My Calendars Are Printed

Every year for the past - I don't know, but there are been many - years, I have designed and printed a calendar. It started out as a way to showcase quotations that took my fancy throughout the year. It became a way to commemorate special holidays and observances.

The calendar grew from a handmade creation printed on a copy machine - the first year I stamped all of the illustrations with hand-carved rubber stamps...and that was the only year that I employed that method. Three years ago I invited my creative friends to submit their drawings, paintings, photographs, etc., for each month's illustration. It has been the most fun to see what everyone submits and the calendar is gorgeous, dynamic and eclectic. Production quality has improved, too, as I have begun using a professional printer, enabling the reproduction of full color pages.

The calendars are my holiday gifts to the contributors and I get to enjoy the end product all year long. Thank you, friends.

Possum the Sequel

I was awakened by a clattering in the back hall. I investigated and found a couple of jars were knocked off the shelves - my back hall has shelving and is my pantry. I figured I had mis-stacked some items and went back to bed. All was quiet. The next night - same thing. This time a jar of marachino cherries was on the floor broken - and some other stuff. The other stuff smelled like cherries and something much less pleasant.

It turns out that sweet little possum that I had found earlier at my back door, was now in my back hall. He apparently snuck in when the cats were out. So how come the cats did not dispatch him. Fifty-one sharp little teeth may be one reason.

Anyway, after dismantling the pantry and judicious use of a broom, the little guy was on his way into the neighbor's yard. He can go be cute over there for a while.