Finished

Ginger jars on the green table with a white napkin and the blue tea towel.

Watercolour.

Time for change

The green is beginning to get to me, think I will have to make some changes tomorrow.

Welcome

It was funny when my daughters first came to the house, how they were scurrying around with lots of oooh's and aaah's and what's this and where did you get that. When I first saw these pictures it was so different seeing home through someone else's eyes and their finding hidden corners that I didn't think they would notice.

I thought it would be nice to have you all here too.

I miss my daughters

I miss my daughters.

I miss their company, their laughter and their reprimands.

I miss their teasing, their jokes and their good advice.

I miss their knowing, their wisdom and their bickering.

I miss loving them, hugging them, spoiling them,

I miss my daughters.

Sorry

I did something reallly stupid today, one of those things that you wish you had never done, could forget about or blame on someone else. The kind of thing that leaves you squirming, uncomfortable within, the kind of thing that won't leave you alone until you do your best to rectify the matter, the kind of thing that you thought you were old enough not to do anymore.


So what exactly can you do when a thing is done and can't be undone?

Own up, apologise, learn from and acknowledge and deal with that part of you that isn't nice, yet demands attention, and try not to let the same thing happen again.

Poor thing

I

am

not

feeling

too

good.

I

have

the

cold.

Not

a cold,

the

cold.

Here, the cold is usually given a name, I don't get colds very often but I have previously had, The Stadium, The Briefcase and Traffic. I don't know what this one is called but it isn't nice.

Here is The Cure;

freshly squeezed juice of one 'big race' lime,

2 lge teaspoons of demerara sugar

1 lge shot of Clarke's Court rum

Combine all the above ingredients, stir well and knock 'em back.

Repeat as necessary.

Yes,

it

really

is

69%

by

volume

and

138

Proof

and

nice

with

a

Coke

when

you're

not

feeling 'poor thing.' Blended and distilled here in Grenada.

Orion

In the garden this morning

a large and beautiful butterfly

was flying around me.

Not knowing what it was I looked for it at Father Sanchez's excellent web site,

West Indian Natural History

if you ever want to find or identify flora, fauna etc. here in the Caribbean, this is the place to go.

'The largest nymphalid in the West Indies:

the orion, Historis odius odius.
This is the butterfly with the most powerful flight

in the islands of the Caribbean,
rivaled in that sense only by its relative, Archaeoprepona demophoon.'

It was happily feeding on the Golden Apples that had fallen from the tree.

these apples are about 2-3" long,

which gives you an idea of how large this butterfly is.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Orion was the son of Neptune,

a handsome giant and a great hunter.

The sweet scent of fermenting Golden Apples was intoxicating,

the butterfly seemed a little tipsy,

Orion did bad things when he was drunk

but this beautiful creature simply wanted to

play.

H H The Dalai Lama

With thanks to Helz at Art and Soul .

HH The Dalai Lama
By HH THE DALAI LAMASunday, October 21, 2007; Brute force can never subduethe basic human desirefor freedom.The thousands of people who marched in the cities of Eastern Europe in recent decades, the unwavering determination of the people in my homeland of Tibet and the recent demonstrations in Burma are powerful reminders of this truth. Freedom is the very source of creativity and human development. It is not enough, as communist systems assumed, to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. If we have these things but lack the precious air of liberty to sustain our deeper nature, we remain only half human. In the past, oppressed peoples often resorted to violence in their struggle to be free. But visionaries such as Mahatma Gandhi and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr have shown us that successful changes can be brought about nonviolently. I believe that, at the basic human level, most of us wish to be peaceful. Deep down, we desire constructive, fruitful growth and dislike destruction. Many people today agree that we need to reduce violence in our society. If we are truly serious about this, we must deal with the roots of violence, particularly those that exist within each of us. We need to embrace "inner disarmament," reducing our own emotions of suspicion, hatred and hostility toward our brothers and sisters. Furthermore, we must reexamine how we relate to the very question of the use of violence in today's profoundly interconnected world. One may sometimes feel that one can solve a problem quickly with force, but such success is often achieved at the expense of the rights and welfare of others. One problem may have been solved, but the seed of another is planted, thus opening a new chapter in a cycle of violence and counter-violence. From the Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia to the popular pro-democracy movement in the Phillipines, the world has seen how a nonviolent approach can lead to positive political changes. But the genuine practice of nonviolence is still at an experimental stage. If this experiment succeeds, it can open the way to a far more peaceful world. We need to embrace a more realistic approach to dealing with human conflicts, an approach that is in tune with a new reality of heavy interdependence in which the old concepts of "we" and "they" are no longer relevant. The very idea of total victory for one's own side and the total defeat of one's enemy is untenable. In violent conflicts, the innocent are often the first casualties, as the war in Iraq and Sudan's Dafur crisis painfully remind us. Today, the only viable solution to human conflicts will come through dialogue and reconciliation based on the spirit of compromise. Many of the problems we confront today are our own creation. I believe that one of the root causes of these manmade problems is the inability of humans to control their agitated minds and hearts -- an area in which the teachings of the world's great religions have much to offer. A scientist from Chile once told me that it is inappropriate for a scientist to be attached to his particular field of study, because that would undermine his objectivity. I am a Buddhist practitioner, but if I mix up my devotion for Buddhism with an attachment to it, my mind will be biased toward it. A biased mind never sees the complete picture, and any action that results will not be in tune with reality. If religious practitioners can heed this scientist's advice and refrain from being attached to their own faith traditions, it could prevent the growth of fundamentalism. It also could enable such followers to genuinely respect faith traditions other than their own. I often say that while one can adhere to the principle of "one truth, one religion" at the level of one's personal faith, we should embrace at the same time the principle of "many truths, many religions" in the context of wider society. I see no contradiction between these two. I do not mean to suggest that religion is indispensable to a sound ethical way of life, or for that matter to genuine happiness. In the end, whether one is a believer or a nonbeliever, what matters is that one be a good, kind and warmhearted person. A deep sense of caring for others, based on a profound sense of interconnection, is the essence of the teachings of all great religions of the world. In my travels, I always consider my foremost mission to be the promotion of basic human qualities of goodness -- the need for and appreciation of the value of love, our natural capacity for compassion and the need for genuine fellow feeling. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. When I first saw a photograph of Earth taken from outer space, it powerfully brought home to me how small and fragile the planet is and how petty our squabbles are. Amid our perceived differences, we tend to forget how the world's different religions, ideologies and political systems were meant to serve humans, not destroy them. When I traveled to the former Soviet Union in the late 1970s, I encountered widespread paranoia, even among ordinary people who feared that the West hated them so much that it was ready to invade their country. Of course, I knew this was mere projection. Today, more than ever, we need to make this fundamental recognition of the basic oneness of humanity the foundation of our perspective on the world and its challenges. From the dangerous rate of global warming to the widening gap between rich and poor, from the rise of global terrorism to regional conflicts, we need a fundamental shift in our attitudes and our consciousness -- a wider, more holistic outlook. As a society, we need to shift our basic attitude about how we educate our younger generation. Something is fundamentally lacking in our modern education when it comes to educating the human heart. As people begin to explore this important question, it is my hope that we will be able to redress the current imbalance between the development of our brains and the development of our hearts. To promote greater compassion, we must pay special attention to the role of women. Given that mothers carry the fetus for months within their own bodies, from a biological point of view women in general may possess greater sensitivity of heart and capacity for empathy. My first teacher of love and compassion was my own mother, who provided me with maximum love. I do not mean to reinforce in any way the traditional view that a woman's place is confined to the home. I believe that the time has come for women to take more active roles in all domains of human society, in an age in which education and the capacities of the mind, not physical strength, define leadership. This could help create a more equitable and compassionate society. In general, I feel optimistic about the future. As late as the 1950s and '60s, people believed that war was an inevitable condition of mankind and that conflicts must be solved through the use of force. Today, despite ongoing conflicts and the threat of terrorism, most people are genuinely concerned about world peace, far less interested in propounding ideology and far more committed to coexistence. The rapid changes in our attitude toward the Earth are also a source of hope. Until recently, we thoughtlessly consumed its resources as if there were no end to them. Now not only individuals but also governments are seeking a new ecological order. I often joke that the moon and stars look beautiful, but if any of us tried to live on them, we would be miserable. This blue planet of ours is the most delightful habitat we know. Its life is our life, its future our future. Now Mother Nature is telling us to cooperate. In the face of such global problems as the greenhouse effect and the deterioration of the ozone layer, individual organizations and single nations are helpless. Our mother is teaching us a lesson in universal responsibility. The 20th century became a century of bloodshed; despite its faltering start, the 21st century could become one of dialogue, one in which compassion, the seed of nonviolence, will be able to flourish. But good wishes are not enough. We must seriously address the urgent question of the proliferation of weapons and make worldwide efforts toward greater external disarmament. Large human movements spring from individual human initiatives. If you feel that you cannot have much of an effect, the next person may also become discouraged, and a great opportunity will have been lost. On the other hand, each of us can inspire others simply by working to develop our own altruistic motivations -- and engaging the world with a compassion-tempered heart and mind. The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Since 1959, he has been living in Dharamsala, in northern India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.

More fluff

What Kind of Empath Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Shaman You are a Shamanic Empath. You are at one with nature and can speak with animal/plant life. Your powers come from the Sun & the Moon, and the elements. The weather moves with your mind and all of nature is at your beck and call. (from The Book of Storms by Jad Alexander at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Empaths/) Shaman 95% Healer 85% Universal 80% Artist 75% Traveler 75% Judge 70% Precog 65% Fallen Angel 50%

Lucky Dube - Till You Lose It All

With apologies

This post was going to be

an interesting story

for you, from me,

but now, the day is spent

and so are we,

but all our dreams

will be of

'grooving'

fig tree.

Creative commitment

There

is

dough

rising

in

the

kitchen.

That

sweetest

of

smells

of

yeast

and

brown

sugar and the dust must of wholemeal flour, that perfect alchemy that promises to reward and nourish.

There is other cooking to be done, soul food to make and ingredients to combine, the right environment and correct conditions to provide, all measured with feeling and purpose.

Latest sightings

Being ignorant of so many things , the time is long overdue for me, at least, to try to identify the birds, flora and fauna etc, that we see on a daily basis.

A broad winged hawk, with prey
My first 'action' shot, male Carib Grackle flying from female,

My second 'action shot' female Carib Grackle in hot pursuit.
Together again, but not on speaking terms.

Cuckoo family?

Tropical Mockingbird?

Caribbean Elaenia? Look closely, click to enlarge and there is a delightful little bird that built it's nest in this coconut tree, unfortunately I have no idea what it is.

Again

If the batteries hadn't gone on the camera, I would have caught this Lesser Antillean Bullfinch thiefing ripe plantain in the kitchen.

And finally? Kingbird?

still a way to go yet then, but with thanks to the following website

West Indian Natural History

I am learning.

A True Story

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in the village with his mother and father and six of his nine brothers and sisters. He was a happy boy who loved to help. Whenever his mother went to town to sell the vegetables that they grew in the garden, he would always go to help her. He would walk through town and up around the houses on the hill selling cive and thyme, door to door, returning with the money he had made when he had sold everything. Despite being helpful and brave enough to go and sell, even though he was only six years old, the little boy had a problem. He had such a bad stammer that he could hardly speak. In those days, when an adult called you , you immediately had to answer, 'yes,' followed by the name of the person that called. Not to do so meant blows. The boy was unable to do this without first stamping and stamping his foot, until, eventually, he would fall down and only then would the words fall from his mouth. Consequently, his legs were covered in scars and bruises from when he'd fallen down. He was embarrassed by his lack of speech and if anyone should laugh at him, his temper was short and he would give them one cuff without hesitation. One day, in the market , a little old lady, from St. David's, came to speak with him. The boy knew her well as she also sold her garden produce in town . She gave him a special shell and told him that he was to drink from that shell , and only that shell , for six months and his stammer would be gone. The boy went home and his parents agreed to try the cure and everyday for six months, whenever he had a drink, the boy drank from the shell. Sure enough, after some time his speech improved, until, in the end, except for when he was very nervous, excited or in too much of a hurry, the stammer disappeared.

The shell and the story lay forgotten in the yard, for years and years and years, until one day when the boy, now a man, was weeding the dasheen and found the shell that gave him his voice, to tell this story.

A bit of fluff

Having been bitterly disappointed to discover I was a Chardonnay, sorry Sauvignon Blanc, instead of a Merlot, when I did the 'What wine are you?' quiz, that I found here;

Blog procrastination at Musings on society ,

I thought I'd give this a go, which I found here;

carrasdream.blogspot.com,

looking forward to help arriving, in the meantime, think I'll make some more coffee.

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

The continuing story of the hunter, gatherer

For
those
of
you
who
are
unfamiliar
with
this
particular delicacy, these are crayfish from the river. There are a number of different varieties, including;
Buntail,
Reds,
Ling,
Lamay,
Wild
Margaret
and
the
one
shown
here.
Kakado.


T caught them the other day and they have been skulking in the freezer since then, waiting for me to deal with them. Personally, I like my crayfish shelled, heads and innards removed. T prefers to throw them in the pot and eat them as they are, in a 'nice broth', which he swears is, 'good for the body'.
When I summon up the enthusiasm to clean them, we will probably make fishcakes, see previous post Fishcake for the recipe, replacing titiree with the crayfish.

The reason the task of cooking and cleaning falls to me, follows the memorable occasion when T decided to 'treat' me to 'crayfishcakes,' as a surprise for when I came home from work.
I was a little dubious but delighted, when my plate was put in front of me, and there were perfectly cooked fishcakes, with no evidence of legs or whiskers. It was only upon biting into one, accompanied by a resounding audible crunch, that it became apparent that T had solved the arduous cleaning task by placing the whole lot in the blender.

www.free-burma.org

Nobel Peace Prize

If you would like to sign a petition nominating Burma's Buddhist monks, for the Nobel Peace Prize, you can do so here;

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/nobel007/

Free Burma Bloggers

Tomorrow, October 4th, is Free Burma Day for Bloggers to show a united front, in support of the people of Burma. I would urge all bloggers to take this opportunity and give over their blog, website etc, for tomorrow and post one of these graphics instead.
Please go to http://www.free-burma.org/ for the graphics and more information,
we have a voice , we can be heard, let us use it.


http://www.free-burma.org/



http://www.free-burma.org/


http://www.free-burma.org/


www.free-burma.org

Burma

Spread the word.

http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/

http://themoderatevoice.com/society/life/15402/burma-senior-general-sir-show-us-these-children-are-alive-and-unharmed/

http://uscampaignforburma.org/index.html

Manager wanted

Monday dawns bright and fresh and we start the day with a light step and a new resolution.Since embarking on this new path, I have been surprised by my complete lack of organisational skills. Previously, when working for other people, I have always known what to do, in what order, how to delegate, problem solve, prioritise, plan ahead, schedule tasks etc, etc.

Now, however, I seem to have turned into a completely mindless, daydreaming jelly, with no sense of direction and the purpose, whilst promising, keeps getting lost in distractions and dreams. Well, obviously, we'll have to put a stop to that, or as my Auntie Joyce used to say, "this won't buy the child a frock", so, I have imposed a timetable with objectives and completion dates and, as I am already 13 minutes late, I will have to curtail this post and get to work. I would be delighted to hear of other people's discipline.