Sunday, November 29, 2015

Help Kristen and Ryan

My precious friends Ryan and Kristen lost their 7 week old firstborn son on Thanksgiving.  Along with their devastating loss, they are now faced with the emergency and medical expenses and the cost of planning a funeral.  Please, if you can help at all, it would be greatly appreciated.


And please, keep these young parents (and their extended family) in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Express Your Feelings With A Gift Of Willow Tree Collectibles

I was recently asked to share this article about Willow Tree Collectibles.  I had never heard of them, but after reading the information, I was eager to check them out.  Then, this evening Jeffrey and I attended an awards gala for Community Shining Star Award Finalists here in town. One of the finalists was sitting at our table, and she was given one of these figurines, appropriately called Shine.

It always amazes me how I can be completely unaware of something, and then when I find out about it - in this case these figurines - I'm suddenly seeing them everywhere.  Well, not everywhere, but what are the odds that I would just learn about them last week and then see someone receive one as a gift this week?

If, like me, you would like to learn more about Willow Tree Collectibles, read on:
If you're searching for a special gift that will really express your feelings, Willow Tree figures from the Demdaco Willow Tree collection could be the perfect choice.

Willow Tree figurines are unique collectibles that portray all of life's most touching moments, from the blissful arrival of a new baby to the happy excitement of holidays, birthdays, engagements, weddings, and anniversaries. They're a beautiful way to mark and remember special days in the lives of people you love.

But the Willow Tree collection goes beyond events and actually celebrates the deeply personal joy of relationships as well. The caring that holds families and friends together comes to life in these collectibles. They're the ideal way to tell someone "I love you" or let them know what they mean to you and how much you appreciate their presence in your life.

The Willow Tree collection is the creation of artist Susan Lordi, who uses her own friends and family for models as she painstakingly sculpts the original for each and every figurine. One of the things that makes this collection so unique is that while the figures are realistic and beautifully detailed, they're carefully crafted to be anonymous. Lordi says this makes it possible for everyone to see themselves and their loved ones in her art, so every figurine is truly personalized by the feelings of the giver and the receiver.

The figures have a lovely natural grace that makes them feel alive, and the way each figure is posed really expresses feelings in a way that's beyond words. The emotion behind each figure, whether it's love, joy, tenderness, or just the close connection you feel with someone special, comes through clearly.

Lordi's original sculptures are used as a pattern for the collectible figurines, which are cast in resin and hand-painted in warm, soft colors. The figures are delicate but durable, and are small enough to fit on a shelf, desk or table where they can be a constant reminder of that special day or relationship. The collection is affordably priced, so each figure is a luxury gift that's within anyone's budget.

The Willow Tree collection is available online at sites like Coppin's Gifts or at select retail stores.

Kind of neat, huh?

Thursday, November 05, 2015

Review: The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge

I just finished reading The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge.  I admit, I picked the book because the dog on the cover is quite cute, and the description sounded really interesting.

About the Book: (from Amazon)
A light-hearted love story about a young couple brought together by a four-legged bandit.
 

When a stray dog helps himself to a bone from a display in the supermarket, he doesn't know his actions will brand him a criminal and spark a romance between two humans. Stewart Coolidge works as a bag boy at the store, and his outraged boss offers a reward and demands Stewart catch the thieving animal. He fails at that, but now he finally has the perfect excuse to talk to his cute neighbor, Lisa.

Lisa has always dreamed of being a journalist and asks Stewart if she can interview him for the local paper. As she gets to know Stewart, she likes him more and more, and she's delighted to learn he shares her Christian faith. Stewart can't bring himself to tell her she's mistaken, that he's not religious at all. And that's not Stewart's only deception. When the dog shows up on the doorstep of their building, Stewart decides to harbor the furry fugitive. But this is no ordinary dog, he has a divine sense of how things should be--and recognizing how much Stewart needs Lisa, he decides to do all he can to bring them together.
While this book was OK and a fairly quick and simple read, I don't feel that it lived up to its description.  Things happened - the dog stole from the local grocery store (repeatedly) and Stewart took the dog in (instead of catching him and turning him over to the authorities), and then Stewart finally got to know the cute girl downstairs in the process.  It all sounds good, but it really didn't feel believable or that Point A really led to Point B.  The story just doesn't seem to carry itself, and I wasn't convinced.  I'm not sure that really makes sense, so obviously Jim Kraus is a better writer than I am, but I just don't think his writing is for me.

He's written several other books, several of them featuring animals used by God.  If you've read any of his other books and enjoyed them, I'm sure you'll like this one too, judging by the Amazon reviews.  I'd give this 3 stars.  I definitely didn't hate it, but it wasn't one of those books I'm going to be raving about or wanting to read again.  (So many books, so little time, and I don't even have time to read the entire list of books I really really want to read again.)


I received The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Oh, November!

These past few days have been absolutely glorious.  Sunshine and 70s in November mean only one thing - get outside and enjoy it!


I spent Monday afternoon raking leaves, not that you would know it now because that same part of the yard is again covered in leaves.  But that doesn't really matter.  I got to be outside.  In the sunshine.  In November.  I'll take it.



Bright leaves and brilliant blue skies.  It would have been a shame to stay inside all day.  I filled up both trash toters and two paper leaf bags and set them out by the street to be picked up Tuesday morning.  Of course, then on Tuesday morning I read something on Facebook that said there are scientific reasons for not raking your leaves.  Oh well.  I may keep that in mind, in case the weather isn't so nice next time the leaves need raked...

There are still a few leaves left on the tree, and they'll end up on the ground soon enough.  Along with those that have already fallen.  After I raked on Monday.


I got outside for a bit Tuesday and today, too.  Because I had to.  I told Jeffrey he should play hooky from work this afternoon and we should go for a ride on the motorcycle, but he couldn't.  Unfortunately.  I almost went walking again just to get out, but I ended up working in the garden instead pulling out the old bean plants and the lettuce that went to seed and dried up.  It will be interesting to see how much lettuce comes up in the spring.  There are still a few peppers on the plants and quite a few tomatoes so those plants will stay until the weather changes drastically.  Which it will.  They (the weathermen) keep saying it will.  We can all choose to ignore that, right?

What did you do with this amazing November weather?

Sunday, November 01, 2015

Magnetic Copper Bracelet from Earth Therapy


I've been wearing this Pure Copper Magnetic Bracelet pretty much all the time for a couple of months now.  I've heard good things about the benefits of copper and magnets - being an Effective Natural, Non Invasive, Pain Relief Aid for Arthritis, RSI, Carpal Tunnel, Migraines, and Fatigue.  This bracelet combines the two, being made from the Best Quality Solid Copper and including 6 Powerful Therapeutic Magnets, along with being sleek and stylish.

This bracelet is a medium Size (6.5") and adjusts to fit most sized wrists.  I have quite small wrists, so I have to squeeze it together until the ends almost meet.  It then fits securely with the magnets against my wrist, but it is loose enough to push up my arm when I'm trying to work.  I usually only take it off when I go out in the sun, since it's been summer, so I don't have a copper-bracelet-sized line on my arm.  And then I put it on again.  So far it seems to be holding up really well with all the squeezing and loosening of putting it on and taking it off.

I can't say for certain what the benefits of wearing this bracelet have been, but I have had some pain in my right shoulder for a while now.  I was trying to help Jeffrey carry parts of The Coolest Garden Ever, which he built in front of the house, and then they had to be carried to the back yard, and I ended up hurting my shoulder.  Thankfully a very nice young man lives next door, and he helped Jeffrey carry the majority of the garden sides to the back yard.  Anyway, my shoulder does still bother me occasionally, but I have noticed that it's usually on those evenings when I have taken the bracelet off and not yet put it back on.  So, I'm going to believe that it's helping, and I would certainly rather use something natural like this than even think about pain killers or drugs or anything like that.


I noticed that several reviewers (on Amazon) mentioned that the magnets in their bracelets fell out after just a few days, but like I said, I've been wearing this for a couple months, and I haven't had any problem with the magnets.  They're all right where they belong.  The bracelet is starting to look a little scratched up, because I do wear it all the time.  While I like the smooth look of this particular style, I think I'd go for one with a braided or designed look, like this Mens Heavyweight Pure Copper Magnetic Bracelet (which I really wanted to order, but I knew it would be too big for my wrist), if I were to order another one.  I think that would hide the wear better.

The bracelet comes with the Magnetic Therapy eBook "Heal Your Pain Through Magnetic Therapy" by Dr Tulsi Dabhi along with a RISK FREE. 60 Day Earth Therapy Full Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee and a 1 Year Product Warranty.  There are several other styles and sizes available.  Be sure to scroll down to the Special Offers and Promotions section to see how you can save when you buy two or more Earth Therapy products.

Disclosure: I received a Magnetic Copper Bracelet from Earth Therapy in exchange for my review.  All opinions are 100% mine.