Before I go on about my not-very-interesting day, I want to say that my heart is full and I have been so moved by your wonderful posts and private emails after my last post. I am overwhelmed with your thoughtfulness and caring and I have received all of your hugs in love and comfort. If I haven't yet answered you personally, I apologize.
When I left the house this morning, there were 19 turkeys on my next door neighbor's lawn. Nineteen! Oy.
 |
| eeeeeeeeeeek! I hate them! |
 |
| I am standing in my driveway taking this picture. |
I bought Emma a book at a local, independent bookstore. It did not cost me any more than if I had gone to Barnes & Noble, and the owner wrapped it. Then, she didn't have another book I wanted for myself so she asked if they could order it. Yes, they could. I felt very good.
Then I drove across town to an independent toy store and bought something I would never have found in Target or Toys R Us. And she wrapped it. And I was happy to give her the business; she has been there for 5 years and just came back from the Toy Show at the Javits and gave me a sample of something new to give Emma to try.
Yes, Amazon is convenient and discounts everything, and I do buy things from Amazon. But less than I used to because they are putting everybody out of business and it is well known that they mistreat their employees. There are reports all over the place about this, including a current one in the Seattle Times. Now they want to build a warehouse in NJ and want a sales tax holiday for 2 years, while the independent stores have to collect and pay it. Ha.
Tonight, I have been working. I'm in the midst of stitching a small piece and maybe I'll get it done by tomorrow. Right now - off to bed before the whole night is gone. Thank you again for being there; I don't know what I'd do without you.
love,
Rayna
13 comments:
I think the west coast equivalent of wild turkeys is Canada Geese. They are everywhere, gaggling around and pooping all over everything. I used to think they were charming. I hate to see the demise of local, independent businesses. One of these days we will all be buying exactly the same things from exactly the same stores, regardless of where we are or what we really want.
Buying local and buying handmade has to be supported by all of us or the small business people and craft artists will not be able to support the making of their own work. I applaud you for including such a simple concept yet one that many people simply haven't thought about! You are such an inspiration, Rayna, in so many different ways!
I belong to a Fiber Arts Guild on artfire, and we have a blog that I contribute to... just wrote a piece entitled "Why buy handmade?"... you can view it here: http://fiberartsguild.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-buy-handmade.html.
I do love to buy from small independent stores and crafters, but then I have always been turned off by fashion dictates, where everyone looks alike.
BTW... laughed at your turkeys! We get herds of elk once in awhile coming through our neighborhood, but when I was in High school and Jr. College, we lived in a town next to the local county arboretum... used to get Peacocks in the trees and yards, and they make the most spine-tingling noise... just like a baby screaming for help! I'll stick with the elk...
There is also an independent bookstore and toy store in my small town which I try to frequent. I do order on line sometimes but when I can I give the local owners the business.
We have lost every book store in my town. It saddens me that I can't go out and enjoy browsing through the books. I support the independent stores whenever they exist, and I happy to do so.
I once was followed by a turkey cock who seemed to be quite menacing; the reason: I had found a chicken's nest in the neighbour garden and watched the chicken laying eggs there every day. So I went over to the landlady who owned the fowl, with some eggs in my hands, wanting to tell her where all the eggs went. The whole bunch, chickens, guinea fowl and turkey hens, led by the cock, followed me, with him giving a menacing "golgolgol", peeping on the eggs I was carrying and keeping me trapped at the landlady's door. I was more or less grateful when she opened.
I can handle the elk and the deer, but keep those birds away from me!!!!!
Let's hear it for the independent stores - they need our support! And how nice it is to interact with A Real Human Being rather than a computer screen!
I do as much of my shopping at a local independent toy store, although as they have gotten older I have to turn to other sources to fill their requests for legos and such. Nevertheless I buy several toys from my independent for each holiday and birthday. Except for the few in the toy store I am not aware of any independents near me, I will have to investigate. I also buy handmade from artists friends and chocolates from a friend with a small local business. I never cross the threshhold of W******, and would have to be starving to death with almost no money to do so.
That is quite the handsome guy in the second picture. What your neighborhood needs is my dog. That would put a stop to all this strutting around in no time.
We shop local as much as possible.
For certain we eat at locally owned/family owned restaurants.
We eat out every day of the week and six days out of the seven are at one or another of these.
Love and hugs
Gerry
We have droves of Canada Geese here as well, so they are not just on the West coast. And yes, they poop everywhere and hiss at you when you try to walk in your own yard! I love seeing wild turkeys - isn't that funny. I can feel your distaste just reading your entry. I love how that male is in full display in your photo! He wants you Rayna, better watch out! LOL
I love supporting the independents whenever possible too. I'm often harassed by my other half, who wants to buy everything from Amazon - click it and it'll be here tomorrow! Drives me nuts! I'm saddened to hear that they too mistreat their employees. I hadn't read about that.
Glad to hear you're doing ok.
Many many hugs!
xo
Not to mention how much these large stores and chains know about their shoppers, er "guests" (gag me with a spoon), and how they use that information to extract their money.
See
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?ref=targetcorporation
for an eye-opening report about how it all works.
Forget big government as Big Brother; it's more the large corporations we should be worrying about.
Post a Comment