Scotch Tasting

For my birthday, Paul was lucky enough to get one free ticket to a
scotch tasting, and I was lucky enough to get it as a present.
He knows how much I like Scotch! We were able to taste 8 different
Scotchs from various regions in Scotland. They taught us how to look
at the color, which varied in this case, from Amber, and Honey to light
champange colors. Then you smell, after a minute you can actually smell
the citrus, or a nutty flavour or strongly of peat and smoke. When you
taste it you let it wash over all 4 parts of your tongue, experiencing the
same scotch in different ways. You begin to taste the subtle flavours that
moments ago weren't there. Then you can hold your hand around the glass
and cover it, warming it, but keeping the aroma in. 
Releasing it a minute later, you feel as if you have a completely new scotch.
Warm flavours push others aside. You can agitate it, although I'd do that last,
because it ruins some of the more delicate flavours,
and you can't do without those!
Overall, I enjoyed each one, some more than others.
I think my favorite was probably the first one or maybe the 3rd.
I quite enjoyed the Laphroaig but its quite potent, so it's not for everyone.
1. Rosebank 1989 Single Cask (Lowlands)
2. Glenfarclas 17 y.o. (Speyside)
3. Old Pulteney 17 y.o. (Eastern Highlands)
4. Aberlour 12 y.o. double matured (Speyside)
5. Glenglassaugh 30 y.o. (Speyside)
6. Highland Park 18 y.o. (the Islands- Orkney)
7. Springbank 10 y.o. (Campbelltown)
8. Laphroaig 18 y.o. (Islay)

Then, last night, We had a Belvenie double wood 12 y.o. at Vista 18...
quite nice, and smooth.

Meteors

The sky is falling, I swear it's true.

Every night, in the sky appears;

a Stone on fire 

burning through the air.

~

Long thick trails stain the eye,

bright and then gone,

but probably still here.

~

Make a quick wish,

(don't forget to exhale)

while the magic lingers,

Crackling in the dusk.

~

They appear in the sky,

for the watchful they're there.

These stones of Magic Fire.

~

They dive into our sky,

Flinging themselves willingly.

Then, purified through fire,

they fall as angels to the ground. 

~

Cousins of lightning,

yet allowed to remain.

They bask in all Elements,

No other is so entitled.

~

They fly through the Ether,

and Fall through air.

Purified by Fire,

Cooled by Water,

They sink and are grounded by the Earth.

~

What do you wish for,

as you gaze at the stars,

Should you wish for the same,

if you wish on so many?

~

The stars look down,

Burning steadily from their spots;

at their young foolish friends,

so eager to experience their fire.

~

So brilliant, so fleeting.

We hope its enough.

~

By their graceful end, 

They grant us a boon.

~

Gratefully, let us not only Wish,

but willfully make it happen. 

~~~*~~~

http://flickr.com/photos/22298266@N00/1100586911/

The Great Owl

Go to see the Great Owl,

the line goes.

Well that's exactly what we did.

Walking to the fire jam one day.

Up in the trees there were,

Squalking and Screaming,

6 Fully Grown Crows.

There, in the middle sat,

without a care in the world,

The Great Owl.

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Looking around, keeping an eye on the crows,

his neck curls around to 

peer,

scruitinize,

contemplate.

Our heads wiggle back in forth together,

in greeting, Our souls Namaste.

He turns back to the crows.

Always a wary eye.

<>

We continued on our way, 

to watch the ducks take flight.

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Casting fire in spinning circles,

fighting stances,

and gentle movements,

all lifted to the sky.

All are gifts to

God, Christ, and Guru.

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Who all appear to us in the creatures we see.

Crows, to pay attention.

the Owl for Wisdom, Insight and Virtue.

And the Owl's a teacher as well.

Wise and noble,

patiently waiting for the student to come to him.

He silently calls,

Open your mind, your heart

to the truth you know is there!

The world around you 

begins to flow,

faster and faster as you age.

Pay no attention

to anything but your goal,

Your dedication

and your devotion shall be

your saving grace.

Your intuition knows the way,

Meditate 

and know it

 consciously.

Go, where angels fear to tread.

Do, what must be done.

Safe in the knowledge,

Safe in the Word,

Safe under the Master you serve.

You shall see 

and hear

what others cannot.

But hold your light high,

And with Peace and Joy 

steady in your heartbeat,

Carry on

and fight.

Seeing Dragons

The Start of my day was distracting,

but I was patiently able to center myself,

over and over

by listening to uplifting music

and energizing ...

Then Paul and I went up to Goldstream Park,

a rainforest hike

up to a beautiful view.

<>

He wore slacks, and had a bag and a tall beautifully carved staff.

I wore dark jeans, but as usual I had my sarong, the orange one,

to use for a shawl (or a cape!).

On the way we looked down at the colours in the rock

and they looked like Dragons.

Truly.

The rock veins of red, green, blue;

curled their way through the rocks,

disappearing into them as tails or serpentine heads.

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They've all come to see,

This new lord and lady,

Traveling through their land.

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Faces appear in the rocks, the air crackles with magic.

The multitude of colours, Blue! Green! Orange!

all blend to create a masterpiece to set one free,

The surroundings demand you leave behind

all your cares and your worries.

You can pick them up at the end if you like.

(Though I would choose to leave.)

<>

There's healing energy permeating everything.

You're free! The forest glows a soft but vivid green.

Slugs cross our path, large fat black ones.

Their skins glisten making the patterns stick out,

Half-striped and Half-bumpy.

And then there's the Banana Slug,

a not too ripe Banana Slug,

witha a green tinge to its Yellow.

<>

Reaching the summit we find an Old Wise Man,

who lives close by.

Touched by the breathtaking view,

and by the power of the land,

He goes to the summit Daily.

In any weather, rain, sleet or snow;

To look over the Mountains and down to the Ocean.

He bids us goodbye, and wishes us well,

Then vanishes down the rocks and into the trees.

<>

We sat at the highest point and had lunch,

Marveling at the world as we chewed.

Grateful to God for all his light and his beauty,

We express it through our admiration of his work.

<>

Ants marched in a line below us, orderly and neat.

(We gave them something good to eat,

and probably promoted a soldier ant)

Birds sang.

A Raven circled,

perhaps wondering if we were edible.

We may have been, 

But we have a combined defense of 18 to his 7.

(and he had a stick! {2+})

a Bald Eagle flew by, Bold and Majestic.

<>

And if this day wasn't magical enough,

Paul proposed and I said Yes!

^^

U

-------------

The Spiritual Diary reading for Today:

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*This is exactly how my day went, wonderful and magical.*

(Practicing the Presence of God) {July 23rd 2007}

~Whenever your mind wanders

in the maze of myriad wordly thoughts,

patiently lead it back to rememberance of the indwelling Lord.

In time you will find Him

ever with you--

a God who talks with you in your own language,

a God whose face peeps at you

from every flower 

and blade of grass.

Then you shall say:

"I am free! I am clothed in the gossamer of Spirit;

I fly from eath to heaven on wings of light."

And what Joy will consume your being!~

-Paramhansa Yogananda

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And what JOY will consume your being!

How wonderfully true those words are!

~EverMorr

Zest

The Zest for life, manifests itself in something one is passionate about.

Small passions, mere curiosties really, 

keep one entertained for the empty hours of life.

But when something comes along that is powerful enough, 

It will change and inspire the world.... 

When one starts to feel the spark within ignite,

drop everything and create a bonfire.

This blog is for those moments that encourage the fire to grow.