Merry Christmas

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Photo courtesy of Chobopop

"Good friends are hard to find,
harder to leave, and impossible to forget." 
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With this thought, I wish you a very Merry Christmas,
all the Happiest Holidays
and all the luck the New Year
could possibly bring to you.  

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Done shopping?

If you're now done shopping for all the last minute gifts, it's time to relax and start planning some fun things to do in the next few days - and until everything goes "back to normal"

• after Santa delivers all of his gifts, 
• after all the delicious and calorie-rich Christmas goodies are consumed, 
• after returning the unwanted or unfitted presents to the customer services around the country, 
• after staying up all night, and all the cheering, toasting and kissing on New Year's Eve

it will be a perfect time to join the New Year's Day Dinner Dance at the Suncoast Dance and Party Center - or SNPJ Lodge 778 Hall on County Line in Spring Hill.

When?
January 1st, 2010

Live music by:
Bob Turcola, Youngstown - Ohio
and
Line dancing on CD music when the band takes a break

Dinner choices:

• pork and sauerkraut
• roast beef
• kielbasa

Admission (affordable as always!):

• dinner & dance: $15
• dance only: $10

Time:

• food served from 12 to 1:30 PM
• dance from 2 to 5 PM

RSVP:
For dinner choices and reservations call Mary Ann Hiltz at: 727-376-8486
or
Contact Daria by leaving comment underneath this post.

And - by the way - in case you need a gift for someone and don't have time to shop - or you simply have no idea what to get them, Amazon gift card will make everyone happy. It can be e-mailed (for recipient's instant access) or mailed to anyone's address. I know I would be thankful to get one! :)

See you all on the first day of January 2010.

The Purple Star award

This morning I received the Purple Star award for the third time in a row and I have to admit that it makes my day - sunrise to sunset - every time I receive an email like this one:

Hey Daria,

Good news. Scratch that. GREAT news.

Your lens has been awarded a purple star!

"Green Cleaning Formulas"
http://www.squidoo.com/unusual-cleaning-solutions

Purple stars are awarded weekly to our favorite lenses created by all-star Giant Squids.

Read up on what you get, besides a pretty purple star on the lens and a Lensrank turboboost:

http://www.squidoo.com/purplestar

So go ahead and brag about your lens. We are.

Love,

The SquidTeam
& your faithful Giant Squid Organizers
http://www.squidoo.com/Giant_Squid_Organizers

Purple Star award is a very special award by Squidoo for the high quality of created webpage. Not too many are given away and not every lensmaster qualifies to have their lenses considered for Purple Star.

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Photo "Purple Star Keychain" - courtesy of glittersparkle14

My first Purple Start award

Click below to access the awarded webpage (opens a new window):

Rosemary Herb

I created the Rosemary Herb lens (webpage) - http://www.squidoo.com/RosemaryHerb this past spring. Me and my son were about to give some rosemary herb plants as presents. I propagated them myself and planted them into some neat, decorative flower pots. While I was sure that each and everyone of the recipients will greatly appreciate the herbal gift, I was having second thoughts whether they all knew how to take care of rosemary - or not.

And that was the main reason that I put together this webpage. To include/provide all the basic information on Rosemary Herb care, propagation and use.

Not only did I receive great feedback from several visitors who found the information useful, I also - completely unexpectedly - received my first Purple Star award. It felt like a small miracle at the time...

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Photo courtesy of ViaMoi

My second Purple Start award
Click below to access the awarded webpage (opens a new window):

Do It Yourself Decorative Wall Painting

We lived in this new house for a year or so and I was getting tired of all the walls and ceilings, painted plain white. I started craving for some colors in my home - where I spend most of my time. And here came the solution - an overseas couple that had some ideas about how to solve my hunger for colors.

We started working on the project together and implemented some things that I'd never thought of before. We all liked the results and even after they left, I was still painting for a few more weeks - a little at the time.

I later used the photos to create two lenses on the DIY painting topic since I had a feeling that this was simple enough for many to do - and the ideas were a little different from anything else I was able to find online.

When Do It Yourself Decorative Wall Painting lens received the Purple Star award, I was completely shocked... :)

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Photo courtesy of Glenn Harris (Clintriter)

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My third Purple Start award
Click below to access the awarded webpage (opens a new window):

Green Cleaning Formulas

I know some things about natural ways of living since taking good care of my environment has always been my lifestyle. One day I realized that there are many people out there who could use some advice on how to keep their homes clean without stocking up on toxic cleaners.

Again, I created this webpage with collection of Green Cleaning Formulas, easy to mix and use for anyone, just because I had a feeling that I had something helpful to share.

For the third time - this morning - the Purple Start award came as a total - yet pleasant surprise!

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Photo courtesy of * Nina *

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My Purple Start award conclusion

I am not a big fan of cleaning - or painting for that matter. The truth is that I would much rather avoid the mess (and cleaning afterwards) - whenever possible. ;)

But whenever I decide to do these tasks, I like to keep them simple and safe and I always enjoy the clean or colorful results very much!

At the same time, the world of plants feels like a sanctuary to me. I go out and spend time with everything I'm growing around my house whenever I feel tired, anxious or overwhelmed. Taking care for my plants puts me at peace and I always have some fresh herbs handy to use on my salads, on my home-baked bread, for cooking or just to put in a vase. And that's one of my sources of life's little pleasures - that never fail to cheer me up...

I'd like to thank Giant Squid Organizers and everyone else who thought my lenses were good enough to receive the Purple Star award - and everyone who ever gave any attention to anything I have ever published online. You are all Very Much Appreciated!! :)
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Photo courtesy of -caz-

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***

Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame

My visit to the National Cleveland style Polka Hall of Fame in Euclid - dedicated to the preservation and promotion of polka music, 'the happiest sound around' - was memorable.

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Photo above: Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio building on 605 East 222nd Street

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The Polka Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the historic, former City Hall of Euclid, Ohio, in close proximity to the Collinwood neighborhood where leading polka musicians lived such as Frankie Yankovic, Johnny Vadnal, Johnny Pecon and Eddie Habat. The Museum has free admission and is open five days a week.

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Even though I've only been learning about the North American polka music scene for the last two years or so, I've seen many familiar faces and names at this international Polka Hall of Fame.

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Photo above: Frankie Yankovic memorabilia at Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio

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The American Slovenian Polka Foundation, which operates the Museum, was founded in 1987. A volunteer board of trustees is elected by the present 1600 members. The trustees represent all segments of polka music, including musicians, promoters, cultural societies, disc jockeys, and button accordion players.

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Photo above: The Slovenian roots of Cleveland-style display at Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio

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The Cleveland-Style polka music has its roots in folk music from Slovenia and the influence of American musicians, which has given this polka music style universal appeal and popularity. In the same was as English and Irish music on American ground has evolved into country music style, in the same way polka represents the music of Central Europe.

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Photo above: Some polka legends familiar faces at Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio: Johnny Pecon, Frankie Spetich, Frank Yankovic, Slavko Avsenik, Richie Vadnal, Walter Ostanek, Verne Meisner

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During Thanksgiving weekend, the Polka Hall of Fame produces an annual awards show. Members vote for annual categories such as Recording of the Year, Lifetime Achievement recipients, and the all-time greates polka hits among others. The honorees receive a Crystal Award trophy. The Lifetime Achievement award is the highest honor presented and includes enshrinement in the Polka Hall of Fame.

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Photo above: More polka legends familiar faces at Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio: Eddie Habat, Georgie Cook, Lojze Slak, Zarja Singing Society, Paul Yanchar, Tony Petkovsek

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The National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame Museum is filled with artifacts and memoribilia from polka stars of yesterday and today.

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Photo above: The Vadnals - latest exhibit at Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Euclid Ohio

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Visit Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame online at:
http://www.clevelandstyle.com/index.html



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Friday snow

As I'm sitting at my desk in my Central Florida home, sipping jasmine green tea and looking at my laptop screen while thinking about my Cleveland trip, the memory of that early Friday morning in Northfield, Ohio makes me smile.

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Photo above: Friday snow and sunrise in Northfield, Ohio

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When I first woke up that morning I instinctively knew there had to be snow outside. The next thing I remember was the sound of the automobile tires, making their way through the snow slush on the asphalt. Being born in the coldest town in Slovenia, I sure heard a lot of that "song." Some things just seem to stick in one's memory for ever...

I got up and opened the blinds. Everything was white - and after I haven't seen snow in five years the snow covered outdoors looked simply magical to me! :)

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Photo above: Friday snow in Northfield, Ohio

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Thank you, Dave - for taking both of the beautiful photos above!! :)



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Tony Petkovsek Thanksgiving Polka Party

In one of the best hotels Cleveland has to offer, in the Downtown Cleveland Marriott Hotel, there was a traditional Thanksgiving Polka Party going on this past weekend - also known as Tony Petkovsek's 48th Annual Cleveland-Style Polka Extravaganza.

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Photo above: Crowds at the Thanksgiving Polka Party at the Downtown Cleveland Marriott Hotel - one of the jam sessions

I was attending the Thanksgiving Polka Party in Cleveland for the first time this year and during the next few days I'll be posting some videos, photos and my own impressions from all the events and places I've had a chance to attend or visit.

Video above: Mr. Buttons performed by Ron Likovic, Mike Kramer, and RJ Likovic on drums in the lobby of the Downtown Cleveland Marriott during a late night jam session at the Annual Thanksgiving Polka Party November 29, 2009

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Photo above: Irene and Cheryl - Walter Ostanek (Canada's Polka King) wife and daughter at the Thanksgiving Polka Party at the Downtown Cleveland Marriott Hotel

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Photo above: My company: John, Rita, Dave, Jane, Daria and Gloria at the Tony Petkovsek's Thanksgiving Polka Party at the Downtown Cleveland Marriott Hotel 

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Video above: This is the ultimate Jam Session at Tony Petkovseks' Thanksgiving Polka Party. Walter Ostanek, Joey Miskulin, Dick Tady and other musicians played a couple polkas. The music was great. It was a great polka weekend in Cleveland OHIO 

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