Felix

The Swap.

During a “Lichterfest” (festival of light), that my sister organized some years back, I got to meet some amazingly creative people. One of these was Gabriele, who (despite the bitter old), cheerfully sat in a little Gazebo to write names (or any other word people chose) on a grain of rice. You read that right! A rice kernel. You could then pick a tiny glass vessel, into which she popped the grain, added any deco (glitter, Swarovski crystals or plant matter) you liked. Baby oil was added as preservative, and, if you so wished, some food coloring as well. The tiniest rubber stopper was placed into the glass top and the lot was then sealed with some glue, to keep it safe and contained. I watched fascinated, just to learn that Gabriele holds her breath while writing, so her hand won’t shake. Isn’t that something?? I also learned that Gabriele had her rescue dog Felix with her, who patiently and quietly lay under her table, just to pop up for the little snack he got after each customer. In gratitude for the special necklace, I did a drawing of her gorgeous Felix in return. 💙