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Valentines Day

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Valentine's Day - think Fair Trade!

Valentine's Day is celebrated all over the world on 14th February each year. It is another of those special days which appears to have been hijacked by commercialism - but the soppy romantic in me still loves it!

However, if you do want to buy chocs or flowers for the loved one(s!) in your life, please consider green or eco-friendly or Fair Trade products, which you can buy from the excellent Gifts with Humanity

As for Jewelry, again please buy old gold or Fair Trade. You will bring smiles to the faces to a lot more people than just the lucky recipient!

And if you want to buy something just a little bit different, then go and have a look at some of the music that is recommended on this page. There's a mix of what you might expect, plus some that you may have never heard of.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
loving someone deeply gives you courage

Lao Tzu

Module photo © Ana-Belle for AJ and Family on Zazzle

Click play and then read on

Eva Cassidy - Somewhere Over the Rainbow: by CasaLucita | video info

9,598 ratings | 5,817,552 views

Tribute to the Extraordinary Eva Cassidy ~ I discovered the profound beauty and talent of Eva Cassidy just recently while recovering from surgery. Laptop surfing, I was searching for something to take my mind off the emotional anguish and physical pain of my recent wounds. Somehow I stumbled across the videos of Eva Cassidy's Live performance at Blues Alley. From her first notes, I was stunned and captivated. And comforted. Her musical selection, interpretation, range, enunciation, sustaining notes, phrasing, rich timbre and vocal acrobatics are exquisitely overwhelming. Her power and softness are a constant marvel. Her delivery is perfection. The sheer beauty of her music reaches very deep inside me and yet simultaneously transports me far beyond myself. It is rather foolish to do what I've just done (and have never before felt compelled to do); put together a simple, inadequate slide show. Especially when we are blessed with the great and haunting footage of Eva's live performance at Blues Alley. But it is my humble, yet passionate thank you to Eva Cassidy for sharing her unforgettable music, art and spirit. Her voice is a conduit to something bigger, more profound and extraordinary than words can express. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Barbara and Hugh Cassidy for bringing Eva into our world and to Chris Biondo for believing in Eva and making it possible for us to still hear her. For more information about Eva Cassidy's incredible music, art, life and legacy of inspiration, here are two beautiful websites created by members of Eva's family: http://www.evacassidy.com (books, artwork and cds (including the latest CD to be released in January 2011) are available on this site) http://www.evacassidy.org (a wonderful wealth of information) And here's a link to a documentary on Eva Cassidy's story: ABC Nightline Program Eva Cassidy (aired nationally four times) http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/rainbow--10170062 BBC Eva Cassidy Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sfRvXIictA Composed by Harold Arlen (music) and E. Y. Harburg's (lyrics) All photos from our personal family album UPDATE!!!!! A NEW EVA CASSIDY ALBUM IS DUE OUT AT THE END OF January 2011. UPDATE!!!!! A NEW EVA CASSIDY ALBUM IS DUE OUT AT THE END OF January 2011. If you have PayPal, IT IS POSSIBLE TO PRE-ORDER THE NEW "SIMPLY EVA" CD through this fine Cassidy family website: http://www.evacassidy.com/ Or you can pre-order the "Simply Eva" CD through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Eva+Cassidy+Simply+Eva&x=14&y=18 Article on Eva Cassidy posted in the Seattle P-I by Steven J. Patrick: http://blog.seattlepi.com/theconstantvalentine/archives/179380.asp?from=blog_last3 For those interested in purchasing the DVD of Eva Cassidy's live performance at Blues Alley, it is available from Amazon.com in the UK. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eva-Cassidy-Sings-DVD/dp/B000684110/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271428944&sr=1-1 Note: Because the DVD was produced in the UK, the disc is "coded" to play on UK discs only. In the US the disc commonly does not play on cd players but is viewable on computers.

curated content from YouTube

A card for Valentine's Day

Inspiration for any day of the year

Seagulls: Come fly with me card by AJ and Family

The origins of Valentine's Day

Or one of them!

There are many legends associated with the origin of Valentine's Day but perhaps the best known originated in Rome. The Emperor Claudius II (also known as Claudius the Cruel) was involved in many bloody and unpopular military campaigns and was having difficulty recruiting soldiers to join his armies. He believed the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their wives or girlfriends. So, he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome!

In the year 269 A.D Valentine and his friend Marius, who were priests, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for people in secret. When his actions were discovered, Valentine was sentenced to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off.

It is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl, who may have been his jailor's daughter, who visited him. Before his death on the 14th day of February, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed:

" From your Valentine."

In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius decreed that February 14 would become a Saint's Day to honor Valentine.

Module photo © Ana-Belle for AJ and Family on Zazzle

Valentines Day Card

I Love You

Old Rose, Anniversay Card by AJ and Family
View other greeting cards on zazzle.com

My first Valentine's Day message from LH

14 February 1995

(LH stands for Lovely Hubby)

I had to go away on business on the very first Valentine's Day after LH and I got together. Birmingham in the UK is not one of the nicest places to have to stay but it was a lovely hotel and when I checked into my room, I found a dozen red roses waiting for me.

Buy at AllPosters.com

The message said:

"I guess I want to say I love you. Goodness knows what happens next!"

We were married just over a year later. Of course red roses were in my bouquet, I still have some of the dried petals. I also planted some of the ivy and every time I look out of my window I can see it in my garden. You can also see a picture of some of my ivy in this module on my lens: Best plants for bees.

Watch one of these on Valentine's Day

Some of my favourite romantic films

Hello I Love You

by Ana-Belle

Available as a poster and other products: © Ana-Belle for AJ and Family on Zazzle

Eating in for Valentine's Day?

Listen to one of these during a romantic meal

Fair Trade Roses for Valentine's Day

Here's one very good reason to buy Fair Trade Roses

According to the Fair Trade website workers on the Fairtrade flower farms in Kenya have used the Fairtrade social premium - the additional sum included in all Fairtrade items - to buy school and sports equipment and upgrade children's playgrounds.

Future plans for the premium include buying iron roofing sheets for a primary school and digging bore holes to supply local communities with clean water.

You Know You're In Love Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com

Ludovico Einaudi makes for a slightly different Valentine's Day gift

I saw him play live in London - fantastic!

I saw this brilliant composer perform a one man show at The Barbican in London in 2005. It was a magical evening spent with my lovely "Dixie Chick" American friend who hails from Florida but who now lives in Montana. Oh how I miss you friend!

But is this spooky or what, I added this module on 02 January 2009. The following day I got a package in the mail from my friend and it was this CD!!!!!

Find out more about this excellent at Composer and pianist on his website

Ludovico Einaudi - divenire: by bollesan | video info

8,880 ratings | 2,060,289 views

curated content from YouTube

Ludovico Einaudi's music

An ideal gift for Valentine's Day

My name is AJ and I am a chocoholic!

But please buy me Fair Trade!

Fair trade chocolate is made from cocoa beans which are bought for a fair price from Cocoa farmers who are some of the poorest people in the world. Many of them earn on average about $100 a year.

The farmers depend on selling their beans to pay for the essential things in life including wellington boots to protect their feet from the scorpions that live among the cocoa trees.

However many farmers don't make enough money and can't afford basic necessities such as food, medicine, clean water or education for their children.

In 1993, a small group of cocoa framers in Ghana, West Africa realised that by working together they could earn more money from the people who bought their cocoa. They pooled their resources and set up their own business called Kuapa Kokoo which means "good cocoa farmer" in their local language of Twi. Then in 1998, Kuapa Kokoo joined forces with a group of UK organisations who care about getting cocoa farmers a better deal. They formed The Day Chocolate Company and started making their own bar - Divine. The farmers own a third of the company which means they also have a say in how the chocolate is produced and sold.

Chocolates Photographic Print
Kamp, Eric
Buy at AllPosters.com

Where to buy Fairtrade Chocolates

Ethical Superstore.com

Buy Fairtrade chocolate at the

More reasons to buy Fair Trade Chocolates on Valentine's Day

Help end modern slavery

In October 2007, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, whose archiepiscopal seat is in the same city as the confectioner Nestlé Rowntree, said that buying only Fairtrade chocolate would help to end the "21st-century iniquity" of child labour.

Citing research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, he said that although child labour was prohibited in Britain there was a connection with Britain's manufacturers because of the conditions under which cocoa was produced.

According to the Stop the Traffik campaign for an end to modern slavery, more than 12,000 trafficked children are working on Ivory Coast plantations to produce 43 per cent of the world's cocoa beans.

Extract from article published in The Times, on 31 October 2007. You can read the rest of the article here

Buy at AllPosters.com

The Piano

Music to fall in love to!

The film and soundtrack of the piano was like a musical backdrop to my life at a very difficult time. Like the character played by Holly Hunter, who had to make a choice at the end of the film, I had what I thought was a very difficult choice to make. Thinking back, it was not difficult at all and as a result I found the love of my life. And that's all I am saying!

The Sacrifice - Michael Nyman: by grcinque | video info

16,308 ratings | 7,675,073 views

curated content from YouTube

Valentines Day Poem

poem by Lizzie, aged 10

© True Love always shines through by Ana-Belle for AJ and Family on Zazzle

Love is deep dark red
It sounds like romantic music
It tastes like smooth runny chocolate
It smells like perfume just made
It feels like the smooth calm of the sea on a sunny day
Love is the calm wind

© AJ2008

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Valentines Day

Valentine's Day - think Fair Trade!

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

Music to read a Valentine's Day lens by!

Click play and then read on

A card for Valentine's Day

Inspiration for any day of the year

The origins of Valentine's Day

Or one of them!

Valentines Day Card

I Love You

My first Valentine's Day message from LH

14 February 1995

Watch one of these on Valentine's Day

Some of my favourite romantic films

Hello I Love You

by Ana-Belle

Eating in for Valentine's Day?

Listen to one of these during a romantic meal

Fair Trade Roses for Valentine's Day

Here's one very good reason to buy Fair Trade Roses

Ludovico Einaudi makes for a slightly different Valentine's Day gift

I saw him play live in London - fantastic!

Ludovico Einaudi's music

An ideal gift for Valentine's Day

My name is AJ and I am a chocoholic!

But please buy me Fair Trade!

Where to buy Fairtrade Chocolates

Ethical Superstore.com

More reasons to buy Fair Trade Chocolates on Valentine's Day

Help end modern slavery

The Piano

Music to fall in love to!

Valentines Day Poem

poem by Lizzie, aged 10

Do you have a Valentine's Day or "Love" lens?

Add them here

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