Food and its issues

Reading two articles this morning as I eat my healthy breakfast.

The American military is concerned that they will not have enough recruits in the coming years because so many of the young people are very much overweight.

Then a radio clip from CBC about food being dropped into the Netherlands at the end of WW II. There were many who starved - young children and the elderly were most at risk. The British and Americans dropped in food parcels. It was quite emotional for the pilots doing the drops.

*****

This time of year the Dutch connection in Ottawa is quite evident. The Dutch royal family lived in Ottawa during the war. In thanks to the Canadians they send tulip bulbs every year. They make the city look beautiful with all the bright colours.

Church flowers again

They were doing the church flowers… (Miss Marple Mystery on PBS)

Have I been doing the church flowers?
Yes and no.

I have been making sure that there are flowers in the church on a Sunday.

I brought some in pots. They lasted for quite a few weeks.

There have been some very nice arrangements from the local markets and the grocery stores - much more reasonable than the florist.

One particularly colourful display got honourable mention during the service.

Flowers that bloom in the summer

The flowers at the front of my house do not quite look like this yet but maybe later on. I am not much of a gardener but I do enjoy looking at other folks efforts.



One of my gardening friends was telling me how his garden was doing. I must admit that some of the flower names he was telling me were not familiar at all.

*****

I have been watching “Six Feet Under” and at one point the 3 siblings are singing this silly little song to young Maya.
　
I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch,an onion patch, an onion patch
I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patchand all I do is cry all day
Boo hoo, boo hoo
The air is so strong it takes my breath away
I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch…

My mom often had petunias in her garden but she never had onions in her house. They were her least liked vegetable.
　
　

Post Easter 2009 pt. 2

I will be off to Toronto and the convent in a short time. The sisters are celebrating 125 years as a community. It will be a fun time there and definitely not a quiet retreat. I have 2 passengers to take with me.

My job with Art Credo at St. John’s is now finished. Now I look forward to admiring the artwork. I will be attending the vernissage - the official opening of the art show with all the artists there. I have never been before.

I have my first meeting with the parish council - the church’s executive committee - this week. It should be interesting. Our warden is still in hospital but he is improving slowly. Someone who is well qualified will be replacing him for a while.

Some of the flowers that I bought for Easter at the church are still alive. They were kept well watered. I have started to organize the flower teams who will help to arrange memorial flowers on a regular basis.

Some folks are talking about summer activities and time to be spent at cottages. It seems a little early for that. I still like to have my furnace on sometimes - especially in the morning when it is cooler.

Last week I took my car in to have the winter tires removed.

I raked my lawn a bit. It does look quite messy but in some places it is getting green.

I rode Abracadabra outside in the back ring for the first time. We both enjoyed that. I am looking forward to lots more of that. She is turning into a nice riding horse as Walter said.

I washed her winter blanket. It is real wool and it washes quite nicely in cold water. It was quite hairy and there was lots of hair in my laundry room when I was finished.

I was in touch with someone else about the Wal Ken reunion this August. It is 3 months away but the time will pass quickly.

I went with my walking group to a maple syrup place. We stopped for some shopping beforehand and it was nice to walk up the main street and look in some of the stores. It was a very nice place that we went to and the food was excellent. I quite enjoyed this outing and it did not take too long to get there.　

Post Easter 2009

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Le Christ est ressuscité!
Le Seigneur est vraiment ressuscité! Alleluia!

*****

So the Holy Week and Easter services are over and done with. There were more people at the Easter Sunday service than the vigil on Saturday evening.

There were lots of flowers and lots of candles. The church was in darkness as the vigil started. The flowers were put out and the candles were lit. Everyone had a candle to hold. I was sitting in the back of the church and the change from darkness to light was quite striking.

I heard the folks talking who were more directly involved in the service. They liked the way it all unfolded. It was a bit of a struggle to get there - there were lots of new twists to what was done.

My contribution of flowers and helping with setting up and cleaning up after the services was appreciated.

Now I am on to other activities - getting more organized for memorial flowers on an ongoing basis. I am also involved in managing the schedule for folks sitting with the art at Art Credo which starts in a couple of weeks.

*****

Churches are in the business of being there at important times in people’s lives.

There was a baptism and a renewal of baptismal vows on Easter Eve. One was an adult and one was a pre-teen young fellow.

There will be a big wedding at St. John’s on Friday - 300 people are expected.

We had some sad news as one of the church wardens is seriously ill in hospital in Montreal. There was a prayer vigil for him yesterday at the church.

Holy Week: Vicki's involvement

“A full week of church ceremonies whose intricacies boggle the mind.”
(Anglicans Online)

That sounds very much like my week.

I volunteered to buy the flowers for the Easter services. I made a trip to Costco - they were all quite large as things at that store usually are. I went to Loblaws and there were some boxes being unpacked. That was quite easy for me to take home the plants that I needed.

Now it seems that we need some more plants. A trip to Costco is planned for tomorrow.

This is all a new activity for me. Will the plants last until Easter?

The services for Holy Week have been changed somewhat with our new rector. I am going to many of them and skipping a few. Because the Easter vigil is so complicated and we are decorating the church during the service, there are 2 dress rehearsals. I need to know where to put the plants for the best viewing advantage.

I am helping with various Altar Guild activities as I can. I can help setup for the services and tidy up as well. I am taking home the altar linens for prompt washing and ironing in my basement laundry facilities. There is a shortage of various altar linens but some new ones are being made for Easter.

I made a list to help keep me organized. I need to know where I need to be and when and doing what.

It is shaping up to be quite a busy week for me. I have to fit into several visits to Abracadabra as well.

The flowers that bloom in the spring

I think I should have used this for the other post with Kathi and the tulips.

From the Mikado and all those other silly songs.

********

I was at the church when a friends was arranging the memorial flowers. They were glads. She had quite a time with the vases and the flowers being so tall. After they were placed in the church she hoped that they would not fall over. They did not and folks on Sunday said they looked very nice.

I had memories of my great uncle who used to grow glads. He had some lovely flowers. I suspect he might have helped my mom with this display. This picture hung in our basement In Lachute for as long as I can remember. My mom had the first prize on the left.

I was thinking of other flowers that are not blooming. There were some dried ones and some silk imitation ones at the church. The dried ones looked to be very tired so I sent them on their way to my composter. The silk imitation ones I dusted off to be used another day.