Number 2, Volume 30 Mai 2019

Pwy sydd eisiau picnic yn y parc?

Who’s up for a Picnic in the Park?Nothing says summer quite like a picnic with friends. In fact, we’ve been enjoying this for quite some time; the idea of eating a meal outside for pleasure may date as far back as the middle ages when people gathered to eat and relax outdoors after a hunt.

Obviously, we won’t be hunting. But we have reserved an indoor space for enjoying the company of our Welsh friends, noshing on traditional picnic fare, and celebrating the end of a wonderful time of year together.

If that’s not enough to entice you to grab your sunglasses and head for the park, then perhaps you’ll be enticed by the fun of singing along with the live band that will be entertaining us, and a silent “white dragon” auction?

St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska Yr haf Picnic yn y parc (Summer picnic in the park)

Saturday, August 10 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. North 65th Street & Vine

Reserve your spot at the best picnic of the summer by completing the enclosed reservation form. $5 includes your lunch and great entertainment. Children 12 & under are free!

And did we mention no snow and ice?

The Bethany shelter is indoors and conveniently adjacent to a lovely playground. We’ve already packed up the lawn games and outdoor play gear for a truly family-friendly affair. Plenty of nearby parking, too.

Can’t wait to see you in August!

Julie Allen, President

P.S. Return your reservation by July 26 and we’ll give you 3 free bids for the auction.

St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska P.O. Box 84624 Lincoln, NE 68501

Keep in touchFacebook.com/NebraskaWelshNebraskaWelsh@gmail.com402-770-1499

How to Knit a PoemGwyneth Lewis

The whole thing starts with a single knot and needles. A word and pen. Tie a loop in nothing. Look at it. Cast on, repeat

the procedure till you have a line that you can work with. It’s a pattern made of relation alone,

my patience, my rhythm, till empty bights create a fabric that can be worn, if you’re lucky and practised. It’s never too late

to pick up dropped stitches, each hole a clue to something that might be bothering you, though I link mine with ribbons and pretend

I meant them to happen. I make a net of meaning that I carry round portable, to work on sound

in trains and terrible waiting rooms. It’s thought in action. It redeems odd corners of disposable time,

making them fashion. It’s the kind of work that keeps you together. The neck’s too tight, but tell me honestly: How do I look?

Gwenyth Lewis is a modern Welsh poet and in 2005 was named the first Poet Laureate of Wales. She is the cousin of American Astronaut, Joe Tanner and wrote “Zero Gravity” a collection of poems drawing on her experience of watching him helping repair the Hubble telescope. From Goodreads “ Zero Gravity treads new territory for poetry. Its title sequence is part space documentary, part requiem. In addition to reaching out to a loved one engaged on a dangerous mission in outer space, the poems consider internal journeys, including death, that we all must make.”

When Dragons FlewBy: Julie Allen President St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska and NASA – JPL Ambassador

With the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing coming this July, people around the world are remembering the historic flight and celebrating one of humankind’s greatest achievements.

But few are familiar with the proud Welsh descendent who played a pivotal role in the Apollo missions and, over his 39 years at NASA as an engineer, administrator, and ultimately Director of Johnson Space Center, became one of the most influential men in space exploration.

George Abbey was the American born son of a Welsh mother and London-born Scottish father. Nicknamed by many around NASA “The Astronaut Maker,” Abbey’s childhood home was steeped in Welsh culture and language. His mother, Brenta, was born in Laugharne, Camarthenshire and was a native Welsh language speaker. Brenta maintained many Welsh customs and insisted on having a piano and a music-filled home.

When the family came to North America in 1919, they settled first in Canada (where Abbey’s father had once lived) and then moved to Seattle where George was born. And although Washington State is far from Wales, Abbey reflected, “We had a lot of Welsh visitors at home when I was growing up from Wales and around the world.”

Young George attended the United States Naval Academy and upon graduation in 1954 was selected for flight training by the Air Force, which did not yet have its own service academy.

He flew various types of aircraft, became a flight instructor, and when the opportunity presented itself, opted to study for a master’s degree in engineering at AFIT, the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Air Force Base. While there, Abbey had his first encounter with astronauts Gus Grissom, Alan Shepherd, and John Glenn who were also at Wright, testing for positions in the first group of United States astronauts; the Mercury 7.

In 1964, Abbey was recruited for a position in the Apollo program’s System Engineering Division and began his long and storied journey with NASA.

St. David’s Day RecapThank you to all who braved the cold weather to join us for the Annual St. David’s Day luncheon and annual meeting. It was a pleasure to connect with Welsh friends and family.

Our focus for the afternoon was to learn more about education in Wales and how Welsh traditions continued in schools established by immigrants coming to the U.S. After all, St. David was first and foremost a teacher!

What fun it was to hear more about the restoration of the District 81 Pleasant View Schoolhouse, built in 1906 by the Welsh Community in the Wymore area for the education of their children. Although the school was closed in 1960, it was kept intact and is now owned and operated by the Great Plains Welsh Heritage Center. Gwenith Closs Colgrove, Director of the Center who attended the schoolhouse as a child, shared with us details of the extensive restoration taking place and the wonderful historical discoveries coming to light.

Of course we took the opportunity to recognize our Society members who have served their communities as teachers – in the tradition of our namesake.

Here is a list of members who have let us know they are Educators. If teaching has been your life’s passion, and you’re not listed here, please let us know!

Gary Kruce Special Needs Vocational Educator. Omaha Indian Reservation 1965-1975.

Ann Boice Language Arts Educator. 24 years in Scottsbluff County classrooms.

Don Brittin Special Education (6 years) and 22 years in Early Childhood (2nd and 3rd grades). Grand Island Northwest System.

Judy Temme Mathematics. 34 years in Columbus and Central City high schools.

Jean Henderson Music Professor. Nebraska Wesleyan University 1973-2012.

George Abbey left an indelible imprimatur on America’s space program. He was with the Apollo 1 astronauts the night before the fire and took part in dissecting the charred vehicle in search of the cause. He was in mission control the night of the Apollo 13 accident, and was integral to the crew’s safe return. As the head of Johnson Space Center from 1996-2001, Abbey guided the Shuttle program, led the development of the International Space Station and spearheaded NASA’s recruitment of women and minorities; putting America’s first woman, Sally Ride, into space.

But it was his love of Wales that inspired the childhood dreamer of space and rocketry to send another first into space; Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. In 1998, NASA flew Mission STS-90, a 16 day flight to conduct neuroscience research with the European Space Agency’s Spacelab. On that flight, Abbey arranged for Shuttle Columbia to carry a photograph of Wales’ famous poet, which was borrowed from The Boathouse Museum in Laugharne, where Thomas lived and wrote; also the childhood home of Abbey’s mother.

But Thomas was not the only Welshman on STS-90. Canadian Astronaut Dr. Dafydd Rhys Williams was also on board. Williams’ father was from South Wales, and to recognize his Welsh heritage, Williams flew his mother’s Welsh flag and spoke Cymraeg during the mission; more milestones in space history.

Astronauts, photo, and flag returned safely, and when you’re next in Wales you can see the photo at The Boathouse Museum in Laugharne, and the flag on display at the University of Wales.

As the Apollo celebrations commence, and we reflect on this great American achievement, we can proudly number the contributions our fellow Welsh ancestors have made to the achieving the call of President John F. Kennedy: “Together let us explore the stars.”

P.S. Dr. Dafydd Williams is not the only Welsh American Astronaut. Joe Tanner, whose mother was born in Llandewi Brefi, flew 3 shuttle missions: STS-66 in 1994, STS-82 in 1997 and STS-97 in 2000. He also took along “the Dragon,” which he gifted to the National Museum of Wales. In 2011, Williams visited his Welsh home and the elementary school in Llandewi Brefi, where his grandfather had served as Head Teacher. Tanner’s cousin, Gwyneth Lewis, is the first poet laureate of Wales.

To learn more about Apollo 11 and NASA today, catch one of Julie’s lectures this summer. There are currently two scheduled for Nebraska. Saturday, June 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Great Plains Welsh History Center and as a part of the History Nebraska lecture series at the Nebraska History Museum on Thursday, July 18 at noon. The July lecture will be televised. Follow Nebraska Welsh on Facebook for broadcast details.

Cooking Cymru Let’s talk pudding.

Pudding, in the UK, refers generically to the sweet, final course of a meal; or as we call it here in the US – dessert. But pudding can also refer to a savory dish which might include meats such as sausage, cheese or the stereotypical pudding of steak and kidney. Then there’s the Yorkshire pudding, which most closely resembles what we would call a popover. Puddings can be traced back to the 17th century

Yes, they’re serious about their pudding across the pond.

No matter the variety, puddings pop up regularly in collections of recipes for the Welsh cook. Want to give it a try? This recipe is a traditional “bread crumb and jam” type pudding and although this version features strawberry jam, you can experiment with a raspberry or blackcurrent variety. Enjoy!

Pwdin Mynwy (Monmouth Pudding) Ingredients 1¾ cups milk 1½ tablespoons milk 2¼ tablespoons white sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 lemon, zested 3 cups fresh white bread crumbs 1 teaspoon butter 3 eggs, separated 5 tablespoons strawberry jam 3 ½ tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

Directions

Place 1¾ cups plus 1½ tablespoons milk, white sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat.

Place bread crumbs in a bowl; add milk mixture. Let cool completely, at least 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 338 degrees F (170 degrees C). Butter a baking dish.

Whisk 3 beaten egg yolks into the milk-bread crumb mixture. Pour half of the custard into the prepared pan.

Heat jam in a saucepan over medium-low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Pour half over the pudding in the baking pan. Add the remaining custard; pour the remaining jam on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove pudding from oven; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Beat 3 egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Add caster sugar gradually, continuing to beat until peaks form. Spread the meringue over the pudding.

Bake in the hot oven until top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

You’ll need 3 to 4 slices of white bread for the bread crumbs. Cut the crusts off the slices, tear into pieces, and pulse in a food processor to make coarse crumbs.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 264 calories; 9.3 g fat; 39.8 g carbohydrates; 7.6 g protein; 111 mg cholesterol; 252 mg sodium. 

When Dragons FlewBy: Julie Allen President St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska and NASA – JPL Ambassador

With the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing coming this July, people around the world are remembering the historic flight and celebrating one of humankind’s greatest achievements.

But few are familiar with the proud Welsh descendent who played a pivotal role in the Apollo missions and, over his 39 years at NASA as an engineer, administrator, and ultimately Director of Johnson Space Center, became one of the most influential men in space exploration.

George Abbey was the American born son of a Welsh mother and London-born Scottish father. Nicknamed by many around NASA “The Astronaut Maker,” Abbey’s childhood home was steeped in Welsh culture and language. His mother, Brenta, was born in Laugharne, Camarthenshire and was a native Welsh language speaker. Brenta maintained many Welsh customs and insisted on having a piano and a music-filled home.

When the family came to North America in 1919, they settled first in Canada (where Abbey’s father had once lived) and then moved to Seattle where George was born. And although Washington State is far from Wales, Abbey reflected, “We had a lot of Welsh visitors at home when I was growing up from Wales and around the world.”

Young George attended the United States Naval Academy and upon graduation in 1954 was selected for flight training by the Air Force, which did not yet have its own service academy.

He flew various types of aircraft, became a flight instructor, and when the opportunity presented itself, opted to study for a master’s degree in engineering at AFIT, the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Air Force Base. While there, Abbey had his first encounter with astronauts Gus Grissom, Alan Shepherd, and John Glenn who were also at Wright, testing for positions in the first group of United States astronauts; the Mercury 7.

In 1964, Abbey was recruited for a position in the Apollo program’s System Engineering Division and began his long and storied journey with NASA.

St. David’s Day RecapThank you to all who braved the cold weather to join us for the Annual St. David’s Day luncheon and annual meeting. It was a pleasure to connect with Welsh friends and family.

Our focus for the afternoon was to learn more about education in Wales and how Welsh traditions continued in schools established by immigrants coming to the U.S. After all, St. David was first and foremost a teacher!

What fun it was to hear more about the restoration of the District 81 Pleasant View Schoolhouse, built in 1906 by the Welsh Community in the Wymore area for the education of their children. Although the school was closed in 1960, it was kept intact and is now owned and operated by the Great Plains Welsh Heritage Center. Gwenith Closs Colgrove, Director of the Center who attended the schoolhouse as a child, shared with us details of the extensive restoration taking place and the wonderful historical discoveries coming to light.

Of course we took the opportunity to recognize our Society members who have served their communities as teachers – in the tradition of our namesake.

Here is a list of members who have let us know they are Educators. If teaching has been your life’s passion, and you’re not listed here, please let us know!

Gary Kruce Special Needs Vocational Educator. Omaha Indian Reservation 1965-1975.

Ann Boice Language Arts Educator. 24 years in Scottsbluff County classrooms.

Don Brittin Special Education (6 years) and 22 years in Early Childhood (2nd and 3rd grades). Grand Island Northwest System.

Judy Temme Mathematics. 34 years in Columbus and Central City high schools.

Jean Henderson Music Professor. Nebraska Wesleyan University 1973-2012.

Number 2, Volume 30 Mai 2019

Pwy sydd eisiau picnic yn y parc?

Who’s up for a Picnic in the Park?Nothing says summer quite like a picnic with friends. In fact, we’ve been enjoying this for quite some time; the idea of eating a meal outside for pleasure may date as far back as the middle ages when people gathered to eat and relax outdoors after a hunt.

Obviously, we won’t be hunting. But we have reserved an indoor space for enjoying the company of our Welsh friends, noshing on traditional picnic fare, and celebrating the end of a wonderful time of year together.

If that’s not enough to entice you to grab your sunglasses and head for the park, then perhaps you’ll be enticed by the fun of singing along with the live band that will be entertaining us, and a silent “white dragon” auction?

St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska Yr haf Picnic yn y parc (Summer picnic in the park)

Saturday, August 10 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. North 65th Street & Vine

Reserve your spot at the best picnic of the summer by completing the enclosed reservation form. $5 includes your lunch and great entertainment. Children 12 & under are free!

And did we mention no snow and ice?

The Bethany shelter is indoors and conveniently adjacent to a lovely playground. We’ve already packed up the lawn games and outdoor play gear for a truly family-friendly affair. Plenty of nearby parking, too.

Can’t wait to see you in August!

Julie Allen, President

P.S. Return your reservation by July 26 and we’ll give you 3 free bids for the auction.

St. David’s Welsh Society of Nebraska P.O. Box 84624 Lincoln, NE 68501

Keep in touchFacebook.com/NebraskaWelshNebraskaWelsh@gmail.com402-770-1499

How to Knit a PoemGwyneth Lewis

The whole thing starts with a single knot and needles. A word and pen. Tie a loop in nothing. Look at it. Cast on, repeat

the procedure till you have a line that you can work with. It’s a pattern made of relation alone,

my patience, my rhythm, till empty bights create a fabric that can be worn, if you’re lucky and practised. It’s never too late

to pick up dropped stitches, each hole a clue to something that might be bothering you, though I link mine with ribbons and pretend

I meant them to happen. I make a net of meaning that I carry round portable, to work on sound

in trains and terrible waiting rooms. It’s thought in action. It redeems odd corners of disposable time,

making them fashion. It’s the kind of work that keeps you together. The neck’s too tight, but tell me honestly: How do I look?

Gwenyth Lewis is a modern Welsh poet and in 2005 was named the first Poet Laureate of Wales. She is the cousin of American Astronaut, Joe Tanner and wrote “Zero Gravity” a collection of poems drawing on her experience of watching him helping repair the Hubble telescope. From Goodreads “ Zero Gravity treads new territory for poetry. Its title sequence is part space documentary, part requiem. In addition to reaching out to a loved one engaged on a dangerous mission in outer space, the poems consider internal journeys, including death, that we all must make.”