Blog entry

Botanical Beauties - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

BOTANICAL:  pertaining to plants

Many people think that the desert is nothing but prickly plants and blowing sand.  Believe me, there are plenty of prickly plants here in the Chihuahuan Desert, and, at times, plenty of blowing sand.  But there are a whole host of other plants that bloom beautifully and are much more friendly to the skin.  The Chihuahuan Desert is termed a "cold desert" since temperatures often drop below freezing during the winter with occasional snowfall.  It is, on average, higher in altitude (El Paso is at 3800 ft / 1200 m) than the neighboring “hot” Sonoran Desert around Tucson (2643 ft / 806 m) which rarely experiences freezing temperatures.  While Tucson and Phoenix bake for several months with triple digits, summer temperatures in the Chihuahuan desert are more moderate, our hottest month being June. Triple digits, yes, but for only a few weeks.  Rainfall averages less than 10" per year, most of that coming during the monsoon season, normally July through mid-September. Amazingly, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature has indicated that the Chihuahuan Desert may be the most biologically diverse desert in the world!  Our plants just tend to be built on a smaller scale than those found in the Sonoran Desert.

A Sense of Fun - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

This week’s Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade blog post is called A Sense of Fun.  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of “fun” is “that which provides amusement or enjoyment.”  I am often delighted and amused at the creativity of my artist friends and ALWAYS enjoy browsing their shops.  And since Mother’s Day is almost upon us, any of these picks will make wonderful gifts.  Buy Handmade - buy a gift that was made from the heart.

Star Stuff Harvesting Star Light - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

Dr. Carl Sagan is a major hero of mine.  As Wikipedia explains he “was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in astronomy and other natural sciences.” he was often called "the astronomer for the people." Quite the Renaissance man!  I remember being glued to the TV when the groundbreaking TV series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was first aired.  Dr. Sagan was able to explain complex ideas in a simple way that a layperson could understand.  Being a science geek, especially when it comes to space, my mind sailed on its own voyage of personal discovery each week (and with the reruns that I always managed to watch).  I still remember vividly and muse over certain parts of certain episodes that particularly touched me.  Unfortunately Dr. Sagan died in 1996 at the young age of 62.  I still miss him and all he had to offer.  He returned to the star dust he so loved.

Powerful Pink - Wonderful Handmade Wednesday on Indiemade

To most people, the color pink is a “sweet” color:  charming, playful, cute, feminine, romantic and so on.  But in the past few years, it also represents struggles and the need to warrior on.  Think of all the pink worn, especially ribbons, signifying breast cancer awareness.  And the pink hats, shirts, and other articles of clothing worn by millions during the recent women’s marches.  Thinking on this, pink is not just feminine and sweet, a bubblegum / cotton candy color.  It has come to signify power, rising up and demanding equal rights.