Reflections from the Forest House

Reflections from the Forest House
Author: Nancy Puglisi
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Total Pages: 157
Release: 2011-12-27
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 146530746X

Honest musings draw readers into the vortex of reflection and renewal A gentle heart and questioning mind ponder the verisimilitudes of life The joys and peace derived from observing nature, the shared intimacy and bonds of lovers, friends and family, the rich experience and adventure of travel, ruminations on an eclectic medley of issues and topics comprise this latest reflective anthology of poet Nancy J. Puglisi. Her poems capture moments that give birth to beautiful memories evoking the readers own emotions and reflections. Poems such as Flashing Light, Watching, and Forest Music reference experiences shared by many who direct their attention to the natural world. The depths of love and passion are expressed in poems such as Delightful, Surprise, Seeing, and Together. Mothers Day, Brothers, Nantucket Friends, and Remembering the 50s focus on the ties of family and the precious connections with friends. Despite the gentle tenor of many of her poems, Puglisi confronts the reader with her thoughts and feelings on several controversial topics prompting the reader to examine his or her own position. Dont Ask Dont Tell, In Defense of What, and Our Non-Civil Union address controversies surrounding and within the arena of gay rights while poems such as Depleting Resource, questioning energy production and consumption, or Emotional Roller Coaster which contrasts the fleeting joy of the holiday season with the reality of human suffering, highlight the complex issues and often harsh realities of life. Puglisi has honed her thoughtful approach to observing life through her examination of a variety of philosophies, most notably Buddhism, which is reflected in selections such as Breathing, Breath, and Contemplation. She is inspired to consider the value and beauty of everyday realities common to many. Her relaxed style and down-to-earth approach to poetry provides a very readable quality to her work that can be appreciated by even the most confirmed poetry-phobe. Use the images and emotions Puglisi shares in this newest collection to inspire your own journey of reflection and renewal. Puglisi is also the author of Fishing Without A Hook, Catching Moments At Work, a similarly reflective anthology of poetry related to the ups and downs of the work experience.

Lord of Opium

Lord of Opium
Author: Nancy Farmer
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 395
Release: 2013-09-26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1471118304

Matt has always been nothing but a clone - an exact replica, grown from a strip of old El Patron's skin. Now, age fourteen, Matt suddenly finds himself thrust into the position of ruling over his own country, Opium, on the one-time border between the US and Mexico, stretching from the ruins of San Diego to the ruins of Matamoros. But while Opium thrives, the rest of the world has been devastated by ecological disaster… and hidden somewhere in Opium is the cure. And that isn't all that's hidden within the depths of Opium. Matt is haunted by the ubiquitous army of eejits, zombie-like workers harnessed to the old El Patron's sinister system of drug growing... people stripped of the very qualities which once made them human. Matt wants to use his newfound power to help stop the suffering, but he can't even find a way to smuggle his childhood love Maria across the border and into Opium. Instead, his every move hits a roadblock - both from the traitors that surround him and from a voice within himself. For who is Matt really but the clone of an evil, murderous dictator?

Art of the House

Art of the House
Author: Bobby McAlpine
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2014-04-29
Genre: House & Home
ISBN: 0847842533

Architect Bobby McAlpine and interior design partner Susan Ferrier share their poetic approach to creating beautiful interiors in this follow-up to the best-selling The Home Within Us. In their newest book, the famed design team discusses the principles that guide their extraordinary work and share ideas for creating atmospheric environments. The book profiles a selection of houses that resonate with the firm's nuanced and sensual aesthetic. Combining painterly hues, diverse textures, and rich patinas, these interiors include a mix of antiques and contemporary furnishings. Throughout, we are shown the methods that these masters have honed to produce striking, inspiring spaces. In one featured residence, dark and light tones play off each other, with shimmering accents of silver, gold, and glass. Another house epitomizes the power of white's purity to refresh the eye. The cool blue of water and shades of the forest floor make up the naturalistic palette of a third dwelling. In all, modern-day upholstered pieces combine with fine and rustic antiques to furnish rooms that are welcoming.

Beach House Memories

Beach House Memories
Author: Mary Alice Monroe
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 432
Release: 2012-05-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1439171041

New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe's Southern-set classic Beach House Memories, the sequel to The Beach House, now a Hallmark Channel movie starring Andie MacDowell! Autumn brings haunting beauty to the sun-soaked dunes on Isle of Palms, where Lovie Rutledge lives in her beloved Primrose Cottage. As seasons change, Lovie remembers one special summer… In 1974, America is changing, but Charleston remains eternally the same. When Lovie married aristocratic businessman Stratton Rutledge, she turned over her fortune and fate to his control. But she refused to relinquish one thing: her family’s old seaside cottage. Precious summers with her children are Lovie’s refuge from social expectations and her husband’s philandering. Here, she is the “Turtle Lady,” tending the loggerhead turtles that lay eggs in the warm night sand and then slip back into the sea. In the summer of ’74, biologist Russell Bennett visits to research the loggerheads. Their shared interest soon blooms into a passionate, profound love—forcing Lovie to face an agonizing decision. Stratton’s influence is far-reaching, and if she dares to dream beyond a summer affair, she risks losing her reputation, her wealth, even her children. This emotional tale of a strong woman torn between duty and desire, between tradition and change, is an empowering journey through the seasons of self-discovery. Until this autumn, this time of winds and tides, of holding on and letting go…

Reflection

Reflection
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: Diane Chamberlain
Total Pages: 467
Release: 2010-11-01
Genre: Drama
ISBN: 0988205726

Rachel Huber returns to her hometown of Reflection to care for her ailing grandmother. Twenty years ago, a tragedy occurred in Reflection and people hold Rachel responsible. Now she finds herself the object of anger and hostility. She's not without her allies, however. Lily Jackson, a young woman who was personally touched by the tragedy, perplexes everyone by treating Rachel with compassion. And Michael Stoltz, the minister of the Mennonite church, is elated by Rachel's return. He and Rachel were close friends as children, and that childhood bond quickly evolves into a loving relationship that must be hidden from the town. It is Rachel's grandmother, Helen, however, who becomes her strongest advocate, surprising Rachel with her wise counsel and rare strength--and with a wealth of secrets she has long been concealing. "Diane Chamberlain's finest work to date. . . The reader is swept into the town's emotion and suspense." --Richmond Times Dispatch.

Giraffe Reflections

Giraffe Reflections
Author: Dale Peterson
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2013-09-09
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0520266854

Presents a cultural, historical, and pictorial history of giraffes, describing their biology and behavior and demonstrating their grace and elegance through over one hundred photographs.

Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability

Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability
Author: Jennifer Seydel
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2021-12-29
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000522962

What does it take to prepare students, teachers, and school staff to shape a just and sustainable future? In Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability, you will meet educators and school leaders who are on the front lines of re-imagining school through the lens of sustainability. This book features inspiring stories from around the country, from urban and rural schools and districts, that highlight best practices and lessons learned from teachers, administrators, and students as they transformed their school communities for a just and sustainable future. These stories are structured around a practical framework that demonstrates how this work allows schools and districts to work smarter, not harder, by integrating sustainability and systems thinking into leadership; curriculum and instruction; culture and climate; and facilities and operations. While each school and district’s story in this book is different, the passion that drives each one to embrace sustainability in everything they do, from operations to curriculum, remains the same. Trailblazers for Whole School Sustainability shows what is possible when educators resolve to blaze a trail to re-imagine K-12 education for a just and sustainable future.

Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth

Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth
Author: Paula Prober
Publisher: Editeurs divers USA
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2016-06-20
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 9780692713105

Do you long to drive a Ferrari at top speed on the open road, but find yourself always stuck on the freeway during rush hour? Do you wonder how you can feel like "not enough" and "too much" at the same time? Like the rain forest, are you sometimes intense, multilayered, colorful, creative, overwhelming, highly sensitive, complex, and/or idealistic? And, like the rain forest, have you met too many chainsaws?Enter Paula Prober, M.S., M.Ed., who understands the diversity and complexity of minds like yours. In "Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Youths and Adults," Paula explores the challenges faced by gifted adults of all ages. Through case studies and extensive research, Paula will help you tap into your inner creativity, find peace, and discover the limitless potential that comes with your Rainforest Mind.