Alfresco

After coddling my "wildflower meadow" for several years I'm finally getting some results. This Queen Anne's Lace flower illustrates "2 Things, alfresco".

Foreshorten

This old tree was shot from the base to illustrate this weeks 2 Things topic "foreshorten".

Button The End

Push button here at the end of Lucky!

Soft

This box of powder sits on my bedside table and I love the scent it gives at night while I am reading.

Shapes

Just a pile of rocks I picked out of the driveway. I am late with my contribution such as it is. I was going for something that would concentrate on the shapes.

Victory!

I dedicate this post to the dog I featured in a previous post and to all mistreated animals everywhere.

I want to share this joyous letter and news from Wayne Purcell, President and CEO of The Humane Society of The United States:

Dear Bobbie,

I wanted to be the first to share with you some fantastic news. Today President Bush signed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act into law. This is the culmination of an almost six-year campaign by The Humane Society of the United States and our allies to enact meaningful federal penalties for animal fighting.

The law takes effect immediately. It provides felony penalties for interstate commerce, import and export related to animal fighting activities, including commerce in cockfighting weapons. It will make it much harder for criminals who engage in dogfighting and cockfighting to continue their operations. Each violation of the federal law may bring up to three years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine for perpetrators.

We are fortunate to have had steadfast Congressional leadership on this issue. But this campaign would not have been a success without your tireless efforts. Thank you again to each of you who sent emails, made phone calls, wrote letters and visited your federal legislators on Capitol Hill and in their home districts.

This victory reminds us to never to give up, and that there are rewards for compassionate action and perseverance. Please share this tremendous news with others and let them know that you had a part in making it happen.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

* * * * One Thousand White Women

One Thousand White Women: The Journals Of May Dodd a novel By Jim Fergus

At first I thought this book was going to be corny. But I persevered and am so glad I did because I'll be remembering this book for a long time. The book is based on a supposed historical event where Cheyenne Chief Little Wolf asks the government to trade one thousand white women for horses. Regardless of the truth of this event, it is a good story and I enjoyed it immensely.

Hell Money

Here is a neat article about "hell money", which is really "heaven money".

http://www.bigwhiteguy.com/baskets/hell.php

If above link doesn't work do this one and use search for hell money.
http://www.bigwhiteguy.com/

* * * * The Yacoubian Building

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany


I love this book. It is about the inhabitants of the Yacoubian Building, some of which rent space on the roof. There is a huge cast of characters and I enjoyed the switching from chapter to chapter, giving a real challenge in remembering who is who (but the author kindly provides a list of characters at the beginning of the book). I just didn't want it to end and felt that the ending was a little abrupt leaving a few lives with an unsatisfactorily end.

A Great Day In New Mexico

Today was a great day in New Mexico when Governor Bill Richardson signed into law legislation banning cockfighting. This leaves Louisiana as the only state remaining where this brutal bloodsport is still legal. Read more about this major victory for animals. There is hope!