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July 29

 

Saint of the day:
Saint Flora of Rome

Saint Flora’s Story

 

Sister of Saint Lucilla of Rome, she was kidnapped and enslaved by Saint Eugene of Rome before his conversion, and then was freed after his conversion. One of 23 Christians martyred together in the persecutions of Gallienus.

https://catholicsaints.info/tag/name-flora/

https://burnettsboards.com/2016/01/legend-fairy-sybil/

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Prayer

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Visit

The Poppy Fields of Italy!

Italy is part of the old world and one will see that some names, feasts, legends, events predates Christians. Just like so many other amazing stories things were given to god and are still enjoyed to this day. Here is the story of the little but mighty poppy!

“Castelluccio di Norcia with its flower fields is a true miracle of nature. The Sibillini Mountains are located in Italy between the Marche and Umbria and in the spring the extraordinary spectacle of Mother Nature begins. Each year, from the last days of May to mid-July, the flowering gives rise to an explosion of colors: all the fields of the Sibillini Mountains form a vast carpet of flowers – their colors continually changing. The stunning view seems straight out of a fairytale!” “Many times I’ve seen pictures of these color flower fields, but the reality still exceeded my expectations. There are fields of the cornflowers and poppies, daisies, and wild orchids, along with plenty of other flowers whose names I do not even know. And the smell … pure, delicate honey! The charm of this places has always resulted in many fantasies in the minds of visitors and people who live there.

 

According to a legend prophetess Sibyl Kuman, preferring the silence, settled in a cave on the southern slope of the mountain. The cave is located next to a small lake and it is believed that those who stay there for more than a year become immortal and will always live in abundance and without troubles. Locals always revered Sybil as a good fairy, whose entourage from time to time descended from the mountains to the village, and Sybil herself danced saltarello with the most beautiful men.

The story goes that one day during the holidays the fairies forgot about the time and did not notice the approaching dawn. Rushing into the mountains, they began to climb the Monte Vettori and in a hurry a few rocks crumbled into small pieces. Fortunately, the fairies got back into the cave before the sun rose, but the rock fragments left behind from their rush is now called ‘Path Fay.’ For this bridal inspiration shoot we were inspired by the beauty of Castelluccio di Norcia and legend of fairy Sybil!” The Poppy Fields of Italy!

Another story
An ancient Roman legend explains, rather romantically, how the poppy adopted the name ‘Corn’ Poppy. According to myth, the poppy was created by the Roman God of sleep, Somnus, in a period when Ceres, the Roman Goddess of grain, was having trouble sleeping after the loss of her daughter, Proserpina; therefore she clearly lacked the energy to make the corn grow. Somnus, realizing the gravity of the situation, allegedly quickly brewed a concoction from the poppy and offered it to Ceres and, so legend has it… “Ceres was soon sleeping like a baby again!” She soon felt rested and relaxed in no time! Ceres suddenly found the energy and turned her attention once again to the corn fields which miraculously began to grow well. The poppy’s appearance along field margins has stood as a strong symbol to the Italian ever since and its presence ensures abundant harvests in the fields.

Poppy Symbolism in Christianity

In Christianity, the poppy is a symbol of the blood of Christ and the sacrifice of his death on Earth. In addition, Christians associate the poppy with Jesus’ resurrection and ascent to Heaven and immortality. In Christianity, poppy symbolism is recruited to represent death as a period of tranquil slumber. This association is seen in metaphor as the red petals of the poppy symbolize the blood of a sacrificed Christ. Themes of resurrection and immortality (salvation of the soul) blossom as the poppy (and the spirit) never really die, just renew and ascend.

Red poppy

Red poppies symbolize eternal love, remembrance and sacrifice. They are placed on the graves of fallen soldiers to honor their memory. And they are also associated with the blood of Christ. However, in Asian countries, red poppies symbolize success and good fortune, as well as romantic love.

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Recipe:

Fruity and Floral Sangria- Two Ways!

 

Ingredients

White Peach Sangria with Orange Blossom Water

  • 1 large peach pitted and roughly chopped or 1 cup frozen peaches

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water divided

  • 2 tablespoons white rum

  • 2 teaspoons orange blossom water

  • 1 bottle 750ml white wine (like Pinot Grigio)

  • 1 large peach pitted and sliced for garnish

  • Sparkling water or sparkling wine for serving

  • Edible flowers for garnish


Strawberry Rosé Sangria

  • 1 cup frozen strawberries

  • ½ cup sugar to make simple syrup

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water divided

  • 2 tablespoons white rum

  • 2 teaspoons rose water

  • 1 bottle 750ml Rosé wine

  • 1 cup fresh strawberries cut in half or sliced

  • 1 red plum pitted and sliced

  • Sparkling water or sparkling wine for serving

  • Edible flowers for garnish

Directions

White Peach Sangria with Orange Blossom

  1. To make fresh peach puree, add the chopped peaches to a blender or food processor with a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons) and pulse until smooth.

  2. Next, make your simple syrup. Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and let cool. You’ll only need ¼ cup for this recipe, so store the rest in a jar in the refrigerator for other cocktails.

  3. In a tall pitcher, add in ½ cup of the peach puree, sliced peach, rum, ¼ cup simple syrup, orange blossom water, and white wine. Use a long handle to stir everything together and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

  4. When ready to serve, pour into glasses and top with either sparkling wine or sparkling water (I used La Croix sparkling water) and garnish with edible flowers, if using.
     

Strawberry Rosé Sangria

  1. To a blender or food processor, add frozen strawberries and about 2 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Pour into airtight container until ready to use.

  2. Next, make your simple syrup. Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and let cool. You’ll only need ¼ cup for this recipe, so store the rest in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

  3. In a tall pitcher, add in ½ cup of the strawberry puree, ¼ cup of simple syrup, fresh strawberries, plum, white rum, rose water, and rosé wine. Use a tall handle to stir everything together and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours so flavors can blend.

  4. When ready to serve, pour into glasses and top with either sparkling water or sparkling wine and edible flowers.

Note: Both rose water and orange blossom water go a very long way so use the recommended amount in the recipe first and add more if desired. 

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