Show 'n Shine

In the market for a new-to-you car?

HRH wants me to buy this one for some reason.

But hey, I drive a Toyota Yaris so

clearly, I'm more into status cars --

And speaking of food trucks . . . .

How about freshening up your

 existing car with a cool wrap?

Remember -- "you are what you drive!"

Let's end on an intellectual note, shall we?

The Paia Peace Stupa

Recently, Mitchell of Moving With Mitchell blogged about a beautiful large stupa (Tibetan Buddhist shrine) that he visited near his home in Spain (click here to read). This jogged my memory about a much smaller, but also beautiful, stupa that I have visited in Maui a couple of times. I scrolled through my photo archives and sure enough! I have some photos of it from ten years ago -- pretty crappy photos but still, better than nothing. So here they are!

The Paia Peace Stupa is located on the grounds of the Maui Dharma Center in the upcountry market town of Paia (good shopping and restaurants). The stupa was built to honour the Dalai Lama's 2007 visit to Maui, at which time he consecrated the stupa.

All stupas are painted white and gold and have the same basic shape, meant to evoke the seated Buddha in meditative prayer with his hands clasped over his head. There's usually a string or two of prayer flags around every stupa as well, releasing their prayers as they flutter in the wind.

A statue of the meditating Buddha is also prominently featured in a special portal above the door.

Judging from the size of the people about to enter, you can see just how comparatively small this stupa is.

Inside the stupa, there is a huge, ornate metal prayer wheel taking up about 75% of the interior. Visitors can walk around the prayer wheel, turning it with their hands as they go, releasing its prayers (presumably prayers for peace) into the universe as it rotates. Circumambulation -- the act of walking around a sacred object or idol -- is an integral part of Buddhist devotional practice and is usually incorporated in some way into every stupa. Circumambulation also occurs in other religions like Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

It's a charming spot and always worth a little visit when in the area. Not to mention that you'll be doing your bit for world peace!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, November 2011]

Tattoos, Love 'Em or Hate 'Em

Personally, I like tattoos and am always interested

in hearing the stories behind them.

But I know not everyone is a fan.

Here's some handy-dandy tips

when thinking about getting a tat --

(1) Tattoo removal is painful and expensive,

so be sure before you get one!

(2) Go to a reputable tattoo artist!

(3) Do your research on your tattoo

before you get it inked!

(4) Don't be too literal!

(5) Try to get one that's useful

as well as attractive, if you can!

But yes, there will always be

those who will judge you harshly

for your skin art.

Need some snappy comebacks 

to deal with those who disapprove?

Feel free to use any of these!

And I saved the best for last --

Lightning Strikes Twice!

[Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy hoists the Stanley Cup.

He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy for Most Valuable Player.]

Last year's Champs did it again! Congrats to the Tampa Bay Lightning on winning back-to-back Stanley Cups!

All of Canada was desperately hoping that this would be the year that a Canadian team would bring the Cup home . . . alas, it was not to be. The Montreal Canadiens had a real Cinderella Run but just lost steam in the last round of the playoffs.

Now put away those crying towels, Canada, because it's time once again to hand out the only Hockey Awards that really matter --

DEBRA SHE WHO SEEKS' 

PLAYOFF HOCKEY AWARDS

[Warning: There WILL Be Blood]

Award for Best Player Name That's Fun To Say:

Edmonton Oilers' Slater Koekkoek (SLAY-tuhr KOO-KOO). I could sing-song his name all day long! [Editorial note from My Rare One -- Please make her stop! Please!]

"Best Rockin' Hockey Hair" Award:

Last year's pick wins again -- yes, it's my good Manitoba boy, Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights! His awesome mullet just keeps getting better and better.

Honourable Mention:

Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith --

Most Spectacular Comeback Award:

The Winnipeg Jets in game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Jets were down 4-1 in the third period and then they scored 3 goals in 3 minutes to tie the game! So awesome. And then they won it in overtime -- yowza!

Goriest Hockey Fight Award:

Goes to Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens in game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Head wounds always bleed like a sonovabitch.

Best Mascot:

Okay, okay, I know the Philadelphia Flyers didn't even make the playoffs, but I just lurves me some Gritty so much that he deserves an award too, that sexy orange beast!

Flowers, Both Fake and Real

(1) Fake:

Longtime readers may remember my luuuuuv for fake, maintenance-free greenery on my balcony. Alas, these two lovelies bit the dust at the end of last summer --

Age and relentless sunshine did them in and they became brittle, shedding leaves and causing general mayhem. So this summer, I bought a new fake floral-and-greenery arrangement to sit on this table instead. It's also nice and heavy so it won't blow over if there's a strong wind. The damn thing cost me an arm and a leg so I hope to get at least a couple of summers out of it before it too succumbs to the pitiless elements.

(2) Real:

On the other hand, My Rare One luuuuuvs to garden and has some beautiful irises which flower every June. Here's her Japanese irises --

I don't know what the official name of these yellow-and-purple irises are but when we were kids, they were commonly just called "flags." My Mom used to have them in her little front flower garden too.

These beauties are called "root beer irises" because of their rich tawny colour --

And here are both kinds of irises together --

[All photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2017 and 2021]

The American Declaration of Independence

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY,

AMERICAN FRIENDS 

AND NEIGHBOURS NEIGHBORS!