Fog and Steamy Kitchens

We photographers really have to stay on our toes for photo ops. So when the fog rolled in, I knew I had to hit the streets.

foggy night two

I can’t believe Time-Life and National Geographic haven’t called or e-mailed yet.  What’s up with that?

foggy night

This cake is awesome. I’m looking forward to making it again.

the cake

The tiny kitchen’s been good to me, and I’m really going to miss the place as I move on.

tiny kitchen

steamy kitchen

This was a sweet potato soup, helping keep some simplicity in the fore of the diet. I’ll have to work on the food styling.

creamy soup

And a friend recently showed me this creche set, which is exactly like the one that we grew up with. (Talk about bringing back some memories.) Sadly our’s did not survive, it was fairly delicate for two young boys. But seeing this one is amazing. Made in Germany, 1933.

creche

Linx Redux

Last year when I reworked the links section on my blog, I more or less took a lot of interesting links and tossed them into the framework. That looked good at the time. But frankly, I really don’t visit a lot of the links here.

So that means I’ve been giving some thought to redoing everything. Again. Having a weblog is always fraught with peril when you’re clergy, obviously. But one struggles on valiantly discerning the will of the Lord.

I’ll start with this link to Dating God, the journey of a Franciscan in today’s world of high drama and secularism. I actually never go there, I just discovered it today. So I don’t know if it will make the reworked blog linx or not. (Suspense is an inherent part of my website. One never knows what one will find, or if it still be there the next day.)

A site I have been reading from time to time is Christopher’s Apologies. Christopher is a regular on Twitter, and I noticed his writing one day — very interesting.

And that’s it for now. Everything needs to be reworked when the spring cleaning comes around.

I’ve been working on some Homilies and Essays to put on the site, but one day at a time.

St. John Bosco

Don BoscoDon Bosco — what a great Saint! Several sites informing on his life and work are New Advent / Catholic Encyclopedia 1917; the Wikipdedia article is good; American Catholic does a good job; and of course, the mother of all St. John Bosco Sites, Saint Bosco dot org.
Don Bosco's Vision

Now, a few quotes from the saint:

“Do you want Our Lord to give you many graces? Visit Him often. Do you want Him to give you few graces? Visit him seldom. Visits to the Blessed Sacrament are powerful and indispensable means of overcoming the attacks of the devil. Make frequent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and the devil will be powerless against you.”

“Everything and everyone is is won by the sweetness of our words and works.”

“Our Lady wishes us now to honor Her especially under the title of ‘Help of Christians’. In these evil days we need Her help.”

“Our Lady does not care for the homage of those who want to remain in mortal sin.”

“Avoid idleness and idle people; carry out your duties. Whenever you are idle you are in serious danger of falling into sin, because idleness teaches us all kinds of vice.”

“Go to Mass every day and if possible, serve it. Do a little spiritual reading. Say devoutly your morning and evening prayers. Every morning make a brief meditation on a truth of our faith.”

“The music of the young should be listened to with the heart and not with the ears.”

“A school without music is a school without a soul, for music aids education. It is a most effective means to obtain discipline, morality, and help good feeling…”

“There can be no virtue without obedience.”

“To do what we are told, for love of Jesus, makes us very pleasing to God.”

“In all the miracles of healing performed by Our Divine Savior, we must admire the remarkable goodness which caused Him to heal first the sickness of the soul, then that of the body. He teaches us the great lesson that we must first purify our consciences before turning to God for help in our earthly needs.”Bosco

Any Given Sunday

It had to happen. I bought a macro lens.

mint

And all I had around was some peppermint.

minty

One day when I take better photos, I know everyone who stops by here will appreciate it. Until then, not a lot of people stop by here anyway… So it’s a great place to learn!

There Be Dragons

Now this should prove to be an interesting film.


And check out the The About Page:

There Be Dragons is an epic action-adventure romance set during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War. The story traces the lives of two young men, Josemaria Escriva (Charlie Cox) and Manolo Torres (Wes Bentley), childhood friends who are separated by the political upheaval of pre-war Spain to find themselves on opposite sides as war erupts. Choosing peace, Josemaria becomes a priest and struggles to spread reconciliation by founding the movement Opus Dei (work of God).
there be dragons pic
Manolo chooses war and becomes a spy for the fascists. During this time, he becomes obsessed with a beautiful Hungarian revolutionary, Ildiko, who has joined the militia in pursuit of passion and purpose. But when Ildiko rejects him and gives herself to the courageous militia leader Oriol, Manolo’s jealousy leads him down a path of betrayal.

He commits heinous acts that will torment him until the end of his life. Only on Manolo’s deathbed will Josemaria’s message of forgiveness finally have a profound impact on him and on his estranged son, who comes to learn the truth of his father’s dark past.

As personal and national battles rage, the characters’ lives collide and their deepest struggles are illuminated. Only then can they face the ultimate choices that will result in tragedy or triumph and a chance for final redemption.

There Be Dragons director Roland Joffe has previously directed the highly acclaimed films The Mission (starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, nominated for seven Academy Awards and winner of “La Palme d’Or” of Cannes), and The Killing Fields (winner of three Academy Awards).
filming
The film features a stellar cast of young actors such as: Charlie Cox (Stardust), Wes Bentley (American Beauty), Rodrigo Santoro (300) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace). Additionally, many other talented experts shared their talents including: Academy Award-winner Eugenio Zanetti (Restoration) as art director, Academy Award-winner Yvonne Blake (What Dreams May Come) as wardrobe and costume designer, and Academy Award-winner Michelle Burke (Quest for Fire, Dracula) as makeup designer.

The Rev. Kenneth Allen