would encourage everyone to at least read it once. You can get this book as either an e-book or paperback... look for it on the Cindy's book store page of this blog, or click the link in the box below.
Other links of interest: Life Lessons from Green Gables Anne's Life Lessons Life Lessons from Anne
Noe

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

About Sarah and Pcee

When I was in fourth grade, we were given an assignment to make up a story. This was a perfect assignment for me, so I made up a story about a kid finding a worm that he kept in his room in a jar. He would let it out from time to time and finally it spun its cocoon and emerged as a butterfly. I can’t remember everything about the story but the rough outline and a point or two; it was, after-all, some forty-five years ago. The teacher liked it so much she had me read it to the class.

That was an unusual experience for me back then because I made very bad grades in school, so it was always someone else being put before the class, certainly not me. The teacher evidently saw some potential in my writing and asked me to do another. I wrote a comparatively longer story about a kid that sees a spaceship land in his backyard, and subsequently, by his contact with the aliens, develops ‘spider powers’. Yes, I was an avid reader of Spider-man comics.

I have been working on a novel for about a year and am very close to being done with the finishing touches to make it ready for publication. Cindy suggested we try publishing something else first so we could see what is involved before trying to get our novel out. My fourth-grade assignment came to mind, and soon we had a story we could use to try self-publishing on Amazon. Even though it is rather straightforward and easy, we learned plenty on that first go-round and are glad we did it that way.

At the time I was writing Sarah and Pcee, I had no idea of turning it into a series, but other stories came into my mind, and so far now there are three Sarah’s World e-books on Amazon Kindle.
Noe

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write

Sarah's World and electronic devices

In our series Sarah’s World, you will notice a lack of electronic devices: no cell phones, game stations, computers, not even a TV. Not because these things don’t exist in Sarah’s World, but I wanted the stories to focus on kids and their interaction with the world around them on their own. This is not meant to be some ‘social commentary’ on the electronic gadgets that our young ones are so adept with; after all, the books we write are being offered as e-books.

No agenda at all has gone into the making of these books... rather it is a look into kids just being kids, at those times when they are not involved in other things and their time is their own and this big wonderful world has beckoned them forth.

Anyone who has children has had the experience of buying their son or daughter something that came in a BIG BOX. We excitedly give our dear child the present and anticipate the fun they are going to have with this new toy, only to see that after the initial excitement of the new toy, it has given way to the wonders of the BIG BOX and all that their imagination can make it become. (The exception to this is when the BIG BOX contains a BIKE, and then the big box has to wait a little longer.)

It is that kind of innocence and charm of children I am trying to capture in Sarah’s World.
Noe

https://www.amazon.com/author/noeandcindy.write