Yeah that's right. Let me explain... with all of the pandemic related travel restrictions, the stay at home stuff and the lack of any travel plans in vacations pretty much world wide, people all over the place are doing more at home.
The home improvement places are doing great business as it seems everybody has some kind of project going on. Well here at the house - we do too.
These folks, caught my eye maybe 6 or 7 years ago. I was traveling to Italy on business a lot - over the past decade and perfected a scratch pizza recipe that can hold its own against any Italian pie. Yup, I've got some special tricks, learned about cross linking and sauce... even had a cooking class in Sienna.
I've conquered pizza. Crushed it. Best pie you've ever tasted. Come on by JRO or NLO!
With stay-cations being the current reality - it was time to get a proper out-door oven built. So far I've completed 3 phases of construction and I have to say things are starting to shape up.
The dome is next!
I'll post the fire brick dome next... and of course the final product in a few weeks. This oven is in the Pompeii style and is a home made COVID inspired use of stay-cation time!
Time is flying by... well here's to all the great dads out there! The sacrifices made, all the love and the guidance thanks dad! Happy Father's Day up there in Heaven!
I hope you've all had as wonderful a mother (and father), as I had. Unconditional love is a precious thing!
Anna Jarvis felt pretty strongly about creating this honorary day...
Anna grew a bit disenchanted with the growing
commercialization of the observation (she herself did not profit from
the day) and even attempted to have Mother's Day rescinded" -Wiki
Like so many things - simple appreciation can be re-packaged into a marketing monster. Anna Jarvis had some second thoughts about that as she didn't like the commercialization that overtook the day she campaigned for. I think sincere compliments are free and they mean the most. I could prattle on about commercialization of so many important days, but I think the underlying meaning is really what counts.
Well here's to all of the very deserving mothers out there! I hope you all have a fantastic, joyful, wonderful day!
Archpastoral Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon
Pascha 2020
To the Venerable Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America,
Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! Today
we celebrate the feast of feasts, the radiant joyful feast of the
Lord’s Resurrection. He became a man like us, and was crucified,
suffered, and was buried for us. And today, after three days in the
tomb, He rises from the dead, offering us all the promise of
Resurrection unto eternal life.
Our life in the Resurrection begins even now. Although we still live
in the flesh, we should not live according to the flesh, only thinking
of our own bodily needs and desires. Jesus Christ’s Resurrection calls
us, regardless of our situation in life, to live spiritually mature
lives even now. The essence of such a spiritual life is to lay down
one’s life for others, in imitation of Christ who died for the benefit
of all. This is the calling of the new life that Christ’s Resurrection
gives us: “so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).”
This year, our Paschal celebration comes in the midst of the Covid-19
pandemic, and not one of us is experiencing the full celebration of the
services. A few are present at the limited services, while the majority
are praying along at home. Yet all of us, wherever we find ourselves,
can live according to the Resurrection by putting others’ needs before
our own. In the Old Covenant, in the same breath in which God urged His
people to “keep His Sabbaths,” He also urged them to remember the poor
and the sojourner, and leave portions of their grain and grapes to them
(Leviticus 19:3-10). May we too, in keeping the Lord’s Pascha, the First
of Sabbaths, remember the poor and needy, the sick and suffering before
ourselves, particularly at this time of the economic turmoil caused by
the Coronavirus. As many of us are unable to commune of the heavenly
Bread of Christ’s Body at this time as is customary, let us at least
focus on ensuring that our brothers and sisters around us have enough
common bread: food and other basic needs. In so doing, we will follow
Christ’s example, who made sure that the thousands had enough food to
eat, and who worked to heal the diseased and the sick.
My beloved children in Christ, the manner in which we celebrate
Pascha this year, whether in our homes or in limited services, should
suggest to no one that our Lord’s Pascha has been canceled or in any way
diminished. Giving thanks to Christ for the mystery of his salvation,
let us all boldly cry out in full knowledge and assurance, “Christ is
Risen!” Let us respond, indeed, by courageously walking in the “newness
of life” that Christ gives us today.
Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!
† TIKHON
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
