I have been thinking a lot this new year about how one person can make a difference in this world. The movie Pay it Forward comes to mind. How just one person helping another can change things. How to leave this world a better place. God just sometimes places people into your life at just the right time. It seems like chance encounters but they are not by chance at all. I have met two women this week who have been a blessing to me through the Etsy.com site. The first is a woman who beautifully recycles some items and makes them into wonderful floral brooches. She then sells them and takes all of the profit and turns it into charitable giving to areas in her community. So can you give shout outs on a blog? I would think so. You can find her shop at www.thejunebride.etsy.com If that isn't the correct way to display this then just go to Etsy.com and under sellers names look for The June Bride. I'm still trying to find my way in this computer world. The other is a woman who makes Handcrafted Aritsan Metalwork it is some of the most beautiful work. She can be found at www.RockisSupplies.etsy.com I had contacted her about an order for silver ear wires this week and mentioned that my shop on Etsy had me stumped or something like that. I had a few sales at the beginning and then things stalled out.
She has offered to give me some tips that will hopefully bring in some business. She used the term Pay it Forward. Some one helped her at one time, at least that is how I understand it, and now she is helping me. It's a great world when we can look out for each other this way. Wiping tears, bandaging skinned knees, embracing someone with a needed hug, supplying food or time to a soup kitchen, or something as simple as a smile given or opening a door for someone. We are being challenged or deluged daily in the news about banks failing, foreclosures of homes, people out of work and news of trying to follow the first 100 days of a new President in office. So to repeat his political slogan of, "Yes we can." Can we make it a better place to live, one person, one life at a time, one act of kindness, yes we can!

Life with the Collies

This morning it was -31 here. -31!!!! I want to make sure that you saw that. Our Collies are going a little stir crazy, as are their human companions. They can't get their walks in because we are freezing. They however, conveniently have fur coats and don't seem to mind the cold. So little trouble makers they have turned into. I will need to take a pic to add here so you can get the full effect. Just keep in mind that it involves a certain library book that is titled, "It's Me or The Dog" written by Victoria Stilwell I wouldn't usually condone bad behavior but this was just too funny, well except now I will have to pay for a new library book. I think that they didn't want me to read this, which would bring up the point...hmmm... do you think that they were a little worried about the title? Now, I will show you a few pictures of the little darlings. Other than being naughty, they have been good companions on a cloudy COLD day, as I danced with the puppies to songs on a Matt Redman CD! This puppy is Buttons and he still needs a good home! Well, he has a good home, but it would be more convenient for us if he did find another home. He is the last of a litter of eight. Beautiful, gentle, but maybe a little mischevious lately.