Mother's Musings...

Okay, so I'm not the "Mother" in the title of my store (do you know who is??), but I am a mother, I'm musing, and I like alliteration.

I've been in a musing mood lately, thinking about the business: what products to keep and/or add, what to let go, what to focus on more, what to do less, how to better build community and connections in my town...and beyond.  One of the things I decided to do was to host events here at the store, events of the informative, healing, spiritual, or soulful nature.  A recent healing event I hosted at the store inspired me to refocus and revisit my thoughts and intentions, including my professional ones.  I wrote and posted the following on the store's Facebook page, and I think it sums up these thoughts and intentions fairly well:

"I opened this store nearly two years ago with the desire to do good.  To support both local and other deserving artisans and craftspeople around the world.  To provide products that are good for the soul and the planet.  To encourage and help maintain peace and good health in body and mind.  To promote awareness of important issues and support worthy causes near and far.  To assist in creating and sustaining a sense of true community within my community, regardless of the various personal, cultural, and spiritual demographics that reside within said community.  Right now, in front of me, there is a display of walking sticks; one features a Celtic cross, another has an eagle totem.  To my right are Buddhist prayer malas, next to some rainbow pride bracelets.  To my left is a shelf, upon which sits a wooden box adorned with a cross, near another box decorated with a five pointed star.  In order to stay in business, of course, I must sell these (and many other) products, but in order to promote this sense of universal community that I feel compelled to do, I draw on ideologies and strengths from many corners of the globe, much like the varied nature of my merchandise."

If you add to that statement my desire to help show compassion, give care, and a new life to some of society's abandoned, abused, unwanted, or unloved animals, then I think it would be a great synopsis of my intentions.  Sure, some may (and have) state(d) their belief that I shouldn't have a "store cat" or "showcase" the occasional cat or kitten for other organizations at my place of business, but as an animal lover, I feel compelled to do what I can to comfort these creatures and give them or help guide them to a better life.  It's just all part of my desire to make this world a better place...to improve and sustain ("keep", if you will...) our nurturing Earth (much like a "Mother" to us all)...

...because we are all Our Mother's Keepers.

~ Leesa

Back to "normal"...whatever THAT is!!

Sigh!  It's all over...the stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care...just the ugly winter vinyl now hung on the store windows to keep out the chilly air...UGH!!  Note to self: when I finally win that lottery, have insulated double-glazed energy-efficient windows installed at the store...THEN spend the rest saving the planet!!  Hmm, I wonder what the landlord would say if I asked him what he thought about replacing those three giant windows??  Probably something like, "I think your rent is going up...WA-A-AY UP!!!"...perhaps I'll stick to the original plan: lottery, windows, planet.

SIGH!!  So now what do Sammie and I do here at the store to wile away the weary winter days?  He already misses all the Christmas shoppers; he had great fun greeting people and following them around to collect his kitty-rubs as if it was an entrance fee!  Now he sits and stares at the door and sighs (seriously, the cat actually sighs!), as if to say, "Hey, where did everyone go?  It's okay, you can come back; she already scooped my litter box!".  There's only so much trouble the two of us can think up together, and my mind is already busy enough thinking of excuses for not starting the quarterly taxes...like blogging...c'mon, taxes or blogging?  I think we all know which takes priority!  Or a nap...perhaps Sammie and I could take a nice long nap...until Spring...

Sammie...the store "greeter"!

Sammie is, what I and the people who were looking after him figure, an abandoned housecat. He showed up in the countryside a couple of months ago, half-starved, but incredibly friendly and affectionate. He loves to cuddle, purr, and generally rub around everyone. The folks who named him Sammie were feeding him and allowing him to "crash" in their shed at night (they even put in a heater for him when it got cold), while they put up posters and online ads trying to find where he belonged. They grew quite attached to him, but were unfortunately unable to take him in. I was already fostering another orange kitty at the store, Jack, but wee Jack was being adopted soon, so I agreed (once Jack went to his new home) to keep Sammie at the store. He'd at least have a warm and safe place to stay, and with all the attention Jack received, I figured I'd have no difficulty finding a good home for Sammie if he wasn't truly happy here. He settled in right away, however, as if he'd always lived in the store! He loves people and enjoys greeting customers (when he's not on a break!), so until I can afford to hire staff, I'm not seeing a reason to hasten his departure; customer service is customer service, whether it comes on two legs or four!

Think WARM!!!

Do you feel that new chill in the air too?  The days are still nice, but first thing in the morning, and at night, we're starting to get a hint of what's on the way!  Which reminds me...

It's time to put out Our Mother's Keepers' donation bin to collect new knitted (and crocheted) winter accessories (hats, mittens, scarves, winter socks, etc.) to be distributed to children and adults in our community who need them.  Last year Our Mother's Keepers donated 24 hats, 7 pairs of mitts, 2 pairs of socks, and 2 beautifully knit baby blankets to our local Family Resource Centre.  Thanks to everyone who donated last year, and we look forward to the generous support of our wonderful customers again this year.  If you're not a knitter or crocheter, you can still help keep someone warm this winter by purchasing these items at your local department store or craft sale instead; as long as they're new, it doesn't matter if they're handcrafted or not.  Share some warmth; it will give you a warm feeling inside!

Thank you!
~ Leesa

Morning (and into the afternoon) Musings...

Okay, so if you know me, you should know that I like to "crack wise"!  Yup, I love to make jokes and play pranks (especially on my long-suffering husband...but if I can still "get him" after all these years, then it's really HIS fault, isn't it??  Yeeaahh...), and I've got a repertoire of sayings and "voices" that crack my family up.  Life is not always easy, so I like to try to keep things lighthearted and fun.

If you read my last post (Horn of Africa Crisis) however, you'll know that I can also be very serious and feel deeply the disasters that strike our beloved planet and the beings (human and non-) who inhabit her.  That is why I do a "Featured Cause" that changes every month or two.  Sure, the money (or sometimes food for the Food Bank, or soap for Haiti) I collect for these causes may not amount to much (well, the 600 bars of soap for Haiti was pretty darn awesome!) in the grand scheme of things; but I have a hard time enjoying all of my personal (although modest) comforts when so many others in the world are suffering great hardships, so I like to help where I can.

Some have criticized me for including foreign causes, rather than focusing only on local ones.  Yes, I agree that there is a lot of need in our own backyards, and I certainly DO feature local charities and organizations, but when I get an email like the one I received last night (from the lovely woman who brings the jewelry to me from the women of the collective in Bobong, Kenya), and I hear how there are not only hundreds of thousands of people starving because of the drought, but as many livestock and wild animals desperately searching for food and water as well...well, it affects me deeply!

Human or animal, none of us are able to choose when or where we are born, and there are so many things (like this devastating drought) that are beyond our control (please don't start a "but-humans-ARE-responsible-for-climate-change" discussion with me here...I happen to agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Al Gore...but that's fodder for another post), therefore I try to do what I can (no matter how little it may seem) to ease the suffering of those less fortunate...near or far.  That's also why, initially inspired by the compassionate works of my own amazing daughter (also fodder for another post), my store is full of not only goods crafted by local artisans, but also various products that benefit numerous disadvantaged groups around the world.

Here's a quote I stole off a friend's facebook page:
"In seeking happiness for others, you find it for yourself." ~ Anonymous

Peace.
~ Leesa

Horn of Africa Crisis

'The head of the UN refugee agency has called the situation in drought-ridden Somalia the "worst human disaster" in the world". (CBC News)

Since I've (apparently) become known for my "Featured Causes", I've had a few customers stop in wanting to know if I'm collecting for this disaster.  I already have two causes "on the counter", and don't want to have too many going at once (for propriety's sake), but wanted to let people know where they can donate, if they so choose.

You can donate online to a number of agencies through the CBC News website:
http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/story/2011/07/13/national-somaliadrought.html
and, since some have expressed the wish to mail a donation, my personal suggestion would be UNICEF, since they are already "boots on the ground" in this crisis.  See info below.

UNICEF Canada

UNICEF is on the ground in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable children and families.  Their life-saving interventions and expertise for nutrition, immunization, water and sanitation, education and child protection are delivered on a mass scale, in coordination with the UNHCR and WFP.

Make cheques payable to: "UNICEF Canada" and write: "Horn of Africa Crisis" on the front of the cheque.  Mail cheques to: UNICEF Canada, 2200 Yonge Street, Suite 1100, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 2C6

'Net Specials!!!

They say the internet is where it’s at…well, it’s certainly where the savings are at (if you’ll pardon the poor grammar), that’s for sure.  You can find us on Facebook (search for "Our Mother's Keepers - Local and Imported Goods"), and Twitter (@LeesaOMK), or here on Blogger, and watch for our 'Net Specials: exclusive offers, contests, fun stuff…you never know what we’ll do next!  And don’t forget to check in often…who knows when one of our ‘Net Specials will pop up and how long it will last!