14 days, 14 objects
DIY Face Mask
There’s some symbolism for having this as the first object. Faces are a big part of human interactions, and lately not only we have seen and meet everyone else under a mask, but we have had to present ourselves to others under one too. Whether we are willing to accept it or not, masks have turned into some sort of presentation card. And just like that a new market emerged. Masks can be found in all shapes and sizes; there’s even a diamond encrusted mask costing a couple thousand dollars. I have yet to buy a mask. Because of my long beard, I have been using bandanas since day 1. There’s a trick for knowing if your mask works: put your mask on and try blowing out a candle. If the flame doesn’t even flicker, congratulations, you have a working mask. But just to be sure, I decided to make a bandana 2.0, and as expected, it was lit.
Sunset Photography
Currently I live in Lafayette, which means I am far enough to see the whole mountain range while still being close enough to snap good pictures. “The golden hour” as it is called, definitely dropped nuggets in the 80026. Taken with a Canon REBEL EOS SL1 and a 75–300mm Zoom Lens (Not Edited).
GF’s Water Bottle
I really can’t take all the credit since she saved me from disaster more than once -and did most of the details with sharpie. At least I now know how much more I need to work with brushes if I want to be anywhere close where I’d like to be. We saw something similar on Pinterest and the rest is history. We were inspired by Colorado’s vast nature and the desire to help it by trying to reduce our single-use plastic consumption. Oh, and I also learned how to make GIFs.
Engine Bay Detail
Some of the best years of my life happened while getting my undergrad degree in a small college in NC. Around that time I also developed a taste for country music, beer, and of course, trucks. That’s why ever since I landed again on American soil I wanted to get a pick-up truck. I purchased my truck about a month ago, a 1996 Mazda B3000. A one-owner, good condition, 3.0L V6 engine with 150+k miles. As you might expect with a 24 year-old truck it has some scratches here and there and there’s some work to be done. Since I’ve owned it I have changed the oil, flushed the coolant, and changed a few hoses here and there. But while searching for some DIY inspiration for the truck, I came across a video where they showed you how to detail an engine bay. For anyone interested, the job will require trim restorer, liquid wax, microfiber towels, a garden hose, trash bags, a spray bottle filled with soapy water and +2 hours to spare. No mechanichal knowledge required. Here’s the link for anyone interested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRSoRkM8GcM
Sealed (Nut) Ring
This ring was gifted to me by one of my best friends as a goodbye present right before coming here. It used to be a nut, but now it’s a rustic piece of jewelry with a lot of sentimental value to me. Unfortunately, raw steel and sweaty hands that are constantly getting sanitized don’t get along. Every time I take it off I find rust on my finger, right where the ring was. Luckily I had this sealer I used the other day for sealing the acrylic on the water bottle. It now sports a shinier finish -which IDK if I’m a big fan of- but it seems it’s going to dry ok. Let’s hope the cure is not worse than the disease.
Patching Bombachas
Bombachas de campo are the traditional pants of the gauchos. They are tough but comfortable. This pair of bombachas has been with me for a while, and I don’t plan on parting ways with them any time soon. I also find inspiration in Patagonia’s Worn Wear initiative “if it’s broken, fix it” (https://www.instagram.com/wornwear/). So when I found a hole in them I had no doubt in repairing them. I could’ve patch it in some kind of way were the patch would’ve been imperceptible, but I remembered Kintsugi pottery, a Japanese artform. “Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art (NBCNews.com)”. Hopefully people will also find it more beautiful now.
Camping + Photography
We went camping for labor day weekend and I was really looking forward in taking a break from technology for a few days. In the midst of that thought I left my camera behind, and I was left with only my phone’s camera when this scene came upon me on the campgrounds. When I snaped it I didn’t expect to be able to get something good out of it, but in essence all the ingredients were there. Taken with Google’s Pixel 3 and edited on Adobe PS.
Lentils Burgers
Lentils are a great source of protein. They are also low in calories, rich in iron and folate and one of the first things recommended to turn onto if looking to reduce the amount of meat on your diet. These burgers are easy to make and oh-so-tasty. Boil lentils for 30–40 minutes and then mix with 2 table-spoons of flour, salt & pepper, and another boiled vegetable such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, gourd, or pumpkin. 1/2 a cup of the mix is enough for each burger, you can use a Ziploc bag with a few drops of oil in it -to avoid it sticking to the bag- to shape the lentils into burgers without getting the whole kitchen dirty. Stack them up with pieces of parchment paper between them and freeze.
Fires + Photography
The recent fires have brought ashes and a smokey smell to the air. I played tennis today and my eyes got watery from time to time. But there’s always something to be gained out of every situation, though I would trade this picture for the fires to end in an instant. I captured the whole sunset sequense, but the bird flying on the left and the halo around the sun made this picture my favorite one. Again, I snapped this picture with my Canon REBEL EOS SL1 and a 75–300mm Zoom Lens (Not Edited).
Thrifting + Restoring
My GF and I found these Birkenstocks in Goodwill for $8. She wasn’t really convinced since the upper leather looked a bit scuffed and dry. But both the insole and the outsole were in perfect condition. I convinced her to get them with the condition I restored them. After a good polish and shine they are ready for many more miles!
Shav(p)ing
Since COVID-19 started, going to the barber has turned into an odyssey for people with beards. Mask-off, someone's hands on your face.. it’s no easy business. My beard was getting out of control (+9 months without trimming it) and the more I waited the harder it got. Pushed by having to create something and faced with the reality -quite literally- I took matters into my own hands. I’ll save you the mess to have to watch me standing in the bathroom for an hour and I’ll just show you the end product. Also, here’s the video that helped me for if you happen to know anyone that might need it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVY_hvAkmSY&t=458s
Bike Repair
This was my uncle’s 1985 Raleigh Elkhorn, one of the best mountain bikes available at the time. The geometry of the back triangle and the rise provided by the bull moose handlebar make it an avid climber still to this day. My uncle passed away 2 years ago and the bike has been forgotten ever since. I got new tubes, a new front tire, and did a tune-up and it’s ready to hit the trails. See you out there everyone!
(End of) Summer Cleaning
No one can argue than on a cold winter morning it’s nicer to hop on a toasty truck than on a freezing one. Our garage was a mess, and the window of opportunity to organize it was closing in as I was remembered by the snowfall earlier this week. A trip to Home Depot, only a few minutes to put the shelve together, and a few hours of organizing later… Voila! It’s not perfect yet, but at least the next time it snows in summer, I won’t have to scrape my windshield before leaving home.
Home Made Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche is a traditional sweet caramel-like Argentinean delicacy, found throughout Latin America with different names such as manjar (Chile), arequipe (Colombia), or cajeta (Mexico). Ingredients vary depending on the country, but it’s mainly comprised of milk, sugar and baking soda. To make traditional Argentine dulce de leche I also added corn starch (thickener), whipping cream (adds fat) and vanilla extract (flavor). Once the mix is ready, heat till boiling point, reduce flame and get ready to stir -a gallon of milk equals 4 hours of stirring. The mix will start off milk-white, and will slowly turn brown until the desired thickness is achieved. I wanted to finish off this 14 day series with something that reminded me of where I come from. I believe that the best way to know where we are heading is by remembering where we come from.
