As the hot July and August nights approached I become antsy with anticipation – it won’t be long before our lily ponds, already alive with bellowing frogs, baby fowl and flowering blooms, will take on a new dimension as the shallow outer edges become a vibrant mossy green against the rocky quartz bottom. The druzy I choose reminds me of our pond bottom in late summer when it really comes alive. Early morning is a wonderful time at the pond. I grab a snack and Sunni (the cat) and I go for a walk, water the plants and watch as the sun hits the pond. The damselflies are dancing across the surface and the dragonflys soon follow. Some blend in with the mossy green bottom – others are magnified against the surface. It’s magical, my favorite time of year but alas, all my husband thinks about are the mosquitos. It just goes to show you…one man’s pond scum is another girl’s treasure.

Brought up during the depression, if I wanted a new dress I had to make it. This also included knitting, crocheting, embroidery and quilting. From there I went on to develop all types of crafts. I worked swap meets and craft fairs for years. My hands developed arthritis so I went to making beaded jewelry until my eyes found the beads too small. One day I came across Preston Reuther’s DVD classes. Since then I have developed a passion for wire wrapping. I thank God for allowing my fingers to be able to work the wire. In fact it has helped limber my fingers. I have a fascination for different natural stones. I love to see the development of the pieces. Part of me hates to give them up, they can never be replaced. When I saw the druzy that I purchased, it reminded me of my life. There were dark times and good times. The dark layers and white layers reflect the ups and downs of life. The white center is the hope and belief, the spiritual part of us that connects us to the Eternal Supreme Being represented by the Diamond CZ. I am naming this piece Life’s Hope.