New and old fascinations

When I was in Yellow Springs in May we picked up some little cylindrical bead-like things - that really confused me. I had never seen anything like them. They looked natural, but were too blunt to be teeth or horns, and each one had a strange little 'peg' at one end that seemed too regular for them to be cut or shaped by man.

The lady at the store had no idea what they were - just that someone else had sold them to her as part of a very old necklace. They also felt 'funny' in my hand - like each one possessed a slight static charge. (can't explain that - Mark didn't feel it)

At the flea market on Tuesday we found a windchime that had lots of them hanging from it - the exact same thing! I was then spurred to look them up and they are 'pencil sea urchin' spines. They are hollow, and the 'peg' area is where they go through the hole in the urchin's hard outer body and are attached to muscles inside. The coloring and striping on them is completely natural variegation. Not sure why I've never seen one before - but even now knowing they are common (large lots of them on Ebay, etc.) I'm still echanted by them.


Windchime with sea urchin spines hanging from it.
Click picture to enlarge
I also picked up a little colored cardstock and have started playing with another old favorite past-time of mine - paper cutting. With an X-acto knife and about two minutes (in between other things) I made the card below.


Green Fox Notecard

Baby Update: Today was the first day we saw my stomach actually move on the outside from 'Baby Bazooka's gymnastics. I was taking normal breaths sitting in my chair and Mark and I both saw several 'jerks' in one part of my stomach as I felt her bumping around there. It really made me giggle, then we had to wait for me to stop laughing to see it again. This kid is going to be strong!