Pie In My Brother's Eye

     Just before plunking down to write this post I had to quickly get myself a fresh cup of coffee. I get excited when an idea pops in my head for a post and I never know when it'll happen.  I'm not sure I've told you this before, but I have never written a single blog post without being absolutely transfixed on writing it, totally inspired to the point that I would not be able to sleep tonight if I did not get these words down.  Never earthshaking, at times humorous, always revealing.  I will never sit in front of my computer screen and, "Hmmm, I wonder what I should write?"  My blog is inspiration, a total joy, an extension of my childhood in fact.  As a young girl I was unable to sleep at night unless I had first spent valuable sleeping hours writing poetry.  By the time I graduated high school I had accumulated boxes upon boxes of poetry - never planning on doing anything with them, except adding to them.  I lacked a good deal of sleep in high school due to this obsessive need.  I often do now as a result as well.  

It recently occurred to me that perhaps my blogging needs are a result of being stifled by brothers that often had me feeling as though anything I had to say needed to be said fast because it wasn't that interesting.  Mean spirited, I know, but that's what brothers are for - to make you stronger.  One brother in particular recently told me how much he enjoyed my blog.  I thought it was a joke, honestly.  He stressed how much he liked it - every. single. post.  I was embarrassed and dumbfounded all at once.  My siblings are incredible story tellers.  They can turn a single action of their day into an adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat for an hour without fabricating a single detail, and they often do.  It is an art, a chance to take center stage amidst 5 others competing.  I was too self - aware, too unsure to think any thing I had to say could possibly make anyone want to actually listen beyond 2 minutes.  My brothers made it clear that the stage was not for me. 

Even to this day I rush myself when telling a story to family or friend.  I fear boredom, inattentiveness, snoring. Blogging is my voice.  My "I have something to say!"  My thoughts and feelings run deep.  They run in my head like plays on a stage.  They nag to be put down complete with a beginning and an end.  And if I'm lucky, sometimes those words are read by people like yourself.  All the way to the end.

Each and every time I hit the "publish post" button I hesitate and cringe just a little.  Who might read this?  What will they think?  I often think of going back and deleting some older posts, but I resist out of obligation to you the reader.  From the start I said that I would be completely honest, open, and revealing.  I write for me, but often wonder about you.  Like the poetry - if I didn't have an audience, I would still write.  But knowing you are there, reading, makes it a little bit sweet.  A little bit scary.  Kinda like pie in my brother's eye.  : o)

I've never considered myself an artistic person though I play the clarinet and guitar, create recipes, love photography, and as mentioned earlier - write poetry and blog.  I suppose because none of these things have ever brought me a dime - I consider them unoriginal.  I often think about starting a catering company, becoming a restaurant reviewer complete with photos, giving clarinet lessons, or publishing my own cookbook.  Perhaps it's time to stop listening to my childhood brothers and attempt a couple of those dreams.  You never know, someone may listen.  

Carl Jung said, "The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity.  The creative mind plays with the objects it loves."  I couldn't agree more.

Have a great time being creative!

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Love Locks

                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                         

If you cannot inspire a woman with love of you, fill her above the brim with love of herself; all that runs over will be yours.  -Charles Caleb Colton

What we do for love.  We invented the word "eros" to describe carnal love, and "agape" to mean a spiritual love.  Many of the first marriages were by capture not choice!  An Old French custom tells us that as the moon goes through all it's phases a couple should drink a brew called metheglin, which is made from honey.  Hence, we get the word, Honeymoon.  In 1228, women first gained the right to propose marriage.  

                                                              

Personally, I think the Victorians had it right.  Once they had been formally introduced, if the gentleman wished to escort the lady home he would present his card to her.  At the end of the evening the lady would look over her options and choose who would be her escort.  She would notify the lucky gentleman by giving him her own card.  As a friend has reminded me often - "Men display, women choose."

In 18th. century Europe a biscuit was broke over the head of the bride as she emerged from the church.  Unmarried guests scrambled for the pieces, which they then placed under their pillows to bring dreams of the one they would someday marry.  This was believed to be the precursor of the wedding cake.  I'm guessing - bed bugs as well.

There are many ways to find love, cultivate it, and surrender to it.  There are countless ways to exclaim it!  And claim it.  One way is with a lock.

                                                                              

Attaching a love lock to a bridge and throwing away the key is one way to profess your love.

                                                  

The story goes, that if a couple writes their names on a padlock, locks it onto a bridge and throws away the key, their love will endure for all eternity.

                                       

                                          

This activity is most common in Paris. They started appearing in Europe in 2000.

                                     

 The stories that must go with each and every lock!

                                        

 In Rome, the ritual of affixing love padlocks to the bridge Ponte Milvio can be attributed to the bookI Want You.

                                           

Similarly, an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi - Bridge of Love - now named after the love padlocks in Serbia exists, where they can be traced to even before World War II.

                                           

In many countries the local authorities and owners of various landmarks have expressed concern and even tried to have the padlocks removed.

                                            

In Paris:  "They raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage."

                                                  

In Canada:  "The locks are considered a distraction from nature."

                                           

In Italy, 5,500 love padlocks affixed to the Ponte Vecchio bridge were removed by the city council. According to the council the padlocks both pose an aesthetic problem as well as scratch and dent the metal of the bridge.

                                           

In Taiwan, love padlocks attached to an overpass at the city's train station are often connected in pairs. These locks are known as "wish locks" and local legend says that the magnetic field produced by trains passing underneath will cause energy to accumulate in the locks and fulfill the wishes.

                                           

On a fountain in Uruguay:  "The legend of this fountain tells us that if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked.

                                            

What do you think?  Is it vandalism?  Do we need more of this type of display of love?  I think ... structures should be erected in which the locks can be placed, so as not to damage or weaken an existing structure.  

                                          




Love letters is another way we express our love.  From   a collection of real love letter...

Lover,

I talk to much and I lie all the time. I don't blame you for not believing me. I don't blame you for anything. My broken heart I can survive, but for your broken heart I will never forgive myself.

I still have your t-shirt with the hole in it. I still laugh at your jokes.

I wish you were here to proof read this for me.

I love you, it’s not worth much but its true.

                                                       flowers from my son                  

Dear Mom,

I am very sorry that you hurt your arm. I have hid some chocolate eggs in your room. If you have not gotten them please wait until we are all there. I promise to help you a lot this week. I hope your arm gets better quickly. You are the best mom in the whole wide world. Once again I hope your arm gets better soon. Even if something goes wrong (even though nothing will go wrong) I will be your left arm until I die. :) You are the best mom and I would never trade you for any one. I love you with all my heart. I am so sorry you hurt your arm and I hope it gets better.

                                                                     

When you are in love you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
Dr. Seuss

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa

This is how we ride when we're in love.

                                                                               

                                                

Who, being loved, is poor?

                                                                                                                            Oscar Wilde

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25 Things Linky Party

               Lori Prosser




Shaunna, from PerfectlyImperfect, is having a linky party ... thought I'd get all dressed up and join!

1. For the first time in 10 years I am ill, home from work with a sore throat.  I want to be pampered.
2. These days, with the Internet, you can spend more money being indoors than going out.
3. I bought this awesome camera today I can't wait to show you!
4. I still don't have the Internet on my phone, I'm afraid I'll never put it down if I do.
5. Lately I've been overbooking my social life and I'm having trouble keeping up with myself!
6. This will be my first Valentine's Day without someone.  I like that it feels okay.
7. My friend with breast cancer is doing awesome ... I believe in the power of prayer.
8. I know this camera is going to change my life.
9. My daughter is falling in love and it's incredible to watch.
10. I am reading One Red Paperclip right now.  He's just traded up to an afternoon with Alice Cooper.
11. I miss Jax.  Fell in love with him in a single afternoon.  My daughter's friend's puppy.
12. I am getting majorly burned out on complainers.  And gossipers.
13. I love my work.
14. Stoli Doli's rock.  But only one.
15. I hate it when my friend's parent's die.  
16. My daughter drove 6 hrs. to surprise her boyfriend tonight.  Young love energizes me.
17. Someday I want to publish a cook book.
18. Did I tell you I bought a new camera?
19. I wish I had a maid so I could blog more.
20. I wonder if I'll ever get through all the recipes I want to make.
21. Years ago we tried shaving Raskal, the cat.  Turned out so funny we laughed for weeks.
22. One day Raskal walked away and never came back.  I hope it wasn't the haircut.
23. What if there aren't computers or cell phones in heaven, how will I find you?
24. I always buy the book that's standing alone.  I figure it must be good.  It was.
25. I want to thank my former husband for giving me 3 beautiful children.  They truly rock.

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Adventure In A Cup

My brother has one of the coolest jobs ever.  Recently he's been programming for a gold mine in Australia.  Who does that?!  Well, he does.  While there, he looked for gifts to bring back to the states - and for me, he struck gold.  Literally.  I got a 250g Adventure in a cup.  Yahava Bold, Black Gold - which are pretty impressive beans.  Coffee beans.

                                                                                               
                                                                                                   
The bag states that Yahava's aim is to supply the serious coffee consumer ... (what if we're light-hearted, will it not taste the same to us?)...with what they need and deserve.  I like thinking that I DESERVE this.  Everything in life is better when you Deserve it.  I like to think that I did this really epic sleeping that took me into the deepest realms of REM that left sand an inch thick on my eyelids - THAT would be Deserving of this coffee in the morning.

The bag also states that their green beans are sourced from the highlands of the world's greatest coffee producing regions.  Green beans.  Greenbeans.  Really?  Or not.  Let's explore ...


Yes, coffee beans begin green.  Begin the Beguine!  Beguine means flirt, but I definitely had an affair with these beans.  You can purchase green coffee beans for roasting at home.  You'll need a roaster, or an old fashioned hot - air popcorn maker.  Check it all out on Maria's site. You'll pay about the same as roasted beans, or less, but it will be as fresh as you can get unless you're living on the hillsides of Central America and ride a burro named Babe.  Or was that an ox?  I forget.
                                                                      

                                                                                                                                   

At Yahava they mark their bags with a 'Roast Date" so you know exactly when your beans were roasted. Simple.  -  not so simple, I searched for a good couple minutes before coming upon 6.12.11.  So, my coffee was 6 months post roasting.  Is that good, or is that bad?  Fresh, or old?  Good brother, bad brother?

you decide.

                                                               
The verdict - Amazingly smooth and flavorful.  I could detect a hint of fruit, maybe chocolate, and something I have never smelled/tasted before - even as I smell the empty bag (yes, it's gone, sue me) it hits me like a longing, a sweet memory of bygone days...sitting on my rock near the back 40 as the distant bluebirds sing and chipmunks rustle in the long grass that the cows had yet to find...there I go again - coffee does that to me.

The coffee was in the direction of awesome.  I didn't feel the need to splash it with milk (which is called a "flat white" in Australia), as it was just that smooth.  This coffee rivals what I had at the Americana hotel in Cozumel, Mexico.  If you'd like to try it for yourself or get some for me because you're just like that, it can be yours here.  You can even have a standing order with the company and they will, on schedule, ship you Koffee as you request.  It's okay that they can't spell coffee.  They're not writers, their baristas!

Here is a valuable piece that will assist you with tasting your coffee and getting your money's worth, not just slamming it to startle awake the senses.  Good coffee is like a Swiss army knife, it has a lot to offer.  Appreciate it.

http://youtu.be/npUErC5z9p4

                                                               Yahava Koffee Works

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