Valentine's Dance 2009

I didn't get many pics this year at the Valentine's Dance. Luckily, though, I did catch a few good dance moves and a shot of my boys. Jack's little bow tie was quite fetching.

Quote for the day

A people may prefer a free government, but if...they are unequal to the exertions necessary for preserving it; if they will not fight for it when it is directly attacked; ...if by momentary discouragement, or temporary panic, or a fit of enthusiasm for an individual, they can be induced to lay their liberties at the feet even of a great man, or trust him with powers which enable him to subvert their institutions, in all these cases they are more or less unfit for liberty....and [are] unlikely long to enjoy it.

John Stuart Mill. Considerations of Representative Government. 1861.

Valentine's Day Goodies / Candy Rings

I got excited about making candy rings and this is my first try. I made some to give as Valentine's Day gifts...shhh, don't tell! First I made some from a traditional hard candy recipe. They worked pretty well. Then I tried some using agave syrup. They also worked pretty well, plus they're much easier on the body. The agave candy doesn't get quite as hard as the traditional hard candy, but it is clear and tastes nice. It's the easiest recipe ever:

Ingredient: agave (as much or as little as you like)

Directions:

1 Heat agave syrup in a saucepan on High until it reaches 330 degrees Farenheit or until the syrup forms a hard ball when dropped in ice water.

2 Pour hot syrup into greased candy molds, or onto a sheet of greased parchment paper or a silicone mat.

3 Let cool for 20 min or until completely cooled, then remove candy from molds and eat! You can dust them with powdered sugar then package in an airtight container to save for later.

A little bit of loveliness

Elmo got all dressed up with beautiful flowers M entwined around him. Isn't he lovely? And she is oh so lovely as well, with her lovely up do, and snuggling into her pretty princess bed.

Dinglehoppers for the Ariel Princesses

Today the girls (Mavis and her friend Sophia) got to wear costumes to preschool (even the teacher dressed up). They were lucky enough to both be Ariel, the adored, complete with astounding and beautiful red wigs (I don't know if Pantone makes such a vibrant color as this neon red! I didn't know anyone could, but a somewhat close match is pms red 032). They were also supplied with dinglehoppers to comb their lovely locks.

Halloween Cat and a Red Gladiola

A silly little decoration I made last year. Not my best, but fun to paint nonetheless.



I planted a whole bunch of gladiolas, but only had a few blooms. This electric red gladiola was a loner (the only red one—Pantone Red 032) and I'm glad she made it. Nieces and nephews collected these acorns for me from Nama & Papi's backyard.

Red, White and Blue

This is a little bit of my view out of the kitchen window, looking across the back yard to the base of the mountains. One of the best things about our location is the view of the mountains (which this shot doesn't really highlight). But I also love the flag I can see from my window. The colors look beautiful in the early morning, right after the sun surmounts the towering blockade of Timpanogos and the Wasatch range.

Radiant morning light sets this flag aglow and lights the patriotic feelings in me. Living in the land of the free, enjoying relative peace and tranquility in a world full of religious and political oppression (among a host of other enormous atrocities) I am full of wonder at the opportunity of my blessed state. Why me? Why have I been so blessed? There are so many with better hearts than mine who are probably much more deserving than I.

I am full of gratitude for my situation. I wouldn't want to give up my life of luxury, as it were, with the freedom to worship whom I will, the confidence to walk the streets of my town believing I will meet friendly faces along the way, the gift of peaceful participation in political processes, and the support of lifelong friends and family.

The injunction to not take for granted one's blessed state in life comes to mind in the words found in Luke, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48). My prayer when I look to the flag is that I may have the wisdom and strength given me that I may be an instrument for furthering love among my associates. May I be inspired to perform in a way that promotes faith and freedom, and fosters goodwill in the world. It is a difficult task to aspire to. Falling into selfishness and forgetfulness (sometimes known as laziness) is easy. Being quick to condemn and slow to reach out are far easier to accomodate. But when the sun comes up in the morning and spreads warmth down the hill into my back yard the flag lights up and I am filled with the light. I know it is the light of Christ. My mind feels clear and my heart feels full. Then it is easier to love and to smile.

As a child I noticed tender tears in my mother's eyes as we stood along the curb, hands over our hearts, and watched the flag go by during the Independence Day parade. I marveled that the sight of the flag borne by soldiers in the parade could fill her with such emotion. I certainly didn't feel much for it at the time and wondered if I ever would.

Traveling to many countries since then, and spending time trying to learn more of the diverse people of our world has helped me develop a more profound feeling of kinship, admiration and love for all of my earthly brothers and sisters. I remember the beauty of the student body at BYU Hawaii. They came from so many different countries. I had a roommate from Tonga, one from American Samoa, co-workers from Mongolia and Tahiti, a roommate from Hong Kong, a good friend from Taiwan, and a variety of acquaintances from all over the world. It was my privilege to be hosted in Tonga by a very generous woman (my dorm mom who took me and several other girls with her on a visit to her homeland) and her people. As a missionary in the Canary Islands for a year and a half I met hundreds of people trying to get by. The majority of them were so kind. There was Juanita, an old woman in Cruce de Arinaga who welcomed us with kisses and delighted in sharing time with us even though I know she didn't understand us much. There was the Muslim family I met on Gran Canaria with their 3 children. They lived in two rooms that were part of a small complex shared with other families. They had large, intricately patterned rug on the floor, and a small set of cups with a hot plate and tea pot in the corner of the room—not much in the way of physical possesions. But I have never entered a home since where I felt the spirit of love so strongly as I did in that room...and the wife didn't even speak a word in the same language as we did. Experiences in Thailand, Switzerland, and other locations have broadened my ability to feel brotherhood and care for the people all over the world.

An increase of love and appreciation for all people everywhere has also increased the burden of sorrow I feel when I learn of oppression and tyranny in other lands. Christian pastors currently being held in labor camps in China simply for believing in Christ rather than in Communism, a child only a few years back watching his family killed in civil war in Sierra Leone, then fleeing to a country whose language is foreign and trying to survive (I know a man about my age who had this terrible experience firsthand less than 15 years ago), women and children soldiers, drug related murders and beheadings (one of my mission comps had a brother who was threatened with beheading by a druggie who was found the next day subject to the brutality he had threatened.... lesson learned—do not threaten evil acts on the Lord's missionaries because you may suffer for yourself what you threaten to inflict on others).

These stories and others like it that I have heard both firsthand and through the news, paired with the greater love I have learned (and will hopefully continue to expand in years to come) for others is what heightens my appreciation for the tranquility of our relatively free and peaceful country. I see now that what brought tears to my mother's eyes was her ability (much greater than mine then) to feel and to love as well as her understanding and appreciation for the gifts of freedom our forefathers bestowed on us in the founding of this amazing country, despite its imperfections. I too am deeply grateful for this country. All of this is what makes my heart swell when I see the red, white and blue, the stars and stripes, the flag of the United States of America.

Juicy, intense, red!

Fruits, wombs, beating hearts. This picture reminds me of these womanly emblems of life because of the seeds, the soft flesh, the inner chambers, the flowing juices of the fruits. PMS 179. I love the closeness, the freshness, the warmth, the demanding nature of red.

The house smells rich, and fruity. Mostly it's the peaches. The tree is heavy with the ripening crop. The counters are sticky with the dripping juices. The dehydrator is full of sliced, and diced bits. We've got reds and oranges all around. A fullness for the eyes, a feast for the belly, and a delicious aroma that makes me smile. Giddiness is around the edges and happy delirium lurks behind that round, fuzzy peach. Juicy and sweet.

The tomatoes are amazing as well. The other day I pureed a few pounds of them to add to the chili I was making. So red and sweet smelling, fragrant and warm was the puree (the tomatoes had been in the sunshine, still on the vine only moments before) that I almost couldn't resist drinking it up like a smoothie. It gave brightness to the flavor of the chili, that's for sure.

And the peppers have a special sweetness hidden in their robust ridges and thick skinned juice pockets. It comes up around the edges of the tongue after the sparky (but still mild) bite gets to me. Fresh produce from one's own garden is fabulous!

Pebble Pets — turtle and dog

These Pebble Pets are some I created when I taught a mid-week Young Women's class for church several years ago. They are fairly small, maybe 2.5" tall at the most. Don't mind the plastic bird from the Cinderella Polly Pocket set (you couldn't even tell what it was, could you?) in the center of the photo.

A tiger, an hyena, and an elephant

I did these paintings at the beginning of the year. I wanted the nursery to be decorated so I'd have something to look at while I rocked the new baby that was coming. Also, I wanted the room to be clad in greys, oranges, browns, greens, and black. That seemed fitting for a baby boy. I'm sure Jack is stoked about it too. The paintings each incorporate pieces of fabric I cut shapes from. The fabric is from IKEA and I purchased enough to make a runner for the dresser and I will soon be making a stuffed pillow/armchair thing out of the same. I may have enough left over for a few more pillows for the bed (when we switch the crib out for a bed someday).





You may notice that these animals appeared in an earlier post. I first created them for the invitation to M's birthday party and the hyena puppets at the party too.

trikes and twirling in tulle

Mavis in the backyard at dusk, and into the night. She's been enjoying her trike, and twirling and wearing a tulle under slip as a skirt. My favorite part are the red sneakers (a faded pms 186). They contrast nicely with the skirt.

Shaunae's Wedding Cake & Gwen's

My mom and I did this wedding cake for Shaunae. Cookies on the outside. Fresh, chocolate dipped fruits on top. Deep, rich, shimmering colors. Pantone 876 (copper). I used the same trays and a few more like them for Gwen's wedding cake. I only have some detail photos from Gwen's cake at this time. Dark chocolate cake, rich ganache frosting, and shimmering metal lustre-dusted decoration. A shimmering version of Pantones 876, 8745 and 4975. First, here are the royal icing decorations before the lustre-dust paint.