BLOG IT FORWARD What Inspires Me - Heroes, Rebels, Pioneering Souls

Hello friends and welcome to the 250th installment of the Blog It Forward project initiated by SF Girl By Bay. A thank you to the talented Red Glasses for her gracious introduction. And may I present tomorrow's illustrious torch bearer Rhonna Designs whose post I very much look forward to.

I wish to share the deeper roots of inspiration for me - that is apart from my amazing family, who I blog about all the time.

I'm going back to 1975 to reference my first hero, who at age 3 taught me that one can overcome ANY obstacle whatsoever with style, faith, compassion, discipline & perseverance. Muhammad Ali will for me remain the greatest that ever was & ever will be.

As I view these photos I look over at my uncompleted Ethnoscience report (which is now 6 giant volumes on The Cultural Use of Water) and see that the theme underpinning every image here is Man's relationship with our watery environment. Hmm.

Heroes I Have Loved

Cat Power who loves Pippi Longstocking and her piratous brand of anarchy

Muhammad Ali who needs no introduction but got one anyhow

Sheila Watt Cloutier and The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment who told me that I must be true to my passion in order to make meaningful change in the world

Dr. David Suzuki the reason I love science and became a nerd

Dominick Tyler amazing cultural and environmental photos

Rebel Rebels

Howard Schatz defying all boundaries to find the rarest of beauties - the naked truth

Man Ray whose work is as relevant today tattooed on my back as it was on paper in the 1930s

Mestre Leopoldina who taught me the meaning of Capoeira and Axé, & could literally dance circles around me at 70 years+

Martha for walking tall under all circumstances

Pioneering Souls

Ruth Asawa survivor, innovator, teacher

Heinrich Kley peaceful opponent of the Industrial Revolution

Charles and Ray Eams will NEVER go out of style

Frida Kahlo my first "art hero"

Long Lost Ancestors photo cred just one of the many tribes, clans and families in my tree

City Mouse Country Mouse

At the Quilchena Wild Horse Roundup at Douglas Lake (Upper Nicola Indian Reserve).

We can officially mark Spring on the calendar by the timing of the round up. I hope its soon because we are ready.

Thank You to Lizards Jewelry For the Love!

Spring Snow

Were you looking for breakfast outside my studio door little robbins? I am sorry to send you away hungry - next time please knock at the front door of the Big House. That is where you will find me in the AM.

Art Imitates Life

My newest piece inspired by genettis and limoncello - two of my favorite Italian indulgences.

Good-Bye Pretty Things!

Adventures in gift packaging for long distance cross-border order fulfillment.

Mama Paciocco's (not so secret anymore) Genetti Cookie Recipe

Mrs. Paciocco lived across the street from my grandparents in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Her cooking was stuff of legend and she shared it with the entire neighborhood. Everyone, including my grandparents called her Mama. She contributed wholeheartedly to the raising of all the children, grandchildren and great grandkids within earshot.

This is her own family recipe that she brought with her from Calabria, Italy and passed on to my grandma who gave it to my mother who bequeathed it to me. Please note that proportions used in my demonstration are 1/4 the size of the original recipe.

Ingredients

1/4 cup of sugar (or 1/2 cup to double)

just under 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (or 3/4 cup)

3 eggs (or 6 eggs)

1/2 tablespoon of anisette flavoring (or 1 T)

1 3/4 cups of sifted white flour (or 3 1/2 cups)

3 tablespoons of baking powder (or 6 T) - no, that's not a typo!

half a pinch of salt (or a full pinch to double)

Method

Beat sugar and oil for 2 minutes or so. Incorporate eggs one at a time with a whisk. Be thorough here - you want a light and bubbly yellow mixture when you are done. Add the anisette. Then add salt and dry ingredients mixing lightly. Traditionally you roll little snakes of dough in flour (its a sticky process) and roll the snakes into elaborate knots, but my lovely assistant does not like this process, so balls will do in a pinch for time. Bake on a lined sheet for 5 - 10 minutes at 350 degrees. I make a simple icing of butter, icing sugar, milk, a little bit of red food coloring and heavy on the anisette extract because I can't get enough of the taste.

Some cooks add candied lemon peel to the batter and crushed unsalted pistachios on top after icing. These little gems are meant to be prepared for family celebrations and served with spumoni gelato. Mmm.