Dear Readers and Friends,

I apologize for not having been able to publish an April issue of Vivacini . . . I had a friend in crisis and it has taken every ounce of my emotional and physical strength.  This unexpected but necessary hiatus has given me time to reflect on many things in my life and has certainly given me plenty of raw material for my writing and photography . . . too much to include in one issue or in this letter, so look for my musings on www.helenekobelnyk.net and on the magazine site www.vivacini.com under the category, From the Publisher.

The June issue is already percolating and July will mark the first year anniversary of Vivacini!  Here are some stories and features that will be coming your way:

• the “medicine woman” of the animal world
• exploring the spiritual connection between us and our horses
• more recipes from my Old World Simplicity series include a “torte” layered with a buttercream fit for gods and goddesses!
• the  “evolved” wedding photographer and how brides can get the photos they want without spending a small fortune.
• the “ins” and “outs” of High Dynamic Range Imaging . . . you don’t have to be a professional photographer to take advantage of this versatile post-processing technique.
• reincarnation . . . do our pet friends come back to us?
• a glimpse of the “roof of the world”
• “Dr. Kay” is back with advice for wayward dogs (or owners!)

. . . and much more!

I hope this Mother’s Day finds all of you well and happy.

Be sure to check Vivacini’s Facebook Page for updates and news.

Wishing you happiness and love,

Helene

 Dangerous Words by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  12 May 2013

A friend told me once that the two most dangerous words in the English language are, “watch this.”  That seemingly harmless phrase is almost always a prelude to stupidity and guaranteed epic failure.  How many times have you broadcast those words only to have them followed by a colossal disaster?

Along the same line, another potentially lethal combination, “what if. . .”  can take you to phenomenal discoveries and adventures or to impending doom unless you’re quick enough to change the trajectory.

One summer not too long ago, my dog, Nicky, strained some back muscles . . . something we all face over time.  The words “hot tub” and “jacuzzi” came to mind immediately . . . obviously at a temperature tolerable for dogs.  So began my “what if” train of thought.

What if . . . I used a nice clean stock tank, filled it with water, covered it with plastic and let the sun just heat it?  Should and did work.  Next step was how to get the water moving in a “therapeutic way.”  What if I inserted the nozzle attached to the exhaust end of my horse grooming vacuum?   Electricity and water are not a good mix, but because the vacuum was designed for use on horses, the hose was long enough so that I could place the apparatus far enough away from the “hot tub” to avoid electrocution.

Everything was in place.  The temperature was pleasant and because I planned to sit in the tub with my dogs, I assumed it would be a grand experience of “togetherness”.  The little dogs got to practice swimming under my supervision.  Good exercise for them, I thought.  Nicky at 50 pounds had to be held since it was too easy for him to climb out.  So there we were, the six of us all nice and comfy in our little hot tub.  It was now time to start the “jacuzzi.”   I inserted the nozzle into the water and was a little surprised at the force that was generated. . . it was more like whitewater rapids than a gentle, therapeutic whirlpool.  Apparently, the dogs were equally astonished.  Nicky launched himself out of the tub with  the vigor of a medieval catapult, and the little ones found a way to quickly scramble out of the tub and into the soft dirt of the garden, which now meant a grooming session for all.

As I climbed out of the tub, soaked and scratched, I was met with ecstatic dogs who no doubt were glad that I, too, had escaped the “sea monster.”  As I sat on the deck and surmised the now dirty dogs, I watched them have their little conversations among themselves- – - “Looks like we survived another one of Helene’s brilliant ideas.”

My mother had been trying to photograph the whole debacle, but was laughing so hard that many of the photos were too blurry.  It was incidentally the last time she was strong and healthy enough to take photos, but the photos that did turn out were a source of amusement for her for the rest of her life.

The “what if” and “watch this” moments . . . sometimes you just have to risk them to make a memory to last a lifetime.

For a true “magazine experience” and more photos, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  12 May 2013

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EXCERPT from From Nature’s Anomalies by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  12 May 2013

In a mountain resort where “bear carvers” and chain saw sculptors abound to the delight of tourists, Jim Mauritsen quietly and patiently pursues his own unique vision in wood sculpting by creating a utopia of texture and abstract forms.

Having grown up in the lush and rain drenched Pacific Northwest, Jim, who worked in the family nursery business most of his life, always dabbled with wood sculpting.  “I would find some interesting driftwood on the coast and make some furniture.  Gave a lot away to friends and sold some.”

Like many others, Jim came to the Ruidoso’s annual biker rally almost twenty years ago and decided to stay.  For him, Ruidoso is the best of both worlds . . . the pine covered mountains and wilderness without the incessant rainfall, although long time New Mexico residents would gladly welcome a fraction of the Northwest rains.    ”It rains a lot in Washington, and I mean a LOT.  Although I miss my family and the fishing, I don’t miss the rain.  I had to wait awhile for the webs to go away when I first got here.”

It’s not just the beauty of the area that keeps Jim here.

For a true “magazine experience” and more photos, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  12 May 2013

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EXCERPT from Backroads and Backyards by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

In 2011, I started and completed a Project365 challenge . . . one photo per day. In 2012, I started the project again, but incorporated writing into it so it became a photo or a series of images built around a story.

Not only did I end up with a nice portfolio of imagery and writing, but I’ve become much more disciplined in my artistry and have learned to work through blocks . . . “Creating” has become a habit.

Another fringe benefit was learning to see the familiar with a “new eye” — – a fresher and often different perspective. When I didn’t have the time to travel to an “exotic” locale for my photo of the day, I would look for something photo-worthy on some of the old country back roads.

For a true “magazine experience” and more photos, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

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EXCERPT from A Timeless Tradition by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

Each winter, I set aside a special time to practice a Ukrainian art form and continue a tradition from my childhood.

Pysanky are Ukrainian eggs decorated by a wax-resist dye method. The process begins with a clean white or light brown raw egg. The part which is to remain white (or light brown) is covered with melted beeswax using a kistka, which is a wooden stick with a copper cone attached at one end. The cone is heated over a candle and as the wax melts, it drips or flows through a hole in the cone.

Once the white design is complete and the wax has hardened, the egg is dipped in the first color, usually yellow, and the process is repeated. The part of the design that is to stay yellow is drawn with beeswax and the egg is dipped in the next color. When the design is complete, most of the egg is covered in wax, which is then melted by gently warming the egg by the heat of a candle.

For a true “magazine experience” and more photos, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

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EXCERPT from Using an “Elephant” to Stay Organized by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

In the pre-internet days, we used encyclopedias to do our research. Remember those beautiful hard-bound (and heavy!) volumes? I spent many a night in my high school days with several of them spread open over the kitchen table to complete a research paper most likely in the eleventh hour.

Today, the internet search engines (Google, Bing, etc) are the preferred mode for research or investigation.
Articles are full of links for further discovery and we don’t have to leave the desk to hunt for another periodical or journal.

One of my biggest “irritations” when working on the net is bookmarking. I find an article
and follow other hyperlinks for more relevant information
but don’t want to lose my place on the original site, so I bookmark it.

For a true “magazine experience”, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

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EXCERPT from Building a “Fountain of Youth”  by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

The pursuit of everlasting youth and beauty is big business today. Cosmetic firms try to justify the outrageous prices of their “age-defying, miracle” products with catchy scientific terms such as proprietary blend and molecular weight. I have to admit that I fell for their clever advertising on more than one occasion and bought some of those age-defying formulas at $150 per jar!

I realized very quickly that whether the bottle cost $50 or $500, the improvement was minimal. The consultants will be quick to tell you that you need to keep using the product and that over time, you’ll see a difference. Admittedly, the cream or lotion felt nice, but as for turning back the clock, it was a big “fail.”
Look at the list of ingredients on the labels of various popular and costly cosmetic products. They are listed in order of amount. Usually water is first, the highest percentage of the content, and interestingly enough, the most potent and most expensive ingredients are toward the end of the list.

For a true “magazine experience”, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

Please use out affiliate links if you are interested in any of the sources used in this article.

 

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EXCERPT from A Midwinter Picnic by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

For most of us in the northern hemisphere, February and even March are usually winter’s last hurrah and we are all so ready for the warmth and greenery of spring. I, for one, sometimes need a reminder that if I hang on just a little bit, spring and summer will be here soon enough.

One way to get through the mid winter “blahs” is to create a meal that you would take on a summer picnic or barbecue with lots of color. If you’re part of our southern hemisphere readership, then you already have access to a host of fresh vegetables and can easily prepare this for a beautiful autumn picnic or meal on the patio.

For a true “magazine experience”, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

EXCERPT from A Whirlwind of Textures  by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

It was a long way from Minnesota for Warren and Joan Malkerson, owners of Gallery 408 on Twelfth Street in Carrizozo., New Mexico.

After spending a lifetime working in corporations in the east and mid-western states, Warren retired and asked his wife, “Where do you want to be?” With maps and magazines scattered over the kitchen table, each made a list of desirable characteristics of their new location, and arrived at the following common characteristics: lots of warmth, sunshine, interesting things to do, no pollution, no people pollution, and wide vistas.

Since Joan had grown up in Colorado, she felt at home in the high desert, mountains and forests of the west, so New Mexico seemed a logical candidate. Being quickly smitten by the mountains and blue skies of Ruidoso, they moved to the Angus area sixteen years ago and after traveling back and forth to Minnesota where children and grandchildren reside, Warren decided that now was the time to help his wife fulfill her artistic dreams.

For a true “magazine experience”, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

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EXCERPT from A Surprise Bag of Treasures by Helene Kobelnyk in Vivacini  06 March 2013

I’ve  always had a penchant for mixing things. When I was five years old and my brother a little toddler, we found a can of house paint while we were exploring our backyard. I was fascinated with the texture and flow of the liquid as I had watched my parents paint the house. So I worked very hard at getting that paint can open.

My mother, who had apparently been watching through the kitchen window, interrupted my diligence, put the can back in its place, and I’m sure told me to leave it alone, but it didn’t register. As soon as she went back in the house, we went back for the paint, but this time, hid behind the shed covering the root cellar and safely out of her view, or so I thought.

As I returned to the task of prying the can open, I was very surprised to see my mother’s feet beside me as I knelt on the ground. Looking up at her face, I remember thinking how big she was, like one of those giant Redwood trees, and what a magician she was with x-ray vision and the ability to fly.

For a true “magazine experience”, read the rest of this article by clicking on this link:  Vivacini  06 March 2013

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