Lionheart
Soap $8 - This soap has a presence. Strength, sweetness, a
bit of a bite, and warmth all combine in this spicy aroma. Hazelnut oil
has astringent properties and tones the skin gently, while cinnamon leaf
and brandy increase circulation and warm you up all over. Use this soap
and be ready to face the day with courage. - ing. coconut butter,
hazelnut oil, brandy, orange oil, almond essential oil, cinnamon leaf,
Egyptian musk, cassia
"Once upon a time a newborn lion cub was lying with his mother in the
jungle, resting in the warmth of the sun and his mother's fur. Suddenly,
a loud noise rang out among the trees and his mother jumped to her
feet. Startled, the cub tumbled into a
nearby bush, then watched as his mother fell to the ground and several
other two-legged creatures, rushed in and seized her. Too frightened to
move, he crouched there as the creatures lifted his mother and carried
her into the forest. A strange and fearful silence fell over the whole
area, and for a whole day the cub didn't dare move from his hiding spot.
Finally, his stomach began to ache with hunger, and, seeing no movement
in the field, he ventured out and walked unsteadily ahead, hoping to
find something to eat."
"After some time, he came to a clearing and
peered out from behind a leafy bush. Before him, in the middle of a
lush, green meadow were many other creatures - on four legs, with white,
curly-bush skins, their heads bent low as they seized the grass with
their teeth and chewed it. 'These creatures are eating, and they seem
very peaceful,' the cub thought to himself. 'Maybe they'll
let me join them.' As he stepped out into the meadow, one of the larger
creatures came over to greet him. At once, the cub poured out the sad
story of his mother, and how hungry he was. 'You're welcome to stay and
live with us,' the creature said. 'We're sheep, and we can show you how
to eat the grass.' The tired and lonely little cub was so encouraged by
such warm hospitality that he thanked the sheep, and set about putting
his teeth to the grass. Soon he noticed that the sheep had teeth that
were very different from his own; he had to work very hard to grasp the
grass and chew it. Nevertheless, he was a hardy little fellow, and would
not give up. Before long, he had learned to squeeze his jaws - painful
though it was - so he could pinch the grass and get it into his mouth.
In fact, he became so fond of the sheep and so used to their company
that he also learned how to open his mouth and make a 'baaa'a'a' sound;
he even managed to prance somewhat with his wide, soft feet as they did
with their small, hard hooves."
"Several years passed, and though he could
never manage to eat, speak, or walk quite as the sheep did, the lion cub
still enjoyed being one of the family. In time, he even forgot his
mother and the terror of his first days alive. And then one bright and
sunny day, while the lion was grazing peacefully with his sheep family
in the meadow, a loud and terrifying shriek burst forth from the mother
sheep. Startled, he and the others looked up in alarm. 'Quick! Everyone
into the forest at once!' the mother sheep shouted. And without
thinking, all the others turned and followed her as she darted into the
thicket. The young lion naturally turned to follow the sheep - but as he
did, a strange impulse stopped him. He wondered, 'What is making
everyone so scared?' As he stood alone in the meadow, the mother sheep
screamed at him one last time: 'Come with us immediately!' Again, the
lion turned - but again, he stopped. 'It's too late!' the mother sheep
shouted. 'We must leave you behind!' and disappeared into the woods.
Alone and uncertain in the stillness of the warm afternoon, the lion
puzzled over this strange turn of events. Shrugging his shoulders, he
turned away from the forest where the sheep had run, and was about to
bend down for another tear at the grass when suddenly his head jerked
upright. A cold shiver of terror raced through his body as there,
heading straight toward him, unhurried but deliberate, came a huge and
mighty creature unlike any he had ever seen."
"It's feet were like huge, padded tree stumps;
it's teeth were long and sharp. 'How in the world,' the lion wondered,
'did this thing eat? Surely such teeth could not chew grass!' Behind the
creature stretched a long, thick tail with a tuft of hair at it's end.
What seized the young lion's attention, however, was the huge bush of
hair surrounding the creature's head and waving majestically
in the afternoon breeze. With its dark eyes riveted to his own, the
creature lumbered toward the trembling lion. The mother sheep, he
realized in a moment of horror, had been right. It was too late. Yet a
strange sense of inner peace held him there, even in his fear; he did
not want to run from the creature. In fact, he couldn't take his eyes
off it. At last, the creature stood before him. The young lion's legs
were shaking as his wide eyes beheld the awesome figure. Then, voice
rumbling like a stormy sky, it said, 'Follow me.'
"As the creature turned and walked away, the
young lion hesitated. Where in the world would it take him? An impulse
arose to look over his shoulder to where the sheep had disappeared in
the woods, but he checked it. And then he stepped forward, following.
For some time, the creature walked silently ahead. At first, the young
lion tried to walk in his footsteps, but his sheep prancing
kept him from doing so. Before long, though, he found himself leaping,
stretching with surprising ease so that times he even "caught" the
creature's wide-spaced footprints. Still, he could only wonder at how
much smaller his own feet were. Leaping this way, the young lion was
drawn up short - and stumbled clumsily - when the creature finally
stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. 'Come here, beside me,' it
said. Trying to quickly right himself, the little lion stepped beside
the creature, who now stood before a small pond deep in the forest.
'Look down,' it rumbled, it's voice deep amidst the trees. The young
lion looked - there, on the surface of the water, he saw a small
creature beside a large one. Tentatively, he shook his head - and the
head of the smaller one shook too, stirring thin tufts of hair behind
it's ears.
Puzzled, he drew back.
And then it struck him.
Hesitant, but deliberate, he leaned close to the water and looked down.
Then slowly, he turned and looked at the larger creature towering above
him. After a moment, he looked at the water again and stared intently.
The forest hushed.
At last, trembling, the young lion beheld the creature beside him fully, with awareness.
Lifting his head, he leaned back and thrust his sharp teeth at the treetops:
'R-R-R-O-O-O-A-A-A-R-R-R!!!!'
Borrowed from "Healing the Masculine Soul" by Gordon Dalbey
To find inspiration, I went to my Christmas memories, which includes a LOT of cooking and music. My mom always had a few things that only made special appearances at Christmas. Wassil, Trash, (which is an awesome Chex mix recipe given to her by my Gandy) Spritz cookies, and fudge made their once a year appearances starting around Thanksgiving. My jobs as a little girl were always to poke cloves into oranges and put those little gummy cherries into the center of the cookies...and of course to eat em!!!
