Food with an ATTITUDE! (an invitation)

[byroncallas]

Caesar - wonderful photos and background. I visited his tomb when I was visiting in Italy many years ago. Terrific post. And thanks for the positive nod on the waxings.

And the poem by Roman poet Catullus - it looks like the type that makes me wish I could read and understand Latin. It reminds me that we share much with the ancients however different the circumstances of our times.

[byroncallas]

Dear Byron, although your poetry is just for fun, it is seriously beautiful, goosebump beautiful, am sure Rose will copy and frame your poem, such sweet thoughts and melody, cheeze and crackers!!!

Funny dear Lee, I was thinking the same thoughts of your beautiful expressions.
A glass of wine.

[Caesar]

Dear Lee, they aren't mine (although they look quite natural, no filters or particular enhancements). This morning, incredibly, we had considerable snow in Rome, but soon melted almost totally by the afternoon, so I wouldn't either go and take a picture in that church, close to the Fora and Marcellus' Theatre on even to Terni (not far away from Rome, but certainly with much more snow).

Dear Byron, thanks.
You're right! So much of what we are didn't change through the centuries, quite a number of lessons are still valid and lots of Latin (and ancient Greek) words and roots survive in the aethimology of European languages.
Sometimes it was fun to ear of some new concepts and phylosophy, for istance some recent modern warfare doctrines, just to realize that a certain brand new idea someone sells was not at all that new, sometimes existed and was expressed in ancient Roman times. Actually, as Luttwark discovered, there weregood political and military skills and reasons explaining why an Empire as big as that of ancient Romans, with a boundary terrificly huge (with the Mediterranean Sea in the middle too), could expand and be then controlled by only about 16 legions (plus local auxiliary troops). Just consider that a legion is only 3000 soldiers!

[D Akey]

And I thought the Goths were from France. . . You guys and jolly Roger Valentine.

[byroncallas]

Dear Byron, thanks. You're right! So much of what we are didn't change through the centuries, quite a number of lessons are still valid and lots of Latin (and ancient Greek) words and roots survive in the aethimology of European languages. Sometimes it was fun to ear of some new concepts and phylosophy, for istance some recent modern warfare doctrines, just to realize that a certain brand new idea someone sells was not at all that new, sometimes existed and was expressed in ancient Roman times. Actually, as Luttwark discovered, there weregood political and military skills and reasons explaining why an Empire as big as that of ancient Romans, with a boundary terrificly huge (with the Mediterranean Sea in the middle too), could expand and be then controlled by only about 16 legions (plus local auxiliary troops). Just consider that a legion is only 3000 soldiers!

Dear Caesar: we're most agreed. One needs only read the Iliad and The Odyssey to see that the psychology of human beings remains unchanged over the millenniums. The channeling of energies may have changed (a little, we don't behead the loser at our sports events) but the energies themselves run as constant as electricity in lightning bolts from biblical times to yesterday's thunder.

D'Akey: I thought the Goths were from England starting about 1980. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth_subculture
But then, I easily get my mid-evil history discombobulated during confabulation.

[D Akey]

Discombobulated during confabulation? Indeed. I remember my first love too. . . <old pang sigh> I was often discombobulated, and occasionally there was confabulation when she was willing. We were so very young you see. And you know what they say: 'Tis better to discombobulate than never. . .if memory serves. . .what were we talking about again?

Ah, the Goths. . .yeah, I remember college. . . the hallowed sororities and fraternities. . .That was back in the day when pinning your steady girlfriend was more of a wrestling move and not a feature of rush week at Omega Gamma Globulin. <sigh young award>

[byroncallas]

Discombobulated during confabulation? Indeed. I remember my first love too. . . <old pang sigh> I was often discombobulated, and occasionally there was confabulation when she was willing. We were so very young you see. And you know what they say: 'Tis better to discombobulate than never. . .if memory serves. . .what were we talking about again?

Ah, the Goths. . .yeah, I remember college. . . the hallowed sororities and fraternities. . .That was back in the day when pinning your steady girlfriend was more of a wrestling move and not a feature of rush week at Omega Gamma Globulin. <sigh young award>

.
I'm glad to know you were taking your shots - a prescription against defenestration, especially that hard to pin gal. How often did that little temptress render you lachrymose, or should we not go there so close to the day of lovers?

[Caesar]

Dear D Akey, as a style Gothic is certainly more Northern and Eastern Europeas a phenomenon, but we have examples of some more gentle gothic churces in Italy too (see Orvieto Cathedral or some Siena painters contemporary of Giotto), as Barabarians they migrated from North and East Europe down into the Roman Empire (Goths and Visigoths). Anyway I should have a review on that.
If You refer to some passionate, darker and somehow macabre concept, wel,l I think You may find here in Italy places of past centuries which are really stunning and, in our perception, even morbid somehow,, with dressed skulls, skeletons etc. in many cases not publicly accessible, in connection with the idea that we have to realize our mortal doom and dedicate our effort to the nevending life as the ultimate objective.

[Lima]

You are very funny and entertaining. I always visit this place to see what you are saying ... the difficulty of the language does not bother me and I understand well the wit of the game with words. You guys are great, just missing a beer.

[Mairzie Dotes]

Mairzie, Lee & D'Akey,

Awoke to find my soul divine
Was captured in a Valentine
Superbly by Ms. Mairzie Dotes
In pink and hearts my image floats
Inspired thoughts from sweetest Lee,
And rounded out by D'Akey,
All sparked in me the thought sublime,
Will you each be my Valentine?

But as for Caesar, sad but true,
He'll steal your hearts and make you blue,
So watch your hearts when he's around,
He's such a dear but such a hound.
But still we can't neglect his gaze,
So here I'll offer him some praise,
A handsome devil is divine,
Attested by the gals in line,
Hearts await all to be broken
For his love that's just a token.
Some advice, beware his teaser,
And his aims to grab and squeeze her.

And so to close, to the and thine,
I hope you'll be my Valentine.

byroncallas,
There are those (possibly Lee, D Akey and dear Caesar) that may have made
a request for the ingredients used to make your box of confectionery delights.


Boxed Heart's Recipe ~

A bright palette of blue, green, pink and yellow ~
All quite evident in this dapper fellow ~
Multi shades of talents astound ~
Heaping spoons of artistry and poetry can be found ~
Stir in some whipped whimsey and when you're done ~
A box of rainbow heart's candy for byron is spun ~

Happy Valentine's Day to you also ~