Food and Dining

Imbolc – 2024

Imbolc Cross-Quarter Day

Celtic Feast today: Irish Beef Stew with Soda Bread. The stew had low-carb vegetables (i.e. Turnips, not Potatoes, Butternut Squash, not yams, etc.). The Soda Bread was made with Keto-friendly ingredients. The feast was delicious and served with an Irish Coffee on a cool, windy day. Click on the image to open in the image viewer.

About Imbolc:

Celts celebrated Imbolc as the beginning of Spring. Imbolc corresponds more or less to Groundhog Day in the USA, February 2, when tradition has it that if a sleepy groundhog creeping out of its burrow at dawn sees its shadow, there are 6 more weeks of winter. (If not, we surmise, only 42 days remain.) Christians celebrate this holiday as St. Brigid’s Day.

Christmas 2023

Verna and I wish each and everyone a joyous Christmas. We are celebrating quietly here at home with a planned feast in the afternoon of Chateaubriand, Braised Brussels Sprouts and Loaded Mashed Fauxtatoes (low-carb cauliflower masquerading as ‘taters).

The roast is from a whole beef tenderloin I recently butchered into several steaks and other beef goodies to be consumed later. We will be feasting on them for weeks to come.

Image above: The Virgin with Angels” by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, oil on canvas, completed around 1900. The original painting is in a museum in Paris, France. I overlaid the scripture on the image. you can see the original here.

Thanksgiving 2023

Happy Thanksgiving from our household to yours! We will be celebrating the day of thanks by feasting, as usual, serving traditional turkey and all the trimmings (tailored to our diets, of course). We wish for you a peaceful and enjoyable day of thanks.

In yesterday mornings reading, The Patriot Post included this Thanksgiving message given by President Ronald Reagan:

We Americans have so much for which to be thankful. … But prosperity is not an end in itself. It helps us pay attention to the more important things: raising our children as we want them to be raised, helping others in need, and bringing nations together in peace. … We will give thanks for these and one thing more: our freedom. Yes, in America, freedom seems like the air around us: It’s there; it’s sweet, though we rarely give it a thought. Yet as the air fills our lungs, freedom fills our souls. It gives breath to our laughter and joy. It gives voice to our songs. It gives us strength as we race for our dreams. Think of those around the world who cannot bow their heads in prayer without risking their lives. … And then think of how blessed we are to be Americans. Yes, as we gather together this Thanksgiving to ask the Lord’s blessings. … Let us thank Him for our peace, prosperity, and freedom.

We ask you to give prayerful thanks for our freedoms and pray for peace at home and elsewhere.

Last Day Camping

We’re still in South Tucson today, relaxing and dining. We had a delicious Chicken Pepper Casserole for late lunch today.

Since it is warm outside here (95°), we spent most of our day inside the RV. There was a power failure for about an hour but, luckily, we were able to run the 6KW generator to keep the A/C and other appliances going.

We will be heading for home tomorrow morning with a rest stop and visit at Casa Grande on the way. Our route takes us through Coolidge, AZ where the ruins are located. Then, its about two more hours to home.

We have thoroughly enjoyed our outing, particularly watching the eclipse on Saturday 10/14. We’re already thinking about another outing before the big trip to Waco, TX to watch another eclipse next April.

Easter Sunday 2023

One of the Hedgehog Cactus flowers opened up just in time for Easter Sunday. Click on the image to enlarge.

Luke 24:1-7 (KJV) —

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Happy Easter Sunday to all. Verna and I will start the day with our Resurrection devotional service and Communion. Later, we will celebrate with an Easter Dinner here at home. He is Risen!