Christmas mood
December 23, 2012
Sharing some snowy
CHRISTMAS STARS
to wish you all
JOYEUX NOEL, MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELIZ NAVIDAD, HYVAA JOULUA, FROEHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN, GLAEDELIG JUL, BUON NATALE
A beautiful little book “Au nom de la mère” or “In the name of the mother”. Erri de Luca tells about what is probably the most well-known story in humanity. The Italian author focuses on Miriàm, a young Jewish girl engaged to Iosef. Under his hand, the story of the Nativity is seen in the Hebraic context and is a praise of all mothers, body and soul. A wonderful read particularly during Christmas time.
« Grace is the superhuman force to face the world on one’s own, without any effort, to defy it… It is a prophet’s talent. It is a gift and you received it. You are full of grace”.
Iosef to Miriàm, Mary, Marie
If you would like to see more of this magnificent painting by Andrea Solario, “Madonna with the Green Cushion” ( part of it is pictured on the book cover), the following link leads you to Le Louvre Museum in Paris.
http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/madonna-green-cushion
Isathreadsoflife's Blog 
Thank you for wishing your viewers a merry christmas; And the same to you. Happy hoiidays.
Yvonne
Thank you Yvonne, have a wonderful Christmas Day !
Beautiful book cover! I am wishing you the Merriest Christmas! xo
May you have much joy, love and laughter filled with magical and cozy moments. ❤
Dear Marie, your words touch me, I wish you just as much and thank you for your presence and encouragement all year round. Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Joyeux Noel a toi aussi! (please excuse my lack of accent marks, I haven’t learned how to make them on this keyboard without the help of Google translate!)
Merci de tout coeur, Karen. Les accents ne comptent pas quand ta visite fait si plaisir 🙂 Joyeux Noël et Bonne et Heureuse Année, Bonne santé aussi à tous.
I too wish a Glædelig jul to you and your family, dear Isa.
Thanks to the joy of “cutting and pasting” I am now able to wish you a: “Merry Christmas, Glædelig jul, and a Joyeux Noel!”
This was a gift from Mr. Google to all my friends from here and there. Glad you enjoyed it, dear Sybil. Thanks and Merry Christmas again.
Thank you Birgitte for your visit and thoughts.
Joyeux Noël again to you and yours.
Merry Christmas, Isa! May 2013 flower in your heart…a gift of grace…
Thanks Kathy, you words always bring a smile and much gratitude. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
Merci votre visite sur mon poste de Noël. Je vous souhaite un très joyeux Noël! Merci le disant en finnois aussi.
Merci Matti, j’espère que votre fête de Noël a été magnifique et je vous souhaite une Bonne et Heureuse Année dans votre nouvel environnement. Merci aussi pour toutes les belles photos partagées durant l’année.
Merry Christmas dear Isa. Hope you have a wonderful christmas time. I may look upon the book soon. Thanks! 🙂
Thank you sonali, yes, I am having a wonderful Christmas time with my family and friends. You will enjoy this book, I hope though you will find an English translation, I was not able to see if it had been translated in this language, it exists in French, Italian and Spanish, as far as I know.
I’m very intrigued by the title of the book. The traditional Christian blessing, of course, is “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. My hunch is that Au Nom de la Mere is either directly or indirectly a comment on a certain exclusion of the feminine and maternal that’s taken place in the Church.
I’m so glad you brought us this perfect Christmas offering. I intend to share it with an Italian friend of mine who probably knows it already, but who may not – and she will enjoy seeing it in either case.
I was especially delighted to find a short video combining music and painting, along with narration. The Italian language is so beautiful. I hope you don’t mind my adding it – hearing the spoken words adds so much.
Merry Christmas to you, and yours, and every good wish for the New Year. And a Merry Christmas to Nino, too! Give him an extra pet for me!
Dear Linda, your comment and the most beautiful vidéo you shared are wonderful Christmas presents. Thank you so much.
You are quite right, “In the Name of the Mother” is also for me a right praise of all mothers, as well as a recognition (?) of Marie, Miriàm, Mary as a woman and mother like many amongst us.
Your Italian friend, even if she read this book of de Luca, will surely enjoy viewing and listening to the touching vidéo. I agree with you, Italian language is so beautiful !
Many good wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy and creative New Year.
Dear Isa, I send you “Glædelig jul” and my best wishes for you and your family for 2013: “Godt Nytår”!
Tak, Truels, “Godt Nytar” ogsa 🙂
There is so much love, tenderness, and even complicity that emerged from these beautiful paintings, from the glances exchanged between mother and child, between the child and the “off scene” person, from the various postures, cheek to cheek, from the nice tender gestures of the hands. Such a moving beauty in these mothers and these children, just mothers and their children. Thank you Isabelle for this beautiful post-Christmas present.
What a lovely comment, dear fanfoulon. I can see you observed these paintings very well and expressed beautifully all the feelings they inspired you. Thank you for introducing me to Erri de Luca. Each one of his books I read until now is a small jewel.
Christmas blessings Isa! Love to you in 2013.
Have a wonderful Holiday Season, Tammy. Much love to you also and thanks for all the interesting facts and tasty recipes you shared with us over the years. I received a book you may
be interested in reading :”How to cook a crocodile” by Bonnie Lee Black. I will present it later.
I have four tender crocodile ribs in my fridge. Could you indicate to me the cooking time ?. And a nice sauce to go with ? Thanks !
Désolée de te répondre si tard, espérons que le petit croco n’aura pas mis les voiles…
Here is a recipe found on a book written by a friend who spent years in Africa for the American Peace Corps. It is a stew made by Madame Nimba, Lastoursville, Gabon.
For 2 kgs of croco, cut in large chunks :
1 bunch lemongrass (about 12 stalks), washed, chopped
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 small head of garlic, peeled and minced
1 large, finger-lenght piece of fresh ginger, peeled, minced
1 bunch of leaves of ndolé (African shops), spinach or sorrel (oseille), washed and chopped
1 can of whole tomatoes of freshed ones in Season, chopped
1-2 chili pepers, Madame Nimba used Scotch bonnet hot peppers
1 tablespoon salt
Place lemongrass on the bottom of a marmite (cooking pot or Dutch oven),
Add croco and all remaining ingredients,
Add water to almost cover contents. Cover pot and cook about 1 hour or until tender.
Serve with rice.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Recipe shared by Bonnie Lee Black in her book :
“How to cook a crocodile, A Memoir with Recipes”
Merry Christmas 🙂 Wish you a peaceful and cheerful 2013.
thanks a lot iniyaal, I also wish you and your family a happy and peaceful new year.
Hows the New Year treating you Isa? hope you are doing good..long time…
Thanks for your thoughts, sonali, I am doing OK, slowly. How about you ? Sorry, I have not been very present here, just taking a break for a while. Take care and all the best to you.
Isa, je me sens comme l’arroseur… arrosé. Je n’ai plus maintenant qu’à vraiment trouver quelques crocodile chops. Au chalet, je trouve parfois des lézards mais ils sont trop mignons et surtout beaucoup trop rapides pour passer à la casserole. Too bad !