Raise your hand if you still do this.

December 21, 2023 Rivergirl 53 Comments

Thanks to modern technology that keeps us in constant touch, I don’t write letters anymore… but I do still send cards. Not for every occasion like I used to, but definitely for birthdays, graduations, new babies, and weddings. Okay, I send sympathy, thank you and retirement congratulations as well.

Maybe I do still send them for everything.

But not the lesser holidays… no more Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day cards. Those are a thing of the past.

But I do enjoy the annual Christmas card swap. For some of our old friends it’s the only time of year we correspond and I look forward to seeing what brightly colored festive greeting they’ve chosen to celebrate the season.

Though I’ve cut back my list dramatically, dropping the dead beats who haven’t sent us one in 3 years or more, I send a lot of cards…. and it takes me a few days to write personal notes and hand address the envelopes. Don’t get me started on those impersonal photo cards and computer printed labels.

I’m old school.

Every year I buy three different types of cards. There’s a Maine themed card with a moose or lobster for my southern friends. A sweet and glittery card for friends who like those, and then a slightly funky, artistic type of card for my more creative friends.

This year, those boxes were an assortment of four designs from an artist I was unfamiliar with but will be looking for again.

I love them!

Very cool indeed Charlie.

❤️

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More Hudson Museum treasure.

December 20, 2023 Rivergirl 7 Comments

Sharing a few more interest items from our visit.

That’s supposed to be a mask, but for the the life of me I don’t know how you’d wear it.

The bat dance would definitely be more on point if you wore that.

Ribbit!

“She who catches the bird” is the best translation of midwife I’ve ever heard.

Okay, that’s a bit much.

🤢

Beauty is in the eye of beholder.

As I said, for a small museum …. it was a decent collection.

Though thinking about all these countries having their heritage looted a century ago is hard to swallow.

This fellow was impressive.

As well as too tall to photograph in detail in one picture.

As usual, I liked the shoes.

The beadwork was lovely and they look so comfortable.

Inspiration for Madonna’s torpedo bra?

Could be…

😉

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Silly snippets.

December 20, 2023 Rivergirl 17 Comments

Just a few things that made me chuckle.

Dan…

I think you need to invest in one of these.

Vegetarian Vampires?

If you don’t think that’s odd enough, check out their 4 legged rooster pets.

I never doubted this.

This is news?

Heck, I think we’ve all kissed a pig or two in our dating days.

And speaking of pigs…

I’ve never really thought about a vacation in the Bahamas, but if you can swim with wild pigs…. Why not?

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Juvenile? Yes… but I’m guessing a few of you will chuckle.

December 19, 2023 Rivergirl 18 Comments

I saw something on a friend’s Facebook page recently and knew I had to explore further.

Yes, it really exists.

In Missouri.

The ad campaign virtually writes itself.

Seems pricey to me, but I’m not much of a fudge lover.

I knew they were going there.

But I had to laugh at some of the reviewers. They jumped right on board.

Please make my day and tell me someone has actually visited Uranus.

😉

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At least it wasn’t a toaster.

December 19, 2023 Rivergirl 33 Comments

I had a birthday recently… though I swore I was done with all that aging nonsense, the years still keep coming …. and woke up to find these in the kitchen.

Bless his heart, my husband does try.

Two boxes of fat bomb truffles even though he knows I’ve been trying to cut back on sugar.

And no, he didn’t buy me the usual unwanted expensive small appliance this year, but I did get a marble and river rock spoon rest… complete with spoon.

🥴

And though I really wish he wouldn’t, he bought me jewelry. A rather odd silver bracelet with attached rock.

Now, I do love me some rocks…. but I have a feeling this particular one will be quietly exchanged.

But there was a pretty flower arrangement delivered later in the day…

And I do love him for trying.

💕

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The Hudson Museum and its treasures.

December 18, 2023 Rivergirl 17 Comments

I love a good museum, and the fact that this one was a complete surprise made it all the more special.

The Hudson at the University of Maine, Orono is billed as a Native American/Anthropology museum and features an impressive collection from indigenous people all around the world.

I fell in love with Kachinas when we visited Arizona in 2019.

They’re marvelous!

Seriously, what’s not to love?

For a small museum, the Hudson has some wonderful pieces.

Both ancient and modern.

Have you ever heard of a potlatch?

I hadn’t either, but I really liked the whale in the back.

So many beautiful handcrafted pieces of art.

To be continued….

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News you can’t use.

December 18, 2023 Rivergirl 32 Comments

You know I’m never going to run out of these.

Just when you think things can’t get any more ridiculous….

They do.

And speaking of nipples….

Jesus wept.

Humans aren’t a very bright species. Id say that’s proof..

Call me crazy, but if you’re living somewhere illegally? It’s probably not a great idea to call this much attention to yourself.

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The Wabanaki winter market trip…

December 17, 2023 Rivergirl 12 Comments

I saw an advertisement for a Native American gathering and craft show last week, so we headed north to Orono.

Passing through Bangor we saw Paul Bunyan.

And some lovely churches.

On the way to our University of Maine destination.

Which, with its giant blue M, was hard to miss .

The Collins Center for the Arts was the venue and never having attended this yearly event, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

The Wabanaki Confederacy (Waponahki) — translated as “People of the First Light” or “Dawnland” — currently comprises five principal nations: the Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Abenaki.

There were some fabulous crafts on sale made by various artists but instead of the arena like setting I was expecting, they were set up in a curved hallway which made navigation a problem.

Jewelry, textiles, root clubs, beading, woodworking, and birch bark items were all on display … but honestly? It was all about the baskets.

Fabulously intricate pieces of art which went for extremely high prices. I would have photographed more, but almost every table prohibited it.

I really wanted to come home with one, but after picking up a tiny little jewel that fit in the palm of my hand and seeing the $600 price tag… I didn’t.

I also fell in love with an amazing root club carved with a bear head that would have been perfect for the Man Cave/Barn Mahal… but again, with an almost $600 price tag, I came home without that as well.

After oohing and ahhing over the crafts, we looked up.