Wow, how is it that there are suddenly only two months left in the year?!

The last three months of the year are a toss-up for me between writing/practicing Celtic guitar/making minis and housework/decorating/cooking.

Which group do you think wins out more often? To be honest, which should?

Joseph Stein, author of the acclaimed “Fiddler on the Roof” musical died last month at age 98. And while I admit to not being a huge fan of musicals, Fiddler has always held a special place for me - I loved Tevye, the poor Jewish milkman who was the title character, from the minute I saw him. Not as Zero Mostel, the actor portraying him at the time, but Tevye (and Stein by proxy). His soliloquys (or prayers) are some of the most ironically funny things I’d ever heard, then or now.

For those of you who may not be musical fans at all, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is based on Sholem Aleichem’s short story about a poor Jewish milkman and his family in a small 1905 Russian village and the day to day life of the family commemorated in one of the musical’s sweetest songs, ‘Sunrise, Sunset.'

Stein also wrote “Zorba” about Greek man who lived life to the fullest, a philosophy he believed in himself. Not a bad philosophy to have. And a good reason why writing/guitar/miniatures trumps housework/decorating/cooking so many times.

I will also admit to not coming fully alive during the summer months, I am just not a fan of the humid weather of my home state. But now that the humidity has finally broken here in Amazon-forest-like West Virginia, USA, I take much of my world outside from computer to guitar to crafts (bless laptops!) to do what makes me feel alive in lively surroundings. Not to mention how much fun it is to take a break and chase the dogs around the yard.

But my newest outdoor passion is ziplining.

Me and an equally adventurous friend hit the colorful treetops at New River Gorge in Amazon-forest-like West Virginia for an unforgettable adventure. High up in the trees with the squirrels we hooked our harnesses to cables up to 760 feet in length and flew through the air with the greatest of ease from tree to tree. It was amazing.

The view from up there is incredible. And repelling down from the last tree was an incredible rush for someone who once dreamed of being a trapeze artist in the circus.

Adventures on the Gorge (canopytourwv.com) technically isn't related to miniatures in the slightest, but the inspiration from hiking in the wilderness and flying over top of it will keep me dreaming up new plants and creatures for a loooong time. And can anything that inspires artistic passion NOT be relevant to making miniatures? Or living to the fullest?

The Gorge adventure in fall - or in spring when the mountain foliage begins to bloom - is definitely a fun thing to share with like-minded friends or family. The ones who aren't afraid of heights, that is.

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow American CDHMrs out there and to everyone, don't miss out on our First Annual Miniature Gingerbread House Challenge - see the story for guidelines but the short and sweet is to make a mini masterpiece and send us photos by December 14!

Good luck and see you next month!

Editor