Learn to Discern: Christian or New Age?

	Susan Brinkmann - Learn to Discern: Christian or New Age? .mp3
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Garden puzzle

Found this through one of @Smalltalkwitht's tweets:

Today's flower

The culture information on Fravi's Cowl, Arum arisarum can be found here. In same family of the calla lily, it looks much like it. It is dedicated to St. Stephen of Citeaux

Traditional birthday flower for April 17 is Rosemary, the herb of remembrance, and symbolizes loyalty & friendship.

It's said the rosemary bush sheltered the Holy Family in their flight to Egypt, often called Saint Mary's Tree or Arbor Sanctae Maria.

The rosemary flowers early in spring. Botanical name Rosmarinus officinalis, a ground cover or shrub, very aromatic, & can be propagated by leaf cuttings or seed.

Photo you see here is of one of my plants (with a little honey suckle mixed in) sheltering the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue from the late afternoon sun. Nice smell for your visitors when planted close to an entry.

Today's flower

Yellow Tulip, Tulipa sylvstris aka wild tulip, a perennial good for naturalizing in zones 5-9 dedicated to St. Joachim of Sienna who I believe is Blessed Joachim Sienna.

A Prayer in Planting Time

Dear Lord, You are wonderful in everything you do. In
marvelous ways You take the full, rich life of the plant
and carefully fold it into tiny seeds. You form the
seeds according to many different shapes and sizes and
colors, so that man can know what kind of growth will
come of them. When they are placed the earth they may
look dry and dead, but when they are watered by the
life-giving rain and nourished by the warm sun, they lose
all their lifeless look and grow in an almost miraculous
manner. By the power You gave them, they take the dead
minerals of the earth and build up the nourishing, tasty
foods that men need to sustain life.

This week, dear Lord, we will plant these seeds of (wheat,
corn, or whatever it may be) that You have given us. Bless
them, and watch over them, and bring them to the full
growthand rich harvest that You wish to bless us with.

But, should You not allow them to come to full harvest,
we accept Your will humbly. We trust that You will
nevertheless watch over us and make the seeds of grace
that You have given us grow to flower and fruit in the full
Christian life that You intend for us here and hereafter.
Amen.




THE RURAL LIFE PRAYERBOOK
Copyright, 1956
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
http://www.ewtn.com/library/prayer/rlpraybk.txt

April 15

Green Stitchwort, Stellaria holostra - Some other English common names Addersmeat, Easter Bell, or Greater Stitchwort according to what I've read. Not native to my area & knowing very little about this plant, you can read some about it here: Flora of North America.

The flower was dedicated to St Peter Gonzales according to the Floral Directory. Also known as St Elmo & St Telmo, his feast day is actually on April 14 and was never formally canonized as a saint.

Blessing of Sprouting Seed

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who has made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray.

We ask and beg of You, Lord, to bless this sprouting seed. Warm
it with the gentle breath of soft winds, make it fruitful with dew
from heaven, and be so kind as to bring it to its fullest maturity
for the good of our souls and bodies, through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

(And they are sprinkled with holy water.)


From the THE RURAL LIFE PRAYERBOOK
Copyright, 1956
National Catholic Rural Life Conference - out of print
http://www.ewtn.com/library/prayer/rlpraybk.txt

What's left of my Mary's garden (in the process of moving), in memory of my son, including snails and all.

Our Lady's Earrings

Impatiens "Our Lady's Earrings", symbolical pure adornments of the ears of Mary who hear the word of God and kept it.

-Mary’s Gardens

Impatiens biflora or Touch-Me-Not, known as Lady's Eardrop and Impatiens capensis (Balsam) is known as Our Lady's Earrings.

Summer annuals and perennials grown in sun to shade depending on the species. This is considered America's number 1 bedding plant. An excellent choice for your Mary garden, easy to care for with a variety of color choice. Learn more about cultivation at Mr Impatiens

Combining hobbies

April 14

Borage Borago officinalis dedicated to St. Lidwina is today's flower. It's an annual herb with blue flowers, growing 1-3' in high in sun or shade with a cucumber type flavor. You can use the leaves in salads or cook them like other greens. It's also marketed in oil form. Use the flowers as garnish and for arrangements.




Fresh Borage Ravioli
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 4 | Difficulty Level: 4 | Ready In: 2-5 hrs

Ingredients:
***PASTA***
4 eggs -- lightly beaten
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
4 cups flour

***FILLING***
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions -- peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 pound borage -- cleaned and chopped
6 cloves garlic -- peeled and minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces mild goat's-milk cheese such as montrachet

***SAUCE***
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons demi glace
3 tablespoons butter
4 fresh sage leaves -- julienned

Directions:
For the pasta, whisk together eggs, oil, and vinegar in a small bowl. Place flour in a large mixing bowl or food processor. Gradually work egg mixture into flour, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add borage, garlic, basil, sage, parsley, and thyme and season with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring frequently, until greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Place borage mixture in a clean dish towel and squeeze dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Divide dough into 4 parts. Using a pasta machine, roll out dough as thin as possible, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Cut out about 60 rounds using a 2-inch cutter.

To assemble ravioli, spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into center of a dough round, brush edge with water, then top with another round, pinching to seal. Repeat process, using up all pasta rounds and filling.

For the sauce, bring stock and demi-glace to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce by three-quarters, 20-30 minutes, then whisk in butter.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in batches in a large pot of boiling salted water until they rise to the surface, 3-4 minutes. Drain and divide between small plates. Top with sauce and garnish with julienned sage.

Recipe Location: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/50/Fresh-Borage-Ravioli79409.shtml
Recipe ID: 50193
Don't forget to stop back at CDKitchen and write a review or upload a picture of this recipe!

This recipe is from CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
© 1995-2010 CDKitchen, Inc.

April 13

Narcissus viridiflorus or the Green Narcisse, an autumn blooming bulb originating in Spain is today's flower. Example of it can be found here. The Green Narcisse was dedicated to St. Hermengild according to the Every-Day Book.

God in all things

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther

April 12

Today's flower is Great Saxifrage, Saxifraga crassifolia good choice for rock gardens - Dedicated to St. Zeno.

Easter - second week

Flowers of Mary at the Cross - Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis or Mary's Tears. Legend has it that when at the foot of the Cross, Mary cried and her tears turned into these flowers.

A suitable meditation can be found at St Anthony Messenger Magazine.

Procrastination

I've neglected this blog and will try to get back into it.

sainthood project: St. John Chrysostom and the Five Paths of Repentance

sainthood project: St. John Chrysostom and the Five Paths of Repentance