Meet Solo

I love baby animals.  Baby anythings are so sweet.  This is Solo.  My cousin's dog found her at just a couple of days old, and was playing with her when my cousin rescued her and began bottle feeding her.  I know the stories, and trust me, they know the realities of raising a raccoon.  They have done it before and had their home trashed by some.  I just wanted to post this photo because it is just so adorable.  I got to hold her and pet her.  She wraps her little hand around your thumb and holds on when she drinks her bottle. 

I think it is such a great experience for kids to be exposed to wildlife, and learn about animals.  I love living so close to the Lindsay Museum.    I have taken many a fledgeling baby bird ther, been on 4 field trips there, and have taken my kids numerous times.  We love seeing all the animals they have rescued there...  Every time I look at this photo it just makes me smile...   Just a little something to share with all my blog pals out there today and hopefully put a smile on your face.  Hope you are enjoying the summer sunshine and enjoying all the beauty of nature, wherever you are.

Oh happy day

I am a HUGE Diana Gabaldon fan.  Her Outlander series of books featuring a time traveling nurse/doctor Claire and her Scottish highlander Jamie are my go to favorites when I really want to escape.  I have read them all a few times each, and they are so rich with content, every time, I find something I missed the previous read.  If you love historical romance novels featuring time travel, or novels set in the 18th century, you will love these books. 

I remember when I was in Spain almost 8 years ago, and her then latest book, I think it was A breath of Snow and Ashes was just out in stores.  I saw it in Madrid, but unfortunately it was in Spanish only... I wanted that book for the long 12 hour flight.  I bought it when I got home.  I came down with a wicked bad flu bug I caught in Italy, and with a 104 degree fever, I drug my sorry sick ass to B&N to get it.   I spent 2 glorious weeks in bed sick with the flu, reading the new one, and then rereading the old ones. 

I saw on her website she is currently writing the next book in the series, and I have been waiting YEARS for this one...  It is due out in early 2013...  considering how fast the time has flown by recently, I expect it will be out before I know it...

I find it interesting to note that my hubby's other last name, (his mothers maiden name, which all Spaniards use as a second last name) is Gabaldon... . That's actually how I saw the book in the Madrid bookstore, he picked it up and says jokingly... "Hey, this is my cousin".  Perhaps somehow very distantly... but how cool would that be?!

I can't WAIT to see what happens next...  with half of the family in the past, half in the present, I am looking forward to seeing what happens next...  I can't recommend these books enough.  I have had many tell me they started the first one, and couldn't get through the first few chapters.  I tell them to stick it out... It gets better as you go.  You fall in love with the characters and then you can't put the book down... I recently got them on cd and burned them to my laptop.  Now if I can figure out how to put it on my phone, I can listen to it on the way down and back to LA next month.  I want to reread the last one so I am all up to date and refreshed for the new one.....

free stuff friday

Today is a Free Stuff Friday.  I have been scanning a lot of old photos and trade cards.  I have quite a collection, and I love unique photos, people in glasses, smiling, children, double weddings and twins.   I thought I would share them with my blog pals.  feel free to copy and share these with all your friends.  If you would be so kind as to give them the link here, I would appreciate it.  Check back every month on the first Friday for free stuff.  Please leave a note here and let me know what kinds of things you would like to see on Free Stuff Fridays.