SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN & WINTER-WHAT A RIDE
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I WOULD CALL THIS A MASTERPIECE.
Vivaldi's THE COMPLETE FOUR SEASONS is a masterful and beautiful work of art.
1. Spring= light hearted and sweet combination of chill and warmth fill the air. He, Vivaldi, makes you think of holding hands, soft tender kisses and the gentle blowing of flowers in a vast yet tenderly beautiful field.
2. Summer= warm with a strong heart yet loving. Vivaldi makes use of the idea of a powerful thunderstorm in the form of music. During his summer, that is Vivaldi's, you get the urge to hike to some forrest and listen to the gentle water running down a creek. While in the forrest you get to experience the spectacle of a well orchestrated thunderstorm that only Mother Nature can put on.
3. Autumn (I hate the word fall)= a time for celebrating and relaxation. You think of family gatherings, hot cider, pumpkins and the many hues of new colors blossoming around you. Vivaldi is like an painter; you feel as though he is re painting the world and his music is the paint.
4. Winter= chilled to the bone and yet warmth when you need it. Vivaldi is like "Old Man Winter"; the mood is right for being indoors with the ones you love. Outside, snow is all around, wind is gusting against the windows and ice is dangerous to walk on. But you manage to avoid all of this by relaxing by the fireside.
I purchased this cd because of Patrick Stewart. What I got out of it was a masterpiece in every sense of the word. This was already a great work of art; Patrick Stewart (aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard) just made it even better.
If you are a classic music fan get this cd. Light a few candles or start a fire in you fireplace, snuggle up to the one you love and make sure this cd is on.
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I love the Young Riders by Claire Svendsen!!! Excellent way to spend your time when you can't be at the barn! When it's cold, rainy or hot, you can get the thrill of riding and almost smell the leather and hay when you dive into this exciting series. I had to sell my farm and I will read anything that has a horse in the title, but Claire is one of the best authors that I have discovered. .
882060
I do a lot of outdoors events in the summer.  I didn't know about this until a coworker told me about it.  Very refreshing when needed.
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I LOVE this - fox jumping into snow! ice crystals! epic! gorgeous!
I like to watch it while decorating the tree. <3
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Spring time means butterflies, ladybugs and lots of pretty little flowers and here you will find them all. Delightful and colorful sticker book (have ordered it before, always pleased). Recommended.
2984001
I really loved the presentation.  It was done very well and watching the seasons change was delightful. I would highly recommend this.
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It used to be.

It gets dark early.

It's cold and rainy.

No snow yet.

Then I noticed something new. November has the most amazing skies. Weather flies through at warp speed. It's always changing. And the clouds are different, more dynamic than at any other time of year.

This beautiful little book helps you track and make sense of it all.

The author, Gavin Pretor-Pinnney, is the founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society, a global organization opposed to "blue sky thinking". I bet he likes November too.

The format of the book is that of a guide and journal for collectors, with ample and beautiful photography, scientific notes that are engagingly written, and spaces for the collector to document observations. Even though it sounds kind of weird, it really isn't. It's actually a lot of fun just to leaf through, even if you're not planning a collection.

Trust me. November will never be the same again...
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There is some serious sleeping going on this winter.  It takes me only a few moments to get comfortable and I am out.  I am wondering what it is going to be like this summer, but for now I will dream away.
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Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall all meet in a collection of seasonal recipes celebrating the sweetness of summer and the comfort of winter cooking. Spring's earthy green flavors contrast with the more mellow beauty of a pumpkin soup as the weather cools.

If you have yet to taste the mingling of chestnuts with chocolate, then this cookbook is a perfect place to start. When chestnuts are pureed they turn creamy and mingle with chocolate in dreamy perfection. Chocolate Chestnut Rum Roulade is a chocolate sponge rolled up with chestnut filling and is tempting as a desert in cooler weather.

For winter there are Sausages with Beaujolais. The sausages are cooked in a light red wine and served with a colorful display of parsley potatoes. Honey, Orange & Cinnamon Roast Duck is made with Seville Oranges that used in marmalade and here they are used in the sauce.

Page after page of recipes are shown in full color on the right while the recipe is on the left. Each recipe has easy-to-follow steps and the pictures truly inspire. Gourmet Flavors include:

Chicken Dumplings with Miso Broth
Grilled Ginger Shrimp with Papaya Salsa
Strawberry Soup with Yogurt
Saffron, Orange & Apricot Syllabub

Cultural Favorites:

Moussaka
Baklava
Szechuan Pork

Comfort Food:

Steak and Mushroom Pie
Spiced Pumpkin Pie
Turkey with Orange and Cranberry Sauce

If you have been wondering how to serve peas in more creative ways, they appear in tartlets and timbales. Want to try a recipe with orange-flower water? There is a recipe for Orange-Flower Panna Cotta that is a smooth baked pudding with strawberries.

Seasons truly embraces not only seasonal fare, but the expanding ingredient selections that make our cooking ever more multicultural. One of the most exciting cookbook finds of 2005. Definitely a collectible cookbook for cooks who are fans of gourmet and multicultural cooking.

~The Rebecca Review
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A fun read! Really makes me feel the warmth of the beach & jungle island life. Now I want to visit Costa Rica more than ever! The setting is ideal for the Alpine winter I live in, it took me out of my mountains to a place with excitment and warmth. I also enjoyed the elements of nature included with the turtles. The characters are well thought out and of course who doesn't like some romance between intelligent people? A good read on a snowy day for me! Thanks Nell for taking a bit of the bite out of winter for me!
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I started reading it before a trip to Scotland last May to walk the West Highland Way and it really was a good decision as it put in an splendid mood when I saw these beautiful views covered by clouds and heavy rain sometimes. Reading on the move, watching the historic cities and its monuments made me enjoy my trip.
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Where I live it gets cold enough that there are times you just stay at home. Joy and Blue filled a couple of those nights. There was enough action to keep me with it and enough myth and history of NYC to draw interest. Can't wait for Sydney's next excursion.
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We just returned from a mid winter trip to Tokyo.  This book was an incredible guide for an off the beaten path look at the gardens in and around Tokyo.  The walks focus on 15 culturally significant plants and are organized by season.  Each walk has a map and specific directions how to get to it including which exit to take from the subway/train - also what season is best to visit.  We were shocked at the beauty we experienced in mid winter, plum blossoms were at their peak early February.  We spent almost a full leisure day on each walk as she also includes interesting shops and restaurants along the way.  I must say most impressive was probably Jogashima Park, a short train ride to the coast.  We walked along the craggly coast from one light house to another lighthouse in the park. Arriving at the park there must have been thousands and thousands of double narcissi in the midst of sculptured pines along the designated walk. The walk took us into a small fishing village where we had lunch and had to call our son to order for us. We visited Kodomo no Kuni Park to see the camelias and although they were not vividly blooming we happened upon the most wonderful grove of plum blossoms and the ice cream she spoke of was incredible. I would recommend also Gotoh Museum Garden probably any time of year.  Although nothing was actually blooming when we went the garden was amazing and the walk through the neighborhood most enjoyable. The Palace Garden was another favorite. I would also recommend her other book Tokyo: Exploring the City of the Shogun for more historic tours closer in the city. We did six of her walks over a ten day period, repeating one walk a second time to include our son who was working during the week.  The directions are clear and easy to follow.  Don't leave home without it.  You will not be disappointed.
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Its winter now but sure cant wait to have some fun with it when it warms up this summer! wahoo
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Great read for any season - pick it up for summer!  Lovely characters - will stay with you for a long time!
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We bought two sets of these thinking we would create our own beautiful "wind farm".  Nothing succeeds like excess!  They are beautiful spinning in the breeze, each one to its own rhythm.  It makes an already lush garden pop or, as the foliage emerges from Winter to Spring, they sparkle all on their own.  They are sturdy, take a bit of effort to stabilize in our diverse soil types but are well worth the effort.  I recommend these to anyone who wants a little pick-me-up in their life, yard or garden.
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I am on somewhat of a cycling "team" with other ladies in my neighborhood. I usually take a break in the winter because I live in Michigan and it gets really bad up here during the fall/winter months. I read this book and now I'm ready to take on cycling this winter! I shared this with the ladies that I cycle with and they're also prepared for our winter cycling. There were many helpful tips that we learned that are preparing us for the winter. Darren Alff provided so many great things. I am really glad that I made this purchase. I highly recommend this guide/book!