Family in Feast and Feria

The egg is one of my favorite Easter symbols. The bursting of new life out of the white eggshell tomb really is a strong symbol and reminder of the Resurrection. Decorating eggs is one of my passions, and I have a long time love for the beautiful Ukrainian eggs, or pysanky.

It all started in the spring of 1982, when I was a freshman. Every year our family decorated Easter eggs with crayons and food colorings. We incorporated Easter and Christian symbolism, covered the eggs with designs. Every year my mother wanted to find a way to create some eggs that were unperishable, so we could enjoy them year after year.

There was an article in our local newspaper, briefly illustrating this art. Even in the black and white illustrations I thought it was fascinating, so I clipped the article. Then my mother's friend passed on an article from the CGA World about this Ukrainian tradition of decorating eggs, and how to make pysanky, because she thought I would be interested. And then I found in my mother's files an old Ladies Home Journal article my mother had clipped showing an alternative way to design these eggs with just permanent markers. The next year the front cover and centerfold of the Games Magazine my father received featured some gorgeous pysanky , with the game entitled "The Egg Hunt", to find only two out of the many eggs that were exactly alike. I spent hours looking at the intricate designs, the vibrant colors, the rich symbols. I was completely hooked!

I still have those clippings...I enjoy seeing how my rabbit trail unfolded. I spent 1982 Lent and Easter coloring some very special eggs. I only used fine tip permanent markers, as I had no idea where to find supplies to make authentic pysanky while living in Northern Louisiana! So I created my own interpretation. My mother still decorates her Easter table with these eggs my sister C. and I decorated.

In 1986 my family moved to Northern Virginia. We found out that the Ukrainian National Shrine in Washington, DC, hosted a Ukrainian bazaar and pysanky workshop. My mother, my youngest sister and I attended. I was in heaven! After only reading about it for years, I finally was able to create an authentic pysanka!

I've talked ad nauseum about this art at the 4 Real Learning Boards. I have posted numerous links and resources for making pysanky.

Here's a slideshow of the small collection of Ukrainian eggs we have here. I made 3, dh made two, and two others were from other artists.

Unless I actually go to the Workshop in DC, I don't find time to create them with my 3 year old, but I hope to get him involved in a year or two and start him on this journey. At the workshop I saw some young boys and teenage boys creating some beautiful works of art--if they can do it, my son can try, too!

What's wonderful is that no matter what you create, uneven, squiggly, blobs...it always is a beautiful egg at the end, a perfect reminder that "Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed, Alleluia"

Have you signed up yet? They are giving away a free Dyson Slim. Contest ends Wednesday April 4, at 1:00 Easter.

Remember our St. Joseph Altars? Along a similar them, MaryM shares the Mexican custom of Altares de Dolores for the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It's just so beautiful and meditative and rich in symbolism. Do pay a vist today!

I have laryngitis. It starting coming last night. Ds and I were praying the Stations of the Cross together. I told him I wouldn't be able to sing. He insisted I try, so for the first few stations he heard the horrible noises from my throat, so he asked me NOT to sing.

He is very concerned about the loss of my voice. I joked that it was a frog in my throat, and that had him concerned. "When is the frog coming out?" Every few minutes he comes running to me, "What did you say, Mommy? Is your voice better yet? When is going to be better?"

Daddy just called from his retreat to check in. Ds got on the phone and said: "Daddy! Mommy's voice is ruined! She can't sing!"

I'll start this post with a confession. Frankly, I'm overwhelmed. I don't know how you moms do it!, like Theresa at Lapaz Farm and Maryan are coming to mind right now, but I know there are many others! I really want to implement more presentations of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, but there's so much prep work involved. And then Montessori activities...well, I won't go there today. If only I was made of money, I would buy all the materials ready-made if I could! I just get overwhelmed...I need to think in smaller, workable chunks for my son. I know it's my fault--lack of organization, selfishness, laziness. All of you mothers have much more on your plate, but you're prioritizing much better than I!

Holy Week is upon us and I haven't anything for presentations for this week. I'm hoping to get my Crucifixion and Resurrection Fontanini scene before Good Friday (a wonderful gift), as that will help. No Last Supper scene this year unless I can whip up some paper figures in time...which I will try to do.

I am preparing in one area, but it's not found in the COGS. At the beginning of Lent I pulled out all the books for the feast days and the pertinent Bible Stories to prepare for Easter. I was thinking about the Easter Vigil, the Old Testament, and the types of Christ.

Two of the books are by one of our favorite illustrators, Peter Spier. The first is Noah's Ark, his Caldecott Award book (did you read the article in this month's Faith and Family?) and the second is the other children's favorite, The Book of Jonah. (Note that the reviews mention that the 2001 version of this book is not the Biblical passages, but a fictionalized version. We are using the 1985 version.)

My son was immediately captivated by the story of Jonah, the odd names of Nineveh and Tarshish, and that wonderfully big fish. I wondered at first if he understood the whole story, as it was the exact reading from the Bible. This week he showed it to two of his cousins, and was explaining the whole story, from Tarshish to the ship, to staying in the Fish for 3 days and 3 nights until the fish "spitted him out", until back to Nineveh with the sackcloth and ashes. Spier's illustrations capture the story well, and his cousins were enthralled. Not to worry, ds had it down pat.

In discussing Jonah, I pointed out how he was in the fish for 3 days, just as Christ was in the tomb. And we put ashes on our forehead on Ash Wednesday to show repentance and change.

I then remembered a project from The Year and Our Children written by Mary Reed Newland, called A Jonas Project, with the tie-in discussion of Christ, Jonah and Holy Week. So I have decided to incorporate this project. The illustrations from the books aren't exactly templates, so I'm creating my own pattern and will transfer it to cardstock and create the tray. If I get them done in time I'll make a .pdf file of my patterns and post them...but it's all pretty simple and straightforward. I showed ds today and he's thrilled. He couldn't wait to have the figures...in fact, he took my sketches and starting acting them out immediately.

May you have a blessed Holy Week.

This 4Real thread, Tell My Why Tuesday, wonders how our blogs titles came to be.

I have no poetic or fancy story. My original intention for blogging was recording our family life, our Domestic Church, particularly in how it fits in the Liturgical Year. After my family, living the Liturgical Year in the Home is one of my favorite subjects. So the combination seemed like a perfect duo.

The title came to me gradually. I wanted to record daily ebbs and flows in our Catholic family and thoughts and ponderings along our journey. Family life and the Liturgical Year has both its everyday, non-festival days and the feast days. The Church calls days without feasts "Ferial days" or the Latin feria, so it was a perfect fit. Here are some definitions of feria. Later I have found definitions in other languages that refer to feria as a holiday or fair, the complete opposite of my intended meaning, so it might cause some confusion.

In including all the important points, I just incorporated a little alliteration, came up with the title. I first started blogging my food blog, Family Food in Feast and Feria (which has been sorely neglected as of late), which includes the extra "F" in the title, and this "Family in Feast and Feria" came a few months later.

I just wanted to wish one of my online friends, MaryM at "Our Domestic Church" a very happy birthday.

My thoughts and prayers are with you today, my friend! May God bless you!

The Solemnity of St. Joseph honors the spouse of the Blessed Virgin and the foster-father of Jesus. The lessons we learn from this great saint require some meditation, for the Gospels recorded no words spoken by this saint. The awesomeness of his duty to care for the Holy Family, showing patience, peace, gentleness, prudence, and so many more virtues. His feast elevated to a solemnity shows that it is not just personal devotion. Many popes have written about St. Joseph, including several encyclicals.


Personal devotion has never waned over the centuries since his death. Seeing his list of patronages one can see how loved he is. I offered to host this Loveliness Fair because St. Joseph is one of my favorite saints. He is one of the patrons of our family, and rarely a day goes by without some thoughts and prayers sent up to dear St. Joe.

A very popular form or devotion is the St. Joseph Altar or Table (this link will provide several places where you can view photos of large St. Joseph Altars). The tradition originates from Sicily, and the United States have adapted this custom in many areas. This year some of the 4Real Families adapted this devotion into their home, and I'm just thrilled to see the variety of ways to honor this dear saint. Just like the Mystical Body, each altar is different but all united in the same intention.

As we visit the various altars in the homes, let us invoke St. Joseph for the virtues needed to be loving wives and husbands, good parents, holy families, strong in our Faith, and ever growing in Love of God.

From the Litany of St. Joseph:

Joseph most just, Pray for us.
Ruth at Just Another Day in Paradise shares her feast day happenings with wonderful Italian foods, coloring pages, prayers and her altar, with the many statues of St. Joseph she found around the house, and a wonderful slide show of images of St. Joseph.

Joseph most chaste, Pray for us.
Jennifer at Let the Little Ones Come shared pictures of their patronal saint and the relationship of her family with St. Joseph. Her altar includes an icon of gentle St. Joseph.

Joseph most prudent, Pray for us.
Maryan at A Lee in the Woudes gives St. Joseph a place of honor on his feast. The statue is very beautiful. No apologies necessary for the small tribute, as St. Joseph doesn't except pomp and circumstance, but true simplicity.

Joseph most valiant, Pray for us.
Cay at her Cajun Cottage shares some pictures of her altars from the past. These are magnificent, and just a taste of those Louisiana tributes to St. Joseph.

Joseph most obedient, Pray for us.
Lisa at Catholic Mom's Journey has done altars for several years. She provided some background and information about the St. Joseph Altar, and then pictures of her altar. Included are cookies in the shape of fish, and canned goods to give to the poor.

Joseph most faithful, Pray for us.
MaryM at Our Domestic Church shares her first time St. Joseph Altar. She was able to find fava beans, and added a basket for petitions. The Santos is the Southwestern addition to the altar. Here is proof that even if you just see pictures and read about a tradition one can still make it a reality in your home.

Mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Dawn at By Sun and Candlelight shares all her wonderful family feast day celebration with Donuts and Crafts for St. Joseph. The homemade altar is just so sweet and lovely. What terrific activities to reinforce this saint for her boys.

Lover of poverty, Pray for us.
My sister Celeste shared pictures of her St. Joseph Altar that she and her daughters made. The specially shaped breads are just works of art -- and I don't think I'm being biased!

Model of all who labor, Pray for us.
I only had a A Small Tribute to St. Joseph, but it was fun gathering and decorating for one of my favorite saints.

Glory of family life, Pray for us.
One more late entry from Alison sharing her Feast of St. Joseph at home. I love the images of the swallows and St. Joseph. Just a sweet gesture of love!

Last night I found this delightful poem, which echoes my thoughts about St. Joseph's feast day:

St. Joseph's Month

Saint of the Childhood and the Hidden Life,
Why is it that thy month is always Lent?
What hadst thou with the Passion? Mary went
To Calvary with Jesus; but the knife
Of that fierce sorrow was spared thee. Thy strife
In anxious care and fostering patience spent:
Now to a stable, now to Egypt sent,
And then long years with the humblest labor rife.
But this thy portion of the coming Cross --
Which o'er they path its forward shadow threw.
And is not ours like thine -- to walk content
In that long shadow, counting all things loss
Save what for Jesus we endure or do? --
To teach us this thy month is always Lent.

--B.D. Hill, C.S.P, March 1875

It is an annual ritual for me. The month of March I pull out all my Liturgical Year cookbooks and books on St. Joseph and plan what I will make for his feast day. Every year I promise myself I will make St. Joseph Cream puffs, but it hasn't become a reality yet. My 40th Birthday Bash Weekend kept me a little busy, so this year's hopes and plans for a grand St. Joseph's Altar were dashed.

So I thought. My mother and my sisters surprised me and helped me make an impromptu St. Joseph Table (Altar) for my second surprise party on Sunday, the day before the Solemnity. My husbands planned this little "ladies' only" party for me, and told me the night before. He had bought most of the food. After Mass I bought a few things such as flowers and a St. Joseph Candle from the Hispanic section of the grocery store. How convenient!



I included Easter pysanky eggs in the decoration, as part of the St. Joseph Altar. I read that it is giving a glimpse of the upcoming Easter celebration. We are almost there!



Earlier, some of the 4Real ladies were brainstorming on simple ways for a family St. Joseph altar. My sister Fuzzy decided to make the St. Joseph tower or altar of cream puffs for me.



It was lovely and delicious!



Another sister, Jess, brought over her larger statue of St. Joseph (she has many in her household that claim him as a patron saint) and it finished the table perfectly!

It was so nice to be able to honor one of my favorite saints. It wasn't the perfect Sicilian or Italian St. Joseph Altar, but it's a start.

My sister Celeste and her 5 girls in Nebraska prepared this lovely St. Joseph altar. It's her first time, but I think it is absolutely lovely.



She set it up in her living room, with the three tiers, and added some family heirloom tablecloths to dress up the tables.



The statue is her outdoor St. Joseph statue.






Her mother-in-law lives in Baton Rouge and helps prepare their big parish St. Joseph altar. She sent many clippings and inspirations, plus some fava beans to help prepare their altar. The puffs are profiterole puffs, in imitation of the St. Joseph Cream Puffs (sfinge) made on this day.



The St. Joseph's bread is made in many shapes. Celeste took her French bread recipe which she makes regularly and created these shapes. This is the Host and Sheaf of Wheat. The Sheaf pattern was from My Little House Crafts Book: 18 Projects from Laura Ingalls Wilder's.



And grapes and chalice bread.