Nicole, thanks for the filling us in on the photo. What a drag you missed the majority of the cranes. Would love to go to the crane festival some year. Wouldn't even mind seeing the alligator farm. Love animals of all types. well, except mosquitoes and ticks. :-) The elementary school at the end of our street "seeded" their playground just for the flocks of Canada Geese that fly through here. :-) It's an awesome site though to see bunches of geese populating the school's field and spilling out onto the sidewalk and street in the middle of a residential area. Some of the males stand in the middle of the street with their lady and try to stop cars from passing by holding out their wings. I don't know of any that have been hit, it's a street feeding three cul-de-sacs so not much traffic. But I have gotten out of my car to move the geese on so others could pass. We have the same problem with Egyptian Geese. Jodi-

Hi Pam 25f ... ... do you live in Australia ... ... or did your dog originate there? Looks a bit like a pic made at the rock bottom, o' the world. ole joyful

socks, yes I do wear my pins. Of course I have favorites that I wear often and then some that haven't been worn for years. I have not read Madeline Albrights book. I remember putting it on my Christmas list at the time it was published, didn't get it then and had completely forgotten about it. Thanks Casey and socks for reminding me. I will be on a hunt for it. Alisande, great site your amber jewelry friends have. I found several things to think about for future gift giving. Lots of info on the site, thanks for posting it. Caflowerluver, love your Doxies too!

ha! My brain short-cutted through some letters and first read jim's description as manzanita trees, and I thought. "No they aren't." Love the twisting growth.