WILDLIFE AT RISK

Americans love their pets. They are intrinsically kind to animals. Some declare, they’d rather have pets than children. We are tied to, we are enriched by, and we need the wildlife that lives with us and around us everywhere.
In the U.S. extinctions are on the rise, even of major species like the leopard, the wolverine, panthers, fresh water mammals like the manatees, bull sharks. Sea corals whales, manta rays, and thousands of life forms, butterflies, bees, and birds are under threat.  Wildlife around the world is under siege.

Tigers in Sumatra have been declared extinct. This month, 300 elephants were poisoned for their ivory. The rhinoceros are so close to extinction, it is only a matter of time.

Up to 35,000 elephants are being poached yearly, and lions and other iconic species are also fighting for survival — and they’re running out of time. That’s why I’m promoting the Global Anti-Poaching Act, a critical bill to help stave off the poaching of  Africa’s wildlife. The bipartisan legislation — which aims to enable the U.S. government to work with partner countries in countering international criminal syndicates, rebel groups and terrorist organizations profiting from the illegal wildlife trade — would give wildlife crime a prominent place in the U.S. government’s national and regional security strategies. U.S. residents can help by taking a moment to send a message to their U.S. representative, telling them to support the Global Anti-Poaching Act.

I find when I get an email about a subject that is important to me, that sending a message to my US representative, telling them to support this issue or that issue, while it means something, it used to leave me with a blank spot.
Now, I make it a point to keep a list near my computer of who they are so that contacting them is easy. For me, it is just a phone call away. I can call Tom McClintock at either his Washington Office or his Roseville office and leave a message with the aide who answers the phone. They do keep records of how many calls on what subject. It is the same in every state, the way to be effective is to have the numbers handy. Tom’s number in Washington is: 202-225-2511.

If you are a Californian, State Senator Tom Berryhill, 916-651-4008.

The State Assembly Frank Bigelow, 916-319-2005.

Please help by cutting from the phone book the numbers and addresses you need and keep them close to your computer. Then do it!

TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.

While I was in Oregon working on the house, Doug would ask me, "Mom, are you having any fun yet?  Taking a day off?"  The answer was always "NO".  In Calaveras County, our community is so lopsided and still in shock with 547 families burned out. Displaced people with their lives on hold, their future uncertain.  My friend, Nancy Stehura told me about a benefit dinner for fire victims at Prospector Brewing Co. on Main St. Murphys.  Nancy told me on the phone, "I know so many people who would love to have YOUR problems."  Touche'

So Jan and I decided to stop and smell the roses, put any personal issues aside and go have dinner.


We left her place and the sky above was a painting of puffy orange clouds.


At the Prospector Brewing Company, we told the bartender we had come for the benefit dinner. He said, "We don't serve dinner here. We aren't having a benefit dinner." The big question mark was on my forehead, how could this have happened two nights in a row? He pointed to a bin on the bar asking for lightly used clothing for fire victims. He handed us a beer and wine menu with a list of appetizers we could order. So, we ordered a drink and a bucket of unshelled  peanuts.


The band set up and got going. If the sign on the wall is correct, they are the Samba Breeze and there was a donation box set up to benefit Jules and Sean Koopman.  Hmm.


Not long after, Nancy arrived with about seven families who had burned out in the same neighborhood. The young girl and her mother, and the woman in blue, who I met later, Sue Koopman, burned out. Sue got up and made a speech from the band stand to support fire victims with donations. I couldn't hear. In fact, sitting next to each other, Jan and I shouted our conversation over the music. But we got the gist of things and put money in the box and many other patrons did the same.


My friend Nancy with her son. He is so tall, she fits under his arm. He burned out in Mountain Ranch and is bunking in with his mother in San Andreas, temporarily, part time. Someone, I think it was Nancy,  told me the ground was heated with the fire, the rains came and bulbs that normally bloom in the spring, are now poking shoots up through the ashes.


Jan having a conversation with Sue, about the level of devastation, and the difficulty of finding places to rent, especially if people have pets. Jan offered her acreage to place a trailer on and the offer was accepted. Sue knows someone who does massage and Jan has a table in her house.  I'm cogitating how I can do the same thing. The trouble for most of the victims, is their jobs and connections are on the far side of the county, or like Sue, in Amador County. Too far to drive everyday.


Sue and her partner, Danny, whose last name I didn't catch, have decided they are going to accept a Fema trailer and stay on the property and rebuild. Danny has a place in Hawaii, where they could move, but, they want to rebuild. It's the hard way, but we are so grateful that families are staying.  There is another benefit coming up for 5 firemen who lost their houses while they were fighting to save their neighbors.
Yes, it really is time to stop and smell the roses, be thankful, and find the green shoots coming up in our lives.

DISCOVERING SEQUIM.

Don't you love a good sign? I don't drink espresso, but this place is a stopper. We breezed into Sequim, pronounced Squim the day before yesterday, stopped at the Chamber of Commerce and the first Friday of each month is an art walk. We get downtown and enjoy a beer at the local VFW and it is hot here. Sequim sits on the other side of the rainforest. The storms hit the mountains and drop very little rain in Sequim.  Much like California summer weather.

We walked around town a bit. This sign is posted in Field Notes.


This gorgeous gourd in the Blue Whole Gallery, the only gallery right there in the hub of town on Washington Street. She didn't have a map of the First Friday Art Walk but I got one from an art supply house near by.


Home made crafts are everywhere. The people running this store are super friendly. And, to jump ahead, I found that to be true everywhere in Sequim.  We ate lunch, planning to come back for the art walk which is held from 5pm. to 8 pm. Our lunch at Sunshine Cafe had an interesting prayer on their menu:  Thank You Lord For Granting Me This New Day In My Life, Especially Since I Loused Up Yesterday So Badly. Amen.  Kids under 10 eat free.


When we got back to our camping place at the Elks CLub, we read through the Art Walk and realized the art is in each business, not 25 galleries. They stay open late, serve a little wine and cheese... We decided to stay in after our day of travel and settling in and attend the First Saturday of the month farmer's market and see the art work as we go. Above is  a picture of one half of the market.


The first booth I stopped in was Connie Rodibaugh's  sea glass jewelry. I've never seen sea glass as thick as these pieces.


She is a recycler as well. Her jewelry is often mounted on a found object, like a rusted drawer.


When I questioned the thickness of the glass she told me that people used to throw their garbage in the bay. Seagoing vessels carried huge vinegar jugs, and cider jugs of very thick glass. She has a collection of bottles with Vicks in a cone-shaped brown bottle, and early Vicks jugs for hospital use only and so on. I would liked to have photographer her collection and encouraged her to do so. She described rare and unusual bottles from a hospital, some blown glass, others in heavy stoppered bottles. She has a website at crwearables.com.



Nicole Brown uses recycled quality knit fabrics to make one of a kind sweaters and shawls. She has a local shop in Sequim cleverly named Out On A Whim.


Jim kept saying, where are the vegetables?  It is true, vegetable vendors were the minority, but so what? These heirloom tomatoes, close to the size of his hand, all organic, cost $4 a pound. He gasped at the price.


I didn't buy fresh veggies because I overstocked before we went to Hoodsport, where shopping is limited. My cousin David had diet restrictions and couldn't eat raw vegetables. We got the name of an organic farm and will stop on our way out-of-town.


The Bag Lady makes her own designer bags.


This grand rooster is part of Over The Fence, garden and home store. The store parking lot hosts the Farmer's Market each Saturday through October.


They carry a brand of knitted socks that don't exactly match. Who cares?


Wonderful pots and dish gardens.


And, Over The Fence stays open on First Friday Art Walk because art work graces their walls some for sale, and some not.


The Artisanal Bread Store faces the parking lot. It was crowded with people in line out the door. They moved aside so I could take a picture of their one painting that is part of the Art Walk.


Three kiosks had potters. This is hand-built stoneware by Michel McCarter. He owns Madrona Ridge Pottery and all of his work has an oriental theme to it.


I love pottery and was tempted to buy, but I'm trying to downsize and de-collect, not to mention the lack of room in the motor home.


Everyone enjoys getting out to the farmer's market. They sell dog items I'd never seen nor heard of before. This is Baskin and Robin. Robin (white) is eleven years old.


This painting is at a nearby Mexican restaurant.


Like most farmer's markets, musicians entertain and you can buy ready made food. We ate Filipino lumpia, Yakatori (hope I have that spelled right) noodles and teriyaki chicken on a stick. It was very tasty.


This young man is a rambler. He hit the road with his car, ran out of money and had a hard time getting back to Sequim. This time, he has welded a cart to his heavy-duty bike. His best pal rides with him. No money for gas, just enough for food. He is setting out and hoping to make it to Montana and find work. He has a small one man tent folded into the bottom of the cart.


I don't know if you can read any of this great advice, all pretty humorous, like: Treat a woman like a racehorse and she'll never be a nag. Or MATH, mental abuse to humans. Never stand behind a sneezing cow. Pretty corney.

As we wandered town, we never skip a book store. This one was special, Hart's Fine Books, etc. Celeste Bennett showed us rare finds from the Hart Family collection. Both are deceased and their estate left many treasures. This rug is from France and dates from the 1600's.


I always find something I've never seen before, and this is it. A Punch and Judy Theatre. I would never have outfitted it with a television set, though.


Some of the original puppets.


A rare Beatrix Potter book.The story goes, Beatrix Potter's publisher wanted to produce this set of stories, which were sketches she had written simply for the joy of writing them after she had completed the Peter Rabbit series. B.P. objected because she knew the writing was too transparent; people in her community would recognize themselves in the animal characters. However, because it meant a lot to her publisher she agreed to allow 100 copies to be printed so long as distribution was solely in the United States -- never in Great Britain. Rare indeed.

  she wanted to publish this book under a different name to see if her name sold the books or if the story would sell the book. Her publisher convinced her that Brits would recognize her writing. So, she decided to only sell this volume in America.

She had a limited autographed set to present to friends and family members. This is number 78.
Many wonderful things besides books. They can be found on-line as well, hartsfinebooks.com or celeste@hartsfinebooks.com if you want to talk to her.

LA CONNER STILL ON MY MIND.

While I sit in Monroe, I'm still playing tourist in La Conner from my picture file. I said it is a pretty town and it is. Some buildings have signs telling what it used to be in a distant past.


I can still remember meat markets where the butcher chopped out a hunk of meat from whatever part of the carcass you wanted or could afford. For us, it was never the real meaty cuts. And, at that time, ready ground meat was unheard of. Now, the ubiquitous hamburger is everywhere. Just seeing this building brings back memories I hadn't thought about in years.


Traveling as I do, I don't have pets anymore, so I manage to pet other people's. We meet dogs, mostly. This woman reminded me of my daughter with her pup in a stroller. The dog is 11 years old and needs a bit of help. All three were friendly and cute.


Jim warned the owner before I got to this little cutie. "She's gonna want to take her picture."  She was a real beggar, looking for a treat, all smiles and sweetness.


And, of course, we kept popping in and out of shops. I did most of the popping, Jim kind of hangs around the door and waits patiently for me. Three dimensional layers of cut and polished wood pieces make up this wall hanging at the Wood Merchants.



Nice work


At That's Knot All, an artists co-op, Sherry Shipley's colorful, firey horses galloped across a canvas.


This ceramic plate reminded me of a rug. All local artist here. Run by volunteers. Neat.


The owner of this gallery said I could take ONE picture. She had some beautiful stuff but I especially liked her blown glass light fixture.


My neighbor brought me part of a cow skull. The birds eat the connecting tissue like cuttle bone and they soon fall apart. So, to have a full skull is rare unless you live near a (ugh) slaughter house. I would never have thought to decorate it with hundreds of pieces of turquoise.


We ate lunch here at tables in the back, open to the fresh air and a view of the harbor. Great clam chowder and steamed clams.


It surprises me what people do to guitars. This one is a wine rack.


I kind of like the idea of spray painting some old shoes and using them to plant in.


In the middle of town, on this main street, is a waterfall. A huge staircase leads to the top where the Quilt Museum is located. It has been a long time since I've been able to climb a huge staircase that goes up a steep hill.  I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of the stairway because it was a small triumph for me.  I'll post the quilt show tomorrow.