03/30/2010 *** The Oils for the Chrism Mass*** Each year during Holy Week, every diocese in the world celebrates a Mass in which all of the sacramental oils to be used in the coming year are blessed. The oils in this image are to be distributed to the deaneries of the Diocese of Austin after today's Sacred Chrism Mass. There are three oils for each deanery, the Oil of the Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick and the Sacred Chrism oil. Each of them is used for specific sacraments. The Sacred Chrism is fragrant because it is mixed with a perfumed balsam. Although all of the oils are designated for a sacred use, the Sacred Chrism is probably the most sacred substance in the Catholic Church. It is used to anoint the newly baptized, to seal the candidates for Confirmation and to anoint the hands of a Priest at his Ordination.

03/29/2010 ***Ever heard of a white Blue Bonnet? Me neither. Saturday morning when Celine and I were crawling around on the ground looking at wild Irises, a man approached us and started talking about all the places in Texas to go to see great wild flowers. He also told us about white Blue Bonnets. He said that they occur in about 1 out of every 5,000 flowers. So yesterday during Celine's Blue Bonnet sitting, she decided to look for one. This is what she found just a few yards from when I took her portraits....a pair of them. This is an HDR from 4 images.

03/28/2010 *** Native Texans, Celine and the Blue Bonnets. There are more pictures from Celine's Blue Bonnet sitting in her gallery at http://www.sundayschildsnapshots.com/Portraits/Celine/8198831_PPMz2/1/821516484_MXNcc.