black and blue

A black labrador bit me
And I bit back.
Now I am black and blue
But he is still just black.

For more information ...
bear rug
fish tale

trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

- Joyce Kilmer


Keystone Forest photo courtesy of Nancy

For more information ...
joyce kilmer

paradise lost - paradise regained II

For some early life is marked by outward movements. We move out of our family, out of our communities, out of our inherited political positions and out of our religious dogmas. Propelled by an impulse to seek, we search for more and yet feel nostalgic for what we left behind. We feel impulses to return, to go back and to recreate what we had but 'you can never go home'.

We may reassess these outward movements and wonder if what we stretch for will always remain just out of reach. Some may stretch even further whilst we will dig deep within ourselves to connect with family, community and belief. We are still moving forward and evolving but the propulsion is from within rather than without. This inward transformative movement is not about nostalgically going back, it is about becoming. 'Human is not to be but to become'.

We turn away from the attractive distant glimmer of the sun and toward what was always close at hand. We never lost what we now regain and it was not paradise but simply the earth beneath our feet and ourself within under our skin.



For more information...
paradise lost - paradise regained I

fall picks

In spite of my intent to drink more Italian wine, France still dominated this fall with 20 wines. I also tried 6 from Italy, 4 from Spain, 3 from Canada, 2 from the US and 1 from Portugal, Australia and Germany. Ouch! my liver must hurt but there were some great wines drunk, here are the top fall picks.

1. Veuve Cliquote Ponsardin, Demi-sec - Riems, Champagne, France (18/20)
"I challenge anyone to drink this and not like it", for more tasting notes look here.

2. Abrazo, Garnacha & Carinena, 2003 - Spain (18/20)
"fruity, peppery, light, cheap and bloody nice", for more tasting notes look here.

3. Nino Franco Prosecco, - Valdobbiadene, Italy (16/20)
"a refreshing sparkling white, not too dry, a good, cheap alternative to champagne"

4. Tres Picos, Garnacha, 2003 - Campode Borja, Borsao, Borja, Spain (16/20)
"blackcurrant, earthy, leather, expensive but nice"

5. Chateau Thieuly, Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion, 2004 - Bordeaux, France (16/20)
"gooseberry, citrus, grassy"

6. Beaurevoir Tavel, Rose - Chapoutier, Rhone Valley, France (15/20)
"dry, fruity, minerally, slight tannins, a classic rose"

There is just so much good French wine, I must try harder to extend my sampling beyond the riotous Gallic borders. Revelations this season included the sparkling wines which I have always avoided. Thanks to my wife for introducing me to Tavel which won me over to rose, look for the distinctive braille on Chapoutier's label and give it a try.

Of course Beaujolais Nouveau season is upon us and although no Nouveau made the top list I have enjoyed drinking some of the Beaujolais cru, namely the Morgon from Joseph Drouhin and Moulin-A-Vent from that great marketeer Georges Dubeouf.

I expect the winter season will see us crack open some more sparkling wine to celebrate the festivities and some hearty reds to savour before a wood fire. Before then I hope to give my liver a little rest, poor thing.

For more information ...
veuve cliquot
abrazo
prosecco
tres picos
beaurevoir tavel
sorry no link for chateau thieuly

paradise lost - paradise regained I

Eden, Shambhala, Hy Brasil, Atlantis. Across time and across cultures, we have sought a place to live a better life. In the case of Eden and Shambhala they have been intimately linked with religious and spiritual development. In the case of Hy Brasil and Atlantis they have weaved their way through our cultures.

They all evoke images of paradise where happiness and peace are shared by all, in a long living and abundant life. The beauty of these paradises is only surpassed by their inaccessibility. In spite of our best efforts we can not gain entry to the garden, or find the mountain kingdom or sail to the island.

We have fallen from grace like Icarus fell to the ground and continue to be bound to this more earthly realm. Yet as we walk on this earth we wonder how this paradise lost may be a paradise regained. Our youthful wanderings are begun in naivete, searching for new and plenty. But as we wander we may wonder that the only paradise to be regained is one of our own making and solely within the mind. No longer looking toward the sun, we can turn our attention to the earth and busy ourselves with activities that ward off idleness, vice and want.

Voltaire expresses it best in Candide, ' il faut cultiver notre jardin'. A theme also alluded to by Brueghel's 'Landscape with the Fall of Icarus'. Breughel casts Icarus in a minor role and the simple ploughman in a major role. One falling from the sun in a vain attempt to enter a paradise lost, the other realizing that under his feet lies a paradise very much regained.



For more information ...
eden
shambhala
hy brasil
atlantis
icarus
candide
brueghel the elder

peek and boo discuss the simple life

Somewhere in this land. Night. Peek and Boo walking across a moonlit field.

Peek: So how did you get on with Seeke?

Boo: Good, we scratched each others itch. And you with Hyde?

Peek: Nothing, we don't know each other, we talked. It was nice, that was it, that was all.

Boo: You and your talking, you make things complicated.

Peek: Things do seem simple for you, I'll grant that.

Boo: Not always though, even God knows that.

Peek: But you have the simple life?

Boo: And what is that?


Peek: A life free from unnecessary complication, a life driven by purpose.

Boo: My aim in life is straight forward, a belly full of food and beer and an arm around a woman. My life is simple not because it has purpose but because the purpose I have is simple. And how about your life, is it simple?

Peek: Do I want anything different from you? Not much, you can see I like food and drink and Hyde is a woman I wouldn't mind to fumble with.

Boo: But you want more!

Peek: Do I want more? Maybe a conversation of interest or two, an idea, no more than that.

Boo: You and your ideas, with that you have already made your life more difficult. Men and their ideas, the world would be better off without them.

Peek: Better off without men or better off without ideas?

Boo: If you ask Seeke she'd probably say both!

Peek: We have to tend the fields tomorrow, let's go.

Boo: Yes, let's go.

Two exit.

For more information ...
peek and boo discuss life and meaning
peek and boo discuss thought and action
peek and boo discuss existentialism
peek and boo discuss writing
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power

the simple life - why and who?

Our life is a series of responses to questions. The choices we make define our answers to questions such as when? where? how? what? who? and why? The choice to start work at 8am is a response to a when? question. The choice to be a lawyer is a response to a what? question. The choice to put your family first may be a response to a why? question.

Even though some of our responses feel determined, we do have a choice. We choose to live in a house that requires a mortgage so we go to work at 8am because that is when 'the man' expects us. We could choose not to go and this would have its consequences but we could choose. Our life is a series of chosen responses.

The responses we choose for certain questions can drive the responses we choose to other questions. For example, if I chose that what I want is to be a lawyer then that will dictate how I realize that ambition. The what would also affect when I could achieve that since I will spend a few years at college. Similarly I could decide that where I want to live is the Outer Hebrides, so that will dictate what I can work at and how I will live my life. Our life is a series of chosen responses that are connected.

However it does seem to me of prime importance to understand our response to why? and who? questions and let those guide us in answering the other questions. If we are unclear on the meaning of our life or who we want to share it with then the answers to the when? where? how? and what? questions will be nothing but a distracting drama. Eventful, even amusing but purposeless.

A clear understanding of the responses you choose to the why? questions and the who? questions in life will focus you on the important. The unimportant will fall away and your life can become simpler, not easier but simpler. Come back for more, there is more, this simple life is far from easy and needs more work.



For more information ...
the simple life - time and disorder
outer hebrides

the simple life - time and disorder

Life becomes complicated and perhaps we create the complications. A constant entropic force seems to challenge any order we seem to impose and any order we impose seems to come at the cost of disorder somewhere else.

Each day we experience this ever present tendency for increasing disorder. We get old, even from birth the order of our body begins to degrade. Our houses are built and we impose order but they begin to break and need repair. Nostalgia is a sense we have for times past and their simplicity. Childhood seemed simple because it was, the lives of our ancestors seemed simple because they were. Time is the experience of increasing disorder.

Are we destined to live our lives under a descending cloud of complexity and fuzziness? Can we have the simple life? Come back and find out in our next installment.


For more information ...
arrow of time

bear rug

I went shooting in the woods one day,
A bear shot me and got away.
With a surprised expression on my face
I now lie before his fireplace.

fish tale

Once I caught a fish alive,
she had to live, she couldn't die.
She jumped back in the river fast,
she smiled at me as she swam past.

first wheat

The great plant of western Canada is not the maple leaf even though it adorns the national flag. The great plant of western Canada is wheat. The golden sheaves swaying in the prairie wind conjures images of the open spaces and big skies of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

So this year my homage to the pioneers and settlers of the west was to grow some wheat in my garden. A friend got some wheat grain from his farming father in Saskatchewan because I found no where that just sold wheat grain to the general public. I turned the soil and then create a shallow drill into which I popped the grain. I the turned the soil over and that was that.

I was late in planting my grain (June 11th) so I knew I would be harvesting late. We have had a wet summer so although the wheat shot up it remained green for most of the summer. Occasionally I would take a kernel of wheat and check to see how it was drying up, other than that I did nothing. We have already had our first frost but wheat can survive that.

Last weekend I harvested the wheat, the next challenge will be to separate the wheat from the chaff.

heart broken heart mended

Last week my father underwent heart surgery to have a triple by-pass and a valve replaced. The operation took place in Dublin, Ireland meanwhile I was in Calgary, Canada 6609 kilometers (4107 miles) away. Such is the life of an emigrant, such is the life of an emigrant's father.

I have become accustomed to the feelings of uselessness and to the sense that in some respect I have abandoned my family. I have become accustomed to experiencing major family events by proxy through the telephone, internet or photos. I have become accustomed to these things but I am not happy about it.

My father is doing well and when I talked to him I was struck by his thankfulness, optimism and peacefulness. I am still learning from him.

Something inside me made me leave my hometown and my home country. I have created a life and a family away from there but it has come at a cost for me and my family.

Would I want my child to do the same?

koans and ergos

A koan is a statement contemplated by zen practitioners in the hope of enlightenment. Usually questioning and open-ended by nature, koans defy rational enquiry but may awaken other aspects of the mind. It would be misleading to regard them as puzzles as koans have no fixed answer.

A famous/infamous koan is "two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?" A rational contemplation may suggest an answer (silence) but for other philosophical interpretations see here.

To my western mind koans seem frustrating because the question is framed within a rational context and yet the intent (enlightenment) can not be achieved by responding in the same context. Undoubtedly there is much I am missing when it comes to koans. Om.

Rational contemplation is something I can grasp and to focus this I suggest thinking on a phrase. This phrase is not a question but an answer for which someone can contemplate the question. It too has no fixed response but unlike a koan it may be subject to rational contemplation. Consideration of such a phrase may result in enlightenment but of an earthly kind. In homage to Descartes I will call this kind of phrase an 'ergo' which is Latin for 'therefore' and forms part of his cogito ergo sum statement.

Contemplate what question this ergo is the answer for?

"Life is brief but offers a few sublime moments."

first snow

Today October 3rd, in Calgary, we have just had our first fall of snow. Officially it is still fall as winter, in North America, officially begins with the winter solstice on December 21st. This contrasts with the United Kingdom and Ireland where it begins on November 1st (all hallows or samhain) and the solstice marks mid-winter.

Either way for me, the first snow in Canada reminds us to enjoy the remaining days of fall. As a small aside, fall was a term used in England during Elizabethan times and was transferred to the colonies where it remained in usage. Back in England it fell out of usage and autumn became the preferred name for this transitional season.

No spring, nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face - John Donne

weaselhead epiphany

I went for a run this afternoon in the Weaselhead. This protected park is five minutes drive from our house but in every other respect is a world away. Leaving behind the baseball diamonds and soccer pitches of suburbia, you enter a very accessible piece of nature within the city. I ran on the main path as far as the bridge which is around 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) and then returned via the forest. The forest path winds up and down away from the river and onto the escarpment that forms the southern boundary of the lake.

Growing tired I left the main path and slowed to a walk on a back woods path which led to an opening in the woods. Sitting down on a fallen tree, I could hear the wind teasing the leaves off the birch and willow. These deciduous trees are 'standing down' so the evergreens can regain their preeminence in the forest for the winter. The spiders webs catch the light as well as the flies and all seems peaceful.

A voice whispers, ' this planet is wasted on humans'. I stand up and feeling like Adam, an intruder, I leave and return to suburbia.


For more information ...
weaselhead

this week I am drinking

This week I am drinking Champagne of which I am by no means a big fan. It can be overpriced and overrated, the dryness is often too much and I find it causes a burning sensation in the throat or even heartburn. Combine this with the reputation it has among the 'ignoranti' of rappers and footballers and well, let's just say I am put off buying it.

I have typically tried the Veuve Clicquot yellow label which is dry and produces (for me) the burning sensation described above. This week however my in-laws introduced me to the Veuve Clicquot demi-sec. This wine has a creamy smooth finish with a fruity, biscuity taste to match. This is a champagne to have with desert or even on its own. It is a little pricey at around $CAN35 ($AUS39/25EURO/17UKP prices will vary by region) but if you have something to celebrate try this champagne rather than the more popular yellow label.


For more information ...
veuve clicquot demi-sec

peek and boo discuss life and meaning

Somewhere in this land. Late evening. Peek and Boo sit drinking at the inn.

Peek: It has got to mean something hasn't it?

Boo: Life, it means nothing.

Peek: But do you not think of the man upstairs and what he means?

Boo: Not often ... but too often.

Peek: And do you not think it means something because of him and what will come after?

Boo: What will come after?

Peek: I don't know, something nice and cozy maybe?

Boo: Well then, it can mean that for you.

Peek: What do you mean?

Boo: You can make it mean what you want it to. For me, I make it mean nothing.

Peek: Watch out, here she comes, the widow's daughter.

Boo: Where?

Peek: Behind you .... hello, Seeke.
Enter Seeke in foreground and Hyde in background.

Seeke: Hello Peek, hello Boo.

Boo: Hello Seeke.

Seeke: How are you now?

Boo: I'm fine, I have a glass of wine in hand and a friend to talk to, what more could a man want?

Seeke: A woman to hug.

Boo: The right woman who would hug back, to be sure.

Seeke: And at the right time to!

Boo: Would the time be right?

Seeke raises a wine glass and looks into it, thinking.

Seeke: The time might be right.

Boo: I will see you outside then?

Seeke: Yes, but who will escort Hyde home?

Boo: I am sure Peek will, where is she?

Seeke: Over by the fireplace, shy as always.

Peek: I will show the lady Hyde home, now you two begone!
A whispered aside to Boo.
So it means nothing then?

A whispered aside to Peek.
Boo: It means nothing but perhaps I will try to make it mean something.

Two get up and exit.



For more information ...
peek and boo discuss thought and action
peek and boo discuss existentialism
peek and boo discuss writing
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power

ladybirds and ladybugs

We have seen a large number of ladybirds around Calgary in the last week or so. Perhaps a last flourish of activity before the autumnal frosts kill off these little bugs?

The ladybirds we see are called two spotted lady beetles ('Adalia bipunctata'). The bright wings are attractive to humans but are intended to ward off predators.

In England and Ireland we call them ladybirds in the US and Canada we call them ladybugs. Divided by a common language even at the insect level!


For more information ...
ladybirds

this week I am drinking

This week my Giro D'Italia passes through the Veneto region in north eastern Italy. The wine we are sampling is an Italian white, soave (pronounced swa-vay). This 2002 San Anselmi is made from garganega and trebbiano grapes like most soave. Roberto Anselmi is renowed for his innovative wine making and his insistence on not been confined by the DOCG regulations. This wine gains the IGT (indicazione geografica tipica) label but it would be incorrect to read into that lower quality.

Distinctive citrus and apple tones with some oak (possibly?) make this an interestingly different wine to drink. A definite sweet quality but with a smooth rather than syrup finish. Try this suave soave sometime soon!


For more information ...
docg or igt?

so what does life mean

The previous articles suggested thought as a priority in a sense of personal identity, it also suggested aligning behaviour with thought and furthermore it suggested that sharing and contribution are fundamental to our concept of society.

All very well and good but life is the medium within which the 'I', 'you' and 'we' exist. We need to add to our understanding of the 'I', 'you' and 'we', an understanding of life and what it means. And therein lies the problem, so what does life mean?

Starting simply, we could say that life either has meaning or it does not have meaning. If life has meaning that meaning could be inherent and part of the nature of life itself. Most religions express meaning as central and inherent to life itself. This meaning is taken as an a priori fact, i.e. the meaning exists independent of our experience. Here is an illustration, 'Jesus died for our sins and gave us a second chance to enter the kingdom of heaven if we follow his teachings', that meaning exists prior to any experience a child who is born tomorrow will have. For that child it exists a priori. This a priori meaning is taken to be universal.

An opposing view could be that if life has meaning that meaning is extraneous to the nature of life and is something we impose. It could be considered as an a posteriori fact, i.e. meaning is only derived after and because of our experience (see note). Indeed I would say that although many claim to derive an a priori meaning from religion they impose an a posteriori meaning based on their experience of religion rather than the doctrine per se. For example, the meaning of life for me is to play soccer, this meaning to life could not have existed prior to my experiences that gave rise to it. This a posteriori meaning is personal but others could share a similar meaning

Of course we also have the nihilists who would say that life is without purpose or meaning. Nihilists rejection of either a universal or personal meaning is logically subverted since their position claims in itself to be a truth. Life indeed may mean nothing but if I make that claim I am saying something which means something and at some level has at least personal meaning.

I would suggest that nihilism is an untenable position not because life may necessarily mean something but because as humans we strive to give it meaning. Can the meaning of life be anything other than personal? I would suggest not so therefore received a priori meanings can only act as input for our formulation of a personal a posteriori meaning. I do think that this a posteriori meaning whilst deeply personal is not solipsism because we are social by nature and do want to share our understanding with others.

So, what does life mean? ..... We don't find meaning, we create it. The meaning of life is the meaning we give to life and the meaning we choose to share with others.


Note ...
I have used the terms a priori and a posteriori loosely, for further definition and clarification see here.

For more information ...
so who are we
so who are you
so who am I
a balanced life
nihilism
a priori

this week I am drinking

This week I'm drinking a Spanish red, Abrazo 2003. I believe it is made from 100% grenache or garnacha as the Spaniards call it. Drink by itself or enjoy with St.Augur blue cheese or spaghetti and meatballs.

It shows good fruit flavours, is light on tannins and shows some hints of pepper or perhaps slightly earthy tones (may be getting into bullshit territory there). This wines comes from close to Zaragoza where my sister lives and I have to admit to been envious that she probably has much easier and cheaper access to it than I. This light very drinkable wine is still a steal at $CAN11/$AUS12/EURO7.5/UKP5 and has got to be the best value wine I have drank all year!

Abrazo is the Spanish for hug, make sure you hug a bottle of this wine sometime soon!

For more information ...
review

peek and boo discuss thought & action

Somewhere in this land. Early evening. Peek sits on the edge of a river looking in but then looks skyward.

Peek: Ah! the evening star and the morning star, Venus, a woman to love.

Peek returns to looking into the river but is disturbed by Boo's entrance.

Boo: She's a whore and a bitch! No more, I tell ya!

Peek: Steady on there, easy as she goes!

Boo: Well that's it I tell ya, I'm finished with her.

Peek: The widow's daughter?

Boo: Yes, the very same.

Peek: She does what she wants, when she wants with whom she wants. I thought that was what you liked about her.

Boo: I was a fool if I said that and you said my words would help me cajole her! You were a fool for saying that.

Peek: Now we both know better.

Boo: We are both fools to be sittin' here looking into the muddy river when others are laughing at the inn or lovin' in a barn.

Peek: Yes, we are foolish with our actions if not our thoughts.

Boo: They should be one and the same.

Peek: Exactly, we should only do what we have thought about and think about what we can do.

Boo: You lost me.

Peek: Our actions should be considered, for many people their actions are just reflexive habits. You scratch an itch without thinking about the consequence.

Boo: The widow's daughter could handle an itch I have, I can tell you that.

Peek: And the consequences? Maybe she has stopped itching you scratch because she is clever enough to think about the consequences.

Boo: She might be right but I can't help thinking about her?

Peek: Well you can and that's the second part, don't bother thinking about that which you cannot act upon. It's probably out of your control, think about what is within your control.

Boo: And those things I think about that are within my control, I should do something about those?

Peek: Yes, you're getting the hang of it.

Boo: The widow's daughter is far too smart for me. Why don't we go to the inn?

Peek: You might find a Venus there who thinks your actions and thoughts are just fine, let's go.

Boo: Yes! Let's go!

Two get up and exit.

For more information ...
peek and boo discuss existentialism
peek and boo discuss writing
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power

so who are we

After writing the first article in this series (so who am I), the second (so who are you) was a natural successor. Those two and another (a balanced life) prompts a third in the series. It seems now that I should extend these thoughts and ask ...

So, who are we?

Implict in the question is that something is or could be shared between us. As per the previous articles, using thought as our cornerstone and matching our thoughts with actions (and vice versa) we are striving to share an understanding. We are striving to share an understanding of our universe, our experience and our self. If we do not do this then there is no 'we'.

So, who are we?

We share something. What is it we share? We share our understanding of the universe. Can there be this kind of 'we' if we are not open to hearing others people's understanding of the universe? No, there can only be a 'we' if all parties of the 'we' get to share their understanding (note, sharing does not imply agreement). This 'we' is often instantiated through our discussions of religion, science or natural philosophy and our practice of those.

So, who are we?

We share an understanding of our experience, we may even share some of the same experiences. This 'we' is often instantiated through our discussions of psychology, myth, or personal and social histories. It may be instantiated through group activity like playing soccer, stealing car stereos or playing the fluglehorn.

So, who are we?

We share an understanding of our self. This 'we' is often instantiated through our close relationships with friends and family, through our gossip, through our biographies and our betrayals.

It can be seen that there is more than one 'we'.

So, who are we?

We share understanding of our universe, experience and our self in multiple connected but possibly distinct instances. Each of these instances is a society in itself. Perhaps it is worth asking what we contribute to each. What do you contribute to a shared understanding of the universe? What do you contribute to a shared understanding of your experience? What do you contribute to a shared understanding of your self? Can there be any society without sharing and contribution?

So, who are we? ..... We share our understanding. ..... We contribute to our societies.

For more information ...
so who am I
so who are you
a balanced life
society

summer picks

Summer is hard and thirsty work! Here are my top picks for summer starting with the best.

1. Calona Vineyards, Artist Series, Pinot Gris, 2004 - Okanagan Valley, B.C., Canada (17/20)
"dry, crisp, fruit with vegetal notes"

2. Montes Alpha, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002 - Colchagua Valley, Apalta Vineyard, Chile (17/20)
"fruity, berries, firm tannin, leathery, long finish"

3. Pierre Boniface, Apremont, 2004 - St. Andre, Les Marches, Savoie, France (17/20)
"grassy nose, citrus, apple notes, very drinkable"

4. La Vieille Ferme, White Grenache, 2004 - Luberon, Rhone Valley, France (16/20)
"dry, light, citrus, bitter, crisp, a little short but very nice"

5. Les Charmes, Touraine, Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 - Touraine, Loire, France (15/20)
"quite fruity, grassy nose, apple notes, a little bubbly"

6. Cedar Creek, Pinot Noir, 2001 - Cedar Creek & Greta Ranch Vineyards, Okanagan, B.C., Canada (15/20)
"berries, earthy, wood, and leather notes"

The summer saw my 'Tour de France' continue so the 13 bottles we drank were dominated by 7 from France, then 4 from Canada and one each from Germany and Chile. To quench the summer thirst we had 10 white, 2 red and a rose.

I am not surprised to see the French whites take centre stage in the list, the Apremont in particular is worth trying although wines from the Savoie may be hard to find. The Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon was a real nice bottle, a gift from friends it cost around $CAN24/EUR16/UKP11/$AUS26. The La Vielle Ferme should be readily available in most places and is very quaffable, we knocked back 3 of these over the summer.

I am now ending my 'Tour de France' and think I will take up a 'Giro D'Italia'. The wines from 'down under' also deserve more attention, so I expect I will sample some of those.

For more information ...
late spring, early summer picks
calona vineyards
montes alpha
apremont (review)
la vieille ferme
cedar creek

so who are you

So, who are you?

Previously I discussed an evolving sense of self (so who am I) and how thought can form a cornerstone on which a rational, examined life could be constructed.

We have an interior self that is constructed primarily from our thoughts. We also have an exterior self that is constructed primarily from our actions, the clothes we wear, our words, our choices in life, etc.

The interior self is private although others may speculate about it they can not experience it. The exterior self is public and is experienced by others. We can have experience based opinions of our own interior and exterior self but we can only have an experience based opinion of someone else's exterior self. We can speculate what others interior self may be like but we can not base that opinion on experience because of course we are not them. This leads me to an assertion that in some regards we can never know each other.

So, who are you?

Are we each to be an isolated island with no interconnectedness or can we come to a deeper understanding of each other? Let's try on an idea and see if it fits!

There is a gap between our interior and exterior self. That gap will always exist to an extent because of the difference between thought and action. That gaps however is unnecessarily enlarged (and misaligned) because we do not think about what we do and we do not do what we think about. If our actions followed from our thoughts we might expect the gap to be smaller and our actions and thoughts to be more aligned. If the gap were smaller people's exterior self would reflect more the interior self and vice-versa.

Aligning our thoughts and actions is part of maturing. The size of the gap between our interior and exterior self may reflect our level of maturity. Those people who seem very purpose driven in life, think about what they do and do what they are thinking about. There seems to be a clarity to their life and this in part derives from the fact that the gap between their thoughts and actions is small. Life is simpler this way.

So, who are you?

Are you a thinking being who works at reducing the gap between your thought and action? Are your thoughts and actions aligned?

So, who are you? ..... You think. ..... You should do what you think. ..... You should think about what you do.


For more information ...
so who am i

everyone should try

In response to requests here are some wines that everyone should try. You all know I am no expert so this is not likely to be complete or representative. The intent is to help you the next time you go to buy a bottle of plonk.

1. Everyone should try a Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux is made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec. The five top chateaux are generally too expensive to buy so if you find other Bordeaux just make sure they have the appellation controllee designation on the label. Bordeaux is classically matched with lamb but I think it would hold up well with steak also. Bordeaux classically tastes of blackcurrants, spice, cedar and cassis. Go for bottles that are 10 years or older.

2. Everyone should try a Burgundy. Red Burgundy (Bourgogne) is made from pinot noir, look for labels that say Cote de Nuit or Cote de Beaune. The village names to look for on labels include Geverey-Chambertin, Morey-St.Denis, Nuit-St.Georges, Pommard, Vugeot. Beef Bourguignon is the classic dish of the region and Burgundy would go well with it. Plummy, earthy, spicy, and mocha flavours define a good Burgundy.

3. Everyone should try an Australian Shiraz. There are many good Australian wines, their red shiraz with its peppery, fruit flavours is good and none more so that Penfolds Grange or the more affordable Peter Lehmans Barossa Valley Shiraz'. Eat with game or red meat or drink just on its own. Yummy!

4. Everyone should try a Chianti. This Italian red comes from the Tuscany (Toscana) region on Italy's west coast. Made primarily from the sangiovese grape, try to look for wines that have the DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) on the label. This is a dry, cherry flavoured red. Names to look for include Monsanto, Villa Cafaggio, Castellare, Frescobaldi, Ruffino, and Castello Di Ama. It may be a cliche but I like this with spaghetti bolognese.

5. Everyone should try a Barolo or a Baraberesco. Both are reds made from the nebbiolo grape, this a dry, full-bodied wine with hints of tar, violets and strawberries. Look for one that is nearly 10 years old or more and also look for the DOC or the higher DOCG on the label. I have not had much Barolo or Barbaresco but from reading (see footnote) I know to recommend those from the following Piedmont villages, Monforte d'Alba, La Morra and Castiglione Falletto. Drink with a rich meat, steak or some BBQ'd burgers.

6. Everyone should try a Rioja. This Spanish red is predominantly made from the tempranillo grape. Try ones from Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa areas. Tempranillo can give rise to fruity and earthy flavours that pair well with wild mushrooms fried in garlic. Names to look for include Marques de Murrieta, Cune, Rioja Alta and Marques de Caceres. All Rioja should have a 'Denominacion de Origien Calificada' on the label, also look out for a reserva or gran reserva that indicates the time aged in oak.

7. Everyone should try Sancerre. A sauvignon blanc white from the Loire Valley, these wines are crisp, acid, dry, and work with a wide range of food from Chinese to grilled salmon. I have not had a bad Sancerre, Domaine Henri Bourgeois is a good one that comes to mind.

8. Everyone should try a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This white is very different than French sauvignon blancs, their intense bouquet won't be to everyone's liking but they are certainly worth trying. Oyster Bay and Cloudy Bay are two good makes. I have no idea what food to pair this wine with, it probably would hold up to some of the challenging tastes of fusion style cuisine.

9. Everyone should try a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. This red is full bodied and tastes of blackcurrant and cassis. They are quite robust and I recommend Montes Alpha or Santa Rita's cabs. Anything from the Maipo or Casablanca valleys might be good. This will work with steak or burgers.

10. Everyone should try Chablis. A light white chardonnay from the Burgundy region its flavours are more 'flinty, honeyed and acidic' than new world chardonnays. No oak here! Look for Grenouille, Bougros, Louise Michel, Guy Robin. Try this with seafood, it goes well with oysters.

11. Everyone should try a Canadian Riesling. This sweet white wine is famous in the Alsace region of France and southern Germany but the Canadian versions are good too. Try them with a salad. Hillside Estate create good Canadian Rieslings.

Other wines that everyone should probably try but I did not detail above include; a German gewurztraminer, a Californian zinfandel, a Californian pinot noir, a Washington State red, a Spanish Priorat, a white Alsace, a Portuguese red, an Austrian red, a German riesling, Beaujolais Nouveau, Chateauneuf du Pape, a Hungarian Tokaj, a French Sauterne, an Australian merlot, an Australian chardonnay and an Argentinean cabernet sauvignon. I also mentioned no pinot gris', pinot grigio, viognier or barbera based wines. Phew! There is just so much to try and only one mouth!

The information here is mostly based on my drinking experience but one invaluable resource has been Karen MacNeil's 'The Wine Bible'. A good gift for any wino in your life, I would highly recommend it.

It is the drinking and not the talking that is the fun part when learning more about wine. So now that you have a few pointers get boozing! After the hangover let me know how you got on!

For more information ...
the wine bible

this week I am drinking

My tour of French wine continues. Our local wine shop have a few bottles open on the weekend and one of those I tried recently I decided to purchase.

Pierre Boniface Apremont Vin de Savoie 2003 is a nice crisp, dry, citrus white wine, herbaceous and grassy nose. Enjoy with salad or some other refreshing light dish or simply quaff.

The wine is from the Savoie region which is centered around the city of Chambery, north of Grenoble and south-east of the Burgundy region. Apremont is just one of a number of crus in the Savoie region which lies in the foothills of the Alps. I believe the grape varietal is Jacquerre, which I know nothing about. A good summer's drink.

so who am I

So, who am I?

When I was eight my sense of self was constructed from a number of elements such as: I was a boy, I was a son, I was a sibling, I was Irish, I was Catholic, etc. At different times, different elements contributed to a greater or lesser extent toward my sense of self. When I made my first communion, the 'Catholic element' would have dominated. When I watched Eamon Couglan running for Ireland at the Olympics the 'Irish element' would have dominated.

Now that I am in my late thirties the elements include: I am a husband, I am a father, I am a man, I am a son, I am a sibling, etc. The relative priorities of the elements has changed and some have dropped off the list altogether.

So, who am I?

It is said that all the atoms in the human body change every seven years. So my physical nature is not constant and we can see from above that my sense of self is subject to change. I am reminded of Heraclitus' idea that everything is in flux. His saying 'no man can cross the same river twice, because neither the man nor the river are the same', seems to capture our predicament.

So, who am I?

Heraclitus not withstanding, a river that is frozen in winter, flooding in spring and meandering lazily in summer is still a river. It is a river because it is bounded, it is a river because it is a place where water can flow.

So, who am I?

I am a bounded physical being where thought can take place. It seems like I have ended up at Descartes classic 'cogito, ergo sum - I think therefore I am' position. What kind of a personal life can I build upon this cornerstone? Certainly I would see a rational, examined life as opposed to an irrational, unexamined life. Thought is the mother of action and Descartes' maxim establishes the primacy of that.

Establishing thought as a prime element of existence makes many nervous. The Nazi's misinterpretation of Nietzsche's concept of 'Übermensch' was perhaps an abuse also of Descartes' maxim. I view 'cogito, ergo sum' in an inclusive rather than exclusive way. The smallest scintilla of thought validates existence rather than existence been validated by higher thought. So perhaps this all helps with the question of who am I?

So, who am I? ..... I think. ..... I should try harder to be who I am.


For more information ...
heraclitus
I think therefore I am
Üœbermensch

loire

The Loire Valley offers a diverse range of wines. White wines dominate the region with Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc and although reds from this region play second fiddle good Cabernet Franc wines are available.

The Loire running from east to west in central France has three areas of note. In the east, the towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire give us two classic wines. Sancerre is a light dry wine suitable for quenching a summers thirst, Pouilly-Fume is a little more robust and has a distinct 'flinty' character. Both are Sauvignon Blanc's and are more drinkable and less pungent than the very distinctive New Zealand 'blancs'.

In the central Loire valley is city of Tours. Chenin Blanc gives us the wines of Vouvray (a town near Tours) which can vary from dry (sec or demi-sec) to sweet (moelleux or doux). Tonight I will be trying a dry Domaine de Vaufuget Vouvray from 2002. The region also produces good Sauvignon Blancs, I recently opened a '2004 Les Charmes Touraine' which showed strong apple notes and the characteristic 'grassy nose'.

In the west of the Loire valley around the city of Nantes near the Atlantic coast we find the Muscadet grape (aka Melon de Bourgogne). This gives us the very light and dry wine of the same name which is typically a cheap but drinkable wine. Muscadet suffers from what I call the 'Blue Nun' effect* but don't let this put you off. Muscadet wine is often left in contact with the fermenting yeast for a number of months which can give the otherwise light wine more structure & character. Muscadet processed in this way usually have 'sur lie' on the label, so keep an eye open for that when choosing a bottle.

I have not had as much wine from the Loire as compared with Burgundy or Bordeaux but it does seem to offer a large diversity that would be worth exploring. Enough talk, I'm off to crack open that Vouvray, let the exploration begin.

* Blue Nun effect - I coined this term to describe the effect one poor, low reputation brand can have on a whole market. Blue Nun introduced many English people to wine in the 70's but the quality was low and its reputation put many people off trying other German wines. This is a pity because there are many good German Rieslings and Gewurtztraminers to be enjoyed.

For more information ...
bordeaux
burgundy
blue nun

a balanced life

Ethics represents an ongoing attempt to define what is right and what is wrong, politics represents an ongoing attempts to define a method for governance. Both have personal and social aspects, one forms input to the other. These definitions are certainly subject to debate but can be used to frame a proposal which may help us answer the following question.

Can we gain some guidance for our ethical and political lives?

Many people 'subcontract' these issues to their priest, rabbi or imam. Other people answer these questions through adopting a stance on the 'left-right' spectrum, (see previous article - 'left and right'). Both approaches are widely used, abused and problematic.

Is there some mechanism we could adopt that might help us form a coherent ethical and political approach?

When we consider rights should we not also consider the corresponding duties. As a society each time we adopt some new personal or social right we could, by definition, adopt a corresponding duty. If we advocated the removal of a right then that would also mean removal of a corresponding duty. I think a few examples are warranted to illustrate the point.

We have a right to vote but currently we have no socially enforced duty to vote. This has led to a low level of engagement in the democratic process in western countries and yet each year we commemorate those who died for this right. Countries like Australia, Belgium, and Luxembourg have mandatory voting, they recognize the integrative nature of rights and duties. The suggestion here is that if a person does not perform the duty they lose the right.

Let's take a look at another more controversial example. The right to marry might bring with it the duty to be faithful to your partner. So if you were unfaithful would you lose your right to be married? Yes! But isn't this just fascism? You're telling people what they can and can't do! This approach simply asks people to fulfill their commitments, if they do not then the integrity of the original agreement is breached by their actions.

Exploring this further we can see how this could change marriage and the role and regard it has in our society. People will continue to be unfaithful but the marriage is by definition dissolved, so the consequence for the action is obvious, immediate and possibly expensive. If both parties wanted to continue in their marital relationship then the commitment would need to be renewed (we already have people renewing their vows). By changing the nature of marriage and the consequences of breaching it we may begin to change behaviour; we may have people entering into with more caution and exiting from it more deliberately. A minority of people may want an 'open marriage' and that too could be accommodated by this principle. Duties in this case would not include faithfulness, indeed a duty may be an expectation of plurality from both consenting parties. You can see this is radical (in so far as it requires a new order) and yet it is conservative (in so far as it requires a fulfillment of duty).

So in a nutshell the proposal is this, the granting of rights becomes inextricably linked with the acceptance of duties. You cannot have one without the other. I see this as a seesaw (teeter-totter) which must be kept in balance for an evolved ethical or political life. A Canadian friend of mine suggested that the fulcrum of the seesaw around which the rights and duties pivot perhaps is the decision to make a contribution to society. If you chose to contribute to society then you enter into an acceptance of the rights and duties. This idea cuts across the old 'left-right' debate and will make many people feel uncomfortable, discomfort is good it shows growth.

Might this approach provide some guidance for our ethical and political lives? Try it on with some current political or ethical issues you have and see if it fits.

For more information ...
left and right

ostracism

The people of ancient Athens voted annually for a citizen to be ostracised from the city. Anyone could be voted for, the citizens wrote the name of their choice for ostracism on a piece of broken ceramic (ostraka) in a practice called 'ostrakismos' giving rise to our English word.

The practice was not a punishment for crimes but rather a way to curtail any individual gaining too much power and thus threatening the democracy which Athenians cherished. If a quorum of 6000 votes were reached then the man with the most votes was ostracised. He would have to leave the city for a total of ten years.*

Although we might regard this a breach of an individuals right to run for office or to live within a society something about this appeals to me. It is a method for keeping in check those who would exploit public office but obviously it would suffer from the malaise that blights regular political life, namely, the triumph of popularism over intelligence.

For more information ...
*(Source: Adapted from Language Visible - David Sacks)

peek and boo discuss existentialism

Somewhere in this land. Mid afternoon. In a field of spelt. Two enter and lie down facing the sun.

Peek: That was a nice drink.

Boo: Yes, but I could use a couple more.

Peek: I like drinking, I like the banter. At the inn we are all one.

Boo: You think so?

Peek: Yes, all us humans are one.

Boo: I think we are not one. I think we are many.

Peek: Do you not think we are all together on this planet?

Boo: No, we are not together. We are alone, we go through life on our own.

Peek: Alone? Do you not think we are united as fellow countrymen?

Boo: What this country means I do not know. When it comes to putting food in my belly and beer in my gut no flag or anthem ever helped.

Peek: But do we not share similarities? Are we not all the same?

Boo: I am not the same, I am unique, I am Boo.

Peek: Yes, you are Boo but are you not part of the greater sameness of mankind?

Boo: There is little kind about men maybe that is how they are the same. Nonetheless I still remain Boo.

Peek: But surely we have the same concerns, we resonate to the same sounds.

Boo: There is no sound, there is only silence.

Peek: Isn't there music to life? Are we not the notes that make up the music of life.

Boo: No, music is the silence between the notes, without the silence there would be just continuous noise. We are the silence between the notes.

Peek: But without the notes there would be continuous silence, that is not music either.

Boo: A bit of silence would be music to my ears! Let's go.

Peek: Yes, let's go.

Two get up, brush off their clothes and exit.

For more information ...
existentialism
I ♥ Huckabees
peek and boo discuss writing
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power

left and right

The French have given us many great things like good wine and cuisine. Unfortunately they are also responsible for giving us the terms 'left' and 'right' in reference to political affiliations, for this they are to be roundly condemned. The terms arose in the French legislative assembly of the late 18th century. The supporters of the king sat on the right and the radicals sat on the left. We generally use these terms to describe people who support the old order ('right') and people who support a new order ('left') although this defintion is loose at best.

These terms are loose and relativistic, let me illustrate with a brief example. Edmund Burke the great Anglo-Irish philosopher was generally in favour of free market capitalism. This was contrary to the old order and thus at the time Burke was regarded for this and his other views (support for the American Revolution) as a 'left of centre' radical. Today however he is generally regarded as 'right of centre' particularly for his economic ideas.

The terms reveal more about how ideas are regarded at a particular time as opposed to relating anything about the ideas themselves. Our simple brains like nice furrows that have been deeply ploughed by others so we don't have to work. That is why we slip into the 'old left-right debate' whether we are discussing the war on terrorism or how much it costs to fill up the car. The 'left-right debate' is the medium within which politicians, talk radio and many others continue to thrash without getting to a deeper understanding of either issues, ideas or people on any side.

How can we begin to talk beyond left and right? Do we need to rediscover/revolutionize our way of debating ideas with people?

I am reminded of the words of the 13th century Sufi poet, Rumi; 'out beyond the ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field, I’ll meet you there.'

Beyond left and right there is field, will you meet me there?

For more information ...
left right politics
rumi

the old word

'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.' - Genesis, chapter 1 verse 1, King James Version.

Something strange is indeed happening in the bible, let us look closer at the first verse in the bible to see more of this strangeness.

This verse was written in Hebrew like most of the old testament. The Hebrew word translated into 'God' is 'Elohim'. 'Elohim' however is a plural form so it would be more correctly translated as 'Gods'. So the verse could read ... 'In the beginning Gods created the heaven and the earth.'

Now don't get too excited! The broad message of the bible is a monotheistic one, I am not suggesting otherwise. Use of other words for God like 'Yaweh', 'El Shaddai' and 'Adonai' all confirm the general monotheistic thrust of the message.

What does seem to be possible however is that this use of 'Elohim' is a little remnant from early times. Where could it come from?

Certainly a potential source for this is the 'Enuma Elish', the creation myth of the Babylonians. There are numerous concordances between the creation myth of Genesis and the creation myth of the Enuma Elish. In that story Marduk emerges from the pantheon of gods to gain supremacy over the other Gods.

Was Marduk the god that would for Jews, Christians and Muslims become the one true god? Are we all living in the theological shadow of the Babylonians? As always with hermeneutics the reader should be wary, or as the latin phrase goes 'caveat lector.'

For more information ...
the new word
Enûma Elish
hermeneutics

the new word

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' - Gospel according to John, chapter 1 verse 1, King James Version.

Now don't panic! If you are a Christian I am happy for you and I won't try to convince you otherwise. If you are not a Christian I am also happy for you and I won't try to convince you otherwise either. But it does seem to me that something strange is happening in the bible and this particular verse hints at that strangeness.

Read the verse again. It does not start, 'in the beginning was God', it states clearly that 'the Word' was the first thing in the beginning. It goes onto state that this 'Word' is in fact 'God', it does not say a white man with a beard on a cloud was God, it states 'the Word was God'. Think about that.

So are we getting a view of the earliest times and how perhaps something more abstract is at work and not a grand wizard? So what is this 'Word'?

This Gospel was written in Greek. This verse reads ... 'En arche en Logos, kai Logos en pro Theos, kai Logos en Theos.' The Greek uses the word 'logos' and this gets translated as 'word'. 'Logos' however means more specifically 'reason', if the author had wanted to mean 'word' he would have used the Greek word 'lexis'. So the verse reads ... 'In the beginning was the Reason, and the Reason was with God, and the Reason was God.'

'Reason was God'. Is that not strange? So we should not be praying to some old fool with a beard but rather we should worship at the alter of Reason.

The bible is strange not because it tells us so little about God but because it tells us so much about man.

thinking too much

How many thoughts do I have on any given day? Quick research on the web would suggest anywhere from 10,000 to 60,000. Given 16 hours awake this would suggest a thought every one or six seconds approximately. I am not sure about the research behind these numbers but a quick 30 second self-test seems to confirm that they are in the correct range. There are a few interesting points to note regarding this.

These thoughts (or self-talk) are the building blocks that define our identities. The majority of our thoughts don't change from day to day (researchers estimate 90%) so our identities are reasonably static and slow to change.

The sheer volume of thoughts seem to suggest to me that we are inherently unfocused and in a state of tension. As we would expect, to become focused requires an effort of the mind. Perhaps unexpectedly and paradoxically to become relaxed requires an effort of the mind also.

Are you thinking too much? How about thinking less so you can think more on any given subject? How about thinking about not thinking so much? How about not thinking?


For more information ...
google answers

peek and boo discuss writing

Somewhere in this land. A country inn. Faint smell of smoked pig fat. Off stage sounds of other drinkers. Two enter carrying tankards and sit on small milking stools.

Peek: I thought he wouldn't buy us a drink.

Boo: No, the scrivener is alright, he'll buy you a drink quick enough so you will move on and he can get back to his writing.

Peek: What does he write?

Boo: I have no idea and I don't care, writing is no good to man nor beast.

Peek: What do you mean?

Boo: His words don't feed the belly or quench the thirst.

Peek: But they might help you cajole the widow's daughter.

Boo: She does what she wants, when she wants with whom she wants. That's what I like and what she likes. No words ever made her do something she didn't want to do.

Peek: But surely you must think writing is of some benefit?

Boo: It might be a mildly amusing diversion at best, at worst it misleads and distracts people from living.

Peek: But it helps us communicate with people far away?

Boo: Yes, and is that a good thing? They bring as much bad as good when they come to our hamlet. I'm fine in my corner and I don't need to be writing to anyone else.

Peek: Your a strange fellow Boo, do you know that? I might ask the scrivener to write a story about you.

Boo: Don't you even think about it! I am who I am and I am not some fool on a piece of paper!

Peek: Ahhh! I think I touched a raw nerve there, are you afraid of been captured?

Boo: No, I cannot be captured. The writing is ink on paper and I am me, the two are different.

Peek: Now I get it, like that French bloke said, 'meaning is trapped inside language'. Who you really are would be trapped inside the words used to describe you.

Boo: Not even inside the words, it would be more outside and beyond those words.

Peek: And what about the 'good book' surely that has made its mark on the world

Boo: A book many say they live by but few have read. A book written over the span of a thousand years in three different languages that has been translated and mistranslated, used and abused. People have left their mark on it, that's for sure. If the man himself came back he would say "it wasn't like that at all, that is not what it was all about".

Peek: But it has left its mark on the world.

Boo: No, your slow today Peek! People leave their mark on the world not books and not talk, talk goes unheard and books crumble to dust.

Peek: Just like us. You really get going when you have a drink inside you.

Boo: The belly is the centre of man, let no fool tell you otherwise.

Peek: Will we go and get another, perhaps the scrivener will do right by us again.

Boo: Let's go.

Peek: Yes, let's go.

Off stage sounds of other drinkers. Two exit carrying tankards.

For more of peek and boo ...
peek and boo discuss god
peek and boo discuss power
derrida

bordeaux

Bordeaux along with Burgundy and the Loire Valley is one of the three great wine growing regions of France. When people talk about Bordeaux wine they are usually referring to red wines but there are also some great whites from this region. Bordeaux reds are made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec. Bordeaux whites are typically made from sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle.

Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast naturally divides into two regions, on the south-west of the Gironde river lies the left bank, on the north-east side lies the right bank.

The left bank further divides into two districts, Medoc and Graves. Most of Bordeaux classic reds comes from Medoc (and it sub-district Haut-Medoc), many of Bordeaux's great whites come from Graves (and some of its great white dessert wines come from Sauternes a sub-district of Graves). Names of chateaus in Medoc you may have heard include Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Haut-Brion and Mouton-Rothschild.

The right bank has not as historic a reputation but still has some great wines, the two main districts are St-Emilion and Pomerol. The geography and associated wines of the region are much more complicated than this brief introduction, but I don't want to bore you.

The left bank reds are in general much more dominated by cabernet sauvignon so they may be a little tannic for some people. The right bank reds tend to be dominated by the flavours of merlot so in many respects they are more approachable for the average person like me or you!

For more information ...
burgundy
meritage
http://www.bordeaux.com/home.html

this week I am drinking

This week I am drinking a white Meritage (rhymes with heritage). Meritage is a word invented by the American wine industry to identify wines blended from the traditional "noble" varietals of Bordeaux. For white wines these varietals include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle.

This 2003 Sumac Ridge Meritage is 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Unfortunately the overall experience is dominated by an oaky flavour which also gives the wine a deeper yellow color.

The preponderance of oak in Californian wines has led to great success for many vineyards in terms of sales but I say "enough already". Some wines are oaked using barrels but since a French oak barrel costs around $US1000 (€835/$CAN1200/$AUS1350) this is often prohibitive. Instead oak chips are mixed within the wine and the resulting liquid is subsequently filtered.

Sumac Ridge can usually be relied on for interesting taste experiences but on this occasion they have fallen short.

For more information ...
http://www.meritagewine.org/
http://www.sumacridge.com/

peek and boo discuss god

Somewhere in this land. Mid morning. Off stage sounds of field workers. Two enter.

Peek: Her food is good and she has a kind heart but her house is full of icons.

Boo: The widow is an honest God fearing woman.

Peek: Which God does she fear?

Boo: Well, the man up stairs, who else.

Peek: So you see God as a man?

Boo: Yes, an all powerful, all seeing man.

Peek: So could this man create a rock?

Boo: Well, yes, a rock should be no problem for him.

Peek: And could this God of yours lift any rock?

Boo: God is all powerful so lifting a rock should be no problem.

Peek: So could your God create a rock too heavy for him to lift?

Boo: God can do anything, so I guess so.

Peek: But if God could create a rock too heavy for him to lift then there is something he cannot do, namely lift that rock.

Boo: Hold on there, your fancy talk has confused me.

Peek: It wouldn't be the first time. I will go slower. Your God can't be both powerful enough to lift any rock and powerful enough to create a rock he can't lift. Even he can't have it both ways.

Boo: Well, I guess I see that, to be honest I had been thinking that God was more of a spirit or a presence. Kind of like the air, required for life, in all things and everywhere.

Peek: Oh, I see not so much omnipotent as omnipresent.

Boo: You and your big words but, yes, God is the spark in all things.

Peek: The spark in the birth of a child or in a pleasant summer's morning?

Boo: Yes, something like that.

Peek: But is he the spark in things that are evil, the death of a hero in battle, the murder of a child?

Boo: Well no, I don't think he is present there, if he was he surely would stop it.

Peek: You would like to think so but you don't think he is present for the bad stuff anyhow, so he is not omnipresent.

Boo: That big word was yours not mine but I see what your getting at, maybe he is not all powerful and maybe he is not everywhere. Maybe God is just love.

Peek: So God is just love now. So why don't we pray to love, or worship love, why do we have a different word?

Boo: Peek, my head is beginning to hurt, my stomach was nice and full but now it feels tense. You and your questions, you're a pain in the arse.

Peek: You're right but I still wonder why we have a different word, if God is just love?

Boo: Listen Peek, we can go to the inn and talk politics, religion, the old "in and out", we can even talk of God. But no one would ever talk of love. That is why we have a different word. We don't even know what that word means though many a fool has lived and died for it.

Peek: Many a fool has died for God and many a fool has died for love. That is true.

Boo: And many live for both. Look Peek, I try to fill my stomach when I can. I'll fumble with the widow's daughter in the barn if she'll let me and if she won't I'll drink as much as I can. That and a few other things are life. I need a drink now and the scrivener owes me one, he'll be at the inn as usual scribbling away, let's go.

Peek: Yes, let's go.

Mid morning. Off stage sounds of field workers. Two exit.

For more of peek and boo ...
peek and boo discuss power

there is a war

"There is a war between the ones who say there is a war
and the ones who say there isn't.
Why don't you come on back to the war, that's right, get in it,
why don't you come on back to the war, it's just beginning."

Excerpt from there is a war off Leonard Cohen's 1974 album new skin for the old ceremony.

For more information ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen

painted ladies come again

This evening we have seen the second wave of painted ladies pass through Calgary flying north. There were fewer butterflies today compared with two weeks ago but once again the sight captures your attention.

In the deserts of northern Mexico it must be amazing to see them break free from their chrysalis and begin their long journey. Immigrants crossing borders without passports or visas, explorers that fit in the palm of your hand.

For previous thoughts on the same topic ...
painted ladies fly north

peek and boo discuss power

Somewhere in this land. Rising light. Faint whistle of awakening birds. Two enter.

Peek: The widow will be just beginning to stoke the fire, let's wait until she has something cooking.

Boo: My stomach is growling.

Peek: Think of this instead, who is the most powerful in the kingdom?

Boo: Must I?

Peek: Yes.

Boo: Well, the king can do what he wants, have what he wants, be what he wants.

Peek: But he has duties, responsibilities and can be overthrown.

Boo: Then maybe it is the queen, she has less responsibility than the king and yet she is the power behind the king.

Peek: But she too has duties and responsibilities and her slender neck is prone to been cut by an axe!

Boo: Ouch! Maybe it is the princess, whose beauty is admired by all and who has not a care in the world.

Peek: No cares, except that she dreads been married off to a warty old man who does not speak her language but whom the king wants her to marry for political reasons.

Boo: OK, this is more difficult than I thought, perhaps the prince.

Peek: He who idly strums on his mandolin growing old waiting for his father to die?

Boo: How about the knight then? Strong in battle admired by all because of his prowess, above the politics of the court.

Peek: The knight whose reputation is judged by his last performance with the lance or his last sword fight. Behind the helmet and shield he knows, at best, he lives to ultimately die in battle.

Boo: Who is the most powerful in the kingdom? (Pause) Perhaps the bishop who has God on his side, who is above the intrigues of court politics or the sacrifices of the battle field.

Peek: Think, Boo, Think! There is none more treacherous or deceptive than the religious man, his cleverness lies in been on the side of God, whom none will challenge. But sooner or later he is found out as men grow old and wise to his personal foibles. At worst the bishop is defrocked, at best he kneels mumbling in the corner "Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine patres et filii et spiritus sancti".

Boo: Who then Peek? Who is the most powerful in the kingdom?

Peek: Perhaps it is the jester, whose only responsibility is to make the court laugh. He can hold up a mirror to reflect the idiocy and vanity of others. He can laugh at the bishop's finery and fallibility, he can pose like the knight with his oversized cod piece. He can prance like the prince and pose like the princess. He can imitate the queen farting whilst chewing on a chicken leg and he is the only one who can make fun of the king. His duty to make us laugh is easily carried out because he has ample material with which to work. Perhaps it is the jester who is most powerful in the kingdom.

Boo: You may be right, Peek, you may be right. I smell the widow cooking something perhaps she'll give us some. Can we go and eat now?

Peek: Yes, let's go.

Rising light. A chorus of birds now fully awake. Two exit.

late spring, early summer picks

Here are my top picks for late spring, early summer starting with the best.

1. Hillside Estate Riesling 2002 - Naramata Bench, B.C., Canada (17/20)
" a nice sweet white with complex flavours of apple and citrus"

2. Sandhill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 - Burrowing Owl Vineyard, B.C., Canada (17/20)
"fruity, not herbaceous or vegetative, lime and kiwi notes"

3. Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc 2004 - Marlborough, New Zealand (16/20)
"pungent, flavourful, herby, crisp"

4. Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2004 - Marlborough, New Zealand (16/20)
"fruity, not herbaceous or vegetative, good tropical fruit notes"

5. Sumac Ridge Pipe 1999 - Blacksage Vineyard, B.C., Canada (16/20)
" essentially a port based on cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, sweet, fruity, good"

Late spring and early summer saw us drink 14 bottles, 6 red and 8 white. 4 from Canada, 3 from Australia, 2 from both Argentina and New Zealand and one each from France, Chile and Spain.

I am surprised that Canada occupies 3 of the top 5 spots and that the remaining two go to New Zealand. It is also noteworthy to see that the only red to make it is a fortified wine. Another surprise is the lack of Australian wine in the top 5 although the 2003 Heartland Stickleback (cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, grenache blend) came close with a 15/20 score. We probably need to ease off on the Canadian and New Zealand whites and try some more Australian, French and Spanish wines. Cheers.

For more information ...
http://www.hillsideestate.com/
http://www.sandhillwines.ca/
http://www.stoneleigh.co.nz/
http://www.villamaria.co.nz/home.php
http://www.sumacridge.com/

crossing the threshold

Words are alive, they have histories, give birth and die. Let me explain.

If we look up the word "threshold" in the dictionary we will see it defined as
: the plank, stone, or piece of timber that lies under a door
: the place or point of entering or beginning
: the point at which a physiological/psychological effect begins

Let's dip into history and examine the origins of this word. A stone placed in a doorway needed to be strong and resilient to withstand high levels of traffic. This stone was hard enough for a farmer to thresh his wheat hence "threshold". So the word has a history.

Threshing separates the wheat from the chaff. The chaff was thrown outside into the mud, the wheat was brought inside. This meaning evolved from the tangible into the intangible concept of separating the good from the bad, the sacred from the profane and thus a new meaning of "threshold" was born.

Today, the word "threshold" is very much alive but no one uses it do indicate a stone upon which wheat is threshed and that usage has died.

Words are alive, they have histories, give birth and die.

For more information ...
http://www.m-w.com/

tasting tips

Here are some quick tips to help develop your taste buds when drinking wine.

> Sweetness is tasted by the tip of the tongue, if you can't get it straight away it probably means the wine is dry.

> The presence of tannins usually has a drying affect on the mouth, similar to the effect that you get when drinking tea or eating bananas.

> Acidity counterbalance sweetness and alcohol. So a dry, low alcohol wine will seem more acidic than a sweet, high alcohol wine. Basically "sweetness big, acidity small" - "sweetness small, acidity big".

> Finish refers to how long an aftertaste of the wine lingers. One to three seconds would be a short finish, more than 10 seconds would be a long finish.

So the next time someone describes a wine as dry, high acidity with a long finish you can know if they are talking rubbish or not!

life in seven acts

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

As you like it, Act II Scene VII - William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Notes:
pard - leopard
capon - castrated male chicken
saws - sayings
pantaloon - loose-fitting usually shorter than ankle-length trousers


For more information ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_You_Like_It

painted ladies fly north

On Sunday, after three weeks of rain the sun finally shone on Calgary. Returning home westward we were witness to hundreds of butterflies crossing our path and flying north. For the rest of the afternoon these insects made their way towards the meadows of northern Alberta. I would imagine the population measured in tens if not hundreds of thousands.

So who were these visitors and where did they come from?

I thought maybe that the increased temperature occasioned all the butterflys to break free of their chrysalis. So I checked the temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 Fahrenheit) which was nothing unseasonable. The butterflies were dominantly orange/brown in colour with black and white patches and a little fleck of blue toward the tip of their hindwing. I am no lepidopterist but they seemed reminiscent of the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) I saw when I was young in Ireland. A quick look on the net reveals their name, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), a close cousin of the Red Admiral.

They migrate from the deserts of Northern Mexico and Arizona up through the US, into Canada and rest just below the arctic circle, feeding on thistles and other flowers.

That these little creatures have been able to fly over 4000kms (2500 miles) truly impressed me.

For more information ...
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/az/225.htm