People, who are accustomed to their electronics playing constantly, wonder what Plain Catholics do of an evening after the day is done. So today's post will share what we care about: family and faith time.

In the evening, when dishes are done after supper we pray the Liturgy of the Hours then sit as a family and chat. We read the Bible and Catechism and discuss how we can apply those teachings to our daily life. Later we play musical instruments or play games, do artwork, knitting, sewing, crocheting, model building, carving or simply have quiet time.

At bedtime we say prayers with our children tucking each one in bed. Afterwards, husband and wife plan the day following and the weeks ahead.

We are connected to our children and to each other. Our conversations with each other help us to practice our faith in action and learn to apply the faith to our lives.

May God bless every family with the opportunity to find each other in union with our loving God.

A most happy and blessed Eastertide to you all!

The last of the daffs are beginning to fade and it is time for the garden to be overturned. We watch the seasons and the signs of plant life to know when it is time to plant. It has been more accurate than the almanac.

The seeds we bought a month ago have been singing to be planted. The bulk tomatoes and herbs are already in their flats. The beans shall have to wait.

Our Pope Francis reminds me of this quote by Bld. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

God bless you all.

Habemus Papam - Francis I

We gratefully praise God for the gift of the humble man who is now our pope:
Pope Francis I.

Holy Father, one of your first acts was to ask the people in the Square of St. Peter to bless you before you impart your own blessing on them. Then you bowed and silence filled the night as all prayed over you.

We shall continue to pray for you to receive the Wisdom of the Trinity, strength and holiness of life that shines as a Godly and good example to all.

Bienvenido y muchas bendiciones para usted. Amamos a nuestro Santo Padre!

Praying for the Cardinals...of the Church Kind

We're going into fall here in Kiwi land. We're also praying for the Cardinals as they begin the Conclave on Tuesday. From a sea of Red will emerge a lone white figure.

We pray for them when they vote, we pray for that lone white figure who will shoulder the responsibility of carrying on with the message of Jesus Christ to the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic faith. May God bless them all and grace them with holiness, courage and perseverance.

Gratitude

We are grateful that God has given us Pope Benedict XVI. He has done much in the eight years to bring balance back to the Church in both liturgy and in theology. He was also willing to make the unpopular decisions in the face of pressure from within the Church and without... decisions for the good of the Church and the Gospel of Christ.

Joseph Ratzinger expressed willingness to abandon himself to God by assenting to serve in demanding roles time and again instead of pursuing his favorite activities of quiet study, prayer and writing. He still managed to do some writing in his hectic schedule as Pope, often with a cat as companion.

Yet writing often had to take a secondary priority to the demanding daily duties of the Pontificate. Now at age 85, he is obedient to the advancing years' toll on his body and mind. Pope Benedict XVI knows it is time for another to continue the task of leading Christ's disciples. Yet he shall continue to serve us in prayer and work until God calls him home.

We shall miss you, Pope Benedict XVI: may you enjoy your well-earned retirement with the joy of music and your beloved cats.

Winter Ramblings

After the snow has been on the ground constantly for two months, some folks develop winter blues. They snuggle down in the bed longer and feel listless from the unrelenting white in the world outside their door.

Not us. There is too much to do on the ranch. Cattle need feeding and checking still. The wood still has to be cut to keep the wood cook stove going. The mud room quite literally lives up to its name as mud still finds its way indoors in spite of the stomping, stamping ritual on the boot cleaner on the porch. Occasionally the guys will stomp out a syncopated beat making for some improvisational drumming.

There is still plenty to do in the house too. The men, young and old, turn the living room into a temporary tool repair shop in the evening. The living room's warmth makes working on the tools much more comfortable than the single digit temps out in the workshop. When both the tools and the fingers are stiff from the cold not much progress can be made in repairing tools. They share stories and tall tales during the repairs along with hot chocolate, gingerbread and laughter. During daylight the men work the livestock and ranch chores. Sometimes we will have to go help out a neighbor with an emergency or an extra heavy chore. One or two of us will stay at the ranch while the others go over.

Reading, sewing, yarn crafts, and ordering seeds are part of my winter evenings. Homeschooling, cleaning, cooking and help with the livestock when an extra pair of hands are needed are my days. The whole day is punctuated with prayer when we stop and pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the mornings and evenings before breakfast and supper.

Going to Mass can sometimes be an adventure after a blizzard. Our two 4-wheel-drive trucks see a great deal of usage in these months. Tire chains and a shovel stowed in the back help with the occasional bog down.

A good many evenings there are no chores, no repairs and no emergencies. The dishes are dried by the all male assembly line and we can all settle into a book or a board game. The two dogs will sneak into the kitchen to steal food from the bowl of the two house cats. The boys will go in to scold the dogs and then a chase will begin. The dogs bouncing through the house with the boys in hot pursuit. The cats head under the sofa until the crazy is over. You would think they would be too tired for that rumpus but boys and dogs always manage one more game.

Slow stews simmer on the wood stove and complement the hot biscuits from the oven. The guys slather butter and jam on their hot biscuits and debate the last one until they cut it in half for sharing. My stews are cobbled together from the root cellar and larder. Last summer's tomatoes and other vegetables are canned and make a nice base with the chicken stock or beef stock. Potatoes and parsnips, carrots and other crunchy veg simmer with the chunks of meat canned last fall. Sometimes the pot has a creamy soup in it: chicken and noodles; cream of potato; cream of mushroom... it keeps us warm, nourished and full. Many books and magazines talk about gourmet dishes as though they were something to be worshiped. For us, food is a delicious means to keep our bodies going for the hard chores. Butter is a staple for us. You cannot get much tastier than butter on hot breads or sauteing onions. The jellies and jams are sweet condiments for the breads and waffles. The pickled veg are tart and sweet additions to brighten the winter plate and provide much needed vitamin c and other important vitamins. Did I mention we do not have a low carb diet? Or a low fat diet... or a South Beach, or any other diet for that matter. Our life provides plenty of exercise in winter. Trudging through the waist high snow (sometimes deeper) to do chores burns vast amounts of calories readily.

Time to get back to work. With prayers for all, the Plain Catholics in the Northern Mountains
Daniel 3
...46  Bless the Lord, dews and snows,
    sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
47  Bless the Lord, nights and days,
    sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
48  Bless the Lord, light and darkness,
    sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
49  Bless the Lord, ice and cold,
    sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
50  Bless the Lord, frosts and snows,
    sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever....

Grief and Sorrow

We join our hearts in grief and sorrow with victims, their families and all of Newtown, CT. Please be assured of our prayers and sacrifices for you. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, comfort and heal all of our hearts.