Quick and Easy Summer Salad

I love fruit salads, especially on hot summer days.  If you need to put together a salad at the last minute for a BBQ, party or just for dinner with family...here is one of my favorite 'go to' recipes:

1 can (21 oz.) peach pie filling
3 firm bananas, sliced
2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
1 cup seedless grapes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Refrigerate until serving.
Makes 6-8 servings

"Might I,"...."might I have a bit of Earth?"

The Secret Garden - by Frances Hodgson Burnett

In my opinion (as an avid reader/gardener of course), the best summer read ever!  I picked up my treasured copy in 1979 at The Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts in the most quaint bookstore for miles around!

Old Sturbridge Village Bookstore

Little Robin Red-Breast...

The American Robin is perhaps the best-known songbird in America.  Their arrival is considered a sure sign that spring is on it's way, but most species overwinter in most of the lower 48 states.  They are very vocal during their nesting season, often greeting us with their songs a wee bit too early in the morning for our liking!  Robins are often seen on suburban lawns, cocking their heads as if they are listening for predators.  In actuality, they rely solely on sight to capture worms, their main diet.                 

I have personally nursed numerous Robins, many whom did not survive, due to them being poisoned.  Popular lawn and garden fertilizers that come in the small white pellet form contain ammonium sulfate, which these beauties mistake for seed and then eat.  It then disintegrates their digestive systems, a very sad process to witness.  May I please suggest organic fertilizers for your lawns and gardens at all times?  Then we can continue to enjoy the "Little Robin Red-Breast" for many more seasons to come.

Now THIS Hummer is fuel efficient...

The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is one of the most common feeder hummingbirds, and if you are very still one of these little beauties will fly right up and look you in the face...a fascinating experience!  Their habitat is the Rocky Mountain meadows, forests and city feeder sites.  They are 4-4 1/2 ", green above and white below.  The male has a rose colored neck (gorget) and the female has pinkish flanks.

For your hummingbird feeder, do NOT use commercially produced syrup.  The red dye can be toxic to the birds.  I make my own syrup with 1 part fine sugar to 3 parts boiling water.  Let the water cool, poor it into your feeder (no need to add any coloring) and watch the frenzy!  If there is such a thing as reincarnation...yep, I'm coming back as a hummingbird...so watch out!

Try Something New in the Garden

May is considered the major planting season in the Rocky Mountain region.  Once Mother's Day has passed, the craziness will begin as you see the gardening retailers chomping at the bit to sell you their wares.  Choosing what you want in your garden can be a daunting task.  Most of us go with the basics;  corn, zucchini (too much of that), carrots, tomatoes and such.  But why not think outside the box this year and plant one of my favorites, Red Kuri Squash?  I discovered this delicious member of the winter squash family while working at a produce market in Sandy, UT.  It looks very much like a small pumpkin, about 12" long and 10" across with a darker orange skin and flesh that is sweet, not unlike a yam.  They grow very well here, in full sun and adequate water.  The seeds are not easy to find, however, and I have had to order mine online the past couple of seasons.  (Make sure you order USDA Organic seeds)  These squash are excellent to bake, steam or microwave.  I spread a little butter and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon on one when I need a healthy dessert.  They store well and are loaded with vitamins A, B and C.  Give them a try and let us know what you think!

Hot Cross Buns For Good Friday, Easter Menu, Historical Traditions of Easter Explained, and More Decorating Ideas

Hot Cross Buns for Good Friday: 

Easter weekend is here and at our house we are getting ready to celebrate and have family come into town from Utah! Today for Good Friday, we are going to make Hot Cross Buns this afternoon. They are easy to make, delicious, and a good thing to have the kids help with. It is also a nice activity to incorporate the story of the crucifixion for younger ears. Since I am posting before baking I will just put a link to the recipe we are using today and hopefully I will get around to posting a picture of our buns later. Here is the link: http://www.marthastewart.com/332287/hot-cross-buns

Easter Menu:

Here is the line up for Easter food for our family this weekend. If you needed any ideas as to what to make for various occasions I will also post some links to great Easter recipe ideas.:

 

 

 

The Historical Significance of Easter Symbols and Traditions:

Spring has been a season of celebration since ancient times. Winter often ravaged people with death and hunger and the turning of the seasons was welcomed with exuberance and joy as it meant food, warmth, and new opportunities for trade and barter. Feasts, dances, and music surrounded spring festivals -for nearly every place and people on earth. Many of the Easter symbols and customs today are not just commercial ideas put forth to make you spend money. Of course commercialism is a quick way to ruin the true meaning of any holiday, but most of these companies and stores play off the actual important symbols of the holiday and exploit them to an irreverent level. 

Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Easter and spring is the egg. In ancient India and Egypt, people thought the world itself began as a giant egg. The world then became split in two -the upper half being the heavens and the lower terra. For countless years it was custom to give eggs as gifts for the turning of winter. Ancient Persians and Chinese also celebrated new life and the blossoming of vegetation with eggs and baskets of eggs being presented to family and friends. In Europe it became custom to decorate blown or hollowed eggs elaborately with paints, wax, and real flowers. Some of the traditional symbols used in Poland and Yugoslavia on Easter eggs are: Flowers: symbolic of love; Deer: symbolic of good health; The Sun: symbolic of good luck; and The Rooster: symbolic of wishes that will come true. In Russia eggs have been made of gold, crystals, and gems and then presented to the current royal family on Easter. Germany was the first country to make Easter Egg Trees. The custom for these trees is to hollow or blow various types and sizes of eggs, color them, and then string them from the tree branches. Sometimes they used trees and bushes outdoors, and sometimes they brought the tree inside and placed it on the table for Easter Dinner. Another popular and ancient custom involving eggs are the various Egg-Rolling Games that evolved into the modern day Easter Egg Hunts. 

The rabbit is another widely recognized symbol for Easter and spring. There is a lot of historical speculation concerning the origin of the bunny as a symbol for Easter, but in ancient times the rabbit was a symbol of fertility and new life (and if you have even owned a breeding rabbit you know why -they don't stop until the drop). The legend of the Easter Bunny most likely came from it being a symbol for the pagan goddess, Eostra -the goddess of spring and fertility in pre-Christian Germany. Here is an excerpt from an article on Easter symbols: 

"According to the University of Florida's Center for Children's Literature and Culture, the origin of the celebration — and the origin of the Easter Bunny — can be traced back to 13th-century, pre-Christian Germany, when people worshiped several gods and goddesses. The Teutonic deity Eostra was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were held in her honor on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal’s high reproduction rate. The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country, according to the Center for Children's Literature and Culture.
The tradition of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon followed. Eventually, nests became decorated baskets and colorful eggs were swapped for candy, treats and other small gifts"

 Ian O'Neil, Library of Congress, Corbis.

Of course, all fauna and flora elements that emerge in the spring season became tied into Easter and spring celebrations. The new available produce in the spring garden also frame traditional  food and include ramps (a favorite of mine), rhubarb (YUM), spring onions, fiddlehead ferns, bok choy, spring varieties of peas and pea shoots, radishes, leeks, garlic scapes, artichokes, new potatoes, spring lettuces, micro-greens, morel mushrooms, and many others. The most common meat on the spring table is pork/ham and lamb. Ham is probably the most commonly used meat for Easter celebrations. In the early days, meat was slaughtered in the fall. There was no refrigeration, and the fresh pork that wasn't consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for spring. The curing process took a long time, and the first hams were ready around the time Easter rolled around. Thus, ham was a natural choice for the celebratory Easter dinner. 

Whatever traditions and symbols you and your family chose to include in your Easter celebrations, I hope you find the meaning behind the motions and in doing so hopefully more fully enjoy the season. Sometimes it really helps to do research on the symbols and traditions of a particular holiday. Research can help you decide which of the many traditions resonate with you and your family -thus enabling you to pick and choose your traditions based on which mean most to you and you can weed out the rest. I hope you find something to celebrate this spring and Easter season and remember not to stress, but to savor. Happy Easter from my family!

Here are some links to spring menu ideas and spring produce:

http://www.saveur.com/seasonal-guides.jsp?season=2659

http://www.foodnetwork.com/spring-produce-guide/package/index.html

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/seasonal/43-easy-spring-produce-recipes-00000000009519/

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/easterfoodhist.htm

http://www.marthastewart.com/969278/easter-main-dishes/@center/276968/easter

Some More Easter and Spring Decor Around the Our House:
(I didn't have time to make any new Easter or spring decorations this year, so my new ideas and preferences in style went unexplored this time -but the good thing about holidays is there is always another one. Until next year -here is the decor for this Easter.)

I like to embellish grapevine wreaths with whatever seasonal item the month calls for. These wreaths are inexpensive, easy to use, and take almost any decoration or embellishment well. 

The paper figures are from a set of vintage Easter paper cut outs that my mom gave me a few years ago. I didn't know how to best display them so I strung them into some lambs wool yarn and it makes a cheerful and festive garland. The little oval boxes were something I decoupaged a few years ago.

The fireplace mantle is sporting spring branches courtesy of real branches with buds and torn fake blossoms from the faux branches at the store. This decorating idea lasts longer than fresh blossoms -although I always have to get fresh ones to put in vases anyway.

I have already changed this twice since I took this picture, but here is the general idea for the non-effort table scape.

I like the more natural and simple tones for Easter, too. I used dried moss, more faux white blossoms, and of course -wood and grapevine wreaths.

I made little nests out of craft grasses and moss. I stick twigs, blossoms, and various odds and ends in them and then place them in different places around the house.

Still to come: Natural Egg dying (we are doing that tonight), Easter Egg Hunt Fun, and of course, Easter Sunday. Also, our family is going to celebrate sugaring off this week by visiting The Maple Tree Inn! I am so excited and I will do a post on maple sugaring and I have been using recipes that involve maple sugar which I will share on the blog soon (like the Maple Curried Sweet Potato and Spinach recipe pictured here). Until next time! 

Win a Custom Designed Easter Basket from Kevin Sharkey at Martha Stewart Living Omnimeda!

WIN A GIFT BASKET FROM MARTHA STEWART LIVING'S KEVIN SHARKEY!

 Hello everyone! Here is a quick blurb about a fun contest going on right now at my favorite place -Martha Stewart Living! Submit pictures of your spring decorating, baking, and traditions via Instagram or Twitter and you could win a custom designed basket from Kevin Sharkey (aka the decorating and floral arrangement king of the world)! To enter go here: http://www.marthastewart.com/970996/msleaster-submissions?xsc=eml_soe_easter_2013_03_26  Good luck to all of you! 

Today was my birthday and our yard obviously heard as it had several lovely surpriseS for me! Crocuses, the first spring onions, and a nice therapeutic barefoot walk in the muddy garden made the day even brighter. (I love dirt....no really, I do.)

First bits of spring decorating extravaganza 2013! More to come tomorrow when the lighting is better!

Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh...

Walk into any room, any time of the year, and if there are fresh cut flowers they will surely be the first thing that grab your eye.  Fresh flowers can brighten any room but the trick is making them last!  When I owned my own home, I grew a cutting garden and I would keep cut flowers around as long as Mother Nature and the Utah weather would allow.  I have learned a few tricks to keeping them fresh a bit longer.  With spring just around the corner, here are some of the methods I have used and a few others I have borrowed from various gardening books:
First, don't cut the flowers with scissors.  Use a knife (I had one I used just for flowers).  Because of the bulkiness of the stems, scissors will crush the vascular system of the flowers causing improper water uptake.  Cut on an angle.  Then, they must go right away into prepared water.  Try these ideas and see what works best for you:

  1. Dissolve one or two aspirin into the water, then add 1/2 tsp. bleach per quart.
  2. Mix one part lemon-lime soda to three parts water, then 1/2 tsp. bleach per quart.
  3. Try 2 tsp. lemon juice with 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp bleach per quart of water.
  4.  Now here's a weird one, but according to Plantea.com, 2 oz. of Listerine mouthwash per gallon of water will act as a plant food and is acidic, so it helps fluid move into the stems.  I haven't tried this one...as we all have such great breath in my family, we have no need of mouthwash, ha ha!    
I prefer not to use the little packets that come from the florists...chemicals, ugh.
Make sure your vases are clean and free of mold and calcium deposits.  Check the water everyday and if it gets cloudy, change immediately....but you will need to snip about 1/4 inch off the stems to re-open ends before placing the flowers back into the clean water.

Hopefully, you will give one or two of these methods a try.  Please send comments to our blog...let us know what works best for you...and enjoy those blooms.  Happy Spring!  

Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Flowers  
Plant food instruction courtesy of Plantea.com            

Passover -A Holiday of Liberation

Passover -A Holiday of Liberation

The Five Rabbis By Leipnik Haggadah, Northern Germany 1740

Today marked the first day of Jewish Passover (March 25th-April 2) and I thought I would pay respect to this ancient and wonderful celebration. In a major nut shell, Passover is the holiday celebrating the moment in which Israel became a nation and when the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob emerged from slavery in Egypt to change history. It is a holiday akin to the likes of The Fourth of July, Cinco de Mayo, and France's Bastille Day. Families come together in worship and over food and drink and they celebrate for seven or eight days.Preparations for this celebration can take people weeks to carry out. It is celebrated in a reverent manner -sans fanfare, picnics,or fireworks. This is because although it is a joyful celebration, it is also a solemn one. I loved what I read as reasoning for this: "We celebrate our freedom from oppression, yet we do not rejoice in the suffering of our oppressors." ~ Wonder and Miracles by Eric A. Kimmel. 

Living in Brighton, New York has many wonderful aspects, and being surrounded by a large Jewish community is one of these wonderful experiences. I love the fact that my children are taught a great deal of Jewish as well as many other traditions in school and in the community. For me, a huge focus as a mother is to help my children become aware, observant, and respectful of other religions, philosophies, and customs in the hope that they will truly be peacemakers and peacekeepers. In order to enlighten my children concerning these things I, too, must do my own research and overcome my ignorance (and if you know me well you know that I LOVE research!). This past week the kids and I went to the library and checked out some books about Passover. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories and learning more about this ancient and holy celebration! Although I am still entirely novice concerning this holiday, I want to share a little bit of the things we have learned about Passover and also to share some great ideas I have seen from Jewish people who celebrate this holiday of liberation each year. 

"It shall be that when you come to the land that God has promised, you shall observe this service..." Exodus 12:25

Here is the main website with all the information concerning Passover: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/default_cdo/aid/109747/jewish/Passover.htm 

Here is a description of Passover: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/What-Is-Passover.htm

Even Martha Stewart Living has their Passover rituals down to an artistic science. There are great ideas for a fabulous Seders and menus that will make everyone excited to sit down and eat.: http://www.marthastewart.com/274198/passover-recipes/@center/307033/spring-holidays

"We need not always weep and mourn.

Let my people go.

And wear these slavery chains forlorn.

Let my people go."

~Go Down, Moses~

A Happy and Kosher Passover to all who celebrate it!

Everything Post: St.Patrick's Day Recap, Mac and Cheese, Women's History Month, and Springing on Spring

Post St.Patrick's Day Recap

Baby Enya and my Bodhran making lovely music together. I am hoping to indoctrinate percussion at young age -it is my duty as a drumming mommy.

Adult Leprechaun table setting. I used potatoes, Bells of Ireland, and Irish Oats canister, and a plate with an Irish blessing on it as the center piece. I also embellished the table with green and orange doilies under the drinks, unbleached linen napkins, gold leafed silverwear, burlap, and a strip of green mod-cloth.

The Spread: Corned Beef with Red and Green Cabbage, Onions, Carrots. Virgin Soda Bread (sans fruit because my boys and husband don't like spotted soda bread -much to my dismay.)  An Irish cheese tray featuring Dubliner with Stout, Irish Cheddar with Port veins, and regular Dubliner. Also on cheese tray -Irish Kerrygold butter, Grain Mustard with Guinness, and apples to cut the tart flavor of the cheese. The soup was Potato and Bacon Soup brought by our friends. It was the perfect creamy consistency! The remaining side dishes are sauteed leeks and creamed mashers. I was trying to do a toned down version of Colcannon but I wasn't sure of my guests would go for kale and leeks mixed in with the pratties -so I stuck with leeks only and set them on the side. Finally, the last appetizers were pepper shamrocks with carrots and Dubliner dip and a fruit rainbow (the peppers and the rainbow were the only corny non-Irish dished allowed in the menu simply because they were nutritious and cute. Otherwise I stick strictly to authentic Irish food -no nasty fake green dyes splashed into everything. Just because it is green doesn't make it Irish!) -End rant. Not pictured was dessert (it was devoured before I could take the pictures): Soda Bread Apple Tart Tartain with Cashel Blue Ice Cream and Regular Vanilla Ice cream. Yes, you read right, Cashel Blue Cheese Ice Cream. It is not everyone's cup of tea, but it is a common addition to Irish ice cream and often served with apple desserts. I always serve it with regular Vanilla ice cream to be safe, but I also try to provide as authentic a food experience as possible so I have to add it in for fun.

Little Leprechaun rainbow table. I got the rainbow plates at the store for $1.99. The boys made the "pots of gold" with black cups and pipe cleaners. I filled them with Trader Joe's Peanut Butter, Caramel, Dark Chocolate truffles and then sprinkled "Rainbow Rocks" aka all natural jelly beans (also from Trader Joe's) around the plates. The rainbow is simply crepe paper cut into streamers. SO easy and the kids loved it! Also, you can see in the picture on the left that in the middle I set a St.Patrick's bucket with craft materials in it to keep the kids busy after dinner. Ironically, we forgot to do the craft with our friends because we were having so much fun playing and talking.  

I got the opportunity and blessing to go see an arts lecture by Frank Delaney. My friend could not go and so she gave me the tickets. I took my friend, Wende, and we had an amazing time. Frank has long been a literary hero of mine and of course being Irish only ups his 'amazing factor' in my mind. His presentation was on how he gained his unique voice as a writer. I have not been to a more inspiring speech in a ling time and it was certainly THE most inspiring literary lecture I have ever been to. Mr. Delaney is dubbed by NPR as "the most eloquent man int he world" and it may seem a lofty acclamation to live up to, but I assure you he is the very epitome of such a title. Mr. Delaney was a quote a minute and I could not take enough notes fast enough to capture the almost musical expression coming from his words. This man is truly a sage of our time and I was honored to attend this event.

My sentimental St.Patrick's pendant. I received it years ago as a gift for donating to a children's camp in Northern Ireland that promotes peace and tolerance between Catholic and Protestant families.

Playing my bodhran for the little leprechauns by the fire. A nice and relaxing (aside from the faster songs...;-) way to end St.Patrick's evening.

Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese Recipe

 Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

 

It is still cold and snowy here in Rochester, I am still making cozy warm meals to fill us up and keep the frigid temperatures from turning us into living ice sculptures. I am also always looking for ways to sneak veggies into my kids meals because anyone who knows me and my kids knows they are THE pickiest eaters on the planet, hands down. "Oh no", you say, "My kids are the pickiest." I DARE you to challenge my picky kid stories with yours. You will be schooled -BIG TIME. And what a happy thing to lose at. I hope to lose this title some day. Please. Anyway, here is the recipe that I whipped up the other day simply because I had previously made Sweet Potato soup (the box variety will work just fine for this recipe, too) and I was desperately conspiring with other the child-loved ingredients in the fridge on how to get that soup in their bellies. Here is the result of desperation. It was a VERY tasty scandal. 

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups sweet potato soup
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
• 2 cups grated Gruyere/ or Mild Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
   
2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
   
3. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Next, stir in the soup. Stir another 4-5 minutes until it bubbles slightly again.
   
4. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cheeses ; set cheese sauce aside.
   
5. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. If you want to, sprinkle top of macaroni with bread crumbs and finish off in a 400 degree oven until cheese bubbles. If you want to serve out of pot, sprinkle with bread crumbs just before serving. Enjoy!
   

Women's History Month

My reading for Women's History Month. There are countless books about women and women's issues. I urge you to pick on up despite it being near the end of the month. You won't regret it. Another incredible book that EVERY PERSON ON THIS PLANET should read, especially women, is Half the Sky: Turning Oppression in to Opportunity for Women World Wide. Here is the link for that book: http://www.halftheskymovement.org/  
Here is another link with some good ideas to celebrate Women's History Month:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/recommended-books-women39s-history-month
Here is the link for Women's History Month. I strongly encourage you and your families to sit down and look at the the incredible facts and stories on this site. Women really do hold up half the sky. I am so grateful for the countless strong women who have touched and influenced my life. I hope to bring up my daughter so that she does not succeed in spite of being a woman, but BECAUSE she is a woman. God bless women and those who respect us everywhere.

Springing on Spring

Remnants of spring and Easters past: Easter cards, spring May Day baskets I made for a funeral, and my favorite King Daffodils which I planted in my backyard forest area. 

More remnants of spring and Easter: A nest inspired angel food cake I made last year. The branches are chocolate ganache, the nest is chocolate shavings, and the eggs are the candy robin eggs. Also, our indoor seedlings are getting large and ready to transplant. Carrots made of crepe paper adorn the kitchen table.

 I have been incredibly busy editing my novel, so I am a bit behind on Easter things. I plan to catch up in  a frenzy (I have fun, I promise) this week before family arrives to celebrate Easter with us. And just for the record, I am not a fan of cramming St. Patrick's Day and Easter together in the same month! Too crazy! Anyway, if you are looking for some great Easter inspiration aside from Pintrest and Instagram, here is my go-to Martha Stewart concoction of endless ideas for all things spring, Easter, and of course -Passover. http://www.marthastewart.com/  I will get back to you all in a few days when I have Easter underway here at the Teran house! Until then...

A Wee Bit O' Gaelic Singing...

Several people have asked me to demonstrate a bit of Gaelic lately so it gave me the idea to include a little audio of me singing an Irish song called Dulaman in the Gaelic language. I am not fluent in Gaelic (I can get by alright but fluency is on my to do list in life) so my annunciations are not perfect and for some reason the blogger would only upload a small bit of the song and it cuts off at a strange point, but for the sake of time and sanity this evening I am going to throw this on here and call it good. If you are interested to know the English translation and lyrics to this song, here is the link: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/celticwoman/dlaman.html .  Due to the Norman invasions, the Viking invasions, and the English invasions, the Gaelic language was outlawed and nearly lost. Luckily, the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language and various other organizations have worked to re-instill the native language. Gaelic is now a required course in schools and is visible everywhere from street signs to books and shops. There is also a Gaelic radio and television station. Here is the link to an article on the preservation and restoration of the Gaelic language: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/28/world/europe/28iht-irish.html?_r=0 . Here is another great site concerning the importance of preserving the Gaelic language: http://www.gaelicmatters.com/gaelic-revival.html . My mother began to teach me Gaelic when I was young and together we have studied and attempted to learn this intricate and intimate language that is so full of soul that you feel like you are singing it when you speak it. The cause of Gaelic preservation is very important to my mother and I and we encourage all, Irish and not, to take at least a moment to examine and marvel at this ancient and wonderful tongue. Erin go Bragh!

St.Patrick -A Man Worth Celebrating

"St.Patrick and a King", miniature from a manuscript, "Golden Legend of Jacopo Da Voragine" (c..1260)

St. Patrick of Ireland -A Man Worth Celebrating 

There are plenty of stigmas, prejudices, and short-sighted assumptions about the Irish even in our "modern" society. This time of year brings about what seems to me as the most transparent manifestation of these misconceptions and even rather insulting ideas. Don't worry -I am not here to lecture on racial appreciation or cultural sensitivity -not today, anyway. I simply ask that you consider the forthcoming holiday to examine and study the true nature of and celebration behind St.Patrick's Day and why the Irish hold St. Patrick so dear in their culture and religion. Being a history buff and abnormally ardent concerning all things Irish, I could write a small novel on St.Patrick and perhaps someday I will attempt that. At this moment in time my baby is fussy and teething, my boys are playing tag with a rubber bat, and I have dishes practically scraping my ceiling, so I must make this rather short. Instead of diving deeply into St.Patrick's history, here is an outline of some basic (and I type "basic" with thick sarcasm as nothing this man did was basic or ordinary) accomplishments of this inimitable man that the whole world knows for at least one day of the year. 

St. Patrick basic timeline: 

-373 Patrick, is born along the banks of the river Clyde in Roman England to a wealthy Roman family. His Latin name, Patricius, means "noble of the Patrician class" -the group who ruled over Rome and founded the city of Rome a thousand years earlier. In his document, Confession, he claims he was a rebellious youth and inclined to be atheist or at least anything opposite the religion of his fathers.

-389 Patrick is captured by professional slave raiders and sold in Ireland.: Ireland was the most feared place to be a slave because it was inhabited by brutes and murderers (sounds harsh, but they were pretty unruly over there). 

-His owner set Patrick as a shepherd. This may sound idyllic to us, but it was a nightmare of a job. There were basic duties of the job such as sheering, leading to market, castrating the young males, and slaughtering them in autumn for meat. The worst of the job is that you were set out in the wilderness far from any inhabitants, and you had to fend for yourself and your flock. In early Ireland wolves were rampant and preyed upon sheep. Patrick was responsible for fighting off packs of wolves all on his own. Patrick was also required to sit outside rain, shine, or snow for days and sometimes for weeks on end to let the sheep graze long enough to lead back to market. While he was in captivity, he was overcome with loneliness and longing for his family and previous home. It was in his darkest hours in the fields that he began to do something he refused to do before -pray. Here is a paragraph from his Confession: 

"God used the time to shape me and mold me into something better. He made me into what I am now-someone very different from what I once was, someone who can care about others and work to help them. Before I was a slave, I didn't even care about myself." 

-395 Patrick converted to Christianity and escaped slavery to return home to England.: So yeah, this is an amazing account in itself. Failing at escaping from slavery was punishable by death or, at least, imprisonment. Patrick claims that God came to him in a series of dreams -in the last one telling him "...your ship is ready." The voice apparently even told him where to find the ship. He set off in the night and had to travel in darkness and swimming in rivers to avoid being traced. He could have covered no more than 5-10 miles a day until he made his way down to Waterford port where there was a ship. Patrick asked the captain to be a passenger, and the captain promptly said no. Patrick was distraught and prayed that God would change his mind and sure enough, the captain came back moments later with a change of mind. 

-On the journey through Britain and back to his native town, another incredible thing took place which Patrick accounts for in Confession. The group Patrick traveled with crossed through war-wasted lands of the north and were taken back at how barren the place was. There were no people, no animals, and everything was burnt to the ground. Sans food, the group was beginning to weaken. The leader of the group called out Patrick and this conversation followed:

"We didn't have any food,and hunger was making everyone weak. The next day the captain said to me: "Well Christian, what are you going to do? You say this God of yours is so great and powerful -why don't you pray to him for us? We're dying of starvation? I don't think we will see another living soul again." But I answered him with great confidence: "Just turn with your whole heart to the Lord God, because nothing is impossible for Him. Today, He is going to send food on our path, plenty to fill your bellies." A while later, a herd of pigs crossed the road in front of our group and later on we found a stash of honey."

-Once Patrick made it back to his village, he was welcomed home lovingly by his family. Again, from Confession:

"So after many years, I finally returned home to my family in Britain. They took me in- their long lost son -and begged me earnestly that after all I had been through I would never leave them again."

-Upon arriving home, Patrick begins to train as a priest in some regard, at least becoming familiar with the Bible. He then claims to have several visions in which the people of Ireland (who are Pagan at this time) call to Patrick to come back and preach. His family is devastated, but won't hinder what he feels is his calling. 

-What follows this timeline of events is the period in Confession in which there are many missing years and in which we do not know where Patrick was or what he was doing. We may assume he was training in Rome or some other theological venue, but nobody can know for sure. The only documentation available is from a medieval saying attributed to St.Patrick, "I had the fear of God as my guide as I journeyed through Gual, Italy, and the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea."

-405 St. Patrick returned to Ireland -anointed and deemed the Bishop of Ireland by Pope Celestine. He was received with mixed feelings into a land of Pagan kings and tribal feuds. Patrick had one possession with him, the Latin Bible.

-405-430 Patrick taught the native Irish with love and compassion. He used symbols in nature to explain the Trinity -which appealed to nature worshiping Druids. The clover is the most famous natural symbol Patrick used to explain the Godhead. 

-During his ministry, Patrick was threatened, chased, and seized many times by kings and chieftains for his preaching, but each time he reached peaceful agreements and was released -often converting his captors.

-Patrick also provided sanctuaries for battered and desolate women and children, while befriending the men and lay kings of the land.

-Patrick also oversaw the construction of many churches and converted many women to be nuns. Patrick was particularly repulsed at the treatment of female slaves. In Confession he writes: 

" Sadly of such women, the ones who suffer the most are the slaves. They face rape and constant threats but suffer this abuse bravely. God gives these women the grace to follow courageously in His path even though they are forbidden to do so." 

-Patrick converted thousands to Christianity, settled quarrels between feuding tribes, ended human sacrifice, provided safe havens for the poor and hungry, befriended the locals, and perhaps most poignantly -ended (or at least makes unpopular) slavery in Ireland. 

-Patrick was THE FIRST Christian to convert a Pagan nation WITHOUT bloodshed or war. Christianity had, up to this point, only come through conquering, oppression, and death. Patrick was a true PEACEMAKER.  Patrick also found ways to meld Christianity and Pagan beliefs together in a fairly respectful way so as not to abolish the culture he stepped in to. This respect, to appreciate the native people and take the beauty they possessed rather than deem it all evil and worthless, resonated with the Irish and in turn made many more converts. After all, we Irish don't take kindly to being told we are wrong and gross. ;-)

-One of the greatest things Patrick did for Ireland was to teach the written word! Prior to Patrick's arrival, all the Irish history was oral and only passed on by Ollamhs (the scholars and history keepers of the courts.) Patrick taught the people how to write and read -which eventually turns the Irish into the most notable and skilled scholars in all of Europe. Irish scholars are eventually found in royal courts across Europe as wise men. As a result of this immense education and the teaching of St.Patrick, the monks in Irish monasteries undertook the largest translation of European and religious literature in history. These translations are all that survive the fall of Rome and therefore are responsible for the Irish saving the literary world from total devastation of nearly all historical and ancient European texts. (See book, How the Irish Saved Civilization).

-Near the end of his ministry, news of Patrick's immense success reached Rome and several other bishops become very jealous of Patrick's success. They conspired against him and planned to overthrown his ministry and perhaps kill him if given the chance. Patrick fled and spent the remainder of his days in Ireland.

-Sometime between 460-490 ( debated with much speculation) Patrick died in Caledonia, Ireland. He wished to be buried in an unmarked grave. 

As you can see, the life of this man was remarkable no matter what faith or philosophy you belong to. Patrick was a patron of peace and love. He found a way to incorporate the customs and traditions of the native people into something that he believed brought greater good to a people he genuinely cared about and adopted as his own. One quote in Patrick's famous, Confession, portrays the nature of his heart and mission.: 

" I came to Ireland to preach the good news... I have had many hard times even to the point of being enslaved again, but I have traded my free birth for the good of others." 

I hope that on this St.Patrick's Day, you personally take a moment to reflect on something deeper than the drink, the food, the music, and the wonderful noise of such a jolly holiday. Let us reflect upon a man who was trying his best to bring peace to a scary and tumultuous world. A man who used logic, peace, service, knowledge, and love to bring his message instead of using violence. A man who humbly begins his most prominent document left for the world to read with the words: 

"I am Patrick -a sinner- the most unsophisticated and unworthy among all the faithful of God. Indeed, to many I am the most despised." 

If anyone wants to read St.Patrick's Confession, here is a link to a decent version of it.: http://www.cin.org/patrick.html

The Breastplate of St.Patrick is also beautiful: http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/st-patricks-breastplate.html

 Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day to You!

"Aran Soide"

Irish Soda Bread

As St. Padraig's Day nears, my mind is filled with longings to see the homeland of my ancestors.  Along with that comes my natural craving for traditional (not Americanized) Irish food.  And of course, it all begins with Aran Soide or Irish Soda Bread.  A simple, common staple that originated in the countryside cottages in the 1840's, soda bread is simple, versatile and delicious. It is such a beloved food that there is actually a website called, "Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread" (and yes, they have a Facebook page!)  Because of the general poverty of the Irish during the 1800's, soda bread consists of basic ingredients; flour, sour milk, salt and baking soda (instead of yeast) as the leavening agent.  Before baking, a cross was cut into the top of the loaf to ward off the devil and protect the household.  The bread is shaped for baking according to the region the bread is made in;  in the Northern regions the bread is flattened and cut into triangles, then cooked flat on a griddle.  In the Southern regions (my family hails from County Cork) the bread is formed  into a round loaf.  That is how I do it...and the results are beautiful.  Listed below is the traditional recipe that I have followed for years.  Some recipes call for raisins or currants....I prefer to omit these little tidbits.  This recipe comes from the Ardtara Country House in County Londonderry.  Because of the hardness of American flours, it is recommended that cake or pastry flour be used to achieve the desired texture of this delicious bread.  Try this recipe, get a stick of Kerry Gold Butter...and ENJOY!

4 cups cake or pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup superfine sugar
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.  Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together in large bowl.  Stir in sugar.  Make a well in the center, add buttermilk and with a fork, work the milk into the flour until a soft dough is formed.  Turn into prepared pan and bake 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 45 minutes.  Do NOT over bake or the bread will be dry!  Cool slightly before slicing.

Picture courtesy of IsabellaCatalog.com

Winter Feeding Those Backyard Friends....

Winter may be winding down...but for a lot of us there are still going to be some snow storms and cold temperatures for a month or two.  Until the first seeds and bugs begin to appear, don't forget our backyard pals, who are still finding it difficult to sustain themselves.  A great way to offer a food source with lots of calories to keep them warm is Suet.  You can purchase Suet cakes at local grocery and gardening stores  and they come in several different varieties:  Peanut, Berry, Sunflower, just to name a few.  You can find them in the pet section, or gardening section and they usually cost anywhere from .99 cents to $2.49 each.  (Don't pay more than that!)  You will also need a wire holder (as in the picture) and they only cost a few dollars.  You will find that all birds desire this fatty treat and you may even see new friends appear, especially Starlings...who just LOVE this snack...but don't get frustrated with them...I mean...they need to eat, too. I just enjoy the feeling that I am caring for all winged creatures, rambunctious or docile.  Hang your Suet feeder, sit back and watch the frenzy.  And be glad you are inside with your hot herbal tea and your fuzzy slippers!

St. Patrick's Things...

Ahhh! I know it has been a long time since I blogged. I apologize for the absence but I have been ULTRA busy editing my novel and oh yeah, mothering three little leprechauns so...there you have it. I don't plan on making a habit of blog-slacking and I am the sort of person who would tell you up front if I did foresee a not so diligent future concerning the blog. Anyway, speaking of busy, I need to get back to editing STAT before the baby wakes up for her strange and as of late "Let's have a random 1am party with mom until 2am just because I am a baby and I can do that." For now, I will post a few pictures of the decorating and cooking concerning all things Ireland and St.Patrick that have been happening here. Don't judge too harshly, I know I am a heritage geek, but I am Irish on both sides of my family with a dash of Scandinavian, Welsh, Scottish, and English (basically my bloodline is from a small section of the world). And just for the record, although my maiden name is Fedderson, it is not a blood-line name. My grandfather was adopted by the Fedderson's and was originally a Tooler which is from the O'Toole clan. So, there you have it. I thought I would lay that out because I always get flack when people find out that the girl who practically gushes green at the slightest hint of Irish has a very non-Irish maiden name. I hope you are all doing well and looking forward to spring which is just around the corner. We are starting our seeds indoors this week and I can't wait! 

There is a little tradition in remote parts of Ireland that if you have uniquely colored (or any color these days) hair, you can chop off your braid and hang it by the door to bring all in your home and family good fortune and protection from evil or mischievous spirits. I improvised with rainbow yarn. The felt clovers are place mats from Michaels Craft.

Dried moss, gold pray painted things from outside, Irish books, Illustrations from the Book of Kells, Irish Oats, Bodhran on the wall, and great clip art with Irish counties.

Pratties (potatoes), more Irish oars, Irish county flags where my clans are from, Irish cookbooks, more dried Irish moss, oxalis clover plants.

Orange and Green Irish wool yarn drapery in windows, cut out images from the Book of Kells.

Shepherd's Pie recipe from America's Test Kitchen, Irish soda bread, Dubliner cheese.

We have a few Irish books. We can always use more.

Erin means, "Ireland" in Gaelic.

Bells of Ireland in a jar.

One side of the family (MOM)...

The other side of the family clan (DAD)...

The cross of St.Brigid. She is one of my favorite Patron Saints.

I was SOOOOO excited to see this book at Barnes and Noble! I speak (roughly) Gaelic and it is so rare to see anything like this here in the US.

Now this is just rude. And it is as good as it sounds and looks. Too good for my good.

Latest chocolate taste test: I give it a 2. It was delish, but the mint was so mild that it was hard to taste above the bright chocolate. Still, I would eat one right now if I had one...;-)