These caffeinated-induced epiphanies have been percolating since my friend Pedro told his tale from his youth in Guatemala. Now, enjoying my first cold brew from Witches Brew Coffee House in West Hempstead, I'm at the keys to tell his story...Of course, it'll be accompanied by humor and music...Muse, lead on!
Dedicated to the crew at Witches Brew Coffee House where I enjoy my daily cup o' Joe, to Mary C M Phillips for her inspired wordplay at cafeinnatedepiphanies.com, and my longtime friend DoryAnne - who brews a great cup and my neighbor Mike who first introduced me to Witches Brew.
Go Up to the Mountain...
Pedro grew up on a farm in Guatemala. One morning, his father took him on a long bus ride into the mountains to help him pick coffee beans - to supplement the family's income. He was about 10 years old. Their destination was a coffee bean field on the side of an active volcano...
As you watch this video, I'm sure you'll have a deeper appreciation for Mother Earth and all her helpers who work together to bring this sacred bean to your local coffee dispensary (Rx). May they be fairly compensated for their labors...
Timoteo had a dream...
Timoteo Minas grows coffee in the shadow of an active volcano in Guatemala. Volcán de Fuego has been erupting more frequently in recent years, but Timoteo is not stressed at all. In fact, there’s no place he’d rather be. Both the high altitude—his farm sits 6,300 feet above sea level—and the nutrient-rich volcanic soil are good for his plants and give his coffee a special taste.
Volcán de Fuego
Drawing from memories of his homeland...
My friend Pedro is also an artist... On canvases and in Nature's gardens...
Several years ago, Eileen and I and a friend Caroline met him at the Uniondale Public Library's artist's reception for some of his work.
Here's one of his paintings - of the Tikal Monument in Guatemala - A place he once climbed. It will be part of his upcoming October 20th reception (1 to 3 PM) at this same library.
Save the date!
400 Uniondale Ave, Uniondale, NY 11553, United States
He once climbed it to the top...He told me that "It also is known as the Temple of the Great Jaguar because of a lintel that represents a king sitting upon a jaguar throne." (Wikipedia)
Pedro's digs band's like the following and is expanding my musical appreciation for this energetic genre. As you climb with the band, note how the steps morph from stone to metal...heavy metal. Also, note how the pyrotechnics at the end simulate Tikal's fiery underbelly...
Below these two images is a video showing some of the excavation at Tikal...
Música de Gutemala
If you've stopped by for some of my tales, you know what a BIG FAN I am of the Playing for Change Movement. They are musical humanitarians: providing artists with a worldwide stage and building schools in under-served parts of our shared world, so children can have access to the arts...
Música Para la Justicia Social
Playing for Change partners with humanitarian agencies as a musical force for change!
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