http://learning4life.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Learning For Life en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:01:24 GMT 2009-12-30T00:01:24Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977962140&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace It isn’t until Thanksgiving that we start celebrating the holidays in earnest. As we hang holiday wreaths, string our banisters with evergreen swaths, decorate Christmas trees or polish the silver . . . Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:45:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977962140&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-12-24T21:45:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943073&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace After a certain age there is nothing we feel the need to prove. We are who we are... that is until we go home for the holidays.  As we bring our improved selves to family gatherings, some of us . . . Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:20:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977943073&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-12-11T21:20:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977897932&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Being a hard rock chick, I really did not think I could learn anything from watching the CMAs with my country loving boyfriend. Boy was I wrong. I learned three very important things: Brad Paisley . . . Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:31:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977897932&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jen C. 2009-11-12T17:31:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977851243&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Barbara Bull Cemetery Walk 2009 "Mariah Orpha (Church) McChristian" Vignette ( Jean's Note: Although I've written my own scripts and acted in the Walk all the years of its existence, this vignette . . . Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:08:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977851243&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-10-14T09:08:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977840116&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace (Above: A guide leads one of the first audience groups to the next vignette at the Barbara Bull Memorial Cemetery Walk in Sebastopol, CA.) For those of you not familiar with the Cemetery Walk, . . . Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:25:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977840116&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-10-06T01:25:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977801274&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace In my wanderings across the World Wide Web, I came across a cool site with a "birthday twin" generator I thought was a cut above most... It's always amusing to see what famous people share your birthday . . . Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:39:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977801274&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-09-05T19:39:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977716464&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace "Stereograms" are these pictures that, if you look at them the right way, have a 3-D image that sticks out against a background... There's a bit of a trick to seeing the 3-D image in the center of a . . . Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:34:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977716464&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-06-20T15:34:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977712992&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Last Sunday the Western Sonoma County Historical Society (of which yours truly is President) held its annual potluck picnic at an historic lumber mill named "Sturgeon's" which fairly recently received . . . Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:10:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977712992&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-06-17T00:10:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977711434&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Once a year -- usually in June -- the Western Sonoma County Historical Society holds a potluck picnic for its members. We usually hold the picnic at Luther Burbank's Farm but, this year, we . . . Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:23:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977711434&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-06-15T19:23:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977701881&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Tuesday last, I chaired a board meeting of the Western Sonoma County Historical Society held each month in the "Caretaker's Cottage" at Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm in Sebastopol, Northern . . . Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:09:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977701881&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-06-05T19:09:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977694435&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace I didn't include these photos in my last photo-essay on the Farm (you can find that article HERE  ) mostly because of the horrendously SLOOOOOWWWW upload speed I have on my stupid dial-up connection . . . Thu, 28 May 2009 20:08:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977694435&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-05-28T20:08:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977692217&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace About the middle of August each year, the debris from the comet "Swift-Tuttle" passes through the Earth's orbit in a fiery shower of meteors called "The Perseids" which is easily viewed from here in the . . . Tue, 26 May 2009 16:39:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977692217&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-05-26T16:39:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977688515&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace I worked for a couple of decades for wholesale and retail nurseries in practically every capacity one could. I'd been a transplanter, waterer, propagator, delivery driver, greenhouse foreman, nursery . . . Thu, 21 May 2009 20:21:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977688515&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-05-21T20:21:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977681604&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Lately I have spent a lot of time feeling grateful for the people in my life.  So many encouraged me when I decided to take a leap of faith and pursue a new career.  I am going into the non-profit . . . Sun, 17 May 2009 21:22:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977681604&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-05-17T21:22:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977669872&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace         What did I ever do   When I didn't have this machine   To talk to all my friend's   This weeks it has . . . Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:53:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977669872&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elsie Duggan 2009-04-30T04:53:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977658358&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace For many reasons I have been thinking a lot about my life and my children lately, one being that I am taking Mark, my oldest son into my home, and because I need to make room for him, . . . Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:20:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977658358&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elsie Duggan 2009-04-17T05:20:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977124667&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace In the mid-1960’s the U.S. Surgeon General announced that smoking was bad for our health and eventually millions of smokers quit or simply died. Mad Men, a TV show set in the 1950's, perfectly illustrates . . . Sat, 22 Sep 2007 07:08:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977124667&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2007-09-22T07:08:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977652713&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace This is my home: Sonoma County, Northern California. I feel it's important to differentiate "Northern" from "Southern" California because, in truth, they are two completely . . . Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:29:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977652713&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-04-11T04:29:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977650987&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace I had to chair a board meeting for the Western Sonoma County Historical Society day before yesterday that was being held in the "Caretaker's Cottage" at Luther Burbank's Gold Ridge Farm . . . Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:19:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977650987&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-04-09T10:19:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977648222&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace As the Christian world readies itself for extra masses, spiritual observance and ultimately glorious celebration during Easter Week, the concepts of charity and forgiveness seem to be missing in Florida. . . . Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:39:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977648222&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-04-06T21:39:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977635638&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace   They used to call me artistic. I never saw myself as an artist. Yes, I was very good at sitting down with a pencil and drawing exactly what I saw in front of me. Sometimes, I believed that . . . Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:10:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977635638&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Julie (there will always be a rainbow) G. 2009-03-24T15:10:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977628815&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace I was hiking on the hill up behind my house, I looked down and saw a small very green object lying on top of the dirt that a gopher had shoved out of his hole... At first, I thought it was probably . . . Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:38:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977628815&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-03-18T13:38:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977628176&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace I don't mean coffee or tea or regular cola... but the red bull, rockstar, etc.   Do you use them? If you do they give you a boost? Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:41:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977628176&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Matt O. 2009-03-17T15:41:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624034&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace - I'm a Yankee doodle dandy since I was born on the 4th of July in 1927 in the Bronx, NY. - I attended NYU and the University of Denver from 1944-6. - I quit my mail room job to write . . . Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:19:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977624034&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Matt O. 2009-03-14T05:19:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977619676&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Today, March 10th, is my birthday! :^D I think it's hilarious that the two famous people most mentioned that share my birthdate (month and day) are Chuck Norris and Sharon Stone... ROFLMBO! If . . . Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:40:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977619676&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Jean, just the teensiest bit odd, F. 2009-03-10T19:40:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977619654&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Ye of little faith, shame on you. Still don't believe in miracles? Look around you. Have you noticed a rose bush in bloom? The sun rise and set? The taste of a garden tomato or the power of art?  . . . Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:45:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977619654&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-03-10T18:45:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617991&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace  On a show that taught me to understand, accept and love Lesbians, I found tonight's final episode... unsatisfying.  Ilene Chaiken, the creator and executive producer of the series broadcast . . . Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:25:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617991&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Elizabeth Madrigal 2009-03-09T03:25:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617628&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace - I was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 18, 1951 and raised by a single parent- my mom. - I went to Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School. - I completed a residency . . . Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:41:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977617628&grpId=3659174697247233&nav=Groupspace Matt O. 2009-03-08T19:41:02Z