A Beautiful Baptism

Mr. Husband and I were at a baby's baptism

this weekend in the morning hours of Saturday.

It was so very lovely!

I kept thinking how we were seeing a human being

being reborn in Christ before our very eyes...

Ottawa...a few more pictures from my visit

Saturday night vespers.

Visiting a dear friend's place who

will soon DV have baby # 3.

A beautiful peaceful visit...

My Ottawa parish, 

baskets of fruit to be blessed.

The one with the blueberries in the middle is

the woman who with her husband are like the

grandparents of the parish.

After the liturgy I was given a strawberry from her basket,

she asked me if "I'd found a job yet" and when she heard

that I was doing a lot of volunteering for church she understood:

you're too busy to have a job, that's good! 

*

It was a beautiful moment...

*

I went to a dear friend's home in downtown Ottawa...

I loved her kitchen and am hoping in time to 

have a shelf over my 

kitchen sink like she does..

Her beloved cat :)

Dump truck at the monastery playground

where I spent time with my godson.

Such special needed times,

my visit to Ottawa...

Wonderful Friday Dinner with Friends!

Mr. Husband and I had
soft shelled crab for the first time
a year ago last May
when we went to our wedding one day conference.
We've been searching for it ever since...
*
We had some dear friends coming for dinner
on Friday and this is what we were able to
serve!


We found it some at a local
grocery store and made them on Friday
with some scrimp.
*
Here was the recipe:
fry garlic in olive oil (we used vegetable oil as it was a Friday)
when garlic is browned, remove garlic.
Dredge the soft shell crabs in flour that has been salt and peppered
fry in oil on medium heat for about 3 minutes each side.
Add lemon or lime juice at the end.
Serve immediately.
*
{I quickly fried up the shrimp afterwards in
the same oil and then we sat down to dinner!}

We had farmers market tomatoes
and lettuce...

A lovely fruit salad of
organic fruits ~ strawberries, blue berries and grapes.

Begonias for extra beauty and colour on
the table.

4 baked potatoes.
Beautiful sunflowers from our wonderful
friends and dinner guests.

 

My beloved Mr. Husband has talked about how good
the soft shell crab was! :)
*
I am interested in trying this recipe as well with
mango and papaya!
*
It was a really lovely time!

Sunday, oh last Butter Sunday...

NJ is strange.
They tell me sometimes the snow stays.
I have yet to believe them.
It snowed and would melt on the ground.

I am still in love with my tulips.

I knitted more of my
little-lovey niece scarf.
I had to frog it a bit and
used my Oma's green needle to help me
get it back together.

I love my fading tulips so much
that Mr. Husband cut them down
so I can see the blooms for longer.

Lacking green-plant-tape that Mr. Husband used
to have,
we used a white twine.

I am in love with these tulips.

I have photographed them in all sorts of light.
I find the green in the water
to be an art form all of its own.

I filled lampadas again;
rhythms of life,
it is all about rhythms
and trying to find them.

I lamented to Mr. Husband at
how I do not yet understand how to deal
with light in my camera.
This picture of the tulips glistened with beauty
but the setting would grab the light and shove it in,
taking away the tulip's glow.

 

It is Mr. Husband and I's first
Great Lent as a married couple.
It commenced with negotiating where to put the icons,
talking about Lenten services and
reading the first Lenten prayers together.
It is a good start.
We are both tired here and
facing lent already exhausted.
It is what it is.
*
We made it to our near-by church for
liturgy and forgiveness vespers.
The church in purple.
There was a real different and clean feel to the church
as if some great healing had been done or
at least suddenly begun;
it was palpable as I entered the church.
*
I have not been at a home far-away church
in over a month.
Mr. Husband and I saw a few people from it
at a local cheese-fare gathering
where wonderful vegetarian lasagna and torte was
enjoyed.
I took my knitting and registered the surprise of one
person who commented that I could knit the scarf
without even looking at it.
Sigh. Yes. I have my Oma's blood.
I think of her all the time.
As I smooth the scarf out that I am working on,
I remember how Oma would look at her work
and smooth it out in her hands.
How she would talk with others and knit.
Always knitting.
And now I want to be just like her
as I continue to learn to navigate my new life
and new surroundings.
*
Now if only I could regain my strength...
*
God is with us,
in all things,
God is here.