Chicken Soup for the Puppy

I’m almost 55, and I hadn’t made homemade chicken soup in my entire life. Until I got my Bearded Collie puppy. Like many of us these days, I’d experienced monumental losses in every aspect of my life during the past 12 months, but I gradually recovered to the point where I wanted to bring another 4 legged creature into my life. I was considering volunteer work, perhaps even being a foster-Mom until my pooch materialized, so I contacted Jim Sullivan in Medford Oregon, to see if he needed help with rescued Bearded Collies. I was told Beardie rescues are few and far between, but he suggested a few local organizations which might need a helping hand. The rest of the story plus photos

The Accidental Artesan

How did I go from being a successful career gal to struggling artist? 
In four words, I BOUGHT A BOAT.

In 1997, my partner and I were living in Oregon when we had a pivotal discussion about everyman's dream:  quitting our jobs, buying a boat and heading for the Caribbean.  A self-taught artist in my spare time, I dreamt of painting for real on some tropical isle like Gauguin.  I knew absolutely nothing about boating, but the idea sounded so appealing (and romantic) that four months we were proudly sitting on our 1971 33-ft Marine Trader which we'd renamed Ruff Life.

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