Mr Cardinal was away on business, so I celebrated Shrove Tuesday alone...
a solitary pancake is not festive, I'm sad to report..
Years ago our daughter went to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras -
she was just the right age to enjoy it, and came home with lots of these:
Mardi Gras, it seems, has one very particular colour scheme.
I wonder why, or what it represents - does anybody know?
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Little Aussie came to play with me..
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Remember when we saw the animals at the Art Gallery?
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And made our own animal lake..
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This time we made a special cake:
These sugar animals from Coles come in handy...
He's growing up fast - four-and-a-half years old already:
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This was Aussie at 3 hours old - already his tiny babyhood is just a precious memory...
Meanwhile, over in Canada, here are our two other grandsons, the Little Bebe and his Big Brother this week:
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Not much sign of Spring coming any time soon..
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This is what I'm reading these days....
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Don't forget the Red Cardinal give-away..
Leave a comment or become a Follower before the 17th March and you'll be in the draw for a bundle of Red Cardinal items.
I'm happy to post internationally.
Enjoy the changing of the seasons, wherever you may be
xxxx
Rex, the King of Carnival, selected the Mardi Gras colors and assigned meaning to them in 1892. Purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun you and little Aussie must have had. Cute cake. Don't you just love the colors children choose? So excited for you about your upcoming trip.
Thank you Sanda: the Mardi Gras colours and meaning are really interesting, and I would never have worked them out. They are an unusual combination, instantly recognizable.
DeleteYes, love the vibrant choices of little children - we always enjoy the visits.
Looks like you had lots of fun with Little Aussie, nothing quite like a day with a grandchild. Are you off to Italy soon? I was lucky enough to get to go there years ago. Fond memories.
ReplyDeleteDarla
Grandchildren are the best! Yes, we have never been to Italy and as an art historian it is something I have wanted to do forever. We are going this year in the Spring, and having fun making plans.
DeleteDear Patricia - I see that Sanda has got there before me.
ReplyDeleteI use those excellent DK Eye Witness Travel Guides too. I have just purchased one for Greece from Amazon, a slightly out of date copy for less than a pound plus postage. A few years will not make much difference in the history of Greece.
Little Bebe, Big Brother and Little Aussie are growing up fast. Sometimes I wish I could stop the clock. The trouble is that as they grow older so do I.
What a great bargain from Amazon, Rosemary. I had to smile about the history of Greece, as I have thought the same about Italy as I peruse some out of date books loaned by a friend. Those little boys grow too fast, I mean look at that baby! How dare he be running about in the snow like that.
DeleteHello Patricia:
ReplyDeleteOh dear, a solitary pancake is a little bit sad but it really does seem that you have much joy in your life, and for that we are most happy.
Much joy, and much to look forward to these day, Jane and Lance. We had a difficult patch 2/3 years ago, and now make the most and enjoy life to the fullest. Thank you for your comments.
DeleteThanks to Sanda for the meaning - I think the colors were chosen because of a visit by the Stroganoff or Romanoff Duke. These were his family colors. (It's some Russian name associated in my brain with food.) John was gone for Tuesday too, so I went out for Hamburgers with my son. Your cake is adorable - I love those sugar decorations. I always buy sugar spiders for Halloween. Your Canadian grandsons look like they enjoy the snow. So luck you have Little Aussie to come and visit!
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting Beryl - now you mention the Russians, those colours do have a resonance of the glittering times of the Tsars!
DeleteWe are lucky we have Little Aussie to get our share of playtime and fun cookery!
Hello, Patricia ! So you're going to Italy too ... nice ! Pancakes are always lovely, even when you're by yourself, I find; any photo of a crêpe makes me want one. But if I make them, I just can't stop .. xx
ReplyDeleteBonjour Silver Bunny...yes, Italy too, and I'll have to learn to say Hello, Please and Thank you in Italian! Pancakes must be eaten until nothing is left - it is elementary. It is possible that on his return Mr C might request a pancake re-run because he missed out. xx
DeleteI think the purple might have to do with purple being the color of the Catholic church. I don't know about the gold and green, though. Have a wonderful time in Italy, how exciting. I would love to be entered in your giveaway; I can't remember if I've entered already. Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteJennifer I wondered about the purple too, as it is the colour for the Easter Passion. Planning a trip to Italy is a long-held dream for us, and finally happening this year. You are certainly in the giveaway!
DeleteI hope to visit New Orleans one year, but not during Mardi Gras. Spring is weeks away here in the USA, and I can't wait. Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It hasn't gotten commericial like so many other holidays.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe, I have never eaten a crepe? We always made pancakes in my family, and to this day, I always make pancakes, but have never attempted to make crepes.
Patricia, you have adorable grandchildren!
I have visited New Orleans in September years ago before Hurricane Katrina, and enjoyed it very much. I do hope they can restore its particular magic. Crepes taste much the same as pancakes, just thinner so less calories :) All grandchildren are adorable and should never be permitted to grow up!
DeleteI never knew that there were colours assigned to Mardi Gras, I guess that it might have something to do with the liturgical colours that the church use, as purple is the colour used during lent and then green is used until advent. I am sure that your other commenters have had some good suggestions though! Hope that you enjoyed your solitary pancake - we had several and they were a lovely treat! xx
ReplyDeleteI wondered about the liturgical colours too, Amy, and maybe that is also involved. Shrove Tuesday is the only time I make pancakes, so it is a special treat indeed.
DeleteI'm glad I read the comments here too as I was also curious about the Mardi gras colours. We've just had carnival here in the Netherlands too as we don't do the pancake day tradition here, but even so, carnival is very much part of the 'catholic south' tradition in Holland. The northerners, who tend to be protestant in religion, don't go in for such frivolity. It looks as if being a gran is a lot of fun. I wonder if I will ever be one! Not much sign of it so far :-) I hope you enjoyed your pancake, solitary though it was!
ReplyDeleteI did not know Holland had Catholic south and Protestant north Val - just like Ireland! Carnival sounds fun, and something we don't have locally. I wondered if we would ever be grandparents - our children were with their partners over 10 years before they had these babies. You never know when it might surprise you.
DeleteMy .." the big " boys have grown since I last saw them.
ReplyDeleteI like the lake and cake you made together with your Aussie grandson!
In Finland, it is a tradition on Thursdays to eat pea soup and afterwards, pancakes. Every Thursday.
How refreshing to read that someone is going to Italy ( instead of Paris ).
It will be a long flight again, but so worth it.
The snow looks very clean in Ottawa. Normally we would have the same amount of it, but this year - no snow, jippee!
Yes Mette, the babies grow way too fast! Pea soup and pancakes sound nice, but every week? maybe not...
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to see Italy since forever, and at last it will come true. But have to admit we have tacked on a short trip to Paris at the end :)
I am surprised you have no snow - I thought it was standard requirement in Finland. Lucky you to have a break!
Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that your daughter got the chance to travel to New Orleans and celebrated Mardi Gras. The girls did also, and Nel actually just did a post about Mardi Gras. The cake you made looks delicious, and I love the color of it. Your grandsons look so sweet running in the snow. I heard it's so cold in Canada.
It is suppose to rain all this week, but I can feel that spring is on its way.
Love,
~Sheri
Dear Sheri, yes, our daughter has great memories of being young and having fun at the Mardi Gras with her friends. Now of course she is a Mum in Canada, in the snow! I saw Nel's post, which is full of the fun of Mardi Gras. Re the cake - it might be quite some time before I use the blue colour again - it gets everywhere!
DeleteInteresting to read about Mardi Gras from your followers. Gorgeous photos of the grand children and such different landscapes to play in.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, yes we don't know a lot about Mardi Gras here, because it is not celebrated. There is such a contrast in the lives of our grandsons!
DeleteI missed Shrove Tuesday this year.
ReplyDeleteWhen the children were growing up we always had a special evening meal and I made pancakes - I miss those days now.
I've got the same "Italy" travel book - such a beautiful country.
I've driven through part of it, stayed at many of the great towns - Venice, Rome and Florence amazing.I did Art history so they were must sees.
Enjoy your trip Patricia!
Hugs
Shane
Shane, you did Art History too! That was my B.A. at U.Q.
DeleteSo many must sees in Italy - feel free to send me travel tips :)
hugs
P.
DH and I had pancakes (note the plural) for supper on Shrove Tuesday - pancakes and nothing else. :-) Those grandsons of yours are growing up very fast and I'm glad you've had a chance to have more fun with little Aussie. Mind you, the Canadian ones seem to be enjoying their endless winter. :-)
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