Locavore ring

We maintain a home garden on our 1/4 acre lot in midtown Tucson. (although I'll admit it looks pretty shaggy right now due to the heat and the monsoon season's storms...) This current garden is now 3 years old and we have got it to be tuned to producing some sort of food crop year round.

That's right- year round!We are still doing fine tuning- figuring out what crops to grow when and what we need to add to this sandy desert soil. (thanks to the winter rains the peaches were AMAZING this year)

There is always tons of gardening to do- mostly weeding and mending irrigation lines- but we all enjoy the work- and feel that it is important to note how much work it takes to produce a single tomato. that knowledge humbles us- makes us feel our solidarity with the land and those who make their living off the land.

We are moderate locavores- meaning we make a conscious effort to  choose locally grown foods when possible. Locally grown food is fresher, and it uses less fossil fuels to get from the earth to the market.
Plus, if you shop at the local farmer's markets you get to know the people who are growing your food (raising the chicken/beef). Some of the ranchers are quite handsome too...;-)

on that note- Here's another "Textie" ring-  

(the pic is of my hand, harvesting a few of our amazing artichokes this spring)

Celebrate your commitment to the Locavore movement with this 

cool handmade mixed metals text ring!
Sterling and copper ring custom made to your size specifications. (sizes 4-9)

gift horse

Here's an artifact from my past
and the time I spent in Italy-
a horse tooth. I found this horse tooth in the pasture where my polish warmblood mare Schilla spent her summers.

I've always cherished this find and look back on that time in my life with mixed emotions. Bittersweet - as it was the last period of time when I was able to spend hours at the stable every day.

My daily riding came to an end 
In 1998, after a dramatic bout with a burst appendix (and a close touch by my mortality)
With a week long stay in an Italian hospital (one where Da Vinci did his anatomy explorations) and many weeks of recovery at home I had time to take a constructive look at my life. I had to decide which direction I wanted to take it. I had to make a decision between art and horses.

After much drama, (including a shouting match with a fascist farmer).. I chose art.

I drove away from the barn that day with all of my tack and horse gear. I still remember in vivid detail the day when I settled my saddles on the saddle rack in our storage area -in a loft storage space at our Florence home...  they remain still- waiting for me to come back and re-claim their use. Last month, my husband came back from a short trip in Italy (for business) and he brought back one of my bridles. It hangs in my studio today. I didn't clean it before I packed it up all those years ago- so if I look real hard, I can still see some remainders of my sweet mare on the leather.

this is a picture I took of Schilla one warm summer day,

lolling around in the pasture of olive trees and wildflowers

I look forward to the day when I will be able to welcome horses back into my life and find the balance between my two passions. I think it is going to be soon.
ciao- MBZ