Amber & The Greatest Art of All

For Nick's birthday, James gave Nick this amazing t-shirt.

Ghandi, the cow, and the spinning wheel are all cut and sewn felt pieces.  And the stitch work is absolutely amazing.

I was already glad Nick was born, but even more glad when the anniversary of his birth resulted in me getting to see this amazing art.  Win win!

Then, imagine how wholly blown away with thankfulness for both Nick's birth and James's commemoration of it when I, too, was gifted with an amazing work of art?  Win win win!

Amazing.  Look at how much work went into conveying the quintessential curliness of Pickles!

These amazing wearable art pieces are made by the amazing Melody Sia.  How she came to capture the spirit of Ghandi, Tiggy, Pickles and Ginger so amazingly well is absolutely beyond my comprehension.

Really, these t-shirts are a sort of wearable metonym for my life.  My shirt is the epicenter of my thankfulness for my friends like Nick, my appreciation of the kindess and generosity and sense of fun friends like James offer, and how freaking much i just love having kitties around me.  Or, specifically, having them on the front of my chest.

Bravo, friends.  And bravo, art.

Amber & Night Out

Usually, when we are at the River, having a night out means throwing some pizzas on the grill and sitting at the picnic table until the barely-see-ems get the better of me and I retreat inside because I can't physically carry the weight of any more OFF! spray.

But last night, we went out to the Water Wheel Café in celebration of Diana's birthday.

Here is a casual shot I took of the three friends during our meal.

Diana wore the same outfit to her birthday dinner that she wore to the Lady Bug Release at the M’Finda Kalunga community garden, home to our weekly CSA pick ups.  (I didn't comment on this to her directly.  She was the birthday girl after all.  And, anyway, it was weirder Nick kept his hat and sunglasses on inside for the whole meal.)

Jimmy took some amazing photos of that event which are worth seeing.

Even if my face is really asymmetrical in all of the ones in which I appear.

Happy birthday, Diana.

Amber & Friends Old and New

Hello, new friend little beetle guy who joined me during my work time at the picnic table.

You were very hard to photograph because you obviously had somewhere to be and could not hold still.  I've learned you are a grapevine beetle, and a member of the scarab family. And those tiny fans at the end of your antennae "increase the exposure of [your] sensillae to air."

And, hello, old friend River.

You jes keep rollin' along.

Amber & Happy for Others

I sure don't want to do this, but these people being happy makes me super happy.