did you catch it?...longest solar eclipse in 21st century...ASIA

image from here

image from here

did you catch it?
they did here,

awesome...do you think they did?

image from here

wow...now that's a camera...pretty sure he must have, right?
i truly think he certainly did...
(according to his flickr page, he was practicing for the big day bec. he was going to be on a boat
...wow...now that's soooo cool!)
image from here

now that's a unique way to catch it

image from here

no matter what you believe in, what culture, what race...

image from here

it's such a rare opportunity to catch it...

image from here

to see more amazing photos of the 2009 solar eclipse Asia go here

according to the associated press and an article written By ERIC TALMADGE, Associated Press Writer Eric Talmadge, Associated Press Writer –
Wed Jul 22, 8:33 am ET...the eclipse

"start[ed] off in India just after dawn, the eclipse was visible across a wide swath of Asia before moving over southern Japan and then off into the Pacific Ocean. In some parts of Asia, it lasted as long as 6 minutes and 39 seconds. The eclipse is the longest since July 11, 1991, when a total eclipse lasting 6 minutes, 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesday's until 2132."

wow what a rare opportunity for millions of people to experience in Asia...the next long eclipse is expected to come 123 years from now...
how lucky are those that were able to see a part of history being made...
to see more amazing pictures and read this article go here

(image from here )

according to Fred Espenak, astronomer,of SkyandTelescope.com:
"The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century begins at dawn near the west coast of India and crosses southern China before heading out into the Pacific Ocean. Red lines denote regions where a partial eclipse is visible. Blue lines indicate mideclipse in Universal Time." Click on the image for a larger version.

Fred Espenak discusses future total eclipses too:

"Future Total Eclipses
On July 11, 2010, this part of the world will be favored with its third total solar eclipse in as many years. The track is almost entirely over the South Pacific. Easter Island and southern Chile (at sunset) offer the only landfalls. And the South Pacific also hosts the next one, on November 13, 2012. A total solar eclipse won’t cross the Americas until August 21, 2017, when the Moon’s umbra will sweep from Oregon to South Carolina." for more information on the article go here.

to see a live coverage of the eclipse in Japan go here

now let's see...July 11, 2010 in the South Pacific...hmmm...that sounds like a perfect reason to plan a summer getaway, wouldn't you think?!

checkin' my calendar...oh yeah...my bank account too...lol

(go here + here if you want to check out Solar Eclipse Tours for 2010 in Tahiti, Moorea,+ Bora Bora...ahhh wishful thinking...

will have to wait 8 more years til it hits our soil....;))

images from here (i just added text)

see wonderful things can happen during an eclipse...

twin giant pandas were born in Bifeng Gorge Base in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan province, on Wednesday July 22, 2009 during the solar eclipse...

awwww...

images from here+here

how spectacular is that? truly anything is possible....
image from here

well...how ever you caught it...

just know that you're one of the lucky ones...how fortunate are you?

whatever your beliefs are...

this phenomenon truly demonstrates the ultimate power of what

nature, science, God+man can do...

simply amazing!

image from here

...i've only seen a solar or lunar eclipse a few times in my life...

how about you? do you remember your favourite eclipse? how old were you?

looking forward to catching a couple of more, esp. with my lil' munchkins...

well...they won't be lil' anymore by that time-they'll be 15...teenie-boppers!

YIKES!!!

...have a beautiful day...

carpe diem...seize the day!

(i also received a sweet tag meme '6 little things that make you happy' from such a sweetheart, Gracie , [thanks for sharing this one with me, Gracie...it's a provoking one...makes you really appreciate what can make you happy...]

and i didn't think that it would be so difficult to just pick '6 lil' things' that can make me happy...

but it is for me...hopefully i'll post soon, i promise!)

salut!

xoxo jo ;)

merci beaucoup le vendredi #6~GracieBellaButterfly's PIF treasures...

guess what came in the mail all the way from AUSTRALIA...

yup...

pay it forward...

random acts of kindness...

that's what Gracie has done...

WOW!!!!

Gracie sent me a huge package filled with so much LOVE!!!

took some nice pics of most of the treasures she sent to me...

in love with this print below from theloveshop...superb...amazing

theloveshop

go check it out...you're going to fall in love...

Christopher Vine Design-absolutely divine!!!

here's EVERYTHING....SWEET!

theloveshop

check out all the sweet treasures, Gracie so kindly sent over to me...i'm absolutely floored by her absolute sweetness ... every item...coming from the heart...chosen with such caring thoughts...

Christopher Vine-exquisite card...simply magnifique!

la vie de France guidebook for my future dream trip to my Love-Paris-France +

smiggles + chocolates...mmmm = oh my!

totally put a smile on my lil' munchkins' faces...

pure happiness...
thank you so very much for thinking of my lil' bugs and sending over such adorable goodies!!!

ian+shioban+gracie's love+treasures=pure delight!

simply one of my favourite authors...can't wait to delve into this wonderful novel and totally dream away...i simply love this movie... gorgeous eye-candies and one of my alltime favs!!!
wow!!! this package was covered with such a delicious scent...'french lavender'...ahhhhhh take me away!!!

wow...adore this postcard print...i heart belle and boo, too...soooo sweet!

belle and boo

such a thoughtful letter...Gracie kindly listed all her goodies to me...such pretty paper and i truly love getting a personal letter, don't you?! makes it much more special and i feel like there's a total connection between the two of us...

sweet letters...it's like a gift in itself...

simply precious!

now check this next item...

what a beautifully designed card...all by the amazing Gracie!

wowzer...Gracie made this card for her friend's bachelorette party...absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!

another adorable creation made lovingly by sweet Gracie~

gracie bella butterfly's shoppe (closed in preparation for wedding)

and here

aren't these tags just adorable!!!! i love tags, paper, you name it...this was so creative...love the colours and how the doilie looks like it's been fossilfied (is there such a word?!lol) on the paper...gorgeous!!! you could find Gracie here~

graciebellabutterfly

here are more cute items Sweet Gracie sent...

simplesongdesign + mulberry muse
BEAUTIFUL!!!

love how everything is wrapped and packaged...

anastasia of pervical road design
delicious paper, tags, embellishments...i heart anastasia too!!!!!!!

Gracie sent me this postcard with a couple of handmade envies.
wow...simply gorgeous!

simplesongdesign.com
who doesn't love lists?! i love making them...and well keeping all your lists in one spot would be so wonderful!!!!!!!!

now how sweet are you, Gracie!!! you truly remembered my munchkins and these stationaries, erasers , pencils, candies are absolutely divine!

smiggle love

smiggle love

thank you so very much, Sweet Gracie...for making my b-day soooooo extra special...

i LOVE + adore everything!!!!!!! it's as if you already personnelly knew me...

maybe one day...my lil' family will go down under and hug + kiss you...

~but for now, i'm blowing some kisses your way~

you really made my heart sing today!!!!!!

again, merci beaucoup!

have a beautiful week + weekend...

bonne nuit...

xoxo jo ;)

Random Act of Kindness part 1...PAY IT FORWARD

(image from photobucket)

life can surely hand you a bunch of lemons...

but i love that saying, "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade..."

that's probably why i enjoy participating in various swaps throughout these months and during this blog of mine. i truly feel like i'm sending a lil' sunshine someone's way.

ie. this past fall, my family learned of some bad news (and just recently found out more bad news) but i didn't want to dwell in the negativity so i have been working on several art projects, swaps, etc. to keep my mind off the stress. spreading positive karma + love...

so, my lovely sis, Mary Ann and her Sunshine Club surprised me and sent me this magnificent book made JUST FOR ME... it was filled with handmade beautiful art (and my love of the French)+inspirational + motivational + kind+ encouraging words...to treasure for ETERNITY...

you see, how this 'random act of kindness' touched my soule and warmed my heart?!

(to know that each of those kindred spirits took time from their busy lives to create such beauty for me has forever touched me beyond any words and belief! i'll have to take pics of this amazing book and post it sometime here...) also...

i remember seeing an Oprah program when she paid the person behind (her) tollway fee. or when O bought the person behind (her) McDonald's coffee or breakfast. or when O bought the person behind (her) newspaper/groceries/gas etc...

this is what i'm talking about...i wish i could bottle up that feeling of unconditional love.

anyway, a couple of weeks ago, a very sweet blog friend of mine, Gracie of Gracie Bella Butterfly sent me an invitation to participate in a "Pay it Forward" challenge...it's an on going giveaway, an on-line event. it's like winning a mystery prize because it'll arrive as a surprise in my postbox sometime in the next 365 days. so now, my challenge is to 'pay it forward' to three more sweet bloggers...i'm so honoured that Gracie even thought of me and wanted to share this experience with me. this will be my very first time to offer any type of giveaway on my blog...

taken off Gracie's post and here and some from the internet (Curlypops): here are
the rules:

The first three people to comment on this post (with a way to contact them back and shows an interest in this challenge) will receive a gift (a very nice+sweet gift) from me, sometime within the next 365 days. Who knows when it will turn up, or what it will be, but rest assured, it will arrive. All you have to do is promise to make the same declaration on your blog, and send out gifts to three of your lovely readers. Easy Peasy.

If you miss out on being one of the first three, please leave a comment anyway because I will draw a random name also, in the spirit of Valentine's Day. The winner will be drawn next Friday, February 13th and I will post everyone's names at that time.

so, i know that i'm fairly new with blogging and really don't have a following, but if the only 3 people that visit my blog would love to play along, i would be honoured to send them a very nice surprise...(maybe i'll take a few sneak peeks and post them soon...) (also i wasn't able to join in the gypsy caravan of Lisa Swifka's One World One Heart event this time... so this would be a perfect time to join in a 'Pay it Forward' challenge...hope you will join me!)

Merci Beaucoup, Sweet Gracie!!!

Bonne Nuit

xoxo jo ;)

To Grandma's House we go...

Wishing you and your family the most Happiest and Wonderful Thanksgiving ever!!!

(created by me at Polyvore.com)
Going to Grandma's house this weekend...how about trying this on for size?
Wish I could afford some of those lovely items...hmm Christmas is coming,
nah...way too expensive...just gives you neat ideas...
...my Sweet friend Gracie of Gracie Bella Butterfly (sweet Aussie gal who is an artist that creates paper sweetness...she also has a beautiful shoppe with some of her beautiful paper stationaries and other delicious items.
I love Gracie because she's so wise beyond her years! She travels to wonderful places and she has such a loving family...plus she's absolutely gorgeous...both inside and out! I have learned alot from her (she has so many goals and dreams...so inspiring!) and I am so grateful that she's entered my world...
in one of Gracie's posts, she introduced me to this fab site called Polyvore.com (merci beaucoup, sweet Gracie!!!!!!) where you can design away just about on anything you'd like (Reya, this is the site I've been clamouring about!). It started out for designing fashion pages and now it's grown to interiors and art+expression. I'm totally addicted and I've been having fun with it. I LOVE POLYVORE! I'm sure you will too...if you have time, please check them out, have some fun and create away! Polyvore is a finalist in the Open Web Award . Please vote for them here. I sure did!!!