Yearly Archives: 2008

Curiosities, Falls Between the Cracks, Information

Drink Your Weeds!

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During the second WW my mother drank dandelion coffee, because there wasn’t anything else. People are still drinking dandelion coffee, even making their own.

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate the dandelion. People eat the greens and crowns. Make wine and fritters from the blossoms. But for me, dandelion-root coffee is the real prize. Because organic, fair trade coffee is pricey, it’s easy to quantify the value every scoop of dandelion coffee that I brew.
Suite Mck

See also recent comments on the Giving post.

This is transition day – Bay Area up through the burning hot Sacramento Valley to the heady heights of Mount Shasta.

Falls Between the Cracks, Out and About, Teachings

Dog Owners Must Fill up Holes Dug by Their Pets!

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Another Place. An Antony Gormley art installation on Crosby Beach, near Liverpool England.
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Wet dog, Crosby.

These Iron Men standing tall in the bay at Crosby have raised a great deal of controversy over the years however from what I read there are here to stay. Zipping now back to sunny California I remember driving along beside the East Bay and observing an art instillation sometimes awash at high tide often, forlorn, rising out of the mud at low tide. That’s all gone now it would seem. Perhaps Antony Gormley’s work will grace the Bay one day.

This afternoon I was taken out dog walking on the East Bay at the 23 acre Point Isobel off leash dog park. It’s just a couple of miles drive from the Priory. What a treat! Dogs everywhere. Watch out, she is a leaner! the owner of an Irish Setter warns me as the elegant auburn haired, long legged one pressed herself into my legs. Then I bend to stroke a tiny dog. What a cute pug, is she a puppy? No, she is petite! Shadow, the dog we were walking, accidentally-on-purpose allows his ball to dribble down into Hoffman Channel, again and again and again. He likes to swim.

Leashes are optional for non-aggressive dogs in Point Isabel with certain restrictions. Dog owners must have a leash on hand, clean up their pet’s waste and fill up holes dug by their pet. Dogs who become aggressive must be leashed immediately. Dogs are allowed to swim in Hoffman Channel, but not in Hoffman Marsh. Dog owners also must prevent their pets from disturbing feeding birds at low tide.
Wikipedia on Point Isable.

My early monastic life was shared with dogs. O, the stories I could tell! Later monastic life was dominated by a Bloodhound. The story goes he once dove into Hoffman Channel then vigorously shook his muddy self, spraying a freshly laundered white poodle to every bodies dismay! Thankfully I wasn’t present.

Our dogs taught us about compassion. They do some crazy things, as do all of us at some time or another.

Thanks to Angie for the photographs.

Information

Incense Smoke

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There has been a flurry of news about the health risks of inhaling incense smoke coming from a recently published article in the journal Cancer. The NHS (National Health Service – UK) web site has an article on the findings of this research, which was conducted in Singapore. The following comes at the very end of the NHS article.

Incense use in this Chinese population was very high and is likely to be much higher than use in the general Western population. Additionally, the small number of people who never used incense compared to the high numbers of those who currently or formerly used it raises the possibility of error when comparing risks in the two groups.

While in East Asia I saw the practice of offering fistfuls of incense in huge incense burners. These were usually placed outside the main halls and the air was thick with the smoke. In most temples burning incense inside the temple buildings is strictly forbidden.

Out of compassion for those who suffer from multiple allergies a number of our temples use alternate forms when making offering during ceremonies. I’ve been using votive candles of late.

It make complete sense that inhaling polluted air, incense smoke laden air, will have a physical effect. What that effect will be is a matter of how much over how long. It would be a great pity, however, if burning incense became a reason why people decided not to attend Buddhist Temples….

Thanks to Ian for drawing my attention to this research. See his posting on the subject.

Daily Life

Every Day, is Every Day, is a Good Day

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Brew in Brittany, France 2002.

It has been an extra long day. A good day. The car was mended. The bamboo in the back garden pruned. The Rosemary bush in the front garden trimmed, artfully, into a pyramid. And, AND the text for the leaflet I’ve been working on since April has been finally (almost) finalized.

The photograph is for Rev. A. at Throssel who admired the photo of Muji the miniature Schnauzer published several days ago. I have it on good authority that Brew in Brittany is a standard Schnauzer. And all around postman chaser as well!