Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said.

The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean , then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, before wildlife rangers rescued him.

"It is incredible.  A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.

"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized.  It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother.  Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond.  They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added.  "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother.  If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.

"The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

This is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another.  We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God, Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.

Oh happy day, it is so much fun when the intercal mohair box arrives 

Hi Deb, sounds like you have been really busy. Sorry about your arm pain. Working on the dolls and bears give me pain in my right hand that usually means I have over done it! So I just rest it a few days.  Hope yours is better soon.
Take care!

Thank you Lisa!
I love your bears they are truly a piece of art!
hugz

Thanks all!
I love to design but I must say my dolls are my favorite! 

hahahaha yes Roxanne they are leaving from Odessa, isnt that wierd my family is there and yours is here!
hugzzzzzzzzzzz

My Mom & Dad, Brother & Sister N Law is flying in from Texas to spend the 4th of July with us.

I have not seen them since early March, I can't wait.  It has been hard living in
colorado without them   I miss my mom all the time, we always did everthing
together.

I'm doing some cleaning around the house getting everything ready :)
Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July.
hugzzzzzzzz

LOL it all started with the ATC Bear cards, then I made some with my Doll designs on them.  Now I am making altered collage photo/keepsake albums. I use to make ribbon roses all the time and I forgot how much I missed doing that!
Anyways here is my 1st Edition I put on Ebay, I don't know how well it will do but had a ton of fun making it.

Ok,
Here is my latest Doll Creation a Gypsy Fairy

What a sweety, congrats!!!         

He is wonderful, love all the detail in the face !
You did a outstanding job!  :clap:  :clap:

Hi Laurie, glad SweetPea arrived! Glad you are happy with her.
I took a cute pic of her before I packed her up & told her bye!
Take care,

I put my patterns in ziplock bags and I write the name of the bear I made with that pattern on the pattern itself so I will remember.
Or I would be totally lost. LOL

Oh he is so cute, hope the Doc can help him with that little problem.
Let us know if you decide to keep him.

He is beautiful, she should be impressed, I am ...LOL

I'm finished,
I mailed Lauries bear out today 

Thanks all, I know I will treasure my Sunny forever.
I enjoyed the class so much and Nancy is so sweet!
Can't wait to take some more 

:bday:  :bday:  :bday:  :bday: Happy Birthday Michelle :cake:  :cake:  :cake:

Congrats that is wonderful you must be so proud! 

Glad that you are doing so well.
Just take the time to relax and heal 

Hey sis, glad you are feeling better you will be back in those dancin shoes before you know it.
I'm working on my summer swap bear

Glad to hear he is ok, but I bet he will be sore in the morning :(
Somtimes it takes a day or two.

So sorry to hear that.
Hope everything is better soon!

I just finished Nancy Tillbergs class "Sunny"
I learned a lot in the class, open mouth design, intro to needlefelting
and a lot of great tips from Nancy!
Can't wait to take more of the classes, had a lot of fun.
Anyways here is a pic of my cutie....

I'm still working on mine! 

Wonderful job, what a sweet face too!