This Mexican cross a gift from Catherine.
(photo P Volker)
If you have been around here for a little while you know that we pay attention to our dreams. They can give us guidance and inspiration which we are often in need of. Well yea, fine and good but you know how wacky things can get with dreams. The Dreammister must have a sense of humor. Anyway last night I had a dream about elbow macaroni. I am trying hard to come up with details but so far nothing.
Well, that is exciting news! But you see that is the trouble today that nothing can compare with the drama coming out of Washington, that other Washington as we say around here. Twenty one hours before Joe takes the oath and we are waiting for the slew of pardons to come down any minute from Donald. We are clinging to our present patchwork of normality as we shove the Covid and everything else to the back burner.
But my elbow macaroni niggles. And my Mexican cross joins in. The scattering of body parts and everyday items look like a scattering of macaroni, sort of haphazard. But the more I dissect it, the cross that is, I see some order maybe. The head in the very center could be Christ and that is physically connected to a set of praying hands and a Sacred Heart. Then the other items that swirl around those seem random and disconnected: arms and legs, breasts, leaves, an ear of corn, a hat but all parts of life.
In between the drama I ponder.
In between the drama I ponder loves, Felipé.
Speaking of crosses we visited one in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa when we where kids, guessing 1979 or 1980, that was said to bleed! and bleed it did as we got some of the blood on bits of paper!it, the cross,was erected as a monument to the South African troops killed at the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916.the Battle was a sub battle of the much vaster, and terrible, Battle of the Somme.the blood had a gummy constituency so perhaps it was pine gum?I read that the cross was made from trees from Delville Wood,not that there can have been many left after the shelling?it was said to bleed about the time of the Battle July/September.
Kevan ~ thank you for relating that mournful bit of history. It must have left an impression on you as a kid. Felipé.
Glad you are dreaming of elbow macaroni and not bucatini, my favorite pasta. There is a “Great American Bucatini Shortage,” according to the trustworthy New York Magazine. Always a plethora of elbow macaroni, or you could open up a box of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese.
Bucatini love,
Henriette Anne
PS Did you dream include sauce or glue?
Henriette ~ Well, good luck with your bucatini, sounds exotic. That’s the thing about my elbow macaroni, that it is a plain jane. That is one of the things that sticks out to me. I just can’t come up with any details, no sauce or glue, sorry. Felipé.x
Or maybe – the macaroni cross connection is an urging to harken back to the childhood days of wonder and excitement about making something precious for our Bigs – the macaroni cross – and trusting we are in good hands and that we can make good/art/love/BIG out of everyday “stuff”. My online church services over the last few months have been about the greek meaning of apocalypse (uncover, reveal, lay bare, or disclose) as well as the epiphany season being about the drawing back of the veil. We have Big Newness and Good coming, I just know it! Thanks for sharing as always, Phil! Elbow Macaroni Cross Loves
Robbi ~ I like where you took that! That is one thing that personally strikes me about the elbow macaroni, is that it is massively common sort of kid stuff. And you ran with that kid stuff idea. And to make something bigger than life out of that common commodity, nice. Thanks, Felipé.x
Changes are seen here south too!
Cris ~ I am going to put up your pic just to remind us of what our August looks like, what a Veranda looks like. Thanks. And we applaud your vacation! Felipé.x
Fr. Mamerto Menapace said I could totally translate all his tales and books for your blog! He is a character! So more to come!
Cris ~ I am so glad that you were able to get away and recharge. We will have to get together and figure this out. Felipé.x
So I think the macaroni refers to the patriotic day and Yankee Doodle—stuck a feather in his cap and called it Macaroni!
Jessika ~ yes, there is that for sure. The trouble is I can’t come up with any details. So, we will just have to laugh and move on. Amazing day today! Felipé.x
Jessika ~ yea, there is that. The trouble is that I can’t seem to dredge up any details. Guess we will have to just laugh and move on. Amazing day! Felipé.x
The body parts on the cross are commonly seen as gratitude for the healing of that part. One of the oddest things I saw on the Portuguese Camino was a church with a huge number of wax life sized body parts with a price list! Some had been purchased and placed at the feet of the statues of favorite saints. I read that they are later melted down, remade and sold again.
MM ~ fascinating! I will show you this little cross soon. Are you going to smile all day? Felipé.x