During our recent trip to Alaska, we stepped out of a restaurant after a wholesome lunch. It was raining, BADLY! As we trotted along, we saw what was probably the remains of a Farmers' Market. I casually took a stroll to see the vendors/stalls  and if I'd indeed find something interesting.  There was this quaint little place that was selling jewelry! Say no more, my friends! As I glanced around, I saw very light, classy jewelry that was displayed inside the little store. The owner was busy assisting customers. I patiently waited until she was available. The nature of the jewelry was quite unique and I always LOVE learning the history behind anything. That is when I was introduced to this sleek,earthy material called the Tagua aka Vegan Ivory.   Phytelephas is a genus containing six known species of palms occurring from southern Panama along the Andes to Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, northwestern Brazil, and Peru. PC: Wikipedia They are commonly known as ivory palms, ivory-n...

“The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books.”- Theodore Roosevelt. "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard,  neither exhibits a lack of being in nature nor a dull moment as we fly through the pages with nervous excitement.  Although the book is about the Amazonian river, to me it was a testament of leadership, mutual respect among men, progressive indigenous tribe of women, basic civil decencies driven by a strong determination to conquer the massive unknown. After losing the presidential battle for the third term, Teddy Roosevelt sets off on a journey to explore the mammoth, unchartered river, with an entourage that follows him from America. Upon reaching Brazil, TR is assigned a  Brazilian military officer famous for his telegraph commission and exploration of Mato Grosso and the Western Amazon Basin, as well as his lifelong support for indigenous Brazilians (which is well articulated in the book). T...