Good Friday

“Today there is hung upon the Tree, He that suspended the earth upon the waters. A crown of thorns is placed upon Him Who is the King of the Angels. With false purple is He wrapped about, He that wrappeth the Heavens with clouds. Buffetings did He receive, Who freed Adam in the Jordan. With nails was He affixed, He that is the Bridegroom of the Church. With a lance was He pierced, He that is the Son of the Virgin. We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ. Show also unto us Thy glorious Resurrection.” –Service of Matins

The image, The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, was originally uploaded by bluman. It is posted here from

Easter Week

The image, And He Shall Be Called, was originally uploaded by cjcampbell. It is posted here from

Easter Eggs

How to Make Your Own Easter Egg Dye

Mix 1/2 cup boiling water, 30 to 40 drops of food coloring, and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Let the dye cool completely before dipping eggs. You can use crayons to write and draw lines or stripes on the eggs before dipping.

Linked at basil’s blog “Picnic”. The image, Easter Eggs, was originally uploaded by jbrownell. It is posted here from

Saint Patrick’s Benediction

According to ancient folklore, Saint Patrick lit the first paschal fire on the Hill of Slane in defiance of the druids and the pagan kings of Tara. When they saw the flames, the followers of Patrick were arrested, however Ireland’s future patron saint spoke so eloquently to King Laoghaire that the pagan ruler pardoned him and granted him the freedom to preach across the Erin Isle. The rest is history, as they say, and today, more than 1500 years later, we celebrate Saint Patrick, as always, on March 17th.

The future “Apostle of Ireland” was born as Maewyn Succat in Scotland between 387 and 390. At about the age of 16, he was kidnapped from his village on the British mainland and transported to Ireland as a slave. While shepherding in the mountains he spent his time in prayer until he had a dream commanding him to return to Britain. After escaping bondage, he studied abroad in continental monasteries, becoming a Priest and later a Bishop. Pope Saint Celestine sent him to evangelize England, and then Ireland. During his 33 year mission he effectively converted all of Ireland turning it into the “Land of Saints”. During the Dark Ages, the Irish monasteries became the great repositories of Christian learning in all of Europe, all a consequence of Patrick’s ministry. Patrick died 461-464 at Saul, County Down, Ireland.

“I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others.

“If I am worthy, I am ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly, for Christ’s name. I want to spend myself for that country, even in death, if the Lord should grant me this favor.

“It is among that people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel: ‘They shall come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole world.” ~~from “The Confession of Saint Patrick”

Happy Saint Paddy’s Card

Saint Patrick Shipwrecked

Saint Patrick’s Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

The statue of Saint Patrick is located at the top of his mountain in Western Ireland. The image, The Benediction of Saint Patrick, was originally uploaded by starbeard. It is posted here from

Christmas Baking

GOLDEN ALMOND COOKIES

• 6 hard boiled egg yolks, mashed.
• 3/4  pound softened butter (3 sticks)
• 3/4  cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 2 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
• 1/2 cup ground almond meal (if not available increase regular flour to 3 cups)

Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Add egg yolks and almond flavoring. Add flour and almond meal slowly, mixing well, but DO NOT OVERKNEAD.

Using a cookie shooter, press dough about 2 inches across onto a silicon or parchment-lined baking sheet. Press an almond, small chocolate morsel or 1/2 a maraschino cherry in the center of each one. Bake at 400 degrees until the edges are JUST brown, 10-12 minutes. Any more than that, and they are overbaked. Makes six dozen cookies

The image, Christmas Cookies, was originally uploaded to the Internet by barneykin. It was posted here by Neddy of .

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Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Photo originally uploaded by ozdema2.

Chocolate Ginger Cookies Makes 48 Cut-out Cookies 3 cups flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2/3 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup dark corn syrup 1/4 cup milk 1 egg white 1 tablespoon water In a med. mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves.In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on med. speed for 30 sec. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. add whole egg, corn syrup and milk; beat well. beat in flour mixture, stirring in last part with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until easy to handle.On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of the dough 1/8″ thick. Cut with 3-4″ cookie cutters. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Combine the egg white and water; brush on cookie cutouts. Bake 375 degrees for 5-7 min. or until lightly puffed and set. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Pipe on decorator icing. http://www.recipelink.com/gm/31/2612

Alberta Lights

Alberta Lights at Christmas, Originally uploaded by barneykin.

My cousin’s house in Canada that he built himself. The photograph is his.

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights, Originally uploaded by aubreyguynn.

We saw a light shine out afar
On Christmas in the morning,
And knew we straight it was Christ’s star
Bright beaming in the morning.
Then did we fall on bended knee
On Christmas in the morning,
And praised the Lord who’d let us see
His glory at its dawning. ~~Old English carol