Lunar New Year

Hello Lovely Readers,

It's the year of the Fire Horse!

Every 60 years, or five cycles of the Chinese zodiac, the regular year of the horse becomes a rare, violate, high-energy Fire 

Symbolizing intense passion, rapid change, independent spirit, and potential disruption, favoring bold, action-oriented, and transformative pursuits. Historically, these years are associated with significant societal shifts. 

🔥The Fire element intensifies the Horse’s natural traits, leading to a dynamic, fast-paced, and sometimes chaotic year

🔥It is considered a time to break old patterns, embrace, and take risks. 

🔥 Encouraging confidence and speaking up for one's desires

The Fire 🐎 Woman

 @ China Pavilion, Epcot

A Fire Horse woman (born 1966, 2026) is characterized by a bold, independent, and passionate personality, often described as fiercely self-reliant, intelligent, and rebellious.

Due to the intense combination of the fire element and the horse sign, we are considered natural leaders, highly energetic, and driven, though historically criticized for being "too much" or defying traditional gender roles

Key Personality Traits

🔥 Fiercely independent, seeking freedom and rarely backing down from challenges

🔥 A high-energy, fiery, and sometimes volatile temperament

🔥 Sharp intellect & charisma

🔥 Rebellious & non-conformis, often challenging existing norms and societal expectations

🔥 Stubborn & headstrong

Strengths and Challenges 

🔥  Strengths: Courageous, fast-paced, magnetic, and highly productive in pursuing goals

🔥 Challenges: Potential for impatience, recklessness, and burning out due to excessive, fast-paced action.

Cultural Significance and Misconceptions 

🔥 The "Unlucky" Myth: Traditionally, this sign was considered unfavorable for women, with superstitions claiming they would bring bad luck to husbands or be unsuited for traditional marriage. 

🔥 The Reality: Modern interpretations see this as a symbol of power, independence, and strong leadership rather than bad luck. 

I was born at the tale end of the last 🔥 🐎 year. Which does mean I'll be 60 this year! Since I was a baby last time, I didn't realize any of this beforehand. 

And I will say, quite a bit of the Fire Horse Woman description does apply to me 😉 

Do you know your Chinese Zodiac sign?

Until next time

Stay Sunny 🌞 

Beverage Monday~Libra Cocktails

Hi Lovely Readers,

I'm not sure if I'll do this every Monday, but since my birthday is this week I'm going to kick- off the feature again with Libra Cocktails. 

Libra is an air sign ruled by Venus. Pink, rose & pomegranate are colors, scents and flavors of the the sign so all the drinks are pink, with pomegranate, and are garnished or dashed with roses.

The Libra Cocktail

• ¾ oz. reposado tequila
• ¾ oz blanc vermouth 
• ¾ oz. pomegranate liqueur 
• ½ oz. orange curacao 
• ¾ oz pineapple juice 
• ½ oz. lime juice
• dash of bitters 
• rose petals

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, add rose petals as a garnish.

Recipe from Veranda

The Venus Fizz

• 2 ozs. of light rum
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice (strained)
• 1 tsp. rosewater
• ¾ oz. Coco Lopez coconut cream
• ¼ oz. grenadine
• ¾ oz. pasteurized egg whites 
• 2 ounces approx. soda water
• rose petals

Add the rum, lemon juice, rosewater, Coco Lopez and grenadine into a shaker. Add ice shake until chilled. Strain the liquid into another container and add the egg whites, then use a milk frother to aerate the egg whites. Look for a firmer foam to appear on top of the drink

{or you may return the drink into a shaker and shake without ice for around 5 minutes}. Pour into a chilled Collins glass and top with soda water till the foam goes just above the lip of the glass. There should be a light and airy foam top. Garnish with rose petals.

Recipe from Rum Raiders

Rose Water Fizz

• Champagne
• 3 dashes rosewater
• 1 oz. pomegranate juice 
• pomegranate seeds

Add rosewater and pomegranate juice to a flute. Top with champagne. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Recipe from Yahoo 

Cheers 🥂 

Lunar New Year

It’s the Year of the Tiger! 

But why am I posting today instead of February 1st? Well, the celebration is for 15 days, and when I was a Cub Scout Leader, I would celebrate with my boys on the first Monday after the Lunar New Year started.

I started doing a Chinese New Year Celebration 10 years ago. At the time there was a Language and Culture Belt Loop and Pin that they could earn. We lived in a predominantly Spanish-speaking area, so most of the boys either knew Spanish or Latin American cultures and I thought it would be interesting for them to learn some things about a completely different culture. 

 The first year, 2012 was the Year of the Dragon, and that first year I only had a den of six boys. They colored dragon masks and we put streamers on them plus, I read the Story of the Zodiac and worked through the requirements which included teaching them some words.

Through the years, it evolved. The belt loop and pin were discontinued however, I always read the Zodiac Story, and they always made a dragon mask. I also included coloring pages with that year’s Zodiac animal, and the last few years my husband either made plain chow mein noodles, potstickers, or we brought some in. Of course, the boys had fortune cookies, too.

I updated the “calendar” so the boys knew what animal they were (caution for late January and early February birthdays, the New Year is based on the Lunar year, so it rotates around, just like Easter, so you need to actually look it up, to see what year/animal you fall under). 

The boys always looked forward to the night and enjoyed making the masks since it was one of our “fun” nights where we all hung out together. Of course, all the siblings could participate, too. 

Since I started in 2012, and there are twelve animals in the Zodiac, and I am no longer a Cub Scout Leader, we didn’t get through all twelve~ 🐭 🐮 🐯 🐰🐲🐍🐎🐑🐒🐔 🐶 & 🐷. 

This year we would have celebrated my husband since those born in 1974 are Tigers! Which has always been one of my favorite animals😁

According to Chinese lore, Tigers are, “Brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others. But sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, and overindulgent. They have stubborn personalities and tough judgment, Tigers work actively and express themselves boldly, doing things in a high-handed manner. They are authoritative and never go back on what they have said.” 

My husband in a nutshell! Do you know what Year you were born under?

 FYI, I'm a 🐴