Live Music on YouTube

Last night, I was perusing YouTube when I espied that Widespread Panic were about to perform for a live stream. I clicked the link and waited for the band to come onstage. Meanwhile, to the right of the screen (although it was an audio only stream) was a chat window and it was good to hang out with others pre-show. They were mainly Americans. It blows my mind that people can chat and watch shows together, in real-time, separated by an ocean and thousands of miles.

Then the band took to the stage and my word, they were firing on all cylinders from the outset. The musicianship was first-rate. Jimmy Herring is a stupendous guitarist. Some of his solos were jaw-dropping. My mouth literally fell open at various points during the set. In the break, some of the people who were physically there at the concert were sending messages to the chat window and I laughed when I read someone talking about the queue for the ladies toilet. The same issues the world over I thought 🙂

Nothing beats a live show however often I have attended gigs and the sound has been atrocious. The sound last night was spot-on. It was nice to chat with a mix of people I didn’t even know existed before last night – some who were present at the show and others, like myself, enjoying it from home. I believe the band is playing another live stream tonight. If I’m still awake then ‘I’m going.’

Moving Away From Regular Coffee

For a while now, I have been getting headaches from coffee which has suddenly become very bitter for my tastes, when I used to drink it before by the barrel load so today, I bought myself some Mellow Birds “Deliciously Mild” coffee and I can attest that it does live up to its tagline. It’s not a bland taste however. It has a buttery flavour which I like.

I also bought some Camp Chicory & Coffee Essence.

Basically, it’s a liquid which you mix into either hot or cold milk. Just 2 or 3 teaspoons full. I have never tried that before either. I can’t wait to. I never thought I would reach a stage in my life where I would feel excited at the prospect of trying chicory essence yet here I am 🙂

***UPDATE***

Having now tried the Camp Chicory & Coffee Essence, (I heated up a mug of oat milk in the microwave and added the essence to it), I can say it was definitely worth buying. It has a distinctive taste which is not dissimilar to a Creme Caramel dessert.

Thinking Back On A Life

I wrote this the day after I lost my friend, Xev.

I Am Lonely Without You

My little friend died yesterday. To some she would just be seen as a bit of fur. Just a pet. “Never mind, these things happen. Wait a while and get yourself a new one.”

NO!

She was my mate, my friend. I loved her. She loved me. We had a bond which is irreplaceable. Just like her. Irreplaceable. She was the love of my life. I wish I had found her in human form but you know, beggars can’t be choosers. The simple fact is we found each other and for six and a half years, we had each other.

I will miss the sound she made when she played with her toy. I will miss her bringing it to me as a gift. I will miss her cuddling up to me at night and hers being the first face I saw every morning. I will miss her purr. I will miss her little tiger’s roar – she never miaowed but instead gave a mini roar.

Xev

I will miss her smell – of linen sheets and loveliness. I will miss looking into her eyes and seeing the universe play out inside them. I will miss her squeezing my fingers with her paws. I will miss her laying on my side and peering at me from my shoulder even though it was the most uncomfortable position for us both to lay in. I will miss her markings which made it look like she was wearing a tuxedo.

But most of all, I will miss her. She stood just 10 inches tall yet she occupied a massive place in my heart. She was my everything. She was a complex and highly nuanced person housed in the smallest of frames and now she is gone. Our life together played out in an area no larger than 100ft by 60ft and yet the best memories I have ever had were contained within that space.

You will never be forgotten. If I live to be 100 you will likely be one of the last people I think about. Thank you for the memories we shared. Thank you for the love you gave. Your kindness. Your essence. Thank you for your physical presence here on Earth but most of all, thank you for the gift that was your life.

The date 1st September 2021 will be forever etched upon my sorrowed heart. I am lonely without you.

I loved you xx

This Is What I Believe

I believe everything is Soul.

Rocks, curtains, linoleum, amoeba right up to more complex life forms such as ourselves.

I am an animist. So, no external force ‘out there’ which we have to placate or pray to lest something terrible happen to us. There are no special rites one has to learn or perform. No holy books to pore through and interpret ‘correctly’ lest we encounter God’s wrath.

I believe that every living thing whether it has sentience as we understand it or not, is of the same worth and validity as the most complex organisms. So, as one example, I am no greater in the scheme of things than the tiniest snail or aphid.

I believe we each have our part to play in the journey to full realisation which can be attained by any living being which has sentience at any time. It doesn’t require special knowledge or being born within a specific species or bloodline. It is achieved by merging with The Soul. For us humans, that means shedding the programming we have accumulated during our lives. The lies we have perceived as truths.

I believe our role while here in a body is to as closely align with the wishes of The Soul as possible and so when the physical body dies, the Essence of Truth simply remains. I believe The Body is within The Soul, not the other way round.

We not separate from Spirit at all although we may feel we are. That is the brain tricking us into believing we are apart from The Soul when we are a part of The Soul. There is no merging required with the Godhead within a Chosen Incarnation because The Body resides within The Soul. All we have to do is see we are not what we have been led to believe we are by the World, which seeks to keep us from realising our place within Divinity.

If a person is Bad within a lifetime and dies, it doesn’t effect the Soul at all because that’s external to the person. They had the choice to live in Direct Alignment with Divinity and chose not to. Their passing changes nothing. The Soul remains as it always has done – Pure and Eternal.

If a person is Good and ‘dies’ then the parts of them which were in Direct Alignment with Truth/Love/Source gets added to the surrounding Divine Energy Field at that moment and this Substance, strengthens the Soul. That’s so Good eventually wins out over Evil.

The Bad die away into Nothingness, without affecting the Soul.

The Good strengthen the Soul and they move on where they can choose to either Reincarnate or to Merge with The Universal Soul and become Spirit Messengers for those who are Earthbound and have Awakened to the realisation they too are Spirit.

Choosing to Reincarnate doesn’t mean they will return as a so called higher species because every living organism is of Equal Worth nor does choosing to Merge mean they cannot Reincarnate at a later point.

All Good people (regardless of species) remain on Earth for a period of time after they have ‘died’ to show those they loved and whom loved them, that death is an illusion. They are simply on a different Vibrational Level. White feathers and rainbows on clear days are just two such signs a loved one is still here although no longer physically present.

That Vibrational Level is attainable by everyone regardless of whether they are living or ‘dead.’ Those who seek to live in Direct Alignment with Spirit/The Soul while Earthbound never lose their Spirit Connection with those who have gone before.

Those are my beliefs.

Vegan red bell peppers stuffed with quinoa

Cooking Without Limits

Vegan red bell peppers stuffed with quinoa

I love stuffed red peppers. I used to make them with meat, but since I am trying to eat less meat, I looked for vegan or vegetarian recipes for stuffed peppers.

This one is with the ingredients I had in my kitchen, as always.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup dried chanterells left in water overnight
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

Directions:

In a bowl combined all ingredients together except the bell peppers. Spoon the filling into each bell pepper. Place each pepper in a pot with the cavity side up. Add some water (I used the water from the dried mushrooms.)

Boil 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Enjoy!

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