Murchie’s Maple Chai Black Tea

 I am not a black tea person. Growing up in the Canadian East coast (Maritimes) black tea was made then warmed on the stove all day in a corning ware see-through or pyrex vessel with the tea bags left in all day. When the water level got too low, more water was added. Blech. When I tried green and herbal teas as an adult, those are the ones I gravitate to.

I received Murchie's Maple Chai as a gift as couple of Christmases ago and it stayed on the shelf. Over the recent winter holidays I tasted it and every second day or so had a mug of this tea. The chai flavours are more pronounced than the black tea. The slight sweetness means no sweetener is required. I would have this again.

Cowboy Bebop

The 26 episode saga of Cowboy Bebop was something I missed in 1998-99, due to my work schedule. I saw it on the shelf during a boxing day sale for a good price and heard good thing about it. I gave it a go. 

 I really liked the short one episode story arcs. It had a mix of film noir, madcap, wild west, drama, and future shock blended into one marvelous visual soup that was very palatable. There were also a few series arcs that came to satisfactory resolutions. I can see why it was and still is a highly regarded show.

Atlases of Ancient and Classical Archaeology

I picked these two books in the mid 1990's for my reference library. I was always fascinated by architectural plans and love history so the two combined just seemed to be perfect. Over the intervening decades other things took priority but a few years ago I decided to start reading the books in that reference library. I have now finished these two: Atlas of Ancient Archeology by Jacquetta Hawkes and Atlas of Classical Archeology by MI Finley. It was John Fowler who did the maps and plans for both books.

Both volumes have a lot of sites that are briefly discussed.

Each site has an overall overhead image although some have drawing of artifacts found or 3/4 profile diagrams of the structures.

It was very interesting to read about new places and what work had been done up to the 1970's knowing how much more we have discovered. Two great overviews.

Bar Harbor Wild Herring Fillets

Bar Harbor wild herring fillets are a nice treat for great taste and warm memories of camping in my youth.

Nutritional information.

The contents are dense and delicious herring. It just tastes great, for those who like canned fish.

Happy Planet Egg Nog

Egg nog so good I bought a second bottle. Tastes great in morning coffee too. Happy Planet, known for its juices, makes the best egg nog I have ever tried. It is no longer on Happy Planet's website so as with most holiday items it is seasonal.

Beer, Cider, Saki of 2022

Here are a sample of beers, ciders, and saki I tried in 2022.

Amaro of 2022

Amaros of 2022

Averna has a nice deep flavour with good herbal notes.

One of my all time favorites, Evangelista Punch Abruzzo. Warm and syrupy but a strong herbal licorice taste.

Naramaro is strong citrus forward and different from other amaros I have tried. Not bad but different.

I tried these two at Agricola Street Brasserie, Amaro di Langa and Meletti, my strong preference was the Meletti. Also tried Amernoir, a Quebec amaro, while in Quebec City and enjoyed it.

Vermouth of 2022

Here are the vermouths I have tried in 2022.

Vermut Fernando de Castilla is a bitter drink with a citrus and spice background.

Gancia Vermouth Rosso has a sweet and herbal mix that goes down well.

El Bandarra has a tart citrus frount with herbs and spice notes.

Punt e Mes has a good blend of herbs, spices, bitterness, and sweet.

Look back on 2022 and Ahead to 2023

 2022 was an interesting year. Personally there was a shift in the department where I worked, taught a leadership course, got COVID, and submitted paperwork for retiring in 2023.  Regionally there were provincial elections. Nationally there was the anti, fill-in-the-blank for the reasons, protest in Ottawa.

We participated in Noirfest, Canada Day on Gorge road, a week in the Okanogan, My wife and I travelled within the province (Courtney/Comox, Tofino and Kelowna area) and I traveled to Moncton, Quebec City, and Halifax). We were not able to travel for the winter holidays to her parents, unfortunately.

I read 8 non-fiction books this year. They include: Atlas of Ancient Archeology by Jacquetta Hawkes, Atlas of Classical Archeology by MI Finley, Larry Gonick's History of the Modern World 1&2, The Authoritarians by Bob Altemeyer; The Year 1000 by Robert Lacey and Danny Danzinger, Universal: A Journey through the Cosmos by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw, and Yesterday in Acadia. 

I also read 21 non-fiction periodicals: Archeology Magazine 2022 issues and 15 National Geographic (just a year behind now).

For fiction reading I have read 13 books. The best were: Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, Parker Series by Richard Stark (Slayground, Plunder Squad), Raymond Chandler complete short story collection (double sized), Sano Ichiro Samurai Mystery Series by Laura Joh Rowland (Book 3 Way of the Traitor and Book 4 Concubine's Tattoo). Other books were: A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemmingway, Agatha H and the Airship City, Agatha H and the Clockwork Princess, Firewatch by Connie Willis , and Haynes: Millennium Falcon & USS Enterprise Owner's Manuals.

Twenty-three comics were read. Standouts were: Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Blake and Mortimer (Mystery of the Great Pyramid 1&2, Secret of the Swordfish 1&2&3, Timetrap, 

Necklace Affair, Francis Blake Affair, Voronov Plot, The Strange Encounter, Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent 1&2), and Sensational Comics Vol 3. Others read were: Largo Winch (The Heir, Takeover, Dutch Connection, Hour of the Tiger), Necessary Evil, Star Wars Rebels: three cinecomics, and Superman: Emperor Joker.

For music the video concerts and documentaries seen were: Band in Seattle (9 at 30 min ea); Carmine Street Guitars; Heart, Mighty Uke, On Broadway, Prince: Sign o the Times, Prince and the Revolution: Purple Rain tour, and White Riot.

Podcasts were a big part of my enjoyment this year, as explained in my post a few months ago. In total 315 of them were listened to while going about chores or painting models. Ones listened to were: Gone Medieval (50), Ideas (8), Prehistory Podcast (9), The Ancients (236), The Archeology Show (4), The Debaters (30 min: 9), and Under the Influence (1).

Documentaries that were movie length or more that I really enjoyed were: Design Canada and Ken Burns: Benjamin Franklin (4hrs). Other were: A Brief History of Time, Echo in the Canyon, Ella Fitzgerald: Just one of those Things, Face of Anonymous, John Stewart: The Mark Twain Prize, and Mae West: Dirty Blonde.

Movies seen in a Theater were: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Spider Man: No Way Home, The Batman, The Menu, and Thor: Love and Thunder.

For movies seen on TV there were 42 of them. The best and/or most interesting were: Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1&2, Blood Red Sky, Boston Strangler, Enola Holmes, Harry Potter film series (last 5), In Cold Blood (1967), Injustice, Magnificent Seven, Nobody, Nope, Spider Man: No Way Home, Tenet, The Favorite, The Grand Illusion, The Lady from Shanghai, and The Seventh Seal. Natalie started a food potluck movie club. Movies seen so far were: Babette's Feast, Like Water for Chocolate, and Tampopo.

Competitive shows watched this year totaled 234 hours. The British do theirs with friendly contestants that assist each other with words or physical deeds, which is nice to see, for All That Glitters (jewelry making), Good With Wood (carpentry), and the Great British Baking Show. The Canadian competitive shows Top Chef Canada&Houston and Great Canadian Baking show also features collaboration. The winter Olympics were also trilling this year and the America's/Canada's Got Talent shows are frivolous fun.

For non-fiction shows, 375 hours of them were watched: Standouts include: A Nation Soars (3), Afghanistan: The Wounded Land (4),  Art Detectives (4), Cosmos: Possible Worlds (2), Empire of Silver (3), Finding your Roots (22), Forces of Nature (4), Great Scottish Estates (4), Jamie Cooks Italy (3), Jamie Oliver Christmas, January 6th Congressional Hearings; 6 hrs, Josephine Baker: Story of Awakening, NASA: Orion (2), Nature (1), Nova (1: 2hrs, 9: 1hr), Secrets of the Dead (8), Secrets of the Surface: Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani, The Persians: A History of Iran (3), Titian: Behind Closed Doors, Venus, Bacchus, and Mars (3), Welcome to Wexham (30 to 60 min; 16), Wild China (2), and World's Greatest Ships (6).

Of Fiction shows, 413 hours of programs were watched. Standouts include: All Creatures Great and Small (10+Between the pages), Bridgerton (16), Chucky (8), Cowboy Bebop (30 min; 23), Deadwood (S1: 12, S2: 12; S3:12; Movie), DEVS: 8, Expanse S6 (6), Firefly (14), For All Mankind (3), Harley Quinn S3 (30 min; 10), Lazarus Project (8), Leverage, Little Demon (30 min; 10), Lupin (10+10), Luther (16), Mandalorian (second time, 16), Orville S3 (11), Resident Alien (16), Rick and Morty (10),  Star Trek: Lower Decks (11), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (10), Ted Lasso (17), The Game (6), The Good Place (30 min; 50), The Resort (12), The Rookie (18), Whose Line is it Anyways (9, 30min), Witcher S2 (8).

I want to continue to decrease non-fiction shows watched and disregard uninspiring entertainment more easily. Time is too short for bad entertainment.