Sharpening the mind

Sharpening the scythe
by Antti Faven 1928

I bake in the sun, tanning, at the pool. I do my reading there. When I feel hot, I'll jump into the blue water. I enjoy watching the beautiful birds of paradise flutter and hear them sing around me. They look like living gems. A pair has built a nest nearby, and it's an amazing sight to watch the father and mother bird take turns hatching the egg.

One thing I notice here is how fresh and clean the air is here. It has the sea breeze crispness to it when you breathe it in. I feel like my lungs are cleared up and cleansed.

I finished my book on killers. Too academic, too much fluff, but still insightful. It's not something that would be easy to finish at home, because of the dense nature of the material. I generally bring more difficult reads with me on my holidays.

Now, I'm reading something that is the exact opposite of my first read. It's Father Gregory Boyle's second book on gang members who are reforming or have been reformed. He's a great writer, but this book is not as good as the first one. Also, I find flaws in his theology. Nonetheless, no one can deny the incredible work and suffering he's invested in reforming the lives of Los Angeles's untouchables.

The food here is incredible. So much so, I've decided that the cuisine in this region has made it into my top five favorite cuisines. I keep telling my mother what I eat and she says, "Is that all you're doing, eating? And eating?"

I love the raw clams. I like the slices of beef ribs still on the bones. I rip the flesh off with my teeth and enjoy that ungy-rich taste that only comes with meat off the bone. Maybe, it's because I'm also tasting the flavors in the bone.

They grill the meat here on charcoal - which is fanned to scorching temperatures. The result is delicious meat kissed by smoke, air, and fire.

I told my mom - "I keep eating the beef ribs, because you stopped making them." I remember again the rich ungy flavors licked off the bone. Mmmmmm.

Unamused, she says, "Eat as much as you can then."

But I exercise some self-restraint.

I need to run today on the beach at sunset. There's no feeling like the wet sand on your feet, while you're running with an expansive amethyst sky above you.

The experience leaves me feeling like I've been running inside a watercolor painting.

Anyways, I'm recharging my mind. I solved a complicated case.

Next, I need to write some letters before I leave. That's important.