true story

Today I thought I would share a few photos with you!

We have a waterfall on our back patio, constructed from natural boulders...
and from one of these boulders, we have a little cactus growing and thriving!
And today, she bloomed! It was glorious and shocking and pink! How does something
just grow out of stone??? It looks like there might be three more flowers to come!

I met these six mini donkeys last week! They are so little, and very curious!
I pulled up to the fence, and the leader came to see me. When he gave them the
"signal" that I was ok, they all made their way over and I enjoyed petting and
loving on them! What's better than a donkey?? SIX mini donkeys!!

I thought it would be fun to share my growing donkey collection with you!
Someone told me, "You should start collecting $100 bills, see where that gets ya!"
Well, smarty pants...my donkeys are much cuter! I love each one!! This first one is
Quintin...my felted donkey (#2)...Chris bought him for me through etsy.com from
Lithuania, and Poppy and Ocho unfortunately ate Quintin #1 because they thought he was
a toy. Chris was so sweet to have her make another one for me...I love this little guy!

Top left: enamel pendant on a necklace, from Mimi, a souvenier from New York! Top right:
my laughing donkey planter from Chris! Bottom left: metal, colorful donkeys from a variety
of sources: Neeley, Mimi, Kim Kent, and me! Bottom right: enamel donkey from New York,
from Mimi; he opens along the line of diamonds, and inside was the necklace!

Top left: delicious, sweet wine from Fredericksburg (I also have Kick Ass!) Top right:
photograph greeting card from Jyl, from Ruidosa! Bottom left: donkey soap souvenier
from Nadene to commemorate our trip to the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary! Bottom right:
silver pendant for a handmade necklace from Allison!

Top left: yard ornament of a donkey with a cart full of painted veggies from Susie!
Top right: another metal donkey from one of our Fredericksburg trips! Bottom left:
green donkey cookie cutter from Allison! Bottom right: sweetest little donkey ornament
to celebrate the donkey's role in the Christmas story, from my aunt Karen!

Top left: snow globe showing the nativity, including the donkey, from Kim Kent!
Top right: very, very fragile nativity donkey from my grandma Gene and grandpa Al!
Bottom left: two perfect donkeys from Israel; one a mosaic of colorful stones and one
hand carved from olive wood with the Jeresulum star! Bottom right: rusted
metal donkey "piggy" bank from the Buffalo Gap flea market!

Top left: framed donkey painting from Kathy Byram's mom's art studio, which
hangs in my office at work! Top right: turquoise donkey magnet as a souvenier from
Disney World, thanks to Allison! Bottom left: handmade donkey pinata birthday card
for #39 from the Marketing Department -- made by Allison! Bottom right:
large ceramic donkey from a nativity set from Susie; marble donkey incense burner
from our nurse practitioner Trish; Day of the Dead clay donkey from our cruise to Mexico;
and my very FIRST donkey, and the littlest one of all -- the yellow glass donk from Faith!

And finally! My canvas tote bag from my bestie Kim Halfmann...she found a photo
of a painting that I pinned on pinterest.com, and had a custom tote made for me...
I absolutely love this bag and use it all the time!

Bet you didn't realize that I had quite a collection, did you!? I didn't really either, until I started photographing them!! Many more to come, I am quite sure!! Just a little fun for today!