Stunning Art

Humbled by true talent. ::sigh::

Thought of You from Ryan Woodward on Vimeo.

Second Wind from Ian Worrel on Vimeo.

Farewell Tony Hillerman.

Tony Hillerman was born in Sacred Heart, OK on May 27, 1925. He was the youngest of three children, having an older brother and sister. His father, August A. Hillerman, was a storekeeper and farmer. His mother was Lucy Grove Hillerman.

He attended school from 1930-38 at St. Mary's Academy, a boarding school for Native American girls at Sacred Heart. He was one of several farm boys enrolled there. Sacred Heart was near a Benedictine mission to the Citizen Band Potowatomie Tribe. For high school, he was bused to Konawa High School. He graduated in 1942. He returned to farming after a brief sojourn to college and after his father's death.
In 1943, he joined the U. S. Army, serving in combat in World War II. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart after being wounded in 1945. (These injuries included broken legs, foot, ankle, facial burns, and temporary blindness.) He was discharged in 1945.

After the war, he attended the University of Oklahoma, receiving a B. A. in 1948.
He married Marie Unzner in 1948, to whom he is still married. They have six grown children.

From 1948-1962, he worked in a variety of journalist positions. He was a reporter for the Borger News Herald in Borger, TX (1948), city editor for the Morning Press-Constitution in Lawton, OK (1948-50), political reporter for UPI in Oklahoma City (1950-52), UPI bureau manager in Santa Fe, NM (1952-4), political reporter and then, editor for the Santa Fe New Mexican (1954-63).

In 1963, he returned to graduate school in English at the University of New Mexico. He was an assistant to the University president at the same time. He joined the journalism faculty of UNM in 1966 after receiving his M.A. He taught there until 1987, serving as department chair from 1976-81.

Although he says he feels great for the shape he's in, his health has been a concern. He told PBS in 1996, " I am 71, have now-and-then rhematic arthritis but now very badly, have in-remission cancer, have had a minor heart attack, have one mediocre eye, one tricky ankle and two unreliable knees due to being blown up in WWII. "

His memoirs were published in October, 2001. It won the Agatha Award for Best Non-Fiction.

Tony passed away in a NM hospital on October 26, 2008.

Biography courtesy of University of Missouri - St. Louis

His Navajo Mysteries

• The Shape Shifters. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
• Skeleton Man. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
• The Sinister Pig. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
• The Wailing Wind. New York: HarperCollins, 2002.
• Hunting Badger. New York: Harper, 1999
• The First Eagle. New York: Harper,1998.
• The Fallen Man. New York: Harper,1997.
• Sacred Clowns. New York: Harper,1993.
• Coyote Waits. New York: Harper,1990.
• Talking God. New York: Harper,1989.
• A Thief of Time. New York: Harper,1988.
• Skinwalkers. New York: Harper,1986. Reprinted 1987. Bestseller List, 1986. This book won the Western Writers of America Spur Award in 1986.
• The Ghost Way. New York: Harper, 1984. Reprinted 1986.
• The Dark Wind. New York: Harper, 1982. Reprinted 1983.
• People of the Darkness. New York: Harper, 1980. Reprinted 1982.
• Listening Woman. New York: Harper, 1978. Reprinted 1979.
• Dance Hall of the Dead. New York: Harper, 1973. Reprinted in 1975. MWA Edgar Allen Poe Award for the Best Mystery Novel of the West, 1973.
• The Blessing Way. New York: Harper, 1970. Reprinted in 1978. This book was a finalist for the Best First Novel Edgar Allen Poe Award.
  

A complete list of his works can be found here.

Happy Birthday Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor (August 28, 1915-June 18, 2008)

Dear Tasha,
You lived your life the way that made you happy; and never allowed any external forces define you. There is so much to be admired in that. Happy Birthday. Wherever you are.

"Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. I'm sure it's possible. When I die, I'm going right back to the 1830s. I'm not even afraid of dying. I think it must be quite exciting." ~Tasha Tudor

Official Site
Memorial Page

Etsy Feature

I am now a proud member of the EtsyBloggers Street Team. That means that I am part of a large group of Etsy shop-owners who have banded together to promote our shops and our hand-made products.

One of my duties is to create a promotional post every month for a featured Etsy shop. This month’s featured shop is “Tulip’s Treasure Box”. I’m really excited about this aspect of being a member of the EstyBloggers Street Team; simply so I can become acquainted to the huge variety of lovely handmade products that can be found on Etsy. Here's Tulip's Blog too.

Stunning!

Tulip’s Treasure Box features some really gorgeous hand-made jewelry pieces, as well as handy ‘upcycled’ tee-totes and beautiful beads. She is currently having a sale on some of her items. I recommend you check my fellow EstyBlogger Street Teammate, and also take a moment to browse the cornucopia of creativity that is Etsy. Support crafters and the artists!

Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter!

Helen Beatrix Potter (July 28, 1866 - December 22, 1943)

Thank you for bringing such magic and imagination to my childhood; and thank you for being such an inspiration to me.

Kind words from Tasha Tudor's staff

If you don't know who Tasha Tudor is, please follow this link and enlighten yourself. If you are any measure of a artist, crafter, creature of creativity and imagination, I'm sure you'll develop the same appreciation for the life of this woman as her fans have.

She was a character to be remembered ~ a woman out of her time, a soul of whimsy and playfulness, and beauty. She lived her life as she wanted; stepping away from the rat-race and using her unique vision to create a livelihood and a lifestyle that many of us long for, but do not have the courage to pursue.

She died recently. We fans are very saddened, I shed some tears. I sent a note to her website after her passing, expressing my sympathy to her family. They wrote back and said:

"Thank you so much for your kind words during this difficult time. It has been such a joy to read how Tasha touched so many lives, including our own."

http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/

It's sad to know the world goes on without a Tasha Tudor in it. However I choose to believe there are other souls out there to keep her type of vision going.

Farewell Tasha. :(

Pearls Before Swine ~ another Pastis moment

Snuffles the kitty is one of my favourite characters just because of the way he's drawn. A little puff ball with a face. Cute, yes, but do not be fooled. He is apparently also a dangerous Arms Smuggling Terrorist too.

Stephan Pastis is my hero.

I confess I'm addicted to "Pearls Before Swine". This cartoon has exceeded the highest benchmarks of cuteness known to man. From the inept crocs to the militant duck, there isn't a character I don't adore.

I hereby proclaim my adoration for this strip and for the ex-attorney that creates it. There's a rat that reminds me too much of myself, a sweet, clueless pig you can't help loving, the packs of crocs which apparently if they are adult males, acquire a strange speech impediment/accent, a duck that likes rocket launchers, lions who enjoy the benefit of hardworking wives, a teen croc and 'zeeba' that fall in love, and so much more.

It's clever, it's relevant, and god damn if it isn't cute as hell.

I tend to email the author frequently with annoying comments. For instance, I was so shocked by his recent decision to vilify the seemingly adorable and harmless (except to Crocs) kitten-katten "Snuffles", that I sent him an email to inform him of my astonishment. He's an affable, nice guy.

Thanks Stephan. :) I love your work.