Happy New Year, Hotel Congress style

The ball glittered atop the balcony, the stage was alive with a Brazilian beat, and The Cup at Hotel Congress served up outstanding food. No, it's not Times Square, but it certainly is funky Tucson. Happy New Year to all! (photo of Hotel Congress by my husband Leigh)

Horizons

OK, it's New Year's eve, time to contemplate the future. Oy, what a world we have wrought. It's "some fine mess" as Laurel and Hardy reminds us.

But, look ahead. Many of us are coming out of our silos to partner in good things. "Our horizon is as distant as our mind's eye wishes it to be," said Jim Casey, founder of United Parcel Service (UPS, the greatest logistics company in the world), many years ago. UPS celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. Jim's wise words (and leadership) certainly figured in where UPS is today.

So let's look out at our own distant horizons, take hands and give comfort as we can, and will the future to contain peace, healing, balance, fun, and respect for all.

One more note: Happy 35th anniversary, Leigh! On New Year's eve, 1972, we never could have imagined where we would be decades hence. Here's hoping that decades from now we'll look back together, still amazed at the journey. And at the horizons ahead.

Socks Are Not an Everyday Knitting Project

Enthusiastically I purchased Regia wool, with textile striping and colors evocative of the Sonoran desert. Of course I wanted to knit the beautiful fiber into a pair of socks as a gift to Brett during the holidays. So I jumped into my project around September.

Socks are a somewhat complicated activity for this old brain...it took a long time. Turning the heel and picking up those stiches were sometimes frustrating...as was the fact that I knitted the second sock more tightly than the first. But I finished, and Brett appreciated. At least he can always say his mom knitted him a pair of (albeit funky) socks. Here are the results.

Sonoran Surprise Ball

This holiday I made a surprise ball of vintage and repurposed fabric, papers and found treasures.

I have so many holiday memories of surprise balls from my childhood. Every Christmas, my Dad would bring home these beautiful little pieces of art from Manhattan...or Mom would decorate balls of paper or fabric. Thick with ribbons, colorful sequins and threads, these balls stuffed with tiny treasures inside brought magic to my Christmas Day.

I donated my surprise ball to a local nature center fundraiser...and my son purchased it (thank you, Brett!) Back in New York we opened the ball and enjoyed its surprise.

The Sonoran desert is a long way from Brooklyn, NY, but it has its own special magic. It inspired me to craft a surprise ball reminiscent of a tradition that still warms my heart.

Bisbee wishes all a Happy Sonoran Holiday

Our standard poodle, Bisbee, travelled cross country with Leigh via auto when we moved to ucson from New York. Bisbee has an expressive face, and takes seriously his car rides. Looking intently out either the front or side window from his seat in the back, Bisbee is an engaged passenger!

He enjoys Christmas with all its extra activity. The holiday here in the desert is easy to spot. Luminaries line adobe walls while chili wreaths grace the doorways. And there is a briskness in the air. Most important are the winter rains that come and dust snow on our mountain tops.

Wishing a Christmas gift of winter rains for our desert, and a gift of peace for all. For Bisbee, may there be many car-rides and many happy journeys ahead. Blessings to all of us.

Journey to the Desert, by Way of Brooklyn

I am a writer and crafter who moved to the desert in 2006. I am inspired by the rugged nature of our desert and the cultures and traditions celebrated here. I try to take a stand on being eco-conscious.

I traveled here, first for business, then for family fun, each year starting in 1986. Something about the wide open spaces, the earth-color pallete and the glorious mountains called to me. Luckily it called to my husband as well and…when our son Brett graduated college…we picked up and started a new journey. Brooklyn, New York will always be my first love and my home. But the move to the Southwest has stimulated me and inspired new directions in my life.

Now I like to create lovely things from repurposed materials. I use buttons, natural fibers and other vintage or found items to craft one-of-a-kind tucson cowgirl gift baskets or surprise balls.

I believe in the cowgirl aesthetic, which I've learned from wise, strong individuals here in the Southwest:

Love and honor the land
Be inspired, be ethical
Take inspiration and energy from mother nature and our native cultures, but always give gifts of yourself in return, and never take more than you need.

The desert calls to many of us. I'm a cowgirl of a strange sort, finding a home in this majestic place.