For Tuesday, February 16th, 2021

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, 2021

The moments of our lives may be bright with possibility, dark with fear or sadness, or even plain everyday gray, but God's glory never fades.  May God's glory shine into the exciting lights, upsetting darks, and boring grays of your every day.

35 DAYS UNTIL SPRING ! 

Sunrise: 7:21 am

 Sunset: 6:04 pm

Life is a special occasion!

Hallmark

Today is Mardi Gras also known as Fat Tuesday which is the last day of the Carnival season, a raucous merry making in the weeks leading up to Lent.  In countries across the world people will celebrate with extravagant festivals, parades, and feasts.  They will don costumes, dance in streets and binge on decadent desserts.

The two most famous Mardi Gras celebrations usually take place in Venice, Italy and New Orleans, Louisiana.  At the Carnivals in Veneszia the most important event is the contest for the best mask, which is judged by a panel of international fashion designers, in New Orleans, the festivities revolve around the Mardi Gras parades, which are organized by secret societies known as krewes. the members of societies design the elaborate floats and ride them during the event, tossing beads to the crowd below.

To celebrate Mardi Gras, enjoy some delicious kink can and don an exotic Venetian Mardi Gras mask.

This week is National Pancake Week

If you can’’t see the bright side, polhish the dull side 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

An American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Mark Twain

This is also known as Pancake Tuesday and that’s what I’m going to have today for brunch.  They would also make a good supper.  In our region it’s also known as Pacski Day.  They are a Polish donut like dessert.  Due to the large Polish community around here they are readily available and I also have some of those on hand to enjoy.  

It’s the last day to fill up on rich and flavorful food before Lent begins, when we’ll be watching what we eat and giving up a lot of things. 

No doubt the parades and parties will be curtailed like everything else has been done here this year.  But maybe we can all do a little virtual celebration.

One way or the other I’ll still enjoy my pancakes and Paczkis.

I hope you all have TERRIFIC Tusday !

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Let the good times roll!

Mardi gras saying

Counting at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for.  There is truly is always something to be thankful for.

8920.for a day to celebrate before Lent begins

8921. for pancakes, good for breakfast, lunch or dinner

8922.for parades to entertain us.

.

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

  

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Almighty and eternal God,

Protect our military

as they discharge their duties

with the shield of your strength,

may the power of your love

enable them to return home in safety

that with all who love them

they may ever praise you for your loving care.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT’s

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOD BLESS YOU!

ADVICE FOR TODAY

Mardi Gras is the love of life.  It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our must, our creativity , our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living.  All at once.

Chris Rose 

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

 

Love,

ma 

MY BLOG

What’s New at My House

 

http://onyama.blogspot.com/

For Tuesday, February 25th, 2020

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2020 

The moments of our lives may be bright with possibility, dark with fear or sadness, or even plain everyday gray, but God's glory never fades.  May God's glory shine into the exciting lights, upsetting darks, and boring grays of your every day.

23 DAYS UNTIL SPRING 

Sunrise: 7:09 am

 Sunset: 6:14 pm

Life is a special occasion!!

Hallmark

Today is Mardi Gras also known as Fat Tuesday. Its the last day of the Carnival season- a period of raucous merry making in the weeks leading up to Lent.  People celebrate with extravagant festivals, parades and feasts.  They will don costumes, dance in the streets and binge on decadent desserts.

The two most famous Mardi Gras celebrations take place in Venice Italy and New Orleans, Louisiana.  At the Canevale di Venezio the most important event is the contest for the best mask which is judged by a panel of international fashion designers.  In New Orleans, the festivities revolve around Mardi Gras parades, which are organized by secret societies. They design elaborate floats and ride them tossing beads to the crowds.

To celebrate Mardi Gras enjoy some delicious King cake or don an exotic Mardi Gras mask!

The colors of Mardi Gras are Purple, Green and gold. Purple represents Justice. Green represents Faith and Gold represents power. 

Today is also National Pancake Day.

If you can’t see the bright side, polish the dull side 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

I think Mardi Gras is a symbol that we’re down but not out.

Arthur Hardy

I have a lot of options on the menu today to celebrate with.  Not only am I making pancakes I have some delicoous Paczki on hand to eat.  Thanks to living where we have a strong Polish comunninity, Paczki are a polish donut like treat made for the day before Lent begins.  They are a very rich donut with many different fillings.  They are available at our area bakeries and grocery stores.

Jambalaya is a Creole dish that is typically served today. and I found a good recipe to try out. 

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Serves 10

1 c. vegetable oil

1 c. flour

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped.

2 celery stalks chopped

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

4 clove garlic , minced

salt and pepper to taste

Creole seasoning to taste

6 c. chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 rotisserie chicken, boned and shredded

Heat oil over medium heat.  When hot whisk in flour and continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the color of chocolate milk.  Be careful not to burn.  Stir in bell pepper, celery, and sausage .  Season with salt and pepper and Creole seasoning.  Blend throughly. Pour in the chicken broth and add bay leaf.  Bring to boil, then reduce and let simmer, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Stir in chicken and let smmer 1 hour more.Serve over hot cooked rice. I added the rice at this point and let it cook covered till tender. Making this a one pot meal.

After today we’ll be cutting back on what we eat and have a much lighter, simpler diet and many people give up meat on all the Fridays during Lent.  Many places provide fish fries during this time and my favorite, Lake Erie Perch, is often available in our area to eat.  It’s not hard to give up meat at all when you have something like that to eat.

It’s expensive fish and I don’t fix it for my self often at all, but do eat it out at resturants that offer it. I can even order take out and bring it home.

 I hope you all have aTERRIFIC Fat Tuesday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Counting at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for.  There is truly is always something to be thankful for.

7892.for Mardi Gras, a day to feast before Lent begins

7893. for Lent a time to prepare for Eater

7894.for so many delicious treats

.

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

  

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Almighty and eternal God,

Protect our military

as they discharge their duties

with the shield of your strength,

may the power of your love

enable them to return home in safety

that with all who love them

they may ever praise you for your loving care.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT’s

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOD BLESS YOU!

ADVICE FOR TODAY

Mardi Gras is the love of life.  It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods and our joy of living.  All at once.

Chris Rose

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

Love,

ma 

For Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2014

16 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!

109 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!!!

Sunrise:6:58 am

Sunset: 6:22 pm

Life is a Special Occasion!

Hallmark

 Happy Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Pancake Day!

It’s one big party tied to the tradition of consuming all the fat in the house before Lent, the season of penance, begins. Mardi Gras means breakfast for dinner Fat Tuesday means pancakes.  

Let the good times roll...

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Take your burdens to the Mardi Gras
Let the music wash your soul
You can mingle in the street,
You can jingle to the beat of the jelly roll.

Paul Simon

The King Cake, which is pictured above, has been associated with Mardi Gras for many years. The season begins on January 6th, known as Epiphany, the day the Three Wise Men of the East, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar found the baby Jesus.  The King Cake reminds us of this day by it’s shape, color and decorations.  It’s oval shape represents unity of all Christians.  The colors purple, gold, and green stand for justice, power and faith.  A small baby doll, coin, or bean is hidden in the cake to symbolize the finding of the baby Jesus.  Whoever finds this symbol in their slice of cake traditionally buys the King cake for the next celebration.

This King Cake was purchased by me.   The little baby is doll is hidden inside now and we’ll see if it’s someone else’s turn to buy the next cake or if it will be me again.  I got the cake at one of our local grocery stores and was thrilled to find it.  Any excuse to have my cake and eat it too, is fine with me.

 Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, we’ll fast and pray and  I’ll be going to church to receive our ashes.  These are marked on our foreheads in the sign of a cross so that we’ll be reminded that unto dust we will return.  Lent is a time of preparation for Easter.  A time to remember where our focus should be…not on worldly things but in Christ the King.

I’ll hopefully have a Lenten reflection for you each day during the 40 days of Lent.  You can read them if you want by going to my blog - What’s new at my house.  The link for that can be found at the end of this post.  I hope you’ll bookmark it and follow along with me on my journey to Easter.

I wish you all a blessed season of Lent.  Hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.

Leighton Ford

I have counted at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for this past year and have now reached my 1000 gifts.  I'm not stopping, but will continue on counting.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.

1454. for King Cakes and Pancakes too!

1455. for gentle reminders that every day is a day to celebrate, life is short

1456. for the color green which reminds me new life, of Spring!

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU !

You always feel fine on Mardi Gras

Pete Fountain

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

Love,

ma

What’s New at My House

http://onyama.blogspot.com/

 You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought

Matthew 5:5 (MSG)

For Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

a pictorial journal

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

FEBRUARY 16^TH, 2010

It's FAT TUESDAY!

Mardi Gras is a day of carnival, when people dress up, have parades, dance, eat, and stay up late. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French. Mardi Gras (also known as Shrove Tuesday) is celebrated by some people as a last party before Lent.

The most famous celebration in the US takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana. It has been celebrated there on a grand scale, with masked balls and colorful parades, since French settlers arrived in the early 1700s

Carnival is obviously the season for parties and family get-togethers. Let us put this day of Carnival to use and learn to dance together, play together, and sing together .

As we prepare to begin Lent, perhaps after a hearty dinner of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, may we take time for an extra prayer or two

THINKING

Just as a seed falls from a tree, takes root in the soil and begins to grow, our faith grows continually, nourished by the foundation of prayer

Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt ... even if you say to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will be done

Matthew 21:21

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

A traditional Mardi Gras dish is red beans and rice. It is one of the easiest and simplest meals and is healthy, nourishing and filling.

It is common to sauté onions and garlic in a pot, and simply to add the beans along with enough water to cover them. This is brought to a boil and then let simmer for an hour. If you are starting from scratch and using dry beans, you’ll have to cook them longer

This is served over a generous bed of rice. The rice is easily prepared by putting a cup or two of rice in a pot, with twice as many cups of water, and a touch of salt. This is brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer for 20-40 minutes, depending upon the type of rice used.

DS#2 passed on this recipe that he makes at his house.

Dirty Beans

2 large cans of Pork & Beans (whatever type you like)

2 lbs Ground Beef

½ Box of Dark Brown Sugar

2 Cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Chilies

1 Package of Taco Seasoning (Hot

½ Jar of Salsa (Hot)

½ Bottle of Honey Barbecue Sauce

Brown the Ground Beef. Drain fat. Mix in the Rotel, Salsa, and Taco Sauce and cook for a short period. Add the beans (for thicker beans, drain both cans of beans). Add brown sugar and barbecue sauce. Cook on medium heat until the beans are tender and warmed thoroughly. Make sure you stir the beans so they will not stick. If you are making this to serve immediately, then cook all of it on the stove, if you are making this to sit out at a party, then transfer contents from the pan to a crock-pot and keep on low heat. Making sure once again that you stir the beans.

I’m choosing to go with MILD seasonings instead of the hot ones shown above.

PRAYERS

Lord, we thank You for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us. We thank you especially for one another. As we give you thanks, make us mindful of those who have so much less than we do

Amen

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AMEN

AROUND HOME

I found a pair of Mardi Gras glasses at the Goodwill store awhile back. These plus the little fleur de leis , which was a gift from DS#6 and his wife when they visited New Orleans, plus a few chains of beads make up decorations I have for Mardi Gras at my house. The fleur de leis meaning is a symbolic drawing of a lily or an iris. You will see it all over in European coats of arms and is really representative of the French. You will often find the fleur de leis symbol in areas that were settled by the French. Those areas were Quebec, St. Louis, Louisville, and Louisiana. The symbol is thought to mean ideals of purity, light, and is floral in its depiction.

Rex selected the official Mardi Gras colors in 1872. The 1892 Rex Parade theme Symbolism of Colors gave meaning to the colors: purple represents justice; green, faith; and gold, power.

Remember to wear the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold during Mardi Gras whenever you're not in costume

FAMILY

I spoke with DS#4 the other evening and he was thankful to be home after a week of constant traveling for work. They had snow at their house too this past week. I think the news said that 49 of our states here in the US have had snow this winter.

I also got to talk with DS#6 and his wife who are expecting that baby any time now. The actual due date is March 1^st and that isn’t far away at all. They’ve got everything ready at their house, now that little one just has to put in an appearance.

DS#1 called Monday evening to let me know that had about 8 inches of new snow on the ground. We have more too, but thankfully not as much as he does.

COUNTING THE DAYS

The special season before Easter is called Lent. The word comes from the lengthening of daylight hours as we progress from the darkness of winter to the new light of spring.

32 DAYS UNTIL SPRING !

59 DAYS UNTIL CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

44 DAYS UNTIL MA RETIRES

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma