Only a couple of weeks into the new year, we lost one of our sweet dogs, Tonka, to cancer. He was my shadow, my nap buddy and a constant ( and sometimes annoying ) presence next to my worktable. When I sit down to try to start a new piece, I can almost feel his big chocolate eyes watching me. For now at least, it's been impossible to be very creative. At least one of the blessings of have lived as long as I have is that I know that all things have their cycles. Spring will come.