Winter Flowers

○▪Arrangements by Felicia Lujan▪○

Thanks with the Fam

♡Sista and I♡

♡Sistaz, Godson n Nephew, Son and I♡

Giving Thanks

Giving thanks for the iron this morning after the workout, but before the turkey. If you’d have asked me “what’s today?…” I would a been like… “back.”

Training with Ade

On Saturday, Ade wanted to meet me at the gym to hit chest. We killed it up in there. So far, she’s the only one who’s kept up with me on the bench. I got super sore. After hitting heavy sets, I rep’ed a 35 twice for 15. My chest is tore up. Today is deadlift day and in honor of the 4th, my iron freedom cry will be explosive!

🎆✨🎇✨🎆

**| Felicia and Ade @ Mandrill’s Gym |**

Meghan Would Be Proud

My friend Meghan is indeed a culinary champion. She is a little firework in the kitchen. I was impressed to learn that she made her entire Thanksgiving dinner from scratch this year! Wow…. I aspire to be so talented. She would be proud of my dishes this year. I can’t wait to talk to her about what she made and how it turned out.

This year I cooked: a lemon/lime Heineken baked turkey; baked asparagus with hickory smoked salt and peppered bacon; corn bread stuffing with Fuji red apple chips, celery, red onion, yellow bell pepper and carrots; and torched sweet potatoes with organic dark amber maple syrup, nutmeg toasted pinion and cinnamon.

Giving a Sparkle

Salvation Army Bell Ringer

Today my son had a scheduled field trip. We spent the day visiting the Museum of Indian Art and Culture in Santa Fe. It was a long day full of learning, but the best part of my lesson was absorbed while sitting in my vehicle later in the afternoon.

Once the field trip ended, my son and I headed into town. I had a few errands to run. We were both really tired from the day so by the time I pulled into the store parking lot, D was asleep. Since I wanted him to rest I decided to be still and just sit and think.

I shut my engine off. The first thing I remember hearing is the faint sound of a bell ringing. I turned down my music and sat quietly. It was the sound of the Salvation Army bell ringer. He looked cold and discouraged standing near his “traditional red kettle.”

I sat there and watched the man for over a half an hour. From around 3:45pm to half past 4:00pm, only three of 22 people stopped at the kettle. Frankly I was rather surprised. Most didn’t even bother to look at the man. Each passed right by and the ringer watched them walk away.

Two young women did stop. I heard change drop into the kettle. Each exchanged a sincere smile with the bell ringer. Finally a woman came along that did something that I didn’t expect.

This woman came out of the store and stopped to talk with the man. She reached into her purse to hand over a bill. The bell ringer immediately turned to deposit the bill into the kettle, but the woman stopped him. I listened while she explained why she would like for him to keep the money. She told him “it is for you so buy you something nice.” Wow! I was amazed. While the woman headed to her car the man waved at her. He looked revitalized and happy.

I am far from wealthy. I do understand that things are hard for people now. Still, I believe that if you give you shall receive~ even if all you can give is yourself. I myself only gave what I could afford today. It wasn’t much, but it was something. As an anonymous donor maybe I am “helping those who would otherwise be forgotten” by giving a sparkle.

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Here are some things I learned tonight about the red kettle. The information was available on the Salvation Army web site.
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There are “millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless, in keeping with the spirit of the season.”
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The tradition started in 1891 when “Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry.”
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That year, Captain McFee made a commitment and lost sleep over “feeding 1,000 of the city’s poorest individuals on Christmas Day.”
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The number of people helped was at least “150,000” in the 1900s and “today in the U.S., the Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.”
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Why I Love My Sister

~~My Beautiful Sister~~
Laura Lujan (Lou)

Yesterday was “National Boss Day” which has been observed in the United States and Canada since the late 1950s. I didn’t even know until I got the sweet little message below~ handmade by my sister. Laura is awesome on so many levels. She is considerate, smart, funny, and a pleasure for me to be around. She and I could talk for hours about nothing at all and everything all at once. I have always felt that she is the best listener I know. I am always able to talk to her and she genuinely cares about what I have to say. That is a rare trait today. Most people glaze over when I talk to them or would rather pay attention to the world around them. My sister~ she is an amazing woman. She is a professional with class and respect. When it comes to her career as a certified auditor, she is meticulous and constantly strives for perfection. Lately my sister has been exploring her creative side a bit more which I love! She always takes the time to make me feel special. There is really no one like her. I am lucky that God blessed me. In her, I have found my best friend. Marilyn Monroe once said “this life is what you make it. Not matter what, you’re going to mess up sometimes, it’s a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you’re going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends~ they’ll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything~ they’re your true best friends. Don’t let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world.” Ahhhh~ Mz. Monroe~ she was so right!

~~A Hand Crafted Message for Boss Day~~
Made for me by my sister Laura.

My Ancient Celtic Tongue

The Celtic Torc

On Friday, June 15, I attended a lecture to learn more about the Celt-Iberians and my yDNA (paternal). The lecture was in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was held in conjunction with the 2012 Genealogical Society of Hispanic America Conference. I was thankful to Kathy Archuleta for allowing me to attend, and I will need to remember to call her and thank her personally.

The presenter started off by playing Spanish Celtic music which featured a Spanish bagpipe or Gaita. The artist was José Ángel Hevia Velasco, known professionally as Hevia. The majority of the presentation focused on a documentary about the Celts in Europe. The Celtic tribes were called “a great civilization” and the documentary featured ancient “galleries of rock art” which were used for rituals. The rock art depicted dwellings, hunting scenes, and tribal warriors with “exaggerated phallic displays.” An interesting archaeological excavation uncovered over 150 iron swords, spearheads, and daggers from the Lake Neuchatel site (La Tene, Switzerland).

Other archaeological discoveries included: royal tombs; Celtic art such as beautiful and intricate gold jewelry; plates with swirling patters and motifs; head dresses; gold vases; mirrors; bronze shields; and imagery of part animal/part human creatures. Some of the art work was called “nightmarish,” and was just my style. I am apparently a Spanish Celt at heart!! 🙂 The artworks featured monsters, and there was one piece with a human head in a monster’s mouth. The commentator of this documentary said that this was “the art of the elite,” and that it “expresses authority.”

We learned about how the Celtic tribes plundered the Greeks, and the Gods were said to have intervened at the sacred site of Delphi. That is why I wrote about the Oracle last night. I learned that the Iberian Peninsula has been a problem for scholars for several reasons. Some of the ancient structures built by the Celts included: pit traps; defensive towers; circular dwellings; and hill forts for protection (many of which go back to the Bronze Age). We learned some about migration from the documentary, though there is apparently no evidence of mass immigration. I saw the first written record of land ownership carved in stone.

I love that warfare was an intrinsic part of Celtic life. I may write at some point about the carnyx, which was made of bronze, and was the Celtic “instrument of war.” The instrument made an eerie sound, known by all as a warning. One scholar interviewed in the documentary said that the Celts “made great slaughter and decapitated enemies.” They had “the ability to kill and kill and great numbers,” and were “a powerful and organized society.” I would also like to learn more about the torc, as a symbol of authority. This was an open-ended ring of metal worn around the neck.

A couple of interesting thoughts I came away with…

I must get some traits from my ancient forefathers. I was glad to learn that art and music were very important to the ancient Celtic tribes. I had never thought about this until Friday, but for years people from outside of New Mexico have asked if I was from Europe. Many people have asked if I was Scottish or Irish. Yeah I know— New Mexicans– strange ha? I have always thought it was funny, but as it turns out, maybe my tongue actually makes sounds indicative of an ancient Celtic nation? Apparently, “during the 1st millennium BC,” Celtic languages “were spoken across Europe,” and “in the Iberian Peninsula.” Hum? Another thought was how very appropriate it was that I was learning about my yDNA just a couple of days before Father’s Day!

To the honor of death and the celebration of new life!

***********Obituary of Julian Garcia from the Santa Fe New Mexican (3.30.1991 and 3.31.1991)

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This post is dedicated to my cousins

Julian, Jessica, Jackee and Jamee (the twins),

and my aunt JoAnn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I remember the day that my uncle Julian passed away like it was yesterday. I was standing in my friend Becky’s kitchen that day when the phone started ringing. By the tone of my friend’s voice, I knew that something was wrong. When I picked up the phone, I was told that my uncle had died in a car accident. For a moment, I remember everything just stopped. I couldn’t hear the people around me anymore, and all I could think about was his family, my mom, and my grandma. I think about my uncle and all my cousins every year at this time because my uncle Julian passed away on Good Friday. During my uncle’s funeral I sat with my cousin Phillip. He and I were very close at that time. I remember we just couldn’t believe that our uncle had passed away? Since he was laid to rest on April Fool’s day I recall our conversation about how surreal it all seemed. My cousin Phil was so inspired by fitness back then. He always talked about how my uncle Julian was the man, and how he showed him how to lift weights. So many of us were young, and so many of us were shocked by his loss. It was tragic. Despite the loss of their father my cousin’s are all doing so well. My cousin Julian with a great personality, and amazing little son, my cousin Jessica taking awe inspiring classes and falling in love with history, my cousin Jamee a professional lifeguard with a new baby boy, and my cousin Jackee recently obtaining her MA. I am so proud of all of them all! Today I emailed my cousin Jessica to ask if she remembered the year of her father’s death. Once she gave me the date, I tracked down my uncle Julian’s obituary. It has been 21 years since he passed away. It is so sad to think that he was only 32 years old at the time. When I was young, he seemed older than that. When I read that he was 32, I couldn’t help but feel that he was just a baby himself. On the second email I received from my cousin Jessica, she let me know that my cousin Jamee (who was pregnant) had her baby. She had a boy and named him Leo Miguel. I was again shocked to learn that she had the baby boy on the anniversary of her father’s burial. Baby Leo was undoubtedly a very special gift from her father, call it a message of sorts! So here is to the honor of death, and the celebration of new life! Congratulations on the arrival of Baby Leo Jamee!!!

My cousin Jamee Garcia and her new baby boy Leo Miguel

Acknowledgment by Culinary Aficionados

I was taken aback last Friday when a fellow writer Randy delivered surprising news to me. He told me “congratulations Felish!” I said “on what?” He said “one of your pieces was republished in Edible Santa Fe.” I said “what?? I didn’t even know? For what?” Randy told me that it was run along with some of “the best” foodie recipes. I was happy and excited! My grandmother would be so proud. Her dish made “the list!” I figured the list may have been something like the top ten dishes in the last year or something. I set out Friday night and Saturday to hunt down a hard copy of the publication to no avail. I went to two Whole Foods, Tomasitas, Trader Joes, Flying Star Café (which is where Randy scooped up a copy), and I don’t know how many other places? I’ll have to call Kate Manchester today to ask for a copy. I am proud to say that not one but two of my pieces made it into Edible Santa Fe’s “collection” of “favorite classic New Mexican recipes from the past five years.” The people behind this publication know good food, and I am honored that Kate Manchester and Amy White acknowledged my work and my maternal grandmother’s food by publishing at least part of my articles.

Kate is a very accomplished and respected woman. Ms. Manchester was a private chef for over 20 years in the Hamptons, the famed resort community on Long Island in New York. She has authored a vast amount of articles, is the author of two books, and she has taught culinary courses. Today, she is the publisher and editor of Edible Santa Fe, and she is the host of Edible Radio. As a personal chef, she has cooked for Bob Zemeckis, Courtney Sale Ross, Donna Karan, Ed Bradley, Holly Hunter, Martin Short, Rob Lowe, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Martha Stewart. She also worked for several years with Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa, and has appeared on the Sara Moulton cooking show, the Today Show, and other national television shows. Ms. Manchester has been a private chef for President Clinton and his family, as well as Vice President Gore and his family. I wish my grandma Corine could see that her chicken sopa is favored by culinary aficionados from the West to the East Coast. She would be so pleased.

For more information on the Edible Communities visit:

Edible Santa Fe- http://www.ediblecommunities.com/santafe/

Edible Radio- http://www.ediblecommunities.com/radio/

Chocolate: A Historic Look at the Cliché

A cliché but good image of Montezuma, and what the right amount of chocolate may have done to him.

This weekend I watched two specials on Food Network that were all about chocolate. Apparently my two favorites Giada De Laurentiis and Sandra Lee were celebrating the big V with truck loads of the stuff. Who knew you could fry up beef cubes, and dip them in chocolate fondue? Really? Yuck! I gotta say I will skip Sandra’s recipe for that. Of course Giada is almost always flawless in her explorations of tasteful Italian treats. Sandra Lee did say something that set my mind on “wonder.” She mentioned a few things about the history of chocolate. Now that’s what I like to hear! While preparing one of her dishes, Lee said that an Aztec would drink a cup of chocolate before heading off to be with his harem and she giggled a bit about it. Well- you know I wanted to learn more right? I assumed the foodie was referring to Montezuma (or Moctezuma) but wanted to do some fact checking. What fun this offered! A chance to break from the monotony of red roses and velvet boxes… I mean who isn’t sick of the overdone heart box filled with sad little chocolates? Here is what I found.

I would assume that only dark chocolate could have had any sort of positive mental and physical affect on one man in the presence of a harem. Milk chocolate, and too much of any other chocolate would only make one feel sluggish and chubby! On April 29, 2011, Live Strong (my favorite) published Dark Chocolate and the Human Brain by Beth Greenwood. The author took a contemporary look at the benefits of the dark stuff, which is “made from the dried, fermented meat of the cacao bean.” Greenwood says that chocolate contains “more than 300 chemicals.” Of course, caffeine is one of the best 😉 . This author also provided the research of a PhD who “found that flavanols in cocoa — also contained in dark chocolate — increased activity in specific areas of the brain through dilation of blood vessels.”

In 2000, the Journal of Nutrition published Food of the Gods: Cure for Humanity? A Cultural History of the Medicinal and Ritual Use of Chocolate. The research paper was put forth by six individuals for the American Society for Nutritional Sciences (Dillinger, Barriga, Escárcega, Jimenez, Salazar and Grivetti). This team explored “the medicinal use of cacao, or chocolate, both as a primary remedy and as a vehicle to deliver other medicines.” The research concluded the uses of chocolate “originated in the New World and diffused to Europe in the mid 1500s. These practices originated among the Olmec, Maya and Mexica (Aztec).” The paper discusses a creation story in which the Plumed Serpent God of the Aztec named Quetzalcoatl, “discovered cacao in a mountain filled with other plant foods.” This research paper goes on to say that “before initial European–Mexica contact in 1519, cacao was prepared only as a beverage and was a food reserved for adult males, specifically, priests, highest government officials, military officers, distinguished warriors and occasionally sacrificial victims for ritual purposes. This age/gender/status differentiation was imposed because the Mexica perceived cacao to be an intoxicating food, and therefore unsuitable for women and children, as well as a very valuable and prestigious food, and thus reserved for nobility.” Now how was that fair? What the? If Montezuma knew that women are the primary consumers of chocolate on the big V, he would likely die another death in his golden afterlife!

Most interesting of all, the team uncovered a manuscript providing some information on an encounter with the historical chocolate consumers. The manuscript recorded the following:

*****”from time to time the men of Montezuma’s guard brought him, in cups of pure gold a drink made from the cocoa-plant, which they said he took before visiting his wives. We did not take much notice of this at the time, though I saw them bring in a good fifty large jugs of chocolate, all frothed up, of which he would drink a little. As soon as the great Montezuma had dined, all the guards and many more of his household servants ate in their turn. I think more than a thousand plates of food must have been brought in for them, and more than two thousand jugs of chocolate frothed up in the Mexican style.”*****

Hummm? Would he really just “drink a little” of a Mexican mocha?? Is that possible? After eating and drinking like that, could Montezuma really satisfy a harem? I don’t know Sandra!!? Highly unlikely don’tcha think? Hahaha…

11*****Posted using WordPress for BlackBerry*****11

Things I Learned, and Things I Miss About Christmas

Angela Gabaldon and Ana Quintana – two of my friends and singing buddies! (1993)

*CHRISTMAS DAY* My Little Sisters Tree in Her Bedroom (2011)

*CHRISTMAS DAY* Daryn, Felish and Dad (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* My Cousin Shana (2011)

Grandma and Isaiah at the NMDOT (my sis was in decoration heaven- 2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Gil and Mom (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Lights at Mark, Amanda and Baby Gurlz (my Grandma’s old house- 2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Diego and Gil

*CHRISTMAS EVE* D Opens Shark Bay (“THE BEST GIFT EVER!!!”)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Mom and Felish (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Aunt Juana’s Christmas Tree (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Dest and D (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Sistaz (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Tha Twinz Tree (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* The Guyz (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Tha Boyziez (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Mom and Shnoopy Lou (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* JoyJoy Flashes the Whites (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Corine, Lindsay, and Dest (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Ize and Dad (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Ize and D on Their New Bikes (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Laura and JoyJoy (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Lights at tha Twinz (2011)

*CHRISTMAS EVE* Daryn and Felish

*CHRISTMAS EVE* D Eats a Cookie (2011)

Snoopy gets writer’s block 2! 🙂 (2011)

The best present I got was from my sis. We call each other snoopy… (2011)

Christmas Tree at Grandma Corines (80s) – Farolitos at My Mom’s (2K) – Christmas Tree at Mom’s (90s)

An 80s ruckus at Grandma Corine’s house! Back row L2R: Brian (my brother); Felicia; and Phillip- Middle row L2R: Laura (my sis); Jeremy; Melanie- Front row L2R: Thomas (my brother); Michael; and Andres.

Dad, Mom and Felish (1975)

The weekend has come and gone. It was nice, but I am tired! Christmas Eve was spent with my mom at my brother and sister’s house in Santa Fe, and Christmas Day was spent with my dad in Pojoaque. I had a chance to catch up with some cousins I had not seen in a while which is always nice. Lucia was at my dad’s house with her brothers Elias and Daniel. She is visiting and lives in San Diego now. Her brother Daniel had lost 100 lbs. and I was so proud of him. He said he was hittin’ the cardio “hard!” They both looked really good. I discovered that two of my cousins are leaving to the service soon. One from my maternal line, Justin Garcia, and the other from my paternal line, Daniel Lujan. I was jealous cuz JoyJoy, my sisz puppy got more gifts than I. Haha… My other little sister revealed her new obsession for baking and making treats (just like her mom-Julie). We even got a chance to speck my mom’s “xrated cat” lounging in action! Hahahaha…Laura and I put our shoes to the test, and guess what? It is possible to mud bog in high heels! Oh yeah- and my white jeans look HOT with creative coffee patterns splashed all over them!! Maybe I’ll start a new trend? Thanks for the new look Corinney! 🙂 Aahahhhaaaa–).

Other than those things I learned, over the last two days I realized that there are some things that I just straight miss about Christmas. First, I must say that with all the busyness, cooking, cleaning, baking, planning, dashing, spending, and whatnot, I really miss just being a little kid! I would give anything to have a time machine, and go back to the days when Santa magically made it all happen… Or even better, maybe I would go back to when I could just wear a Santa suit myself, just chillin’ and droolin’ to my hearts content! Maybe I would go back to the days when we spent Christmas Eve at my Grandma Corine’s. All the kids raising a ruckus under her tree, eating tinsel and breaking bulbs! I might decide to go back to the days when my smile sent flashes through the room while I victoriously lifted my mini PacMan arcade game into the air… You know the days when I could gobble blue ghosts, and bouncin’ fruit up until my eyes and my hands hurt!?

Second, I really miss the hand-made gifts my Grandma Emily use to give us. When we were little she did all kinds of fun things like: crochet us crazy cowboys boots; make me rock and roll sweaters; stitch us hand-made and decorated stockings; make our barbie dolls dresses into tissue roll covers; make us blankets; make beautiful ornaments out of tin cans; and paint us pictures.

Third, I miss the days when me and my friends would sing in the church choir. We would practice for hours on end together. Tommy banging away on the piano, and Carmen handing out the sheet music. I can see Ana and Angela holding one ear closed so that we could get the tune just right. We would exercise our vocal cords singing the Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, and other classics. One of our classmates lil Philly went on to sing professionally, and is now known as Felipe. Tonight I heard him on my little sisters iPhone singing in church this Christmas with she and the current choir group. They sounded really good!

Fourth, I thought about certain people this year. I originally wanted to post about them tonight, but I think to do their memory justice, they deserve their very own post. The four people on my mind were Justin Ortega (my step brother), Ursula Duran (my nephew’s mother), and Aundria Griego and Kim Aragon (my friends). All four passed away young and tragically. All of them had so much more to give. I will post about these four soon. I know for sure that two of them had traditional farolitos to light their tombstones on Christmas Eve. Hopefully they could feel that warmth from heaven…

Oh- and maybe I do miss having lights on my house more than I thought!

A Creative Spirit: In Memory of Donald Garcia

“God gave us memories so that we may have roses in December.”

*****Sir James Barrie*****

Every Christmas I cherish the memories I have of my uncle Donald. He was a loving, creative, and kind man with a great personality. I have fond memories of him, my grandma, and her sister. It seems the holidays are a special time to recall some of these. In my post titled “A Smile is the Best Memory,” I traveled back in time to when I was just fourteen years old. In that post I talk about Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house when I was in my youth. For the time travel piece I said… “Nearby the cinnamon in my Uncle Donald’s spiked nog tickles my nose. He has such an attention to detail. He uses intricate little cups, a fancy bowl and ladle to serve up his yearly concoction. He takes a cup and gives my mom some to try. ‘Tell me what it needs,’ he says. I can hear her smack her lips with a voiceless yum! He knows that means it needs nothing more, and nothing less.” My uncle always took pride in decorating my grandma’s house and her living room for Christmas. She was always so proud of her tree, and the nativity display he religiously put up each year. After he passed, another of my uncles did this for my grandma until she passed away in 2007.

My uncle Donald and my mother Gloria were very close. I always remember my uncle being there for my mom when she needed him- no matter what. It didn’t matter if she needed him emotionally, or simply to help her with tasks around the house. He was a very special person. When he passed away she was heartbroken. I will never forget the night he died because I was preparing to leave the country on my senior trip to Europe. It was 1993. I was told to stay up all night before that trip so that I would not get jet lag from such a long flight. I was writing (of course) during the wee hours of night when my mom received the saddening call. I almost didn’t go on that trip because I didn’t want to leave my mom. I knew she was very sad. She encouraged me to go, and told me that he would want me to go. Later that night, I heard taps on my bedroom window (about an hour after he died). I felt the taps were those of my uncle in spirit. He was sending me a sign that he was ok. I thought of he and my mom often on the trip.

This uncle also had an outstanding knack for creativity, and was undoubtedly a practitioner of aesthetics. I always felt that one of his most impressive feats was his “shack.” That’s what everyone in the Garcia Family called, and still calls his unique creation. “The shack” was basically what people would refer to as a “man cave” of sorts. It was a popular family hangout back in the good old days when we got together regularly. His shack still stands today, but sadly, it is now falling apart. I wanted to capture some of this history before it crumbles and disappears. As a little girl, I was always so impressed with the things he did in there. Looking back, I am almost certain that this shack was built completely of recycled materials. My uncle may have been “green” decades before others concerned for the well being of our planet.

The place was built using New Mexico earth (adobes). Some features of his beautiful creation include: vigas (circular beams) on the roof; drift wood embedded into the walls; adobe benches and nooks; mirrors embedded into the walls; a textured, and a wood panel adorned roof; adobe plant holders built into the walls; nichos (concave spaces); an indoor faux portal (fake entrance); interesting tables; a bar; an adobe fireplace; and a small sleeping area. He had a back door which opened up to all his beautiful flowers and plants, as well as an inventive backyard space. I miss the days I spent in “the shack.” I miss connecting with family. I miss listening to that crackling fire, as well as the adults laughing. I miss having fun together.

Cheers to good memories, and to the memory of a creative spirit in my family that is missed…

A Smile is the Best Memory
https://myvoyagethroughtime.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/a-smile-is-the-best-memory/

Gettin’ Soapy 2: Lather for All the Right Places

It took a few days, but today I finally finished my handcrafted soap project. I posted about this special project I am working on for the holiday on November 30. The organic soaps were made to give to my family and special friends. As I have already said, the soap bars were created using natural herbs, flowers, and essential oils. Most of the things I used were from New Mexico. I will still need to complete the gift bags, as well as a guide to the medicinal use of the herbs to put in each bag. Following are some notes on what I needed to make a total of 72 artisan bars- I used: 20 lbs. of pure glycerin soap; 15 color vials; 4 fragrance vials; 5 essential oil vials; 5 organic herbs; and 3 organic flowers. I have tested the soap, and indeed the creations deliver indulgent lather to all the right places!  😉

Below is a slideshow of some of the finished soaps…

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Felicia’s Holiday Desk Exhibit

I decorated my office with my little black Christmas tree again. It is so very cute! Most of these things are from my good friend, coworker, and laughing buddy Gail. The most recent addition was this lil penguin. He lights up in different colors and plugs into my USB port (so swaggy). I came to work not long ago and found an interesting cylindrical box on my chair. Hum? What could it be? Inside rested the sweet penguin, and she made my day. Gail is an expert on books and maybe even retail. She has worked in the books stores of Santa Fe for most of her life, but she also works here with me at the archives. Before Borders packed up their rags and called it quits, she worked there. Gail found me this black tree (what else would a Dark Archivist want?) and told me I would love it. She got me the tree and the little bulbs to sparkle it up! Thanks Gail- you make my desk look so special!

Felicia's Holiday Desk Exhibit 🙂