Love

The Frenchie, the Gull, and the Fish

/ still a dreamer / 6 Comments

It’s just a minor seaside disagreement as to the ownership of one small colorful fish. Entitled “My Fish!”, this is my original art available as a giclée print, in my Etsy shop.

For those not familiar, I once illustrated Just Frenchies magazine for 10 years. From this, I grew a small business focused on my French Bulldog art, eventually moving to a shop on Etsy. While this is not the direction where I am headed now, I continue to share some of my French Bulldog art, terrier art, carousel horses, etc, as cards and prints.

Feel free to stop by my shop!

We Are the Light in the World

/ still a dreamer / 2 Comments

In a world where too many leaders could truly care less if we live or die,

In a world where there is far too much suffering and unnecessary death,

In a world where there is too much darkness,

We need to remember – we are the light.

We are the ones who can help heal this broken world, through our love and compassion for all life.

The ways are endless – hold open the door for someone; check on a neighbor; provide food for the hungry; volunteer; make a donation to an organization that helps humans, animals, the planet. Calm yourself, feel the love inside you, and send it out to the world. Just be kind.

Our light is needed. Please keep shining.

Photos: Thank you to: Gantas/Pexels (top Photo) and Jeremy Bishop/unsplash

A Book Review

/ still a dreamer / 4 Comments

At this particular moment in time, there are literally scores of things that I could write about – some that I’d really like to, and some that might be helpful to, just to get it all out of my head.

So, I’ll write a book review.

I preface this by saying that biographies are not my usual reading genre, but historical fiction is my most often-read. This falls someplace in between. It came very highly recommended, and Hedy Lamarr had a fascinating life, so I dove in.

I had some problems with the story. While I realize that the book focused on a particular period of her life, I felt that the first half+ of the book focused more on the history of Austria prior to the 1938 Nazi invasion/takeover than it did on Hedy. It was more history than I needed to understand her situation.

The biographical elements picked up once she came to Hollywood, where we got to know her better through her role as a screen star, a budding inventor, and her relationships. She developed the technology known as frequency-hopping to be applied to the accuracy and success of torpedoes hitting their targets in the war (and which now ensure the security of our cell phones.). Her accomplishment was buried because she was a woman.

However, since this is written in first person, I wanted to feel more for Hedy. Her life was often very painful, but the writing lacked emotion, and Hedy just seemed too distant. Written in third person, I might have felt differently. In terms of other-character development, it was lacking because of this POV.  In the end, I wanted to know Hedy better – yes, her emotional experience, but also her brilliance in her accomplishments – she did so much more, and I don’t feel I really got either. 2.75 stars.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

/ still a dreamer / 5 Comments

Isn’t it wonderful to start a new book and find it to be much better than you expected? This is one of those books.

In a tiny Tokyo café, one can time-travel to the past or future to meet the person they’re in a relationship with. There are several rules – the most critical is that you must return before the coffee gets cold. Another is that whatever transpires in the visit cannot change the future.

This tenderly told novel contains four stories about pairs of “regulars” in the cafe – lovers, husband and wife, sisters, parent and child – who time travel to see, know, or share one more thing about/with the person they love.

I am both charmed and touched by Kawaguchi’s debut novel.

Reaching Out for Love

/ still a dreamer / 4 Comments

It was a small shop in Easton, PA called The Nature Nook, maybe a decade or so ago. The beautiful craft items were all nature and wildlife themed, but the big attraction for me was the wide variety of lizards and reptiles in the store.

What I immediately liked about these people is how intensively they screened potential purchasers/adopters. They had no qualms about saying `no’ if they didn’t feel you’d be the right home.

I walked around the shop, admiring the incredible beauty of these animals. The shopkeeper walked with me, explaining what each one was, and a bit about them. I was not looking to bring one home, just admiring them, as I love animals.

We came to the cage of a stunning turquoise blue chameleon, and she took him out, handling him gently. I looked at him with soft amazement. He looked back at me, and reached his arms out to me, the universal gesture of wanting to be held.

Still unsure, I asked her, “What does he want?”

“He wants you to hold him,” she said. “He obviously really likes you.”

With some hesitation, I put out my hands, held him under his arms, and drew him closer. He curled up on my chest and closed his eyes. A few tears slid down my face. I was just so honored that this magnificent creature related to me that way.

I didn’t want to ever give him back; he was so sweet. Eventually, of course, I did, feeling terribly guilty that he would have to stay in a cage until a good person came along. But I will be forever grateful for that moment.

That gesture, so simple, reaching out for love with such trust and innocence. We, as humans, are supposed to be at the top of the chain here on Earth. But look at us. Can we not do better? Can we not reach out a little more?

Photo: Alex Cofaru / Shutterstock