Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is an ancient Chinese celebration that always falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese calendar- that's five days after the new moon of May or June. It’s the third largest festival in the Chinese calendar, and it’s considered to be the start of summer. 

On this day everyone watches the spectacular dragon boat races, with the paddlers moving their oars in one fluid motion while the drummer thumps out a rhythm. The races might have begun as a symbolic way to encourage the dragons to fight in heaven and bring rain, so farmers would have good crops. Today, the races are held everywhere from Rome to Seattle, and if you are near enough to see them- how wonderful!

The Chinese call this the Duan Wu Jie (pronounced Dwan woo-oo Jee-eh) or Highest Meridian Festival. A meridian is a high point, as in the sun at the solstice. The Chinese celebrate the solstice today, according to a lunar calendar, so it varies every year. Traditionally this day is dangerous and unhealthy because it’s so strongly yang, putting the forces of ying and yang out of balance.

Agenda Today:
1. A Chinese chant:
The Chinese word for sun is tai-yang, which means “great yang”. Winter is a time of yin energy (shadows), and summer is a time of yang energy (sun).

Some Chinese people greet the sunrise with this chant:
Tai-yang, tai-yang! (tie-yawng)  = Sun or “great yang”
Chu yin, (chew in)                     = Go away shadows
xian yang. (shin yawng)            = Now is (the time for) sun

2. Egg-balancing:

It is said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at exactly noon today, the rest of the year will be lucky.

3. Make a xiangbao:
The Chinese have many customs to protect against the excessive yang energy generated by the sun and moist heat at this time of year. My favorite is the xiangbao (pronounced shang-bow). 

Georgia made a snail.

Mothers tie these pretty sachets around the necks of children, to keep illness and bad spirits away. Xiangbao are usually silk, and they come in any imaginable shape and size, from a simple pouch, butterflies, hearts, animals- and they often have an embroidered design and a long red tassel. 

I made a butterfly xiangbao one year that I’m quite happy with, and my friend Georgia made a snail.



Supplies: Paper, pencil, scissors, silk scraps, fabric pencil, embroidery floss, needle, hoop, iron-on interfacing, potpourri, cord

1- Draw a pattern for the shape of your sachet. What could be a symbol of summer luck? a sun, butterfly, cat... It can be quite small: Mine is 3-inches across.

Also draw the embroidery design you want to decorate the shape with.


2- Iron a piece of silk. Cut out the paper pattern, and trace your shape and design onto the silk with a fabric pencil. Put silk into a hoop.

3- Decorate your sachet with embroidery stitches. (See pictures of Chinese embroidery to get an idea of the kinds of stitches to use.)

4- Cut well around the outside of your silk shape, and cut a piece of interfacing a little smaller (so it doesn't stick to your iron).




Iron the two together according to the interfacing directions.

5- Repeat for the back side. 

6- Cut the two shapes out. 

7- Whip stitch the two pieces together, leaving a small hole at the top.

8- Fill with potpourri. 

9- Insert the ends of a long loop of cord, and close the hole.




4. Make zongzi (dumplings):

Everyone eats at least one zongzi rice dumpling today to bring good luck. Originally zongzi (pronounced zong-za) might have been an offering to the dragons who brought the summer rain.

Zongzi are filled with many different things- I used sweet red bean paste.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 c. sticky (glutinous) rice
• 6 large bamboo leaves (sold in Asian food stores)
• 1 c. sweet red bean paste
• 6 pieces of string

Yield: Makes 6 dumplings-

1. Put bamboo leaves in a large flat pan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and soak another 30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, rinse the sticky rice and soak in cold water for 1 hour. After 1 hour, rinse the rice again and drain. 

3. Drain the bamboo leaves. Twist one leaf into a cone, with a little tuck in the back.



4. Hold the cone in one hand and scoop in 2 spoonfuls of rice. 


5. Make an indentation for a spoonful of red bean paste. Cover with more rice. 

6. Fold the top of the leaves over, squeeze gently into a triangular packet, and tie tightly together with a piece of string (this is tricky and takes some practice, but the dumplings hold together amazingy well no matter how badly you tie them.)

7. Repeat for the other dumplings. Boil in a pot of water for 25 minutes.

8. Cut the strings, open, and serve.

5. Throw zongzi in the water:
Another tradition (that seems to tie things together in my mind) is to throw zongzi into the river, as an offering to the Dragon King, the divine ruler of the ocean. The Dragon King lives in an underwater crystal palace, and can manipulate the weather and bring rainfall.


I will take one zongzi to the creek to offer the Dragon King (and probably the ducks as well).

Shavuot

Shavuot is a two-day Jewish holiday that always starts fifty days after Passover, during the Hebrew month of Sivan. It’s the Jewish First Fruits Festival, when the spring wheat is harvested in Israel- a time of thanksgiving for the grains and fruits of the earth. This is the beginning of the harvest season in Israel, which continues throughout the summer and ends with Sukkot in the fall. 

Shavuot also celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jews.

Agenda Today:
1. Decorate the house:

In order to maintain a link with the agricultural nature of the festival, I decorate the house with flowers and greens. Last year we made vases with recycled peanut butter jars, and filled them with flowers for the table.

Supplies: Glass jars, acrylic paints, brushes, bubble paint

1. Clean the jars and remove the labels. Dry well.

2. Plan a simple greenery design- leaves, ferns, or vines- to go with the theme of the holiday. Paint the basic shapes onto the jar with different shades of green acrylic paint. 

3. As soon as it is mostly dry, outline the shape with black bubble paint, squeezed directly from the tube.

2. Make cheese cake:

Cheese cake and cheese blintzes are traditional treats on Shavuot, because of a passage in the Song of Songs, "honey and milk under your lips." It implies that the words of the Torah energize our spirits as milk and honey strengthen and sweeten our bodies.

This year I made simple cheese cake parfaits with caramel sauce. I didn't want to fuss with graham crackers so I just crumbled some brownie in the bottom.

Ingredients:

• 1 soft cookie or brownie
• 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. half and half
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. caramel sauce

Yield: 2 parfaits-




1- Set out 2 clear bowls or wine glasses. Crumble up the cookie and evenly fill the bottom of each bowl. 

2- Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 












3- Slowly add the cream, beating until well combined. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.

4- Scoop about half of the cheesecake filling into each bowl and spread it across the crumb layer. 

5- Warm up the caramel sauce just enough to pour. Drizzle about a tablespoon over the filling and then scoop another layer of cheesecake on top of the caramel and top with another drizzle of caramel.

6- Chill for an hour or overnight before serving. Enjoy!

3. First Fruits Meal and Prayer:

Menu- Lettuce salad (from our garden), chicken sandwiches, and cheese cake parfait!

Prayer:
Barukh atah AdonAI,
eloHAYnu melekh ha’olam,
she-hakol nih'yeh bi-d'varo.

Blessed art Thou, our God of the Universe,
by whose word everything comes into being.

4. Read the Ten Commandments:
One Shavuot custom is to stay awake the entire night of Shavuot studying texts, singing songs, telling stories, and then reading the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) at the first rays of the sun. (I did not stay up all night.)

1. I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt.
2. You shall have no other gods before Me.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness.
10. Do not covet.

Ramadan

 Tonight is the start of Ramadan, an Islamic holiday that marks the discovery of the Qur’an by the Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic calendar is totally lunar, so Ramadan begins a few weeks earlier each year, at the sighting of the thin crescent moon, hopefully at sundown tonight.

Sunset photo by Brayden

Ramadan is a month of blessing, marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. By night, Muslims read the Qur'an, and celebrate the compassion of God with special prayers. 

By day, they give generously to charities, and observe the discipline of fasting: They eat an early morning meal before the sun rises, then eat and drink nothing until after sundown. The Ramadan fast includes abstinence from falsehood and anger, in words and in deeds. It helps Muslims to develop self-discipline, a strong spirit, generosity, and empathy. 

Even though I don't partake in a fast, I observe Ramadan in this same spirit, renewing my relationship with God, and exercising self-discipline and generosity. I hope to build my empathy for Muslims as they observe their month-long fast. 

Agenda:
1. Celestial Awareness: 
Ramadan lasts from this crescent moon to the next crescent moon. It's not a seasonal holiday because it falls at a different season every year; I think of it as a celestial holiday. I make an extra effort during this month to have a heightened awareness of the movement of the moon, and each day's sunrise and sunset.

It takes special effort to pay attention to heavenly events. Muslims have the motivation of the fast, in which I am not partaking. I'm going to need to find creative ways to remind myself to be mindful. To help, I subscribe to a calendar ap that lists this information for me on my computer calendar.

2. Sunset Prayer:

I plan to observe a sunset prayer-time again this year during Ramadan. Usually I chant one of the 99 names of God mentioned in the Qur'an.

Since my theme this month is abundance, this year I will chant Al-Karim - which means the Most Generous, the Most Bountiful, the Most Esteemed, the Beneficent, the One who is continually giving forth the grandest and most precious bounty. The One who endlessly gives all manner of precious gifts, including support and refuge.

Muslims sometimes use a string of beads to count while they say their prayers. I have a string of 33 beads I will use. 

My plan:

• Go outside at sunset each night.
• Hold the beads in one hand and center myself a moment.
• Touch each bead around the strand, repeating Al-Karim.
• Muslims traditionally chant the names of God 99 times; I will aim for that as an ideal.

3. Make Inspiration Cards:
This month I long to settle deeply into a spirit of abundance and gratitude, so I'm going to make myself a set of daily inspiration cards.

I have often looked at those small decks of cards with artwork and affirmations, thinking- "I should make some of those!", so this month I'm going to do it. Here is my first:

Supplies: Watercolor paper, paints, brushes

1. Paint a background design, leaving space for words.

2. When it's dry, scan and upload to Pixlr.com, an online editing program. (I use the simpler Express program.)

3. Add a word or phrase for inspiration, and print.

4. Enjoy Iftar tomorrow night: 

The Ramadan fast is broken at sunset with a meal called iftar. I plan to eat a simple Turkish-style iftar meal with Ezogelin (EZ-oh gel-EEN) soup, flat bread, goat cheese, black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dates. The soup is very tasty and filling.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 
• 4 c. chicken or beef stock
• 3/4 c. red lentils
• 1/4 c. bulgar
• 1/4 c. rice
• salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. dry or fresh mint
• pepper

Garnish:

• 2 Tbsp. butter 
• 1 tsp. mint 
• lemon wedges 
• red pepper flakes 

Yield: 4-6 servings-

1- Chop the onion and saute with olive oil for about 4 minutes, then add the flour and stir until bubbly, but not browned.

2- Mix the tomato paste with 2 Tbsp. water, add to the flour, and stir until well combined. 

3- Next, slowly add the broth while stirring constantly. Continue stirring the mixture over high heat until it comes to a boil.

4- Wash the red lentils, rice and bulgar together in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add them to the boiling soup. Add salt and spices, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer slowly until grains are very soft and the lentils fall apart- about 20 minutes.

5- For the garnish, melt butter in a small pan until just bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the mint. Pour it into the soup, stir and serve with lemon wedges and red pepper flakes.

New Dragon Moon

Tonight is the new moon; The Chinese call the fifth new moon the Dragon Moon. 

Chinese dragons are a symbol of cosmic Chi, good fortune, and new beginnings, but the time around the Dragon Moon is strongly yang, with bright sunlight and moist heat. The Chinese consider this to be a dangerous and unhealthy season.  

Agenda for today:

1. Journal:

The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.

What are my next steps in life?

How am I manifesting yin and yang now?
What might give my life more balance?
How can I better open to the abundance of my life?

2. Set intentions:

My theme this month is abundance. I know I have great blessings in my life, but sometimes I forget to appreciate them. Sometimes life begins to feel the same, day after day. I want to feel the gratitude and joy of just being alive in this beautiful world. I want to be present for the richness of each day.

List my intentions for the next 30 days in these areas-

Self, Friends and Family, Teaching, Artwork, Writing, Home and Garden, Work/Business, and Volunteer work.

3. New Moon Meditation:

Light a small white candle. Center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

4. Slow Down:

I feel strong and effective when I am able to harness my yang energy to get stuff done, but I like to remember that yang's best aim is to protect yin, and yin's best function is to nurture yang; life is good when I have balance. 

The Chinese have many customs to help to protect against the excessive yang energy of this season. I will make an effort this week to find ways to bring a balance of restorative yin energy to my life: Slow down, rest well, drink more water, and practice ‘discipline of purpose’.

Rogation-tide

Rogation-tide begins on the Sunday five weeks after Easter and continues for four more days, through Ascension Day on Thursday. 

Rogation began as a very early Christian tradition of singing psalms and chanting prayers of petition for God's protection on crops, beasts and people. In medieval England parishioners would walk around the parish boundaries, bearing a cross and banners, and asking for God to bless the crops, livestock, and fishing holes. The procession was called 'beating the bounds'; before maps were commonplace, it helped everyone to remember the parish boundaries.

These boundary walks were also known as ‘gang days’ from the Anglo Saxon word ‘gangen’- to go. The parish would bond together as a community, offer charity to poor people they met along the way, and the priest would stop to preach at each prominent tree or landmark.

Now Rogation-tide is celebrated more as a time to honor the gift of creation of the land and waters, to offer thanksgiving for the labors on land and water that feed us, and to pray for stewardship of the earth.

Hawthorn tree in our front yard.

Agenda today:

1. Beat the bounds:

A parish is church territory, but I use it to mean the land that I feel responsible for, my home-neighborhood. It’s a good time for me to look at my neighborhood and my community with open eyes, and consider how I can help to support those who work to feed me, and how I can be a better steward of the land.

Sadie in front of our neighborhood store, with large black walnut tree.

The bounds of my parish extend roughly eight blocks square, from our neighborhood store to the north, our park to the east, the drainage creek to the south, and the school I teach at to the west.

Beautiful tulip poplar at our park.

I walked the bounds this morning with Sadie. I stopped at "trees of importance" to say these prayers:

Huge Oregon white oak behind the fairgrounds.

For rains and fruitful seasons, and your blessing upon the lands and waters, 

I pray to you, Oh God. 

Small dogwood tree at my school.

For all who work upon the earth and seas to bring forth food for all your creatures, I pray to you, Oh God. 

Incense cedars close to my home.

For all who care for the earth, the water, and the air, that the riches of your creation may abound from age to age, 

I pray to you, Oh God. 

Amen.

2. Bless my garden: 

When I got home from my boundary walk, I went to my garden to ask blessing on my seeds, animals, trees, and beds-

Great Spirit, Creator of all things and Giver of all life, let your blessing be upon this garden, and grant that it may serve. Amen.

3. Research: 

Read up on farm-worker and small farmer issues, as well as local environmental issues. 

What service am I called to do?

4. Make Rammalation Biscuits:

While technically these are days of fasting, in England the tradition was to gather after the Rogation Procession to drink "ganging beer" and eat "rammalation biscuits." 

Unfortunately, no one knows what rammalation biscuits are- possibly a cookie to eat while you "perambulate”? I decided to make a classic English Digestive Biscuit, and they are very yummy.

Ingredients: 

• 3/4-c. whole-wheat flour 
• 1/3 c. butter, chilled 
• 1-c. rolled oats 
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda 
• 1/4 c. raw sugar 
• 2-3 Tbsp. cold milk 

Yield: 10 cookies-

1- Combine the flour and oats in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives. Add the soda, sugar, and salt. 

2- Stir in 2-Tbsp. milk, or a bit more, and knead in the bowl to make dough that holds together well. 

3- Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic or wax paper, and chill for 30 minutes. (This resting time will make the biscuits more tender and crisp.) 







4- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roll out the dough until it is a bit more than 1/8-inch thick, and cut into any desired shape. Traditional digestives are about 2-1/2-inches round. 

5- Place on ungreased cookie sheets, prick evenly with a fork and bake until pale gold, about 12 to 15 minutes.

6- Serve with beer!