Can You See Your Shadow?

I thought it appropriate to share this photo, a revelation actually, of me on the beach at sunrise in Clearwater, FL. Some will say, "That's not you, that's just your shadow." While they may be scientifically correct, metaphysically speaking, if I wasn't there, neither would my shadow be. We actually are more than we can ever imagine! Like in the photo, I am at least 30 feet tall, something that I could never imagine without this experience. I transcedned time and space as my soul projected from my body towards the flowing sea, towards infinity itself. Even though I was 30 feet tall, I felt so humble at this moment in time, forever frozen in this picture. It reminded me of the evening before, while drinking a beer at Frenchie's Rockaway on the Beach and reading my Jesuit meditation of the day on my iPhone. The gospel reading was about Jesus teaching by the sea. The reflection was to pick a word or a phrase from the reading and make it your word. Like a bar of music it can echo within you all day. The Word of God will bear its fruit in you. My phrase was Mark 4:1, "AGAIN he began to teach by the sea." That phrase and the word, AGAIN, had never rang its chord in my soul as it did that night and at this moment of the photo. It reminded my of how every time I walk the beach I feel so alive and in tune with nature, with God, with living, and how many lessons or visions of what can be I have had in this sacred environment...AGAIN...and AGAIN...and AGAIN! So, on this Groundhog's Day I challenge us all to crawl out of our comfort zones, our holes, and let your shadow grow 30 feet tall. We really can be more that we every imagined when we allow the Divine to flow through us! It's time to let the "Winter of our Soul" to pass away.

Peace,
Sir Hook of Warrick

Patron Saint of KMSA Celebration Day!

Today is the first "Official Celebration Day" of the Knights of Moleskine, Spirit and Ale. It was a mere three months ago that our Council of Founders decided to make Saint Brigid our official Patron Saint, mostly on the advice of one of our favorite Irish bartenders at Ri Ra's, Sinead.
Known as "the Mary of the Gael," Brigid founded the monastery of Kildare and was known for spirituality, charity, and compassion. St. Brigid also was a generous, beer-loving woman. She worked in a leper colony which found itself without beer, "For when the lepers she nursed implored her for beer, and there was none to be had, she changed the water, which was used for the bath, into an excellent beer, by the sheer strength of her blessing and dealt it out to the thirsty in plenty." Brigid is said to have changed her dirty bathwater into beer so that visiting clerics would have something to drink. Obviously this trait would endear her to many a beer lover. She also is reputed to have supplied beer out of one barrel to eighteen churches, which sufficed from Maundy Thursday to the end of paschal time. A poem attributed to Brigid in the Brussel's library begins with the lines "I should like a great lake of ale, for the King of the Kings. I should like the family of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal." Next official celebration day is our Founding, Cinco De Mayo. We're planning a big party in 2009.
Here's to you and your health!
Sir Hook of Warrick
Sir Hook

Knight's Founding City's (Evansville, Indiana) Brewing History

I know that some of my ancestors were grape-stompers, but I have no records of brewers gracing our family tree; However, it is possible. The 1868 Business Directory for Indiana lists 12 breweries in Evansville, including:

Fahnley, Kuhn, and Co. At Bunker Hill with an office at 85 Main St.

Yes, Evansville, Indiana does have a rich beer brewing tradition. In fact, Evansville is the oldest continuous brewing city in the state. Rice and Kroener established Evansville's first brewery in 1837 (Yes, I know that is not “old” by East Coast standards or across the pond); Some of the more famous names include F.W. Cook, Sterling, and G. Heilman.

Check out this image of the Sterling Rathskeller (picture taken from a postcard). Early Knights, perhaps?

Sadly, there is but one brewery left; Fortunately, it's a good one.
Turoni's Main Street Brewery is Evansville's only brewpub (Turoni's Pizzery has been around for 30 or so years. The brewery was opened in 1996).
In addition to seasonal brews, Turoni's serves up Vinny's Light Lager, Honey Blonde Ale, Thunderbolt Red Ale, Blue Eyed Moose (IPA), and my favorite, Ol' 23 Stout.

Now, this is where I get to name drop. Ol' 23 Stout pays homage to Evansville native and Yankee great Don Matingly. Don and I played football and baseball together at Memorial High School (Truth be told, I mostly watched him play baseball from the bench – my batting average was about the same as the alcohol content of Ol' 23 Stout).

Jack Frey, Turoni's Head Brewer, has invited the Knights to tour the facility and answer any and all questions about his craft (I'm guessing that his answer to the question, “Do we get free beer for life?” will be “NO!” But, you can't blame a Knight for trying). Details of the road trip forthcoming.

I invite you to read a previous article on Turoni's from our archives: January 19, 2008. (You might have to select January Archive on the left of the screen, or scroll to the bottom of the blogs and click on “older blogs”)

A salute to Evansville's rich brewing tradition, to Jack Frey, and to Turoni's. As their motto states: “Life is too short to drink cheap beer!”*

Sir Bowie of Greenbriar

(*I will confess to enjoying a PBR from time to time)