Although I will be writing today, I’ve got packing to do, etc. , for the Vegas trip. I’ll be taking along a few clothes from Chico’s for the lunches and dinners (according to Jen, her memoirs will be titled, “The Devil Wears Chico’s” 🙂 ), and bopping around in jeans the rest of the time. Thank heaven I can wear them again–have lost not quite 20 pounds, so the difference is starting to show. Still a long trail ahead, but at least I’m headed in the right direction!
One of the best things about the NFR is seeing friends I don’t run into the rest of the year–Robyn Carr and daughter Jamie, two of my favorite people on this earth, Steve and Sammi Miller, Buck and Goldie Taylor, Steve and Robin Black, Bob and Lynn Massi, Bill Francis and Renae Kinsey, Nancy and Mike Berland, and a bunch more. My brother, Jerry, always helps out at the Western Art auction out at South Pointe; this year it’s on the 13th–I’ll double check the date–and starts at 1 pm. I’ll be there, so if you want a chance to say ‘howdy’, that’s the best place to catch up with me. (You can’t miss Jerry–he’s the tall guy holding a picture up for bids). Another idea: just look for the woman wandering around Cowboy Christmas with her debit card out and her mouth open. 🙂 (Lovely picture, no? No.)
The gemstone discussion continues to draw comments–I love it. Several stones are good for depression and/or the winter blues–yellow sunstone being my present favorite. Rose quartz will soothe, as will smokey quartz. I like to use beads, but if you have stones that resonate for you, they don’t necessarily need to be turned into jewelry. I love to carry a variety of stones in a pouch, arrange them on a pretty dish, or just hold them in my hands. I even sleep with some of them. 🙂 I have a little pile of moss agate on my desk as we speak–another gentle healing stone–and I like to lay my hand on it once in a while. There is always a positive charge. It’s important to say, however, that there are many different ways of connecting to stones and crystals; mine happens to be kinesthetic, or touch. Other people see mental pictures instead, and still others hear stories or music. A great deal can be learned about any stone by holding it in one’s hands and meditating. As previously stated, I even put them in my homemade bubble bath.
We are fortunate to have two VERY good bead/gemstone stores here in Spokane–Rings and Things and Wonders of the World. You can bet I’ll be checking out bead stores in Vegas, though I will have very little spare time. In the not so distant future, I will probably be making a few trips that involve visits to actual mines–(I never thought I’d want to visit Brazil or India). Keeping it closer to home, I understand Montana has several–emeralds in one place, garnets in another. And of course the Southwest, my beloved Arizona included, is absolutely rife with turquoise and many, many other lovely stones. Years ago, I visited the town of Quartzite, AZ, during their big rock show–I wasn’t into gemstones then, so the most prominent memory is of a man walking at least a dozen adorable Yorkies, tiny leashes hooked to their tiny collars. (I smile every time picture comes to mind.) There’s a very famous gem show in Tucson every year, as well, and that would be worth attending for sure, though I think it’s probably geared more to jewelry-makers, but who knows? It certainly merits investigation.
And, once again, I find myself rambling. 🙂 A sure sign that it’s time to close.
About Linda
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.
Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.
