Members of The Tribe (and THREE winners to boot!)

Happy weekend to you!  I welcomed mine in at the diviest karaoke pub this side of the Rockies (no, no singing for me last night but I did smack some pool balls around whilst wearing a fitted skirt - how sassy, I know - and drinking questionable nameless beer.  But to answer the question, if I were to have grabbed the mike, I would have gone either Miranda Lambert or Lauren Hill.  Always crowd pleasers.  Once the crowd is wearing their beer-earmuffs that is).

So.
You'd probably like to know who the 2013 UmberDove Calendar winners are, yes?
I'll spare you the boring screen shots of random.org, but do know the numbers pulled by that mysterious bot were full of randomness!  But first, I just want to say THANK YOU so very much for leaving your comments; I read each and ever one with great relish and appreciation!  You ALWAYS make my days.  Truly.

My three winner-winners:
Rebecca Rebecca and her 7-year old animal-loving daughter
The illustrious Bon*Bon-mashed-potatoes
MmGood the magical urban gardener

Ladies, drop me your mailing addy at kclarkstudios@gmail.com and I'll post your bundles pronto!
* * *

I'd like to tell you a story.

 Several weeks back I dreamt of walking.
I was striding though idyllic hills, green, rolling, like the coastal California wine country in it's emerald spring.  Trees dotted the landscape, yellow flowers bloomed in vernal pools, the sun was mild and the air was sweet.  I listened to the dull thud of my footsteps on shorn grass, and realized it was the only sound on the air.  I was utterly, utterly alone.  No birdsong, no mammals crashing through the brush, not even a breath of wind.  The loneliness sat on my heart with incredible weight and I felt sadness descend, descend until I cried out "who will walk with me?"
Immediately I felt warm breath on my leg and looked down to see a coyote trotting close enough to brush her back under my palm.  A second later, a flicker lighted on my shoulder, flashing orange tail-feathers and her crescent moon chest.  I looked around and realized I was surrounded, as far as the eye could see, by furs, hooves, wings, tails, padded feet, flippers, every creature I knew walking alongside. The cacophony was a deafening joy: grunts, neighs, snorts, stomps and fluttering.  Glancing to my side, a massive horse jogged carefully through the din, carrying a young girl in blond curls.  Me.  I looked at myself, threw my arms wide and with a grin spoke:
"This is your family, see?  This is your tribe."

Tribe Rings
Because sometimes our family walks on all four, wears fur and feathers, and howls at the moon.

(100% sterling silver, and heading to the shop momentarily)
* * *
Be well and be full this weekend friends!
~ Umber ~