The Month of March, by Any Other Name

First a howling blizzard woke us,

Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus,
Crocus. ~~~ Lilja Rogers

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~~~ Charles Dickens

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men. ~~~ Chinese Proverb

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In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. ~~~ Mark Twain

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Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! ~~~ Sitting Bull

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A little Madness in Spring is wholesome, even for the King ~~~ Emily Dickinson

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Up from the sea, the wild north wind is blowing

Under the sky's gray arch; smiling I watch the shaken elm boughs, knowing it is the wind of March. ~~~ William Wadsworth

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The ides of March are come. ~~~ William Shakespeare

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More than patience for Pysanki

Photo from: How To: The Ancient Art of Pysanki
by A. K. Andrews

Years ago, I was sent on an assignment to explore the ancient art of Pysanki being produced by a small group of ladies from an area Orthodox Catholic church.

My editor had recently returned from an extended Eastern European trip with her father to find long-lost relatives not long after Glasnot under Mikhail Gorbachev had made those regions more accessible.

Freshly filled with the inspiration of the folk art crafts and dress she had discovered there, she was on a mission to un-earth similar roots in the states and it was I who was elected to investigate the art of these intricately-colored eggs.

I found when I arrived in the basement of the church where the group of ladies met and plied this amazing craft, that not only had I been volunteered to write the feature story, but had also been volunteered to be "taught" the art of the eggs ~ much to my surprise.

In some endeavors in life, I could be considered "somewhat" artistic ~ in other areas, I have found long ago that I have no talent at all and so have forgone ever again attempting to learn the art of such things as oil painting for instance. However the ancient craft of Pysanki was something new to me at the time (appearing to be more graphic than artistic) and so I good-naturedly gave it my best try.

Now, it should be said that one cannot expect to walk into a church basement and produce one of these beauties in the space of an hour or two ~ unless they are unusually talented and/or have a lot of prior experience in doing so.

And it also should be noted that the group of ladies who patiently tried to teach me the craft had been decorating these marvels since childhood ~ so they did in fact have a few years ~ rather, decades ~ of experience on me.

Pysanki can be learned by a novice to the craft, but it takes more than patience. It also requires an extremely steady hand as well as an artistic knack for intricate pattern (or at least the ability to copy a pattern already executed).

While personal instruction by an expert in this fine art may be preferred, excellent detailed instructions can also be found on the web, such as "How To; The Ancient Art of Pysnaki" by A. K. Andrews (which can be found by clicking here).

Mainly attributed to Ukranian and Carpathian area cultures, the art of Pysanki has been wide-spread over most of Eastern Europe and into many parts of the old Soviet Union. The preferred "canvas" for this ancient art are the larger goose and duck eggs ~ which have their insides blown out through small holes and are delicate canvases to handle.

Luckily however, one need not rely solely on their own artistic talents to have one or more of these eggs to enjoy and own. Many Orthodox Catholic churches still have groups who practice this craft ~ or who perhaps can at least direct someone in the right direction to where some may possibly be for sale.

They seem to be more difficult to find as time goes on and perhaps as less and less people learn and practice this fine craft. However occasionally one might find in larger cities a splendid source such as the Romanian Folk Art Museaum in Philadelphia who are exhibiting and selling Pysanki eggs through April 22nd, 2009 (found by clicking here).

Some of their offerings appear in the photo to the right, and they also offer an interesting history and regional claim on their web page.

However, no matter what region claims this wonderfully intricate art as their own ~ or in which country they are actually made ~ the eggs are pieces of timeless beauty sure to bring years of enjoyment to anyone possessing one or more.

And while one may not have the patience and talent to produce one of these marvels, it certainly does not preclude the patience to enormously appreciate the exquisite results of this ancient craft.
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The Heralding of the Green

Vintage Saint Patrick's Day Postcard

The Old Weir Bridge in Killarney

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While the original Saint Patrick's Day was scheduled so as not to interfere with the Easter Holidays, how appropriate it should be in the Early Spring when green buds and shoots are appearing for the first time of year in many parts of the world.

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It is not hard to see why the color "green" would come to represent the Irish, with Ireland so long known as "The Emerald Isle." An early Irish flag was all green with a golden harp in the center long before the green, orange and white tri-colored flag of today.

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"Everyone has some Irish in them on Saint Patrick's Day," I have been told time and again. Perhaps it is so, perhaps the prospect of green beer ~ and even a river which is dyed green in Chicago each year for the holiday ~ is too inspiring and alluring for anyone to admit they do not have at least a "smidgen of Irish" in their blood.

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Chicago River dyed green ~ 2008

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But no matter if they admit to being "even a little" Irish or not ~ or good-naturedly pretend to be for this happy holiday ~ it is very few people who can turn down an invitation to a good hearty Saint Patrick's Day meal. Corned Beef of course, being the choice of many.

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A Corned Beef dinner is a necessity in our home at this time of year. While we have tried many variations, we have found a favorite in Glazed Corn Beef Brisket, a hand-written recipe discovered years back in an old family recipe box.

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Served with boiled herbed new potatoes and steamed baby carrots, it brings dreamy visions of the Emerald Isle and a cozy stone cottage overlooking the Irish Sea. With a "secret ingredient" or two added by the "master chef in residence," we admittedly have it sometimes more than once a year, especially in the Spring.

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It should be started a day ahead of time, with the preparations on the actual day of serving being a generally easy endeavor. And if you didn't have your Corned Beef on the actual Saint Patrick's Day ~ well, it's never too late. May the road rise up to meet you ...

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Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

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Glazed Corn Beef Brisket (started a day before serving):

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• one Corned Beef Brisket, 8 t0 10 pounds
• 2 to 3 large sweet onions, quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• whole cloves

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Mustard Glaze (made the day of serving):

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• 1 cup dark corn syrup or dark honey
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard

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A Day Ahead of Serving:

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Place the Corned Beef Brisket in a large stove-top heavy kettle or pot (with lid) and add enough water to cover. Add the onion quarters, salt, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil with pot uncovered. Reduce the heat and cover and simmer for about 4 to 5 hours or until the corned beef is tender.

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Remove the Corned Beef Brisket from cooking liquid, discard liquid. Stud the Corned Beef Brisket with whole cloves and wrap the Corned Beef Brisket well. Place in refrigerator and refrigerate until the next day.

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Day of Serving:

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Make the Mustard Glaze for the Corned Beef Brisket. In a small saucepan, combine the dark corn syrup or dark honey and mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent sticking. Let cool.

Remove the Corned Beef Brisket from the refrigerator and unwrap. Trim any excess fat from the Corned Beef Brisket and place on rack in a broiler pan. Brush the Corned Beef Brisket liberally with the Mustard Glaze and broil about 5 inches from heat for 10 minutes, brushing the Corned Beef every 2 to 3 minutes with the Mustard Glaze.

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Serve with boiled new potatoes and steamed baby carrots, use any additional glaze as sauce for the vegetables, if desired. Recipe serves 8 to 12 and makes great left-overs.

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Warm Sunshine in a Cup

Day and night temperatures rollick upwards and downwards ~ a seasonal roller coaster of warmer and cooler weather ~ almost near 60-degrees at times and then back down into the 20s and teens seemingly quite suddenly, wind chill factors not considered.

It is one of the wonderful paradoxes of the beginning of Spring ~ too warm to be cold and too cold to be warm And never quite in the middle either.

Subsequently it is a time of year when multiple layers of clothing are quite practical ~ peeling off and putting on, depending on the fluctuating degrees, the wind and the amount of activity engaged in at any one time.

We are committed coffee drinkers, we must at least have that first freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning. Yet there are occasions during this time of the year when I turn to tea first thing in the morning instead.

Tea seems "lighter" somehow, more Spring-like ~ perhaps it is all in my head ~ but there is something about a good hot cup of Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green Tea with Raspberry and various other types and flavors that revive me in a way that coffee doesn't seem to be able to at times.

One Spring only a few years ago, I became nearly obsessed with Green Tea with Raspberry.

I had received several gorgeous large tins of the Green Tea with Raspberry as a gift the year before and the tins were so beautiful that I hesitated opening them ~ thinking to myself I would save them for some "special occasion" instead. And then one dreary chill March evening, I finally opened one. And the aroma of Raspberries which seemed almost to jump out at me was like a basket of fresh fruit just picked from the bush. Fragrant, wholly ripe Raspberries fit for an award-winning pie.

It was a Spring in which for various reasons, it seemed we were almost always "on the road" ~ on our way to or from somewhere ~ and I would always pack at least two large thermoses of the Green Tea with Raspberry to take with us.

A small dollop of pure Honey mixed in ~ and it was like carrying a welcoming ray of warm sunshine in a bottle.

It too was a Spring of widely varying temperatures and occasional surprising wind chills ~ a time of year when folks of yesteryear used to employ their "home-made" tonics to renew their energies and to keep from getting ill.

The Green Tea with Raspberry was like a tonic for us that year. While we have been fortunate in our health, it somehow gave us an extra boost and helped to keep us from feeling run-down with all the traveling we were doing.

I always have a good supply in the pantry ~ along with a variety of other kinds ~ tea can be wonderfully versatile and fortunately keeps nearly as long as the hills, if properly stored. We still drink the Green Tea with Raspberry, although I am more likely to intersperse it with other flavors and types.

I still pack thermoses of it when we are traveling this time of year however, a wonderful habit which stayed with me ~ and because it seems, no other type of beverage will just quite do.

And still in this time of year, we turn to our Hot Apple Cider, undoubtedly a "tonic" in its own right ~ and one which seems to get us through the cooler and colder months of Fall and Winter each year ~ and well into the chilly days and nights of Spring as well.

While it was a bit warmer today, the reminder of the cold Winter's passing still blew on the icy breeze ~ and an occasional and surprising chill ran over me at times.

So before noon, a crock pot full of Hot Apple Cider was brewing and somehow the day ~ both indoors and out ~ was more delightful and somehow brighter than before.

Although on the few warm days we have seen, we will drink our Apple Cider chilled now ~ there is also something renewing about Apples and the resulting Cider which seems to refresh and re-invigorate our energies no matter what the weather ~ but especially at those times of year when there is a chill in the air of one degree or another with the Apple Cider served hot.

And perhaps it is like that with the blissful aroma and taste of Green Tea with Raspberry beginning in the early Spring. A warm and fragrant ray of sunshine in a cup or thermos which seems to taste like Spring itself as well.

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Somewhere, Spring

Somewhere not too far away to the south, the green sprouts of Spring break through the still-cold ground. From my younger years, I remember a book about the "Root Children" which showed the little boys and girls clad in deep bright Spring-time flower bud colors ~ being gently awakened from their underground beds by a grandmotherly-looking Mother Nature ~ to begin their annual journey upward.

The several illustrations for this story were created in a dreamy, filmy, yet very vivid watercolor style. And the "Root Children" looked so cozy in their thick quilt-covered wooden nature beds ~ in a just-as-cozy room under a large tree within its massive knarled roots ~ that I felt sorry for them that they had to be awakened ~ but glad at the same time, as they promised the bright sprouts and flowers of the soon-coming Spring.

Spring is on the gentle mountain breezes, Winter still in the fierce March winds which blow from time to time. And on some bright days it seems as if Spring has already arrived.

Bare trees examined closely show the leaf buds already forming on some, and soon ~ perhaps not soon enough for some ~ they will be covered in the small light green leaves finally giving way to the heavy cover of Summer.

Huge sunshine yellow sprays of Forsythia will soon embellish our rooms, with generous bouquets of apple and cherry blossoms as well. Oriental style arrangements of delicate Dogwood blossoms and Pussy Willow will precede the later blooming aromatic Lilacs which emit their heavenly scent throughout the entire house.

Always around the Easter holidays, I am lured successfully by pots of Hyacinths and bury my nose in the fragrant blooms while they are still on display in the stores. After growing and fully blooming and sharing their wonderfully intoxicating aroma, they are planted outdoors as additions to the perennial beds. This is an annual occurence as I cannot resist getting new pots of them for inside the house each year ~ and luckily we have the room to expand the outdoor beds as needed.

Each year we look forward to the Easter weekend and Easter Dinner which to us is also a celebration of the coming Spring ~ the joyful welcoming of a Season of Promise, the Renewed Year. In the meantime, we closely watch for the heralding blooms of the Snow Drops and colorful Crocuses to remind us once more that Spring has not forgotten us this year.

And anxiously wait for a proper breeze-filled March day to journey to a hilltop field and send our kites soaring towards the distant clouds.

Well into my adult years and even now, I have always wondered if the "Root Children" had little cups of hot tea after arising. A cup of hot herbal tea sounds good right now ~ to ward off the chill of yet another windy March night.


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