All is Ours Day

According to: http://www.holidayinsights.com/ today is All is Ours Day.

When : Always April 8th

All is Ours Day is is bound to be a spectacular day for...... us.

Think of the concept. Imagine the possibilities. The creator of this day was absolutely brilliant. What a great day this will be.

The creator of this day was absolutely brilliant. Let's dissect the meaning and intent of this great day. We will do so by examining the title of this day, word for word. It begins with the word "all". For such a little word, it's all-inclusive. From a possessive standpoint, therefore, we are talking about anything and everything we want.. The verb "is" is sort, sweet and definite. It leaves no room for doubt or question.

Finally, the creator chose the word "our" rather than the word "mine" This is a vital decision allowing us to completely enjoy today. The greatest events, and the best things in life, are those that are shared. The only thing the creator left out is the definition of who "Ours" represents.

That is left up to you.

Also

A few other April Notes according to the site:

Flower of the Month: Daisy, Sweet Pea
Birthstone of the Month: Diamond, White Sapphire
Astrological Signs: Aries March 21 - April 19; Taurus April 20 - May 20
The Moon this month is called the Egg Moon, Grass Moon, Hare Moon.

And finally, April is NOT the month (or any month for that matter) to open a beer in a Police Car -- especially if you're a teenager.

From the Smoking Gun Website:

APRIL 7--Meet Tasha Lee Cantrell. The 19-year-old Floridian was riding in a car early Monday morning when the vehicle's driver was pulled over and arrested for DUI. As a tow truck arrived to remove her friend's car, a stranded Cantrell asked Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mitchell Landis for a ride home to her Fort Walton Beach residence. Landis agreed, but only after checking Cantrell's purse for any contraband, according to an offense report. While chauffeuring Cantrell, Landis heard the teenager "open a can of some sort" in the back of the cruiser. "As I looked at my in car video I observed Cantrell drinking out of an unknown can." Landis stopped his car and, upon further investigation, determined that Cantrell had popped open a can of Steel Reserve, a malt liquor known for its high alcohol content. "When I opened the rear passenger door I observed Cantrell attempting to hide the can between her legs. I retrieved this can and noticed it was Steel Reserve Beer," reported Landis, who immediately arrested Cantrell for underage drinking. Instead of being shuttled to her doorstep, Cantrell, pictured in the below mug shot, was rerouted to the sheriff's office, where she was booked on the misdemeanor charge (end)

Steel Reserve is an American lager owned and produced by Steel Brewing Company. MillerCoors LLC is the company listed on Steel Reserves' Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions pages. The drink comes in "Black" and "Silver" varieties, also known as "Triple Export Malt Liquor" and "High Gravity Lager," respectively. Its primary claim to fame is its unusually high alcohol content (at least for U.S. of 8.1% ABV) and low price.

Just a few April ramblings from Sir Bowie of Greenbriar

Our good friend Benjamin Franklin missed something when he stated that two things are certain, death and taxes. I know of a third. As the days get longer and warmer, the grass grows tall -- and the weeds even taller. One weed that is always certain to dominate my yard is the Dandelion.

One other thing is certain: What is one man's weed is another man's... beer!

Although beer has been brewed since the dawn of civilization, hops did not become a popular ingredient in it until about 400 years ago. Various cultures used all sorts of native herbs, spices and vegetation as bitter flavorings to counter the sweetness of the malt -- including "weeds" such as dandelions.

I introduce Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing's Dandelion Ale (part of their special Lips of Faith series). Along with the hops, they added fresh dandelion greens and grains of paradise as bittering and flavoring agents.

From their web site: Brewed in collaboration with our talented friends at Red Rock Brewing in Salt Lake, Dandelion Ale is another unique offering in New Belgium's Lips of Faith Series. Inspired by the great hop shortage of 2008, dandelion greens were used as they have a natural bittering effect much like hops. Reveling in the freedom of the Belgian brewing tradition, we thought this ubiquitous weed would make an interesting addition to a traditionally hopped beer. The result is a blond ale brewed with toasted pilsener malt, flavored with fresh picked dandelion greens and grains of paradise. Dandelion Ale is hazy and light gold in color with peachy aroma and a Belgian yeast strain. It has a unique bitterness, subtle maltiness and a creamy mouthfeel.
Alcohol is 7.8% by volume.

Now, what if you can't find Dandelion Ale?

Why not try making your own?

The following article is from http://www.associatedcontent.com/ (not from personal experience):

You can make your very own dandelion beer at home easily and very inexpensively. In only ten days, you can have a batch of homemade dandelion beer made from this beautiful herb that you once thought was a menace to your lawn.

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make dandelion beer. The first ingredient is sugar. You'll need about one pound of regular cane sugar.

Next, you'll need about an ounce of cream of tartar, a half ounce of ginger, five quarts of water and one tablespoon of yeast. You'll also need a large fermentation container. Anything can be used as long as it is not made of metal. Make sure the container is clean and dry before beginning.

And, of course, the most important ingredient you'll need to make dandelion beer is the dandelion. You can use any mixture of roots and leaves that you have or are able to gather. In total, you'll need about one half pound of dandelion in the form of roots and/or leaves.

Step #1
The first step you'll take to make dandelion beer is to put the sugar and cream of tartar into the clean, dry fermentation container. Then, wash the dandelion leaves and/or roots and coarsely chop the herb material.

Step #2
The next step you'll take to make dandelion beer is to boil the coarsely chopped dandelion with a half ounce of grated ginger and the five quarts of water for about ten minutes. Strain into the fermentation container using a clean, muslin or linen cloth. Stir the mixture well until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before adding the yeast. It's best to let cool until the mixture is about 98 degrees in temperature. A candy or other food thermometer is good for checking the temperature of the liquid. If you don't have a thermometer available, just let it cool for about five minutes but not much longer. You don't want it to get too cold.

Step #3The next step you'll take to make dandelion beer is to dissolve one tablespoon of yeast in some water and then add it to the mixture in the fermentation container. Cover the container with a clean cotton cloth and allow it to ferment for about seventy two hours.

Step #4
After seventy two hours have passed, siphon off the dandelion beer into clean and sterilized bottles. Cap tightly.

Allow the bottles to sit on their sides in a cool, dry place for about seven days before consuming. After seven days, the dandelion beer can be chilled and this is definitely recommended before drinking it.

Ten days have passed and now you have a batch of homemade dandelion beer! This recipe makes about fifteen bottles of dandelion beer but feel free to make more than one batch at a time.

So, there you have it. If it's good advice to make lemonade when life gives you lemons...
What do you do when life gives you dandelions?

Make beer!

Sir Bowie of Greenbriar

The Da Vinci Mode

Idly watching TV tonight, that arch-Movie of super-product placement the 2002 remake of The Italian Job, (with is wonderful use of the BMW Mini cars that are created in Oxford UK) shows up on my screen while i am reading the Sunday newspapers. Before I become uninterested, something catches my eye that sends me scurrying to the computer to check it out.

Mos Def is seen reading a book in the movie, and as plain as day the cover shouts out 'HOW TO THINK like Leonardo da Vinci'.

Well a true Knignt of the KMSA needs no further urging and i'm off the couch and online almost in one move.

Author Michael Gelb says there are seven critical principles that need to be followed for success, whether you're learning a new language, studying to be a gourmet chef, or just hoping to be more effective on the job:

• Curiosita: An insatiably curious approach to life.
• Dimonstratzione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience.
• Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience.
• Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.
• Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination ("whole-brain thinking").
• Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.
• Connessione: A recognition and appreciation for the connectedness of all things and phenomena; "systems thinking."

Gelb discusses each of these principles in relation to what da Vinci accomplished, thereby giving this book a built-in history lesson. The illustrations from the master's work and time add a nice warmth to the work.

So far so good. The bulk of the reviews on Amazon seem positive too, such as this one :

Much has been written about Mind Mapping, speed reading, theories of multiple intelligence, and how to integrate mind and body. Having read Michael Gelb's books and attended one of his seminars, I had used many of the techniques with some success, but felt that the brass ring was still just out of reach. Michael's comment was that to take it to the next level you have to change the way you think. Sometimes it takes a human example to understand how something works in practice. "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci" points the way better than a hundred books explaining the theory alone. It breathes life into each of these ideas, and offers you a cornucopia of ways in which to pursue your own personal path and passion. It challenges you to make your own future and rediscover the past. Best of all, it works!

So there you have it...its in the shopping cart and on its way to my house as we speak...and lets hope before long I am smiling like the Mona Lisa.

Sir D (the culture vulture) of O