National Poetry Month

Good Morning,

It has been a while since The Early Riser has posted. That is because it is National Poetry Month and I have started a new initiative called Poetry for Open Spaces.

http://PoetryForOpenSpaces.blogspot.com

Poetry for Open Spaces was created in April of 2015 in honor of National Poetry Month. This initiative was developed to promote the appreciation of poetry and the exploration of nature.

There are many ways to work toward preserving our earth. Spending time in nature fosters awareness. Awareness inspires action. Reading the words of poets who appreciate nature offers a fresh perspective.

The hectic pace of modern life takes us away from the natural world. Sadly, we have to put some degree of effort into finding the time and space to take a walk in the woods, or discover the beautiful places in our own communities. The walks that will nourish you are closer than you think.  

For the month of April, The Early Riser has been posting a poem each day on Poetry for Open Spaces. All of the poems feature themes that focus on some aspect of the natural world. A variety of poets have been represented. There are more to come.

Read a poem – Take a walk - Become a steward of our open spaces.

The Paschal Moon

Good Morning,

April 3,2015

Hot Cross Buns

Good Morning,

Today is April 3, 2015, the moon is full, and it is Good Friday. This particular moon is called the Paschal Moon. It is the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox, and is used to determine the date for Easter.

In our household, the tradition is to rise early on Good Friday and make hot cross buns. The process begins when it is still dark and the moon is shining in through the kitchen window. It takes a few hours to make the buns, which allows time to watch the sun rise. It is always a joy.

Here is our recipe:

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

2 envelopes yeast (2 Tablespoons)

¼ cup of lukewarm water

1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

1 ½ cups of milk

½ cup of butter

½ cup of brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons of salt

2 eggs

3 cups flour (I use a mixture of unbleached and whole wheat pastry flour)

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of cloves

½ teaspoon of nutmeg

1 cup raisins

1. Dissolve 2 envelopes yeast (2 Tablespoons) in ¼ cup of lukewarm water with 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

2. Scald 1 ½ cups of milk. Add ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of brown sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Cool.

3. Beat two eggs until light and combine with cooled milk and yeast mixture.

4. Sift 3 cups flour with 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cloves, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg.

5. Add yeast mixture to above and beat with a mixer for 4 minutes.

6. Toss fruit with ½ cup of flour and mix into sponge. Continue adding flour until you get a firm dough.

7. Set in pan of warm water until it rises and is double in size (approximately and hour or more).

8. Beat down and form into 20 balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Let it rise again, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

9. Bake 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Enjoy!