Happy Holidays 2008

Merry Christmas, and wonderful holidays of every sort to all you
wonderful metalsmiths out there, wherever you are and whatever you
celebrate! May the season and the coming year bring you what your
heart most desires, and “God bless us, every one!”

Noel

To MY Wonderful Around The World Orchid Friends,

I wish you all the best, whichever Holiday or Tradition you observe.
Hanukkah and Eid just behind us, and Christmas spreading round the
World at this very moment. May we all join in Peace, Friendship,
Health, and Prosperity.

From the bottom of my heart and with Big Hugs,
Love,
Terrie

Winter Solstice Well, it is that time of the year again. I was just
reading an article about Stonehenge (an early solid state computer
for determining astronomical occurrences) and it mentioned that some
of the latest findings put the beginnings of the structure in the
same time frame as the pyramids (approx 5000bc). One of the most
important alignments dealt with the winter solstice, the ending of
the season and the beginning of the next. This is a very long time to
be con= cerned about the rising and setting of the sun, moon,
eclipses and all of= the other interlinked phenomena of the most
beautiful planet that we wil= l ever inhabit. As we close one season
and begin the next, please take the time to reflect back on the
generations that have gone before and realize that we are just the
latest, and certainly no smarter than the architects of Stonehenge.
Whether you believe in intelligent design, happenstance, or a group
of aliens out there nudging usin to adjusting our atmosphere into
something more usable to them (killing ourselves off in the
meantime), our personal time on this earth is short. Please make the
most of our time together. Take time to wish your loved one sand
friends best wishes for the new year. Reach out and touch someone
new. Re-read the O’Henry short story “Gift of the Maji.” Get a bit
maudlin. Snuggle up with your significant other. Look forward with
hope.

Lee Marshall