Good Goods

This was one of the most appreciated gifts that C and I received for Christmas this year:

This marvelous photo journal of a pair of Red Shouldered Hawks and their four summers of returning to nest in the same tree comes highly recommended. The photos are great, but it's the story behind it that really gets to me. Diane Samdahl, the photographer and author, is a good friend of Letty, the gal whose tree the hawks return to each year. Letty a naturalist and now retired Middle School Science teacher, is suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. I think it's quite phenomenal that these birds should choose to make their home and raise their young in Letty's tree where she can enjoy their activities....once maybe, but four years running? WOW!! Diane says that she is by no means a professional photographer, but she has done a fabulous job. A portion of the sale of this book ($8.50 to be exact) goes to the huge noninsured portion of Letty's medical bills and daily upkeep. If you are interested in procuring a copy for your own enjoyment, please go here and click on "shop" to find it.

Yesterday afternoon C and I were headed back to GainesVegas from the condo with a backseat full of squirming doggies....well, there were only two, I confess, but it seemed like there were a dozen! We both had stops that we just had to make, so the poor hounds were left to entertain themselves for several hours. They did well, and managed to not totally destroy my car during the four hour trip with oh so many interruptions. Rayna had told me about this fabulous shop and so I had to go check it out for myself. She was right....of course! And then of course, there was so much to see and learn about, and two doggies and one husband in the car in the parking lot! Sheesh!!! I'll just have to go back, there's no two ways about it!! Here are a few of the goodies I ran off with:

Dont' worry, I did stop and pay for them! Jan Girot, one of the owners, waited on me and explained the uses and techniques for a lot of the embellishment items I had heard about but not actually laid my eyes upon before yesterday. She is very nice and a wealth of information. I had wanted to try out the Superior Threads "Glitter" and they actually have it in stock!!! (I've tried it now....and it is very, very nice!). I hadn't been able to find a local supplier of Esterita Austin's Misty Fuse, and was pleased to see that Jan was carrying it! And then there are the beads and buttons.....what an assortment! I had to have the wonderful dragonfly button!! I also picked up a couple of packages of "Fantasy Film" and am looking forward to trying it out tomorrow. I am all new to Lutrador, but of course Jan had a bunch of it in stock. If you have used it and had great results, please don't be shy about sharing your techniques and results with me. I cannot wait to begin playing with it. I have a few personal deadlines that I am hoping to meet by the end of the year....YIKES, I've got about 24 hours left!!!...and then I will reward myself with some play time.

Take care, be safe and go order that hawk book!!!