St. Lucy's Day is currently most often associated with Sweden, one of the celebrations of light in the midst of winter's darkness. Little Christmas, or the Feats of Saint Lucy, is a favorite advent celebration. In the early morning, the Lucia Bride, usually the youngest daughter, is dressed in a long white gown with a myrtle or bilberry crown and lighted candles. She awakens the family, often bringing coffee and tea, and braided Lucia twists, flavored with saffron and cardamon. After the family is served, she visits the barns, taking food to the animals.

In addition to the home celebration, the young girls attend services at the church dressed in their lighted crowns. St. Lucy represents the promise of the light in the darkness and the sun's return. 

Saint Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and those with visual challenges. Lucy was born in Syracuse, Sicily in the 3rd century. She was born to wealthy Christian parents and at an early age she secretly vowed to remain a virgin and serve God by helping others. 

Her father died when she was young. When she came of age, her mother arranged her marriage to a pagan but Lucy rejected him. It was the time of the Diocletian persecutions and when her suitor denounced her as a Christian, she seemed destined to death by burning or life in the brothels. Her fate was to be martyred by a sword through her throat. 

In another story she escapes the marriage by tearing her eyes out in frightful desperation. She is often depicted carrying her eyes on a tray. 
Miraculously, her sight was restored and she was able to serve God and mankind as she has intended. She is celebrated for giving sight to the blind, food to the hungry, and light to the darkness. The name Lucy comes from the root word Lux, meaning light. 

Bread

I teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool

2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 T softened butter
3 eggs
3 T sugar
1 teaspoon salt
I cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried bilberries (blueberries) or raisins
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour

1. Prepare saffron.
2. Dissolve yeast in water. 
3. Mix the butter with eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 
4. Add milk to butter and eggs.
5. Add almonds and dried fruit
6. Stir in saffron mixture.
7. Add flour gradually and stir with wooden spoon until it is is smooth and forms a ball. 
8. Place on floured board or counter and knead until smooth - about 5 minutes.
9.Put into a greased bowl, turn it over and cover with a towel in a warm place until double, about an hour and a half. 
10. Punch down dough, divide into 3 sections. Braid and form into a circle shape. 
11. Place on cookie sheet and let rise until double - about 30 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
13. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
14. Remove from oven, cool and ice.

Icing

2 cups confectioner's sugar 
1 teaspoon almond extract
Combine and gradually add water until it is the consistency of icing. 
Drizzle on to bread. 
Decorate with slivered toasted almonds and/or dried fruit if desired. 
Top with candles

St. Nicholas was born in the 4th Century in Lycia, Asia Minor to very wealthy parents. Even as a child he was very religious. He was very young when he became a priest and he went on to become a bishop. Sadly, his parents died shortly after he was ordained. He inherited a great fortune, and he shared it generously with people in need. His giving was from the heart - he was not interested in credit or compensation. He often gave unanimously. He was dedicated to common people and emperors alike.

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, laborers, merchants, pawn brokers, and particularly sailors and those who work near water. 

There are many stories describing his generosity. A nobleman who had lost his fortune was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters so planned to sell them into slavery. St. Nicholas galloped by their castle in the dark of night and threw a bag of gold in the window. He did this three nights in a row, providing each daughter with a dowry. Eventually, it was discovered that he had been the generous benefactor. His fame as a gift giver spread through out many lands and he has been credited with the concepts of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.

The three bags of gold represent the three golden balls found on the signage outside pawn broker's shops.

In another more gruesome story, he saved three babies, often pictured beside him. During a famine, an inn keeper had no meat to feed his customers so he cut up three children and tossed them into a brine filled pickling tub. Thankfully, St. Nicholas walked in just in time to bless the boys and bring them back to life!

During that same famine, he convinced sailors on a ship filled with grain to unload some of their cargo to feed those who were starving. They were initially reluctant since the grain had been weighed and they wanted to deliver the entire shipment. He assured them that the cargo would weigh exactly the same amount when it was delivered. It did.

As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, give a gift from the heart. It doesn't need to be expensive. It could be a kind word, a quote that would make someone feel valued, a thank you. Or is could be a poem, or a recipe! Here's my gift to you!

Golden Bishop's Tea

4 cups black or green tea
4 cups apricot nectar
Serve hot with a honey if desired and a sprig of rosemary 
and a sprinkling of nutmeg

Optional: 1 Tablespoon apricot brandy per cup

As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, think gold! Decorate with golden wheat and tansy! Serve apricot or orange nut bread with Golden Bishop's Tea. Create your own golden delights! 

The Calendula symbolizes joy and protection. Wishing you both! 

Calendula officinalis

Gender: Masculine
Element: Fire
Planet: ​Sun

In January, my intention was to post an herbal collage every week, but my life changed dramatically and “life got in  the  way”, as the  saying goes. 
Zippy, my  precious 17 year old puggle, passed over the rainbow bridge in mid April. Loving  and  supporting  him through  the transition was difficult. His no  longer being by my side was  even more difficult. Many of you sent me warm condolences and they were greatly appreciated.
Preparing to sell the house in Maryland, a greatly  needed escape with a dear friend to Cape Cod, and finding, purchasing and setting up  a home, limited my time in the garden, art room and on line. 
Several things played  into my deciding to sell my house and move back  to central  PA - most of all my two lovely daughters and my  new son (in-law)! Moving closer to them has brought me  great joy.!  
Since the calendula represents joy, it seems a perfect segue back to my  illustrations, collages, gardening  and herbal experience and research!  It also symbolizes protection. I wish each  of you good health and a feeling of safety and calm in these challenging times!

Memorial Day 2012 was the most meaningful and memorable Memorial Day I've ever spent.  

We joined hundreds of volunteers to carry an enormous flag out onto the beach at Ocean City, Maryland. Those of us on the outside are visible but many more are underneath, ensuring that the flag would not touch the sand. 

The flag measured 45,000 square feet and weighed 850 pounds: the seamstress in me kept wondering where and how such an enormous flag could have been pieced. Betsy Ross would have been stunned! You can get a sense of the size of the stars from the picture on the bottom right. 

There was a reverence and strong sense of pride and gratitude as we carried the flag onto the beach. I thought of my grandfather who fought in World War I, and my dad who fought in the Korean War and World War II. There was a mix of civilians, and veterans from every branch of the service, some distinguishable by their t-shirts, and a few by their tattoos. 

Kudos to Ocean City, Maryland for hosting such a dramatic and heart felt tribute in memory of those who fought to ensure that we can live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. God bless America!

St. Patrick wasn't Irish, he wore blue, not green and there were no snakes.
​But there were vampires and leprechauns and witches. Oh my!

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I'm using my alphabet prompts to learn more about all things Irish. I'm only doing one or two topics per letter, even though I can think of many more for some.. Even so, be warned. This will be a long post. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Let's start with something light and fun! Ha!

A is for Abhartach, the Irish Vampire. 
Even though Dracula, the character created by Bram Stoker, is most often associated with Transylvania, in reality he may have been based on an Irish king, Abhartach. He was said to be a dwarf and considered to be evil and feared by all who knew him.
He was a very jealous man and was suspicious of his wife, convinced that she was having an affair. While spying on her from a high castle window, he fell to his death. The entire kingdom was relieved.. They buried him upright, apparently the correct burial position for royalty, and enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep. One. Just one.
Because the next day, he rose from the dead, and demanded that all of his subjects slit their wrists and drain their blood into bowls. Well, you can imagine they were upset, so they traveled to the next village seeking help from another king, Cathan, who came, killed him and buried him once more. 
You guessed it. Up he came, ready for yet another snack.
This continued until Cathan decided to seek help from a saint who explained there was no way to kill someone who was already dead!
His suggestion was to bury him upside down, cover him with thorns and ash branches, and top it off with a huge boulder. As far as we know it worked, and peace returned to the kingdom. He served as inspiration for Stoker's Dracula, and all lived happily ever after!

A banshee is a terrifying, wispy, floating specter with a piercing scream who warns of a coming death in the family. First reports were in Ireland in the 8th century. This alarming figure, usually female, varies in age from a young maiden to an old woman. Some families were reported to have their very own banshee, possibly having been a family member who had passed. They were known for their  keening,  mournful singing and wailing, as they lamented the death of loved ones. 

,​King Lir, Bobd Derg, was left with four motherless children, one daughter and three sons, when his wife Aoibh, the queen, unexpectedly passed away. The king decided to marry Aoife, his wife's sister,

Over the next few weeks, as we approach Valentine's Day, I'll be revisiting some of the herbs associated with love and romance.. When it comes to matters of the heart, there are no limits to the human imagination in pursuing, wooing and attempting to ensure their love will be returned. Some of the uses are romantic and beautiful, elegant and sublime. Some are tender and heart warming.
​
Herbs can add a sensuous dimension to all aspects of life. Their beauty, aroma, flavors and touch delight. Some are showy and enticing with an distinctive and noticeable fragrance. Others you might walk by, or even step on, and not even notice! Often the greatest gifts are found in herbs you might not immediately notice. Hopefully these little snippets will entice you to learn more about the endless history and legacy of these treasures. 

Our  herb series continues with the Rose, the Queen of Flowers and the undisputed floral symbol of love. The Society of American Florists predicts that nearly 250 million roses will be sold for Valentine’s Day. 

The rose is a perfect example of beauty, romance and sensuous living. She is a vision of delight, her petals are velvet, her fragrance is divine and her delicate flavor is sublime.  i wish you all the gifts the rose offers - love, friendship, beauty, romance and sensuous pleasures. 

The last time I  saw  Susan she was  three  years  old. 

She lived in my hometown and was Julia,  my  best friend’s, little sister. I was thirteen  years old when my  dad died and we left the town where he taught at the  local college. Mother  got a  job out of state and I lost touch  with both sisters. Years  later, Julia and I reconnected, followed  by my reconnecting  with Susan. We became Facebook friends and were in touch almost daily.  Her creativity, compassion for others, and  energy, were a breath  of fresh air. 
On October 9 this year, Susan passed unexpectedly. When I  saw  her  daughter’s  post on Facebook, announcing her Mom’s death, I  was heart sick. Even now, thinking  of it gives me  a lump  in my throat. 
A few days ago, I found  the Christmas card  Susan sent me last year.  

This is so much more  than  a Christmas card to  me. It is a reminder to take the time to let  people know  how you  feel. Susan’s card will inspire me to send physical  reminders to  let others know  they  matter to me, and why.
Years ago,  I  read  that sincere compliments are so rare, we remember them  for a lifetime. At my age, a physical  reminder is helpful. In the age of everything quick,  reactionary  and electronic, a personal note is especially treasured. This year may be the perfect time to send a hand written note to  loved ones to  let them know you  care.  
Stay safe and share your love and light. No day is  promised. 

Wheat and roses are both beautiful additions to the Feast of Saint Barbara for decorations and for your meal. Freshly baked bread with rose petal jelly is sublime!