Pancakes to the Rescue

Rejoice Shrovetide today,
For tomorrow you’ll be ashes.

Unknown

I am not one to give up chocolate or to otherwise fast in observance of Lent, so I cannot say that I celebrated Shrove Tuesday today in order to eat my last egg, oil, milk and sugar before Easter. No, instead I simply found myself working from home with an opportunity to make lunch and remembered that it was "Pancake Tuesday".

I rather like the pre-Christian tradition of eating pancakes during this Springtide observance to help the agriculture god Jarilo do battle with the "evil spirits of cold and darkness" using the hot, round pancakes, symbolizing the Sun, as their weaponry.

Since the groundhog saw his shadow earlier this month, thus foretelling six more weeks of winter, I figured that poor Jarilo could use all the help he could get. And so well fortified by my pancake lunch, I forged forth into this afternoon's blizzard. "En garde, you beastly thirty below! I challenge you gray skies with missiles of white!"

Most certainly indulging in a plate of pancakes did indeed bring warmth to my spirit. ;-)

Happy Pancake Tuesday Everyone!

Lots of Heavenly Kisses

Snowflakes are kisses from heaven.

Author Unknown

We've been wrapped in a lot of snow and cold over the past few weeks and it's easy to complain trudging back and forth to work in multiple layers. This afternoon, however,  I was captivated by the soft, ethereal world outside the front door as I headed home from work. The crystalline dome of the Ismaili prayer hall served to emphasize the divineness of the moment.