Once More, With Feeling...

as many of you will remember, kris and i tried to visit the family in central arkansas over the holidays. tried was the operative...we stayed in amarillo for two and a half days hoping in vain that the highway across oklahoma would open. surrendering to the inevitable, we spent a couple of days exploring santa fe on our roundabout way home (i'm still editing and sorting the photos - there are so many cool things to tell you about santa fe and our excellent adventure!).

we're trying again early tomorrow morning, laden with christmas presents and craft supplies and tamale fixin's. i suspect that maybe we have more presents, food, and crafty stuff than luggage! we'll spend some time with mom down by the river, play with princess christmas joy's kids - the fun we're going to have! i can hardly wait! i'll be teaching the kids how to make those cool german stars,  the finnish stars,  that neat art deco star, and tamales for the annual "alvie l. haste memorial tamale fest."

my father, the aforementioned al haste, loved tamales better than anything except for maybe popcorn, and when i was a kid, he'd buy those awful jarred and canned tamales (finding fresh tamales in ohio and maryland in the sixties just wasn't happening...). he'd eat them ever so slowly...it was a religious experience for him, i think. that's how much he loved them. and if we were v-e-r-y lucky, he'd let us have a bite. dad passed away in 1998, long before i moved to arizona and learned how to make real tamales, and the fact that i never got to cook tamales for my dad is one of the things i most regret in life, truly.

so, every year when we visit the family in arkansas, i make a mountain of tamales. we gather everyone together, and hold the annual memorial tamale fest. we tell bad jokes and play balderdash; we do the zorba dance and share the family stories, just like when dad was still here. and sometimes it seems like he really is right there with us, smelling those wonderful little corn husk pouches and smiling a benediction on the gather. tamales are sacred. food of the gods.

before leaving i'd like to share a very cool new book with you, titled, "green guide for artists: non toxic recipes, green art ideas and resources for the eco-conscious artist," by karen michel. it is awesome, with formulas for making your own eco-friendly paints, inks, glues and more. how neat is that? there are several cool projects in it, too (i had quite forgotten paper-mache -doh). my copy arrived a couple of days ago, and i almost can't wait to get home to try making some supplies!

i've also just learned about the magazine, bound and lettered. it's full of bookbinding stuff and calligraphy, and sounds like something i'll get alot of inspiration and practical application from. they also have a catalogue worth slobbering over...

well, i'm off! thanks for visiting! come again soon.

Comments

[kelly]

Safe travels! Have fun!!

[Princess Christmas Joy]

This book looks great! I'm going to order one. thanx for sharing. See you soon.

[sharon]

ting - wishing i had thought to bring it along for you to look at. i obviously wasn't thinking clearly when we left the house this morning...you're going to love it!

kelly - thanks for the well wishes!

we've landed safe and sound in amarillo, a city that continues to surprise me! we rolled in at 9 pm local time, and found the most fabulous deli to have dinner in. food like i'd ahve made at home! omg! it was divine. jason's deli, if you happen to be passing through amarillo and need food. there's also a big natural grocery next doors, and a harvest bread company...yum!

beautiful scenery on the way here, with remote thunderstorms throwing rainbows at the earth. breathtakingly beautiful.

[sandy Mayfield]

I received my fantastic Christmas blog candy. Thank you so much for the beautiful books and creativity package.

[sharon]

sandy, i'm so glad you like them. i sure had fun putting it all together, and hope you have even more fun playing with it. apologies for the delay...thank you for letting me know they arrived safe and sound. i hope to put another blog post up later on today with pictures of the trip and a fun art class with princess christmas joy's children. albeit in between unpacking, bread baking, sausage making, yogurt making, artiststamp design...y'all get the picture...