Hodgepodging the Countdown...

Sunrise, looking SSE from the front porch
with the ever-present lawn ornament


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1. What's left to be done on your Christmas to-do list? 

With only 4 more sleeps 'til Christmas, my list consists of cleaning the house and making New Year's Day menu plans. Everything's organized, at least on paper. And for me, once it's on paper, I'm good. I already have the minced clams for Christmas Eve's clam chowder that we'll eat, along with popovers, after the church service.

 Snowmen in the library

2. The Hodgepodge lands on the first day of winter this year. What's your favorite thing about winter? 

My favorite thing about winter is the last day of it, which is sometime in April (when you live in northern Wisconsin). 

The barn on a cold!! winter afternoon

An armful of energy

3. In what area of your life are you immature? Feel free to elaborate or not. 

I'm not immature in any way, and why are you asking this anyway? Did someone tell you that I'm immature???

 Santa on the cookstove

4. What was the most (or one of the most) important lessons you learned in 2016? 

There's no quick way to learn patience.

Another wheelbarrow full of wood for the stove

In case some are wondering, Mr. C. pulls the wheelbarrow backwards into the house because it's just easier that way. It might seem odd to those who don't live in the frozen North and who don't burn wood. But believe me, when staying warm takes top priority, we get the wood into the house as quickly and efficiently as possible.

5. It's Fried Shrimp Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite way to eat shrimp? Will there be shrimp somewhere in your holiday feastings? 

I think that shrimp was (were) meant to be part of the food chain, to be consumed by something else that lives in the sea, not by humans.

Sunset and the old farm fuel tank

6. What sound lulls you to sleep?

The car engine (whether or not I'm driving.)

 Evening, View SE from the front porch

7. What one word best describes your 2016? 

Recovery.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing.

I'm including the last paragraph of a Christmas letter we received from a friend. I thought it nicely summed up what Christmas is all about. Thank you, Laurel:

'A simple birth - not the end of the story nor the beginning, but the pivotal moment in history when God's promise to send a Saviour was put into motion on earth. God loved us enough to send His Son to redeem us from the consequence of sin, so we can have peace with God, the joy of knowing we are His, and hope for the future. His perfect justice is tempered with the gift of mercy for anyone who will believe the truth and tear open the ribbons! Merry Christmas!' 

Have a blessed and very merry Christmas, friends, as we celebrate the birth of our Rescuer, Jesus. He gives us every reason for Joy.

Churches of Minneapolis

When we woke up Sunday morning, it was -24 F, but it warmed up to a balmy -10 F. during the day. We did some Bible study, stayed close to the fire, and made Christmas cookies and candy (and played with those cute kittens). With the nice Christmas music of Carols From Trinity and also Tingstad and Rumble, it was a pleasant day altogether. After a few days of this ridiculously cold weather, though, I'm beginning to feel antsy.

Ignore the picture of the kittens if I've already posted it. It's just that the days are all starting to seem the same.

ANYWAY...

Last week, for our wedding anniversary, we drove to Minneapolis and toured The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. Not your idea of a romantic getaway?

Well, just in case you ever wondered what the difference is between a basilica and cathedral, the following is from a website with the very long explanation.

"The word basilica is derived from a Greek term meaning “royal house.” In the Catholic world, a basilica is a church building that has been accorded special privileges by the pope. There are two kinds of basilicas. The world’s four major, or papal, basilicas are St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major, all in Rome.

"Minor, or lesser, basilicas are significant churches in Rome and elsewhere in the world that meet certain criteria and are given special ecclesiastical privileges. Minor basilicas are traditionally named because of their antiquity, dignity, historical value, architectural and artistic worth, and/or significance as centers of worship. A basilica must “stand out as a center of active and pastoral liturgy,” according to the 1989 Vatican document Domus ecclesiae. 

"Because designation as a basilica indicates a special bond of communion with the pope, the parish must celebrate “with particular care” the feast of the Chair of Peter on Feb. 22, the solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29, and the anniversary of the pope’s election or his inauguration into his pastoral ministry. In the case of Pope Benedict XVI, those dates would be April 19 (his election) and April 24 (his inauguration).

More than 1,580 churches worldwide have been honored as basilicas. As of last year, 325 basilicas had been designated in the Americas; there are now 69 in the United States. 

 

"Three physical signs indicate that a church is a lesser basilica. The first is the presence of the conopaeum — a silk canopy designed with stripes of yellow and red, traditional papal colors. The second is the tintinnabulum, or bell. It is mounted on a pole and carried processionally, along with the conopaeum, at the head of the clergy on special occasions. 

"Third, minor basilicas have the right to display the papal symbol—crossed keys—on banners, on furnishings, and on the seal of the basilica. In addition, the basilica’s rector may wear a black mozetta, or cape, with red piping, buttons, and buttonholes in the exercise of his office."

***

I wonder how  many people actually remember all of this. I hope we're not going to be tested on it.  But anyway, the Basilica of Saint Mary is a beautiful building, and as we entered, I asked the janitor if it was OK that I took photos. Just so you know.

Westminster Presbyterian on Nicollet Avenue

Then we drove a few blocks to Westminster Presbyterian, where we had to buzz at the front door, state our cause, and wait to be admitted. I felt kinda like a spy. But...Nicollet Avenue is all torn up in frozen road construction, but I suspect they'll try to get it finished this next summer. It's really a mess. Any construction has completely ceased for the time being.

Westminster Presbyterian is a beautiful building, but...

 Westminster Presbyterian, Minneapolis, sanctuary

And then there's St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, which we had planned to attend for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday evening. Needless to say, with the frigid temps we weren't going anywhere. Photos from 2013.

And of course we had to stop in at Brit's Pub for fish and chips before leaving the Big City.

The people to the left of the fireplace are merely ornamental.

I hope everyone's had a good weekend. I hear that the average temperature for the continental U.S. was 16 degrees F. today! Stay warm, everyone.

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