All Saint's Day, says a ghost...

All Saints Day in France is part of a national holiday known as La Toussaint. La Toussaint is a two day festival during which the French celebrate two holidays together: All Saints Day, the day for remembering Catholic saints, and All Souls Day, the day for praying for the souls of the deceased. Families celebrate it by bringing chrysanthemums to decorate the tombs of their departed loved ones.

This flower print is an example of the chrysanthemum in French art. I am happy to report that In Buddhist tradition the chrysanthemum represents "the eye" of the soul and the source of light. Thus every day is a perfect day to enjoy the radiant blooms of the spider chrysanthemum.

Yet, today.. I offer this post and these gracious flowers to the memory of my beloved mother.

Vigilance is still required of Pet Owners

I have decided to take a break from my usual aesthetic related topics to honor the memory of the over 3,000 and counting pets who have been poisoned and died from tainted food while thousands are struggling to survive. The deaths of these beloved pets was no accident. They fell victim to the unrestrained corporate greed or lack of ethics, which has defined the "new global village" or "global marketplace." I think we all know why American factories and food are being outsourced and that approximately 70% of our wheat, corn and rice gluteins are produced in other countries? -Because American workers cannot compete with slave labor.

"Even as fears grow over contaminated imported wheat gluten in recalled pet food, U.S. production has been so eroded by low-cost imports that it can no longer supply domestic demand, domestic makers say."

China has been selling pet food with toxic additives such as melamine and rat poison produced in squalid environments. These toxins were also in feed, fed to millions of chickens and hogs and thus entered the human food chain. Many of these chickens have been consumed and millions are under quarantine, while the FDA protects corporate interests.


Pet Owners do not rest easy. Check the recall lists regularly as every single day new foods are being recalled. What was fine last week or even yesterday, may not be today.


For detailed technical and updated information on this developing situation, visit
the Pet Food Connection.

My heart goes out to the ones who have lost their animal companions and I leave my deepest condolences.




(Note: the cats in photo are healthy via)