Monday the 18th: Saint of the Week

 *Last week had a great saint almost every day. This week is almost as full, but I'm going to stick with the Mary theme and tell you about Friday, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. As Americans we have a fraught relationship with hierarchy and monarchy. On one hand our whole country was founded as a rejection of a lineage of monarchy; on the other hand, many Americans can't get enough of following royal gossip, whether it be legislative or pop culture monarchy. I think that what we might take fruitfully from the Queenship of Mary goes back to the role of the Queen Mother in the Old Testatment: as seen in Esther in particular but also the first book of Kings and also 2 Samuel is that the Queen Mother had a particular role of speaking for the people before then king, and as much as possible the king could not deny her requests for them. How consoling then that Mary can intercede for us in a particular way, both in bringing our intentions before God but also in helping us understand what our intentions should be.

 (From Pinterest to http://catholic-line-art.tumblr.com/image/114739711311)

 

Friday the 15th: Reading of the Week

 I picked up this 1967 journal last summer while at a conference for Oblate Directors in North America. So far it's been really fun to see how those living right after Vatican II predicted the "new Church" would revise the sacrament of Baptism.

 

 

 

 

Thursday the 14th: Food of the Week

 It's so hard to get good food pictures!

*Sunday we had soy-ginger glazed grilled chicken breasts, corn fritters, and mint thin cookies. I have planted mint but it hasn't really gone to town yet, so I bought a package of mint from the store to put in them. They made a large batch and are very tasty, as are the fritters and chicken.  

*Monday we had my mom's waffle recipe, which is the best waffle recipe that we have found in 25 years of looking.

*Tuesday I made chilled tomato soup. I have to dial down the paprika, but once that was done we had a really nice soup. The Husband picked up some grilled cheese sandwiches from Sonic to finish off the meal.  I also made a doubled peach crisp from this recipe, and we already finished it off the next day.  

*Last night we had herbed turkey burgers. They had mint and parsley from the garden in them; my parsley never grew very well so that may be the end of that plant. The burgers were tasty but a little small for the ciabatta buns. We also had frozen tater tots.

*Tonight is leftovers as the Husband is traveling, son has work, and I have a Vigil Mass for the Assumption.

*Tomorrow is Pizza Hasselback Potatoes, and that's the week!  Three new recipes and five repeat recipes.

 

 

Wednesday the 13th: Music of the Week

 *My boss has ordered a bunch of music for the new year, but none of it has arrived yet, so I'm just working on 4 Masses for this weekend (Thursday, Saturday, and 2 Sunday) and then piecing through my musical music. I have finished act I and the entre'acte and have not moved on to Act II.

Tuesday the 12th: County Fair

 *We finally made it to our local county fair this year after 10 years. We ate food, rode a ride, toured around a 4H building (one of many) and walked among the horses, rabbits, and chickens. It's been a while since I exhibited at the fair but it's nice to see how many things are the same. Below are some gorgeous quilts that won ribbons.

 

 

Monday the 11th: Saint of the Week

 *Friday is the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. The doctrine as outlined in 1950 states "that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." (https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus.html par. 44)

 Mary's life and assumption give us hope that if we follow Christ we too will be reunited with him in heaven, body and soul, at the Second Coming. 

 (Traced from Pinterest to https://lily-maiden.blogspot.com/2008/12/advent-day-9-immaculate-conception.html)

 

Friday the 8th: Books

 I'm pretty pleased that I have another new book to move into. This is a collection of excerpts from Agatha Christie's autobiography matched against the letters and photos she sent her mom and sister as she traveled around the world for 10 months in 1922. It's a hundred years ago, but such a different world and a different way of looking at other people and other cultures. I'm enjoying it.