Friday ~ Oat Porridge for Breakfast
The rhythm of life pulses around us in all of nature.
We experience it it when we look up at the sky and see the constellations of stars return to the same place they were in last year at this time, and the year before and the year before too. We're in the season of the constellation of Taurus the bull right now.
As children, we're reminded of the celestial world with this nursery rhyme:
As children, we're reminded of the celestial world with this nursery rhyme:
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.
When the blazing sun is gone
When he nothing shines upon.
Then you show your little light
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are.
As humans, we are distinct from plants and animals in that we're able to reflect on rhythm and the patterns of nature and from that bring form to our lives, with rhythmic patterns of living.
With the establishment of healthy home rhythms, we bring meaningful and healthy form to our lives, on a daily, weekly, seasonal and yearly basis. We return to the rhythm of day and night, morning and evening, the rhythm of seven days, four seasons and one year.
The book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, from the time of Solomon, that's around 970-930 BC, reflects on rhythm. That's from three thousand years ago. Folk singer Pete Seger made it popular this with this song from 1954, it still gives me the shivers. As a sing along here with five special extra verses he wrote for his children.
When my children were little, I began incorporating these rhythmic turns with seasonal food and with seven - the seven days of the week, with meals, activities and tasks of caring for the home. We have a breakfast rhythm in which the same foods appear on the breakfast table on the same day of the week, each week. A weekly rhythm. Before that I ate oats here and there, with no regularity.
With the establishment of healthy home rhythms, we bring meaningful and healthy form to our lives, on a daily, weekly, seasonal and yearly basis. We return to the rhythm of day and night, morning and evening, the rhythm of seven days, four seasons and one year.
The book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, from the time of Solomon, that's around 970-930 BC, reflects on rhythm. That's from three thousand years ago. Folk singer Pete Seger made it popular this with this song from 1954, it still gives me the shivers. As a sing along here with five special extra verses he wrote for his children.
To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time for work a time for play
A time for night a time for day
A time to sleep a time to wake
A time for candles on the cake
A time to dress a time to eat
A time to sit and rest your feet
A time to teach a time to learn
A time for all to take their turn
A time to cry and make a fuss
A time to leave and catch the bus
A time for quiet a time for talk
A time to run a time to walk
A time to get a time to give
A time to remember a time to forgive
A time to hug a time to kiss
A time to close your eyes and wish
A time for dirt a time for soap
A time for tears a time for hope
A time for fall a time for spring
A time to hear the robins sing
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time of love, a time of hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
There is a season, turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time for work a time for play
A time for night a time for day
A time to sleep a time to wake
A time for candles on the cake
A time to dress a time to eat
A time to sit and rest your feet
A time to teach a time to learn
A time for all to take their turn
A time to cry and make a fuss
A time to leave and catch the bus
A time for quiet a time for talk
A time to run a time to walk
A time to get a time to give
A time to remember a time to forgive
A time to hug a time to kiss
A time to close your eyes and wish
A time for dirt a time for soap
A time for tears a time for hope
A time for fall a time for spring
A time to hear the robins sing
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time of love, a time of hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
To Everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
When my children were little, I began incorporating these rhythmic turns with seasonal food and with seven - the seven days of the week, with meals, activities and tasks of caring for the home. We have a breakfast rhythm in which the same foods appear on the breakfast table on the same day of the week, each week. A weekly rhythm. Before that I ate oats here and there, with no regularity.
"Women have to eat oats or they'll dry up."
Friday is the day for oat porridge at breakfast in my home. I serve the oats with cinnamon, maple syrup and fruit. Often with nuts on the side.
This oat day is a big day for me, as I've been avoiding grains for six months now, since I became aware of my sensitivity to gluten. This week I took the plunge after finding organic certified gluten free oats. It's like visiting an old friend.
Celebrating the goodness of oat porridge today: the chewiness, the warmth, the good feeling in the tummy, the long lasting energy, all the benefits they provide!
Oh I love porridge so I can only imagine how good it tastes after a gap!! What do you have for breakfast on other days?
ReplyDeletePorridge has been a favorite of mine since I was small - it was the only thing my dad knew how to make, and he only made it on Sunday mornings if we let him sleep in undisturbed (he worked 80 hour weeks). I still feel comfort when I eat it.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover image for the blog, by the way!