Hula who?

I have decided to go with Kate's suggestion.
When my followers hit the 200 mark, I will be giving away a rug.  I will post that day, announcing it, and I will give the winner their rug of choice.  Seems like a simple solution to me.
I love giveaways.   They just feel good.

Someone asked about my camera.   About two years ago, I decided I needed to buy myself a decent camera, for taking pictures of rugs for my web site.   A business purchase, so to speak.  I went to
Ken Rockwell's site,  spent a lot of time reading about cameras, and decided to buy a Nikon D40.  They don't make this camera anymore, but you can buy it on Ebay.  It is pretty comparable to the more expensive D80, it just doesn't have all the bells and whistles.  I do not  totally understand it all, I will be honest.  I am NOT a photographer.  What I do is take LOTS of pictures.  Crazy amounts of pictures.  So I get lucky.
I also bought a zoom lens, on Ebay, at about half what I would have paid new.
Mostly, I find that taking pictures, for me at least, is about perspective.  There's that word again.  And light.
And luck.
I so envy people that know what they are doing.  But trust me, that would not include me.  I just go with it.  Sometimes, I think that is one of my better qualities.  But if you ask, someone else might say.......not so much.



Today I left the studio at noon.  I had to get my grandkids off the bus, so I decided to take a couple of hours for myself.  Took myself to lunch, then spent a couple of hours in Borders book store.

Then I got a lesson in hula hooping..........

 I remember being able to do this once.

 And she makes it look so easy.

 But I tried it, and it isn't easy at all.

She is practicing for a talent show, and she is pretty proud of herself.

My daughter has a dog, a cat, and three birds.  Her husband doesn't really understand all these animals.
I have no idea where she gets this from.
This is Lukie.  He is all over me from the minute I walk through the door.

 And this is Max, Max eating an apple.

He likes to sit on my shoulder, and he tries to chew my necklace.

Here's my handsome grandson!!!!!!

Early in the winter, my fingers started splitting around the nails, and if you have ever had this happen, you know how painful it can be.  I had hand lotion in my purse, at the studio, at home, and I slathered it on every chance I got (don't ya' love that word, 'slathered'?)
Anyhow, it didn't help.  So I did a little googling, and came up with this.   I ordered it, and was surprised when I got it, that the instructions were to only put it on at bedtime.  What?  How could that help?
Well, apparently the folks at O'Keefe's know what they are talking about,  because it does work.  My fingers have stopped splitting, and I hardly use any lotion at all during the day.
Then I found out that you don't have to order it online, you can buy it at Lowe's!  And bigger surprise, it's in the paint aisle, next to the solvents.  Go figure.
I am not getting paid by O'Keefe's, I am just a happy customer, and I will continue to use this product.
So if you have dry, cracked, chapped hands, this stuff is for you.

Now I am going to peruse my goodies from Borders, so I will bid you all good night.
I got some reading to do.