The Other Me

And because it happens to be Martha's birthday, Microbo is saying "Hello!"

So this thing about the grand cookie swap of 2011...
You do remember I was going to participate to a cookie swap?



Well, there was some rules:
- Bake three dozen cookies
- Mail each dozen to three persons whose address has been provided by the Swap Team.
- Eat the dozens you've received (optional)
- Blog about it (so it's not like the Fight Club or anything).

Which is why we're here.
( So let's go back to the actual making of the cookies... )

Yunnan tea and "Another Bloody Love Story" by Rachel Green
A most excellent read.

The Night Garden project started last year as an effort to raise money - through art - for the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue.

The impulse for this project is my friend Lorraine, who has five of the not so wee beasties at home and would gladly save them all single handed if she could. But she can't.

Bred for people who think - by and large - that they can get a mini leopard as a lap cat, those cats cost a fortune (just like any pedigree cats). But they do get abandoned all the same when their new owners realize that, yes, they are cute creatures but definitely no lap cats.


(this is Mim, as a kitten, in a rare moment of pause)

As Lorraine puts it, a Bengal is "A lot of cat". They are very active creatures, so need space to play in, need and therefore demand a lot of attention and a lot of love. And some people can't just cope with the demand.

And then there are the shelters or the breeding farms are are closed down, calling for emergency actions, relocation, fostering homes, medical care - some kitties are terribly abused - meaning that a lot of time, energy and money is being spent by rescue groups like the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue.

So the Night Garden has put up a zazzle charity shop using some of the pieces sent to the editors. All proceeds go to the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue. I provided pictures for a couple of mugs there.
If you are willing to contribute some art, please see the general submission guidelines.

In addition, this month, musician Jason Webley is giving as creative prompt his song "Back to the Garden". This is both a call for artistic submissions AND a fund raiser. Entries are welcome until 30th April.

Will you help us take those magnificent yet abused and abandoned kitties to the Night Garden?


(Magic, the must abused F1 Bengal, now a mug star at Zazzle for the Night Garden)

Today is launch date for Susan Henderson's latest book "Up from the Blue"

Up From The Blue: A Novel from Susan Henderson on Vimeo.

Drop by LitPark to know more!

I don't write much these days but I read a lot.
And this is what I am reading now:



Bear Ridge to Nettle Lane by Rachel Green
Don't miss out on it.