Yearly Archives: 2014

Haboob ?

Posted on July 8, 2014 by annetbell

What is a haboob? It is derived from the Sudan, and is an Arabic word meaning violent wind storm. There are three places on the planet that experience haboobs, Sahara Desert, parts of the Middle East , and Arizona. … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged Arabic, Arizona, AZ, blogging, Gilbert, haboob, Middle East, Sahara Desert, Sudan, Valley of the Sun, weather, wind storm | 31 Comments

Don Ostertag’s Summer Music Monday “Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra

Posted on July 7, 2014 by annetbell

My friend Don at http://donostertag.wordpress.com/ shared his favorite summer song last week, with this elegant selection by “Old blue eyes,” Frank Sinatra. I would encourage you to visit Don’s blog to be enchanted by his personal stories of 45 years of being … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, USA | Tagged "Summer Winds", culture, Frank Sinatra, history, memories, music, stories, summer music | 9 Comments

Minor League Baseball Fun and Fireworks

Posted on July 6, 2014 by annetbell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zkd1ZOj324 This is not your father’s baseball league. . . . The Valley Cats of Troy and the Hudson River Valley is a member of the Minor League Baseball League. What is that, you might ask? It is none … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, USA | Tagged "National Pastime", 4th of July, beer, culture, fireworks, history, hot dogs, Minor league baseball, soccer(football), sports, sports' history, USA | 22 Comments

“John Adams” HBO Miniseries, The History of America

Posted on July 5, 2014 by annetbell

We decided to re-watch this wonderful miniseries based on the writing of the Pulitzer Prize winning author, David McCullough. History comes alive with the superb acting, writing and story! Yes, the inspirational story of beginning of the United States … Continue reading →

Posted in film, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged 7 part miniseries, Abigail Adams, Declaration of Independence, freedom, Great Britian, HBO, HBO On Demand, history, John Adams, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, US Constitution, US Founding Fathers, Virginia, war for Independence | 8 Comments

Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock 1969

Posted on July 4, 2014 by annetbell

In 1969 at Woodstock music festival, an unlikely event happened. Jimi Hendrix reinvented it from top to bottom to showcase the sound possible made by extreme high-volume electric guitar. His riffs are interpreted as weapons exploding and bombs being … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, USA | Tagged 1969, bombs bursting in air, electric guitar, greatest electric guitar performances ever, Jimi Hendrix, protest, Rock & Roll., Viet Nam war, Woodstock | 20 Comments

“America”, the film

Posted on July 3, 2014 by annetbell

Dinesh D’Souza is an immigrant from India. He is an unapologetic believer in American exceptionalism. His first political film was “2016 Obama’s America” was a box office hit making 33 million. The premise is whether the world is better off … Continue reading →

Posted in film, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged African Americans, America, America's Birthday, American exceptionalism, culture, Dinesh D'Souza, film, Fourth of July, history, Is world better because of America?, Latino Americans, Native Americans, wars | 2 Comments

Temple Towns in the South of India

Posted on July 2, 2014 by annetbell

Temple Towns in the South of India (Reblogged) Posted on April 22, 2013by annetbell Namaste! Sacred Architecture was our focus in the Tamil Nadu cities of Srirangam, Chidambaram,Thanjavar, and Madurai. We saw many of the major Hindu Temples but only a tiny fraction of … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, India, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged architecture, culturer, Hinduism, history, religion, sacred architecture, Southern India, Temple towns | 17 Comments

Chennai Building Collapse

Posted on July 1, 2014 by annetbell

This tragedy happened last weekend and the pictures brought back memories of seeing construction in India. The bamboo sticks are used for scaffolding, and my architect assured me that they are very strong. But to hold up a building of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, India, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged bamboo scaffolding, building, building collapse, cheap life, Chennai, construction in India, engineers, Madras, saftely issues | 19 Comments

Summer Music Monday “Dancing In the Streets” by Martha and the Vandellas

Posted on June 30, 2014 by annetbell

This song says summer to many music lovers including me! It was released in the summer of 1964, fifty years ago, but it has worn well. It was the signature song of one of the earliest and most exciting vocal … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, USA | Tagged "Dancing in the Streets", 1964, Detroit Michigan, Library of Congress, Martha and the Vandellas, Martha Reeves, Motown Sound, music, National Registry | 17 Comments

Zoo Visit in Syracuse, New York

Posted on June 29, 2014 by annetbell

No Syracuse weather jokes today. . . . it was a perfect day to take our grandchildren as we “sit-the-babies”. We have never actually been to this zoo, but the kids were very familiar with it. There seemed … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Travel, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged blogging, grandchildren, photography, successful breeding zoo, Syracuse New York Zoo, Zoo | 11 Comments