Hello Hive friends,
It has been awhile. On November 1, 2024 I posted my last travel post and I kept my goal of posting in Art Talk once a month through all of 2024, so there are art posts for both November and December.
Now it is January and a holiday in the United States- Martin Luther King Day- so I have some time to connect again. Here are some highlights. I will individual posts too.
Picture taken December 17, 2024 by co-worker when I was taking our staff pictures.
November
Glass blowing.
From Oct.25- Nov. 29th I took a glass blowing class at the community center. As many of you know I am fascinated with glass, especially Chihuly. I decided to take a class and learn how to do it. I will say that it is HOT 2000+ degrees so I am extra happy I waited till the weather cooled down and I like stained glass more.
Desert Botanical Garden
When the weather cools down I feel like being outside again and one of my favorite places is the Desert Botanical Garden. The new artist is Hybycozo!
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Fall Garden
The garden has really struggle this year, all except my bok choy! The garlic seems to be holding on too and I hope to get a good enough garlic harvest to make a garlic braid.
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Freeze Dryer
In November I made a really big investment and bought a freeze dryer. It has been so great and has become integral to my new business
Detox Retreat
In November I decided to do the 10 Day Detox Diet by Mark Hyman to see if I could help my body reset and feel better. It was a nice wholistic program and I found a lot of great recipes including for a dairy and gluten free, low sugar chocolate truffle recipe. This truffle is so good that I shared it was my friends and made if for treats at Christmas and started a business...that comes in January.
December
Hospital
In December I spent 5 days in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction. This is me after getting the NG tube out. I happened to get a very large corner room. I was at the Mayo Clinic and was treated wonderfully!
Oregon for Christmas
The day I left to fly to Oregon I got the stomach flu. I made it to Oregon and spent a few days sick and then we went to the Oregon coast and Redwood forest. It was wonderful and so was the snow on the way to Klammath falls.
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First half of January
Thai Chi
While living in Taiwan 25 years ago I saw people doing Thai Chi in the park. I wondered about it. Now I am taking a Thai Chi class at the Desert Botanical Garden. It is just what my heart and body craved and need right now in my life. I am enjoying it so much!
Truffles and Tins
On January 5, 2025, my 52nd birthday, I launched a new business. With the awesome chocolate truffle recipe I discovered during the detox in November, my new freeze dryer and a desire to help the planet and give people delicious treats I started this business. I can now call myself a chocolatier....how fun is that? If you would like to check it out the website is trufflesandtins.com
It has taken a lot of time, energy and resources and I am loving it. I get to be so creative- with the flavors, taking pictures of the truffles and the organizing and running a business. A big thanks for 
There you have a 2.5 month update. I am happy and healthy and so busy with my career and making lots of truffles!!!