Incahoots

You may not be aware of the extremes that we Incahootians will go to provide you with the freshest and most timely products for your holiday festivities. For example, just this past Sunday Alena with her husband Robin, Janet, her sister Thea, daughter Miranda, and I, trekked to the wild Oregon countryside on our annual mistletoe hunt.

Most years, we just wander around until we find a climbable tree, stomp our way through the underbrush, find some way to get into the tree, ascend to a dizzying height, and clip away at the decorative parasites. They are then gently tossed from the “harvester” down to the “catcher” who generally gets a facefull of mistletoe, moss, an occasional branch, and perhaps a small tree dwelling rodent.
This year, remembering many trees that were just too hard to get into, we decided to try attaching monofilament (fishing line) to an arrow and shooting the arrow over a branch. We would then tie a rope to the monofilament and pull the rope over the branch. Then we (meaning Thea) could climb the rope to a bountiful harvest. Well as luck would have it, the first tree we happened upon was easy to climb and yielded an abundance of mistletoe.

We could have just called it a day and gone to sit by the fire, but no, we had to try out our new system. Presently, we found a suitable tree and Robin prepared the arrow and monofilament. He then proceeded to test the arrow by lightly shooting it across a field. Away flew the arrow, snap went the monofilament, and it was a surprise to all just how far that arrow flew. Across the field, uphill and into the brush it went. After a fruitless and arrowless search we returned to the tree. Robin got out his lighter bow, another arrow, and attached the monofilament. I must say that Robin is quite a good shot and if Miranda hadn’t been standing on the monofilament, he would have gotten the line in the tree in no time.

Eventually we did succeed in getting the line in the tree, but it wasn’t strong enough to pull the rope over the branch.  It did make for an interesting illusion on the way up though. So as the sun began to set and the chill settled in, we decided to go make some hot chocolate and sit by the fire.

Here’s hoping your holiday season is filled with adventure.
And yes, we do have mistletoe.
Peace,
Brian

The Winter Solstice offers yet another excuse for a party in December, and if you’re having a party, you need a little music. We’re happy to offer a couple of exciting new releases this year.

First up, is the music of John Huling. He’s just released Winter Solstice – Southwest Meditations, an album of musical stories with haunting Native American flute melodies and meditative drumming enveloped in the sounds of nature. This is contemplative, peaceful music for meditation, dreaming, and healing your spirit.

Hmmm…I guess that may not sound like most people’s idea of party music. Never fear, we have another selection.

A solstice CD that I plan to add to my personal collection is Song of Solstice by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra. This album of Celtic music offers original and traditional songs for midwinter. From pieces that encourage introspection to lively tunes that will have you singing along, this CD is a gift to help banish the winter gloom.

Definitely topping the list of gift books this season is Unlikely Friendships, 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom. This is a delightful collection of stories of animals that find friendship outside of their own species. The accompanying photographs are simply amazing. Our stock on this is pretty good at the moment, but hurry, they’re going fast!