in memoriam 2

We all share a compulsion for life, a sense of not wanting to let go and yet when we live, we often do so in a habitual, unaware state. When confronted by death I often turn to the words of Dylan Thomas, 'rage, rage against the dying light' but then when I begin, again, to think of life the words that often come to mind are ...

'Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.'


Within that tension, between the childish rhyme and the poets considered words lies the trick to life, an awareness of one's own mortality but not a dwelling upon it, an awareness of one's own life but not a dwelling upon it. Requiescat in pace.

For more information ...
do not go gentle into that good night
row, row, row your boat

summers lease

Sonnet XVIII

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

- William Shakespeare (1564- 1616)

in memoriam

Whilst waiting for a burger in A&W I noticed these two 'obits' appearing in the local rag beside each other. One, a death resulting from a gang shooting, the other a more peaceful passing.

Read the details, I found them interesting. Requiescat in pace.

Mary Alice (Nancy) Melting Tallow of the Siksika Nation passed away peacefully at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at the age of 91 years.
Mary is survived by her children; Gerald, Francis (Ruth), Dorothy (Fraser), Allison (Earl), Irwin (Teresa), Hayden, Georgina, Marie (Dexter), special grandchildren, Barry and Carla and nieces Annie Sharp of Seattle, and Lorraine Stevens and nephew Jim Monroe. She is also survived by 44 grandchildren, 96 great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews and other relatives. If we have missed anyone, the family greatly apologizes.
Mary was married on July 6, 1934 to her husband Matthew Melting Tallow who predeceased her. Later, she was predeceased by her common-law husband, George Wolf Collar. She is also predeceased by her son, Casey; infant twin son, Terry; infant daughter, Theresa; sister, Mary; brother, Paul Running Bird; adopted brother, Jack Big Eye and sister, Annie Sharp (nee Royal).
Nancy was born at the Blackfoot Indian Hospital one frosty Sunday morning on April 18, 1915 and lived all her life on the Siksika Nation. She traveled extensively across Western Canada and the south-western United States in her golden years. Nancy was sadly missed when she passed away on Sunday, September 3, 2006 under a clear blue sky and the hot autumn sun.
Nancy was very kind and warm-hearted and greeted you with a great smile. She was a quiet, spiritual mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother and had many relatives, adopted children and many friends. Nancy had her humble beginnings at the old Cold Mines Village on Siksika. There she was a housewife, homemaker and raised all her young children in a log cabin.
Although Nancy was a residential school survivor, she was a devote catholic and was especially dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and respected and prayed with everyone regardless of their faith and church affiliation or religion. Nancy was very fluent in Blackfoot and equally proficient in the English language, together with her knowledge of the Blackfoot Culture was able to give some assistance to Indian Land Claim issues and other historical matters of the Siksika Nation.

Tyrone Walker, beloved son of Patricia Minott and Bancroft Walker, passed away on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at the age of 27 years.
Tyrone was born on January 12, 1979 in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to Calgary at a very young age. He attended Father Lacombe High School in his senior years. He loved to play Ping Pong, and liked modelled and remote control cars.
Besides his parents, Tyrone will be lovingly remembered by his children Anushka & mother Wendy of Jamaica, LaShiya & mother Sarah, Trevayne & mother Inez, and Keona & mother Corrin; brothers Noel of Florida, and Christoper & Curtis, of Calgary; sisters Michelle of Jamaica, and Sophia of Calgary; aunts Hermine of Calgary, Gloria, Rose & Maruca of Connecticut, and Beverley of Toronto; uncles Compton 'Coco' of Calgary, Claudy of Connecticut, Abyn, Itell of England, and Donavon in the United States; and his grandparents Jessie & Percy of Calgary. Tyrone will also be sadly missed by his extended family and many friends, and all those who knew and loved him.

For more information ...
a&w
calgary sun

wine table

I have been keeping my wine journal for over a year now and listed below are the wines that have made it into my seasonal picks. OK, this may be nerdish but here goes.

If we add up the points earned by each country (table 1) we see France leads the way and I was surprised to see Canada come second. Of course I drink a lot of French wine so if we weigh the rankings by amount consumed (table 2) we see France go right down the table and Canada go to the top.

Table 1: Most points earned - unweighted
France 22
Canada 14
Spain 10
New Zealand 8
USA 5
Italy 4
Chile 3
Australia 2

Table 2: Most points earned - weighted according to amount consumed
Canada 14/15 = .93333
Spain 10/11 = .90909
New Zealand 8/9 = .88888
USA 5/7 = .74128
Italy 4/7 = .57142
Chile 3/6 = .50000
France 22/48 = .45833
Australia 2 /14 = .14285

(drink or die)

What does this all mean?

1. We drink a lot of French wine, much good but also much that does not make my seasonal picks.
2. The Canadian wine we've had has mostly been good perhaps because it was tasted and bought at the vineyard.
3. We have not really sampled much from the USA, Italy or Chile. More sampling of those countries is in order.
4. We've had a lot of average Australian wine, I must get some recommendations from my family down-under.
5. Spain and New Zealand have been very reliable.
6. We must try some better German and Portuguese wines as none made it to my list of picks.
   
7. I agree with Einstein, 'Not everything that counts can be measured. Not everything that can be measured counts.'

Complete list of seasonal picks ...
18/20 wines
Veuve Cliquote Ponsardin, Demi-sec (non-vintage) - Riems, Champagne, France
Abrazo, Garnacha & Carinena, 2003 - Spain
Chateau de Lancyre, Coteau de Languedoc - Languedoc, France

17/20 wines
Hillside Estate Riesling 2002 - Naramata Bench, B.C., Canada
Sandhill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 - Burrowing Owl Vineyard, B.C., Canada
Calona Vineyards, Artist Series, Pinot Gris, 2004 - Okanagan Valley, B.C., Canada
Montes Alpha, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002 - Colchagua Valley, Apalta Vineyard, Chile
Pierre Boniface, Apremont, 2004 - St. Andre, Les Marches, Savoie, France
Twenty Bench, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003 - Napa Valley, California, USA
Meursault, Paul Garaudet, Vieille Vigne 2002 - Burgundy, France

16/20 wines
Rubens, Tempranillo, 2004 - Villamanrique, Ciudad Real, Spain
Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, 2005 - New Zealand
Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc, 2005 - New Zealand
Abrazo Gran Reserva, Carinena, Garnacha, Tempranillo, 1996 - Spain
Hillside Estate, Reserve Series, Muscat Ottonel, 2004 - Okanagan, Canada
Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc 2004 - Marlborough, New Zealand
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc 2004 - Marlborough, New Zealand
Sumac Ridge Pipe 1999 - Blacksage Vineyard, B.C., Canada
La Vieille Ferme, White Grenache, 2004 - Luberon, Rhone Valley, France
Nino Franco Prosecco, - Valdobbiadene, Italy
Tres Picos, Garnacha, 2003 - Campode Borja, Borsao, Borja, Spain
Chateau Thieuly, Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion, 2004 - Bordeaux, France
Bogle, Merlot 2003 - California, US
Mount Langhi Ghiran, Riesling 2004, - Australia
Collalto, Prosecco DuConegliana e Valdobbialene, - Suseganna, Italy
Pfaffenheim, Gerwurtztraminer, 2004, Vin D'Alsace, - Alsace, France

15/20 wines
Beaurevoir Tavel, Rose - Chapoutier, Rhone Valley, France
Les Charmes, Touraine, Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 - Touraine, Loire, France
Cedar Creek, Pinot Noir, 2001 - Cedar Creek & Greta Ranch Vineyards, Okanagan, B.C., Canada

For more information ...
2006 summer picks
2006 spring picks
2005-2006 winter picks
2005 fall picks
2005 summer picks
2005 late spring/early summer picks