Willow Tree

In Memorium

There are no words. I just think the world has lost something bright and beautiful.

Can Someone Explain to me Why

If the whole reason Terri is in the state she is in now ia because excessive dieting resulted in a heart attack, then how come her heart is still beating strong after 13 days without food or water?

Tonight

I fixed the Artist's doll, sewing her head back onto her body. Surgeons can breathe a sigh of relief; I am not going to be coming after their job. But I did the job.

The Monkey spent three years (well it felt that way) arranging her dolls on her bed. She even had to referee a fight between two of the dolls. The two littlest ones both wanted to sleep next to her. She is such a lucky Ima, to have her dolls fighting to sit next to her. She settled the arguement admirably; both dolls were given places beside her.

I'm lucky. My children are healthy and my worries are slight.

My prayers are with the Schindler family. I really pray they win this fight, and they can have their daughter Terri to love for the rest of her natural life. Keep fighting for her, keep praying for her.

I am Thankful

That there wasn't another tsunami, but 1,000 dead?
Too much.

I've Been Trying To Clarify

My thoughts on why I find removal of a feeding tube differed from a respirator.
And Soccer Dad helped me to do so.

Many of us who opposed the removal of Terry Schiavo's feeding tube see nutrition as being the equivalent of air to breathe. Cut off her nutrition and it's the same as cutting off her air. You might as well put a pillow over her face. For those who champioined the removal of her feeding tube it's a medical decision; no different from a respirator for someone whose lungs are failing.

If a person is hooked up to a respirator, and is in a vegetative state, it is both the body and the mind that are lost. The body is being kept going artificially.

Terri's digestive system is working fine; it is only the mode of entering food into her system that is different from most others. To remove the feeding tube is the equivalent of putting her in a box until the oxygen runs out. (To choose a less active method). Could anyone countenance such an action (if in fact she doesn't feel pain why not?) Isn't that the same thing as what is being done to her now?

And Here's This Beautiful Piece

Marianne M Jennings writes about what it is like to care for a child, now 18, whose lower functioning than Terri; it brougth tears to my eyes. I urge you to read it.

Exactly

I think this best sums up how I feel.

I Just Don't Know What To Say

Someone is dying, there, realistically, isn't a whole hell of a lot I can do about it, and yet I just go on doing. Everything seems so false and lopsided. I don't know if that makes sense or not. Someone's being tortured to death---whether you agree with that or not it is how I feel, and yet I just go on. And next year, you know what? How many of us will really remember this?

No I Wouldn't Like to Live Like That

I would not like to live as Terri is living; it is not exactly the choice of the month. I doubt if anyone in their right mind would choose to live as she has been living.

But I don't want to die like she is being killed either.

If forced into that position I would want someone coming into my room and talking to me. I would want music put on. I would want a massage and to be taken out to see flowers and trees. I would want to be loved.

Effects of Dehydration

Right Wing Nut House tells it like it is.

Why am I obsessing over this?

BECAUSE A WOMAN IS BEING MURDERED THAT'S WHY. And so many people seem okay with that.

Terri's Lot

If she were an animal what is being done to her would be against the law.
BTW, animal abuse laws were used to protect a child, Mary Ellen The child-protective laws of the state at that time just didn't cut it. It took applying to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to free this child from her cruel parents.

Via Cranky Greg's Views

828.12. Cruelty to animals

(1) A person who unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily mutilates, or kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, or carries in or upon any vehicle, or otherwise, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

828.13. Confinement of animals without sufficient food, water, or exercise; abandonment of animals

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Abandon" means to forsake an animal entirely or to neglect or refuse to provide or perform the legal obligations for care and support of an animal by its owner.

(b) "Owner" includes any owner, custodian, or other person in charge of an animal.

(2) Whoever:

(a) Impounds or confines any animal in any place and fails to supply the animal during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and water,

(b) Keeps any animals in any enclosure without wholesome exercise and change of air, or

(c) Abandons to die any animal that is maimed, sick, infirm, or diseased,

is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both imprisonment and a fine.

828.14. Water and food for stock on trains, vessels, etc.

(1) No person or corporation, or agent of either, engaged in transporting livestock on railway trains or on steam or sailing vessels, or otherwise, shall detain such stock for a longer continuous period than 28 hours after the same are so placed without supplying the same with necessary food, water, and attention, or shall permit them to be crowded so as to overlie, crush, wound, or kill each other; and any person or agent as aforesaid violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and any corporation violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083.

Please, Please, Please

Whatever your religion, please pray for Theresa Schiavo. There is a chance. The judge. There is a chance that the Department of Children and Family services may be able to take custody of Terri based on new evidence that she has been misdiagnosed and is in a state of minimal consciousness and not a persistent vegatative state.

Pleae take a moment to pray for this woman.

Death by dehydration and starvation should not be a method of treating the ill.

Terri Schiavo

The BLUE EYED INFIDEL makes a good point about starving Terri to death.

Here's the last line, but do go read the rest.

And it's also the reason why I think that you are completely batshit insane - not to mention a rotten human being - if you truly think it's wrong to let her live in a PVS state because she is capable of suffering by persisting in that state, but it's okay to starve her to death, because she is incapable of suffering from the long, slow, painful death of dehydration and starvation.

The supreme court turned down the parents request.
I guess if you can't prove you are alive and worth saving you out of luck. At least in Florida.

So I'm Fasting Today

It is Tanis Esther and I'll fast till sundown.

Terri Schiavo has been fasting since the 18th. I know a lot of people see this as a discontinuation of life support; she is really "dead" her body just doesn't know it yet. Bull.

This is murder. To do this to this woman is a slow, torturous murder.

From the blogs for Terri site comes this link to a doctor who, while in favor of disconnecting nourishment and hydration, does not feel it applies in this case, and feels that Terri may have been misdiagnosed as having PVS.

I repeat. This is murder, a slow, torturous murder.

At the very least the family should be allowed to try and feed and hydrate the woman by mouth. According to another doctor the fact that she can swallow her saliva indicates that she could swallow food.

Please, please G-d, a miracle for this woman?

What kind of world do we live in when the sick are treated as mere shells.

On the terrisfight site scroll down a bit to the third section and look at those clips.
She appears to respond. She laughs. She feels pain and joy. Because another can't imagine that as life, doesn't mean she is suffering; let at this woman's face when her mother walks in. Look at the clips. She is beaming.

She is alive.
Pray for her and do what you can.
She is alive.

Prayers for

It is absolutely disgusting to me that Terri would be starved to death. It seems such a horrible way to die. Even if she only has a few moments of awarness a day, why should those moments be spent in pain? I'm adding her to my prayer log.

The Interview

The Questions for Mozeman

Because it is about to be Purim and then Passover....

1. So how many bags of (name your favorite sugary posion) did you eat before making up those Shaloch Manos baskets?

2. What is your favorite Purim memory?

3. Put on your black hat. What is the Passover cleaning job you are now forcing all your evil minnions to do?

4. Will you please, please, please, come clean my house for Passover? I'll make you a nice dinner. (Sorry, if you are a Jewish mom you know why that pleas got to be in there.)

5. What is your favorite Passover meal? And no fair not giving over the recipe

So Who is Calling For a Civil War?

It isn't the settlers. I'll give you a hint

The fact is a war has been declared on the people of the Gush Katif area, they have not started the fight, and despite the crowds and crowds of anti-disengagement people (100, 000's anti-disengagement vs. fewer than 10,000 pro the disengagement.) there haven't been calls for violence on our part. The hatred that is spewing from the "Peace Now" segment of the populace makes one wonder what exaclty these people mean by peace? I think they mean "surrender"---and they are willing to hurt anyone who isn't willing to advance with hands-up and head bowed.

Still Waiting

For someone to take me up on an offer to interview them. Have I not put enough Jewish mother into the request? I'm trying hard to come up with a good guilt trip to lay on you all but....(sigh) I guess my Jewish mom skills aren't what thought they were. So if anyone of you wants to request a deeply probing, highly intelligent, sophisticated interviwe, which will reveal the true you to the world, I think you need to find someone else.

For pure wackiness and fun, ask for me!

Cuddle Time

The Monkey is turning into a real snuggle-ball lately. Her latest thing is to demand some cuddle time with me before she leaves for school. She snuggles deep into my arms and relaxes there for a few minutes. For so many years this little girl was almost all "daddy's girl" prefering him to me in most cases. Recently my value has gone up in her eyes...her age? A new passage in life? The fact that Aba is only here for her in the mornings and I'm there more often or what? I like my ascendency, to tell the truth, I love the morning cuddles and her highly emotional declarations of love and admiration for me. Hey, it's not like a whole lot of other people are tossing the accolades out!!!!

Mommy hood definitely has its ups and downs, and at least with the Monkey I"m in an up phase; and I'm going to enjoy it as long as it lasts.

The Interview Game

Here's the rules to the game, my answer is below.

1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me". The first five commenters will be the participants.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. (Write your own questions or borrow some.)

Here's my response to Jim's questions.

1) What tasks would you most like to have an army of trained monkeys (not "The Monkey") do for you?

Clean my house. Could there be any other answer? I HATE HOUSECLEANING!!!!

2) What's the most bizarre thing to happen to you lately?

I'm not certain it could be considered bizzare, but the closest thing to come to bizzare is a call I received from my husbands cousin saying she was living in Israel now, had been living here since the fall, and was in fact living in Gush Katif. (She had actually made aliyah before us, but had gone to the USA for a couple of years) What makes it bizzare wonderful is how well we hit it off! We finally did get to meet recently and after our get together, I kept thinking, "Where has this soul sister been all my life!!!"

3) If you had one moment to do over, to either change the outcome or savor the moment again, which moment would it be?

When we decided to stay in the USA and try and pay off our student loans and then go to Israel. I wish we had decided to go to Israel straight away, before children.

4) What does Israel need to do to ensure its prosperity and security?

Almost the complete opposite of what we are doing now. We have to tell the world this is our country, you have not suffered what we have suffeed, so back off. We need to stop worrying about how other's see us and focus on how G-d sees us. G-d gave us this land and we have a duty to protect her and the her Holy Places. Strength without concession, that is the only real way to peace.

5) What's your idea of a romantic evening?

A nice dinner, that I haven't had to prepare, no kids, lots of cuddling on some deserted beach; the soft shushing of the waves against the beach, the scent of the sea, the twinkling of stars in the sky, then after a light dinner, more cuddling in a minimally furnished room facing the beach, with a lovely fire roaring in the fireplace, and glasses of red wine, chilled just so.

So While I'm Blabbing about Juries

Rishon Rishon is reminding us in who the original Palestinians were.

Juries on Trial

I read an interesting article in the NY times today on the death penalty in Califorinia, Jews and black women. The gisst of the article is that Jews (and black women, but the focus was mainly on Jews) were excluded from death penalty cases because of the belief on the part of at least one judge (but indications that other judges concurred, and acted similarly) that Jews would never be able to send a human to his or her death. The judge, who died a few years ago, was himself Jewish. The main accusations of prejudice come from a former prosecutor, who actually prosecuted the case which is the basis of the argument, in a writ of habeaus corpus. The contention is the trial was thus not fair and the man should have his sentence overturned and I suppose proceede to another trial. Other death penalty cases are of course affected.

Whether there is truth in this contention; that Jews and black-women were deliberately excluded from death-penalty cases, is not the crux of the matter, at least to me. From my readings it appears that the truth is Jews were deliberately excluded, but as I said, that is neither here nor there.

IF they were, and arguing from that basis, what should hte result be? I'm interested in the second step. Shold the verdicts be overturned? For the most part I'm against the death penalty as I find how it is applied in the USA goes against Torah principles---so a huge part of me is shouting OVERTURN!!! OVERTURN!!! simply because even if the person is guilty, in the majority of the cases I'd rather see life behind bars (and life, unto death) then the death penalty.

However, should this mean a wholesale overturning of all verdicts presided over by this particular judge? I don't know. Would it make a difference in the end? What is being judged is NOT the evidence, but the abilty to afix the sentence the guidelines require if one is a Jew or a black-woman. The implication on the part of the defense must be the verdict would be different, because either the remainder of the people are either more likely to afix a judgement of death or that Jews and black-women are less likely to do so, in either case, it would seem the defense is arguing, at least subtly, that the bias is correct. Overturn, retry with Jews and black-women on the jury and in at least some of the cases the judgement will be for a lesser sentence.

So then comes the age old question; what is a jury of one's peers? How does someone decide that a particular group of 12 is really fit to judge a particular person in a particular case? If you exclude from the jury those that would not put a person to death, should one also exclude those who feel one SHOULD under certain cirucumstances, put a person to death? How is any jury really fair? Should the job of juror become a professional one, where one's skills, intelligence, ablity to remain awake are assessed, and where there is a modicum of understanding of law? Rather than a jury of peers should we have a professional jury, trained, licensed and paid a living wage? What would be on the tests? Science and law, I would think, but what else? And how often, if at all, would they need to update their licenses?

I don't know about you all but this stuff fascinates me.

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Off To Work

The Agent goes.

He has a job as a construction worker now. He rushed off in the morning, came back for a quick bite of food and rushed off again, coming home in the early evening sweaty, dirty and tired, saying "Ima, food, computer" before he rushed up and hit the showers.

I can remember when avoiding the showers was his main goal in life and the thought of work would bring a rash! Now he is grunting and swating and operating this pulley thingee to lift heavy items from the ground through the second story window. And helping me, without complaining, with whatever needs to be done.

It is trite sounding, maudilin, unimaginative, and all those adjectives thrown in. A repeat of what millions of moms and dads have said in the past---but where did the child go? How did these years pass by so fast?

I feel like singing a rendition of Sunrise, Sunset.

Oh the Angst!

Hey I could have predicted this! I know I've a loner personality. Too much togetherness makes me antsy. So nu, what's your score?
(via Joel of Pax Nortona

You scored as Loner. Loner 88% Stoner 31% Punk/Rebel 31% Drama nerd 31% Goth 31% Geek 25% Ghetto gangsta 13% Prep/Jock/Cheerleader 0% What's Your High School Stereotype? created with QuizFarm.com

Bedtime Hugs

The Monkey snuggled up in my arms, a story was read, and then, because she was missing her sister, off at a sleepover, I told her a story.

The storyline was simplistic, and, admittedly rather insipid. If I told this tale to anyone, oh let's say over 7, and asked if it were sellable, I would be laughed out of the room. The only positive attribute of the story was that it did have a beginning (a little girl has a magic stone which takes her to a secret world when she is mad/sad) a middle (the little girl's big sister goes away to a friends house, and the little girl goes to the secret garden) and an end (the little girl is lonely in the secret place. She leaves and finds her big sister, sitting all alone, sad, and lost. (The big sister part was added by the Monkey.) Little sister takes big sister to her secret place. The end. The little girl is a heroine, and even has her big sister back.

But there were two things the story had that made it special to the Monkey. The story was about her--her smile when I said the name of the little girl was her own name was wonderful to see--, and moms arms were wrapped about her. Comfort and the chance to star in her own wonderous drama.

In two years time I doubt she will have anything but the vaguest memories of the story. "Oh" she might say "remember when?"

But I think, I pray, there is more to it than this. The quiet peace at the end of the day, the warmth of my arms, the chance to be a hero, isn't this a cushion against the pains of tomorrow; the minor hurts and bruises that will surely come her way? A friend who acts cruely, a teacher who is "mean", a lost toy, a failed test. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, I hope the story rests, with many other bits of life, not as a memory but as an unrecallable knowing that no matter what her mother loves her, she is safe, and she is the hero of her own dreams.

My List

Of banned IPs went from 27 to 43, and I think I misssed a couple of them! Argh. And I, naive woman that I am, had to ask my 17 year old son what a particular reference meant---what do I know about the more salacious aspects of anime.
I wish we could do to these low-life scum what they do to our blog. But we are left with dealing with them as one deals with a cockroach; stamp them out, as they come.

How Much for a Life?

I don't know how many people are familiar with the Terri Schiavo case, but I am making a presumption that most people have the basics down. Drink This has just posted on a new hope to save the woman's life. A San Diego business man is offering Terri's husband 1 million dollars to transfer care to Terri's parents.

I do hope and pray that he takes the man up on his offer.

The idea of allowing someone to starve to death as being a human action, is horrifying to me. If in fact she is "dead" and can't feel anything, her heart beating will have no effect on her quality of life. If in fact she is "alive" (and from various things I have read about visits made to her by others, for example this one she definitely has some degree of awarness), than a painful death by starvation is nothing short of cruel. This is not like "pulling the plug" when the brain is gone and the heart is being kept pumping artificially. The woman's heart is beating, she has brain activity. To withhold food is murder; the state sanctioned murder of an innocent woman.

I really pray Michael takes the businessman up on his offer.

My Son and I are in Competition for the Computer

Guess who's winning?

And while I'm here, does anyone know why the cool html dohickies, that usually are on top of my text box, have disappeared when I use opera? The one's that let me enter links, make my font bold and beautiful or italicized. Does anyone else ever use opera?

Following One's Conscious

Many solidiers won't do it. Now many police are refusing as well.

A letter signed reads as follows:

"For many years we have felt obligated to serve the State and the community in whatever way possible, in the clear knowledge and recognition of our importance in the efforts to enforce law and order in Israel.

"However, the Israel Police has now taken upon itself missions that can be described only as ethnic cleansing and the brutal expulsion of innocent Jews from their homes – acts that we see as standing in start contrast to the objectives for which we volunteered.

"In addition, we fear that it will soon turn out that we were part of a framework that took part in blatantly illegal orders, and we won't be able to say that we didn't know.

"We therefore announce, with great difficulty, that at this period we are suspending our activities in all frameworks having to do with Israel Police."

The newly created Sanhedren declared, among other things, that the disengagement was counter to Halacha, and it is forbidden for Jews to participate in the uprooting of any communities. (Arutz-7) This is in addition to the Rabbis who have, in addition to stating their opposition to the disengagement, called for a world-wide fast and prayer of Jews .

It is time to admit that this policy does not have the backing it needs from the Israeli populace. They don't have the soldiers, they don't have the backing of many of the top leaders in Jewisn life. Do they have enough police? Do they really have the backing of the people of this country?

Happy Birthday Monkey!!!

She's six now on the English calendar. She has to awit a little bit more for the Hebrew calendar.

Jim's Published!!!

Jim of Snooze Button Dreams has had his story published in an online horror magazine. Go read his scary story; but better not read it before bedtime. Be warned! Beware!!!!

I've Created Two more Wave Fans!

We got front row seats! Mainly because we were first sitting on the stairs and the front was the only place that could safely accomodate more people. We sat right at the end of the aisle and had a great view.

The Aritist was just fascinated, smiling the whole way through. The Monkey sat on my lap, arm about my neck, clapping furiously when anyone else did. She kept wanting to know if there were still more! She was so afraid that the next song would be it. I think most of the audience agreed with her---there was a great reluctance on the part of most to leave, and we tarried in our seats much longer than I have at any other play.

The Monkey was also fascinated by the lights, and kept looking upward to see what they would do next. Coming home she fell asleep and remained asleep when laid down on the couch and then transferred to the bed. The Artist tried to sleep but nausea kept her from comfort, poor child--but the air refreshened her, and by the time we got home she was cheerful and excited again...it was midnight and she was too excited to sleep!

All of us were reved up, both those who had seen the play before and those of whom it was a first time experience. It was quite emotional to see the Torah brought to life, and the performance is top-notch.

I really highly recoommend the play to all those who are coming to Israel.You won't regret it!!!

Ride the Wave Part II

The love bugs, at least the two girls get their chance to see this great production. We are going tonight.
So of course they are excited. And of course, every fifteen or so minutes from 4:00 on I get:

Is it time to go yet? I want to go up? Let's go up!

It took some time to explain to the Monkey that the actresses weren't waiting on our arrival to begin their preformance. I've been trying for Empress of the World, but I haven't been elected yet.

Wanted!!!!

Music lyrics; for a non-love type song (or where the love could be mom or G-d).

One of my friends is trying to help some of the less vocal students in her class express themselves better, and to encourage them she wants to use songs. But this is a religious school, even nice love songs, where sex is not spoken of, would not be a good choice. Songs about nature, about friendship etc. would work, or songs where the person being loved could be G-d or mom would also be okay, but romance is out. Any suggestions?

Ah, the Idiot Box

An EVIL ENTITY has taken over the computer system which runs the city. This EVIL ENTITY is able to access any system run via satellite, computer, telephone wire etc. etc. etc. This EVIL ENTITY is stoppable, most likely, only by you. It also has a deep hate for your wife. Your house happens to have cameras in every single room. Yep, don't ask why, just go with it.

So do you:
1. continue to live in your house and not encourage your wife and child to leave even after their is a threat to their lives, in fact wife and child continue to live their until the house begins to explode around their ears at which point wife calls you on the cordless and you frantically tell her to leave.
2. explain, several times, to various people, inside buildings which have cameras and such, your plans to terminate this EVIL ENTITY.
3. allow your wife and child to remain with you in the building as you begin to terminate the EVIL ENTITY, which allows the EVIL ENTITY to kidnap and hold your young child hostage.
4. all of the above.

(I was doing crossword puzzles and such while this was running in the background. Just too lazy to switch it off. And besides I get a kick out of bad movies sometimes. Oh why, oh why did MST3K need to end?)

The Difference Between Men and Women

We have one of those mesh hampers, the one's that pop open, and can be folded if
they are unneeded (is a hamper really ever unnneded?) the dh brought down the hamper for me the other day, I emptied it, and later, as he was going upstairs, I asked him to bring the hamper back up. Which he did.

Placing it right on top of the clothes that accumulated in the interm.

Okay, do I hear the women groaning and nodding and the men wondering "so what?" Because I can pretty much guarantee you that any other woman, excepting perhaps my worst enemy, would have picked up the handful of clothes and deposited them back into the hamper. And my worst enemy would probably do so as well, just so she could make nasty comments all around.

But a guy? Okay, how many guys would have tossed the laundry into the hamper? How many women believe the ones who swear yes?

HAH!!! There's NO WAY You Knew This!

1.It is far easier to drop the stuff on the floor than to PICK IT UP AND PUT IT AWAY!!! I know...I was blown away by this revelation.
2.If you leave it on the floor, someone might step on it, and break it or hurt themselves. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!??
3.One's homework doesn't do itself!!! Shocked, aren't you!?
4.If you go to bed waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay past your bedtime, it will be harder to wake up in the morning. How counter intuitive is that?
and finally;
5.It has been scientifically proven that chocolate milk gets used up more quickly than peas! Chocolate milk more popular than peas? STRANGE but true!

Aren't you glad you stopped by and got educated??? Do feel free to pass these little factoids on to the unknowing public.

Thanks Diane! I Don't Need to Clean!

Total time waster, for those who are either avoiding work (like me) or don't have anything better to do.

Let me know who won the fight.

Wow! You Have Quite a Talent!

I was visiting a friend today, first time at her house. It has been a slowly building up friendship; we both volunteer at the library at the same time, and we talk from time to time. Near in age, our life experiences are so different; she was born in Israel, speaks both Hebrew and English fluently, and has traveled extensively--- the opposite of me, though we both read quite a bit.

So we had a visit. Her house quite lovely and full of love, you can tell that from what went onto the walls, the warmth just radiates from everywhere. I noticed the lovely garden she has, and when we entered and I took a tour, the beautiful photos on the wall.

She took them.

Have you ever so admired a talent of another that you though; they could make a lot of money if they only....

The "if they only" here being "sold her proofs to whoever makes postcards". These were some of the loveliest, most expressive pictures that I have seen. One photo showed a winter scene, here on the Yishuv; reddish-tan stones, orange flamed flowers with greyish-green foliage, patches of dark dirt, all peeking up through glistening white snow. It was a wonderful study in contrasts and harmony; I do not think the positioning could have been better. I could imagine this picture being used on a postcard, or placed in a brochure for the Yishuv.

But it wasn't for her, not this job. This was a hobby; she did it for herself, for family and friends. To work at this would mean letting someone else in cut in on her creative edge; someone saying--- a little more brown, less leaves more flowers, or whatever.

That happens so often; I'm impressed by someone's talents, see them as very marketable, but...no, just for them. As if hobby and career must remain separate. I know that isn't always so, but so often I find it true. Perhaps this is why there is the image of the starving artist---if you are true to your craft then you can't take into account what the next person wants, what someone else likes: one must go after one's one heart. If this happens to match with the desires of others, well and good. You can make money. Otherwise you thrust yourself into your art, working just enough to bring in money perhaps in another field altogether, to sustain your work---the supplies you need, minimum food and shelter. If you are lucky, you are finally discovered, perhaps many years after your death. But your passion has filled you--that has been your fortune.

Do you know anyone unsung artists?