My Favorite Things

Did you catch that special starring Carrie Underwood in The Sound of Music?

I am not going to bash it, don't worry. That is one of my favorite movies, mostly because it was a true story with a Happily Ever After. No matter, it's pretty hard to mess up the story, and I have to say, I loved this scene:

Yes, I know that doesn't have anything to do with the post, but this was just such a great song - even Carrie Underwood is crying! Now that that is out of the way, let's try to get back on the topic. And quit distracting me!

So then my other favorite part of the original movie version is, in fact, My Favorite Things (hence the name of this post). It's the sweetest song, isn't it?

Well, a few of my favorite things are gifts that have meaning. My family and I went last summer to see my husband's family in Argentina. They were all absolutely gorgeous, artsy, loud, and quite simply fabulous people.

All had such generous hearts and gave special gifts to us. One of the ones that touched my heart was a pendant made by my husband's uncle. He is an artisan and used to make exquisite and intricate pieces, but now, with advancing age, he has begun to make larger pieces and bombillas for mate. Still beautiful, but you can't exactly wear them!

Bombilla is the metal straw, it has a strainer at the end, to keep out the yerba mate leaves.
The container is also called a mate, and can be made from a gourd, leather, stainless steel, to name a few.

This is what he made for me. Yep. For me.

Silver and onyx.

I didn't realize onyx could be these lovely shades of coffee and cream. Isn't it beautiful? Now, I am just waiting to get back to Taxco so I can find the perfect silver chain for my pendant. A new favorite thing.

~Leslie in Texas