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Photo101 – Big

Photo101 – Big

Yesterday’s assignment in Photography 101 was ‘Big’ – an interpretation of ‘big.’

I must admit, I struggled with the concept. I took several pictures of ‘big things’ and found them unsatisfactory.

Then, I realized the problem.

big sky view

When this is your view over your back wall, everything else ‘big’ pales in comparison.
Enjoy the view.

Tuesday Treasured Tidbit #4

Tuesday Treasured Tidbit #4

This past week or so several of my friends and acquaintances had lost their furry companions to the ravages of time. These sad occurrences brought home to me rather abruptly how much joy my little girl, Czara, brings to me each and every day so I’m sharing her with you this week as my Treasured Tidbit:

Czara - in all her glory

I had hoped for a better picture but if you’ve ever tried to take a picture of a pet with a cell phone, I don’t need to go any further. Enjoy your evening.

Photo101 – Connections

Crochet creates connections of different sorts for me. It connects me to my personal history with my mom.

connection

It connects me to a history of crafting in this country as well as my Irish and German heritages.

It connects me to other crafters and craft lovers in the here-and-now.

Most importantly it connects me to an inner peace in a hectic world.

Friday Frolics #6 – Cleopatra Face Masque

Friday Frolics #6 – Cleopatra Face Masque

Winter be gone! I, for one, am fed up with the torture my skin is going through with the blasts of cold air outside and the dry air inside. My heart goes out to the people who live in parts of the world where the weather is harsher than where I live. People assume New Mexico doesn’t experience four seasons; they’re wrong. We have all four seasons – many times in the same week!

Believe me, this is hard on the skin and it doesn’t get any easier the older one gets. So, I thought now was a good time to share what I like to call my Cleopatra Face Masque. I feel like a queen afterwards because my skin feels so smooth and silky and the fragrance is divine – after all, it contains frankincense and lavender! Don’t worry, you can pick these up at your local health food store and a little goes a long way. By the way, this is not just for the ladies out there – the gentlemen in the crowd will benefit from this treatment and enjoy the fragrance as well. This might even be a good couples’ activity, if you think about it.

The masque is also a scrub for exfoliation and can be used on your face, hands, pretty much anywhere you have skin that needs softening. Additionally, honey, lavender and frankincense are all naturally antiseptic / antibacterial agents so this is a very ‘clean’ concoction for your skin. The recipe I share here is for a portion size I use on my face and hands so if you need more for larger expanses, just adjust the ingredients in relative proportions and you’ll be fine. If you are sensitive to fragrances on your skin, you can leave the frankincense and lavender out of the masque itself. Put a couple drops of each in some water warming on the stove while you sit with the masque on to experience the aromatherapy benefits they impart.

CLEOPATRA FACE MASQUE

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Honey (raw is best)
2 drops Frankincense Essential Oil*
2 drops Lavender Essential Oil*

Instructions

Mix Baking Soda and Honey together into a paste adding more Honey if needed to make it creamy enough to apply to the skin. Add in the Essential Oils and mix well. *To be sure you get the right formulation, when you purchase the Essential Oils, tell the salesperson at the store you will be putting them in a masque to apply to the skin, not using them in candles.

Massage the masque onto the skin (avoid eyes and lips) and relax for 10 minutes. Personally, I like to kick back in my recliner with lovely music playing and cucumber slices on my eyes. Oh yes! I go for the entire spa treatment when it’s my turn, people!

Apply warm, moist cloth over the masque to loosen, then wipe it off. Splash face with lukewarm water to remove any remnants and pat dry with a clean towel. The skin will be rosy, slightly tingly, and refreshed. Because the essential oils are so relaxing, this is an excellent treatment to do at bedtime after a stressful day.

If you have any of the masque left over, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Since honey doesn’t spoil, it will keep indefinitely as long as it isn’t exposed to the air to become granulated.

Enjoy your pampering session and your weekend – until next time…

Photo101 – Bliss

A cup of joe, my favorite pen, a pretty pad of paperA cup of joe, my favorite pen, a pretty pad of paper

Our assignment in Photography 101 today is to post a picture to represent our ‘bliss.’ I must admit this took less thought that I imagined it would at this point in my life.

My needs are simple these days. I’ve always been that ‘kid’ who loved school and my favorite time of year was when school started because I got new school supplies, i.e., pens and paper. As I’ve matured, coffee has entered the picture as a necessary ingredient to achieve blissful altitudes. Therefore, it will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that my ‘bliss’ picture involves a fresh cup of joe, my favorite pen and a pretty pad of paper.

Photo101 – Water

My relationship with water is a love-hate relationship. I love water and what it can do in my life, but I hate to use the valuable resource without a meaningful return. In my mind, since I live in a high desert region, this is truly a question of whether the glass (well) is half full or half empty when deciding on usage.

Many people in this area don’t seem as concerned about the water issues as others. In the warmer months, I see groups of children (and sometimes adults) having car washes as fundraisers. Or, people watering huge lawns when smaller lawns or xeriscaping would be more appropriately water-wise and just as attractive. To add insult to injury, many people haphazardly over-water said lawns so the precious water is running down the gutters – water we may someday wish we had to drink or water our crops.

I think it is past time for people to start thinking outside the box when it comes to their relationships with water. I live in an area that has been drought-stricken for more than three years so I wonder if they think the well will never run dry.