Going Deeper

March 2013

My daughter gets a gift subscription to a nature discovery magazine, and the last issue had an article about sea stars. As I sat there on the couch while my husband read it aloud to her, I started wondering where our concept of the generic five-pointed star came from. I mean, it's a basic shape we teach to our toddlers. Stars are on our flags, in our breakfast cereals, and we pair it with words like rock and super on a regular basis. Most twinkling balls of gas burning billions of miles away (name that movie!) don't have five points, but most sea stars do. There are a few species of starfish that have more limbs, and most can regenerate their legs if one is cut off, but there is a striking connection between the popular shape and the intricate marine organism. I think it is more than a coincidence. Starfish remind me of an incredibly creative God, who imagined a universe of wonder out of nothing, and who planted His seed of creativity into us. When we (or our kids) delight in the weird beauty of Oreaster Reticulates, we are giving glory to its Creator, because He so obviously Oreaster Reticulates: Bahama Star delighted to make the starfish! God's love for details is all around us, in the formation of snowflakes and the vibrant colors, textures, and fragrances that burst forth in flower, leaf, and sky. It's easy to forget that God created all four seasons for us when we have to shovel snow or our little ones have the flu (again), but as Ecclesiastes says there is a time for every activity under heaven, and God doesn't want us to waste a moment of life in complaint and defeat! Easter is this month. A time when we celebrate spring, new life, and pastel colors. Maybe a leg-regenerating starfish is a better reminder of renewal and growth than a cute rabbit? Remembering that Jesus died to make all things new, maybe we can see our day-to-day life with fresh new eyes. -Reagan Dregge

Local Events for March: Mar. 14th, 15th 9a-5p, 16th 9a-4p Farm & Power Show at the Steele Co fairgrounds, FREE Thursdays, 6:30pm Family Story Time at the Owatonna Library

Animal
adventure
Como Park Conservatory (St Paul) Website: www.comozooconservatory.org Phone: 651-487-8200 A few other favorite frugal field-trips: RAD Zoo (Medford) Website: www.theradzoo.com Phone: 507-455-1465 Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo (Byron) Website: www.co.olmsted.mn.us/pw/parks/oxbowpark /zollmanzoo Phone: 507-775-2451 Riverbend Nature Center (Faribault) Website: www.rbnc.org Phone: 507-332-7151 Sibley Park (Mankato) Website: www.mankato-mn.gov/SibleyFarm/Page.aspx Phone: 507-387-8600

Spring is one of my favorite times to go to zoos or animal parks because that is when the baby animals are usually born, but the McNeely Conservatory at Como Zoo has a winter flower show (January 12 through March 17, 2013) that Norah, GreatGrandma, and I visited recently. We also said hello to many of the animals - giraffes and lions indoors, the buffalo and polar bears outdoors in the snow! - and played in the interactive Children's Gallery & looked for the colorful tree frogs in the Ribbit Zibit. We have yet to visit the Minnesota Zoo which we have heard great things about, but a garden full of colorful flowers are certainly very cheering and inspiring on a cold gray day!

Resurrection Recipe
Hot Cross Buns An Easter Tradition
Ingredients
1 cup milk 1 Tbsp milk, warmed to 110F 1 package dry active yeast cup sugar 1 teaspoon sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups bread flour 1/2 cup black raisins 2 Tbsp candied lemon peel, cut into -inch pieces 2 Tbsp candied orange peel,cut into -inch pieces 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar teaspoon vanilla

Make the dough: Coat a large bowl with oil and set aside. Combine the 1 cup milk, yeast, and the 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl and let stand until bubbly. Combine the flours, remaining sugar, raisins, candied peels, salt, and spices in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook (or in a large mixing bowl) and mix on low speed. Add the butter, 2 eggs, and the yeast mixture and continue to mix until a sticky dough forms -- about 3 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth -- about 5 minutes. (If dough has been combined by hand, increase kneading time to 10 minutes.) Form the dough into a ball, place it in the prepared bowl, and turn to coat all sides with oil. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume -- about 1 hour. Shape the buns: Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Punch the dough down, transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead for 3 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces -- about 3 1/2 ounces each. Shape each piece into a ball and place the balls about 1 inch apart in three rows of four on the prepared pan. Cover and let rise until the buns double in volume and touch one another -- about 1 1/4 hours.

Bake the buns: Preheat oven to 500F. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the mixture on the top of each bun. Place buns in the lower third of the oven and reduce oven temperature to 400F. Bake until golden brown -about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, remaining milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. When buns have cooled slightly, drizzle a horizontal line across each row of buns followed by a vertical line to form a cross on the crown of each bun. Recipe from www.countryliving.com

Hot Cross Buns are an English spiced sweet bun, marked with a cross on top and traditionally eaten on Good Friday.

Steering Sponsors Schedule

2012-2013 Steering Team Ashley Resler, Coordinator ahanson123@hotmail.com 507-213-6033 Julie Schultz, Coordinator juliemarieschultz@gmail.com 507-213-1421 Amy Macius, Finance amymacius@gmail.com 507-214-2797 Christy DeSaulniers, Discussion Groups & Mentor Moms christy@cnonline.net 507-413-0628 Reagan Dregge, Publicity aboveallshadows@gmail.com 507-414-2088 Jodi Ovrebo, Creative Activities jodi.ovrebo@gmail.com 952-994-3643 Anne Walsh, Service Team Leader annewalsh109@centurylink.net 507-475-1406 Joan Dotson, Moppets joanbleck@yahoo.com 507-363-6977 Allie Halverson, Moppets alyson04@hotmail.com 612-237-2453 Jessica Lightly, Hospitality jesshammitt@hotmail.com 414-241-7910 Thank You to our Sponsors! Platinum Sponsors NewLife Community Resler Construction Gold Sponsors Central Valley Cooperative Federated Insurance Mayo Clinic Health System Dotson Woodworking Inc. Main Street Dental Clinics Coyour Construction Bethel Church Cornerstone Church Silver Sponsors Access Tonna Lock Service Hometown Motors Costas Candies & Restaurant Owatonna Gymnastics Club Namarya Soap Legacy Signs Balzer Builders Inc Bronze Sponsors Owatonna Dental Care John Havelka - Edward Jones Dresser Family Dentistry Gnemi Appraisal Service

March & April Birthdays Nicole Boldt 3/1, Jessica Lightly 3/7, Denise Milstead 3/22, Abigail Barnes 3/31, Jessica Shallow-Miller 3/?, Kelli Conlan 4/2, Lauren Davis 4/5, Lindsay Thompson 4/11, Christy DeSaulniers 4/14, Shannon Kerr 4/27

Reminders 3/19 Breakfast: Greenland Sea, Atlantic Ocean MOPPETS Snacks: Scotia Sea 4/2 Spring Break NO MOPS! 4/16 Breakfast: Indian Ocean, Barents Sea MOPPETS Snacks: Southern Ocean