I have just finished a good book called “Leaving Time” by Jodi Picoult……have you read it? If not I do recommend it……..I’m a sporadic reader, not like Jac who devours books, but when a story or biography peeks my attention it’s hard for me to put it down…..this is such a book. Is it a great book…no….it’s a good book. What fascinated me about this book was the sub story, based on fact, about ELEPHANTS. I have always loved these majestic animals, and love any movie where elephants, especially baby elephants, are in them…..Jac read it first, she always picks books she knows will like, and after the book we adopted two elephants at the “Elephant Sanctuary” in Hohenwald, Tennessee…….My SIL and BIL also adopted two elephants……it’s a good cause.
*********”LEAVING TIME*********
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Congrats on your “adoption” of the elephants! My DH and I have donated to the Heiffer Project, which purchases animals such as goats and water buffalo and brings them to rural villages in the Third World to help the people become more self-sufficient and improve their lives. We ‘adopted’ a water buffalo– so ugly he was cute– which the villagers use to haul wood and pull devices that they use to pump clean water to the village.
Thank you both for your generosity – it reminds that we can all make this world a better place. I’m glad to know about this sanctuary.
Dear Saphira…it is so amazing to see the picture of the elephants that are up for adoption and read their stories, and how each has their on personality. It just makes you feel so differently about animals in zoos and circuses. The poaching for the ivory is horrendous. It makes you wonder how uneducated and backward these countries are that still believe that ivory has these magic properties, and kill elephants just to get it…..What you say is so true. Many times we ask ourselves “what can I do, I’m only one person”. If I hadn’t read this book I would never have know about this sanctuary…so it is up to us to spread the word….that’s what we can do.
I’ve been debating about whether to get that same book as I got a gift card to Barnes Noble for Christmas. And thank you from a Tennessean for your support of the Elephant Sanctuary! From time to time the TV news here as well as the Tennessean will have fascinating reports on the sanctuary. As an animal lover, I am so glad when people step in and take care of the forgotten animals as they age or sadly are abandoned. Guess that’s also why a few years ago we “adopted” a stray kitty which was on our back porch. I’d have more than one Corgi, too, if only my husband would agree :).
So glad to know where your from…..I would love to visit the sanctuary, but no visitors allowed….we adopted Tara who’s an artist and used to paint pictures, but she’s retired from that too. Jac picked Flora, who has long legs and was a show girl…….we thought they were the right ones for us.
About the book…it’s a fun read, but the stories about the elephants sprinkled through out were ver fascinating. They are wonderful loving animals it’s absolutely sinful what man has done to them..
I’m definitely getting that book :). Currently I’m reading “Vanished–The Sixty Year Search for Missing Men of WWII” by Wil S. Hylton which my daughter gave me for Christmas. If you liked “Unbroken” then this is another interesting but shorter book by a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine. (The subject intrigues me from my own family’s MIA from WWII and my love of history.)
Loved the book. I love elephants and remembered riding one in Thailand some years ago. Quite an hour long experience. Still have pics of me and husband riding.
I’m a voracious reader also and will order this book. I lived in many countries as a child (my father was in the oil exploration industry). I don’t know if you have ever touched an elephant but they have “hair” which is very sparse, very coarse, straight, with a little curve to the end (grows sort of like hair on our fingers). They shed and the shed hairs are retrieved and made into jewelry. They are wrapped around and secured with a gold or silver. I have a ring and three bangle bracelets I wore as a child. They are dark gray/brown and look sort of like dried thin early growth tree branches. We rode elephants on occasion and they are so wonderful, loveable, intelligent and magnificent. I was a little girl and pretended I was Jane of Tarzan fame. Good for you and Jac.
There used to be a wonderful store in NYC called Hunting World. They sold the best authentic safari jackets and all kinds of clothing and gear for safaris. They also sold many high end African objects like intricately painted ostrich eggs, fabulous luggage and hand bags. They also sold jewelry and elephant hair bracelets for women and men…I owned a few and still have them. Unfortunately the store is closed and is only in Europe……why I don’t know…..In the 70s it was a very “in” place, and I always got my shoulder bags in a great olive cloth called batu cloth with natural leather trim from them.
Thanks for the heads up. I’m a voracious reader but had not yet read this one. Will order!