It has been the usual crazy week around here, the highlight being Tuesday’s Team Evaluation Meeting! Monday was spent buying last minute groceries, baking 2 Angel Food Cakes and Norwegian Rye Crispbread along with doing all sorts of other food prep.
Tuesday after a short session of office work, I made a huge punch bowl of lemon infusion and set the table for the buffet supper. The first Team Member arrived almost an hour early and so I was then thrown into “meeting mode”.Only one of the thirteen Team Members was unable to come and several committee members were there too for a total of 17 😊Everyone seemed to appreciate the new format we had decided upon for the meeting. This included a “story sharing” time during which each Team had the floor and was encouraged to tell 2 short stories that encapsulated the experience of their summer.After that first hour or so they broke up into the small groups which they had been a part of during the Retreat Week and had a time to reconnect on that level, to add some final prayers to their Taizé boards and to spend time praying together.
Next we moved inside for Worship with lots of singing, some Scripture readings and prayer. When Worship ended I gave each person a Team Photo and then each Team got to choose its chicken award 😊After a short break we enjoyed supper outside on the big deck and then there were many “good-bye” hugs and promises to keep in touch!
Once everyone had departed we washed up a large pile of dishes and regrouped around the dining room table for a short committee meeting.By 8pm we were finished and happily I was left with very little to tidy up so by 830 it was hard to imagine that the house had recently been overflowing 😊That was Tuesday…whoosh….
Wednesday I welcomed Joanne with baby Evan for a lunch visit. Joanne is Jillian’s eldest sister, we have been friends for quite a while and I had recently reach out to her to see if she and her husband Chris might be interested in the bike trailer that Anna and Charles passed on to me before they moved to Halifax. Thomason is now too large and heavy to ride safely in it but it will be perfect for baby Evan who will be 1 year old in October 😊
Since Wednesday I have also begun the task of reading through all the evaluation forms that were turned in at Tuesday’s meeting. Combined with the forms submitted by clergy and coordinators from the host communities, these documents will form the basis of the Feedback Packages, which are sent to all this summer’s host locations. Over the next few weeks I will be compiling the packages as well as writing individual letters to each of the 2019 Team Members. The latter task is done “old school” with pen and paper so it takes several days to complete 😊
After FINALLY getting a bit of rain this week I have been able to get back into the garden and am slowly cutting down the plants which are past reviving and generally neatening up all the flower beds and herb garden. This morning I worked for an hour or so but was driven inside by another random shower.There really hasn’t been a lot of spare time for any other projects this week although I did complete my first pair of Newfoundland Mittens from the book Anna recently gave me and am excited to cast on the next pair 😊
Well it is lunchtime now so we had better wrap up this post with this week’s recipe. As mentioned above, I baked my Mum’s Norwegian Crispbread for part of Tuesday’s supper. It is quite easy to make and well worth trying 😊
Vortenkaken (Norwegian Crispbread)
- 1 Tbsp. yeast
- ¼ cup warmwater
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup dark agave surup
- 1 ½ cups rye flour
- ½ tsp. each fennel and anise seeds
- 2 tsps. salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1-2 cups unbleached flour
In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. Meanwhile heat the milk and butter just until the butter has melted. Cool slightly then add to the yeast mixture along with the fennel and anise seeds, salt and agave syrup. Add the rye and whole wheat flours and stir well. Continue adding unbleached flour until the dough is soft but no longer sticky. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth, adding a bit more flour if necessary. Place in a clean greased bowl and allow to rise until double.Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a thin disc approx. 8”-9”.Place discs on parchment lined baking sheets. Prick all over with a fork and cut a small round hole in the centre of each disc. Let rise for 45 minutes. Bake in preheated 425º oven for 10-15 minutes, watch carefully they should be dark brown but not burnt!Remove to racks and brush quickly with warm water. When cool, break into big wedges and store in an airtight tin. Delicious with cheeses and spreads.