Been a while since I've posted anything. For one, been extremely busy for a while - had photography gig for the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival Museum and did photos of the USCG fly-in from Traverse. That photo along with the info I supplied was published in the Alpena News. That was the GREAT news, I was published! The downside was that they just put "Courtesy Photo" and did not identify the photographer! Oh well, win some, lose some, at least I was published.

Let's see, what else, oh, some great things happened because of the Festival, I am turning some book illustrations into a storybook quilt. If it turns out the way I'm hoping, it will either be hung for display purposes or auctioned off to raise funds for the Lighthouse Festival with proceeds being split between me and Festival. Also have obtained some business contacts for whom I may be doing some photography for and others whom are interested in having their photos/art work replicated in fabric. We'll see how that pans out.

I have put a new album on here entitled Winter Theme Blocks which are for a swap that concludes this Saturday. Matter of fact, I'll be traveling to Holt, Michigan to attend the little get together when they exchange all the blocks. The theme was a Winter Theme and NONE of the blocks could be Christmas! Well, I managed to come up with 18 different 9 1/2 inch blocks!

Spent 3 days downstate at Three Rivers, Michigan and Glen Oaks Community College at a mini Honors Conference there for Phi Theta Kappa members from all over the country. It was WONDERFUL! There were "youngsters" trying to act like grownups one minute and children the next and "oldsters" trying to act like youngsters and children. I did learn one thing, this ol' bod of mine sure didn't like attempting the limbo using a child's limbo equipment. After the first attempt and hearing snap, crackle and POP! I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and watched the rest of the events.

Hmmm, I think that's everything. Oh, I almost forgot! I am, once again, going to be going to school. This time to obtain my Bachelor's Degree! Alpena Community College and Ferris University have joined hands, so to speak, and now offer a Bachelor's in Integrated Studies where YOU decide how you wish to go about achieving your final goal, i.e., Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Ecology, Sociology, etc., etc. So, in two more years, I should have my Bachelor's. The only thing I DON'T like is I have to take Intermediate Algebra. YUCK!! I don't like math! Too many formulas to remember, to many numbers.

OHHHHHHHH, and I have managed to grow nails! Not very long at the moment as the break off too easy. Have to come up with something that will make that stop happening, at least so easily.

May your lodge fires always be bright, may your hearth always be warm, may your larder always be full, may the laughter and love of friends and family always echo off your walls and may an enemy never cross your threshold.

Namaste - Terri at the Drake's Nest where we're suppose to get S-N-O-W, instead of the rain that's falling now.

Okay it was bad enough that the brakes had to be replaced on the truck. This was followed by my hotwater heater and the boiler/furnace blowing up just 3 days before my inlaws were to arrive. That was fixed, they came and are gone. Now I have received news that my father is back in the hospital with fluid on his lungs and has a clot IN his heart that is throwing off pieces that are hitting his brain and causing confusion. He tries to get out of bed by climbing over the railing (the alarm that was suppose to have been put on him by the hospital was NOT) and my brother arrived to see him being put back to bed. His heart is fribrilating and he doesn't know my sister or anyone else. He keeps asking for my step mother who died 2 months after my marriage and 4 months after teh death of my stepson. Enough is enough!

I have no tears left. The last time I spoke with him, he didn't even know for sure who I was. When my little sister told him I was on the phone, he told her he didn't have an older daughter named Teresa. My goodbyes were said when I was there right before graduation during spring break. Now all I ask for, all I pray for is that he have a swift and painless passing. Let him go with dignity and not continue to be a hospital's pin cushion and guinea pig for treatments. He's 82 and has lived a long life. He has continuously said he wishes to die, he is shutting himself down. I pray his wish will be granted.

My dear hubby, Ray, found a Blue Jay on the ground by the shed and came to tell me about it. He knew I'd want to bury it in the back 40 of the property it flew around every day. Imagine my surprise when I picked it up and it opened both eyes and squawked at me. Thinking it just knocked itself out, and was a little confused, I sat it down on a log of one of our flower beds hoping that it would come to its senses and fly away. Going out to check about an hour later, I again found it on its back but still alive. I managed to get it to drink a little Hummingbird water and put it in a box with a towel nest round it. Several hours later, I took it out of the box and held it flat out on my hand, he spread his wings, flapped a few times and immediately fell back to the ground. His legs will not properly fold under him and he has spasms that ripple through his little body, I think he may have broken his back. I know he can't stand on a limb, nor sit properly on a branch or flat surface, he falls over.

I held him for a while and walked around the yard thanking him for his beauty, for the pleasure he gave in watching him gather peanuts and pieces of cracked corn and his racuous music. Then I asked Great Spirit to watch over this little guy and if it was in his wisdom to take him home, then let him gently fall asleep. I managed to get him to eat some suet and a little more Hummingbird water before putting him back in the box and drawing the towel around him for the night. I really didn't expect him to make it through the night.

Imagine my surprise this morning when I moved the box and Blue (yeah, I had to name him) opened his eyes as if to say, "hey, I was sleeping!" After I have breakfast and get dressed, I'll see if I can get him to eat and check his condition. Don't know what to do for him other than feed, water and change his bedding if he is still unable to fly. May have to call the vet and see if she has any ideas.

Wish me luck and will have to hunt around for suggestions. - Namaste - Terri