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My friend Betty Nicholson recently passed away at the age of 100.  Until just a few years ago she proudly lived in her own place at the corner of Delevan and George Streets in Lambertville.  She was a kind, generous and wise lady.  In order to stay connected with the neighborhood,  Betty would sit outside on her porch with dog treats and Oreo cookies so that every dog, child or adult with a sweet tooth (like me) would find their way to her corner for a treat and a chat.  That's how we became friends.  Every evening my dog would pull me to Betty's corner for a treat.  During the 10 years that I knew her, I spent many evenings sitting with her, eating Oreo cookies and listening to fascinating stories about her life through the decades.  Betty was also a talented seamstress who provided sewing services for the neighborhood.  She had a steady stream of customers for clothing repairs, alterations, hems and other sewing projects.  When she learned that my dog didn't like walking in the rain, she took measurements and made a doggie raincoat.  One day while I was visiting, Betty was cleaning up the area around her sewing machine and held up a handful of wooden spools.  "I wonder if anyone could use these spools for something," she mused.  I immediately knew I wanted to do a painting with her wooden spools.  "Ooooh I think I could use them," I replied and held out my hand.