Savannah Rose Jewelry

I am enjoying my daughter's new interest in working with beads and making jewelry.

She has made a special friend at a local art shoppe that has invited her to come one day on the weekends to work together.

Savannah Rose is learning about the names of jewelry parts, how to use the hand tools, and patterns.

It is sparking visualization. She doesn't admit it or like to have attention told to her about how creative she is.

I sure do love my special young lady and can't believe she is about to turn 18 this May.

The earrings and bracelet pictured above were made by Savannah especially for her Aunt Barb as a birthday present. I hope she smiles when she opens the box.

The Surround Toothbrush

On a recent trip to the dentist, my daughter Savannah and I were introduced to the Surround Toothbrush. It was made for those with special needs, but is also a good toothbrush for anyone who wants better care for their teeth. I have located the website for these brushes and they are pretty reasonable at one for $5 and three for $13.

The information from the site is as follows:

The unique Surround® Toothbrush has 3 rows of bristles that surround the teeth to clean front, back and biting surfaces all at the same time. This means that more tooth surface can be cleaned in the time that a caregiver is allotted, especially when the degree of cooperation is limited. The soft, end-rounded bristles and smooth, heart-shaped, compact head make brushing safe and comfortable. The improved Surround Toothbrush is easier to grip, and helps protect the oral environment if the person moves unexpectedly during brushing. The brush head and neck have been re-designed to make brushing safer, even for those who have a tendency to bite down on the toothbrush.

You can click on the title of this blog or anywhere on this blog where the word Surround® Toothbrush is found for ordering information. I receive no benefit from the company, but just want to spread the word that there is something out there better designed to help our dental needs and yet affordable also.

Visit with Nature

Yesterday, the boys and I had the privilege of going on a fishing outing to Lewis & Clark State Park and Fish Hatchery with a group from Eagle Mount.



Eagle Mount Great Falls provides new adventures for very special individuals. Infants, youth, adults and seniors with disabilities can explore recreation based on their abilities. Their smiles are priceless as they realize dreams do come true.






It was a pleasant day and there were many smiles to go around. My youngest, Avery, tried his hand at fishing for a while and then wanted to explore or just "hang out". I left Wynston (soon to be 12) with the Eagle Mount crew and he had fun learning about fishing and is now talking about going again and working with the staff person from Eagle Mount to learn more to help volunteer on fishing trips.




Avery was thrilled to feed the fish at the fish hatchery from a 5 cent feeding machine. He kept telling me that "you are the best mom ever" for bringing him to this place.

I kept wishing I had better photography equipment to capture the birds on the water, but I think I didn't do too bad with my digital camera as I am providing this picture of what I was enamoured with:

Horse 'n Around -- Eagle Mount

Two of my children and I got to tour Eagle Mount the other day and meet the staff that work with disabled children and adults.



I have signed mine up to participate in their "Wrangler" program where they will be doing horsemanship activities, which could include "mucking". Both children didn't sound excited about that chore and we will have to see how it goes.




Also, they do not have to be put on a waiting list to be involved in that or summer day activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11 to 3. We went over the calendar of events and each child got to decide what activies they want to participate in. (Savannah Rose - age 15 chose twice as many as Avery - age 9).

I am so thankful to be in a new community, a smaller community, and one that offers special activities for those with disabilities.




We took some photos of the horses and donkeys while there and some of the pictures turned out beautifully. Hope you enjoy.

Wide Sargasso Sea

I just watched a 1993 movie adaptation of this book and now have to purchase a copy and read this author's character exploration in one of my favorite books Jane Eyre. Please read below:


Wide Sargasso Sea


First edition cover
Author Jean Rhys
Language English
Genre(s) Postmodern Novel
Publisher Deutsch (UK) & W. W. Norton (USA)
Publication date October 1966
Media type print (hardback & paperback)


Pages 192 pp
ISBN 0-233-95866-5


Wide Sargasso Sea is a 1966 postcolonial parallel novel by Dominica-born author Jean Rhys. Since her previous work, Good Morning, Midnight, was published in 1939, Rhys had lived in obscurity. Wide Sargasso Sea put Rhys into the limelight once more, and became her most successful novel.

The novel acts as a prequel to Charlotte Brontë's famous 1847 novel Jane Eyre. It is the story of the first Mrs. Rochester, Antoinette (Bertha) Mason, a white Creole heiress, from the time of her youth in the Caribbean to her unhappy marriage and relocation to England. Caught in an oppressive patriarchal society in which she belongs neither to the white Europeans nor the black Jamaicans, Rhys' novel re-imagines Brontë's devilish madwoman in the attic. As with many postcolonial works, the novel deals largely with the themes of racial inequality and the harshness of displacement and assimilation.

British artist Stephen Wiltshire

Truly Inspiring Skill and Art!!!




November 7, 2008 | New Art | by Gerry Mak |

British artist Stephen Wiltshire is known as the ‘human camera’ for being able to render images of entire cityscapes in uncanny detail after only viewing the real scenes once. Wiltshire’s abilities stem from his autism, but his pieces are no less stunning. Perhaps Wiltshire’s condition isn’t truly a disability, merely evidence that our species is still evolving.

Transcend Our Limitations

From HERNASHVILLE.COM
By Kaki Friskics-Warren

Each day, we have the opportunity to transcend our limitations and to be God's presence in the world. You can share your spirit through daily activities, but if you're looking for new ways to grow, visit these local websites for guidance:



hon.org -- Hands on Nashville's website lists area volunteer opportunities for all ages and interests



givingmatters.com -- The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee offers options to support are nonprofits



coolpeoplecare.org -- Find daily opportunities for "Five Minutes of Caring" (You can change the city on this site to fit your location)

Special Huggums Dolls -- Madame Alexander

My daughter, Savannah Rose has high functioning autism with psychosis. She is absolutely lovely and turning 15 soon.

A few years ago we met a wonderful friend, Judith, who introduced Savannah to the Madame Alexander Huggums Dolls that were distributed in 1964. Her daughter had received one as a Christmas present when she was just 4 years old and had kept her doll in the family all these years.



This love for her daughter's original Huggums doll led Judith to finding others to rescue and repair. My daughter has become another on this mission and has fallen in love totally. She is now the proud mother of three and she loves shopping for their outfits and accessories. Her newest one is named Susan Jane and is pictured here.



History of Madame Beatrice Alexander

Dolls of Madame Alexander are highly prized throughout the world and are an 85 year tradition of fine quality and innovation. Beatrice Alexander retained control of the company for most of her lifetime, selling it in 1988. Her legacy was a vast number of dolls which have been prized for their attention to detail and history. The Company , started at the onset of World War 1, began by making Red Cross dolls , made from cloth which she and her sisters created in the kitchen of their New York home. With starting capital of $1600.00 she started the Alexander Doll Company in a Manhattan gallery. Influenced in part by the Lenci dolls of Italy, Hers became a resounding success. Although quite unusual for a woman to start and run a company in that part of the century, she had inherited quite a work ethic from her father , who ran a doll shop where she grew up. Impressed with the aura of Madame Lenci of Italy, she decided to improve her image by calling herself Madame Alexander. In the 20’s her husband Philip, began the daily operations of the company freeing her to develop ideas for new dolls. She had a talent for being able to provide ideas for new dolls to fit the times. During the depression her “Alice In Wonderland” doll became a huge success as were the dolls of “Gone With The Wind” as well as the re-release of “Alice” when the Disney movie appeared in 1933.

In the early 50’s Madame Alexander dolls won 4 awards from the Fashion Academy of New York. In the early sixties , Philip died and she recruited her son in law and grandson to help run the company. By the 80's the dolls began enjoying great success as collector items. The company was resold in 1995 and has continued to this day to produce high quality and elaborately costumed dolls.

As long as we have a desire for dolls, the legacy of Madame Alexander shall live on.

An Afternoon in Franklin Tennessee

On most Fridays my daughter, Savannah Rose, and I travel to a beautiful part of Tennessee known as Franklin. We have an appointment at Saddle Up! (A nonprofit recreational therapeutic horse riding program for those with disabilities, “Where all children are equal in the saddle!”)



(January 8, 2009) – Southern Living magazine named Franklin to its Readers’ Choice Awards top ten list, ranking fifth for “Best Small Town”. Franklin joins a diverse group of destinations in the listing. Southern Living readers voted for their favorites in different categories. January’s issue names the magazine readers’ choices for “best” places to stay, visit, shop and dine in the South.


After Savannah's lesson, we decided to explore a specialty shop we usually pass by always wondering what goodies can be found inside. Well, just as I last wrote about -- chocolate has a way of calling my name -- today was no exception. A specialty chocolate and truffle shop -- Hillsboro Chocolate Company. We treated ourselves to a truffle and picked out a box of 4 for my sister-in-law in Chicago and another for my sister-in-law in Montana. Let's hope they get put in the mail and not opened because chocolate calls other people's names in my house as well!