The cowboy's second favorite drink.

 Cowboys usually asked for whiskey when they bellied up to the bar, but tequila came in a close second. It became popular after the 1840's, especially in the South West area.

 Last summer, the Berthoud Conservation Gardens had a special plant blooming, the Parry's Agave.      

                               Each flowering plant has a giant stalk up to 20 feet tall, with 20 to 30 side branches. Each side branch produces hundreds of flowers.                            Often called century plants, agaves live many years before flowering, after which they sadly die. This succulent (not really a cacti) has been a source of human food and beverage for at least 9,000 years. 

                             
 When an agave’s central bud is removed, the cavity fills with fluid. This nutritious juice is called aguamiel (honey water). When aguamiel is allowed to ferment it becomes an alcoholic beverage called pulque. The Aztecs fermented pulque from 1000 B.C. to 200 A.D.. 

                                    

When pulque is distilled it becomes mescal. But while all tequilas are technically mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequilas. Tequila is a high quality mescal produced only from the blue agave plant and grown only in limited regions of Mexico.  

Sugars concentrate in the core of an agave just before flowering. If the leaves are trimmed away, the core can be baked or roasted. Native Americans of many Southwestern tribes pit-roasted agaves in an elaborate process that took three or four days of cooking!

 Chunks of roasted agave were chewed and the tough fibers discarded. Roasted agave could also be pounded into cakes and dried for later use.

Agave leaves have strong fibers good for many uses. Sisal fiber derived from Agave sisalana is grown worldwide and used for inexpensive twine, rope, paper, fabric, filters, mattresses, and carpets.

******************************************************

  Around 1936, in Tijuana, Irishman called Madden, was known around the area for his Tequila Daisy. Though Madden admitted that the creation of the drink was a lucky mistake, it’s become one of the most celebrated in the U.S. (margarita in Spanish means daisy).

In 1974 the Mexican government declared the term tequila, intellectual property. This made it necessary for tequila to be made and aged in certain areas of Mexico, and it also made it illegal for other countries to produce or sell their own “tequila. 

"Hey, Waiter. What's that worm doing in my drink? And please don't say the backstroke."

   In the 1950's, when a mezcal maker discovered a moth larvae in a batch of his liquor, he decided the stowaway improved its taste. Since then, he started adding “worms” to all his bottles as a marketing strategy. The larva is usually either a red worm or a maguey worm. The red worm is typically considered tastier.

               

This weekend, why not sip a Sunrise or Margarita 

                                and get lost in a good western story!  

           

 My Stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

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Tartan Day 2025

                              
A beautiful day, with perfect weather for the annual Tartan Day celebration in Longmont, Colorado. 

So fun, and so thankful to spend time with my sister. There were more tents this year, which equals more temptations for buying, and more lasses in gorgeous gowns and more handsome laddies in kilts!  

           Mary Queen of Scots granted us an audience. 

  Mary Queen of Scots of the Highland Rockies

              Our favorite faerie, Lemon Drop, came by creating magical bubbles which everyone, young and old, enjoyed. 

                      The Scottie dog rescue folks were on hand.

   I had to buy a little dragon  at the mountain mini shop.  A creative store that uses recycle material in a 3-D printer. 

Darla and Mark from Warp and Woolens demonstrated drop spindle spinning, floor loom weaving, and bobbin lace making. The lace was spectacular--what an underappreciated and nearly lost art. 

A lively parade had us all cheering, and a group photo rounded out the afternoon. 

Had so much fun, and then we went for ice cream, and a little thrift store shopping. A wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

 

Would your story make a great graphic novel?

  Don't we all dream of our stories becoming movies? We even know which actor and actress we would cast as the hero and heroine. We'd be thrilled to see our characters jump off the page into another medium.

  Or how about a graphic novel,

 or a Marvel comic? 

      For my Fae Warriors books, 

       the cast of characters, might look like this.

                      The Fae Warrior sisters: 
          



Solace, holds sway over Air,
spirit of the East
               







Bliss, an empath, 
with the ability 
to compel.                

           









Portence, controls fire, 
spirit of the South.
                                     

                                          

The Heroes...  

Tanner Jackson, Ex-Army Ranger, Solace's partner, 
fearless in the face of 
the enemy---human or Reptile.

   
Nate Calhoun, cowboy/scientist. Bliss' partner and the inventor of the laser shotgun.  

                
            




 Malachi, Fae/sorcerer and Port's partner. 
  Defender of "white" magic, he has a score to settle with Thurax.

                 

 Noodge, a Rapran (short for Rapacious Ranivorous) the Fae's faithful companion. He faces down gnarly Reptiles without hesitation.
  

                     
  Mother Nature, a tough love parent, overseeing all as she fights to save her favorite planet, Earth. 

                                 The Villains...
                 

The Reptiles, alien creatures, primitive yet cleaver, with opposing thumbs, a penchant for weaponry, and a love for fighting. 



                         

   Thurax, an otherworldly mercenary warrior, bred for fighting, and out for revenge as he seeks to lead  the Reptiles to victory.

    

  Xandora, obsessed with taking over planet Earth. 
She's as insane as she is beautiful.



                     


  Hephaestus, god of fire and crafts, son of Zeus and henchman  to Xandora. 

   Gorlock, would-be wizard, turned to the dark arts, resentful, and at odds with Malachi.






         

 I'm still waiting for Marvel comics to calls 😻, but you can read the Fae Warriors Trilogy in its original form, paperback or e-book. Join the adventure.

Solace Available here...
Bliss Available here...
Portence Available here...

        
                         Until then Dream On....

Denver's Oldest Restaurant, The Buckhorn Exchange

Located at 1000 Osage Street in Denver the restaurant opened its doors on November 1893 as a saloon called "The Rio Grande Exchange"  

 Now a National Historic Landmark, it had Colorado's first liquor license. The founder, Henry Zietz, was a colorful figure of the Old West, and in his younger years, was a scout with Buffalo Bill Cody.  During those years, the great Indian leader, Chief Sitting Bull, dubbed Zietz "Shorty Scout," in reference to his diminutive stature.

   The restaurant was located directly across Osage street from the Rio Grande Railroad yards. The second-story of the building was the Buckhorn Lodge which house railroaders for the night. 

 Each Friday, the railroaders scrambled across Osage Street to exchange their paychecks for gold. In return, Zietz also handed each man a token good for free lunch and a beer figuring a railroad man wouldn't stop at just one beer. 

 President Theodore Roosevelt visited in 1905, and purportedly asked Shorty Scout to hunt big game with him after dinner. Other presidents who dined there were Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and 

Ronald Reagan.

Other visitors or diners included Bob Hope, Jimmy Cagney, astronauts Scott Carpenter, Jack Swigert, Royals Princess Anne, Garth Brooks, Von Miller:  Wayne Gretzky, and Dana White.

Not for the faint of heart, Buckhorn Exchange now is home to loads of historical artifacts and over 500 mounted animals.

 

 Traveling Ken

The menu reflects the original offerings of long ago. Appetizers include: Rocky Mountain Oyster, Smoke Buffalo sausage, Grilled Duck breast, Fried alligator tail, boneless rattlesnake marinated in red chili and lime.  

 Colorado Springs Gazette

Dinner includes beef, of course. The famous Big Steak, anywhere from 1 1/2 pounds to 3 1/2 pounds, will serve 2 to 5 guests. Buffalo served several ways is available, as is wild game including elk, Cornish game hen, quail, duck and salmon. There are combo platters for the adventurous. 

 Buckhorn Exchange in Denver. Photo: Shelby L. Bell

Deserts are pretty basic with rocky road brownies, cheesecake, ice cream and sorbet, and Dutch Apple Pie. 

                            

                Deserts are pretty basic with rocky road brownies, cheesecake, ice cream and sorbet, and Dutch Apple Pie.                              So if you are looking for something different food-wise, with great historical ambiance, try the Buckhorn Exchange 303-534-9505

My Stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

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Victorian Hair Jewelry

      Not the kind you wear in your hair, the kind made from hair. 

   Although treasuring hair from deceased loved ones goes back to medieval times, it is more noted in the 1700's. Human hair does not readily decay with the passing of time, and has qualities allowing it to last for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. 

  English knights and other men, might receive lockets containing wreaths or hearts woven from their fair lady's hair. 

    The custom using head hair truly flourished during the Victorian era. Buyers of human hair traveled the countryside, purchasing locks often in exchange for scarves, ribbons or other small luxury objects. This hair was used by craftsmen and goldsmiths. 

 

                      Band of lace from human (head) hair, made as a love token and likely worn as a bracelet, ca. 1640-1680, from the collection at the Victoria & Albert museum.

                                

    But, hairwork, as it was known, was not just for the wealthy; it was a way for people from various social classes to express their grief and sentimental feelings. Eventually women of the 19th century began crafting their own hairwork at home. In America, popular magazines of the period, such as this one and others like Godey's Lady's Book, offered printed patterns and the sale of starter kits with the necessary tools for success. 

   The practice is also mentioned in literature. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847) finds Heathcliff switching the hair from his rival Linton's for his own in the locket around deceased Catherine’s neck. Now a fragment of his body will go to the grave with Catherine, to intermingle with her for all times. Of course, Heathcliff’s plan is foiled by Nelly Dean, who comes along and twines rival Linton’s lock around Heathcliff’s perpetuating the lifelong feud.  

The practice to create a keepsake from your loved one's hair continues today with many websites available And you can visit Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri. https://leilashairmuseum.net/

But take care. Hair is often used when casting spells!   

In Victorian Dream, my heroine Trelayne St. Christoper, didn't have time for making hair jewelry. She was too busy trying to run her father's shipping company and resisting falling in love with a Yankee see captain.  

1851 England & America.

    Trelayne St.Christopher, a cosseted young English woman, dreams of falling madly in love, just like the daring women in her purloined novels. Now faced with adult responsibilities for the first time in her life, she leaps at the opportunity to manage her father’s shipping business. 

    But when she ignores her prophetic nightmares in favor of passionate daydreams, her best laid plans go terribly awry. 

     Emotionally scarred following the death of his wife, Yankee sea captain Walker Garrison bans romance from his personal manifest--shipbuilding is his only passion. 

   The transatlantic partnership between Walker and Trelayne’s father seems a grand idea until her parents are critically injured and one of Walker’s crew turns up dead. 

    On the trail of the man responsible, Walker sets sail for England. After meeting his new partner's daughter, protecting Trelayne and not falling in love with her may prove impossible. 

Available here

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