It has been quite the busy week here at Day Camps Central!
As promised, the PDF version of 2014 Program Manual was sent out to all host churches from which we have received complete applications, (three more of those arrived this week too!!), and we have heard of some exciting new opportunities for partnering with church groups going to First Nations communities in Northern Saskatchewan.
The patchwork quilt, or jigsaw puzzle, is slowly coming together and it looks as if the finished design will be diverse and colourful in terms of ministry, just the way we like it!
The situation is also improving on the recruiting front as we are now in possession of 8 Team Applications (not all complete, of course!) with the promise of at least 2 more. As usual, the push is on to find applicants of Leadership age and ability and, this year, there is a struggle to find 3 suitable Training Team Leaders, who are represent a VITAL component for successful Team Training. But maybe I’m just being too impatient!!
Ever since the Team Gathering, last weekend the old excitement, like springtime “sap”, has been rising within me! With the recording of the Liturgical Dance DVD less than a month away, I have just completed the choreography for this year’s Dance and find myself waking up in the middle of the night with the words going round in my head. Not a bad thing, as there is no way to teach it until one knows ALL the words!
Spring is also really arriving outside too! Thursday morning on Wil’s early morning pit stop, I heard and saw my first flock of geese, magical!! And on our walk today I think I saw a ROBIN!!! After we got home an hour and a half was put in sweeping gravel off the lawns, rolling up the coco matting from the front stairs and washing them, cutting down bedraggled clumps of decorative grasses and taking photos of the first croci!! Woot woot!! Wil had a super time lying in the sun on the deck and leaping up to bark at every passing dog. He has been trying to get out there for several days but the piles of snow are still high enough for him to use as escape routes over the fences. Fortunately, with proper supervision he got his wish today and enjoyed himself no end.
Lots of Holy Week and Easter Prep has also been happening around here. The last of the Pysanky were varnished and wrapped, eight chicken-wire baskets were formed (ouch! a painful craft, as evidenced by my “pierced” fingertips!) and fabric liners sewn. A number of components for tomorrow’s All Ages Service were assembled (YAY, we have REAL Palm Branches!!) and are all packed in a basket ready for the early morning ride to church.
This afternoon I’m filling another batch of Macarons (peppermint/chocolate) and cutting out a top from fabric given to me at Christmas by Jill and using a FABULOUS pattern book she leant me, with which I am quite smitten!!
Holy Week is, as usual looking pretty “packed” with the Day Camp Committee Meeting leading off on Monday evening,2 meetings Tuesday, a small Pysanky workshop Wednesday, and then we are into Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Even and (whew!) Easter Day!
One evening this past week I enjoyed a dinner of Tibetan Egg Curry. Since eggs are definitely suitable pre-Easter fare, it seemed like a good and easy recipe for sharing here.(sorry no photo, I accidentally deleted it!)
Tibetan Egg Curry
- 6 Large eggs
- 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh gingerroot, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsps. curry powder
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 or 3 scallions, sliced
- Cooked Basmati rice, for serving
Hard-boil the eggs, for 10 minutes in a large pot of water. Meanwhile, heat the oil, over medium heat, in a cast iron skillet and fry the onions until soft and golden. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, curry powder and tomatoes. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the eggs are cooked, peel them and cut each in half. Once the tomato sauce is ready, arrange the halved eggs over h sauce and sprinkle with the peas and scallions. Cover and simmer over very low heat for an additional 5 minutes.Serve at the table, straight from the
frying pan.Serves 2-4
frying pan.Serves 2-4