Hmong mother with baby

We built 17 Maternity Waiting Homes (MWH) that provide medical care to pregnant women and new mothers. Many of the homes are in remote areas and the women are from varied ethnic minorities. They are used to giving birth at home in their villages and prefer this to coming to the hospital.

Although there may be a woman in the village who can attend the delivery and has some experience, they do not have enough proper training nor do they have the most basic of equipment such as sterile gloves. If a complication should arise during the labor or delivery, such as bleeding too much, the woman must be taken to the nearest hospital. This could take too much time or there may not be available transportation or the roads could be washed out if it’s the rainy season. More often women deliver with a family member or alone.

Pregnant women at MWH

Often women are malnourished and anemic and their babies born prematurely or at a low birth weight. They receive antenatal care and for some it is the first time they have seen a nurse during their pregnancy. They are examined and this helps to identify problems that can cause complications during the labor.

The women also receive rice daily to add to their own food. Gardens have been created next to each home to provide additional nutrition to the women and their family members who stay with them. Women feel comfortable at the MWH as they say it is so like their own home. They prefer to stay at the home as opposed to the adjacent hospital and usually an hour or so after delivery, move back over to the MWH to recover.

Ms. Neow doing Yu Fai

This practice is adhered to by all women. Our project explained to women the dangers inherent in this practice, that of breathing in carbon monoxide from the burning charcoal. We could not change the practice, but women agreed to have more ventilation in the room and not expose their newborns too much to the fumes.

Once the nurses determine that both mother and baby are fine and breastfeeding is well established, the family returns home to their village.

Khamsone teaching a class

My involvement included working with the staff, particularly the nurses, to ensure proper care for the women. As a certified childbirth educator, birth and postpartum support person (doula) and breastfeeding consultant, I was able to provide education and support to them.

This project ended in September 2007, although the homes are still in use today.

Weaver making rebozo

Anyone wishing more information about this project or how to obtain a Lao rebozo, please contact Debra at debra.laos @ gmail.com. (Be sure to take the spaces out of her email address before you hit Send.)

In addition, the purchase of products on Debra’s Website, www.asiantribalwares.com, will help towards the sustainability of the Maternity Waiting Homes.

Debra Woods

Vienna, Austria

Gradually cooling, the steady progression of twilight soothes the steamy heated tempers of irate drivers, panting pooches, brave tourists and other city dwellers.

I am waiting for the tram to take me around the “Ring” to the Rathausplatz or City Hall Square. The Ring is a boulevard lined with trees, parks and palatial buildings circling the historic inner city.

A spot of shade under the art deco arcade of the Bristol hotel beckons. The cool relief lets me concentrate better on the goings on around me. I observe the still-hectic pace as the working day eases into evening. An open deck double-decker bus, fire engine red and filled with tourists, approaches the Opera House across the street. The roasted tourists wearily descend . . . well, some actually tumble and head straight for the fountain splashing jovialy nearby.

I admire summer city tourists. When it’s 35° C outside, it takes a special brand of curiousity mixed with mega endurance to conquer museums, castles, gardens, historic walks and souvenir shopping.

A Mozart melody drifts up from the underground passage. Practical but nonetheless cultural: a musical lavatory, WC or restroom, as we call it. For about one dollar, you can do your business and wash your hands to the tune of “A Little Night Music.” I never tried it.

So, where was I? Oh, yes, on my way to the Rathausplatz.

Every July and August, the Open Air Cinema is a staple of the Vienna Festival weeks; a riotous, bohemian compilation of cultural events throughout the entire city. Neo-Gothic style City Hall (think Disney Castle and medieval fortress with flowers on the balconies) is the backdrop for screened performances of opera, ballet and classical concerts. Admission free.

I get there a couple hours ahead of time. Winding down under the cuculoris* of speckled light and shade.

Majestically lodged in a seemingly endless succession of all these architectural megaliths, City Hall is perched between the University of Vienna on one end and Parliament on the south end.

The symmetry of the—at first glance—quite foreboding building and sumptuous grounds reminds me of a tall, spine-of-steel baroque lady with a corset and ridiculously wide, overly-embellished brocade skirt.

Fortunately, there is nothing over-decorated about the gardens. The redeeming attraction for me. A light touch of tended garden; a larger dose of fairy tale forest. The dichotomy of the Austrian mentality somehow reflected in their parks. Austere with casual. Outwardly formal, look a bit closer and you’ll find a charming untidiness.

Trees of all shapes and sizes, bushes, hedges, flowers offer a lavishly cool, shaded oasis. Wild roses encircle some of the lamp posts. The heavy, sweet smell engulfs me in a cloud of scent as I stroll by; oblivious and shielded from the blaring, bumper-to-bumper crazy evening rush-hour asphalt jungle.

On the grass, or on a bench, there’s alway a spot far from the madding crowd. My book keeps me company until I am ready to dive into the crowd on the large, catwalk-shaped square known as Rathausplatz.

I must admit, the delicious smell of food lures me away all too easily from the Yorkshire moors of Wuthering Heights. Booths line the square, with specialties from all over the world; food being cooked, boiled, roasted and barbecued on open fires. Paellas, Australian kangaroo steaks, Turkish kebabs, spicy Indian curry, or a typical Viennese sausage. An intoxicating, mouth-watering mix of grilled delights. Hard time making up my mind what to eat.

Finally, I decide on a kebab with no onions and a special Australian fruit juice drink. I manage to grab the remaining seat at one of the tables clustered around the fountain. Just watching. People watching. I like doing that.

As the sky goes from purple to black ink, the stars glittering above, I move toward one of the empty seats in the transient amphitheater under the stars.

Tonight they are showing Prokovieff’s Cinderella; one of my all-time favorites.

An injection of nourishment for the soul. Music . . . film . . . the stars listening . . . definitely works for me.

*Cuculoris In lighting for film, theatre and still photography, a cuculoris (occasionally also spelled cucoloris, kookaloris or cucalorus) is a device for casting shadows or silhouettes to produce patterned illumination.

Tatiana Lensky

Tatiana is going to uni, studying English and American Literature. She is a blogger and she writes. (“I’ll be a writer when I publish my first book.”) Through her jobs in the film and advertising business, she has had the luck to travel to lots of countries and live in some of them. She’s still searching for the one place that is home. Tatiana blogs at Challenge Venus or Advance Your Worth.

WHEN WE SAY travel, we tend to think of world travel—or at least going to another county or state. But most of us travel every day without giving it much thought. Sure, we might be more conscious these days of the cost of gas (and its impact on the environment), but how much do we know that our local travel can make a big impact in other ways?

Do you have a beaten path to Wal-Mart, Target, Starbucks, etc. that you could almost drive in your sleep? I’m not suggesting you never shop in those places, but adding some new travel habits to your routine could prove life-changing.

Thanks to online friend Judy Clement Wall of Zebra Sounds, I’m now a member of the 3/50 project: Saving the Brick and Mortars Our Nation Is Built On. Have a look at these numbers from their site:

Get behind the 3/50 project!

3 – Which three independently-owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared?

50 – If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally-owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the impact if 3/4 of our employed population did that.

Below are my picks for the 3/50 project. I already have fun spending at least $50 a month between them, so my extra push is to feature them online with a link to each business.

My 'serene' route for errands

Brian tells me I’m saving gas because I’m driving slower (35 mph) and not doing the Stop-Go for traffic lights and stop signs. I get to share the road with walkers, joggers and bike riders instead of maniacs in SUVs.

Peaberry’s Café & Bakery

4350 Boardman-Canfield Road, Canfield, Ohio 44406, Ph: (330) 702-9230

Having a local coffee hang-out is essential to my writer’s lifestyle, and Peaberry’s meets my stringent criteria. The coffee’s always perfect (I drink double-shot breves), the service friendly, and I can sit in one of the quiet back booths to write.

Peaberry’s also makes killer gourmet sandwiches. My favorite at the moment is the #9: Cucumber with Asiago Peppercorn, Red Onion and Muenster Cheese on Croissant (I ask for turkey to be added). Yum!

The Flaming Ice Cube: Vegan Shoppe & Café

1449 Boardman-Canfield Rd., Suite 260, Boardman, OH 44512, Ph: (330) 726-4766

I *love* this business! I’m not vegan so I’ve only eaten in the café once, but I do love to shop in the eco-friendly New Age half of the store. I have bought candles, aromatherapy, books, a water fountain, CDs and other treasures. I found an agate candle-holder-cum-bookend that was just what I needed for a shelf in my office.

Cool merchandise: The Flaming Ice Cube

Fittingly for the theme of this article, the sign in the picture reads:

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

Health Food Center of Youngstown
(new Website coming soon)

6015 Market Street, Boardman, Ohio 44512, Ph: (330) 965-1515

I buy a lot of herbs and supplements, and I’m fussy about the quality of what I consume. This shop not only feels inviting as you walk inside, they do stock many items I was buying online.

I’ve also bought organic bananas for my organic banana bread, neem toothpaste (Do you read your toothpaste label? Do you know what you’re putting on your gums?), herbal shampoo, almond milk for my protein powder and more.

Which three businesses will you (or do you) support in your local area?

Visit the 3/50 project for more inspiration!

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MORE NEWS ON THIS TOPIC:

When I went grocery shopping today I saw a display of produce from local farms sitting right at the front of the chain supermarket I use. (I like Giant Eagle because of the big discounts on gas they offer me; they also stock quite a few organic products.) I was pleasantly surprised and will go back to take photos. They had a miniature red tractor on display to draw attention to the display.

I loved meeting the owners from two of my featured businesses when I took the photos. Also hooked up with Michele from Flaming Ice Cube on Twitter. (8/10/09: @flamingicecube New Double Dark Chocolate Maté from Republic of Tea >> Saw this on your Website. Yum! I’ll be making a beeline for your shop.) Chris from Peaberry’s is going to collaborate with me on a travel article (we’ve both been to Montréal and loved it), plus an article about his coffeehouse for a regional publication.

Already for me, new elements of fun have been added to this adventure!


Photos in the body of this article Copyright © 2009 Milli Thornton. Feature image courtesy Chris Cole of Peaberry’s Café & Bakery.

EVERYONE KNOWS BURGLERS will target a house with uncollected mail bulging from the mailbox. And by now we should all know the dangers of identity theft should our mail be stolen.

But what if we don’t have kindly neighbors to take care of that for us?

Sure, we can trudge off to the post office and fill out a form to put our mail on hold. But there’s a faster and easier solution you might not have thought of: go online.

I must confess I hadn’t thought of this myself until I was preparing for our trip to the Montreal Jazz Fest. I didn’t want to ask the neighbors yet again. And I didn’t want to drive to the post office. I was way too busy!

That’s when I looked up the USPS Website and, sure enough, there was an online option. Here’s the scoop from USPS:

— This online service will electronically notify your local Post Office to hold your mail.

— For same day service, online requests must be submitted by 2AM CST Monday – Saturday.

— Mail can be held from 3 to 30 days.

— We will resume normal delivery of your mail on the date you specify.

— Online access to request this service is currently limited to certain ZIP Codes.

I live in a minor city so did not have high hopes that my ZIP code would be serviced. But, Yippee!, it was and it took only a few minutes to fill out the form.

I was skeptical it would be as efficient as claimed. But the day after we got home our mail resumed as requested. We’d been gone only four days so the backlog of mail did fit nicely in our box. If there had been too much for our regular-size box, I would have had to go pick it up. But that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.

Ready for vacation? Go to Hold Mail Service at USPS and fill out the simple form.

Bon voyage!


Photo for this article Copyright © 2009 Milli Thornton

Photos for this article courtesy Amy Weiland

FOR THE RECORD, I hate blueberries. Here at home in western Nebraska, I avoid them like lizard avoids the cold spot on a rock. So when I am given the opportunity to go blueberry picking in eastern Tennessee, I expect to enjoy the picking but not the fruit.

Am I in for a surprise!

We bump along the scenic back roads that line the vineyards of Charleston, Tennessee (about an hour south of Knoxville). Born and raised in the drought-ridden Midwest, I will never get over the verdant beauty of green oceans of kudzu vines and rugged pine trees climbing up from the red earth to touch the cloud-wisped skies. We turn into the Morris Vineyard & Tennessee Mountainview Winery and into view of the long rows of grape vines, the wide curly leaves somehow both fresh and ancient, the stems burdened under a burgeoning crop of muscadines and scuppernongs. A little farther down the road, we park in front of the expansive pale brick Visitor’s Center, Tasting Room & Store.

The soft humidity of the Tennessee afternoon engulfs me as I climb out of the van and collect my sturdy, plastic bag-lined bucket. It’s a daunting first sight. I’m supposed to fill this huge bucket with tiny blueberries? My second thought assures me that since I have no intention of eating any as I pick, I will have no trouble piling my bucket full. My friends and I walk the few yards to where the blueberry bushes stretch in neat rows, the imposing slate blue of the Smoky Mountains looming in the distance.

Picking blueberries in Tennessee

Nose scrunched in anticipation of the pungent taste I’ve never been able to convince myself I like, I slip the berry onto my tongue and pop its warmth against the roof of my mouth. I’m thrilled to discover not the store-bought dilution I’m accustomed to, but rather a sweetness underlined by a seductive tartness. Suddenly, my chances of returning home with a full bucket aren’t looking so positive!

Back home in my non-vacationing life, a jam-packed schedule and poor soil have conspired to keep me out of the garden. But I love being close to the earth. I love the dry warmth of the soil under my knees as I kneel next to the bushes and duck under the branches to reach the clusters hidden near the bush’s center. The berries slip off the vine with barely a pinch and roll into the center of my palm. Those that aren’t immediately tossed into my mouth fall into the bucket with a soft thump and a rustle of the plastic bag.

The day's pickin's

My bucket is barely half full by the time we retreat to the Visitor’s Center to weigh our prizes. But our combined efforts produce enough berries to create a delicious blueberry crisp when we get back home. Sun-warmed and content, I lounge in a wooden chair at the kitchen table and load my spoon with vanilla ice cream and blue and purple dribbles of blueberry sweetness.

Suddenly, thanks to a wonderful afternoon at the Morris Vineyard, I’ve been converted to a lover of blueberries extraordinaire!

If you’re interested in scheduling a blueberry-picking venture of your own the next time you’re planning a trip East, you can contact Morris Vineyard by calling (423) 479-7311, writing them at 346 Union Grove Rd NE, Charleston, TN 37310, or emailing them via their contact form. Morris Vineyard is open daily 11-7, Sundays 12-7, and 9-8 during fruit season. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

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K.M. Weiland

Sitka & Mount Edgecumbe photos Copyright © Jerry Snelling

AS YOUR ALASKA AIRLINES jet gently banks you catch a glimpse of Mount Edgecumbe, Fuji-like in its appearance. Your descent takes you closer and closer to an ocean that is as deep a blue as you have ever seen. So close to the water now. Surely there is a runway ahead? At the last moment, you see the lights on the Sitka Airport’s runway and as the jet touches down, startled sea-birds take flight from the ocean that borders the runway.

Welcome to Southeast Alaska. Welcome to Sitka.

Toss aside any preconceived notion of igloos and dog sleds. This is a different Alaska in every respect. Sitka holds all of the majesty that you would expect from Alaska. It also holds treasures and surprises for even the most seasoned traveler.

Nestled in to the western side of Baranof island, Sitka is available to folks by air and by sea. No roads wind into what can be arguably said is the prettiest town in Alaska. Still, this apparent isolation does nothing to detract from this community that played such an important role in Russian-Alaskan history.

What to expect

Sitka lies in a part of Southeast Alaska that is considered to be a temperate rain forest and it can certainly live up to that reputation. You want to make certain you’ve got some good water resistant shoes, a slicker or two and an umbrella or a good hat. Not that it rains all of the time, but it has been known to downpour now and then!

The waterfront, Sitka, Alaska

Winter temperatures are more likely to be in the 30’s or 40’s and sometimes a bit colder.

When the sun is out, be sure to head down to the harbor and take in all of the sea life. Depending on the time of year, gray whales breech and rise in the outer harbor. Seals and otters playfully poke their heads up above the surface and sometimes it seems like the show will never end.

A little history

If you have an interest in Alaskan history then Sitka is the place for you. Originally the town site that we now know as Sitka was a village of the Southeast Alaska tribe known as the Tlingits. The name they had for the village was “Shee Atika.” When the Russian expedition headed by Bering discovered the village, they soon took over and in 1799 they renamed the village New Archangel. The manager of the Russian American company built a fort and in 1802 the Tlingits burned the fort. In 1804, the Tlingets left the area and Sitka soon became the capital of Russian Alaska. Russian influences still abound throughout the Sitka area.

Where to stay

Lodging possibilities in Sitka are plentiful. There are larger hotels downtown for those interested in a standard accommodations experience. As well, there are numerous bed and breakfast homes throughout the area that give a more personal touch. And of course there is always the Rockwell Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast. Accessible only by boat, it is the ultimate Sitka experience!

(See a photo of Rockwell Lighthouse. Opens in a new window.)

What to do

Folks come to Alaska for the scenery. The ocean and the tall spruce trees that line the nearby mountains make for some of the best scenery Alaska has to offer. There are numerous forest trails to hike and take in the sights. Fishing charters are abundant and guaranteed to leave you breathless. There are museums to help you explore the unique history of Sitka. Downtown Sitka has wonderful bookstores and coffee shops for those times when the weather calls for some warm and inviting indoor activities.

Come to Sitka. Explore. Be mesmerized by the people and the scenery. Come to a different Alaska.

Sitka & Mount Edgecumbe photos Copyright © Jerry Snelling

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George Angus

Jerry Snelling

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Postscript from Milli: I recently had the pleasure of seeing The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. This funny and heartwarming story keeps up a cracking pace as the odd couple lurches from one disaster to the next. It had me laughing and crying from start to finish. My husband also enjoyed it immensely.

One of the outstanding features of the movie was the setting: Sitka, Alaska. The trailer below doesn’t show much in that regard, but the town is picturesque and the scenery stunning.

P.P.S. A reader wrote in to let me know The Proposal was actually filmed in Rockport, Massachusetts, with Mount Edgecumbe dropped in behind the town as a special effect. Wah! Another Hollywood dupe. Even so, the movie inspired me to put Sitka on my bucket list, and that’s a good thing.

I intend for this blog to be a lucky magnet for fun experiences, making new friends and cutting my teeth on some free-wheelin’ travel writing as I gain the skills needed to become a published travel writer.

Kissing the lucky frog seems like a good place to start. This photo of me was taken at Bonnybank Bed & Breakfast in the Twenty Valley of Ontario, Canada on May 24, 2009. My puckered lips are reaching for the lips of a wrought-iron frog prince on the terrace of the B&B.

Owner Carla Carlson shared her most special memory of a guest kissing the frog. Leaving the B&B on her way to the church, a young bride resplendent in her wedding gown leaned over to kiss the frog in a moment captured by time.

Didn’t get to see a photo of that but I’ll bet it was precious!

Do you have a symbol that, for you, represents the spirit of good luck? Please post a comment and share. Blogging is definitely more fun when my readers participate!


Lucky Frog photo Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams

The festival layout includes stages for the performers, food and beverage stalls, sports cars on display, an alfresco restaurant serving mainly wine and appetizers and a playground for the kids. Stalls devoted to related fun stuff such as festival souvenirs, dance lessons and face painting for kids adds to the festive spirit.

We arrived at the Jazz Fest late on the afternoon of July 2, acutely aware that we had only three days to do it all. To really do the festival you need at least a week (plus some serious stamina).

Our first reaction to the outdoor scene was disappointment, for two reasons: the ominous, cloudy weather—it either threatened to or did rain for three days in a row—and missing our first free concert because we didn’t know the location of the all stages yet.

Montreal Jazz Festival street performers

However, my gloominess morphed to happy buzz as soon as I tried an Amarula drink from a nearby stall.

I was unacquainted with Amarula but it sounded fun. We were given a choice of flavors and, naturally, I chose coffee.

The result was a frappé style of drink prepared with blenderized ice.

Ohhh and it went down easy! One of those dangerously yummy drinks that could get you into trouble fast because it’s so more-ish. I was supposed to share it with Brian, but he was too busy crawling all over a Camaro SS 2010 to notice that he only got a few sips.

Amarula: La creme de l'Afrique

(Ever watched the YouTube video of the African critters getting rolling drunk? Yep, they were feasting on the marula fruit.)

The marula wine is distilled in column stills, and then in copper-pot stills, to produce a spirit. It’s then matured for two years in oak barrels. The final step is the blending of the liqueur with the finest, fresh cream until a smooth consistency is formed.

From Amarula HQ:

“The creaming process is of the highest standard, resulting in a cream product that is delectably rich and soft, with an alcohol content of 17%.”

I went back to my favorite drink (red wine) during the remainder of our time in Montréal. But that drive-by Amarula buzz definitely put me in the right frame of mind to relax and get over the Rainy Jazz Blues.

Sacré bleu. I regret not going back to that Amarula stall while I still had the chance.

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Yeah, baby! Amarula from a duty free shipper for only $14.99

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All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams

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Amarula Ad – For more funny movies, click here

From the happenin’ waterfront, terrace restaurants and cobblestone streets of old Montréal we progressed to Chinatown on foot. The narrow street that turns the corner at Chinatown’s Imperial-looking gates was clogged with Jazz Festival traffic, as well as a youth band and their supporters.

Falun DaFa Youth Band

The audience sat on the steps of a pagoda-style calligraphy store or joined the old people sitting at stone tables. It was easy to imagine the old men sitting at those tables on a quiet sunny day, perhaps playing checkers or swapping stories of the Old World.

The band was rousing, but I was keen to explore the shops.

Chinese kites hung from the porch of the calligraphy shop

Across the street I found a shop full of feng shui treasures that again severely tested my discipline. I found better prices for genuine red money toads and other lucky wealth objects than I had seen online. Many of these objects, though small, were quite heavy. Since I’m still attempting to master the art of packing light, I didn’t relish the idea of lugging home more poundage.

Lucky bamboo and money cats in the window of my favorite shop

(Well, maybe not easier. But it gives you a whip for your conscience.)

I was also tempted to sit down with the little old man advertising palm readings on a tattered handwritten sign. He looked bored and lonely and badly in need of a client. But there was so much still to see and do: Reluctantly, I concluded that was the wrong moment to park my bottom for a stationary activity.

We had to stay on schedule so as not to miss our festival shows that evening, so we didn’t get to try any of the restaurants in Chinatown. Yet another reason to visit Montréal again!

A truck delivering Chinese beverages to local merchants

“No trip to Chinatown is complete without sampling some of the local cuisine, the best that Chinatown has to offer will find you at Restaurant Hong Kong, Le Jardin du Nord and Ming Yeng, serving up Chinese specialties for visitors and locals alike. Choose from a variety of dishes such as Won Ton soups, dumplings, Peking Duck, Crispy Chicken, General Tao, Sea Bass and Lobster dishes.”

Alright, already. Stop torturing me! I don’t wanna know what I missed!

Ring, ring.

— “Can you deliver to Youngstown, Ohio?”

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Falun Dafa: Over time, the principles of Dafa unveil the deepest and most profound truths of the universe. Following the principles, practitioners of Falun Dafa are able to reach very high realms, enlightening to the true meanings of life, and finding the path of return to their origins and true selves.

While the exercises have deep inner meanings, they also help to reduce stress and can bring great improvements in health and fitness.

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All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams

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Not that we’d have to travel far: Cleveland’s only an hour from us here in Youngstown, Ohio. It’s just that I badly wanted to see that show! But when Brian checked on ticket availability, all the seats had been sold out.

There were some tickets left for “standing room only.” But I’m at the age where standing up at concerts is not really my bag anymore.

Plus, we were weighing the cost of those tickets against our need to save more spending money for our trip to Quebec in early July.

(I reckon the Montréal Jazz Festival will be some heavy compensation for missing Collective Soul.)

Meanwhile, please enjoy this 6-minute documentary about Collective Soul performing live in Morocco.