Hello!! Glad you dropped in, please have a seat and let's visit a while. How have you been? I am Janice, I live in Indiana, �in the far northwestern corner of the state, close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. �This is a heavily populated area and there is lots of industry here, �many dirty noisy steel mills. �Thus one has to look off the beaten path of so called progress to find the beauty of the land, but it is here.

I enjoy many things, among them are: watching hot air balloon launches, flower gardening, houseplants, being creative with crafts and with fabrics,�studying herbs,� watching ice sculpting (wow is that cool, literally bubbles,�quilting, reading, writing poetry color="#8080FF"> talking and laughing with my friends. I have put together pages highlighting most of these interests, I invite you to visit each of these pages whose links are listed below. Many feature a few of my poems, I hope you enjoy them. I like "playing" with words....they are my tinker toys.

*"Everyone oohs and aahs over the gilded lily, but remember without the lily beneath, the gilding is just a blob of goo." Who you are deep inside is more important than the outside. Be true to yourself. *Just a thought I had one day when my tinker toys fell together suddenly. ::smiles:::

Some of my favorite authors to read are Frank Peretti, Rosamunde Pilcher, and Maeve Binchy. I find the haulocaust to be a most interesting subject to read about. The inner strength and determination of the survivors intrigues me.

I was married for 28 years. �Our daughter is 30, she received her Bachelor's Degree in Construction Technology in May of 99. I have a granddog named Natasha, she's a rot with the sweetest disposition.

I have adopted a cat,her name is Sammy. It's been a trip getting used to one another and convincing her I'm not the enemy. It took quite a while to arrive at this certainty, but at this point she's a keeper. ::smiles::

I am�an avid collector of different things. I collect pencils of all things, I started out with just a couple interesting ones.�One is literally a twig from a tree with lead in the center of it, purchased at Amish Acres. Once friends found out I was collecting them, they started buying them for me too. �Now I have LOTS. �What a waste, should donate them to a school and let the kids grind them up in the pencil sharpener........... NOTTTTTTT!!

Hey, remember standing ,in the classroom, grinding away a whole pencil, pretending like the tip kept breaking off, just so you could look out the window on a nice spring day? ::grins:: �

Then there is my collection of "plates" with pictures of homesteads on them. �Actually this collection also has a couple soup bowls, saucers, �and a small oval tray. They make an interesting display on a wall in the kitchen.�Mine aren't all blue, although that is the main color this type of plates are "printed" with.�I have a red, a green and a brown one, which gives an interesting contrast to the grouping. �This collection was just started ten years ago, when I acquired several of them from a neighbors' "estate", and hence this interest was piqued.

I also collect miniature oil lamps, how cute.

I was in sixth grade when I got my first one, and attained my second one about 8 years later. Now I have a narrow five foot long shelf in the bedroom lined with them. No wonder I dread dusting, it's such a chore any more. �Gotta love those dust bunnies.
(Does anyone have a cute pic of a dust bunnie?)

Now!!!! My Favorite Collection!! THE DOUGHBOYS, yes the little guy who desperately needs some sunshine on his pale skin. This is my most extensive collection and the one that I am most enthusiastic about!! This one is mainly kept in the kitchen, but he has infiltrated the shelves above my desk,

and is in the bedroom. I'll not delve into the individual pieces here, for it would take forever, I have almost 200 items in this collection,, and growing.. � Ask me about this collection some time,,, if you dare. ::giggling:: Well now you know I'm a collecting �junkie, as well as an aol junkie. Oh hey I collect friends too,, and ya know what?? They don't have to be dusted off!!! he heeeee as my doughboy would say.

�Some Links I Enjoy....

Julsa's Poetry-a page where you can submit your poetry or just read and enjoy!!

Harbour Lights � �a page with Thomas Kinkades' "brightlights" work� �(This has a long download)

Well thanks so much for coming by, �I've enjoyed your visit and hope you have too. �Please let me know�about your collections or interests by sending me e-mail. �And please sign my guestbook. .....SMILES.....

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There are horrible inhumane things going on in this world. It is more prevalent than you think. ��Be alert to child abuse,,, and get involved if you suspect a child is being abused. �It should not hurt to be a child.

�We wonder �sometimes what we can do , well your voice can make a difference. �Ever hear of the CARE ACT of 1999?>�I just became aware of it lately, check it out!

Please Visit My Other Sites

	� � � � Downpour
	� � � �Closetland�
	�Autumn's�Chore
	� � Leaf's�Flight� � � � �
	� �Summer�Joys� �
	� � �In�Stitches� � �
	�Hot�Air�Balloons
	� Rain�Must�Fall� �
	� Ice�Sculpturing
	� � �Gardening
	A�Birthday�Party�
	� � � �"My�Boy"-
	� � � � ���Love
	� � � � � Winter� � � � �

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A special thanks to two wonderful friends, Linda for making my welcome and email graphics and Gary for changing the format of my graphics. Hugs to both of you!!!!. I couldn't have done this without your help!. They both have pages, check out their links on my Rain Must Fall page, or click their names now.

Do your innerself a favor! Check out this link.......... Soul Cries~ by Lastmanout............ Ernie's writings are heartfelt, and soul mending. Definitely fav place material.

To my knowledge all these graphics are from free graphic sites. PLEASE notify me if any of my graphics are copyrighted and I will REMOVE them immediately. Thank you!

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