Ambrose & The Holy Grail

“There’s one more thing,” Penny quickly added.

“Yeah?” Malcolm unfolded his legs, and crossed them in reverse.

“Seamus, he has a tattoo on his wrist,” Penny pointed to the section on her wrist she had seen Seamus’s tattoo. “Do you know what that’s about?”

“Oh yeah,” Malcolm gave a boyish grin and squinted at the sunlight streaking through the trees. “It’s a small black thing that looks a bit like a strange scepter or something, doesn’t it?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Yeah, well I asked him about it some time ago,” Malcolm began shuffling through the magazines at his side.

“And?” Penny widened her eyes.

“It has something to do with… this!” Malcolm pulled one of the magazines from the pile and held it aloft.

Penny read the cover aloud, “Ambrose, and the Holy Grail?”

“That’s right,” Malcolm scratched his arm where a ladybird had just flown from. “Seamus said his tattoo was the Scepter of the Triple Deity.” He noted the confused look on Penny’s attractive face, “yeah, it got me too. Well, how much do you know about the Holy Grail?”

“Not much, just bits and pieces I’ve picked up along the way in reading.”

“Well, the great alchemist, Ambrose, built a temple to protect all the female deities and the Holy Grail itself.” He flipped through the magazine. After finding the right picture he handed it to Penny and began to explain what she was looking at, “the temple was supposedly 100 fathoms in diameter, surrounded by 72 chapels of blue sapphire and emeralds. And in the center of the building, under the dome, is where the holy vessel is kept, the cauldron of regeneration. Ambrose made three artifacts to symbolize the Mother goddess and decided to disperse them across Europe. You have to have all three together to point the way to the temple. Diana’s Mirror, the Scepter of the Triple Deity, and the Holy Rose itself.”

Penny ran her finger across the pictured dome, “so, why the Scepter of the Triple Deity?”

Malcolm smiled, “Seamus claims he’s already found Diana’s Mirror.”

From, Water of the Woods, pgs. 52 & 53, by Anna Michael

Something always questioned is beginning to unfold in chapter seven of Water of the Woods. What relics have been uncovered that may give us extra hints about ancient time? Seamus William, the housekeeper and gardener for mansion de Oviedo, claims he has found Diana's Mirror. The young Prendergrast girl is determined to find out the truth behind the mysteries that go deeper than the Holy Grail itself.

Nature's Picks

Nature is full of artistic inspirations. And this time of year there is so much to enjoy, whether it be in sitting and watching nature slowly fade and fall into it's deep, long slumber, or watching the new creations bloom right in front of you. New birds follow up behind the summer birds who are now retreating into their summer-land of tranquility. What many call harsh and unrelenting I call beautiful and alive. Winter, Autumn's friend, and a new awakening of things so easily forgotten in the long days of Summer. God's creation is so easily portrayed through each season. The unique design of a snowflake baffles even the greatest scientist. How can each snowflake have its own design and lacing? It's very own fingerprint pasted right in the interwoven particles of powdered snow! God forgets not even the smallest of snowflakes, His promise is that His care will never be taken from His children. Luke 12:28 states, "If God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?" God truly clothes the grass. Each individual dew drop, every silver snowflake, and all the mist that shrouds the ground is ordered and placed by God's own hand. Romans 1:20 so clearly explains God's creation throughout all the earth, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" How true, "they are without excuse." Romans 1:20-32 speaks clearly of those who have turned to their own desires and become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart is darkened. Men, professing themselves to be wise, become foolish. They change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image like corruptable man, and all manner of fourfooted beasts, and birds, and creeping things. They begin to worship the creature rather than the Creator. Oh how foolish and blind men are, that they would only open their eyes to see the magnificence of God's almighty glory. They were created in His likeness, for His glory, and so quickly will they betray their master and begin following the father of lies. Sin is our nature! Thank God for opening our eyes to our haughty state and showing us where we have become completely foolish and vain in all ways. Thank God for giving us repentance and life, and for placing all of His perfect glory in us! This time of year has made me truly thankful for what God has given me! I look back at the many years I spent vainly in idle time and thank God that I have many more years to spend my time wisely. I am eager to learn about my Saviour above all else, and in all that I do I desire to find good in it and to find the ways that God has blessed me and given me ways to share His magnificence with others. The glory and beauty of the fading Autumnal nature is everywhere right now. A few days ago I decided to find unique beauties around our yard and take snapshots of them. My amazement wasn't from the great mega pixels my camera has but of the small, unnoticed splendor here and there. Thankful though, that my camera does have nice mega pixels I decided to share a few with you and let you see the loveliness of the small things we take for granted. This picture reminded me of the simplistic attraction of Winter. The rough bark of the tree is a stark contrast to the empty stillness above. How bare the upper world seems and how large and blue the sky stretches when Winter arrives:

The elegant, velvet designed mushroom growing from the side of this tree shows God's special care for each piece of nature. The delicate leaf-like pattern almost resembles the wing of a moth. And the small, soft texture of moss lines the coloured stripes across this unique fungi.

Though Winter is upon us, the feel and smell of gritty sand is still just as alluring. Mingled with leaves, tufts of grass, pebbles, and yes, acorn tops, sand is that part of nature we can't do without. Normally our thoughts of sand come with warm, powdery softness. But around this time of year the cold, damp sand that we mold with our hands seems to come to mind more quickly.

And lastly, my favourite, is the old, gnarled stump. Wet with recent rainfall wild mushrooms have found a lovely abode amidst the cracks and crags of this ancient wood. A lovely Autumn leaf resides in the background to enhance the colour. Soft, white fungi grows up the twisted stalk of the first mushroom, while other small caps appear in the distance.

Click on an image for a larger view!

A Few Sights In London!

I first have to say, this post is especially for Amy and Kimberlee (since they've been asking numerous times for pictures)! So, here you are!

Here is my first view of London! Foggy and absolutely beautiful! The temperature was 55 degrees with a 70% chance of rain. Very typical of London, eh? Our rest on the plane was one I'd like to forget. But at least the food was good! We stayed in a Holiday Inn that was set in this large, empty field, out in the middle of nowhere, it was great!






Here are the streets of London! I was afraid the real thing wouldn't be like the books you read about or the movies you watch. But truly, the streets and side-buildings were perfect! Notice how everything is crammed together with unique old-style architecture? As our missionary friend in Rome said, "people in Europe get to drive like men in America only wish they could drive!"







Westminster Abbey was gorgeous! Sadly, we weren't able to enter. I was hoping to take some pictures of some famous gravestones such as, Darwin, Cotton Mather, John Gill, etc. But the outside was inspiring and I was thankful we had a stop there!









The Changing of the guards at Buckingham palace was incredible! To bring in the new guards a large marching band made it's way down the streets. Thousands of spectators crowded the sidewalks and the large fountain we stood on to get a better view. The crowds were so packed that the warning, "watch out for pickpockets," was more than serious! Once the guards changed places the marching band would then accompany the exiting guards back out and the crowd's cameras would go crazy once again.







Big Ben is placed at the North-Eastern end of the palace of Westminster. Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock, and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. We weren't able to have a stop here so the pictures snapped fast as we passed it in the bus! It was really amazing, and the architecture along the the sides of it were very detailed!







Here I am standing on one of the large walkways of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, or more commonly known as the Tower of London! The Tower (historically called) had more turrets, towers, and rooms than I knew! Here we also saw Her Majesty's Crown Jewels. Though no pictures were allowed I saw a young man standing in the corner of the room snapping pictures pretty obviously (bobbies were standing in the opposite corner conversing, paying the least amount of attention). In the background I am holding my hand out to the London Bridge!







For now the pictures of London will have to suffice, Amy and Kimberlee! Sorry, but maybe later on I'll post more pictures of some of the other countries we visited. (By clicking on the pictures the image will enlarge.)

The Artist's World

The pencil curves,

The marker slashes,

The paintbrush blots,

The rhythm matches.

Shavings scatter,

Eraser flies,

Dust is blown,

The artist sighs.

The drawing sings,

The title flows,

The hand grows tense,

The picture grows.

One last line,

One defining sketch,

One last mark,

The artist’s “X.”

Anna Michael