Places Where I Would Like To Meditate

As you may have gathered from the title of my blog, I am a student of meditation. I truly enjoy the serene feeling I get from meditation. It's like a detachment from all that surrounds me and it helps me to return to center and regain my focus and it helps me to send helping energy to those in need.

I have made a "Meditation Bucket List" of places that I would like to spend some time meditating. In no particular order they are listed and pictured below.

Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha was built during the Tang Dynasty  (618–907AD). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest stone Buddha in the world. 

Hussain Sagar Buddha Statue

The Buddha statue situated at the center of an artificial lake in the city of Hyderabad is one of India’s most famous Buddha statues. This figure stands at 56 feet tall and weighs 320 tons. The single largest monolithic statue in all of India, it was sculpted by a group of artisans from a single piece of stone. Tragically, during the statue’s installation in 1992 the figure tipped over and fell into the lake, causing the death of 8 workers. The government recovered the statue and restored it to its full height and stature.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha

 Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located within the grounds of the Grand Palace. The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses The Emerald Buddha, one of the oldest and most famous Buddha statues in the world.

A jade statue adorned in gold clothing, the Emerald Buddha was, according to legend, created in India in 43 BC in the city of Pataliputra, where it remained for 300 years. In the 4th century AD it was taken away to Sri Lanka by Buddhist monks to save it from destruction by war. Eventually the statue made its way to Thailand and was moved to Wat Phra Kaew in 1779. The statue has three different sets of gold clothing, which are changed by the King of Thailand in a ceremony at the changing of the seasons.

Gal Gal Viharaya Buddha 

Located in north central Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa is the site of one of the most breathtaking of the world’s representations of the Buddha – the Gal Gal Viharaya. This massive rock temple was constructed by Parakramabahu the Great in the 12th century. The central attraction of the temple are 4 large Buddha statues carved into the face of a granite boulder. Among these giant stone figures are a reclining statue of the Buddha that measures 46 feet in length and a standing figure measuring 23 feet high.

The Borobudur Temple 

Located on the Indonesian island of Java, 25 miles northwest of Yogyakarta, the Borobudur is the largest and most famous Buddhist temple in the world. The Borobudur was built over a period of some 75 years in the 8th and 9th centuries by the kingdom of Sailendra, out of an estimated 2 million blocks of stone. Containing over 500 representations of Buddha it is one of the most amazing Buddhist temples known to mankind. It was abandoned in the 14th century for reasons that still remain a mystery and for centuries lay hidden in the jungle under layers of volcanic ash.

That's my "Meditation Bucket List" folks. I hope to visit all of these before I hit my 60th birthday. That gives me 13 1/2 years to visit each of these serene and beautiful Buddha representations. I think that my goal is well within reach.

New Year's Eve Party Appetizers

In an effort to share my love of cooking and to make things as easy as possible, here are some easy and tasteful party appetizers that will jump start your New Year's Eve Party. 

Calzone Pinwheels

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 finely chopped green pepper
2 tsp finely chopped onion
1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce, warmed

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, italian seasoning, and salt. Stir in the shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, green peppers, & onion. Separate crescent dough into four rectangles: seal perforations.

Spread cheese mixture over each rectangle to within a 1/4 inch of edges. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal. Cut each into four slices.

Place cut side down on greased baking sheet. bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with the pizza sauce.
Makes 16 servings.

Bacon Quiche Tarts

Ingredients:

2 pkg cream cheese (3 oz each), softened

5 tsp 2% milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded colby cheese

2 tbsp chopped green pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

5 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled. More bacon is ok if you really like bacon!

greased muffin pan

Directions:

In a bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add the eggs, cheese, green pepper, & onion; mix well.

Seperate the dough into 8 triangles; press onto the bottom and up the sides of the greased muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the bacon into the cups. Pour egg mixture over bacon. Top with remaining bacon.

Bake uncovered at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings.

Tortellini With Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

2 pkg cream cheese (3 oz each), softened

5 tsp 2% milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded colby cheese

2 tbsp chopped green pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

5 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled. More bacon is ok if you really like bacon!

greased muffin pan

Directions:

In a bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add the eggs, cheese, green pepper, & onion; mix well.

Seperate the dough into 8 triangles; press onto the bottom and up the sides of the greased muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the bacon into the cups. Pour egg mixture over bacon. Top with remaining bacon.

Bake uncovered at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings

Pesto Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 loaf of french bread, cut into thin slices

1 jar (7 oz) prepared pesto

2 medium or 3 small tomatoes, seeded & chopped

1 package (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Arrange bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread with pesto; top with tomatoes & cheese. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.  Makes about 30 servings. 

******You must carefully watch this in the broiler. check for doneness after 3 minutes, then every minute thereafter.

Taco Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

1 envelope taco seasoning

3 tbsp canola or vegetaable oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp hot sauce, divided

4 lbs chicken wings (fresh or frozen)

1 cup ranch salad dressing

Directions:

In a jumbo size zip loc bag combine taco seasoning, oil, vinegar, and 1 tsp hot sauce; add chicken. Seal bag and shake lightly to coat.

Grill chicken, covered over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and grill for 5 more minutes  then turn chicken again. Repeat this step until the juices run clear when poked with a fork.

In a bowl combine ranch dressing and remaining hot sauce. Serve with chicken wings. Makes about 2 1/2-3 dozen wings.

Well there you go. Five quick and easy appetizers that are bound to jazz up your New Year's Eve gathering. Enjoy!

Flowers

One thing that not many people know about me is that I have a love of flower photography. I am amazed by the intricate beauty of a flower in bloom and the vibrant colors and patterns each flower gives off. Below are a few of my favorites. All photos are untouched and no filters were used. Just me and my Fuji digital camera.

 Bird of Paradise, Longwood Gardens (2008)

 Untitled, Longwood Gardens (2008)

 A Sea Of Lilies, Longwood Gardens (2009)
2009 Honorable Mention, Nature Category
Photography.com

 Field Amaryllis, Manor College (2012)

 Ghost Cactus, Longwood Gardens (2009)

Purple Orchid; A Study In Detail, 

Longwood Gardens (2009)

CPR: When Seconds Count

CPR Saves Lives.
Make sure you are prepared act.
Seconds can mean the difference between life and death.

There is no substitute for learning CPR but  life and death emergencies never wait for training. Follow the steps below to perform conventional adult CPR.

Attempt to wake victim. If the victim is not breathing (or is just gasping for breath), call 911 immediately and go to step 2. If someone else is there to help, one of you call 911 while the other moves on to step 2.

Begin chest compressions. If the victim is not breathing, place the heel of your hand in the middle of his chest. Put your other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced. Compress the chest at least 2 inches (4-5 cm). Allow the chest to completely recoil before the next compression. Compress the chest at a rate of at least 100 pushes per minute. Perform 30 compressions at this rate (should take you about 18 seconds).

If you are not trained in CPR, continue to do chest compressions until help arrives or the victim wakes up.

It's normal to feel pops and snaps when you first begin chest compressions - DON'T STOP! You're not going to make the victim worse.

Begin rescue breathing. If you have been trained in CPR, after 30 compressions, open the victim's airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift method. Pinch the victim's nose and make a seal over the victim's mouth with yours. Use a CPR mask if available. Give the victim a breath big enough to make the chest rise. Let the chest fall, then repeat the rescue breath once more. If the chest doesn't rise on the first breath, reposition the head and try again. Whether it works on the second try or not, go to step 4.

If you don’t feel comfortable with this step continue to do compressions at a rate of 100 a minute.

Repeat chest compressions. Do 30 more chest compressions just like you did the first time.

Repeat rescue breaths. Give 2 more breaths just like you did in step 3 (unless you're skipping the rescue breaths).

Keep going. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for about two minutes (about 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths).

If you have access to an automated external defibrillator (AED), continue to do CPR until you can attach it to the victim and turn it on. If you saw the victim collapse, put the AED on right away. If not, attach it after approximately one minute of CPR (chest compressions and rescue breaths).

After 2 minutes of chest compressions and rescue breaths, stop compressions and recheck victim for breathing. If the victim is still not breathing, continue CPR starting with chest compressions.

Repeat the process, checking for breathing every 2 minutes (5 cycles or so), until help arrives. If the victim wakes up, you can stop CPR.

Quick Original Appetizers

Shrimp & Grits Tarts

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/4 cup quick cooking grits

2 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 shredded cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

pepper to taste

1 lb uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 green onions (scallions), sliced

2 packages mini phyllo tart shells (Athens makes good prepared shells)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Gradually stir in grits. Reduce heat; cover & simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in the cheeses, 1 tablespoon of butter, garlic salt, salt & pepper.

In a large skillet, saute shrimp and green onions in remaining butter until pink. Fill tart shells with grits and top with shrimp/green onion mixture.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Total prep/cook time about 30 minutes.

Tortellini & Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

1 package (19 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini

1 jar (7 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, place red peppers and garlic in a food processor; cover and process until combined. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a small bowl.

Drain tortellini; toss with oil. Serve with zucchini strips and red pepper dip. 

Makes about ten servings. Total prep/cooking time is 24 minutes.

Chocolate BBQ Sauce

This past weekend I was in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Before coming home I made a side trip to Hershey, PA to visit Hershey's Chocolate World. This small place, just outside of Hershey Park is a chocolate lover's utopia! All things chocolate and all things Hershey exist in this little slice of heaven. After doing a little chocolate shopping, I decided to grab a bite to eat before hitting the road for the 90 mile drive home. I got a simple chicken sandwich but what made that sandwich pop was CHOCOLATE BBQ SAUCE! It was amazing, delicious, and like nothing I've ever had before. Yesterday, I fooled around with a bbq sauce recipe a little bit and came up with this concoction and it's pretty close to what I tasted when I was in Hershey.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce 

Directions

In a sauce pan saute onions and garlic in olive oil, cooking until tender. Stir in lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika and hot sauce. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes and reduce heat. Stir in ketchup, vinegar and Hershey’s Syrup. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. This is great on chicken or pork as a marinade and I may even give it a try on a turkey burger. This is easy to make and has a great chocolate flavor.

If you like things a little less sweet then try melting down 1/2 cups worth of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate. The dark chocolate has a less sugary taste.