And the proof is in the making and eating........

As mentioned in my last post on St Patrick's Day 2008, you will have seen a mention of an Irish Brown Bread making kit a number of times. One of the lucky recipients was Ed, the Daddy of the following beautiful children, Kalyen and Jacob. 

Ed very graciously shared these pictures with me and I was so happy to see my gift was used and obviously enjoyed immensely.  So I will let the pictures tell the story:

Getting ready to start bread making

Kalyen studying the mason jar of the secret ingredients and Jacob reading the instrucitons

The studying continues........... 

Step 1 - Contents of the jar goes into the mixing bowl

Step 2- Pour in the 12 oz of water

Step 3 - Mix well

Step 4 - Spray the loaf tin 

Step 3 B - Double check that the mixing is all done

Step 5 - Place the mixture in the loaf tin

Kalyen and Jacob - looking so proud at a job well done

Step 6 - Bake for 40 mins  and VOILA the above brown bread loaf is just PERFECT. 

Another shot of the perfect loaf ( not sure what Jake is doing!) 

Now it looks like he is taking a bite out of the middle!! :-)

And when all is done the only thing left to do is taste it, Jacob taking a really big bite. 

Pretty Kaylen showing off her slice before she eats hers.

I hear through the grapevine that their Dad is very good at baking cakes from scratch. BTW Ed, my birthday is in June! :-)

St. Patrick's Day 2008 - Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!

It is about time I got to write about how we celebrated St. Patrick's Day at AOL, Mountain View. 

I sent this email out to the team in Mountain View and in Dulles:

Subject: Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!

Come by my desk to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

You can taste some yummy homemade Irish bread with either Irish butter, Kerrygold cheese or some smoked salmon.

In order to get to taste the wonderful Irish food you need to answer the following questions:

1. What did St. Patrick banish from Ireland?
   
2. What did St. Patrick use as a symbol to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity?
   
3. Was St. Patrick Irish?
   
4. Translate the heading of the email?
   

So get searching on the Web or make up some creative answers and then drop by to part-take in the goodies!

For the Toolbar team and my fellow PjM's in other locations, you cannot partake in the food but I will have a prize ( you own kit to make Irish bread) for the most creative answers to the questions so please do join the fun!

Leona

PS these are the same questions as last year and there maybe some hints from old PjM for Journals!! :-)

Here are some pictures of the food:

And some of the folks that came by with answers to the questions to sample the food:

And Thanks to those who sent creative answers to the questions as follows:

From Daniel:

1. Green clothing, so everyone else could dress up like frogs on his special day.
2. Himself (as a symbol) - he was quite an arrogant saint.
3. Irish in the sense of his parents walked on the island before he was born, or Irish in the sense that he knew his beer. Yes to both.
4. "It's MY ISLAND" - (taken from the movie Braveheart)

From Chuck:

1. Lucky Charms
2. A big big stick
3. According to James T. he was French
4. Joyeuse Fête de la Saint-Patrick

From Steve:

Responding from Dulles (trying to get the breakmaking kit):

1. What did St. Patrick banish from Ireland?     People that love Ireland. I swear there are more Irish people *outside* of Ireland than there are inside!
2. What did St. Patrick use as a symbol to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity?    Michael Collins. Is this right? I swear I saw a movie about this with Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Pete Postlethwaite, and the Corrs!
3. Was St. Patrick Irish?      He was only before he became a saint.
4. Translate the heading of the email?      A hundred thousand pints.

Am I close?

From Seth:

I want my bread too...

What did St. Patrick banish from Ireland?

The pagan snake symbol...even though snakes dont live in Ireland.

What did St. Patrick use as a symbol to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity?

The Sun in the background of Cross

Was St. Patrick Irish?

English?..British?

Translate the heading of the email?

The day when everyone is Irish

Congratulations to Nancy and Sheli who actually had the right answers to all the questions. The  guys in Dulles keep an eye out for a Leprechaun  who maybe delivering a break making kit in the very near future.  Here is Ninoscka with a bread kit she took home and had great fun with her daughters and made real Irish bread on March 17th:

Easter Sunday Brunch

Easter Sunday - Thought for the Day

Loving God,
You give us new life through the death and
Resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Help us to bring this Good News to people
Everything and to be faithful witnesses
Of Your love in all that we do.

Through the grace of Easter,
Grant Hope to the suffering,
Healing to the broken, and peace
Where there is conflict.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen

Holy Saturday - Thought for the Day

The death of Jesus was not the death of a martyr, it was the revelation of the eternal heart of God.

- Oswald Chambers

More Muir Woods Pictures......

A last moment decision to drive through Golden Gate Park led us to find this awesome wild host of Calla Lilies and some other wonderful flowers:

Good Friday - Thought of the day

Father Forgive Them

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. "

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said," Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: "

Luke 23, 24

Holy Thursday - Thought of the Day

Wednesday of Holy Week - Thought of the day

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ~ John 8:12

Me

I found this picture on my computer today and it made me smile so I decided to share it!

I think she is very cute.

Yep it is me take in 1967 - yes I am that old!!

I had very little hair but those big blue eyes made up for it.

Tuesday of Holy Week - Thought of the day

I know God wouldn't give me anything I couldn't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much.

Mother Therese

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature -- trees, flowers, grass -- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.

Mother Teresa

St Patricks Day - Monday of Holy Week

Christ Beside Me

Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me King of my heart;
Christ within me, Christ below me,
Christ above me never to part.

Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me shield in strife;
Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising light of my life.

Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me King of my heart;
Christ within me, Christ below me,
Christ above me never to part.

Text: St. Patrick's Breastplate; adapt. by James Quinn

This brings back fond memories of a child singing this in School for St. Patrick's day.

Palm Sunday - Thought of the day

Had an awesome day today, first at 8am Mass and was asked to hold a very large Palm which was at least 2 feet taller than me and be part of the enactment of the first Palm Sunday. The Choir sang Hosanna and 12 of us lined the main aisle holding the palms and the congregation and the priest filed passed us. It was a very special moment for all! We then went to Muir Wood for a hike and enjoyed some time in the wonderful world the God created for us. So for the thought for today I will post some wonderful photos of Muir Woods and some quotes from John Muir.

The power of imagination makes us infinite.
John Muir

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.

John Muir

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

John Muir