Support Animal Welfare

Next month AWLA and Whole Foods Market in Alexandria are teaming up for 5% Day. Each year Whole Foods Market sponsors a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization and gives 5% of its profit to a qualified charity. This year the Alexandria store is going to donate 5% of its profit to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria on Wednesday, June 10th. So, please join us and receive free treats for you and your pets!


We are also having the Cutest Pet contest and I am so excited about it; unfortunately, the contest is exclusive only to WFM Team Members. For each picture submitted, $3 will be given to AWLA and the winner will be featured in their calendar! I cannot wait to see who wins! (crosses fingers)

Goodbye Ducky

A couple of days ago my sister brought a duckling to the house. Apparently it was one of the strugglers – it could not come out from its shell by itself. So she took it home and helped it hatch.

I was already sleeping when she came home but she woke me up to show me the cutest duckling. The next day my boyfriend and I went to play with it and brought it a towel to snuggle up with. After playing with the duckling he and I went out to eat , came back and visited the garden. While we were in the garden my sister came rushing out and told us that she stepped on the duckling. I thought she was joking initially and realized it was true – the duckling was no longer with us – it went to duck heaven. It was a sorrowful day for the whole family and we are still lamenting over it. Piyo Piyo (named after a very popular duck in Japan in the 80’s) was with us for only a couple of days but left an imprint on our hearts forever.

When we first got it I went online to search about baby ducks and I found this great website. There’s a lot of useful information on this site – it’s worth visiting.

“Angel-duck, angel-duck, winged and silly, Pouring a watering-pot over a lily.”

Charles Lamb

We miss you dearly.

Green Giveaways!

Here’s the poster I created for “Green Goods Fest” event at WFM Old Town . When they said green I thought of a frog in the rainforest – I couldn’t really think of anything else. I just hope it grabs people’s attention. Most of my projects don’t have deadlines, which means I don’t have time to dwell on it.

If you want to learn more about what makes something “green” or you’re just curious, come join us and receive free “green” products.

“It’s not easy being green.”

~Kermit the Frog

First Flash

This is what I found in my half an hour lunch break – my friend John Stephens’ first animation! You can also check some of his work here. I can’t wait to watch the next one!

Sgt. Abe the Honest Recruiter in "Check Every Line Before You Sign." from John Stephens on Vimeo.

Rain Down

It has been raining for days but it hasn’t stopped me from gardening. I just planted a couple of campanulas and finished mulching my bed. I don’t mind the rain at all, I am glad it’s raining – I don’t have to water the plants for several days and gives me relief from pollen allergy. It also makes me think of this song:

If you feel downhearted cheer up, cheer up
Remember to sing and to smile
You know that the rainbow will follow the rain
So cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer up!

I learned it from elementary school and never left my mind since. I don’t remember the title or the composer but I remember the lyrics. I thought it was a great song for rainy days. Happy rainy days!

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.

~Rabindranath Tagore