Sunday, August 28, 2022
Menu Plan: August 28 - September 3
It is a new week and there is actually a little less scheduled this week. We might get a little summer break, after all. Now that it is fall. The good news is that we don't officially start school work until the end of September. Sure, we are doing a little bit, here and there, because we like to read and are always learning, but nothing really rigorous or structured at this point.
We have our annual Not Back to School picnic this week. It is actually a day after the first day of the public schools, and we normally do it when they start, but this means it is not on an abstinent day, so we can have meat, and that is fine with me. Rich and I are trying to get our monthly dances started up again, and we have also been approached to teach an adult/beginner ballroom class at the dance studio. We are working out the details of that. As for dancing, we are going to be able to go to a fun night of dancing in a hangar with a big band playing and vintage WWII aircraft next week. I have a fun dress and little fascinator to wear.
Other than the picnic, a sewing day, and my normal knit night here at the house, we really have nothing scheduled this week and I am so relieved. We just need to rest and we have not had a a chance to do that the whole summer, really. Rich has a big deal thing going on at work all week, so the Labor Day weekend next week will also be a great reprieve. There might be a couple fun events on Saturday, but they are pretty mild and relaxing, also. The goal is to schedule as little as possible, including fun, between now and the beginning of the school term.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover Cake, Figs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Claudia's Chicken, Rice, Green Salad, Watermelon - Monday - Memorial of the Beheading of Saint John the Forerunner
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Cantaloupe, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Best Meat Sauce Ever (from freezer), Green Salad, Sliced Oranges - Tuesday
Breakfast: Harvest Pancakes, Fried Eggs, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Fried Fish Fillets, Tartar Sauce, Potato Wedges (Gluten-free), Coleslaw, Fruit Plate - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Aidan
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Honey Peanut Butter Drizzle, Tea and Honey
Dinner: Besan Chila, Sah’awiq, Chopped Salad, Peaches and Nectarines - Thursday
Breakfast: Cheesy Egg English Muffin Sandwiches (Gluten-free for Jerome), Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hatch Sausage, Pepper and Potato Bake, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Oranges - Friday
Breakfast: Ful, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sah’awiq, Chopped Tomatoes, Sliced Cantaloupe, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: West African Peanut Stew, Salad, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Raspberry and Pear Syrup, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Kids Make Dinner
Labels: Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Craft On: FOs and Baby Bonnets
Fair week took more out of me than I thought it would. We are getting too old for doing as much as we do. The kids and we have worked in the booth since we moved here. The older kids have opened and closed for many years, Rich is in charge of scheduling workers, but last year and this year, we were also in charge of stocking supplies, and this year we were in charge of the money. That is a lot. We are hoping some younger folks in the neighborhood will be able to take on some of this for us, as we get older and our kids move on to other things and places. Anyway. Because of that I didn't get my pictures taken or my post written, and now, I don't even have a modeled photo for my cute fascinator, so that will have to wait until after we go to our dance in September.
Did I mention that here? We are going to be able to go to a hangar dance and dinner, and I am wearing a retro little black dress and my fascinator to it. It will be so much fun!
We are in the last two days of the Stitch Along, and I don't think I can finish any more projects (just the other demands on my knitting and life), but there is still time to squeeze in another project if you want to join in now. If all goes well, I will have a new pattern release tomorrow. That is really the only knitting I was getting done this past week, itty bitty bonnets. This is an older design that I finessed a little and reworked to make me a little more proud of it. It is great for leftovers, quick to make, and it's cute! There will be a great coupon available for it when it is released, so watch this space. I'll just post it here. Ghati is now available on PayHip, Ravelry, and on LoveCrafts. This is a pattern I started with when I first began designing, and I have rebuilt it to something much more elegant and I am really pleased with it. It is highly customizable and can be embellished or left as it is, made more masculine or more feminine as you wish. A typical 50 g skein of sport to DK yarn will make three or four of these, depending on which size you choose. The first 10 people to use the coupon code coverthatbaby on Ravelry will receive 50% off (I happen to know that there are still some 75% off slots on PayHip), and everyone else will receive 20% off. The coupon code is valid through the end of the day, PDT, September 1, 2022.
So, what have I read or been reading? I finished the Dormition Study, had a quick little jaunt with another happy little murder, Arsenic with Austen, and picked up Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages.
I enjoyed Arsenic with Austen, because the author is Orthodox and includes natural references to faith and prayer. However, I am a bit disappointed because she also references casual fornication, divorce and remarriage, and so on with a clear sense that there isn't much of a problem with it. There is something in the book from the main character's past which touches on this in a moral way, which was good, both in the way it wasn't celebrated, but acknowledged as a reality of the world we are in, and in the thoughts about how that situation could have been handled and ways that it was not handled. However, the other references to similar activity seem to put a more neutral spin, if not positive, and the reference to divorce is so flip, plus there is some vulgar language as well as profane taking the Lord's name in vain. I really didn't like that. I have read books with all of that and not been overly troubled, but this is a woman of faith, who lets people know she is a woman of faith, so I don't think it is the same. She didn't need to make a moral lesson or give a sermon, and I appreciated that some of the moral ambiguities of the story were treated as such without a lecture. However, there are points where it seems like she has moved past simple toleration or even general acknowledgement to acceptance or celebration of some moral ills. Were she a secularist or an atheist, this wouldn't have posed the same problem for me. I've started the next book in the series, and this issue actually gets worse, so while I really enjoy her writing and the story, this is making it difficult. I still haven't decided if I will read past the second book.
However, her writing is fantastic. She references literature in a way that the reader really needs to be familiar with those stories, rather than being didactic and explaining it to the reader. So, either you know her reference, or you look it up for yourself, and maybe find another book to read, as well. Likewise, there is a French character, and I love that the author never translates the French (she does not speak only French, a few phrases and sentences are sprinkled in with her speech). You have to know it or translate it yourself. It has helped me remember my French a bit more. Faith in the book is well represented, and in a very real and natural way (there are no altar calls or sermons directed at the reader). This is just undermined by the moral issues I mentioned above. In any case, I do like her writing, I'm just conflicted over the disconnect between her profession and her work.
Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.
If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.
Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, FOs, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Grandbaby, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Menu Plan: August 21 - 27
"Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God, consume me, on the true path, lead me. Mary, my Mother, look upon me, with Jesus, bless me. From all evil, from all illusion, from all danger, preserve me."
"Always remember to love your neighbor; always prefer the person who tries your patience, who tests your virtue, because with them you can always gain merit."
"It is sweet to think of Jesus; but it is sweeter to do His will."
~ Saint Mariam Baouardy (Mary of Jesus Crucified) ~
Fair week is over, we are resting, and the winds of change have already begun. We have a much slower week this week, but still some activity and fun. It is Mariam's birthday this week, as well as her name day. We have reason to be grateful for our church family again, as they are taking up our slack and making the dinner for everyone tonight. May God bless them for their generosity.
Our September is shaping up to be rather busy, so I am glad we don't start school up again until the end of September. It gives us a chance to rest a little, as well as do some work that is desperately needed around our home.
As it was fair week (and Jerome's birthday), we reconsidered starting bananas last week, lest Jerome have an allergic reaction, so we started oats instead. They seem to be going alright, glory to God. Bananas will wait until next month.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Peaches, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Chili, Cornbread, Tortilla Chips, Salad, Mandarin Oranges (provided by our church family) - Monday
Breakfast: Apple Coconut Breakfast Bowls with Honey Peanut Butter, Bananas (except for Jerome), Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Sausage and Potato Skillet, Buttered Corn on the Cob, Peaches and Watermelon - Tuesday
Breakfast: Battatas ou Bayd, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Tuna and Tomato Sauce (from freezer), Salad, Peaches and Nectarines - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Cantaloupe, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Maghmoor, Rice, Watermelon - Thursday
Breakfast: Cheesy Egg English Muffin Sandwiches (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Oranges, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Mexican Hot Dogs, Cilantro Cabbage Slaw, Peaches and Nectarines - Friday - Feast of Saint Mariam Baouardy
Breakfast: Ful, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sah’awiq, Chopped Tomatoes, Sliced Cantaloupe, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato Soup, Black Forest Cake (Gluten-free) - Saturday - Feast of Saint Bernard
Breakfast: Bring Hard Boiled Eggs to Potluck After Liturgy
Dinner: Chopped Sirloin "Steaks" over Sourdough Croutons (Gluten-free Toast for Jerome) with Fried Eggs and Green Peppercorn Sauce, Salad, Rhubarb Curd with Chantilly Cream
Labels: Birthday, Blessed Virgin, Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Menu Plan: Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin
Shudder, O ye heavens! and, O earth, give ear unto these words:
God descended once before for our sake; He descends again today for His Mother.
So many times, when people deny the honor to the Theotokos, it is really a dishonor to the Lord. Even denying her the title Theotokos ends up declaring that Christ was either not God in her womb, or that He is not God incarnate. It is not intentional, but I think a good question to ask oneself when putting her "in her place" is what does this mean about Christ and His divinity? If it ends up dishonoring Him, calling His divinity into question, or lessening Him, it isn't a good thing. Likewise, so many people say that there is too much honor given her, without actually considering whether or not they honor her enough or even at all. What is just the right amount of honor? Surely it isn't debasing the woman who bore and raised our Lord? Jesus was born a Jew and fulfilled the law. He loved and honored His mother, and as we could not have had Him without her, why would we want that, instead of following His example?
The Archangel Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke hails her and says that God calls her blessed. Her cousin Elizabeth's unborn son, Saint John the Forerunner, leaps at the sound of Mary's voice, and by this does Elizabeth know and proclaim that Mary is the Mother of her Lord. Mary replies by saying that ALL generations will call her blessed. It is in the Scriptures that we are to bless her, that God Himself magnifies her, so why should we not do the same?
Thanks to the prayers of our Blessed Mother, and Amira's Guardian Angel, as well as your prayers, she recovered quickly and was able to attend the second week of her dance intensives. She will be coming home this Saturday, and we have missed her. It will be good to have her back home.
Pineapple appears to be alright for Jerome, but tomorrow we begin testing bananas, which were the only food on the list that he did not already avoid that his doctor thought might actually be a true allergy. Please pray for him that his health does not suffer too much if this is the case. His birthday also falls this week, and while it is fun that fair is usually at the same time as his birthday, it also makes it harder for us to celebrate, so we will have a family celebration and then have a party for him later.
God is so good to us! I needed tomatoes and eggplants for this week's meals, and the gleaning club came up with some for us out of the blue. I was bemoaning our dwindling jars of peaches, and not only peaches, but two boxes of peaches plus three boxes of apricots were provided for us. We also got quite a few tomatoes, to boot. He knows our needs, and he provides even the smallest ones.
It is fair week this week, which means long hours in our neighborhood booth and also that autumn will be upon us next week. We usually have the winds come through and bring a chill the Monday following fair week, and the fall sets in that week and the next. Sometimes we get three or four weeks of fall before we see temperatures below freezing at our house, but once we had almost a full two months of autumn. Pray that we see that this year.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Spice Pancakes (Gluten-free for Jerome) with Pear Syrup, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Roasted Salmon with Mustard Caper Sauce, Smashed Potatoes, Salad, Fruit Plate - Monday - Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Steak Salad, Fruit Plate - Tuesday
Breakfast: Potato Pancakes, Fried Ham, Grapefruit Halves, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta (Gluten-free for Jerome) Carbonara, Green Salad, Fruit Salad - Wednesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Slow Cooker Ratatouille (I use crookneck squash in this), Foccaccia (Gluten-free for Jerome), Green Salad, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Piña Colada Pancakes and Syrup (Gluten-free for Jerome), Bacon, Orange Juice
Dinner: Tacos de Papa, Avocado Relish, Salsa Rice, Steam Sautéed Green Beans with Cumin and Garlic, Chocolate Cloud Cake - Friday
Breakfast: Ful, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sah’awiq, Chopped Tomatoes, Grapefruit Halves, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Black Bean and Corn Salad, Sliced Avocados, Corn Chips, Fruit Plate - Saturday - Feast of Saint Bernard
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate
Dominic said that when we pray this prayer, or any other Marian prayers like the Hail Mary, which are based on the text of Luke, we are placing ourselves in the prophecy from Mary's own lips: "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed" Luke 1:48
Labels: Birthday, Blessed Virgin, Family, Fasting as a Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Recipe Round Up: Araka (Greek Pea and Potato Stew)
This recipe is super easy to make, tastes really good, and can be made vegan for Lenten meals. We even brought the ingredients camping with us this week and made it out on a camp stove (though I forgot the artichoke hearts at home). It is easy to modify and adjust, and can be eaten with rice, bread, pasta, or just by itself. If you use baby potatoes, yellow or red skinned potatoes, you don't even need to peel them. I would peel russets, though. This is good to eat hot, warm, or even cold, and takes about 20 - 25 minutes to make. If you start the rice or pasta cooking as you prep the ingredients for this, you can have a good meal on the table in that time.
1/2 cup olive oil or Lenten oil
2 large onions, peeled and finely diced
3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained (or equivalent amount of frozen)
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or about 3 tablespoons of dried dill)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
2 or 3 tomato cans of water, just to cover
kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
2 pounds fresh or frozen peas
1 pound feta, crumbled, to garnish (optional)
In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and potatoes, and cook until onions are translucent.
Add garlic and artichoke hearts and stir to cook another minute or two. Stir in dill and oregano. Add crushed tomatoes and wine, and increase heat to high to reduce the wine a little. Use the tomato can to pour water in the pot just to cover (barely) the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
Uncover and add peas. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
Remove from heat and stir in feta, if using. Serve with rice, bread, or pasta.
Labels: Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Craft On: First SAL Projects
My first two SAL projects are knit. I made both the Fascination and Kija hats, one a cute fascinator for me, and the other a little baby hat for Amelia. She is going to have a lot of knits, I think. I'm trying to decide between two pins to embellish Fascination, and I think I will also use some magenta organza on it. Both are blocking right now, so I will have finished photos next week.
I finished the Kija hat on our camping trip this past weekend, and started a pair of socks for Jerome that is long overdue. This is a yak blend yarn that I bought in Anchorage in 2019. Jerome admired it right away, and I told him I'd make him socks. So, here, nearly three years later, I am finally starting it.
X Saves the World was a good book, and he did get better at self-examination toward the end, though I still think he was blind to some of our "kitsch" as he was using the term in the book. Again, just in case you did not read my earlier commentary, I don't agree with all of his premises or conclusions, but he is able to analyze very well, and is able to distill certain key things about our generation to articulate points. If you are from this generation, live with someone from this generation, or love someone from this generation, you will find the book interesting. One caveat besides the language one, he kind of lost me a little when he claimed President Obama as generation X. Basically everyone defines generation X as beginning in 1965, and President Obama was born in 1961.
I also took a happy little murder with me on our camping trip, Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came and finished it in just a couple days. It's amazing how much reading and knitting time I have when I have no big responsibilities or phones or internet to make urgent demands on me. Most of my reading on our trip was my Dormition Study. I think I will actually complete it this year!
Linking to Unraveled Wednesday.
If you would like to receive updates and early notice of new patterns, beta knitting opportunities, and great discounts (plus pictures of new yarns, new tools, fun places, neat hints, book ideas, recipes and more) each month, please subscribe to 1,001 Knits. My best, and sometimes my only, discounts go to my subscribers.
Labels: Around the World Stitch Along, Books, Design, FOs, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Grandbaby, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
Sunday, August 07, 2022
Menu Plan: August 7 - 13
We have had a rather busy week, and I didn't get the recipe from last week posted, nor my craft on post made. This week, I will remedy that.
Also, Amira needs your prayers. She had to miss most of the ballet week at her intensives, because she got sick. She still has another week to go, but she had really been enjoying the ballet portion, and missed out on both that and the showcase they were going to perform. We will be picking her up from the train on Saturday, if all goes well.
We took a no media camping trip this weekend with another family (five days!), and it was fantastic. Even "roughing it," we had a lot of free time because we were not constantly being pulled at by our phones and internet. We read, we rested, we prayed, we played, we cooked and ate, and talked. It was marvelous.
We are breaking the fast today, for multiple reasons, but also because we are with people who do not keep it, and our meals are tied with theirs, so it makes it more of a challenge.Our fast is much more relaxed, but we are growing. The heat has broken, but they weather shaman are still looking for excitement. I'll believe it when I see it.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs and Bacon, Home Fries, Fruit, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Hot Dogs, Chips, Roasted Marshmallows - Monday
Breakfast: Date and Nut Protein Bars, Leftovers, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers, Fruit Plate - Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Peaches and Cream (Grain-Free version for Jerome), Tea with Honey
Dinner: 'Ijja, Bread (Gluten-free for Jerome), Chopped Veggies and Olives, Fruit Plate - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Laurence
Breakfast: Vegetable Hash Burritos with Salsa, Grapefruit Halves, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Thai Peanut Noodles with Veggies, Sliced Melon - Thursday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Tuna Casserole (Gluten-free for Jerome), Green Salad, Fruit Plate - Friday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas, Toast (Gluten-free for Jerome), Fruit Plate, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Besan Chila, Sah’awiq, Chopped Salad, Fruit Plate - Saturday
Breakfast: Potluck Breakfast after Liturgy
Dinner: Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomato Walleye, Simple Rice Pilaf, Green Salad, Fruit Plate
Labels: Family, Fasting as a Family, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Tales from the Kitchen
