An Easter Recipe, Another Bird Sighting and Gramma's Violets Freebie!

I'm going to take a week of CFT. Ok, its my own phrase I've coined so I'll explain. Its Computer Free Time. I believe its wise to want to slip away at this time, to free up time so that I can ponder the message of Easter. I find that if I don't MAKE some time it will be swept away, like a leaf which falls into a river, I'm pulled away without even being aware of it, so I'm making the decision while I'm conscious that I need this. Even Jesus made sure to take himself away at times, and encouraged his apostles to do the same.

^{Mark 6:30-32}

³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

³²So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

I hope you all have a time away during the Easter Break - I wish you quality time with your friends and family... and some time to reflect on the sacrifice and the rising of our Lord and what hope it brings in this broken world.

♥♥♥♥♥

This is a picture of Luisa, Mother to my blog friend Lucy who lives right here in the same area as me. Luisa passed away November 29, 2008 - so recently - and she is dearly missed. Lucy does not HAVE a blog, but she is a loyal visitor to mine and I would like to honor her today!

Lucy's family is Portuguese and the Portuguese have a history here in the Okanagan. Originally these people came in the 1950's when there was a shortage of labour to help with the fruit crops. Three ships from Portugal arrived between 1953 to 1955 which began the flow of migrants to this area.

If you would like to learn more about the history of the Portuguese people's history in this area you can find more in formation HERE. Its truly worth the read. What conditions they had to struggle through!

They were hard workers and many have prospered so that today they've established roots here forever and are well-respected in the communities.

Fortunately they also brought some wonderful traditions along with them. Lucy's Mother, for example brought her gift for cooking their own ethnic dishes - a gift she's passed along to Lucy, who in turn will pass it along to her own family. What a beautiful way for future generations to remember Luisa.

Lucy has allowed me to share her recipe for Massa or Massa Sovada (which is normally baked for Easter with and egg inside the dough), is a light airy desert bread, a yummy breakfast treat. I like to toast mine, some people spread jellies or butter on it but it is so good by itself.

There is a good recipe at Rosa's Yummy Yums - the one done from scratch, which you can find HERE. But Lucy's evolved her Mother's own recipe for us which can be made in a bread machine.

In Lucy's own words:

My Mom, adapted an easier recipe which is not as airy or as sweet as the one at Rosa's Yummy Yums, but still delicious.

Mom's recipe is as follows:

13 cups white flour in avery large bowl,

6 eggs mixed in a smaller bowl with 3 1/2 cups of sugar,

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 pkg lemon instant pudding (this pudding is more for color than flavour, Massa is a very yellow bread and the store bought eggs tend to be colorless),

2 pkg of yeast in 1 cup of warm water,

1 cup butter melted,

1/2 cup tenderflake melted,

2 1/2 cups of milk.

bake at 320 to 300 f, for about 1 hour.

And Lucy's own verision - updated for the bread machine:

1 cup milk
1 egg plus one egg yolk
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp lemon instant pudding pwd
3 cups flour
3 tsp bread machine yeast

set machine for sweet bread mode for light bread crust; makes a 2 pound loaf.This recipe turned out with the same flavour and texture that I remember as a child.

Thank you Lucy, for sharing your Easter Recipe and memory of your Mother - I'm sure this will be a difficult first Easter without her. Perhaps she will live on through her wonderful recipe.

♥♥♥♥♥

I was on a walk yesterday when I heard a loud rappedy-rapping happening in a tree... kind of an avian hip hop beat going on, so I looked up (like the Friendly Giant - look up, WAAYYYY up! OH HOW I LOVED the friendly giant as a kid!) and finally pinpointed the bird.

Wow! For all that noise it was just a little feller!

Turns out this is a Downy Woodpecker - the smallest Woodpecker in North America. Only the males have a red spot on the back of their heads. I found this bit of information interesting ... and sort of funny - A group of woodpeckers has many collective nouns, including a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.

♥♥♥♥♥

If you have another small moment (BEAMING AUNTIE MOMENT HERE) I'd love it if you would take a moment to visit my niece Samantha's blog to see pics of my new nephew Ethan - and a slideshow (put together by my SIL Judy) of the babyshower!

Lastly, but not leastly, I'm leaving you with a little prezzie before I take myself off for the next week. These are NOT - I repeat NOT perfect - there will be a bit of work for you to do cleaning up edges etc if you choose to use them, but hay!

I picked and scanned these violets. They always remind me of my Gramma who's been gone several years now. They used to sprout up each year all over her lawn and I'd pick them and make teensy eensy little fragrant bouquets in teacups. This is a way for me to share a bit of my family memories with you.

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