Sunday, April 29, 2007

I took the Girl Scouts to the prairie yesterday afternoon. This part of Nebraska is where the tall grass prairie grass once grew in abundance. Very little native prairie remains - about 1-2%. It may seem strange to get all worked up about grass, and it really is not for everyone, but there is something about miles and miles of grass. Really.

I was not in a good mood yesterday. I danced at a parade at 8:30, I went to a soccer game at 10:30, I got a kid to Boy Scouts at 12:30, I took Girl Scouts hiking at 2, and all of this on top of dealing with two work trips in the previous week and some tension at home regarding my dog.

My dog is driving everyone crazy with her galloping goofiness and issues. I am not sure what to do other than give her time to adjust. I got a crate for her. I try and walk her, include her in what I am doing, and give her as much attention as possible. She is neurotic and it did not help that I went away for days so soon after getting her. If she would just stop chasing the cats and bugging the older dog I think the kids would be much happier with her.

So anyway. Bad mood. Car full of girls going on a hike. And apparently it was just what I needed. In the tick-filled grass with a hot sun beating down on us, I felt happy. We walked the mowed path among the grass that ranged from knee-high to over my head. I pictured the variety of insects and birds that make that grass their home. I pictured the roots beneath the grass. The roots are in many cases longer than the grass is tall. I tried to imagine 8 foot long roots for the 7 foot tall grass.

The settlers recognized early on that some folks are able to live on the prarie and some folks aren't. For some the wide space, wind, lack of trees and exposure to sun (or cold) was just too much. For others they found that it tapped into some deep part of them that found pleasure in the waving grass and giant sky. The prairie can give people 7 foot deep roots too. There is a third group, which Bill belongs to. He does not have feelings about his environment (well, unless you include my huge, slobbering dog which is part of his environment - he has feelings about that part of his environment). Bill is constantly surprised by my experience of the world - noticing a flower or a fence or a bird - and I am constantly surprised that he does not see what I see.

Bill and the teen went to visit a college. My oldest is working at the zoo today. The house is calm and the dog is laying at my feet while I write. I would love to take her for a run on the prairie, but I am afraid she will have to settle for the bike path.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Cold Lunch

I bought her sushi at her request. She helped me with a big grocery trip and when the kids behave I get them a treat. Usually it is gum or a candy bar or a can of soda from the machines in front of the store.

"What would you like, hon?" I asked.

She clapped her hands together and hopped and said, "Sushi!"

"Sushi? Are you serious?"

"Yes! Please? I can take it for lunch tomorrow."

"Ok," I said.

She knew exactly what she was looking for in the deli and she picked out a little box of rolls with wasabi and sauce.

This morning I watched her put her small plastic box of sushi rolls in her lunch bag. She added the gold foil chocolate bunny that has been sitting on her desk for a few weeks.

"Sushi and a chocolate bunny? That's your lunch for today?" I asked.

"I'll buy a milk at school, Mom."

"Well that makes it a balanced meal, I guess."

Monday, April 09, 2007

Rise Up - An Easter Blog

I really hope that the hot cross buns turn out ok. I think I burned out the motor in my food processor kneading them. I forgot to add the melted butter. Which I figured out after I put the dense lump of dough in the bowl to raise. So then I dumped the lump back in the food processor and added the melted butter and turned it on. Probably not a good idea.

I am old enough now to Have a Butcher. This means that when I read a recipe for lamb roast that says "deboned and butterflied" that I just pick up the phone and call my Place and talk to my Butcher and he says, "No problem, Mrs. Polish Name. Shall I have it ready for you on Saturday?" and I say, "Yes, thank you." So we stuffed the butterflied roast with shallots and apricots and rosemary. Bill and I trussed it. It smells incredible.

We threw away the white butcher paper covered in lamb's blood and realized only afterwards that we should have smeared it over our front door so the Angel of Death does not take my son tonight.

All kidding aside, I am actually a pretty religious person, which is not necessarily how I present myself. I once had a huge fight with my former brother in law about whether or not Jesus would register Republican or Democrat. I'm sorry, but someone who hangs out with the working class (fishermen and prostitutes) and advocates for the rights of the poor? Yeah. Jesus would not be a member of the Religious Right.

Anna and I went to the Easter Vigil service. She did not hesitate when I told her it would easily be two hours long. She sat in the dark church with me and leaned against my arm. The processional consisted of our parish priests, the Lector, two altar boys, and 3 priests from the seminary. They held lit candles and as they came in and they held their lit candle out to the person on the aisle and then that person turned with their lit canlde to the person next to them.

We were in the back of the church, which is a traditionally designed Georgian church, and the rippling effect of the candle light was very moving. The dark church was soon a room of people holding candles and I found the metaphor almost overwhelming. I do believe that Jesus came back from the dead in that he inspired others to take up the work he had begun. His work has become twisted and strange in some ways. His name is used in vain by politicians all the time. And for most of us it is an excuse to eat chocolate and roast lamb and eat eggs. And hot cross buns. If they would just rise like they're supposed to.

Do just saviors rise around here? Can I get some yeast with sugar and warm milk? Can I hear an amen?