"Today’s poem, “Thinking Potatoes” is by Leonore Hildebrandt. She’s the author of The Work at Hand and The Next Unknown. A native of Germany, Leonore lives “off the grid” in Harrington, Maine. She teaches writing at the University of Maine and serves on the editorial board of the Beloit Poetry Journal.
She writes that “just as seeds and tubers derive from an unbroken heritage, so do the humans who handle them. I like Michael Pollan’s idea that we serve the cultivated plants by propagating them, so in a sense they have cultivated us. On a trip to the Andes, the mountains where the potato originates, I witnessed the preparation of chicha, a fermented drink made from corn. Before drinking, people would spill a bit of liquid on the ground and say, "Pachamama, santa tierra,” giving thanks to the Earth Mother. This poem expresses my gratitude for the pleasure and solace I derive from working with soil and plants.
Thinking Potatoes
Leonore Hildebrandt
French Fingerlings. Magic Molly.
In a shallow box by the window
this year’s tubers warm to the thought
of growing. They understand fertility
as a sequence of moves. Fuzzy sprouts
push from the dust-shriveled skin,
eyes urge toward an opening.
Obliging, I will place each tuber
into the soil of their dark-days
like others before me––a line of planters
who have bent over shallow trenches,
who have hilled and watered
and in summer marveled at elegant plants
bearing white and purple blooms.
The strength of these earth companions––
to burrow down and resurrect.
In the Andes, the world-mother is offered
a meal and a sprinkling of chicha.
Does she fathom the depth of our hunger?
Cradled in my hand, this nightshade
offers something like a future."
The most Northern County in Maine, and its largest, is Aroostook County. It is called the "Crown of Maine." It is not very populated, and has large farms, many of them potato farms. It is also a very wooded, rugged place and very beautiful to some.
Aroostook County Shepherd’s Pie
A favorite recipe made ‘The County’ way!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb. ground beef
- 4 cups hot, seasoned, mashed Maine potatoes
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 12oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 12oz. can creamed corn
- 3 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- Saute onion and ground beef in butter until beef is brown and onion is translucent. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain away excess fat.
- Layer beef on the bottom of your baking dish, then add the two types of corn for your next layer and top with the mashed Maine potatoes.
- Bake at 350 degrees until the top of the potatoes are starting to brown, about 30 minutes.
The Mass continued:
I found the scripture referances about the parts of the Mass very interesting and thought I would share it. It is very long so I will do it in parts.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made (cf. Qo 3:13). It will become for us the bread of life (cf. Jn. 6:35). Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink (cf. Lk. 22:17-18).
Congregation: Blessed be God forever (cf. Ps. 68:36).
Priest: Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father (cf. Heb. 12:28).
Congregation: May the Lord accept this sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his Church (cf. Ps. 50:23).
Eucharistic Prayer
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord (Lam. 3:41).
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God (Col. 3:17).
Congregation: It is right to give him thanks and praise (Col. 1:3).
Preface Acclamation
Priest and Congregation: Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest (cf. Is. 6:3; Mk. 12:9-10).
Eucharistic Prayer I
We come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son (cf. Eph. 5:20). Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer in you in sacrifice (cf. 2 Macc. 1:26). We offer them for your holy Catholic Church, watch over it, Lord, and guide it; grant it peace and unity throughout the world. We offer them for N. our pope, for N. our bishop, and for all who hold and teach the Catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles (cf. Jn. 17:21; Acts 2:42).
Remember, Lord, your people, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N. Remember all of us gathered here before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves to you. We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who are dear to us. We pray to you, our living and true God, for our well-being and redemption (cf. Ps. 106:4; Heb. 13:15).
In union with the whole Church, we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles and martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew…and all the saints. May their merits and prayers gain us your constant help and protection (cf. Mt. 1:2-16; Lk. 16:9; 1 Cor. 12:12, 20f; Rev. 5:8).
Father, accept this offering from your whole family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen (cf. Col. 1:11).
Bless and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you, an offering in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24).
Let it become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.
The day before he suffered he took bread in his sacred hands and looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father, he gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you (cf. Mt. 26:26-28).
When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me (Mt. 26:26-28).
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16):
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-5).
Father, we celebrate the memory of Christ, your Son. We, your people and your ministers, recall his passion, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory; and from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, (cf. 1 Pet. 1:18-21) this holy and perfect sacrifice (Heb. 9:13-14): the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation (Jn. 6:54).
Look with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel (Gen. 4:4), the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith (Gen. 22:12), and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchisedech (Gen. 14:18).
Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven (cf. Rev. 8:3-4). Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing (cf. Eph. 1:3).
Remember, Lord, those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N. May these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence light, happiness, and peace (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13, 14).
For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs, with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas…Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha… and all the saints (cf. Col. 1:12).
Though we are sinners, we trust in your mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but grant us your forgiveness (cf. Ps. 25:7).
Through him you give us all these gifts. You fill them with life and goodness, you bless them and make them holy (Ps. 104:27-28).
*The following Eucharistic prayers find their expressions in the following Scripture passages:
Eucharistic Prayer II (cf. 2 Macc. 14:36; Phil. 2:8; Jn. 10:17-18; Mk. 14:22-25; Heb. 2:14-15; Jn. 6:51; 1 Cor. 10:17; 2 Macc. 12:45-46; 2 Thess. 1:4-5)
Eucharistic Prayer III (cf. Tob. 8:5; Jn. 1:3; Ps. 113:3; Lk. 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:26; Mk. 13:33; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 4:3; Eph. 5: 25-27; Jn. 17:22, 23; Col. 1:4-5)
Eucharist Prayer IV (cf. Gen. 1:26; Is. 55:6; 55:3; Gal. 4:4-5; Heb. 4:15; Lk. 4:18; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Jn. 14:16; Heb. 9:15; Jn. 13:1; 1 Cor. 11:23-25; Jn. 4:42; 1 Pet. 3:18, 19; Eph. 1:19-20; Mt. 25:31; 1 Cor. 12:12, 27; Acts 10:35; Rom. 8:20-21)
![[painting of Saint Martha]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sK67FoN-_tkqYVmZWPYr4k1KmyywQpkGGCWqMBUH0ClggadKlsK8EOyvje3mJgGTBACXN7l96l3ZUhaNiwSKF-C2idxtSoDlIf2Hjq8c6l=s0-d "13kb jpg, 'Christ in the House of Mary and Martha', by Jan Vermeer, 1654-55, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh; please do not write to ask about the image")
Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. They lived in the little town of Bethany near Jerusalem. They were dear friends of Jesus, and he often came to visit them. In fact, the Gospel tells us: "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary and Lazarus." It was St. Martha who lovingly served the Lord when he visited them. One day, she was preparing a meal for Jesus and his disciples. She realized that the task would be easier if her sister would help. She watched Mary sitting quietly at Jesus' feet, listening to him. "Lord, tell my sister to help me," Martha suggested. Jesus was very pleased with Martha's loving service. However, he wanted her to know that listening to God's Word and praying is even more important. So he said gently, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious about many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part."
