Pixie Blossoms

Back to Arizona

Hello there! It's been awhile, hu?! I've neglected this blog due to my one month trip to Rio de Janeiro as you probably know. If you just discovered Pixie Blossoms, know that I am excited to show you lots of photos of Rio in the next coming days!

How was the trip, you ask?  Well I can't say it was perfect, especially because in the first days of our arrival in Rio, our kids got very sick. My boys had to spent one morning in the emergency room of a hospital and fortunately they recovered just fine.  Salmonella or Rota virus, who knows?

It took one week to adapt to this "new environment". When traveling with children things can get pretty confused and tiresome. The purpose of this trip was to visit my relatives and show my children the city where I came from. They are part of Brazil as they have brazilian citizenship as well and I am their brazilian mother. They were amazed by so many differences, sometimes scared. I am sure they had fun. I am sure it was a great and unforgettable experience for them. My parents were very happy to see them and they finally met my youngest son. Mom's eyes were tearful at first sight. It was hard for her to wait five years.

For me it was very emotional. I looked every single part of that house and I could not stop crying. I went to the little house in the back yard and inside the room where was my bedroom, I cried very much remembering many years lived there. Sometimes with sadness and sometimes with lots of happiness. My life moved fast into my mind like a movie. It was just like rewinding my time there. Do you know what I mean?

I shall not complain about the situation in Brazil as everybody in the world must know, reading or watching the news. Going back there is bittersweet. All people in this Earth planet should live with dignity, equality and respect. Unfortunately is not the way things are. Are brazilians happy people? Are americans happy people? Who is happier? I can't answer these questions. I know that happiness is everywhere.

 I do recommend a trip to a foreign country (if you can afford it), a different country, with a different culture to everyone. It opens your eyes, your heart and refreshes your mind. You cannot expect that things will work  just like in your country. What you know in your country is sometimes, unknown to other people in another country. What is good for you, sometimes is not good or known to others. What is right for you might not be known to a lot of people. Respect and understanding about other cultures can be difficult for some but if you are open minded, generous and ready to learn something new, you are welcome everywhere. I wish I could express myself in a better way today.

Below, Fortaleza de Santa Cruz da Barra, located the other side of Guanabara Bay in a city called Niteroi. It's a place that you must go if in Rio de Janeiro. It was my first time there!!! From there you have gorgeous view of Rio. I've enjoyed to visit it very very much!!!!

I think I told you before how I drool all over the nature?



Can you see the redeemer on that tallest mountain?

What I like about Rio: its gorgeous topography, the nature at Tijuca National Park, its sight seeings, fall - winter - spring, mate leao and coconut water, the real passion fruit you can buy at the grocery store, pao de queijo, confeitaria colombo,  lots of events (Arts) happening all year long, colonial buildings in downtown,  bookstores, coffee shops, strong coffee, and amazing views like the one below...

 

Rio de Janeiro

So...here I am, writing from this tiny laptop that makes me nervous! It is too little for my crazy fingers!! I can't edit photos on this, it's almost impossible but I've had the patience to get some images edited with Picnik. The Internet is not very good as well.

As a carioca, born and raised in the city, I can tell that not much has changed since our last visit in 2004. There are joys and pains as nothing is perfect. We have the same tv shows for over 20 years , we have new cell phone companies that I've never heard of before , I see the police everywhere but I don't see tickets being given or crazy drivers being pulled over. Sorry my fellow cariocas but this is how I feel. The traffic is crazy, un polite and dangerous comparing to where we live. Too sad that people behave bad when driving. If the police doesn't act as a role model...who will? People don't follow the rules, but what rules? My husband drives and I get tense, stressed out. No automatic cars here. Unless you wish to pay something like 200 bucks a day! I don't drive non automatic cars. Frustration! I am not saying all this because I am being spoiled in America. I used to say the same thing before moving out of Rio. 

 Everything in Rio right now is amazingly OVERPRICED!!! I was expecting to pay more due to this bad economy but 3 times more is crazy. Everything in The US (or almost everything) is cheaper. I am not shopping for anything here but if I see exceptional fabric I might get some.

It's a beautiful city, it would be the perfect place if we had less, better saying, no corruption in our government and if people could take better care of the place where they live. Difficult situation and I don't feel like complaining. It's hard not to and I can't frame it perfectly either. I scratch my head and I try do not be so negative. Generosity, Tolerance, Politeness are many times forgotten. We do need these everywhere in the world.

 

I like to imagine this city when the Guanabara Bay was clean. I wasn't born. It was probably the best time and my grandmother had the best of this place!!!

Would I live here again? Yes, if I had to. If I could choose a place and if I could afford it... near the beach would be really nice. Ipanema, Urca and Jardim Botanico are great locations. So very expensive. Today I can say I am satisfied in Arizona. I don't have an ocean view but I have the four seasons!

The weather is perfect! We saw people wearing wool coats and leather boots in the shopping mall that was crowded but it's not that cold for us! I am a carioca not very well adapted to the winter in Flagstaff but 66 F is not that cold! It was raining last week and it's been really humid. We don't have a dryer and our clothes take 3 days to get dry!!! I love the mist in the air. Some mornings are foggy. It's fall in Brazil but our trees do not change colors. They remain green! I could not stop breathing deep during our trip to Tijuca Forest and Botanical Garden. These places are a must see in Rio. I love the variety of abundant vegetation we have. Unfortunately where my mom lives people got rid of the trees that were planted by the city years ago (they had gorgeous pink and yellow flowers) and now the street looks dead and ugly...so different of my childhood time. Being eco friendly and sustainable are not a reality in Brazil. Market totes are not fashion and vegetable gardens are probably non existent in people's yard (might have a few) . Should I mention organic food at all??? Organic???  I enjoy all these eco friendly ideas, they are all good, but we are very far of saving our planet. It depends on all the people in this world. If the world doesn't change, if people do not get educated, not much can be changed.

I told my parents they should plant their vegetables but dad prefers the back yard covered with cement so he can play table tennis. How can I argue with him?

Culture. Can we change?

Tijuca Forest is one of my favorite places in Rio (photo above). Bromeliads grow beautifully attached to other tree's branches.

I guess these are the reasons my stepdaughter's mom sent her with us. Our children are being able to see how different life can be outside America. They are enjoying Rio and I really hope to enjoy even more in the next days.

I am writing from Rio de Janeiro. We've made it! We are all well and I hope to come back later to post a bit about our experience.

I am in a hurry to go somewhere right now!

This (below) is Miami's sky. Flight TAM JJ 8057. It was simply divine!!!

Boa Viagem

It's 6:54 pm, Sunday and I did not finish packing. We are leaving Arizona tomorrow morning and we are all truly excited! My migraines are back. I am a bit stressed out and trying to keep calm...I will carry on, for sure! Ha! My parents are so happy and I can't believe I am going to see them after 5 years. I am curious to see how things are in Rio. My children don't stop talking about this trip a single minute!! I will try to keep posting from Brazil. If I do, this blog won't be crafty.

My in laws will stay in our home and they will help us with our cats and plants. That is so nice of them!! They are great people!!

Too many passports...I am going nuts with so many luggages as well. We are a crew of 5! I had to get a book to read in the air plane and I thought this one would be nice. Another day I saw an interview on PBS channel that caught my attention, about a movie called Food Inc. and somewhere I found the link to the book. I've been very interested in learning about food lately. I must keep my mind busy during the flight from Miami to Rio. The kids will sleep but I don't think I will. I am not a big fun of flying. I will keep my fears to myself!

Before saying goodbye, let me show you what I did really quick yesterday to carry my camera in my purse. I don't wanna carry those black camera bags that scream " hello, I have a camera". I don't wanna look like a tourist so I had to make a padded fabric bucket to protect my toy.



It fits perfectly...



Well, it's time to go. I see you in Brazil!

Tchau!

Bug

I think Typepad has a bug going on. I've received e-mails from readers that did not get to post comments on this blog. I don't know what's happening and I will try to check with Typepad to find out about this problem. It sucks, because people might think I am banning their comments....not nice. This blog has been very blessed with lovely people that take their time to drop messages for me and I really appreciate that. I am probably the laziest blogger in blogland but know that my heart is happy with your generosity!

Dandelion from my backyard, photo taken last week.

** Edited to add: It seems that when you leave a comment an automatic message from "me" says "this comment has been deleted", however they show in my spam folder for approval. The spam folder shows zero comments on the tab but I've clicked on it and there were 4 comments awaiting for my approval. Weird! I wrote to Typepad support and I hope they can fix this problem.

Persisting

Although I am not having the best mood for blogging lately I've been planning, thinking new ideas for when I come back from our trip in July. I don't wanna spill all the beans because sometimes I don't put my ideas into practice but one of them is that I will start making some bags to order only. I will probably waste less materials and money. I have some patterns that I created and they work well and I would like to improve my skills and create a few more that are functional and good looking.  I have a lot of light cotton fabric that I can still use for my designs but I am looking to work with gorgeous home decor fabrics, corduroy and canvas. I wanna take my work to a new step.

I've been always thinking positive about my hobbies and big time I think I can turn into a small business.  I still believe. I don't have training, I did not go to college and all I have are my curiosity and desire to grow. However I find terribly difficult to manage family, house chores, creating and sewing. As you see, I am still trying...

Last evening I went to downtown with little one to shop for some t-shirts and we stopped at this cute "Life is Good" store. For a moment I stared to a tag attached to a beautiful kids' backpack where it was written " Do what you like. Like what you do." Well, the backpack came home as a gift for my oldest son. His birthday is next week. He will be 7. The tag I had to hang on my fridge's door. Simple words that means a lot!

Have a super weekend!

Lilacs and Dreams

"You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows.
And a dreamer's just a vessel that must follow where it goes.
Trying to learn from what's behind you and never knowing what's in store
makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores.
And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.
I'll never reach my destination if I never try,
So I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Too many times we stand aside and let the water slip away.
To what we put off 'til tomorrow has now become today.
So don't you sit upon the shore and say you're satisfied.
Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tides. "

_Garth Brooks, song "The River".

Cloudy Saturday

I don't find creativity for better titles for my posts! All I can think lately is about our trip. May is about to end and how fast is the time? Duh!  I've been attending my kids' school parties and presentations, finishing some sewing for little one's preschool class (pillowcases and curtains), enjoying the rain, my birthday gift and anxiously waiting for our departure to Brazil. I guess it's all I can talk about lately!

I am not sure if I will be able to blog while traveling. It might be nice if our old laptop could handle some photo editing. Keeping a travel blog for one month would be fun, right?  I guess I will be  very busy. Well, I hope my camera doesn't get stolen and everything else works just fine. Rio can be really wild and I don't feel like loosing my birthday gift! I guess I will stick with my old Sony. Perhaps I should worry with other important things. Maybe I should not worry at all. It happens when you have children.

I also got to finish that doll for Craft Hope! Eren has received it already and I am glad that I could participate in this nice project.

I also got to use my Serger to finish some pillowcases. I like this machine, but I find it hard to adjust the threads (this is a beginner problem).  I also need to place a mat under it because it shakes a lot when I am sewing with it and it keeps moving to the left side all the time!!! Overall is a good machine for someone that doesn't make a lot of things all the time. Nice for beginners. I had one free class at the local store where I purchased it last December and this book helps me when I have any concern about techniques.

Photo below shows me threading the thing...kinda scary, hu?



Pillowcases wip (I finished them last week)...



Have a nice weekend!

Fruits

This photo was taken last time in Brazil {2004}. It's very common to see markets like this in every city. Fruits are sold fresh and they also organize them in a nice way. Eye candy!