‘spontaneous devotion’
When Alyne Harris was little, she and her sisters often played in a nearby cemetery, where many of their family members were buried. There, Alyne felt herself happy among the heavenly spirits. She started drawing pictures in the mud and sand, and much later, drawing heavily from African-American traditions, her works would come to feature angels, church scenes, local folks, farm vignettes, and gardens filled with animals, bees and birds. The first time I spotted one of her paintings — a little country church in winter, with two red cardinals in the trees — I almost cried at its simplistic beauty, then bought that painting for my best friend’s wedding. According to Visionary Art…”Like gospel music, Harris’ work expresses spontaneous devotion to the life of the spirit — not only in sacred settings, but also in everyday life.”
easy app
Saw this dish on the Today Show this week and thought it looked super easy and healthy. We improvised a little bit by adding some onion and spices to boost the flavor.
If you’re looking for a great New Year’s Day appetizer, this might do the trick!
Black Bean Hummus
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/4 white or yellow onion, minced
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (adjust amount if necessary)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (also can adjust)
Dash of cayenne pepper and paprika
Juice of 1 lemon (could also add just a squirt of fresh lime juice)
Mince onions by hand or in food processor. Add onion, black beans, olive oil, cumin and lemon juice to food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Place in serving dish and top with chopped onion or fresh cilantro. Serve with raw veggies and crackers.
new traditions
Years ago, when Mike and I took our first ski trip to Colorado, we fell in love with the Colorado Blue Spruce which blanketed the mountains with their winter snow. Now, every year we go in search of Colorado’s state tree for our own Christmas celebration (despite those prickly branches which make carrying and putting up the tree painful and usually results in a search for Neosporin).
This year, Mike surprised us with a live baby Blue for the farm. We placed the little potted tree in the kitchen so we could enjoy it during all the holiday baking, and in the next few days we’ll plant it on the property. We decided this will be our new tradition — a live Blue Spruce every Christmas.
Hopefully, we’ll have lots of these beauties dotting our landscape for years to come, and for future generations to enjoy.
O tidings of comfort and joy
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