A Mother's Symphony

noreply@blogspirit.com () — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 17:58:27 -0400

A while back someone told me of this wonderful project: Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project. This is an online collectino of Historic American cookbooks done by Michigan State University and the MSU Museum.

The past few days I've been browsing and getting ideas...one thing that comes to mind is that dominant ingredients (i.e., the top 8 allergens) that we find in almost everything today might not be so prevalent in these older recipes. I'm also looking for instructions on making things from scratch, especially from our garden. I like pulling up the old-fasioned way of doing things...usually requiring less ingredients. Some culinary skills and products are a lost art...for example, do you know how to make gooseberry water ice?

But I digress. I found today this lovely poem which speaks so clearly of doing things cheerfully. Read between the lines: sanctifying my work and doing it all for love -- love of God and love for my family.

THE HOUSEKEEPER'S SYMPHONY
To do the best that I can, from morn till night,
And pray for added strength with coming light;
To make the family income reach alway,
With some left over for a rainy day;
To do distasteful things with happy face,
To smile instead of frown at Fate,
Which placed me in a family always late
For meals; to do the sewing, mending and
The thousand small things always near at hand,
And do them always with a cheerful heart,
Because in life they seem to be my part;
To know the place of everything and keep
It there, to think, to plan, to cook, to sweep,
To brew, to bake, to answer questions,
To be the mainspring of the family clock.
(Or that effect) and see that no tick, tock
Is out of time or tune, or soon or late,
This is the only symphony which I
Can ever hope to operate.

MARION WILEY

From the introduction of Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among The "Pennsylvania Germans" By Edith M. Thomas.

The Kitchen Prayer

noreply@blogspirit.com () — Sat, 06 May 2006 13:55:00 -0400

I haven't much time this week to talk about cooking. We're working on our herb and vegetable garden, and that is keeping us busy...no time to be creative in the kitchen. I did start another blog this week Family in Feast and Feria to give an outlet to the other musings I have about our family life, not just in the kitchen.

Two of my sisters and I have been recently talking about the Prayer Plaque over my mother's sink. All the years we helped Mom with dishes we could look up and read the comforting prayer.

Last evening we went to our parish Church's spring festival, and at the White Elephant sale I found a copy. One could probably say it's a bit "kitschy" in looks...but the prayer I love. I'm going to make this copywork for myself to do in calligraphy, and perhaps present a copy to my sisters to put over their own kitchen sinks. But I'll think about that another day...after my garden is in the ground.

Kitchen Prayer

Lord of all pots and pans and things,
     Since I've not time to be
A saint by doing lovely thing or
     watching late wtih Thee
Or dreaming in the dawn light or
     storming Heaven's gates
Make me a saint by getting meals
     and washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha's hands,
     I have a Mary mind.
And when I black the boots and shoes,
Thy sandals Lord I find
I think of how they trod the earth,
     each time I scrub the floor
Accept this meditation Lord,
     I haven't time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy love,
     and light it with Thy peace
Forgive me all my worrying and
     make my grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
     in room or by the sea
Accept this service that I do,
     I do it unto Thee.

--Klara Munkres

Family Food for Feast and Feria - meditation

A Mother's Symphony

The Kitchen Prayer