"Butterflies are self-propelled flowers." -R.H. Heinlen

I have a thing about bugs. The nice ones. The ones going to turn into butterflies. Now that I live in the country, I actually have my own personal 'Discovery Channel'. I found this little guy munching on milkweed. That makes him a Monarch in training. He's only ¼" long and cute, cute, cute. I'm hoping to find a Monarch chrysalis to keep herd on. I guess I'll add caterpillar wrangler to my resume. Rollin', Rollin' Rollin'...Head 'em up, move 'em out.

The Haul

I confessed in the entry "S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g" that I was a calendar junkie. I thought the 'after' pic might be helpful in showing my obsession. I went on an 8 hour shopping safari the day after Christmas. Whoa Moma! Barnes and Noble, Borders and Half Price Books were all whirled through.

I located calendars, books and a DVD. The movie is "Showtime" with Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy. It's a formula 'buddy cop' movie, but that is not what draws my interest. It's the hobby of DeNiro's character that got me hooked...pottery. Yep, big, burly cop man does wheelthrown pottery while, at times, watching a 'how-to' demo by British potter, Robin Hopper.

I managed to find all my favorite must-haves, except for Ziggy. It was available by order only. I wasn't going to pay full price and shipping. There are-ahem-some limits to my addiction. I actually school-girl-squealed over Erika Oller's page-a-day offering. I have a mug by her that I dearly love. I know, I know. What's a potter doin' buying mugs, instead of makin' 'em?

So, I'm flipping my way through 2007, and it's always real page-turner year thanks to my calendar obsession.

S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. I love you tomorrow... I always take the day after Christmas as a vacation day. I must go shopping. Will I buy shoes, clothing, Christmas decor and ribbon- all at those astonishingly-low prices? No. Those don't call my name. I have a confession to make.

I'm a page-a-day calendar junkie. I make an early-morning pilgrimage to Barnes & Noble or Borders the day after Christmas. Huh? you say. These bookstores have all their new calendars at half-price on the 26th of December. I love ripping those little pages away and seeing a new, daily dose of information or humor. The shelf above my workspace has hangers for 6 and desk space will accommodate 2-3 more. I do have a couple of perpetual ones that I have been flipping-over, for +6 years.

The Joy of Cooking, Get Fuzzy, A Little Joy- A Little Oy, Mary Engelbreit and Ziggy are must-haves. I also get a mini magnet one that resides on the fridge- Chocolate. I fill in with whatever subjects that catch my interest. I also get wall calendars for the various spaces in my life that need a little brightness or daydreams. Usually Pics of Ireland, Pics of France and this year- A dragon calendar. I saw it before Christmas and I hope it can still be found. It's like an Audubon' field journal on dragons and their habitats.

So if there are people on that Christmas List that weren't crossed off- try a little trip to your local B&N or Borders. Just make sure you breathe deeply upon entering the store. There's just something about the smell of books gathered together, ready to impart knowledge. Ahhhh.