Bon Voyage Conan!

Dear Conan O'Brien,

We love you!!! Good luck with all of your future endeavors.

Small Town Find!

I found this polished core sample and Cabochons in an old and dusty thrift shop in Republic, WA.

They are a mix of pyrite, hematite, and maybe iron. From a local mine near Republic. I'm going to play around with the cabochons and make some sweet necklaces.

Besides being a thrift store, in the back were old chairs and couches pushed together forming a hangout area for some old dudes. Probably one of them cut the cabochons that I bought! They were sitting with their big cowboy hats talking about the gold nuggets and dust that can still be found up the street in a little creek...."But some one owns the land and that might be a problem", one of the men drawled out. Discussions on the price of sapphires also filled the room. I had the feeling that these guys were in that back corner day in and day out. They probably had grown up together in Republic. Raised kids together. Worked in the mines and logging companies following their fathers footsteps. I had a feeling that the town had dried up.

Not much different than the bodegas in Brooklyn really. The neighborhood I live in is mainly Puerto Rican. Bodegas are the small convenience stores in every street corner. Unenployment is high. Often, a group of guys will be hanging out in the back of the store. For most of the day. And many of my neighbors have lived here for 40+ years. Each succeeding generation taking over their parents apartment. Or moving down the street.

But, most importantly. Everyone loves a hangout.

FOOD, INC. I highly recommend watching this.

Food, Inc.

A movie about the food industry in America. From seeds to slaughterhouses.
Its really sad. And complicated. And has encouraged me to eat organic and free range all the time if possible. I know that organic is more expensive, and eating like this is more work but your health and the food system is at stake. It is crazy.


http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Three Cosmic Wolves

Amazing Winthrop, WA local art find from our roadtrip.

This portal into the majestic wolf's power force is brutally cosmic, showing all angles of the all mighty wolf pack. Check out that killer halo. And look at the top center above the alpha. Those big piercing eyes undress my mortal soul.

This was even painted on a real slice of tree, no doubt from Winthrop.

You just never know what something this special will pop up. Its a good thing my boyfriend spotted it!

Hanging in my living room now.

frozen lakes and so much snow

I flew back to my homestate, Washington State, for Christmas. Visited family and friends.

Drove around North Central Washington with my then boyfriend... now Fiancee!!! He proposed on a frozen lake.

Here are some photos of our 5 day road trip. I had never been on a frozen lake before! Or seen much of NCW as an adult, and rarely during winter. It was great to piece together my fuzzy childhood memories of beautiful forests and cute western towns, and even the home town of my grandpa and where I used to visit my great grandparents.

Happy New Years!