Tropical Colors Warm Winds Tour 2009 · Tuesday November 10, 2009 by colin newell
Hello from Kona, Hawaii. Breaking my silence now.
Have spent a few days on light duty observation of Kona Coffee Fest – and what a wonderful, rural event it is indeed.
Sat with Joachim Oster of Blue Horse Kona (and my dear Wife Andrea) over coffee at the Keahou Outrigger waterside bar and talking about life, death, coffee, birth, the farmers life, the science of coffee and everything in between.
Photo above: I am loading 80 pound bags of Kona cherry into the pulper at Blue Horse Kona
This is why I am here. To get some of those pressing questions answered.
To hang the soul out to dry and to heal.
To let the rays of the tropical Sun trickle charge largely discharged batteries.
To move forward by sitting perfectly still.
This will become a regular home for upwards of a month a year.
I would suggest this kind of down time for anyone. It is amazing. And subtle. And gentle.
It is Hawaii.
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Fall colors changing seasons changing lives · Thursday October 22, 2009 by colin newell
On Monday evening, of this week, I was perusing a technical journal I wrote for in in the mid-seventies and was working on a bit of a tribute to the solidarity, brotherhood and sisterhood of the group of technical professionals – how it has changed my life and engendered and fostered lasting friendships.
And then around 8 PM my phone rang and I was summoned to a local hospital to be with a dear family member who succumbed to a long and exhausting illness.
In the end, she went quickly and peacefully – something all of us could
only wish for and hopefully achieve in our own personal journey through life.
What is kind of ironic were my thoughts leading up to that evening
on something as simple as a subscription to a hand-printed newsletter
from the seventies and how, by chance, I requested a free sample so
many years ago – that so many lasting friendships have been cast and hewn
by the fires of time and have resisted every challenge – including
death.
As word traveled throughout the evening it became quite apparent that my network of friends were way closer that I thought – They quickly formed a physical and spiritual circle around my wife and I – taking our hands in a time of need.
My thanks go out to this immediate circle of folks whose love and devotion I never entirely understood – now it is crystal clear.
And to my regular readers I offer a heart felt thanks – for those correspondents, reliable as gravity, have understood, that over the last 90 days or so, things have been somewhat difficult here.
Chapters are written and then closed – we now move on to the next phase of our life – Fall to Winter and then beyond.
Comment [5]
Fall 2009 coffee drinking - what's on today? · Wednesday October 14, 2009 by colin newell
Today: A surprise bag of Cafe de Altura – La Quinta MAry – 100% Organic… and no, you are not going to find this on any Cup of Excellence hot list or specialty coffee auction block. This is very good, freshly roasted Mexican coffee from the holiday heartland of Puerto Vallarta.
A colleague visited the historic town of San Sebastian while he was on vacation – and while there stopped at Café de Altura, which is at the town’s entrance; a coffee plantation run by Rafael Sánchez Alvarado, where you can purchase delicious coffee and mocha blends.
And I agree, it is delicious. It is not often I get hand delivered beans from someone’s Mexican vacation. Thanks Gerry!
Later this morning I will be brewing up some Karatina Kenyan AA from the Nyeri Region (with thanks to Transcend Coffee)
Leave your heart in the hands of Tony Bennett · Wednesday October 7, 2009 by colin newell
After 4 or 5 standing ovations, I would have to say that the Tony Bennett show (at the Royal Theater in Victoria) was the greatest show I have ever seen.
Tony and his band took us on a sentimental journey through the great American song-book – and we went willingly and often with rapturous results.
To say that Tony Bennett is a skilled time traveler would be entirely fair – or better, a musical history tour guide of some of the sweetest love songs of the last 60+ years.
A largely gray crowd were held spellbound with classics like “Someone to Love,” “Steppin’ Out with My Baby” from a whisper to, yet another, explosive finale, and brought the lovers in the crowd closer with “Maybe This Time,” and emoted “Speak Low” with his signature texture and rasp.
At 83, Tony has more to offer than the clear majority of pop stars half his age, his vocals offering an return ticket into life’s simple magic – and his undying quest for perfect love.
“I dedicate this song to Britney Spears,” he cracked during “Kiss the Good Life Goodbye,” the Royal audience embracing his sentiment as he snapped a sly smile.
“That’s the way to live, if you mope and groan, something’s got to give,” he sang in Duke Ellington’s “In a Mellow Tone,” the band trading blazing solos as they did throughout the night, incinerating “I Got Rhythm,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing)” with an unquenchable fire.
Other greats included: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Fly Me to the Moon.” “Sing You Sinners” and “For Once In My Life.”
At one point Tony put the microphone down and sang into the crowd with only the guitarist by his side. As he did throughout the night, Tony and his band took us higher and higher – leaving us breathless.
And like my wife and I, I am sure the other couples in the audience felt that Tony was singing directly to them, reaffirming their love and reminding us that tomorrow is another day – filled with joy and hope – and the little annoyances don’t mean a thing – not a thing.
Tony Bennett: Thank you!
