The temperatures are already dropping and I am a little concerned that our summer will end sooner than normal this year. Don't get me wrong, we are still definitely in the summer heat, but we have usually had more of it in the 13 years I have lived here. Our common two weeks of over 100˚F weather has turned out to be more like eight or nine days, and the weather shaman are already saying that it should be down in the upper 80s by the end of this week. There's a little bump up after that, but my experience with their prophecies is that they tend to be more extreme (either hot or cold) than they really are. There also is a little wishful thinking on their part, looking for excitement, perhaps, that causes them to predict these highs and lows when the patterns show something else. Even our high temperatures of the past week were consistently a couple/few degrees lower than their grand predictions.

Tomorrow the Dormition Fast begins. We are going to try to keep it a little this year. Please pray for us. We have a couple events that will keep us from following the fast completely, and we are starting a little more lax, including eggs and dairy and fish, but will be prayerfully struggling within our strength. I have a study to do on the Dormition, and it looks like our family will actually have time to do it together, at least this week. Without prayer and almsgiving, fasting is just a diet, so please pray that we can grow in our spiritual lives over the next two weeks.

Speaking of diets, pineapple may not be doing as well for Jerome as I said. However, like the milk, the trouble began during our most extreme weather of the season, so we may put this on hold and return to it. That means extending the testing period. At this point, I am praying that he gets most or all of the food back by the end of the year.

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Joseph of Arimathea
  Breakfast: Battatas ou Bayd, Sweet Cardamom Bread with Butter (Gluten-free for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Braised Round Steaks, Jasmine Rice, Chickpeas and Potatoes, Salad, Shortbread Cookies
• Monday
  Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Home Canned Pears, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Potato and Poblano Stew, Tortilla Strips, Sliced Oranges
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Coconut and Craisins, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Fried Rice and Vegetable Stir Fry, Frozen Fruit Salad
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas with Onions and Peppers, Oranges, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetables Jalfrezi, Jasmine Rice, Fruit Plate
• Thursday - Feast of Saint Dominic
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Jam, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Araka Me Saltsa* (Greek pea and potato stew with dill and feta), Egg Noodles (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Tahina Breakfast Bites (made with grain-free granola for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetarian Ranchero Beans Taco Bowls, Cabbage Salad, Fruit
• Saturday - Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
  Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Raspberry Syrup, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Balela, Crackers (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Family, Fasting as a Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen