Ginny is a very special gift from a very special person and good friend, Kristy Taylor. Kristy makes the most awesome 'critters', as she calls them. Not your usual house pets, but those creatures that normally make a person, well, uncomfortable. If you haven't seen them, visit Kristy's website at http://www.minimenagerie.com/ and her blog at http://minimenagerie.blogspot.com/.
The story behind Ginny is sad and I won't go into it. Hold it. Reverse that. I will go into it.
Last summer I found a young, dead possum in my back yard, and a few nights later, another. At first I blamed my dog, but the possums had no injuries. After finding the second possum, which looked exactly like the first and died in the same manner, I knew something was amiss, and it was probably happening under my deck. Then I remembered that my dog chased something out of my yard one night about a week or so earlier, which I then figured was a raccoon hiding under my deck. Now I suspected the mother possum was surprised when I let my dog out that night, took off, and never came back. Unable to see anything hiding, all I could do was wait, keep my dog in at night, and hope the mother returned. I couldn't believe I was actually hoping for a possum under my deck!
Over the next several days, two more possums suffered the same fate. Then it stopped. Animal Control said they probably were not weaned yet and died from dehydration. I was so sad to think those poor little guys, who previously had repulsed me, died frightened and alone, and so close to me, yet I could do nothing. When I researched possums and found them to be totally misunderstood and given the same bad rap as raccoons, while they are docile creatures that actually are beneficial to humans, I felt even worse. I will never view a possum the same way again!
A short time later my Mother died, which was only weeks before I was being published in the September 2009 issue of American Miniaturist. Kristy, being the kind-hearted person she is, made me this precious possum, who is reading the very issue in which I appeared. So of course, her name is Ginny, my Mother's nick-name. Even though Ginny was created from losses suffered, every time I look at her, I smile.
Do I have a great friend, or what?
Awww what a sad story.
ReplyDeleteThe happy ending of course is good friends sure do help us all heal deep wounds.
Cute critter!
Make me smile too although the story.
ReplyDeleteYour tiny Ginny is so cute. The real gift is to have such a wonderful friends when you need them.
I love your tiny Ginny!
ReplyDeletegood!X1000000
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this story. I have a racoon made by Kristy, and he's called "CHE" (Kristy suggested that name, as I am argentinian and I'm called Ernesto, LOL!). This "critter" of her, is the most valuable and treasured miniature I have.
ReplyDeleteHugs!!
Una historia triste, con un final feliz!!!!
ReplyDeleteTienes una gran amiga!!!!
Me encantan sus trabajos.
besitos ascension
Thank you everyone, for reading my long tale. When you know the story behind something, it becomes so much more special. After I posted the possum story on CDHM, Kristy made the Hobo possum that you can see on her website. I'm still kicking myself for letting someone else snap it up because I was too slow to act.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say that Kristy made all the accessories as well.
Kristy belongs to the best -kind of friend ever category :) probably because you are too. It's always the story behind the creation :) which lifts the art to greater heights. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the story, love the possum , love the friendship.
Susan, you have such of saying the most wonderful things! Are you a writer, amongst your other talents?
ReplyDeleteHehe, Carolyn, you are a sweetheart :).
ReplyDeleteAlas, I only write for my blog although I dare say, I write from the heart! ;) Call me a "failed writer", that will make me happy because at least I am some kind of writer..haha.
Aw, the story made me sad, also after a week from hell here. LOL! My husband has shot at raccoons before and they hide behind a tree and seem to be thinking, "Do I know this guy? I've got to think!" And we have possums in the woods behind our house as well. I love your friend's creation!
ReplyDeleteJody
Jody, the only raccoons I like are the ones that Kristy makes! They can be so dangerous, (real ones, not Kristy's!) and have scared me from time to time. Since I live half a block from the river, I have to always keep my eyes peeled. But I an no longer fearful of possums. They only bite in self defense. Heck, I'd bite, too!
ReplyDeleteSo, in doing my part to protect the possums, I'm going to post some facts under a new topic.
Jody, shame shame shame on your hubby. You better tell him I'd better not find him on my property or he'll be looking for a tree to hide behind real quick.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, but Carolyn really makes me out to be a much nicer person than I am. She just needs some reminders of the brat that I am. Hey Carolyn, how come I can see my comment on the screen shot you sent me, but you can't?? ROFLMAO
I can't believe you don't like raccoons Carolyn! I didn't know that. Dangerous??!! LOL, maybe if they have rabies and you get too close. Go check out "the laughing raccoon" blog!!!
Just to set the record straight, Kristy is the sweetest person ever, but she does have a dark side. Like the inside joke she just mentioned that made me want to reach through my monitor and strangle her!
ReplyDeleteAs for raccoons, they scare me, especially when they are staring back at you through a basement window, that they cracked! I know they are misunderstood, and just trying to survive as a wild animal, but they want to rip me apart if they don't like me, while possums would rather pretend to be dead. No threat there! There are alot of raccoons around here, and is easy to startle them when you're coming and going at night, especially if they happen to be hanging from your porch roof when you leave your house. It's what they can do when they are frightened of little ol' me that scares me. They may not be born to kill, but the fact that they easily can rip me and my dog to shreds is why I don't like them. Maybe fear them is a better choice of words.
But I love your raccoons, Kristy!
These are adorable.
ReplyDelete