Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Craft On: There and Back Again
'Igal is really nearly finished. I think I might finish tonight. It looks like there is enough of the blue left for the baby sized i-cord, so I will make another hat with the colors reversed for Lentilla. Lentilla's socks are finished, and I was able to give them to Dominic and Shawn. We had a road trip to visit them and share the final days of Holy Week, the Paschal feast and beginning of Bright Week with them. It was so fun to be with them, and exhausting, too. We spent nearly 23 hours in the liturgy alone between Thursday night and Sunday afternoon - not counting the Agape meal or any time visiting with people after services.
It was fantastic to be able to see them again and to give them little Lentilla's socks in person. They are past 22 weeks, and hit 23 weeks right after Pascha. Everyone took a big breath at that.
Are you interested in knitting 'Igal yourself? If you are, I am ready to conduct a beta knit, and you could choose one of six sizes from Infant to Women's Large. The pattern is back from my tech editor and ready to enjoy. Please e-mail me for more information. Depending on the size you choose, you could finish this in a week or two of light evening knitting.
I have just about finished The Joy of Yarn. It is encouraging and inspiring. Most of what she recommends at the beginning is what I've already done with my stash. However, her mindset is what really helps. It is the why of the stash, which is the heart of stash mansgement. I finished The Candy Cane Caper, which was a mystery, but not a mystery about murder, and started another happy, little murder which is more seasonally appropriate, taking place around Easter. We are finally settling in to our normal schedule a little, and I am getting more reading in now.
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: Books, Design, Family, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Menu Plan: End of the Paschal Octave
Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
In the Antiochian Church, there is no fasting for all the Paschal season, not just the Octave. Our priest here has said, that though he would never tell anyone that he must keep the Wednesday and Friday fasts during the Paschal season, as the Bishop has spoken on this, and he would never go against the Bishop, that the people in the Middle East suffer much more than we in the west, and need more relief than we do, so he still keeps those fasts. So, as a way of still celebrating as we are permitted, but also acknowledging the truth of what our local priest has said, we have been eating fish, dairy, and egg on Wednesdays and Fridays during the season as a compromise, while still continuing our celebration. We are enjoying all the dairy and fish! (Since Nejat's birthday falls on a Friday during these 50 days, though, we will be making whatever she wants for her birthday dinner, meat or not).
This week is a week of rest for us. There is school work and there are things to be done here, but with our travel to and from Eugene to commemorate the Triduum, Pascha and the first part of Bright Week with Dominic and Shawn, we didn't get as much rest as we would have normally had. I didn't make the blintz casserole I normally do at Thanksgiving when Dominic and Shawn came this past year, and Dominic had told Shawn all about how great it was and that I made it each year, so I felt terrible for skipping it. Anyway, I made sure to make it for our Paschal brunch in Eugene, so they could enjoy it.
There are a few things we've moved around from last week and this week. You'll see a couple repeats on this week's menu. We are taking the school week a little more easily and only doing what is absolutely necessary and enjoying the real beginning of spring here. We know it is spring here, because the flies are buzzing. It is fly season, and we are now decorating with fly strips. There are so many fewer flies than we used to have before the Muscovies, so I am cultivating gratitude over that.
It is so wonderful to be celebrating as the entire Church this year. Blessed Feast!
- Sunday - Final Day of the Paschal Octave and Divine Mercy Sunday
Breakfast: Paschal Braided Bread, Pascha Cheese, Bacon, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Meat Lasagna (plus a gluten free one), Garlic Bread, Salad, Ice Cream - Monday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Fruit, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Ham Fried Rice with Veggies, Marinated Cucumbers, Mandarin Oranges - Tuesday
Breakfast: Red Eggs, Toast, Olives, Sliced Apples, Tea and Coffee
Dinner: Pulled Pork, Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Fruit Plate - Wednesday
Breakfast: Tunisian Shakshouka (using sweet potatoes), Grapefruit Cups, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta Trapanese (gluten free for Jerome), Garlic Bread, Salad, Fruit Plate - Thursday - Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo and Cheese, Toast, Oranges, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Fancy Hot Dogs, Egg Noodles (gluten free for Jerome), Steam Sautéed Carrots with Garlic and Dill, Nutella Mousse with Berries - Friday - Feast of Saint Athanasius
Breakfast: Arabic Cheeses, Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Za’atar, Salatat Batatas ou Bayd*, Blood Oranges, Milky Tea
Dinner: Fried Stuffed Eggplant, Tabbouleh (herb salad for Jerome), Gatayif - Saturday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Toast and Cheese, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pressure Cooker Greek Style Spare Ribs, Basmati Rice, Roasted Zucchini, Knaffeh
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fesh'a, Homemaking, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Pascha, Tales from the Kitchen
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Menu Plan: Bright Week
Christ is Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Traditionally, the eight days of the Paschal Octave have absolutely no fasting in them. You will see plenty of meat and dairy and eggs this week! In the Antiochian jurisdiction, there is no fasting during the entire Paschal season. Our local priest does not contradict this, but does caution that this relaxation of the normative rule was abrogated in a place and time where Christians are already suffering incredibly, on a daily basis, and that we in this country could probably do with more exercises of our faith and spiritual strength, though he would never state that we must keep the fast during that time. In our family, we have decided that on the Mondays and Wednesdays of the Paschal season after the Octave we will still refrain from meat, but will enjoy fish, dairy and eggs, wine, and oil. In this way, we can enjoy the looser dietary rules, while still respecting the spirit of restraint our local priest mentions.
We are spreading our feast that we normally make for the day of the feast and having it all week. Since we are attending the Agape meal at church, we might be making some of the desserts together as a family on Monday, but if we don't, I'll make them individually on different days this week.
It is so beautiful that this is one of the years in which the entire Church has fasted and is feasting together. May it always be so! Blessed Feast!
- Sunday - Pascha/Fesh'a
Brunch: Blintz Casserole with Mixed Berry Jam, Red Eggs, Ham, Fresh Fruit, Ma'amoul, Leftovers from our Pascha Basket, Coffee, Tea and Milk
Dinner: Waraq 'Ounab, Laban bi Chiyar, Baq'lawa, Gluten Free Persian Love Cake for Agape Meal - Monday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Bacon and Eggs, Milk, Coffee, Tea
Dinner: Red Chile Pork, Cilantro Garlic Lime Rice, Spicy Refried Beans, Fried Peppersand Onions, Tortillas, Salsa, Crema, Shredded Cabbage, Ice Cream - Tuesday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Sausages, Toast, Fruit Plate, Milk, Coffee and Tea
Dinner: Out with Friends - Wednesday
Breakfast: Za'atar and Labneh Board with Olives, Vegetables, and Bread, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Grilled Polish Sausages and Onions, Sauerkraut, Salt Potatoes with Butter, Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, Peep S'mores - Thursday
Breakfast: Yemeni Lahsa, Tamis, Fruit, Tea with Milk and Honey
Dinner: Herb Roasted Green Lamb, Tourshi, Tourshi Makhloot, Olives, Harissa, Sah'awiq, Duqqus, Arabic Style Rice Pilaf, Gatayif - Friday - Feast of Saint Mark
Breakfast: Savory Parmesan French Toast with Hollandaise Sauce, Fruit Plate, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Fatayir bi Sabanich, Fatayir bil Joubneh, Sambousak, Harissa, Sah'awiq, Knaffeh - Saturday
Breakfast: Scotchicanese Eggs, Paschal Braided Bread, Pascha Cheese, Strawberries and Oranges, Hot Chocolate, Sahlab, and Coffee
Dinner: Leftover Lamb, Hummus, Baba Ghanooj, Muhamarrah, Khoubz Araby, Leftover Desserts
Labels: Bright Week, Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fesh'a, Homemaking, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Pascha, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Craft On: Knitting for Grandchildren
'Igal is nearly finished. I think I will finish it in the next day or two. If there is enough of the blue left for the baby sized i-cord, I will make another hat with the colors reversed. Lentilla's socks are finished, and I will be giving them to Dominic and Shawn soon. We have a road trip coming up soon, and I should have a lot of car time to work on Amelia's sweater, maybe finish it.
Are you interested in knitting 'Igal yourself? If you are, I am just about ready to conduct a beta knit, and you could choose one of six sizes from Infant to Women's Large. Please e-mail me for more information. Depending on the size you choose, you could finish this in a week or two of light evening knitting.
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: Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Menu Plan: Holy Week
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
The final three days of Holy Week are counted as a single unit, the Triduum, or three days, which are a continuous liturgy. It begins with the liturgy on Maundy Thursday, then with the Good Friday liturgies, venerating the cross and the mourning at the tomb, finishing with the Vigil on Saturday evening, which flows into the Paschal liturgy at midnight.
This week is our first week of spring break (though two of the kids are in a biology and geometry class with a hired teacher, and they have class this week), but it is our work week. I have already made the sheera and assembled the baq'lawa and put it in the freezer to bake on the day of the feast, and made the red dye for the eggs, the girls helped me put together the waraq 'ounab, and we have frozen them so we can just cook them on that day, as well. Bright Week is our actual week of "rest" for spring break, by which I mean, our kids sleep in and rest, and I will be making loads of the foods I normally make for the day of the feast.
I pray for a blessed Holy Week and Triduum for you all!
- Sunday - Palm Sunday
Breakfast: Mana'eesh, Blackberries, Mint Tea with Honey, and Coffee
Dinner: Herby Coconut-Poached Rockfish, Jasmine Rice, Fruit/Salads/Vegetable Side Dishes/Breads brought by Parishioners, Strawberries - Monday - Holy Monday
Breakfast: Lenten and Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey, and Coffee
Dinner: Instant Pot Thai Vegetable Curry, Jasmine Rice, Mandarin Oranges - Tuesday - Holy Tuesday
Breakfast: Lenten French Toast (page 101 in Fasting as a Family), Baked Sweet Potato with Brown Sugar, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Clove for Jerome, Tea with Honey, and Coffee
Dinner: East African Pilau, Portuguese Marinated Carrots, Sliced Cantaloupe - Wednesday - Spy Wednesday
Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Chopped Apples, Raisins, Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Lentil Chimichangas (also from Fasting as a Family) with Prize Winning Roasted Tomato Salsa, Cilantro Lime Rice, Sliced Oranges - Thursday - Maundy Thursday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Crab and Avocado Salad, Crackers (GF for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Friday - Good Friday
Breakfast: Fasting
Dinner: Crudités, Crackers, and Fruit for Nejat - Saturday - Vigil/Bright Saturday
Breakfast: Potato Hash, Fruit, Tea with Honey for Younger Girls
Dinner: Sirnica, Italian Bacon and Romano Pasqua Bread, Ham, Charcuterie Trio, Fancy Cheeses, Strawberries, Red Eggs, Ma'amoul, Chocolate Lambs, H'alawa, Sesame Candies, Chocolate Eggs, Jelly Bellies, all from our Pascha basket, to break the fast after the Vigil and Paschal Liturgy
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fasting as a Family, Holy Week, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Palm Sunday, Tales from the Kitchen, Triduum
Wednesday, April 09, 2025
Craft On: Real Progress
'Igal is well underway, it is more than half way to completion, and Lentilla's little socks are nearly completed. However, I made an annoying, little mistake on one repeat of the cable on the socks, about a repeat and a half back, so I will be fixing that before I finish off the toe on the second sock. I plan on making the infant size of 'Igal for little Lentilla in reversed colors, too!
Are you interested in knitting 'Igal yourself? If you are, I am just about ready to conduct a beta knit, and you could choose one of six sizes from Infant to Women's Large. Please e-mail me for more information. Depending on the size you choose, you could finish this in a week or two of light evening knitting.
In the meantime, I am still working on Amelia's sweater, planning to start another design and a jacket for myself. I'm really hoping to finish my works in progress so I can move on to other projects, as well.
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: Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
Sunday, April 06, 2025
Menu Plan: Passion Sunday
We are nearing the end of the fast. Properly, this Sunday is called Passion Sunday, was the beginning of the final week of Lent, with Holy Week being its own separate and distinct observance. Passion Sunday gave the general overview of the last days of Christ's life on earth, while with Palm Sunday, we enter into each day of that final week with Him quite specifically. Unfortunately, in the West, this has largely been relegated to a footnote to Palm Sunday, rather than its own observance. So, right on the heels of celebrating the Hosannas of Christ's triumphal entry, we often slide into the Good Friday narrative. This is a shame; it is jarring, and robs parishioners of the real walk of that final week of His life with Him during Holy week, from Palm Sunday, the first, celebratory, day, the instructive events of Holy Monday and Tuesday, with the fig tree and the annointing with perfume and oil, through His betrayal on Spy Wednesday, His Last Supper and the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist, His arrest and trial, on Thursday, His crucifixion on Friday, and His rest in the tomb, as He harrowed Hell to free those captive to death on Saturday. We live through the events of that week each year. It seems to me that the modern church seems to think it is too much to ask of her people to take that walk with Him for one week each year. Meanwhile, our calendars and prayer books still show that this is the historic practice and we preserve it in this way only. We will keep His final days in mind this week, meditating on His words and actions, as we prepare for the hard Via Dolorosa we will embark on next Monday.
Passion Sunday marks the last week of Lent, as a summary of what Christ did to rescue us from sin and death, as we ready ourselves to walk each day of the way of sorrow with Him and, in the East, ends with Lazarus Saturday, the first resurrection which points to the greater one. We have begun observing it ourselves, as one of the commemorations that is significant to the life of the Church. Jesus raised Lazarus in anticipation of His own resurrection - and ours. One tradition for Lazarus Saturday is to make sweet, little breads shaped like a man wrapped in linens (Lazarakia). Another is to permit the eating of caviar (fish eggs) as little eggs, before we get to have eggs again on the Paschal feast.
Saint Lazarus lived for 30 years more after being raised by Jesus and became the first bishop of Cyprus - he had more work to do. We especially love how Jesus shows us that death is still our enemy with Lazarus. Even though He was about to raise him from the dead, He still wept at Lazarus' death. There was no nonsense about how he had gone to a better place or how he was somehow free of this mortal coil (which is gnostic heresy). He wept. This is because death is the enemy of all and Christ never wanted anyone to die. Raising Lazarus was His last major act before walking the Via Dolorosa of Holy Week, which is why Lazarus is remembered on the Saturday before Palm Sunday.
As for our Lent, I am pleased that, with the exception of a few half gallons of almond or oat milk, we have not used any fake dairy or meat or egg the entire time. I don't really count coconut milk, because it is a real ingredient in real historic cuisines and that oat/almond milk is a concession to my husband who adulterates his coffee shamelessly. We have done a better job of eating the many good things that are naturally Lenten. This led to the kids insisting that we skip the tabbouleh this year, since it is composed of vegetables and grains, and they say that is what they eat during Lent and can eat at any other time that isn't a feasting time. I don't know how I feel about that.
In all seriousness, this season has been an incredible time of growth for all of us, as well, though I don't know if all the kids are recognizing it in themselves. I pray that this Lent has been holy and blessed for you and that you have grown in spiritual strength and in love of Christ and His Church. Blessed Fast!
- Sunday
Breakfast: Ful, Sah'awiq, Bread, Chopped Chopped Tomatoes, Onions, Peppers, Radishes, and Olives, Tea with Honey and Coffee
Dinner: Eggplant Gyros, Marinated Sumac Red Onions, Sliced Veggies, Kalamata Olives, Tamis, Taratoor, Toum, Fruit/Sides/Salads brought by Parishioners - Monday
Breakfast: Scrambled Chickpeas with Veggies, Toast, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Lemon and Herb Rice Pilaf, Fruit Plate - Tuesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Chopped Apples, Raisins, Brown Sugar and Spices, Tea with Honey and Coffee
Dinner: Spanish Poor Man's Potatoes, Portugeuse Spicy Rice, Green Salad, Sliced Oranges - Wednesday
Breakfast: Potato Breakfast Burritos, Salsa, Grapefruit Cups, Tea with Honey and Coffee
Dinner: Rice Stuffed Tomatoes, Sautéed Peppers and Onions with Garlic, Bread, Sliced Apples - Thursday
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Honey, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Curried Chickpea Salad (Sandwiches or Stuffed in Tomatoes), Sliced Oranges - Friday - Feast of Pope Saint Leo the Great
Breakfast: Sweet Potato Hash, Sliced Oranges, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Lenten Borscht, Dark Rye Bread (GF for Jerome), Fruit Plate - Saturday - Lazarus Saturday
Breakfast: Tomato Toast (GF for Jerome), Grapefruit Cups, Tea with Honey and Coffee
Dinner: French Vegetable Soup, Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, French Bread, Blackberry Sorbet Bars
Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Fasting as a Family, Homemaking, Lent, Menu Plans, Passion Sunday, Tales from the Kitchen
Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Craft On: Works in Progress
Everything I'm working on is close to finished. Even the hat that looks like it is just started. I've knit the cast-on edge to the live stitches and started the decreases, which will make the hat itself go rather quickly. I'm more than half way through the leg on the second sock for Lentilla. I'm half way through the first sleeve on Amelia's sweater. I'm half way through a pair of socks for a friend of ours.
However, except for the baby socks, I'm not sure when I will finish anything. The socks will probably be finished this weekend, as I am working on the hat more during the work week. The hat should have been finished two weeks ago, but life was getting in the way. The sweater shouldn't take long, but somehow these garter stitch sleeves are taking forever. This isn't a great feeling right now.
For a while there, it felt like I was making really good progress, but it seems to have slowed a bit. So, for instance, I only finished one full project each in both February and March. However, I have three projects that are at least half complete, two of which are nearly finished, and 'Igal that isn't quite that far along, but will move quickly now. I think next week I will be more cheerful about my projects, though. Once I get a couple more finished things, I will feel better.
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: Books, Design, Homemaking, Knitting, WIP, Yarn Along
