This is the very best book I have seen or used to learn to weave. It is extremely detail oriented and procedes in a step by step manner. I have been involved in spinning and weaving for 9 years and still refer back to it. Get it in a spiral bound ed if you can so you can lay it flat as you work.

As a new weaver, I found this book to be an incredible storehouse of good, reliable information. I read it cover to cover before I ever even laid eyes on my loom. Armed with that book, I felt completely prepared to start my first project the evening my loom arrived.

Forget all the other books on weaving. This is the one. Anyone who has problems warping their loom, designing patterns, learning new patterns will wear the pages of this book thin with reading and rereading and rereading and more rereading. There is barely a day that goes by that I do not in some way refer back to this fantastic book! All we ask is that the writer give us more! Bravo!

As an American, I was never taught nor have I ever read in the newspapers the true story of the Palestinian people. After reading Moghrabi's Olives, I learned that they are a people with no voice, yet they have such a rich history! It is a shame to think that for generations people of all faiths lived peacefully in Palestine and now that time and place no longer exist. The beauty of Moghrabi's Olives is that it does not ask you to take sides. It simply offers the side of the story that Americans have never heard. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are riveting. And the words and emotions of Hamzi Moghrabi as he retells the painful story of his father's life are heartbreaking. I learned about Zionism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism but most of all I learned about humanity. The Palestinian people are survivors and even though they are still forced to live in the most inhumane conditions in the refugees camps all over the Middle East---they continue to dream, hope and fight for life as they once knew it. I applaud Deborah Rohan for taking this opportunity to tell a beautiful story with integrity and conscience.

Wonderful, touching book. The book does a wonderful job telling the story of the Palestinian people, thru the story of one family. It humanizes the Palestinian cause. Anybody who wants to understand the Middle East today, should read this book!

I read this extremely well written true story with a very open mind- I am Jewish, never stepped foot in Israel and always felt that Israel had a right to defend itself against extremely aggressive neighbours who attacked all the time, even on the most wholly day, Yom Kipper. Deborah Rohan's book took an interesting angle for me- that of the front-line Palestinian family which endured (and still endures) isolation and separation from their homeland. I can now sympathize with their situation. I however, note that a completely impartial reader would be guided by the chapter "quotations" which point specifically to the overriding assumption that Israel's main objective was to rid Israel of all Arabs. I wonder how the Palestinians would have reacted if the UN decided to give all of Israel to them- and the Israelis wanted to stay on.... Also, the UN choice of splitting the country in two was immediately not accepted and Israel and settlers were immediately attacked- a peaceful acceptance could have/may have resulted in a peaceful sharing of the country. The Palestinians attacked, and lost, over and over again, and even today, a terrorist walked in to a settlement, held hostage and killed a mother and 11-year old child. The world will not tolerate nor sympathize with this method of getting attention (Rohan points out that Israel attacked the British with bombs and such while under British occuppation). My overall analysis and summary, is that if the result of the UN had been different, or if the Palestinians and Arab nations had won the 1st war in '48, there probably wouldn't be ANY Jewish settlers living in the area now. One side wins, the other loses in war- not fair, but fact.
I am glad I purchased and read this well-written book!

Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was written by a 13-year-old, which gave it interesting insights, yet was extremely well written. We read it aloud during a recent 1,000 mile trip and were inspired by Amy's courage and dedication. The ending was truly inspirational. It's a great book to give to any teenager (my 13-year-old daughter did most of the reading) to inspire them to have goals and reach out to achieve them. Highly recommended!

I got this book for Christmas last year, and I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely!! Amy tell story after [interresting, funny, heartwarming] story, and the spririt of adventure in this books inspires the readers to "reach really high" themselves!! After reading of Amy's accomplishment, I too wanted to get out and DO something!!

i am not yet finished w/ my american adventure but it is the most ^ lifting book my dream was to go on an "american adventure" and this summer my family is going to try to get on the road . and my goal is to record everyting and write a book about it. thats when i found my american adventure i was so excited that there was a book about somthing similar dream that i could read about!!! thanks amy,jon,emily,and kurt

Deborah Straws book makes visiting the Keys a wonderful natural approach. This is not a book for high end, hotel and restaurant types - if you are looking for recommendations to such. But for those of us that want to view and explore the beauties of nature, this book is number one. No, not meaning it is a camping book. Instead, it is a book for those wanting to explore the Keys - stay where you may but use this book as a source of great and fun ways to see the natural aspect of the Keys.

If Deborah Straw ever leads a trip to revisit her Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys, I would like to know about it. In her book, she brought back many wonderful memories to me of my three years living in Key West, and traveling all over the keys with my family. It was many years ago, in the 50s, when the keys were more alive with flora and fauna than colorful humans who habitate there now. She made it come alive for me again. I read the book in a night, and am rereading it again. Yes, I think she would be a wonderful guide. Take me there, Deborah.

I liked this book so much I've already given it as a gift. It's aimed at those of us who simply want to enjoy wildlife in its natural surroundings without experiencing too much physical discomfort. In an appealing, conversational style Deborah Straw imparts a wealth of information including the history of each Keys area, tour opportunities, camping facilities, parks, wildlife refuges, etc. For example, in the Key West section you learn about walking tours, a glass bottom boat, the beaches, and how to get easily from Miami to Key West without taking an inconvenient car. You can feel in every page the author's deep love and respect for animals of all kinds. She has definite opinions with regard to their treatment and protection, and this compassionate current runs throughout. She tells the would-be visitor about the climate by season, and she even includes warnings about what NOT to do. And, she looks out for the cost-conscious travelor. At the end of the book is a short reading list and a good index. I haven't been to the Florida Keys yet, but when I go, I'll definitely take along this book.

Do you love nature? Do you have an artisic urge? Do you think creating art is difficult or expensive? If you love nature and want to bring it to your fabrics, walls, note cards, etc. then this book would surely delight you! The Victorians loved "capturing" nature in all its innocence, beauty, and comfort. They created so many wonderful collections, decorations, etc. This wonderful addition to the craft world shows the nature lover how to use nature to enhance the tranquility of your home or surroundings. The author shows you how to use an endless bounty from the natural world plus a few printing inks and paints to illustrate your world with the panorama of nature. The techniques within this volume are so enchanting yet simple enough for children to to accomplish as well. A wonderful way to enoy summer days!

This is a must have book for anyone who collects plants and other nature items. It is also a great find for rubber stampers and other paper artists. The book is in full-color and has many illustrations.

The book starts out with a brief history of nature printing. It then details collecting, transporting, and pressing a wide variety of plants. Then paper & materials for printing and the printing process itself are discussed.

Specialized techniques for printing objects such as spider webs, shells, feathers, gyotaku (fish rubbing), Taku-ga (rubbing picture), bubble printing & cyanotype are demonstrated as well. All the instructions are easy to follow.

There are also many wonderful projects including fabric painting, wall printing & note cards. The resource guide is a nice bonus. This inexpensive craft is easy enough a child, yet rewarding for adults.

This is the most amazing book! I love nature and wanted to find a way to tie that love into an art form. This is definitely THE book for my purposes. Very detailed and inspiring with wonderful instructions and visual examples. I can't wait to take my next watercolor class and try these techniques on my work!

Her poetry makes me want to cry. I couldn't put the book down.

I spent many enjoyable hours reading this exciting new poetry. FerBer is a tribute to the art of poetry. My favorite poem is "Mind Healer". I have been searching for more of her work and found another book listed in Amazon called "Passion".

I am a recent graduate in English lit. I hope some day to capture life in poetry. I just loved reading Passion II.

Deborah Hawthorne's title poem alone is worth the price of this little gem of a book. Poignant, funny, full of wit and wisdom, the author's narrative poems call to mind the stories of Rick Bragg's All Over But The Shouting and Ava's Man. You'll want to come back to these poems over and over again.

This book of poems is charming and inspirational. The first poem, aptly titled "The Journey," signals trials and triumphs through which Ms. Hawthorne takes you. Her candor and calm of Southern voice lead you through her intimate family relationships, strained and strong. The images that she provides with a wonderful craft of pen enter your mind but come to rest in your heart.

I am a 74 year old widow and have found Deborah's book an inspiration to help me through difficult times. I have read it several times over and keep it by my bed and read at night when I need inspiration. Just wonderful

Although the bulk of the material contained in this book could be found online, it's still a worthwhile purchase. Indeed, it is a must have. The purchase price of the book will be quickly regained in the money you will save making your own compost rather than purchasing bagged compost or synthetic fertiliser.

A few of the chapters are more interesting than useful to the home gardener. For instance, one of the early chapters discusses the history of composting beginning with the ancient Akkadians. The final chapter discusses managing large scale compost operations (by large scale, I mean tens and hundreds of tons of waste) on the farm or as part of a municipal waste management strategy.

The core of the book, however, is very directly useful. A chapter is provided describing the chemistry of what goes on in composting, and what goes on as plants attempt to take nutrients from the soil. Another chapter describes the various types of life from microbes to insects and worms (including lovely line drawings) that inhabit a compost pile during the various phases of its lifecycle.

By far the most useful chapter is chapter 6, which provides a list of potential ingredients for your pile and suggestions on how to obtain them. Numerous charts are provided that indicate on balance whether an item should be considered a "green" or a "brown", and (should you desire more specifics) the actual NPK content of various ingredients. This is fully a fifth of the book.

The next most useful chapter is chapter 10, which gives suggestions for various sorts of compost bins you can buy or build. Another chapter describes tools like chippers and shredders that might be useful to you if you plan to make a fair amount of compost. Alternatives are suggested for the folks who don't need quite that much labour saving help.

I can't think of anything that is not in this book that I wish it had. Nor for that matter, can I think of anything that needs to be cut from it. It strikes the perfect balance between comprehensiveness and brevity.

I began using the Rodale methods for organic gardening including composting back in the early 1970s and continue to do so today. I swear to you these methods work. If you truly want to be a great gardener and help save the planet from the depredations of the backward and evil, read this book. Rodale's dream of a compost pile in every back yard is alive. We can all make a difference and THE RODALE BOOK OF COMPOSTING shows you how.

In the early pages of the book, the editors Deborah Martin and Grace Gersuny (the book is a composite of excellent articles published over the years in ORGANIC GARDENING) have included a history of composting. Composting was known to the Jews, the Romans, the Greeks, American Indians, and other traditional people. Washington and Jefferson used organic methods to grow their crops, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Composting was a major activity for farmers until the petro-chemical industry persuaded farmers they needed oil-converted-to-fertilizer-and-poisons to grow crops. Practices are changing, but as the new AG bill shows, not fast enough.

Why should the little guy compost? This book gives you all sorts of reasons for composting, but my response is why not compost. You can compost if you live in an apartment on the 29th floor of a building in New York City, and you might want compost for your house plants after you read this book. I have composted for so long I cannot imagine how anyone gardens and does not compost. First of all you add nuitients not available from man-made sources and these nuitrients help you grow great plants. Think of compost as breast milk. Why would you give your roses canned formula when they can have the real thing? When you use compost on your plants, you strengthen them against disease and predators. Given drought conditions and water shortages which stress plants, it's nice to know that compost enhances moisture retention.

The book identifies the kinds of wastes that work best in the compost pile. For early farmers, manure was the answer. Most of us can still lay our hands on cow manure that has been composted, but it's expensive. There aren't as many farm animals as there once were and there are so many more of us. However, you do have some options even if you don't own your own cow. You produce things that can be converted into plant food.

The book suggests that you may not want use dog "feces" because it smells bad, but I do. My POMS poop and I pick it up and throw it in my black plastic compost container. (I have two kinds of composters and several loose piles--all described in the book). Guess what--dogs can eat a relatively vegetarian diet and they won't have stinky feces and they will be healthier (just like humans!!).

The book recommends against cat litter and feces, and I have used cat box litter after it was used by the cat and created HUGE plants (lots of nitrogen) so we stopped using cat stuff. I have used coco shells and they are great but cannot use them with dogs who are poisoned by the shells (the book does not tell you this, but as a rule of thumb don't let your dog eat compost or mulch). I love coffee grounds and throw them right on my rose bushes. Tea bags work better after they disintegrate in the compost bin. I also throw paper towels and kleenex from the waste baskets into the compost bin. Any vegetable matter can be composted. I avoid animal products except for the dog feces.

A friend of mine complained that her compost pile smelled bad. I asked her if she threw newly mowed grass on the pile. Yes she did. The book suggests you either let the grass lay where it falls (I've done this and it works--it does NOT cause thatch); Let the grass dry before you throw it on the compost pile; or don't grow grass. The latter has been my approach for some time. I do not have a blade of grass in my yard (a few in the brick walks, but that's another matter). Ground covers work well--especially creeping thyme.

This is a great book and a great place to begin if you are a new gardener. A kid can follow these directions. The authors include a chapter on organic gardening "experiments" you could try yourself or with a child--great ideas for science projects for school!! Also, if your family likes to fish, compost piles grow great worms, another benefit of composting.

While there is a lot of detail in this book about how to maximize your composting quality, the basics are all here. Anyone with vegetable garbage from the kitchen, grass clippings and maybe even a neighbor with horses or chickens (not required) can make "black gold" and you don't need a degree in agronomy.

Some of the composter designs in the book are simple; some are complicated, but all work just fine. We have the simplest kind--just a bin. Because of the recycling laws, everyone in our town including us walks to their compost heap after dinner and drops off the vegetable clippings. We don't have a sink garbage disposal and we don't miss it. Anyone can do this. Everyone with a garden plot or a yard, even if it is a postage stamp size, should do this.

Not only is there a bounty of excellent and easily accessible information in this book but it is enjoyable to read. This book is a good place to start if you're thinking of rural living.

Storey, for me, is quickly becoming my reference book of choice, as far as "how to live on a farm if you weren't born on one" goes. This book was my jumping off point. It contains sections on how to buy land, how to build your home, how to raise chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, and cows. I should note, however, that this book is more like a "compilation" of works by other authors. The Basic Country Skills (BCS) extracts information from many other books, and puts them in one reference text. There are a few parts where I think the editors forgot to re-lable diagrams (specifically in the "how to butcher a cow" section) but if you're planning on slaughtering your own animals, you should probably buy a reference manual specific to butchering to compliment this one. BCS is a great book for people like me who are planning to buy a little patch of earth somewhere far away from the hubub of city life, but who can only dream about it for the present. BCS is a great primer for those who want to get closer to where our food comes from than waxed supermarket produce, or shrinkwrapped beef. I'm not a vegetarian, but it doesn't seem fair for meat eaters to eat something that they didn't have to feed and care for, and finally, to come to terms with the fact that this animal you've had for 9 months is going to be the beef for your family for the next year. Taking its life, so that you can continue yours.. that should be each of our (meat-eaters anyway) responsibility. To treat our food with dignity, and kindness, and thank it for nourishing and providing for us.

I bought this book for my husband who owns and operates a saw mill. He also raises bees. This book has sections on his interests and mine as well. There is information on gardening, canning, animal care, herbs and so much more. There are wonderful recipies and literally hundreds of tips and ideas. This is a book will we read and read again. It has very clear illustrations and clear, useful directions. A real find.

An outstanding book which conveys the beauty & grace of sound through its words, quotations, exquisite photography and artistic arrangement of word and image. For this reason, this makes an excellent gift book. This book is experiential and right-brain. It suggests various truths about sound, then asks the reader to go try out exercises for herself. Conversely, the accompanying CD is pretty much filled with dialogue, which may interfere with the experience of listening to the sounds themselves. Although, of course, the voice too is sound and if you like guided musical experience, the CD is excellent.

The book features a fairly good bibliography if you want to learn more. To supplement this book with a more intellectually satisfying approach, see "Eastern Body Western Mind" by Anodea Judith ~ read the chapter about the fifth (throat) chakra. Also, Judith includes an outstanding bibliographic array of works on sound and vibrational healing.

Upon picking up Deborah's book, I could feel the divine energy moving through my hands and my body. The registration of Truth spoke through the innate wisdom of my body. I knew this book was special. As I gently tossed the pages upon my first peek, I was astounded by its beauty and the divine grace pouring off the pages. This is no ordinary book, as a chalice holds the elizer of life, so to does Deborah's book alchemically touch the reader with her artistry, intuition, sound healing expertise and wisdom. I have referred back to this book time and time again for clarity and identification of the essence of sacred sound and the symbology associated with the chants. This book is a gift to the soul for all of humanity to become more clear about the Truth of Being. With respect and the utmost of honor I definitely give this book a five star.

This is a book that has truly been blessed by the Great Mother! It is rich with Her beauty with the images contained therein and through the words that are innate to Deborah and those of the Masters who have walked in the before with this ancient wisdom.

Deborah has given a well rounded view of the journey of Soul with the Sacred Sound Current and she has created a vessel in which to reflect the manifestation of that sound. Such exquisite colour!

The sounds of the companion CD completes the sensory travel. This book truly invites one into the current and allows the perspective from many angles of what it is to work consciously with sacred sound. This is a superb tool for inspiration and also provides the reader with ground level introduction into why they might venture into this powerful path of exploration.

The voice of the Divine is truly felt and seen through this book. I love it!