If anyone does not have three minutes in his life to make an omelette, then life is not worth living.
Raymond Blanc
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Tags: Quoting
Oh, the chill we’ve had as of late! But how a pretty frosted landscape makes braving the icy winds worth it.
Cuddling with my favorite newborn!
Made this beautiful cheesecake (those are vanilla bourbon apples on top) in celebration of the little one’s parents and grammie visiting. I gilded the lily by dousing it in caramel sauce. No one complained.
Tags: Colorado Springs, Pike's Peak
inside out
This and the two above: Linda Fleming
Most handsome and best companion
Greetings from Friday night! It is exceedingly rare for us to have two events in one day, so you know it’s pretty special when we do. The recently completed Ent Center for the Arts (such a gorgeous space!) hosted Sybarite5, a unique and fabulous string quintet that plays Radiohead covers, among other magical music, so, you know, deal sealed. The show was fun and funny and the music super wow, wow, wow. These people can play, y’all!
We also had a pre-show nosh at Tap Traders – my stellar, delightfully pink and purdy, sour beer was a blackcurrant, and the hubster’s an Oktoberfest – tis the season. If you’re local (even just passing through), head on over to the Ent Center to see Linda Fleming’s great works, outdoors and in, check out the multitude of other sculptures, the beautiful architecture, and the stellar view (photo below), of course. You won’t regret it!
Tags: Colorado Springs, Pike's Peak
Hello, and happy Monday to you!
Friday afternoon, I had the very special pleasure of attending a Mandala dissolution ceremony honoring the Compassion Buddha. Monks from the Ngari Institute spent three days creating this exquisitely fine and intricate work of art. It was then swept into a pile, distributed among attendees (anyone who so desired), with the remains scattered into Monument Creek.
Why destroy something so beautiful, you may ask? To show the importance of sharing compassion with all beings and reflect the impermanence of life. It also encouraged everyone in attendance (and the world) to let, just as we do each breath that comes, every little thing, joyful, beautiful, sad, and angry, GO. To the winds. To the water. Let it ALL go.
Before the ceremony, I had the privilege to sit with one of the monks and ask about the mandala. It was quite fascinating! The mandala is a two dimensional representation of a three dimensional house or temple, with the Compassion Buddha at the center. Each of the four directions is represented, with food and flowers offered to the Buddha. The copper cups hold water, two of which for cleansing (the mouth and feet), the third, with an added flower, for perfuming the body. This is an offering of our best selves to the Compassion Buddha. The water also represented rain; as rain falls, it cleanses the body, not only of grime, but of unhealthy thoughts and patterns in the mind. The more it is cleansed, the more it benefits the individual and the world, spreading compassion to our minds and others. So wonderful!
Wednesday morning welcome – a most delightful change in the weather.
And then yesterday, velvet fog, which will, forever and always, be the softest Portland mornings, waking up cold and happy in a blanket of mist.
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And just because – a little Stevie Ray Vaughn. Sometimes I need more guitar…
