March 3rd, 2011
by Adam Zagajewski
You who see our homes at night
and the frail walls of our conscience,
you who hear our conversations
droning on like sewing machines
—save me, tear me from sleep,
from amnesia.
Why is childhood—oh, tinfoil treasures,
oh, the rustling of lead, lovely and foreboding—
our only origin, our only longing?
Why is manhood, which takes the place of ripeness,
an endless highway,
Sahara yellow?
After all, you know there are days
when even thirst runs dry
and prayer’s lips harden.
Sometimes the sun’s coin dims
and life shrinks so small
that you could tuck it
in the blue gloves of the Gypsy
who predicts the future
for seven generations back
and then in some other little town
in the south a charlatan
decides to destroy you,
me, and himself.
You who see the whites of our eyes,
you who hide like a bullfinch
in the rowans,
like a falcon
in the clouds’ warm stockings
—open the boxes full of song,
open the blood that pulses in aortas
of animals and stones,
light lanterns in black gardens.
Nameless, unseen, silent,
save me from anesthesia,
take me to Tierra del Fuego,
take me where the rivers
flow straight up, horizontal rivers
flowing up and down.
–Read at St. Lydia’s on February 13, 2011
March 3rd, 2011
by Matthew Zapruder
It may feel good to go wherever.
Desires lead you into old familiar
destructive awareness. Going a thousand
miles away seems to be keeping up.
Unsettled and anxious signals:
They’re so microscope. Be a sleuth.
Tiny sparkling under those around you
sees you feeling and waiting. Life
today is slow-moving coworkers.
Respond by giving your profile
a new sense of clarity, and feel
ready to share your outlook even
if they may not be as excited. It
makes you good to spread your joy.
People, its harder to be yourself.
A series of role-playing opportunities
appeases, showing the authentic
you won’t hurt anything. Focus
on your lovely find that there
are many more things. Tonight,
you’ll be able to talk to anyone
about anything, make all the loved ones
muster up, chat with character,
keep alive the conversations.
You feel you’re getting something
someone gives you. The key
to a series of coincidences you
play matchmaker to. An odd couple,
the present you and the future
in a big suit, a new haircut,
or, better than anticipated, funds.
A few minor changes to June.
Love partners, your lucky numbers
are 4, 7, 18, 21 and 32. Ask yourself
what would I do if I knew I could
not fail.
–Read at St. Lydia’s on February 13, 2011
March 3rd, 2011
by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
–Read by Jeremy at St. Lydia’s on February 20, 2011
March 2nd, 2011
Read Emily’s latest sermon, “Alone in Your Aloneness” at her blog, Sit and Eat.
February 22nd, 2011
Read Emily’s latest Sermon, “Welcome to Nazareth, Population: 1,473,” on her blog, Sit and Eat.
February 16th, 2011
Serves 6
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger (I use half this; I’m tepid in the fresh ginger department)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 plum tomato, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large green chili, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 ounce can of tomato sauce or 8 ounces of one of your choice
3 cups boiled red kidney beans or 30 ounces canned red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley, if you’re cilantro-averse)
Heat oil in a deep sauce pan over medium heat for one minute. Add ginger, garlic, onion, green chili, and let sizzle for one minute. Add the tomato sauce, salt and remaining spices and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the kidney beans with water or canned red kidney beans (undrained) plus one additional cup of water, and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve over rice or with naan. A dollop of plain yougurt on top is heavenly.
Stolen outright from Smitten Kitchen.
February 16th, 2011
Yield: 7-8
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups elbow macaroni
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/3 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
16 ounces grated extra-sharp Cheddar
8 ounces grated Monterey Jack
Paprika, for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a baking dish; set
aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and macaroni.
Cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, and return
to pot. Add butter, and toss until pasta is coated and butter has
melted; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, skim milk, and eggs.
Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon
pepper; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine cheeses; set aside.
Place 1/3 macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking
dish; cover evenly with 1/3 cheese. Repeat with remaining macaroni and
cheese mixture. Pour milk mixture evenly over contents of baking dish.
Sprinkle with paprika. Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 35 to
45 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
February 16th, 2011
Hoppin’ John
Serves 4
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, split lengthwise and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and ribs removed, large diced
1 small can green chilies
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black-eye peas (drained and rinsed)
1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt
Pepper
Sautee onion, bell pepper, celery and jalapenos over medium heat until soft.
Add chilies, tomatoes, black-eye peas, bay leaf, and spices to taste. Allow to heat for 15 minutes before serving over rice.
Fresh Kale and Parmesan Salad
Serves 4-6
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 pound parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Juice of 2 lemons
Equal parts olive oil
Salt
Pepper
In a bowl, toss all ingredients together and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes (better, an hour) before serving. Toss occasionally to break up parmesan shavings and re-coat kale pieces. (Note: the kale is NOT cooked. The lemon juice serves to soften the kale and make it palatable and delicious. Think of it like a sort of ceviche for greens.)
February 7th, 2011
Read Emily’s latest sermon, “The Only Thing Sturdy Enough” at her blog, Sit and Eat.
February 4th, 2011
Notes are up as a Google doc, please peruse them here.
