Looking out the window at the eternal snow it is hard to believe that we only have a few weeks left until Easter and that the official start of spring occurred this week! Yet another storm is predicted for the weekend, including dreaded freezing rain. UGH!
However, inside the hyacinths are in bloom and buds are opening on the shrub branches I am forcing in water. I have a cosy down-filled jacket in a floral print that I always wear at this time of year and several of the girls in the grocery stores I frequent have commented that the jacket gives them hope, which makes me smile as well 😊
This week has seen the arrival of a couple more applications from host communities and a couple of conversations with people still considering applying for a Day Camp, below is a tentative schedule. The places in orange font are all still unsure and all the blanks do make me nervous but of course since we still have only received 2 applications from Team Members there is plenty to obsess about on several fronts!
It was REALLY good to meet on Monday last with the Day Camp committee. Having the opportunity to discuss things with a group of likeminded people always helps to lift the burden and make the whole crazy mess seem a bit less daunting 😊
Today all prospective CTM staff who need to apply for or renew their police checks are supposed to drop by the office (aka my dining room table) over the next 4 hours to fill out forms. As a registered charity the Montreal Police(SPVM) provide us with this service free of charge but apparently there is a huge backlog of requests and so they have informed us that forms should be submitted 4 months before the date on which they are required. Thus we are hoping at least a few people will turn up today to avail themselves of the opportunity; it remains to be seen. Since I am stuck in the house waiting I have begun to prepare for a “Bake and Blog” day that will include a second Lenten batch of Hot Cross Buns (no I did not eat 4 dozen by myself, I’ve served them to lots of other people too!!) plus a couple more kinds of bread for my Retreat Week stash.
In between various visitors (expected and “un”) work continues on Pysanky. The first ones are completed and varnished and the second dozen underway. Notecards for the Retreat are also in production and yesterday afternoon I sewed up a bunch of project bags as my contribution to the artisan crafts table at CTM’s upcoming Spring Fundraiser. I had the fabric cut out for quite a while but have been trying to focus on sewing Jessica’s wedding ensemble. It is now at the point where we need to have a fitting so I cannot do any more work on it until she and her mum find a suitable time to come.
And so, despite the view outside our windows, we continue on our Lenten journey towards the promise of new life, both in our currently dark and frozen natural world and for eternity through Christ’s death and resurrection.
Before I get to shaping 48 Hot Cross Buns we need a recipe! For the meeting on Monday I made Slow Cooker Spanish Meatballs and everyone wanted the recipe so here goes…
Slow Cooker Spanish Meatballs
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2 pounds lean ground pork
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1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsps. paprika
- 1 ½ tsps. ground cumin
- 3 Tbsps. olive oil
- 1/3 cup fine whole wheat bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsps. chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1, 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
- coarse salt and pepper
In a large bowl combine the pork, ¼ cup onion, cumin, 1tsp. paprika, breadcrumbs, parsley and eggs, season with salt and pepper. Gently mix with your hands until well combined and then form into 25, 1 ½” meatballs. Heat half the oil in a large, deep-sided skillet and brown the meatballs, in two batches over medium-high heat for approx. 8 minutes, adding the rest of the oil if necessary, transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker. Add the rest of the onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent; add to the slow cooker along with other tsp. of paprika. Run a knife through the tomatoes in the can to coarsely chop them and then add, with their juices. Cook on low for 5 hours. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6