StoryBook Club visits the Wee Folk

So there I was, gripping the coat tails o' a wee sprite of a man.

A Leprechaun!

Here's what I knows to be true about them sort:

*They's tricksy, indeed.

*Dinna take yer eyes off 'im, mate, or else they disappear as will yer wishes.

*Dinna let them go afore he gives ye yer 3 wishes by rights.

*Dinna believe them when they says ye can has a 4th wish. That extra greedy one will make the first 3 disappear for'ere!

*They canna be trusted. EVER.

*They loves music and dancin!

*They loves to drink, but you'll have fun trying to drink them under the table.



A few intrepid seekers o' the Blarney, met up at Squirrel Haven, to discuss the Leprechauns, on account it were the month o' March and all things Irish and Celtic.

We supped on  delicious Colcannon, Irish Cheeses,  horseradish and crackers (goodly pub food), homemade bread, magic brownies :) and Irish Coffees and Shamrock cookies for afters!

Here's a few wee folk, a pot o' gold and some Irish Coffee...

Shamrock Cookies

(By the way, Irish Coffee may be the "perfect" food. It has caffeine, alcohol, sugar and fat :)


For our Video Choices:

We were surprised at the political inappropriateness of the movie "Finian's Rainbow" (with Fred Astaire and Petula Clark) and were amazed and astounded and sort of sickened by the stereotypes they portrayed in it...so we chose a different one.

The movie for the discussion was "Darby O' Gill and the Little People"

(with a handsome and YOUNG Sean Connery) and we learned about Darby and King Brian o' the wee folk.

WOWSA.

I've always known that Sean Connery was a babe...but I wasn't around for this when he was younger.
That is one hot man. :)

For next month...
In hopes of SPRING and SUMMER and better weather...
and seeing as how our next meeting is close to Easter....

We will be studying Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby!

Zippety Do-Dah!

(hmmm....I feel a BBQ coming on... :)

Strolling in the Perambulator with Mary Poppins

"Come along, we don't have time to dawdle. Spit spot! Pick up your feet. You are not as finely turned out, as I'd like but no matter. We are off!"

Going for a walk with our Nanny, Mary Poppins has indeed been an eye opener. She's sort of a cross between a nice Mommy, a bitchy nun and Baba Yaga who may eat you if you aren't careful where you step.
So please DO be careful.

We've learned a lot at the leading of this character from the author P.L. Travers who published the first of her Mary Poppins series in 1934. I admit that my knowledge of this story came to me via Disney and the movie of the same name. It was both fascinating and a bit unsettling when I watched it as a child. I didn't know whether to trust Mary or fear her. She is so unpredictable! Kind, well, not really. Civil, yes. Calculating, aware of the Universe's secrets and very proud of her less than stellar looks. What? Mary Poppins was not a beautiful Julie Andrews???  NO. Mary Poppins, (while practically perfect in every way) was really quite plain. Yet it did not stop her from admiring her visage in every mirror she came across.
 
Mary Poppins tells us to Love Ourselves. As we ARE.
To always keep a weather eye on the horizon. To go with the flow of the Universe and be able to adapt to the changes in the circumstances or the changing of the wind. She also tells us to not take things so seriously. Even miracles. Did we have tea on the ceiling? Yes we did. Was it a miracle? "Absolutely not. You can have tea on the ceiling anytime you wish. Such an idea. Why, I never! Sit up straight and don't pinch your sister."

I had never actually read the novel and found it to be quite amusing! There were some elements in the writing that were familiar to me via the movie, but in actuality there was quite a lot of difference and P.L. Travers was distraught with the movie's depiction of her writing when if first came out. Most of us in StoryBook Club though preferred the movie to the book (which is saying a lot because we usually prefer the book version to a movie).

How'ere, I would say that there were several stories within the book that really took me back to the Magick of Childhood. I especially liked the story of Andrew the dog and the returning of the stars to the night sky. Both of these stories were new to me, and they really captured my childhood wonder and the miracle of imagination to me. I felt like I was six again as I read it!

There are LOTS of themes out there to try to decipher Mary Poppins:

*One idea is that she was a Witch and that P.L. Travers was Pagan and into Theosophy. I agree that there are symbols and traits that can back that up.

*There are also conjectures that Mary Poppins is a Christian theme with Mary symbolizing Mary the Mother of God and that the chimneys are the gateway to Spirituality and the rooftops are the upper levels of Spirit and that Andrew is an Angel. I can certainly appreciate those threads.

*There are other ideas that Mary is a Time Lord and her carpetbag is a Tardis.

*Another idea is that Mary is actually a teacher in Hogwarts. Ok so she was killed in the first Voldemort Uprising so you didn't see her in the J.K. Rowling notes...
I like all these ideas too!  But first let me finish this joint......(cough cough....ah).

That's better. It's just all too amazing to be true! But SO wonderful to think on! Wouldn't it be wondrous to be able to jump into a painting? Or ride up a bannister? How about gluing the stars back in the heavens when they fell? I'd personally love to have a conversation with Andrew....or better yet, my dog Monty! I'm sure he'd tell me lots of things.

And well, there it is. It's the fact that we do NOT know everything. And much like God (or Spirit or Fate or whatever you call it) trying to teach us things, we can only learn from experience and imagination.

Here are some things I've learned from Mary Poppins:

*We are supposed to be Good.

*Stand up straight (figuratively and literally).

*Take your medicine. (but appreciate and take in the Good that comes from it too, realizing growth can be sweet).

*Don't dillydally. Get to the Point.

*Be your Best and always try to do the Right Thing.

*Admire Yourself. You ARE beautiful.

*Pick up after yourself. Don't make a mess for Others.

*You are allowed to have Fun and get Dirty as long as you hurt no one.(Harm None, do what you will :)

*Remember to Appreciate everything around you.

*Always Sing! It makes you and everyone around you feel better and understand things.

*Feed the Birds. Be Kind to those less Fortunate than You.

*Love makes you feel Grand!

*Don't be Sad. Au Revoir is "till we meet again" and not really Goodbye. (even if it means the Next Life)

But before we go, we should eat something and have a Nosh up. :)
And so we did!  We met at Korinna and Robs' house on 17 Cherry Tree Lane and it was splendid!

There was Tea (of course) and Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy, Homemade Rolls, Scones, Pies, Jammy Dodgers, Honey Butter and crumpets and good clean lively fun and some swearing.

*I did not hear any swearing Michael. The Nerve of you to say so."

And so now we push on to Next Month's Theme in time for Winter Solstice, Yule and Christmas!

We are walking VERY quietly in the Woods and trying to find GNOMES.
 I HIGHLY recommend that this is the FIRST book you should read:

"Gnomes" by Wil Huygen, Rien Poortvliet

There will be a test. :)

Till then, may we wish you a loverly cuppa and some English Allsorts.

Happy Thanksgiving from StoryBook Club who is very thankful for our group ....
and to Mary Poppins for keeping ALL our secrets in her pocket!

Life IS what you make it.

. 

Bali Blog will call you.....Come to me, you special writing...

This last week, I have fleshed out a wild hair, and no, I didn't need tweezers.

I used the week as a culture soak of a sort. Imagined myself immersed in the culture, environment and sites and experiences of being in Indonesia. Bali, specifically.

The place conjured up tropical vistas, luxurious weather, colorful clothing, different religious practices and foods!

Why not go and immerse myself on a Creative Learning Experience of my own choosing?

This week I watched hours of "Trekking the World- Discovering the Earth's Most Awe-Inspiring Places". A 6 CD disc collection from my library about fantasical REAL places that just oooooze spiritual goodness. I would HIGHLY recommend it.
Harry and I enjoyed it very much!

I went to 2 different cuisine restaurants that I've never tried!

Thai Food at "The Bankok" in Liverpool, with Lynn & Mike and the most decadent curry puffs, deep fried tofu, freshly delicate spring rolls, a big bowl of coconut curry with scallops (the broth was unbelievable at the end!) and banana pastries with coconut ice cream and Jasmine tea. Soooo delicious!

The other restaurant was "New Century" Vietnamese food on Kirkpatrick St. Syracuse. Went with a big bunch of foodies! Mike and Linda, Tim and Dani, Polar, Tom and Harry! A big group of interesting and fun friends who love to eat!
I learned much from them!
Most of us were there for the Pho Soup. A gigantic bowl of brothy deliciousness made with your choice of meat. You add the veggies, sauces and herbs that you like. At the end of the bowl, the broth that has marinated is just amazing!).

Also tried Vietnamese egg rolls and ginger chicken wings. One delightful find was Vietnamese Coffee. So thick, creamy and sweet. More like hot chocolate with a rocket fuel kick!

Oh MY. How DELICIOUS!!

I will be going back to both of these places again and again!

I found that I behaved in my "Bali" a bit more deliberate in my choice during the day. I thought about cooking in the morning for the evening, rather than coming home to it at night ravenous. When you cook with whole grains, it is more of plan ahead style that is helpful.

When I thought I wanted to read, I devoted myself totally to it or any other thing I wanted to do. I really tried to live IN THE MOMENT.

I learned a LOT about Buddhism and Hinduism as well as learned about Holy places and Sacred Temples from that area.

And about their Holy Men and Women

Very different, and yet fascinating.
Also, that these two religions do live peaceably together in certain parts of this big world.
That was comforting and encouraging to hear too...

Yes, I had my regular work to do. I'm also in the midst of several large projects for my business and home as well as at my different jobs.

No Matter! I'm trying to add some Zen Quality of NOW into my existence.

Went to Nirinjan Kaur's Kundalini Yoga Workshop and Chanting program and her music concert for afters last night as my Bali finale.

(Say that 5x fast. Bali Finale, Bali Finale, Bali Finale, Bali Finale, Bali Finale :)

It was very heart opening, enjoyable and totally different in Yoga training as well as music style. Think CHANTING. Think Chakras. Think of "OM" ......in a group for 2 hours.

It was fun to do it with my friend Christine too, who was also into it. Ok, and I admit, some of our Healthful Spiritual Outing had a Marguarita's name all over it :)

Here is one particularly enchanting meditation, to open and enliven the Kundalini energy. We did this mantra for about 10 minutes there.
Click these words to Check it out!
I found it to be totally addictive and it could've gone on longer for me.
Or maybe it did. I wasn't really aware of time....

As a musician, I also very much enjoyed this very different musical presentation, sitting cross legged in front of a microphone leading it. Very different. Very Spiritual.

This was the song that made me want to go see this group....Click here to listen.
We are all Spiritual.
We have to look upon all being as such.

Anyways, it was a week to enjoy my body, pampering myself, working thoughtfully, relaxing consciously with no guilt and enjoying life and my choices.

I hope your week was just as Grand!

This is as an idea was really interesting and I will try again in the future as a good experience to become aware of others' cultures.

A readiness to learn teaching experience of Art, Music, Food, Theology, Culture, Fashion and Environments!

Namaste. (which means "Salutations to you. I honor the Spirit with You.")

Bali on a virtual budget :)

Ok, so it's grey and snow is falling here in CNY. Not Bali-like at all. It freaking SNOWED today.
And that's ok. How'ere, the last couple of days have brought me much personal pleasure even so!

Yesterday, I had the day to myself before work. I got up with Harry at 5:30am. I wished him well, I read, and I wrote, and den? I went back to bed at 9am. How awesome is THAT?  Fecking decadent.

Know what else I did?

Yoga every day. Been eating whole grains....Ok, I've had the side glass of alcohol. Watched "Trekking the World~ Bali", 2 versions of the "King & I" and "Anna & The King", also a Netflix on "Fierce Spirit" and gathered strength from the cold wind. I've also cooked Coconut Curry Shrimp with rice, eaten papaya and smoked salmon and  pampered myself with hot baths, oils and nail polish. I've taken my vitamins faithfully for 2 weeks. I've tanned. Used my Netti pot and had it surprise me hours later with a gush of saline from nowhere. (I didn't realize that your head is a fucking cavity with a lot of secret hiding places in there...)
I've read decadently in the evening swaddled in a blanket with my dog.  I've taken naps and gone to bed early and got up when I felt like it. Been working too, checking emails and raked a lot of leaves. Been loving my man, Harry, so much for letting me find and harness my voice. I also finished editing my memoir. Fucking A! How awesome is that? Hardest thing I've ever done besides push two babies out of my vagina. But surely I digress.

BTW~
During this "DIY~Bali Retreat", I've realized that:

1) Yul Brenner is one HOT fecking male.

2) But not nearly as hot as Yung-Fat Chow. Good God, but that man is sexy. 

 
3) That's a LOT of freaking satin in the Lady Leonowen's dresses in The King & I...
This dance scene is EPIC.

4) I feel that the actor that depicted her son in The King & I resembles a Civil War version of "Eddy Munster" only like a real boy.

5) I like the actor's portrayal of the son in "Anna & The King" way better.

6) While I like the musical (sucker for musicals, I am....) I actually prefer "Anna & the King" for the story line and yet both movies depict differing versions of the same story. However, after getting hooked on the story line and the historical basis of fact, and researching it a little, the real story of the King of Siam and Lady Leonowens' is much more tragic.
Check out this link for the REAL Story of the King of Siam and Lady Leonowens

7) as is the difference in the endings of Tuptim and her Buddhist monk's lives in both movies.

Other than that,
Bali is fine. Thai food all week, eating really awesome food, tackling projects like the hot tub, that Wayne is rebuilding (the parts came TODAY!!!) and finishing the memoir are reason for one more glass of wine.

Merlyn, somewhere in Bali, chanting and stretching and eating a lot of damn good curry.

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera....

Romanesco Brocolli and Sacred Geometry

I'll confide to you a weakness.

I sometimes wander the aisles of grocery stores in search of weird things to try.

I call it the "WTF Theory".

Like, I'll see a veggie or a fruit or food item and say "WTF are you?"

If I really don't know what it is, or what it tastes like or how to cook it, I'll buy it.

Case in point:  Romanesco Broccoli.

The fact that it said the word broccoli tipped me off but other than that....it looks like it should've been growing in an underwater environment. I envisioned clown fish swimming around it when I held it in my hands.

My friend, Tom joined me and Harry for lunch after the church service we played for and because Tom is a vegetarian (I'm a recovering vegetarian but still have leanings....) we thought we'd cook it up. He too, was impressed with it's beauty. Tom and Harry mentioned the Fibonacci Sequence, the Golden Ratio and Sacred Geometry was evident in it's construction. Truly, it is a thing of beauty!

 Fibonacci broccoli

The Golden Ratio, is evident in nature.........

I'm not going into the math here....but if you want to see it, just google it. You have fun with that. Instead, I'll just marvel in it's beauty.
So for this days' ponderance,  I thought I'd ponder math in nature and show you some of its beauty, spurred on by the awesome inspiration of Romanesco broccoli.

Fibonacci Cactus

Fibonacci Pinecone

Fibonacci Mollusk

 Fibonacci Sunflower

Fibonacci Rose

 Fibonacci Hen and Chicken (or Sedum, I can't tell...)

 Fibonacci Storm

 Fibonacci Human

Fibonacci in Space

 Fibonacci under the microscope (this is an angelfish ovary cell, evidently...)

I thought it was all so very interesting, beautiful, and cosmic....

All brought to me by wandering in the grocery store with a curious attitude about broccoli.

But more importantly, back to the broccoli....
Tom and I decided to cook it up with some olive oil, garlic, onions, soy sauce in my cast iron skillet.

It was delicious!
Try something new today.

And give thanks for a much bigger theory, marveling in the Universe, in the Gods, all out there so mysteriously connected......yet always seemed spurned on by asking WTF?
:)