Simple Joy

The window scene here calls for the obvious . . .

After finding a juicer in the cupboards, I can't say how many lemons we've enjoyed

in the form of freshly squeezed lemonade!

1 cup lemon juice

3/4 - 1 cup sugar

4 cups water

2 cups crushed ice

Stir sugar and juice well,

add water and ice.

So refreshing!

Come Away with Me

We were sitting on this patio when a very young couple walked by

and we commented to each other about how they looked like kids.

Could we have looked like that when we first came upon this place 

on a road trip almost four decades ago?

We have gotten to the age where we can't help but reminisce about the changes 

we have seen - in this our beloved little oasis in the desert -

not only in this growing city, but also in our circumstances . . .

from young vagabonds in frayed cut offs . . . 

to carting toddlers with us into a small motel room . . .

to school-aged kids packed tight in the backseat of the car, overjoyed about spring break . . .

to a quick flight to be away while grieving the death of a parent . . .

to teenagers bringing friends along . . .

to young adults fitting in a few days between college or work . . .

to overlapping time with our young families . . .

and, for now, back to the two of us!
Precious scenes run through my mind for every season.

Had we known so many years ago . . .

we may have found a permanent address here . . .

But as it is, we have enjoyed the mystery of a different place

and leaving all the care of it to the owners once we leave.

The unique thing about this desert is that it feeds from an underground aquifer

enabling some of the most beautiful flowering plants and trees to flourish.
I never tire of the landscaped medians with the cardboard-cut-out looking mountains as a backdrop.

Some would miss the beach . . .
and we love that too . . .

but the beauty of the desert with nary a drop of rain
has surely become a definition of rest for us.

Good News!!

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. 
Proverbs 25:25

It was one year ago that the crate going to Indonesia was packed and sealed
to be sent across the ocean . . . as soon as they got their visas.
Well . . . the anticipated day did not come until December
and the crate, sent in January, arrived this week!!

I so wanted to be a fly on the wall when this day came along

anticipating the joy of unpacking a little bit of what was special in Canada.

But the photos, along with Grammy's imagination, are going to have to be good enough.

 Kenna got to hug her long-awaited-for babies
and generally . . .
everything from a garlic press to a trampoline was never so appreciated!

As hand-me-down and borrowed items will be returned or help someone else in need . . .
these days I imagine a home being set up with new dishes, pots and pans,
kitchen appliances and room decor . . . 
every piece thought about long and hard as to the importance of packing it
and many a piece a reminder of someone who loves them back home.

Reflecting the Light

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 

He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

John 1: 6-8

Julie Ackerman, writer for Daily Bread, recently wrote a short devotional about the significance of light shining on people living in darkness. As she wrote about a certain town, I decided to look into it some more. 

Deep down in the narrow Vestfjord valley, in the mountain of Norway, lies the town of Rjukan, built in the early 1900s, to house the factory workers of a mighty power plant. It turns out that for six months of the year the 3400 inhabitants have lived in the shadow of the mountains, until just about a year and a half ago, when an artist's dream of putting sun mirrors on top of the mountain came to reality. Three 17 square meter glass mirrors now stand on the mountain top, reflecting the sun down into the market square where residents go to enjoy a little bit of sun on their faces. It has been said that, "it touches something absolutely fundamental in this town".

In a similar way, Ackerman relates that people - living in circumstances where mountains of troubles keep them in the dark -  need to see and feel  the light of God's love reflected by His children. As I meet with God, to seek direction and wisdom from Him, may I allow Him to strategically place me where I can reflect His light to those who need it. This little light of mine.

Good Friday

                                                                                                            art by Tehya, age 9  (2012)

I remember, as an eight or nine year old, laying on my bed and going through the German hymnbook - page by page - singing every hymn I recognized as having heard or sung in church. Did anyone else do that?  One of my favorites was An dem Kreuz, An dem Kreuz for which later I learned the translated version, At the Cross, At the Cross. 

Since I have not heard this hymn in German for many years, I called my mom to confirm with her that I was not just making this up and she promptly began to sing it for me. Would you believe, unbeknownst to my mom, my tears rolled as those German words, hidden in my heart so many years ago, came back! 

Alas! And did my Savior bleed

And did my Sovereign die?

Would he devote that sacred head

For sinners such as I?

Refrain:

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

and the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!*

Was it for crimes that I had done

He groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity! Grace unknown!

And love beyond degree!

Well might the sin in darkness hide

And shut His glories in,

When Christ, the mighty Maker died,

For man the creature's sin.

Isaac Watts, 1707

*One night, after the phone experience, the German refrain was going through my mind reinforcing something hidden in the English translation on the last line on the chorus. Over and over it went through my mind until I had translated it to my own satisfaction (from the German, "Hoseanna! Nun ist der Friede mein!" to, "Praise the Lord, blessed peace is mine to stay!") 

The message of Good Friday, wrapped in a few chorus phrases, is a message of the greatest love ever given. If one thinks about it too much, it's unbelievable, yet, given childlike faith, simple and profound. A faith that puts our hearts at rest.

Lovella's Paska - 30 years later

I think this Paska recipe is one of the first recipes Lovella shared with me way back when we were inviting each other over for Sunday dinners with our hubbies and toddlers. Even though I grew up with a good Easter bread, I opted for this moist new recipe full of citrus flavor, never to turn back. It became a family favorite, and I can understand why a blog has come about because of it.

Today I thought I'd record it here for family referencing, because I recognize how we each have modified the amounts and method before there was ever a published recipe - with respect to and still ever so grateful for my personal introduction to it. This recipe fits a large dough machine or stand mixer. For first time ease, especially if mixing by hand, I recommend doing 1/2 the recipe, which will yield 40 small buns. (Pinch egg sized buns and place almost touching in 2 - 9x13 pans)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 - 2 lemons
• 2 oranges
• 1 tsp salt
• 11 - 12 cups flour (approx)
• 2 Tbsp instant yeast
• frosting ingredients and sprinkles

Method:

1. In a small pot, heat milk, allowing butter to melt with it. Set aside and cool down with 1/2 cup very cold water. 
2. In the meantime, prepare oranges and lemon. Peel rind thinly with vegetable peeler, remove and discard the pith and seeds. Place rind and citrus segments in blender along with eggs and sugar. Blend for several minutes until it looks like a frothy orange julius. 
3. Pour orange mix into mixing bowl, then slowly, starting with a small amount, stir in quite warm milk and butter. 
4. Stir in two to three cups of the flour and then the yeast mixed with a cup of flour. 
5. If mixing by machine, switch to dough hook and continue adding flour, one cup at a time, while kneading, until dough is still soft but comes away from the sides of the bowl and is manageable with a dusting of flour.
6. Remove to a large bowl. Dust with flour and shape into large (soft) ball before covering with a tea towel and plastic. Rise about 1 hour at room temperature.
7. Grease or line pans with parchment paper. Also grease hands and take portions of the dough to shape into loaves or buns.  Cover with tea towel and loose plastic, and let rise 45-60 minutes.
8. Bake at 325 F until golden. It is best to use light colored aluminum sheets in center of oven. If using dark sheets and you find them getting too dark underneath, put aluminum under the sheet while baking. Buns bake about 20 - 25 minutes.
9. Remove to cooling racks. It is easy to slide them off if using parchment paper. Once cooled, return to pans and frost. You can freeze them this way or without the frosting. I use pans with a cover or slip them into large plastic bags.

Frosting:

• 1 cup soft butter
• 4 pasteurized egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 lbs icing sugar

Beat all ingredients well for several minutes. This frosting keeps well, refrigerated, but I usually opt for frosting the buns immediately and sprinkle before the frosting sets. If you refrigerate the frosting to use later, it may need a fresh whirl with the beaters and/or a little bit of milk, enough to make a spreadable consistency.

As you will note, the frosting uses egg whites to make it a bit meringue like, so do not leave out at room temperature for extended hours. An alternative icing is to beat 4 Tbsp of soft butter with 4 cups icing sugar and enough milk to stir into a spreadable consistency, according to personal taste.

I usually make my Paska in an assortment of pull-apart buns, in 9 x 13 pans or a round spring-form pan for a pretty display on a plate. The traditional way is to bake it in loaves and an assortment of tin cans. When doing that, lay them on their side to slice, such as in the photo at the top.