A Cat’s Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray this cushy life to keep.
I pray for toys that look like mice,
And sofa cushions, soft and nice.
I pray for gourmet kitty snacks,
And someone nice to scratch my back,
For windowsills all warm and bright,
For shadows to explore at night.
I pray I’ll always stay real cool
And keep the secret feline rule
To NEVER tell a human that
The world is really ruled by CATS!
(Anon)

From Cybersalt
Image: David Hockney - Mr & Mrs Clark & Percy (1970) - Tate Gallery, London

‘The Book of my Enemy Has Been Remaindered’ - Clive James

The Book of my Enemy has been Remaindered

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered
Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized
And sits in piles in a police warehouse,
My enemy’s much-prized effort sits in piles
In the kind of bookshop where remaindering occurs.
Great, square stacks of rejected books and, between them, aisles
One passes down reflecting on life’s vanities,
Pausing to remember all those thoughtful reviews
Lavished to no avail upon one’s enemy’s book -
For behold, here is that book
Among these ranks and banks of duds,
These ponderous and seeminly irreducible cairns
Of complete stiffs.

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I rejoice.
It has gone with bowed head like a defeated legion
Beneath the yoke.
What avail him now his awards and prizes,
The praise expended upon his meticulous technique,
His individual new voice?
Knocked into the middle of next week
His brainchild now consorts with the bad buys
The sinker, clinkers, dogs and dregs,
The Edsels of the world of moveable type,
The bummers that no amount of hype could shift,
The unbudgeable turkeys.

Yea, his slim volume with its understated wrapper
Bathes in the blare of the brightly jacketed Hitler’s War Machine,
His unmistakably individual new voice
Shares the same scrapyart with a forlorn skyscraper
Of The Kung-Fu Cookbook,
His honesty, proclaimed by himself and believed by others,
His renowned abhorrence of all posturing and pretense,
Is there with Pertwee’s Promenades and Pierrots–
One Hundred Years of Seaside Entertainment,
And (oh, this above all) his sensibility,
His sensibility and its hair-like filaments,
His delicate, quivering sensibility is now as one
With Barbara Windsor’s Book of Boobs,
A volume graced by the descriptive rubric
“My boobs will give everyone hours of fun”.

Soon now a book of mine could be remaindered also,
Though not to the monumental extent
In which the chastisement of remaindering has been meted out
To the book of my enemy,
Since in the case of my own book it will be due
To a miscalculated print run, a marketing error -
Nothing to do with merit.
But just supposing that such an event should hold
Some slight element of sadness, it will be offset
By the memory of this sweet moment.
Chill the champagne and polish the crystal goblets!
The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am glad.

Clive James
Image: Literary Cat - EJM Studios

Orthodox art and chants / I am in need of music - Elizabeth Bishop

Pictures of Orthodox Churches in Moscow and St. Petersburg plus orthodox artwork from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg with a soundtrack of Bulgarian Orthodox Chants.

I am in need of music

I am in need of music that would flow
Over my fretful, feeling fingertips,
Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips,
With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow.
Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low,
Of some song sung to rest the tired dead,
A song to fall like water on my head,
And over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow!

There is a magic made by melody:
A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool
Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep
To the subaqueous stillness of the sea,
And floats forever in a moon-green pool,
Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.

Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979)

Robert Lowell remarked about her work: “Elizabeth Bishop is the contemporary poet that I admire most …. There’s a beautiful completeness to all of Bishop’s poetry. I don’t think anyone alive has a better eye than she had: The eye that sees things and the mind behind the eye that remembers.”

The Salad Bowl

Today I have been on a Vocations Day run by Chelmsford Diocese - a chance to explore what God wants me to do with the rest of my life and to find out how to get there.  One of the most helpful passages I have read recently and with which I really identify, is this one. Today has been really helpful.  I have found some answers but now seem to have lots more.  I have certainly been challenged.  This is an exciting time!

Margaret Silf writes, in the Preface to her book ‘Landmarks: An Ignatian Journey’:

Not long ago I was invited to attend a friend’s induction as vicar of his new parish.  After the service his new parshioners had put on a marvellous feast in the church hall.  The trestle tables were set out with all kinds of goodies.  The congregation streamed out of the church and into the hall. The place became alive with conversation and, as so often happens at these gatherings, within ten minutes the laden table were almost bare …

… Except for one large bowl of rice salad, which remained untouched in the middle of a long empty table.  I happened to notice this salad and my heart went out to the person who had probably spent hours preparing it and had brought it as a love-offering.  How hurt and saddened that person musit be feeling, I thought.  And my second thought was ‘Why has nobody eaten it? It looks so appetising and inviting!”‘

Then it became obvious why the salad stood deserted and untouched, after the feast was over.  There was no spoon.  The fact hit me like a sledgehammer that night.  I realised that the salad bowl was telling me something about the Church.  It too is sometimes like a bowl of salad, full of what people are so longing to receive, so hungry for.  But where is the spoon?  Shall the treasure remain forever on display, the inaccessible centrepiece of an empty table? Do God’s people really have the means to eat the food he prepares for them or is it wrapped up in the cling-film of doctrine and set high on the top shelf or theology?  And are they too well-trained to dare to mention the problem?

No-one can know the mind of God.   Yet surely he, like us, is saddened and grieved when his hungry children stand empty-handed at his table because ‘the church’ has provided no spoons for the salad.  Let us not complain … let us, rather, remember that we are ‘the Church’, and that it is up to us, his people, to make his feast accessible to all, in whatever ways open up to us.

I can add nothing to the salad.  I venture only to offer a little spoon. And I can do that only because others have been ’spoons’ for me in my own hunger for the living bread.  They have made it possible for me to share in the feast. 

 

Recipe: Spanish Style Chicken with Red Peppers

Having arrived back from a wonderful few days in Barcelona and still marvelling at the extraordinary genius of Antonio Gaudi and his fellow Modernist artists and architects, I decided we ought to eat one of our favourite Spanish style dishes.  I adapted this dish from a recipe by food writer Keith Floyd taken from his book Floyd on Spain, which accompanied the television series of the same name.  The original recipe was for Rabbit with Red Peppers but it seems almost impossible to buy rabbit now in UK shops and supermarkets, especially the boned frozen (ready for use) variety.  In fact the only time recently I have seen fresh whole rabbit in a local butchers shop it was frighteningly expensive.  (At one time frozen boned rabbit in 1lb bags could be bought in Sainsburys, but it has not been available for some years.  If anyone knows a UK supermarket that stocks it I would be interested to know. Thanks.) 

The chorizo is essential.  If you don’t have it wait until you do and make something else instead this time!  Everything else can be adapted if necessary.  A 400g tin of tomatoes can replace fresh, if not available. Red peppers can be changed to a mix of red, orange & yellow, all of which are sweet, though green peppers might be less successful.  Diced chicken breast meat can be replaced with skinned chicken thighs, either one or two per person depending on size and/or appetite.  … and do try this recipe with rabbit, as per the original idea, if you can get it.  Perhaps one day I will!

Spanish Style Chicken with Red Peppers
(Pollo con Pimientos Morrones)
(Serves 4)

Olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1lb/450g tomatoes, chopped - skinned if you wish
Sea salt
1lb/450g chicken breast, skinned and diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2ozs/50g smoked ham or bacon (original recipe has Serrano ham)
4ozs/100g chorizo sausage, diced - or, if thin type, semi circle dice 
1lb/450g red peppers, cored, seeded and cut into eight
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or thyme or rosemary)

1.   Heat some oil in a large saucepan (big enough to eventually take all the ingredients).  Put in onions, cover and cook over a low heat (to sweat them down) for about 20 minutes - do not let them brown.

2.  Add tomatoes and sea salt to taste, cover and simmer gently.

3.  Place more oil in a frying pan and brown the pieces of meat a few at a time.  If using large pieces this can take up to 15 minutes.

4.  Add garlic and season with black pepper.  Add diced ham or bacon and chorizo.

5.  Now spoon this meat mixture, reserving any remaining oil in the pan, into the large pot with the onions and tomatoes and stir well.

6.  Into the remaining oil in the pan, to which you can add a very small amount more oil if necessary, add the sliced peppers and stir well.  Cook briskly in the oil for a few minutes until they have softened and then add to the pot with all the other ingredients.

7.  Sprinkle with parsley and check seasoning.

8.  Simmer gently for about 45 minutes.

9.  Serve with rice or crusty bread and salad.  If you want a hot vegetable in place of salad then peas work well.

 

Barcelona & Antoni Gaudi

This video gives a good idea of the organic Art Nouveau (known in Spain as Modernist) style of architecture of Antoni Gaudi found in the Spanish city of Barcelona. Whilst it does not have the best quality images of Gaudi’s work, it is the best film I could find combining Gaudi with the wonderful theme song for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games. The song Barcelona was written by the late Freddie Mercury and sung in duet with Montserrat Caballé, although sadly Mercury did not live to sing it at the Olympic opening ceremony.  The memory of this song and that of the amazing views of the coastline seen behind the divers at the Olympic pool, along with a fascination with Gaudi’s work has made Barcelona a place I have wanted to visit for a long time so I am really looking forward to our visit. The architecture of Antoni Gaudi, including Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, Parc Güell and the Sagrada Família church are all on our itinerary as well as visits to Montjuïc, which overlooks the city plus plenty of opportunities to try out the local food.

Rowantree Choir Concert: Haydn & Vivaldi

The Rowantree Choir
Haydn Nelson Mass & ‘Te Deum’ and Vivaldi ‘Gloria’
Saturday 12 April 2008 (evening)
United Reformed Church
Fox Lane
Palmers Green
LONDON N13 4AL

Tickets from 020 8360 7602 and on the door

This is my favourite choir term and I have been thoroughly enjoying our Tuesday evening practices.  I was delighted to see that we would be singing the Vivaldi Gloria (one of my favourite choral pieces) but the two pieces by Haydn (Nelson Mass and Te Deum) were unknown to me.  The choir have sung the Te Deum before, but several years ago before I joined.  The Nelson Mass has four soloists and we will be accompanied on the organ. There are occasional slow sections in these pieces, but it is as if Haydn and Vivaldi cannot stop themselves and need to keep breaking out into joyful exuberance, making all three pieces a delight to sing. 

The Rowantree Choir is based in Enfield and conducted by Jonathan Rathbone. It is a very friendly group and new members are welcomed - no auditions. Practices are on Tuesday evenings.

After Easter we will be starting to learn the piece Lord Love-a-Duck - An Aylesbury Anthem (music written by our musical director Jonathan Rathbone to words by Polly Hope) and other songs of an aquatic nature.  The concert will be on Saturday 12 July.

Discovery of Flying Penguins

Aired on BBC Breakfast TV this morning and is a BBCiPlayer advert .

… plus a short piece from the BBC on how they shot this incredible film.

Recipe: Smoky Fish Chowder

This comforting and reasonably quick to make fishy bowlful is best enjoyed on a cold evenings round the fire.  I have been known to make it on a busy Christmas eve or Good Friday evening.

The original version of the recipe comes from the excellent Complete Low Fat Cookbook by Sue Kreitzman, though I have adapted it very slightly. The first time I tried it I had no parsley and as it needed some green I added peas, an addition we have kept as we liked it so much!  I also left out the wine, as I was feeding young children who might not have liked the flavour and have continued to leave it out.

Smoky fish chowder
(Serves 4-6)

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
24fl ozs (750ml) fish stock or water
2 fl ozs (50ml) white wine (optional) - add a little more water instead, if needed
1pt (600ml) skimmed milk
3 medium all purpose potatoes (boil until almost cooked, peel & dice coarsely)
1 red pepper, chopped (pre-grilling brings out sweetness)
12oz (350g) can sweetcorn kernels
4ozs (110g) frozen peas (pre-cooked for 5 minutes)
12ozs (350g) firm white fish (skin & cut into 1″ (2.5cm) cubes)
12ozs (350g) smoked haddock or hoki, undyed if possible (skin & cut into 1″ (2.5cm) cubes)
6ozs (175g) cooked peeled prawns
freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh parsley

1. Combine the onion, 4fl ozs (100ml) of the stock/water, plus wine if using, in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.  Cover, bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. 

2. Uncover and simmer briskly until the onion is tender and starting to brown.

3. Stir in the remaining liquid and bring to a simmer. 

(I like to keep about half of the liquids back and add during cooking, if needed, as when I originally cooked this recipe the end result was rather over wet.  Let your own taste preference dictate what proportions of milk and stock/water you add.) 

4. Add the potatoes and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the red pepper and corn and simmer for 5 minutes more.

5.  Cool slightly, then puree half the mixture in a blender.  Return to the pan and bring back to a simmer.

6.  Stir in the peas and fish cubes and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Stir in the prawns and heat through.

8. Season with pepper and serve at once sprinkled with parsley.

9. Serve in a bowl and eat with a spoon, accompanied with a chunk of crusty granary bread.

Roll back the stone - Janet Morley

Hanna Cheriyan Varghese (Malaysia) - Who will roll away the stone?
(Mark 16v3)

When we are all despairing;
when the world is full of grief;
when we see no way ahead,
and hope has gone away:
          Roll back the stone.

Although we fear change;
although we are not ready;
although we’d rather weep
and run away:
          Roll back the stone.

Because we’re coming with the women;
because we hope where hope is vain;
because you call us from the grave
and show the way;
          Roll back the stone.

Janet Morley - found in Bread of Tomorrow (Christian Aid) & Women of Prayer, ed Dorothy M Stewart)