Wolfgang Hampel - and Betty MacDonald fan club fans,
we got an excellent feedback for Betty MacDonald fan club newsletter January 2016.
Thanks a million for your outstanding support.
We celebrated World Day of the Snowman yesterday.
Fred got the excellent idea to organize a Betty MacDonald fan club Snowman contest.
Send us a photo of your favourite snowman and you can some very new interesting Betty MacDonald fan club items.
Deadline: January 31, 2016
We built a snowman with our children yesterday and we had lots of fun doing it although our snowman isn't 22 foot tall.
Winter is our favourite season.
Do you like Winter?
Betty MacDonald described Winter season in one of her unique books.
Betty MacDonald:
“ Big snowflakes fluttered slowly through the
air like white feathers and made all of the Heavenly Valley smooth and
white and quiet and beautiful.
Tall fir trees stood up to their
knees in snow and their outstretched hands were heaped with it. Those
that were bare of leaves wore soft white fur on their scrawny, reaching
arms and all the stumps and low bushes had been turned into fat white
cupcakes.”
Betty MacDonald described Winter season in a magical way but as we know Life can be rather hard on Vashon Island during Winter.
We got these messages from Betty MacDonald fans some years ago.
Very cold days in the State of Washington! Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!
We recently had a wind storm followed by some very low temperatures and a lot of snow.
Vashon Island had a power outage for a few days. My sister was without power from Monday evening to Thursday before noon.
The next week is supposed to be above freezing, rain and occasional sun-breaks.
Old timers on the Island had kerosene lamps and wood stoves and plenty of wood just for this type of situation.
We
had a bit of snow and cold around here and mother had to put up with no
electric power or heat for two days but seems cheerful about it all.
We
have just gone through an Arctic Express. Extremely cold and snowy on
Vashon Island. Broke records for low temps. I was without power for 24
hours, many much longer. Today is much warmer and the snow is almost
gone.
We have had bad storms that brought down some of the big
trees on houses and power lines. We have had long hours and days
without power, and the temperature got down to 15 degrees F. No sun,
but today it is raining and the snow and ice are melting.
For one
week here it's been verrrrry cold from zero with wind chil to now
finally 40 degrees. Seattle was almost shut down due to bad ice. We
cancelled plans to go to Sequim, which is not far from where Betty lived
the story of the EGG AND I. Too cold, too much snow, windy, and icy. So
we stayed home and roasted a duck!!
We're not seeing the sun yet! At least it isn't raining. It's impossible to walk every day in this weather. I usually go out for 45 minutes a day.
Oh dear!
We didn't have experiences like this in Winter and we don't want to have it.
Maybe I'm a fraidy cat but we are so grateful for the excellent heating system in our cozy home.
Our new Betty MacDonald and Alison Bard Burnett CD and DVD are perfect gifts.
Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Mr. Tigerli is back and we are very happy about it.
Wishing you a very nice Tuesday,
Lisa
Don't miss this very special book, please.
Vita Magica
Betty MacDonald fan clubBetty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
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Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
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Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
Germany must soon close borders to refugees, transport minister tells Merkel
Alexander Dobrindt says country can no longer show a ‘friendly face’ and must act unilaterally if fresh arrivals continue
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s transport minister has urged her to
prepare to close Germany’s borders to keep out refugees, arguing that
Berlin must act alone if it cannot reach a Europe-wide deal.
Alexander Dobrindt said Germany could no longer show the world a “friendly face” – a phrase used by Merkel as refugees began arriving in Germany six months ago – and that if the number of new arrivals did not drop soon, Germany should act alone.
“I urgently advise: we must prepare ourselves for not being able to avoid border closures,” Dobrindt, a member of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper.
The CSU, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), has ramped up pressure on the chancellor over her open-door refugee policy that saw 1.1 million migrants arrive in Germany in 2015.
The CSU’s leader, Horst Seehofer, told Der Spiegel magazine in a weekend interview he would send the federal government a written request within the next two weeks to restore “orderly conditions” at the nation’s borders.
Bavaria is the main entry point to Germany for refugees.
Dobrindt said: “I would advise us all to prepare a plan B” in an advance release of an interview to run in the Muenchner Merkur’s Tuesday edition.
In the Netherlands, clashes erupted late on Monday in a small town during protests against the planned opening of a centre for asylum seekers, Dutch media and officials said.
In a repeat of scenes seen in several Dutch towns and villages in the past few months amid growing tensions over the arrival of record numbers of migrants, police intervened to disperse about 1,000 people who rallied in Heesch.
It was not immediately clear from police how many people had been arrested and whether anyone was injured.
Merkel has vowed to “measurably reduce” arrivals in 2016, but has refused to introduce a cap, saying it would be impossible to enforce without closing German borders.
Instead, she has tried to convince other European countries to take in quotas of refugees, pushed for reception centres to be built on Europe’s external borders, and led an EU campaign to convince Turkey to keep refugees from entering the bloc. But progress has been slow.
Dobrindt rejected Merkel’s argument that closing borders would jeopardise the European project. “The sentence, the closure of the border would see Europe fail, is true in reverse. Not closing the border, just going on, would bring Europe to its knees,” he said.
Alexander Dobrindt said Germany could no longer show the world a “friendly face” – a phrase used by Merkel as refugees began arriving in Germany six months ago – and that if the number of new arrivals did not drop soon, Germany should act alone.
“I urgently advise: we must prepare ourselves for not being able to avoid border closures,” Dobrindt, a member of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper.
The CSU, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), has ramped up pressure on the chancellor over her open-door refugee policy that saw 1.1 million migrants arrive in Germany in 2015.
The CSU’s leader, Horst Seehofer, told Der Spiegel magazine in a weekend interview he would send the federal government a written request within the next two weeks to restore “orderly conditions” at the nation’s borders.
Bavaria is the main entry point to Germany for refugees.
Dobrindt said: “I would advise us all to prepare a plan B” in an advance release of an interview to run in the Muenchner Merkur’s Tuesday edition.
In the Netherlands, clashes erupted late on Monday in a small town during protests against the planned opening of a centre for asylum seekers, Dutch media and officials said.
In a repeat of scenes seen in several Dutch towns and villages in the past few months amid growing tensions over the arrival of record numbers of migrants, police intervened to disperse about 1,000 people who rallied in Heesch.
It was not immediately clear from police how many people had been arrested and whether anyone was injured.
Merkel has vowed to “measurably reduce” arrivals in 2016, but has refused to introduce a cap, saying it would be impossible to enforce without closing German borders.
Instead, she has tried to convince other European countries to take in quotas of refugees, pushed for reception centres to be built on Europe’s external borders, and led an EU campaign to convince Turkey to keep refugees from entering the bloc. But progress has been slow.
Dobrindt rejected Merkel’s argument that closing borders would jeopardise the European project. “The sentence, the closure of the border would see Europe fail, is true in reverse. Not closing the border, just going on, would bring Europe to its knees,” he said.
World Day of the Snowman
January 18, 2016 in the World
World Day of the Snowman is celebrated on January 18, 2016. The date goes back to the form of the Snowman: "8" symbolizes the snowman and the "1" stands for his stick or broom. Moreover, January is usually cold enough to build snowmen and is therefore a perfect chance to celebrate the snowman. World Day of the Snowman was first held in 2011.
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen. In North America, typical snowmen consist of three large snowballs with some additional accoutrements for facial and other features. Common accessories include branches for arms and a rudimentary smiley face; a carrot can stand in for a nose. Human clothing, such as a hat or scarf, may even be included.
Low-cost and availability are the common issues, since snowmen are usually in a cold and/or wet environment, and abandoned to the elements once completed. Melting is a common end-of-life scenario for most snowmen. Snowmen are a popular theme for Christmas and winter decorations and also in children's media. (With material from: Wikipedia)
Where is the event?
Worldwide
World
When is the event?
Monday, the 18th of January 2016
Today! The text "World Day of the Snowman" has been taken from www.cute-calendar.com
But then Diana Howes' approach to festive furnishings is slightly unusual.
For the married woman has got an army of at least 1,000 snowmen in all shapes and sizes
The snowman fanatic always rolls out her stunning collection on December 1.
But it takes her several days to get them all set up in the right place.
After she bought her first little
snowman 25 years ago, she became so fond of her frosty friend that she's
now built up a vast array of the ornaments.
Diana rolls out her battalions of
chilly chums at the home she shares with bemused husband David in
Briggate, near North Walsham, Norfolk, every December.
The staggering squadrons of snowmen dominate her kitchen, lounge and stairs, with carrot noses and button eyes peeping out from the most unlikely places.
There are cuddly ones, glass ones, candles, fridge magnets, cake decorations, mugs, tins, a tablecloth, snowglobes, snowmen on skis and sledges, tree baubles and wind-up toys.
One is on a swing in the window, while another is gliding on a zip wire across the kitchen.
But, despite the remarkably efficient arrangement of the snowmen, the glittery gathering began by accident back in 1987.
Mrs Howes said: 'David bought me a ginger jar from Bonds 25 years ago.
'But I already had one, so I took it back.
'I had already seen a snowman cookie jar that I liked and when I got there it was half price.
'I swapped it for the ginger jar and it became my first snowman.'
She splashed out on two snowman candlestick holders and a snowman Toby jug the next year.
'Then people started buying me snowmen and it just grew from there,' revealed Diana.
'I'd say that about 200 of the characters have been gifts from my friends and family while we've picked the others up on holidays and shopping trips,' said Diana.
The largely British group is given an international feel by snowmen from New York, Switzerland and Spain.
'I don't think I'll ever stop buying them.
'If I get more than one that are the same, I arrange them into a family.
'I hate putting them away in the New Year,' stressed Diana.
'It takes me almost a week to do it.'
As for the reaction from visitors, she said: 'People love them.
'They all think I'm mad as a hatter, though.
'People actually come here just to see the snowmen.
'The collection is a village attraction.'
As for ever-patient David, he is happy to support his obsessed wife's hobby, saying: 'I just let her get on with it.'
January 18, 2016 in the World
World Day of the Snowman is celebrated on January 18, 2016. The date goes back to the form of the Snowman: "8" symbolizes the snowman and the "1" stands for his stick or broom. Moreover, January is usually cold enough to build snowmen and is therefore a perfect chance to celebrate the snowman. World Day of the Snowman was first held in 2011.
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen. In North America, typical snowmen consist of three large snowballs with some additional accoutrements for facial and other features. Common accessories include branches for arms and a rudimentary smiley face; a carrot can stand in for a nose. Human clothing, such as a hat or scarf, may even be included.
Low-cost and availability are the common issues, since snowmen are usually in a cold and/or wet environment, and abandoned to the elements once completed. Melting is a common end-of-life scenario for most snowmen. Snowmen are a popular theme for Christmas and winter decorations and also in children's media. (With material from: Wikipedia)
Where is the event?
Worldwide
World
When is the event?
Monday, the 18th of January 2016
Today! The text "World Day of the Snowman" has been taken from www.cute-calendar.com
Now that's a Frosty reception! Housewife spends 25 years building up massive collection of 1,000 SNOWMEN
While many households sigh at the prospect of dusting their decorations and untangling strings of fairy lights in time for Christmas, one woman is gleefully unpacking hers.But then Diana Howes' approach to festive furnishings is slightly unusual.
For the married woman has got an army of at least 1,000 snowmen in all shapes and sizes
A collection that would surely make Scrooge
smile: Despite
the remarkably efficient arrangement of the snowmen,
the
glittery gathering began purely by accident back in 1987
But it takes her several days to get them all set up in the right place.
Is this Britain's luckiest turkey? Bird who escaped from...
Half a million pensioners face a solitary Christmas... so...
Share this article
Diana rolls out her battalions at home
The staggering squadrons of snowmen dominate her kitchen, lounge and stairs, with carrot noses and button eyes peeping out from the most unlikely places.
There are cuddly ones, glass ones, candles, fridge magnets, cake decorations, mugs, tins, a tablecloth, snowglobes, snowmen on skis and sledges, tree baubles and wind-up toys.
One is on a swing in the window, while another is gliding on a zip wire across the kitchen.
But, despite the remarkably efficient arrangement of the snowmen, the glittery gathering began by accident back in 1987.
Mrs Howes said: 'David bought me a ginger jar from Bonds 25 years ago.
'But I already had one, so I took it back.
'I had already seen a snowman cookie jar that I liked and when I got there it was half price.
'I swapped it for the ginger jar and it became my first snowman.'
She splashed out on two snowman candlestick holders and a snowman Toby jug the next year.
'Then people started buying me snowmen and it just grew from there,' revealed Diana.
Her vast collection includes cuddly ones, glass
ones, candles,
fridge magnets, cake decorations, mugs, tins, a
tablecloth, snowglobes, snowmen on skis and sledges, tree baubles and
wind-up toys 'I'd say that about 200 of the characters have been gifts from my friends and family while we've picked the others up on holidays and shopping trips,' said Diana.
'I don't think I'll ever stop buying them.
'If I get more than one that are the same, I arrange them into a family.
'I hate putting them away in the New Year,' stressed Diana.
'It takes me almost a week to do it.'
Meet Mr Frosty and his many friends:
The staggering squadrons
of snowmen dominate her kitchen, lounge and stairs
'They all think I'm mad as a hatter, though.
'People actually come here just to see the snowmen.
'The collection is a village attraction.'
As for ever-patient David, he is happy to support his obsessed wife's hobby, saying: 'I just let her get on with it.'
