Big Wolf

When I was in high school, one of my best friends had a basketball court in her backyard. I spent many hours playing there with her, her brother and his friends, all very good players. She went on to have a stellar career at UBC and on the Canadian National Team. A couple of weeks ago, I got a surprise email from her saying that she and her partner were spending a couple of days in Victoria and wondered if they could come over for a visit. Of course they could! We've been in touch sporadically over the years but haven't seen each other for at least 25 or 30 years. What a treat it was to see them drive up, finally meet her partner Marla and get huge hugs from both! We had a great visit over lunch and it was about time that they finally saw where we live. They live on Vancouver Island, and we've often said that we should take a road trip to visit them and other friends who live up island. Maybe we will in autumn! Wonderful to reconnect and catch up in person. 
They brought gifts. One was a package of napkins with this incredible Big Wolf painting by Cherokee artist John Balloue. I was pleased to read on the napkin label that the artist is paid a royalty from sales of the napkins. The other was a beautiful spatula carved from broom! I had no idea that broom could be carved nor that it had such lovely grain. Here's the link to the artist, Francois Lavigne,  who also lives on Vancouver Island. He calls his business Island Ivory.  The best gift of all though, was the visit from Terri and Marla after all these years!