Friday night, I sat around a beautifully prepared Shabbos table with five other women. My dear friend Elizabeth had invited us all, and then spent massive amounts of time making sure everything was perfect. And it was. The food was fantastic – I’m still drooling over the hummus and mushrooms she served – and the company was… well… it’s almost hard for me to put into words how I felt, and still feel, about the women around that table. Continue reading
Shabbat
Challah-lujah
When I started making challah nine months ago, I did so because it was one way that I could acknowledge and participate in this faith with which I was falling in love.
I wasn’t new to bread making. About eight years ago, I was very much on a homemaking kick and wanted to do as much as I could from scratch. I made bread every week and even made homemade dog biscuits for the dogs every Saturday. Over time I got away from it because, let’s face it, making bread can be a real pain in the tuchus. And I’m not a neat cook. Making bread usually meant flour everywhere – even places where it made no sense as to why flour ended up there at all.
So when it came time to start making challah, I cheated. I’d buy frozen yeast rolls, let them thaw and raise, and then I’d roll them out and make challah rolls. From there, I used those pre-made yeast rolls and started braiding a small challah loaf.
Finished my sewing project (and a small update)!
I found pretty jewel-toned fabrics squares with the Star of David on them over on Amazon, and I knew I just had to buy them. Once they arrived, it took me a while to come up with a pattern, but I’m happy to say that my sewing project is now complete. I made this mini runner to sit beneath my Shabbat candlesticks. I sewed the pieces together by hand, and then quilted in five Stars of David – one big in the center and four small in each of the corner pieces. I’m really happy with the way it turned out!
Unforgettable Tunes Tuesday
Music owns me. Nothing lets me lose myself like a powerful song. As a writer, I can often envision entire scenes in my head between my characters just because of a melody or refrain. Music soothes my soul or revs me up or inspires me or becomes a companion when I need it. Simply put, I love music.
I’m also still very new to Judaism, and attending Shabbat services on Friday night or Saturday morning means that I’m about to be immersed in Hebrew for an hour or two. Continue reading
Learning Shabbat
I’m five weeks into my “official” study of Judaism (official because I’m under the tutelage of a rabbi) and every single week, I learn something new or discover something about myself and my own beliefs that tells me I’m on the right path.
My biggest realization, thus far, is two-fold: 1) I’m completely falling in love with Shabbat; and, 2) Shabbat preparation is challenging.
Where has the time gone? (A rambling update)
Well, 2016 is in full swing, holiday vacations are over, and it’s back to the grind. Somehow, two and a half weeks have passed since I last posted and I don’t know where the time went.
Life on Wild Hare Farm 