We had an enjoyable Christmas Day and on Boxing Day it is tradition that we sit out on our deck and relax, watch the Boxing Day Test Cricket on TV (watched Shane Warne take his 700th wicket) and polish off a few beers. For a few years now a customer of my husband has given him a selection of imported beers to try, these are the ones we sampled;From Italy - (Birra Superiore) "Peroni" Nastro Azzuro - a very light, enjoyable beer.
From India - "Kingfisher" a premium lager beer - Lots of malt and hops, with a bite.
From Matilda Bay in Western Australia - "Beez Neez" a honey wheat beer, hand crafted from pure light amber honey and premium malts. This one had a lovely flavour, very pleasant!
Falling WaterI have been reading a few blogs out there about Feng Shui and there are many sceptics out there. So I got to thinking about whether all you need is good design ie. good management of space, landscaping, lighting, position and direction, water features etc Anyone would be happy living in those ideal conditions and maybe Feng Shui makes no difference.
So, then I got to thinking about architects who are supposedly taking all the above requirements into consideration. I have always admired Frank Lloyd Wright, whose buildings were generally sympathetic with the environment and you would think they would be delightful places to live in. But apparently, "Falling Water", one of his most famous buildings had problems; the cantilevers used in construction couldn't support their own weight and the building sagged. Also being built over a waterfall meant that the building suffered from mildew to the degree that workmen started calling the house "Rising Mildew"!
So even one of the greatest architects in the world was beaten by the elements and if perhaps, he had used Feng Shui, he might have been successful in balancing the elements (fire, water, wind, earth, metal etc) Mmmm?
Book Review - "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.
This a beautifully written story about the author, a woman who has everything - a husband and a big house and is trying to have a baby, then discovers in her thirties that she doesn't want any of it. She breaks down, and in despair, begins to pray. After a bitter divorce from her husband she falls into another relationship, but is still unhappy.
So she decides to go to Italy for four months, where she learns how to speak the language while eating and drinking all the pleasures Italy has to offer. However she knows that she needs balance in her life and sets off to India spending four months living in an Ashram, meditating, chanting, doing Yoga. She can feel her life finding balance again.Still searching, she takes off for Bali where she spends time with a medicine man who teaches her how to be happy again. It is in Bali that she finally finds love.
I have included a sketch I did of Iyengar (from a photo)
Interesting, Patti.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading "Eat, Pray, Love" with Deborah of Spiritual Anecdotes and really enjoying it, just got through the part about Italy...and our house was designed by a student of FLW's. It is designed to blend with the woods. Most of the wood (maybe all) is from the property and untreated. It is so sturdy! I feel blessed...and sometimes nailed down, too, as there is a part of me that would like to venture out and travel more...which competes with the part that likes to nest.
I am enjoying getting to know you through your blog :)