Libations Friday! 19 June 2009

Coffee Photo by once and future @ flickr

From Denny: OK, I was flat out fascinated watching the coffee art videos and have included a few here to amuse you as well! I could have stayed on the ifood.tv site for hours, mesmerized at technique and designs - but somebody had to write this blog! :)

Coffee Art Videos - How to Make Rosettes - from ifood.tv


Latte Art 5 ROSETTA IN ONE CUP by Scottiecallaghan.com - Awesome video clips here






Amazing Coffee Art - Watch more amazing videos here


A super simple easy recipe from ifood.tv:

Spiced Coffee Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole Columbian coffee beans or 3/4 cup ground coffee

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

6 cups water

How to make Spiced Coffee

Place coffee beans in container of a coffee grinder, process to a medium grind.

Assemble drip coffee maker according to manufacturer's directions.
Place ground coffee beans in paper filter of filter basket; sprinkle with cardamom and flavorings.

Add water to coffee maker, and brew.

Serve immediately.



Guardian of the Inner Sanctuary Photo by alicepopkorn @ flickr

On to the poetry section for today! I was starting to play too much over at the Coffee Art videos, too much fun!

Of course, I’m not finished with the next installment of the Primordial Dragon story, though I can tell you the title: The Dreamers. It needs some serious polishing before I release it. You know how the saying goes, “If Mama ain’t happy; ain’t nobody happy!”

Since I’ve started back up with a bit of fantasy writing my mind was on the ancient and thinking in millennia as opposed to hours or nanoseconds like we think in IT time in this fast-paced century. Then I remembered I wrote a keepsake poem for the new millennium. It isn’t like any of us have the opportunity every day to write a special piece just for the new next 1,000 years and live to tell it!

I went at it with the idea of what would I want people to read 1,000 or more years from now, assuming it survives the ravages of time. Many people choose to talk about the culture of the time period to give it flavor to the generations yet to come, the time capsule idea. That was a lovely idea but something else was nibbling at the edges of my mind. I thought about my usual “What if?” scenarios of which I am so fond. (I have a busy rich imagination, sigh…)

Well, I said to the only guy in the room: me, why not go for the gold? Why not write something to help chart a path for humanity to aspire for the next millennium? Think big; change comes. Think small; life is hard. I gave it a whirl like always. What began as a concept became a blessing for humanity!

Take note that this was written in the first year of the new millennium, what the Chinese call the Year of the Snake who represents Wisdom. If you have studied the Kabalah (Jewish mysticism) and the Tree of Life this makes even more sense to you as it touches on most of the spiritual energy principles constantly coming our way in the Universe. It is our endeavor as mankind to gain awareness of - and learn to interact with - that energy in a positive manner in order to benefit fully.



Imagine by alicepopkorn @ flickr


Ode to People of the New Millennium: A Blessing


May we ride the powerful waves of Eternity with ease.
May Joy live securely in our Hearts’ pockets.
May Success visit us daily.

May Knowledge chase after us as the dancing autumn wind,
Biting our heels with glee.
May Understanding peek into our thoughts and live with us
As our loyal best friends.

May Wisdom choose us, well respected, truly desired.
May Kindness be hailed as a great strength and new personal Discipline.

May Strength be paired only with Goodness.
May we comfortably pierce the thin veneer of lies, illusion, and misdirection
To Heartily, willingly view revealed Truth.

May we Shun a life of greed, pride, bickering and jealousy.
May we Endeavor a life philosophy of contributing “to the greater good of All.”

May we No longer Fear those who superficially appear different.
May we come to Know deeply that we are all One kind: before God.

May we choose to Give Love and Receive Love.
This is our Destiny fulfilled.


Denny Lyon
Copyright 24 January 2001
All Rights Reserved

Have a great weekend, everyone! Keep smiling!

Libations Friday! 6 March 2009

Libations Friday!

I'm feeling a bit cheeky today. That and I know it's past due time I get going on what you can expect on certain days of the week. We all like to know when to check in for our favorite segments, right?

Apologies it took me so long as I had to learn all the tech stuff since I started from zero in that department. Left brain things like this are tedious for me unless I can include some humor or visuals like photos, art and lots of color on the site to keep me engaged and my creative brain from going into snooze mode.

Of course, I just wrote a silly little poem a few minutes ago. Told you I was feeling cheeky as my Brit friends tell me.

Since I also love a great cup of coffee, some awesome green tea, a tall wheat beer or occasionally a devastating martini, I thought I'd crown Fridays as Libations day!



First the libations recipe for hot coffee to drink while you read the poem:

Dennys Version Arabian Style Hot Coffee

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons dark roast ground coffee

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamon

1 pint water

1/2 teaspoon orange extract (no imitations)


Directions: Heat all these ingredients gently in a saucepan until a foam begins to form on the surface. If you are tough enough then don't put this thru a filter as you pour it into your mug ever so carefully so as to not to disturb the coffee grounds too much!

In Greece I used to drink their version without sugar. They were so shocked they revered me ever since. :)



On to the poem segment:

Dennys Not Haiku But Short Enough



On the Whim of a Grin


On the whim of a grin

Got off my sorry seated self.

Thoughts' arrival time delayed.

As promising patient parent

Wallet work waited.

Spring Fever!


By Denny Lyon

Copyright 6 March 2009

(Some day I may be awesome and famous,
you never know...! Hope springs eternal.)


Drinking Lioness Photo by jelleprin @ flickr
Wonderful Cherry Blossoms Photo by t_a_i_s @ flickr
Coffee Photo by INeedCoffee @ flickr